Dragon Sim-13 by 1959- Bob Mayer Read Free Book Online Page B

together. The Mobile Training Team (MTT) mission to Australia, six months ago, culminating in a successful joint training mission with the Australian Special Air Services (SAS), had put a fine edge on Team 3—an edge that Riley saw the new team leader threatening.
    Besides the professional aspect, Riley enjoyed Mitchell's company and had even learned to like the captain's wife, although Riley questioned the idea of women in the army. He also didn't understand why she had kept her own last name, but he figured that was none of his business, and he knew that if he mentioned it, Captain Long would make that very clear to him. She was one of the most stubborn and self-reliant persons Riley had ever met. Riley and Jean Long had a mutual but wary respect for each other that was beginning to become a friendship.
    Riley steeled himself as Captain Peterson came over and sat down next to him. Riley was tired, hungry, and wet. Add the lack of transportation, and he was in no mood to deal with a petulant captain.
    Peterson wasted no time on small talk. "Sergeant Riley, I did not appreciate the way you talked to me at the cache site."
    Riley stood and gestured for the officer to follow him. He wasn't about to argue in front of the rest of the team. Riley led the captain to the other side of the road.
    "Yes, sir. I can understand that. But to be honest I don't appreciate the way you've been treating me this past week. You haven't listened to my advice nor have you tried to seek it out. If we're going to work together, then you have to work with me. I'm willing to work with you."
    Peterson didn't seem to be buying it. "I'm the commander of this team. If you can't go along with that, then I'm going to have to do something about it and go to the colonel."
    Riley shook his head in wonderment at the captain's lack of common sense. "Sir, there's no need to get Colonel Hossey involved. I think you might find that's not so smart. He's not going to move people around just because they don't get along. I realize I can be kind of mule headed sometimes, but you need to realize where the expertise on this team lies. I've got ten years of Special Forces experience. There's a bunch more experience sitting across the road in the heads of the other enlisted people on this team." Riley turned and looked the young captain in the eyes. "You have six months of schooling and two weeks in country."
    Peterson looked at Riley steadily for a few seconds, then walked away. Riley rubbed his eyes; he was getting a headache. He looked up as he heard the roar of a truck headed their way.
    A U.S. Army two-and-a-half-ton truck rolled down the one-lane dirt farm road toward them. Riley stepped out in the road as the truck pulled over. He hid his smile as Captain Mitchell got out of the passenger side of the cab. "Where was our helicopter? And why the hell is the truck late?"
    Mitchell flicked a half salute toward Riley. "Nice to see you too, Sergeant First Class Riley." Mitchell looked up at the sky. He pointed at a wisp of a cloud floating above the jagged peaks of the ridgeline to the south. "See that cloud? That's why the helicopter didn't fly. As far as the truck goes, I decided to do some sight-seeing on the way down. Took some beautiful pictures of a rice paddy."
    "Keep it up, asshole," Riley grumbled as he signaled for the team to load their rucks on the truck. "The chutes are about fifteen k's that-a-way, right off the DZ. Hopefully some Korean farmer hasn't found them by now and used them to make four thousand new shirts."
    Mitchell turned as Peterson came up. "Got room in the cab for me?"
    Mitchell hesitated, looking briefly at Riley, then back at his fellow officer. "How about you navigate the driver up to where the chutes are cached and I'll ride in the back? We'll go to the target and recover the demo after we get the chutes." Peterson nodded and walked to the front of the truck.
    "Looks like you two are getting along great," Mitchell whispered to Riley as