A/N: Yay! A quick update :) I actually started writing this almost immediately after I finished the last chapter. Half of this first part was written piece by piece on my phone at work. I had to think a while about how I wanted to play this chapter, so it took me a little longer to write the second half. I know how this story is going to end, and I know how to get there, I'm just debating on how much is going to go on between here and there. So bear with me as my brain organizes all the scenes I have to put in, and the many possibilities I could add in.
Thank you to everyone who's reviewed! For some reason, I've gotten emails about reviews, but haven't been able to reply to all of them, so I dunno what's going on with that. But I want to say thank you to everyone reading! You guys are awesome, and getting those reviews/favorites/alerts make my day :)
This chapter starts right where the last one left off. Enjoy!
1969
BA stared.
The silence between the two was deafening. It was minutes before either made any sort of movement, other than barely detectable breathing.
"You what?" the sergeant finally croaked. He still had his issues with the kid, but he was hoping he'd heard wrong.
Peck didn't move. His eyes remained firmly shut. Nonetheless, he repeated himself in a quiet, but firm, voice. "I killed someone."
Opening and closing his mouth a few times, BA had to swallow hard before he could speak again. "How?"
Taking a deep breath, the lieutenant finally opened his eyes, but they were looking out over the jungle.
From the little BA could see, he could tell the kid's eyes were unfocused, with a glossy look that was eerier than the night.
"I was high."
His voice was soft, and the sergeant had to strain to hear.
"It was the middle of the night…. We needed to get back, so I hotwired a car…. Gary didn't know how to drive, and I convinced him I was fine…. The other driver was thrown through the windshield. Paralyzed, but alive…. Gary never woke up. They said he died on impact…."
Again, BA just stared. He didn't know what to say.
Peck ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "When I got out of juvie…. I couldn't stay there…. So, I took off. Ended up forging some papers and joining the Army." He let out a dry chuckle. "Great plan, huh? See how well that turned out…" he muttered sullenly.
BA swallowed. He let the silence take over again before he finally asked, "Why join the Army?"
The kid shrugged. "Seemed like a good idea at the time." Seeing the sergeant's furrowed brows, he added, "I didn't wanna stay in California…. It was the quickest way out…." He closed his eyes again, looking more tired and resigned than BA had seen. "Besides…I die here, at least I can say I died for somethin'."
The bitterness in the lieutenant's voice made the sergeant look at him, really look at him. For the first time that he'd witnessed, the kid truly looked his age. And it was in that moment that BA realized that, despite how young Peck was, he'd probably already been through more than most grown adults, and being in this war, if it didn't kill him, was going to make him an even more cynical and bitter individual. But BA got the impression that the kid didn't plan on surviving this war.
"You ain't dyin'." The sergeant didn't know where that vehement declaration came from; it'd just come out.
Peck chuckled hollowly. "Don't think we get much of a choice."
This time BA shrugged. "Not always. But ya gotta stay positive. And we're gettin' out of here."
The lieutenant smirked. "Don't worry, you'll get home to see your mom."
"We'll both get home."
BA didn't understand what the kid found so amusing, but he could see the silent chuckle.
"You should rest Sergeant. It'll be light soon."
For once, Peck sounded like an officer the sergeant could respect. He wasn't being sarcastic, and he wasn't being rude. He was just looking out for his teammate.
0
Not knowing what had happened to the others, or if any help was on the way, Peck and BA had decided to just start heading toward camp. From there they could regroup and find out where the others were.
So far they hadn't run into any VC activity, but they'd been careful, maintaining stealth and making sure to cover their tracks.
They didn't talk; mainly using hand signals to communicate when necessary. The only time they'd spoken since dawn had been to make the decision to head to camp.
After a few hours of trekking through the jungle, Peck suddenly signaled BA to halt. The sergeant froze, listening and looking around carefully, trying to figure out what had the lieutenant spooked. The kid had gone rigid, and the look in his eyes reminded the big man of what Combs had said about him after the Pham mission. In this moment, BA understood perfectly. It sent chills down his spine.
Signaling the sergeant to take cover and keep watch, Peck disappeared into the undergrowth like smoke being wisped away by the wind.
BA clenched his teeth; he didn't like being left in the dark. He knew the kid had seen or heard something, but he had no clue what. And now the little punk had just told him to sit and wait. The sergeant recognized an order when it came along, but this was the first time the lieutenant had given him a direct order. He didn't like it, but BA remembered what Hannibal had said about Peck having potential; and after the last seventeen hours, he was willing to give the kid a chance.
"Easy! It's just me!"
That was Ray's voice.
BA was up and moving toward it the second recognition hit. Just ten yards away he found his teammate; he was on the ground with Peck on top of him holding a knife to his throat.
But the kid hadn't moved.
Looking around, the sergeant saw Reyes and Combs staring at the sight in shock. Hannibal's eyes never left the lieutenant as he slowly made his way toward the pair.
"Stand down Peck." The colonel's voice was solid, but BA had caught the tentative flash in his eyes.
When nothing happened, Hannibal took another step toward the kid and sharpened his tone. "That's an order Lieutenant!"
The bark worked. Ray saw the instant Peck's eyes changed from deadly tunnel vision to wide-eyed appalled to casually relaxed. Another second later, and the kid was standing, holding his hand out to help the captain up.
"Sorry," Peck muttered.
Ray accepted the assistance, watching the kid carefully as he got back to his feet as well. Picking up his fallen rifle, the XO kept his eyes on Peck, who couldn't quite mask his unease.
"We're cool," the captain assured him softly.
Peck gave him a tiny, but grateful, smile that was gone in a flash.
"At least we know you got the whole stealth thing down pat," Combs tried to joke. "We had no clue you were there."
The lieutenant shrugged nonchalantly, but it was obvious to everyone he was uncomfortable with the situation.
Hannibal sighed, and took stock of both his lieutenant and his sergeant. Knowing he wouldn't get a straight answer out of Peck, especially after the last few minutes, the colonel looked straight at BA. "You guys okay?"
Both Peck and BA nodded, but it was the sergeant who answered.
"Yeah, Hannibal. We're all good."
Not missing the more relaxed tone that hadn't before been present in any conversation concerning or including their new lieutenant, Hannibal decided to save his questions for later.
"Good." He nodded once before informing them, "Combs was able to get a hold of Murdock. New extraction point. We need to get moving if we wanna make it there before Charlie catches up or finds it first."
0
36 hours later…
By the time they had reached the extraction point, it was the middle of the night. Charlie had apparently heard the chopper on approach; they'd been waiting when the team reached the LZ. It had been a shitstorm, and no pilot except Murdock would've made the pickup. When they finally got to the camp, all were banged up and exhausted; the brass had agreed the debrief could wait till morning, after the team had a chance to get checked out by medical, shower, and catch a few Zs.
Hannibal didn't know how the kid had managed it, but he'd smooth talked the doctors and nurses into forgoing his exam and giving him the green light anyway. One of these days, the colonel swore he'd find out what issues the kid had with medical attention. Right now, though, he was more curious about the change of heart his surly sergeant suddenly had toward the lieutenant. He knew something had happened when the two had gotten separated from the rest of the team during the mission, but the older man had no clue what.
Since the debrief had taken most of the morning, Hannibal hadn't had a chance to talk with his men, other than a quick check in. And since the camp commander had held the colonel back to go over some of the finer points, by the time Hannibal had left the meeting his team had scattered. He'd seen Reyes and Combs playing basketball with a couple other soldiers, and Lieutenant Wilson's roommate had told him that Murdock and Wilson had gotten pulled for a supply run. Given the way things had been before the mission, the colonel could make an educated guess that Peck was off drinking somewhere. He'd found Ray in the hooch, and the captain had told him BA had left for the motor pool.
As he reached the motor pool, Hannibal saw BA coming out of the CO's office. The shell shock on his sergeant's face immediately put him on edge.
BA had seen him, and slowly walked over as if on autopilot.
The colonel was worried. "What's wrong?"
0
On their way back to the hooch, Reyes and Combs saw Peck heading toward the sheds at the edge of camp. The package in his hand looked suspiciously like a bottle of alcohol.
Sharing a brief look, the two sergeants' silent conversation made the decision.
"Hey LT."
Peck turned quickly. Seeing his teammates, his brows furrowed. "What's up?"
"You're going the wrong way. The hooch is the other direction."
Frowning at Combs, the lieutenant didn't seem to understand the meaning behind the words.
"Come on LT, between that and what's already in the hooch, we got plenty for everybody," Reyes told him, gesturing to the bottle in the kid's hand.
Eyes darting between the two, realization dawned on Peck and he sighed heavily.
Seeing the hesitancy, Combs gave him a reassuring smile, and Reyes nodded encouragingly for the kid to come with them.
Knowing they wouldn't give up, and not having the energy to fight it, Peck took a deep breath and nodded.
0
Ray was pleasantly surprised when Peck had returned with Reyes and Combs, even more so when the sergeants explained the plan for all of them to get shitfaced. He readily joined in when they pulled out the bottle, and grabbed the glasses they kept stashed for these occasions. After the past couple weeks, and this last mission, he knew the team needed this.
They were on their second round when Hannibal walked in.
"Colonel?" Combs asked in concern.
The same weary expression worrying the radioman sent a sinking feeling into the pit of the captain's stomach. And Ray too sent a questioning look to the colonel.
Reyes and Peck were both watching aptly with the uneasiness that had settled over the hooch.
Hannibal took a deep breath and looked the lieutenant in the eyes. "Sergeant McKinney was flown to the 95th Evac Hospital at 0630 yesterday morning after Corporal Collins found him unconscious. He overdosed."
No one moved.
A moment later, BA stormed into the hooch; rage filling his eyes.
A/N: Hope you guys liked that chapter! I won't guarantee another update as quick as this one, but I will try my best to get the next chapter up soon. As always, reviews are greatly appreciated!
Disclaimer: I'm not sure if the 95th Evac Hospital would be the correct one, but I googled Army hospitals in Vietnam, and found that one in Da Nang (which in my head the team's camp in this story is relatively close to).