A/N: Yay! A quick update. :) I got this started, and just couldn't stop. And now I'm hungry cause I was too busy writing to eat. Lol. Anyway, thank you to everyone who reviewed! Hope y'all continue to enjoy!
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They'd been walking through the jungle for hours, the undergrowth getting thicker the deeper they went. Finally, in midafternoon they reached the rendezvous point.
"Ok, this is it guys," Hannibal said as they gathered round, though he made sure to keep his voice quiet because they still weren't sure what kind of patrols the camp had.
The colonel pointed at his watch, and everyone synced their watches before he continued.
"Thirty minutes, we're all back here. Clear?"
They all nodded.
"Move out."
0
Peck stopped suddenly. Combs would've walked right into him had he not been paying attention.
"What's wrong?" the radioman whispered as his eyes scanned the jungle, watching and listening for any nearing patrols.
The creases on the lieutenant's face conveyed serious concentration as he took in their surroundings. "This is where Hannibal wants us?"
Combs nodded. "Yeah. What's the problem, man?"
Shaking his head, Peck whispered back, "I'm not gonna be able to get a full or clear view of the camp from here."
That tone got the other man's attention. Seeing the look in the blond's eyes, Combs shook his head. "No, man. We can't change positions."
"We have to."
The firm voice, even as quiet as it was, had Combs straightening almost to attention.
After a quick glance around, Peck motioned for Combs to follow him. "Come on, we gotta hurry."
Rolling his eyes, the radioman sent up a silent prayer as he followed the lieutenant.
0
Moving swiftly and silently, the two soldiers had found a better spot for Peck to set up his rifle in under a couple minutes.
Setting his pack and M16 down by the trunk, the lieutenant signaled for Combs to keep a lookout as he climbed up the tree, his sniper rifle still slung over his shoulder.
A minute later, Peck was perched on one of the thick branches, his rifle at the ready.
"They're moving," the lieutenant hissed, locating the other two pairs of their unit.
"Trouble?" Combs asked, still warily scanning and listening to the jungle around them.
"Not yet."
"Pham?"
"No sign."
The only sounds for the next few minutes were of the jungle. The occasional bird took flight. A few monkeys were heard. But to the two men waiting and watching in silence, even the buzz of insects was deafening.
"Heads up."
Combs tensed at Peck's quick and quiet warning, not knowing what the lieutenant had seen, but on alert nonetheless.
Peck could feel every bead of sweat rolling down his body, and in the oppressive heat and humidity that was saying something. He was sweating so much his fatigues were sticking to him. His hair, too long by regulations, was soaked in sweat as well, matted against his forehead, behind his ears, and down his neck. He could feel it tickling his skin. In all honesty, he would swear he could feel every nerve ending in his body. He even felt the blood pumping through his body. He could certainly hear his heartbeat roaring in his ears. But despite it all, he didn't move a single muscle.
The guard he'd seen was moving…toward Ray and Reyes's position. Keeping the man in his sights, Peck took a long slow breath, and waited. Taking the shot would give away his position, and alert the VC to his presence. But letting the man catch a glimpse of his two teammates wasn't an option. In the second it would take for him to shoot, the guard could easily alert the others. When it came down to it, letting them know someone was watching and shooting from outside their perimeter was better than letting them know men had infiltrated their camp. And giving them a target to pursue outside of the camp took attention away from inside the camp, which would make it easier for the team to get in, get the information, and get out.
Without conscious thought, the young lieutenant's training had taken over. And he squeezed the trigger.
0
He could feel the chaos that erupted in the camp before he saw or heard it when the shot rang out. But from his current position, Hannibal couldn't see the target, or the immediate response of the other Viet Cong in the camp.
"Peck?" BA questioned quietly.
"Had to be," Hannibal replied. "But it came from the wrong direction."
The sergeant heard the irritation in his CO's voice, and knew the lieutenant would be getting an earful for changing positions once this was over.
0
"Damn," Reyes puffed in awe.
When they heard the shot, he and Ray had glanced around the corner to try to determine the VC's response. That's when they saw the body. It was a perfect headshot.
"Kid's good," Ray agreed, though far more casual than his teammate. His tone was simple. The captain might as well have been stating that the sky is blue.
"I'll say," the medic muttered.
"Come on, we gotta move," Ray ordered.
Reyes nodded and followed.
0
"Pham?" Combs hissed, his grip unconsciously tightening around his rifle.
"Guard."
The response was calm, quiet, and sent a chill down the radioman's spine. He couldn't see the lieutenant's eyes, but after that voice Combs knew what he would see. He'd seen the look on plenty of soldiers, especially in Special Forces. It was the look that told you just how dangerous they were, how lethal they were. Not just in capabilities either, but their very personalities. And, aside from him being a Green Beret, it contradicted everything Combs knew about Peck.
"They're coming."
Peck's warning was unnecessary. Combs had heard them. They were still only at the edge of the camp, but it wouldn't take them long to reach the two soldiers' position. "We gotta move LT," Combs stated seriously, an urgency in his voice.
Combs was ready to start running when the lieutenant snapped, "Wait."
Gritting his teeth, Combs retorted firmly, "Lieutenant, we gotta go."
"I've got Pham."
That stopped the radioman in his tracks. Bringing his rifle up, Combs prepared himself for a firefight if those VC got too close before Peck got back on the ground. "Take the shot."
0
The Vietnamese colonel was livid. Shouting at his men, "Tìm h–"
0
"Let's go!" Peck ordered.
He was already down the tree with his sniper rifle back over his shoulder, grabbing his pack and M16 before the shot even finished echoing.
The speed at which the lieutenant had moved surprised Combs, but he wasn't complaining. The VC would be on them within seconds.
Forsaking stealth in favor of speed, the two soldiers ran through the jungle until they were certain they'd put a good distance between them and the VC soldiers searching for them. After laying a false trail in a different direction, they doubled back and began to make their way to the rendezvous point, this time favoring stealth.
0
"Over here Hannibal," Ray called quietly.
"You guys ok?" the colonel questioned as he and BA approached their two teammates coming out from the brush where they'd been hidden.
"All good Colonel," Reyes smiled, tapping his pack where he'd put the documents they'd retrieved.
Hannibal nodded. Then turned back to Ray. "You see who the kid took out?"
"First shot was a guard approaching our position. We were already out of there when we heard the second."
"Pham."
The four men turned sharply, rifles raised and pointed in the direction of the voice. None of them had heard anyone approach.
"Easy guys! Just us," Combs assured them as he and Peck walked into view.
Ray and BA rolled their eyes as they all lowered their weapons. Reyes was smirking.
But Hannibal was staring intently at his lieutenant. "You sure it was Colonel Pham?"
Peck nodded. "Yes, Sir."
"Good," Hannibal said with a nod before taking a step toward the kid and hardening his voice. "Now you can explain why the hell you decided to change positions."
The rest of the team exchanged glances, they all knew that tone. It meant someone was in deep shit.
The lieutenant, however, just stood there calm as could be, and shrugged. "I needed a better vantage point," he explained simply. Then added sarcastically, "You're welcome."
Hannibal's scowl deepened, but he knew now was not the time to adjust the kid's attitude problem. Turning back to everyone, he ordered, "Let's go, I wanna be halfway to the LZ before dark."
0
The team did make it halfway to the LZ before stopping for the night. Murdock wouldn't be there till morning, and they all needed the rest after the mission and their trek through the jungle.
Hannibal was supposed to take last watch, but he couldn't sleep. Feigning sleep, he'd watched through slits as Peck took over watch from Ray. After a while, and once he was sure the captain was asleep, Hannibal finally gave up trying to rest.
Peck had watched the colonel get up and approach out of the corner of his eye. He didn't say anything as Hannibal sat down next to him, just continued staring out into the jungle.
"How old are you kid?"
The quiet question got the lieutenant to look over at the colonel. But when he opened his mouth, Hannibal held up a hand and spoke first.
"I know your file says you're twenty-two. But that's bullshit and we both know it."
In the dark, Peck couldn't really see the colonel's expression, but he could feel that piercing gaze.
The colonel repeated the question, firmer this time. "So how old are you? Really."
Letting out a small, almost imperceptible sigh, Peck leaned back against the tree and turned his eyes back out toward the jungle.
Hannibal waited. He didn't say anything. He knew the kid was weighing his options, whether to tell the truth or try to lie again.
"I turned eighteen last month." Though they were keeping the noise to a minimum to avoid detection, Peck's statement was so quiet Hannibal had to strain to hear it, and still almost missed it.
Nodding, Hannibal looked out to the jungle as well. That made more sense. He'd already assumed the kid was still a teenager. Doing the math in his head, the colonel sighed. "So why'd you enlist at sixteen?"
"Does it matter?" Peck scoffed.
The insolence in that tone had Hannibal rolling his eyes. It also told him he wouldn't get an answer, not now at least. And considering they were still in the middle of the jungle in enemy territory, the colonel was willing to let the subject lie for the moment. But not before he added one final comment. Quietly, but sincerely, Hannibal told the lieutenant, "Just know I'm here if you ever need, or want, to talk."
Peck didn't say anything. Didn't even acknowledge the offer. But Hannibal didn't expect him to.
0
"Roger that." Combs met Hannibal's questioning look as he put away the radio, and answered the unspoken question. "Murdock's on approach. Five minutes."
Nodding, the colonel turned to the others. "Alright guys, eyes peeled. Charlie hears that chopper we're gonna have company."
The team all acknowledged that with a nod, and rechecked their weapons and ammunition.
A few minutes later they heard the chopper. As soon as Hannibal saw it approach, he signaled the team and they started into the clearing, rifles ready, eyes scanning the tree lines for VC.
The Huey's skids barely touched the ground before all six men were aboard, and it rose back into the sky.
"Welcome to Air Jungle, chaps. Trees as far as the eye can see. I'm Captain Murdock, and I will be your pilot for the duration of the flight. To my right is my co-pilot Lieutenant Wilson," Murdock announced in all the serious professionalism of a public service announcement, but with a grin and a heavy British accent in the tone of a game show host. "Willy, would care to say a few words to our passengers?"
Wilson smirked, but it was BA who spoke.
"Shut up crazy fool! Just get us out of here!" the burly sergeant barked as VC emerged from the trees and began shooting at the helicopter, even though it was already out of range.
"No complimentary peanuts for you Good Sir," Murdock replied in the same voice.
Everyone but BA laughed.
"You're nuts Murdock," BA retorted.
As if on cue, the pilot howled.
A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed that chapter! No guarantees on when the next one will be up cause I've got a busy weekend ahead of me, but I'll try to have it up within the next week or two. As always reviews are greatly appreciated!"
"Tìm họ!" = "Find them!" (Courtesy of Google Translate)