A/N: Thank you everyone for the reviews! This chapter is a little shorter than I originally planned, but since when do things go according to plan? :) Hopefully you'll understand why I ended it where I did. Enjoy!
1969
"No mail LT?" Reyes asked, looking up from the care package his father had sent when the empty handed lieutenant entered the hooch.
It was mail day. Ray had already put the letter from his girlfriend in his footlocker with all her other letters. BA was rereading his letter from his mother. Combs was adding the location of the latest postcard from his sister to his list of places to visit after the war.
Murdock had been flipping through his latest aviation magazine, but turned his eyes to the young lieutenant when Reyes spoke.
"All my orders go to either the supply tent or to their final destination," Peck explained casually, sitting down on his cot.
"What about letters from home?" Combs wondered, glancing up from his notebook.
"Don't get those," Peck shrugged, rummaging through his pack.
Reyes furrowed his brows in bewilderment. "Your parents don't send you letters?"
Peck shrugged again nonchalantly. "Don't got those either." He smiled when he found the fresh pack of cigarettes. "Catch you guys later." Peck left the hooch again, either unaware of or unconcerned about the stunned silence that had fallen as all eyes followed him out.
0
"I like magazines or comic books."
The lieutenant cracked one eye open to watch the pilot plop down next to him. Closing his eye again, Peck debated whether he could just ignore the captain, but deciding that probably wouldn't work, gave the reluctant reply of "What?" and took another drag on his cigarette.
"So people don't ask me why I don't get any mail." Murdock said it as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Peck opened both eyes and stared at the man as he lit his own cigarette and leaned back against the wall as well.
Murdock sighed and looked up to the sky. "My mom died when I was young, my dad was never around, and my grandpa died before my first tour, my grandma a year later."
The lieutenant didn't say anything, but tore his eyes away from the pilot.
For once, the captain let the silence lie. Just sat there as they both smoked their cigarettes and stared out at nothing.
"Magazines, huh?" Peck's voice was soft, but the tone was light and casual.
The pilot glanced over at the lieutenant and nodded. "Magazines."
A mischievous grin grew on the kid's face. "Think the Army would frown on Playboy?"
Murdock let out a howl of laughter.
0
"Alright guys, this is strictly a recon op," Hannibal started, looking around at his team. "However," he drew the word out with a serious tone that had everyone watching him carefully. "If – if we do find this Colonel Pham, we have the clearance to take him out."
"So it's an assassination," Reyes surmised bluntly.
"No." Hannibal's voice was firm. "It's an intelligence gathering mission."
"But if we find Colonel Pham?" Combs questioned.
Hannibal sighed. "Then we have orders to capture or kill. No option C."
The colonel looked around at each of his men, who all nodded somberly in acceptance of the mission.
With a quick glance at Ray, who gave the slightest tilt of his head in a 'go on' gesture, Hannibal continued. Looking over at the newest member of the team, he waited until the kid met his gaze before speaking. "Lieutenant, you've got the best marksmanship scores, and you've got the sniper training. I want you in position here." The colonel pointed to a spot on the map. "You're gonna cover us, and if you see Pham…take the shot."
Other than a quick glance at the map to see where Hannibal wanted him, Peck's eyes never left the colonel. His face was a blank. No emotion, no expression, just blank. Even his eyes were blank, if Hannibal hadn't seen them move he might've thought the lieutenant was completely zoned out and not even paying attention.
"Understood?" Hannibal asked. He knew Peck was still green. The kid was still an unknown, in more ways than one. But there was only one way to find out whether he would sink or swim.
Peck nodded, and turned his attention back to the map.
Hannibal turned back to the rest of the team. "Combs, you're with Peck. Be ready to call in support if things go south." Combs nodded. "Ray, you and Reyes take this side of the camp, BA and I will take this side." The three nodded. "We rendezvous here." The colonel pointed to a spot on the map two klicks away from the encampment, and then looked around at each soldier with a hard expression. "I don't want us there any longer than absolutely necessary. In and out in under thirty minutes, and then we head back to the LZ, understood?"
"Yes, Sir," chorused around the table.
"Good." Turning to his pilot, Hannibal pointed to another spot on the map, a clearing a good thirty klicks away from their target. "Murdock, this is where you pick us up."
"Roger that Colonel," Murdock smiled.
0
Combs let out a long whistle.
"Damn LT, where'd you get all this?" Reyes asked with raised eyebrows.
"Yeah man, we been asking for half this stuff for weeks," BA added, wearing an expression that could've been interpreted as appreciative on anyone else. He and Ray were unloading the crate of supplies Peck had brought in.
The lieutenant just shrugged, a cocky smirk on his face. "You just gotta ask nicely."
BA scowled.
Hannibal chuckled and threw an arm around Peck's shoulders. "Nice, kid."
0
The blank expression was back on Peck's face as they flew over the jungle. Nobody was talking. BA and Ray had double-checked their gear. Combs had tested his radio for the fourth time, and Reyes had double-checked both his med kit and his rifle. Hannibal had been pouring over the map during the first half of the trip, but now he was observing the rest of the team. They were all sitting back, just waiting.
"Two minutes!" Murdock called back.
Hannibal gave him a thumbs up before turning back to his team, who were already preparing to debark. He leaned across toward Peck. "You ready kid?"
A defiant glare was the lieutenant's response.
The colonel grinned. "Good."
A/N: Hope you like that chapter! Tonight's my Friday at work, so hopefully I'll be able to finish the next chapter within the next couple days, but no guarantees. As always, reviews are greatly appreciated!