Day 2

2 a.m. So much for sleep! Might as well look at some of them stats. Unrolling the supplied field-maps on the table brought back lots of memories. I had been stationed at Fort Lewis for two years, and found the area to be a near paradise for hunting Whitetail. Incidentally, this trip would take me rather close to a small township by the name of Paradise. Scanning through the pages of the enclosed report, I smiled. My supposed target area had an even more familiar ring to it—the Tatoosh Wilderness. Maybe the camp is still there? Would be nice. Well, enough of that. One more beer and three hours of sleep, I'll be good for a week.

Sleep never came, so I made changes to my list. Harless is gonna love this!

0700 hours, military time, Captain Supo's office.

Harless frowned as he went over the list. "Heckler and Koch MP5K, Lorans T-1000 satellite tracker, five-hundred rounds nine-millimeter ammo, merc tipped," he browsed. "Wait a minute, you want your dog?"

"Yes, Sir. He's very special."

Captain Supo explained, "That dog is more highly skilled and trained than all of us put together. If someone is out there to be found, he'll find them."

"Isn't that dog under arrest and impounded?" Micheals asked.

"Yes, Sir, but not willingly," I smiled.

The Captain again enlightened the agents. "He was arrested for catching a criminal. Because he bit right through the man's hamstring, he's considered dangerous in a public environment. Bullshit! Should have bit his head off."

"Is this animal safe?" queried Micheals.

"Just don't look him in the eye," I replied. "He gets real offended."

"So why does he like you?" Harless wanted to know.

"Because he tried to bite me, and I knocked out four of his baby-teeth."

"I see! Anyway, why do you want a ten-gauge Bullpup shotgun with a twenty-round drum?" Micheals sounded sarcastic.

"It's like this, Sir, the gentleman who's coming with me isn't much for long range. He likes it close, and that's his preferred weapon aside from a KA-Bar."

Captain Supo squinted incredulously. "You're not calling Cut, are you?"

"Too late, Sir, he's already on his way up there. Oh, don't you worry, folks. He's real secretive and don't talk to anyone. But he's the best I know in a fire-fight. Wouldn't want to be in a spot with anyone else."

"Oh, shit!" the Captain thought out aloud. "Not again!"

Harless and Micheals exchanged a wary glance, but neither of them chose to comment.