1969
"You've gotta be shitting me."
Hannibal smirked at the disbelief on the kid's face as he read over the orders.
"Is this some kind of joke?" Peck asked incredulously, holding up the paper.
"Believe it, kid," Hannibal smiled. "You're officially assigned to my team."
The lieutenant's mouth opened and closed a few times before he finally managed to get out, "Are you crazy?"
Chuckling, Hannibal shrugged. "Some people think so."
Shaking his head, Peck just stared. "Why?"
The quiet question sobered Hannibal when he saw the genuine confusion on the kid's face.
"I needed a supply officer." The answer was simple, and not what the lieutenant was asking. But Hannibal explained. "I asked around about you. Everyone says you're the best supply officer in country, even though you've only been here a couple months."
Hannibal saw the smug smile Peck was fighting to contain at that acknowledgement.
"And I read your file," Hannibal continued lightly. He caught the kid hesitate for a split second at that revelation. "Sit down."
Peck raised his eyebrows. "Sir?"
"Sit down," Hannibal said, repeating the order in a firmer tone that almost reminded the lieutenant of his drill sergeant in basic.
After the lieutenant had sat down, Hannibal sighed, sitting on the edge of the desk, facing the kid. He picked up a file and held it up for Peck to see that it was his own personnel file.
"You wanna tell me how much of this is bullshit, or do you want me to guess?"
"Sir?" The lieutenant's tone and expression were the perfect picture of innocence and bewilderment, but Hannibal wasn't buying it.
"You're a good con artist kid, I'll give you that," Hannibal conceded lightly, but then lowered his tone as he continued, fixing the lieutenant with a hard stare. "You may have been able to fool the Army, and any other COs you've had, but I ain't buyin' it kid." Peck lost the innocent act, and Hannibal could see the panic creeping into his eyes, but he never broke the colonel's stare. "Now, you listen, and you listen good," Hannibal growled. His tone lightened, but remained firm as he spoke. "This –" The colonel held up the file. "Doesn't matter anymore." The lieutenant's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "You're on my team now. What's in the past is done. It's over. What matters now is what you do from here on out."
A/N: Hope you liked it! I'm probably gonna try to add more, but that's all I've got for now. I'll try to have an update within the next week or two. Reviews are greatly appreciated!