Title: Don't Drink The Water, Chapter Five
Archive: Not without Permission of the Author
Disclaimer: "Over There" and all its characters belong to FX Networks and other entities that may have been involved with its production. No infringement of copyright is intended. This story was written for personal enjoyment and to share with other "Over There" fans.
Summary: Suspicions confirm that there's a traitor in their midst; Scream and His Squad fight to save a friends life.
Warning: This story is rated NC-17 for coarse language and sexual situations. Be warned that this story does include depictions of war; and while not over graphic, they may cause some readers discomfort. Please read at your own risk.
Author's note: The sentiments of Lieutenant Hunter reflect only the sentiments of Lieutenant Hunter.
Village of Baquobah
01400 later that day
"How old are most people when they get Alzheimer's?" Tariq asked. He was sitting on one of the hard seats in the back of the partially filled truck that contained medical supplies and M.R.E.'s.
Dim was sitting on the floor of the truck, dangling his legs over the side. "Hmm. "Well, Ronald Regan was diagnosed at 84. Charlton Heston was 79."
"Who's that?" Smoke asked. Pulling another box from the truck and balancing it on a shoulder.
"Ronald Regan?"
"Nah, other guy."
"Charlton Heston….You know, the actor? Famous actor? "
Smoke looks unsure.
"Ten Commandments ring a bell?" asked Dim.
When Smoke still looked unsure, Angel nudged him. "Moses."
"Oh. "
"Yeah, the NRA guy who said guns don't kill people….." Dim laughed.
"We'll he's right. People wit the guns kill people." Smoke commented.
"Hello? No guns, no people getting shot at!" Dim offered.
"Guns don't kill people. Apes with guns kill people," Tariq said with a straight face, making Angel and Dim laugh. "I heard that somewhere." He replied.
"Hello?" Smoke said. "You think a monkey knows how to shoot a gun, Dimwit?" Smoke said, obviously not making the connection.
"Smoke! Stop bullshitting and get the rest these boxes off my truck!" Silas said coming up behind him. "You guys too," he snapped, motioning to the rest of them, while trying to side step a goat that'd apparently been interested in the contents of one of the boxes, and was now chewing on it. "I want to get the hell out of this goat-filled shit hole sometime this week!" He kicked the box on the ground and the goat bleated angrily.
"Got it Sarge", Dim responded as they all climbed out of the truck with several boxes and walked into the small dimly lit store front that served as a clinic for the village. A small Iraqi woman, covered from head to toe in a black bourka, lowered her eyes and nodded to them, pointing to a corner where several boxes had already been stacked.
"So why are you asking about Alzheimer's?" Dim asked.
Tariq placed his two boxes on top of two more and then gently shoved the whole stack against the wall to make more room. "I don't know. I've just been…I can't remember where I put things all of a sudden. I keep losing things. I lost that map, my compass, a book. A letter. A friggin' letter to my mother, now how do you lose a letter to my mother?"
"It's probably just stress. Don't let it make you crazy. I think it happens to everyone a few time at least, right Angel?" Dim asked as they made their way back outside.
"I forget where I put stuff all the time, but, I wish someone would forget where they put him," Angel replied, motioning with his chin, as Lieutenant Hunter strode toward them.
"Aren't you men done yet?"
"We're just waiting on the Sergeant, sir." Angel said calmly.
"What's taking so him long! We still have an eviction notice to serve" he complained as he opened a folded sheet of paper, and scan the text. "One Abdilrashma Ala wannabe?" He shoved the paper in Tariq face. "What the hell does that say?"
Tariq gave an exasperated sound and stepped back yanking the paper out of his face. "It says Abdel Rahman Al-Wahhabi; Abdel meaning 'servant', rahman meaning 'merciful'. Al-Wahhabi," He continued, the tone of his voice becoming slightly agitated," is a tribal affiliation; it tells you what village he came from. You have any other questions?"
"Thank you for explaining that… as if I actually cared what you and your family call yourselves. You're all related anyway." He said with a fake smile, totally oblivious to the fact that he'd ticked the younger man off.
Suddenly there were raised voices, as Sergeant Silas appeared at the door of the clinic, with Angel and two agitated Iraqi woman. Silas spoke to Angel, who nodded and walked steadily towards Tariq and Lieutenant Hunter. He nodded at Tariq. "Sarge needs you to translate."
"Well what's going on?" Hunter demanded. Why is she," pointing to a woman in the black bourka "yelling at one of my men?
"She says there are things missing that they need and they wants us to go get them. Sarge told her- "
"Must I do everything myself? You! "He said pointing his finger at Tariq's face, again. "Let's go!" Hunter snapped, striding angrily towards the commotion.
Silas turned and saw the lieutenant approach; determined to not let him cause another fiasco, he turned and met him half way. "She says there are things missing that they need and want us to go get them. She says that we should have 62 boxes for her and not the 56 we gave her-"
"Which one? That almost normal looking one or the bee keeper?" Hunter said cutting him off.
"Sharmute!" Tariq hissed under his breath, but loud enough for Silas to hear, and his head jerked to his extreme left, a look of shock on his face.
"What? What did he say?" Hunter asked
"Bee –keeper? You think that's funny?" Tariq asked, his arms crossed on his chest.
"Tariq." Silas said warily.
"Yeah." Hunter drawled, taking a step closer to Tariq and leaning into his personal space, just looking to push the younger man into an argument "Yeah, I thinks it's funny. Don't you?"
"NO, I don't." Tariq said taking a step forward-
"Tariq!" Silas said grabbing the Privates arm and trying to pull him away.
"I don't think it's funny at all!"
"Tariq! Shut up! "Silas snapped again, nodding at Smoke, who quickly step to his squad-mates side and try to help pull him away. But it didn't help. Tariq was not moving.
"Sergeant, I want this man written up and put on report for insubordination!"
"Sir-"Silas began, still trying to remove his man.
"Insubordination and-"
"Telhasi teezi !" Tariq hissed at Hunter. For a moment after he was slightly dizzy as Silas grabbed him, turned him around and stuck his beak in Tariq's face.
"SHUT UP! Don't you say another goddamned word, Tariq, NOT ONE MORE GODDAMMED WORD! SHUT UP and get your ass on that truck, now or I'll kick your ass there!" Silas shoved the man toward Smoke, who grabbed Tariq by the arm and escorted him past Angel and Dim who were too stunned to say anything.
Along side of the truck, Mrs. B and Doublewide stood silently; Doublewide's eyes were as big as saucers and Mrs. B just bit her lower lip as they watched Silas stand calmly listening to Hunter as he continued to voice his outrage, then turned strode angrily in their direction. They caught his eye briefly and scurried back to the front of the truck.
Camp Freedom
01600
Somber didn't seem like a strong enough word to use to describe he mood as the squad of seven made their way back to Camp freedom that evening. Nothing was said; there was no conversation or except for the sound of Dim clearing his throat, which was followed by a look from Silas that might have made lesser men incontinent.
Mrs. B pulled into the camp and came to a stop as she usually did, in front of the inner gate inside the camp. This way the soldiers didn't have to walk all the way back to their barracks or Mess or wherever, from the motorpool. She felt some movement in the back of the truck, and watched as Smoke and Dim jumped from the back, then accepted the clipboard Doublewide handed her and began to fill out the necessary forms. She jumped in her seat when Esmerelda gasped and emitted a tiny scream, taken totally by surprise when Silas appeared at her door and opened it.
"I got this, ladies. You can go now." He said roughly.
"I just need to finish this-"
"GET OUT GODDAMNIT!" Silas screamed.
Doublewide jumped up from her seat at the sound of his voice, and tried to climb out of the truck, but tripped in doing so. She failed to hit the ground only because Silas reached out and grabbed her. She tried to pull her arm away, angry that he'd frightened her badly enough that she'd almost been hurt, but he didn't let go of her arm.
"I'm…sorry, ma'am." Silas said softly.
"It's okay." Mrs B. said, clearly upset at Silas. "I got her. Come on, Esmerelda." She took the other woman's arm and gently pulled her away, and toward the mess tent.
Silas stood watching them go, looking down at the ground, cursing softly. He grabbed his helmet and tossed it into the truck, rubbing his head angrily. He saw Tariq standing at the back of the truck. "Get in the goddamned truck!" he shouted, climbing into the passenger side, and slamming the door behind him.
Tariq climbed in behind the wheel and started the engine, then began driving slowly towards the motorpool. When he got there, he handed the clip board thru the window to the motorpool crew, but made no effort to get out. The crew stood waiting for them to get out, but when neither Tariq, nor Silas made a move, they simply walked away.
Silas tuned and gazed out his window. "You know Hunter has every right to write you up for what you did, what you said." He shook his head. "Oh, and I know what you said. And yeah, Hunter might be a bastard and you might really want him to 'lick your ass' ? But you can't say that to him, you can't say that to an OFFICER AND I DON'T, GIVE A SHIT WHAT LANGUAGE IT'S IN!" he yelled.
He turned and looked at Tariq. "ARE YOU FUCKING CRAZY, YOU GODDAMNED ASSHOLE?
The younger man placed his hands on the steering wheel and gripped it hard. "It's offensive, the shit he says, Sergeant! I just…! First he shoves this paper in my face and makes jokes about peoples names, and then puts me down and insinuates that I'm one of them and my family- I'm sick of his comments about my having Iraqi parents and relatives! Last week he asked me if any one in my family was named Osama. The day before he asked if my father drove a Buick or a Camel! I'm here doing my job like every other American soldier, I don't have to take that shit!" he yelled.
Silas tried not to smile at the "Buick or camel' question. "No. You're right. That's harassment and you shouldn't have to take it. BUT…Christ! There are ways to handle it, and what you did was not one of them!"
He shook his head and exhaled loudly. "Okay. Baron's gonna call you in about this. You tell him what you told me, I'll talk to him too, see if I can …Damn, I don't know, maybe I can tell him you're just stressed out and it all got to you." But" he said turning to face Tariq,"You goddamn apologize to Hunter and don't you ever lose it like that again or I swear I'll kick your ass!"
Tariq nodded, slowly. "I wouldn't. I'm really sorry I got you in the middle of this shit Sergeant, I …It wouldn't happen again."
"And don't discuss it with anyone... Jesus- , don't talk to Dim!"
"I wouldn't."
"Good. Now get out!"