Chapter 5: Fifteen Days Earlier (Part II): Meet Lieutenant Asshole
(Back to Jack)
"So…is that it?" Rick frowns, disappointed probably after hearing my story
"It isn't as easy as what you think 'Cherrie'! It's almost like hell! I thought I'm going to die back there!" Gardner's there, so I know how it feels like
"I've faced worse than that…….." Rick's a war veteran; just like Kai and I. More to say he's a medic in the field. Combat medic
"Rick, it doesn't end there……yet."
"What happened to the medic? I would like to……" Rick….he's…
"He's dead 'Cherrie'…..an NVA got him……" Gardner spoil it all
"Oh….."
(Jack's Flashback)
Spring 9, 1967,
Aftermath of Midnight Ambush, 'Ghost Town',
0500 hrs
After the assault that night, the base was in terrible shape. The base was divided by two, controlled by two factions. The U.S, our side, controlled half of the base, which includes the shooting range, the garage, the helipad, the small hill in the center (ammo dump), and a new, un-finished medic station (this one is finally constructed with wood. Our old one uses tents. It seems the doctors and nurses were lucky enough to survive the attack. The patients weren't as fortunate). While the other half was controlled by NVA forces. By 0500, we were shelled once again by NVA forces.
"Great….more artillery……NVA sure loves to serve us coffee." I grumble as I restock myself with Thompson brand-new 3 round Thompson and .45 pistol magazines
"Lieutenant, they're not artillery." Then what is it, Short Timer?
"What do you mean, Shorty?"
"They're mortars. Russian mortars, type…." I don't need this right now
"Not now Shorty, not now. What we need to know now is WHERE ARE THEY SENDING THESE SHIT FROM?" My squad shrugs……even Short Timer himself
"It's…somewhere in the jungle…..I guest…." Kowalski! Of course it is! Could someone have any better suggestions?
"And that's where your men come to part." The Captain, got something in mind probably
"What do you mean Capt'n?" Kai
"I've assigned your squad, Lieutenant Edelman's, and others to search and destroy enemy mortar position." Edelman? Who the hell is that?
"You haven't met him, but you will. Move on to the garage; you're gonna' be using the APC."
"Why can't we just use the Huey?" I question the Captain since there are more possibilities to flank the enemy
"We can't risk any Huey Lieutenant! They'll be needed to transport fresh troopers and reinforcements. We'll hold the NVA here, while you move out via APC. Take PFC Gardner and PFC Danny with you. They're part of your squad now, so don't be shy to give orders to them. They'll prove useful in the field. Now MOVE!" Sure thing, we can't deny the Captain's order
"Sir, yes sir!"
We dash towards the garage, covered by the Captain, and a few other survivors. The whole area was hell itself. Corpses of U.S 3rd Battalion G.I and NVA troops littered the ground with blood and body parts. Kowalski picked up one guy's arm and toss it towards to an NVA running towards us with his machete before taking him out. We were then covered by the assigned men in the garage.
"What the hell take you so long Lieutenant?" A guy with a scar across his face stood up and starts yapping
"What do you think goddamn it? NVA forces keep us busy down there! And you better watch your attitude soldier!" That guy……
"Now…where's Edelman?" The guy with the scar stood up and pounds his chest
"I'm Edelman! Got complains?"
"No Lieutenant. What do they call you here?"
"It's none of your business fuck face! Is that all you've got? Is that YOUR squad? Lieutenant Harvest?" This guy is freakin' my nerves
"I like Jack better, and guys here call me LT." He snickers, an unpleasant one
"Hhe…..so you're the Lieutenant working with the SF, huh?" This guy gives me the creeps
"Name's John Edelman, Lieutenant. But guys here call me Scar, resembling this 'scar' across my face." I could see that
"I could see that Lieutenant. Now we'll need cooper….." I manage to ask for cooperation with his squad, but….
"I'm the rule, and the law here LT! No one but me gives order…!"
"But…"
"Not even you LT……not even you…" What does he think he is?
"Everyone, board the APC! Lieutenant Douglass, board your squad!"
"Yes sir!" How come he follows his orders? He's a lieutenant, right?
Lieutenant Douglass and his squad board the APC. He's in the driver's seat; while his gunner takes the MG position beside the driver's seat. The APC had an open top for the driver; a good sniper could take out the driver in one shot. But I notice that there were only 2 left in the garage…..functioning. Wonder what plan Scar had in his mind?
"It seems we're short on APC LT." Lt. Scar notices this as well
"So…what's your plan?" He grin at me asking this
"Get inside the APC boys! We don't have all day, medals are waiting for us!" What about MY squad?
"What about us?" I ask him, a funny expression was his reply
"Why LT, your squad will sit on the roof of my APC! Now get moving!" No one orders me around like this before
"Oh, no! We would…." Scar fires his M16 by my feet…., repeatedly
"What the…..?"
"I'M THE ORDER HERE LT! I will not hesitate to shoot ANYONE who didn't follow my orders! Is that clear?" This guy's freaking me out
"Uhh…..yeah….." Jesus……I really didn't want to make a mess before we start our mission
"What are you waiting for? Hop on!"
Though my squad gives millions of unpleasant complaints on 'why should we be at the top', or 'why do you give up on that son of a bitch?' and stuff like that. Eventually, Lt. Scar gives the best of my squad and starts yapping how terrible my discipline was on my men. I gotta' admit, I never like this guy from the first. We climb the roofs of the APC and try to keep our balance on as Scar's men sped off with in the APC. Kai got in an argument with one of Scar's men on who's gonna' be in the MG position. Eventually, Kai won that fight. The 2 APC, the 3 squad sped off, slamming the front gate and head towards the deep jungle for a mission of Search and Destroy.