Hostile Fire by Keith Douglass Read Free Book Online Page A

Any hint where we’re going?
    “Not a glimmer, lad. Not a Chinaman’s clue.”
    “Right. You sleep in in the morning. We’ve got the bus on call at oh-five-hundred. See you when we get back. Oh, does Masciareli know yet?”
    “I’m about to call him. He’s gonna piss his pants again.”
    “Yeah, be good for him. Take care, Master Chief.” He took a deep breath. Now he had to tell Ardith they were on call again. She would not be pleased.

5
    Murdock drove into the parking lot outside the Quarter Deck at oh-four-thirty. There were already six SEALs there jawing at each other around their cars. They waved and trooped together across the Quarter Deck and to SEAL Team Seven Third Platoon’s quarters.
    “Break out your new desert cammies,” Murdock told the men. “We won’t be going to the desert today; we have a mission, only nobody but the president knows what it is.”
    “How’s the time?” Jaybird asked.
    “Lots of it. We don’t take off from North Island NAS until oh-eight-thirty.”
    “Time for chow,” somebody chirped.
    “Yes,” Murdock said. “The bus leaves here at oh-eight-hundred. We go ready to fight. Weapons, double ammo, no Drager or wet suits, so we’re on a land mission. Fill in the rest of the men when they arrive. Gardner, on me.”
    Lieutenant (J.G.) Gardner walked with Murdock to the small office and couldn’t keep the curiosity out of his voice.
    “So where are we really going, Cap?”
    “DC, then Langley, Virginia, and a briefing I’d guess by the spooks at the farm.”
    “Couldn’t they do it with encrypted radio messages?”
    “Evidently not. They may have more in mind than a briefing. The last time they invited us to Langley we came out looking like a ragtag bunch of Arabs.”
    “We’re going to infiltrate some Arab country?”
    “Possible. We’ve done it before. Check out your squad and be sure that every man has his assigned weapon and double ammo. That’s going to mean ammo bags for the Bull Pups.”
    “Will do, Commander,” Gardner said and hurried out the door.

    It was a little after oh-seven-hundred when Murdock called home. Ardith should be about ready to drive to work. She picked up on the second ring.
    “Yes, good morning.”
    “Hi, Ardith. A small change in plans. I won’t be home for a while, maybe a couple of weeks. We just got a new mission. We fly out this morning at oh-eight-thirty. Wanted to say good-bye.”
    “I guess that new furniture we talked about looking for will have to wait. It hasn’t been long since your last trip.”
    “True. You know the routine. When they call, we go. You take care of things there. I’ve got to go. See you soon.”
    “Soon. Murdock, I love you.”
    “Love you, too. See you.”
    He hung up and made a final check on Alpha Squad. Everyone had made it on time at oh-four-thirty. Some of them had breakfast. He found Fernandez checking over his gear. Murdock knelt down beside the SEAL and spoke so no one else could hear.
    “You sure you want to go on this one?”
    “I’m sure, Cap. I decided when I first heard we had a mission. The old fire horse. No way you can keep me out of it.”
    “You talk with Maria?”
    “For about two hours. She understands how I feel, and that I’m not sure which way I’m going to go. She said it’s fine with her either way, but I know she’d rather I drop out and go black shoe.”
    “I can order you to stay on base.”
    “I know. But I don’t think you’ll do that. You don’t want another washout.”
    “Not that. I have to decide if you might endanger another man or your squad.” He looked at Fernandez. The SEAL stared straight and even at him, eye to eye. There was no wavering, no indecision on Fernandez’s part. “Okay, sailor, you on for this walk in the park.” Murdock stood. He nodded curtly and went back to the office.
    The navy driver had pulled in the navy bus they were going to go to the desert in at 0840, sweating because he was late. He heard the news of the