Last Night Another Soldier by Andy McNab Read Free Book Online Page B

everything went pear-shaped between you and Mum afterwards is because you have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
    Dad, PTSD is something that loads ofsoldiers get, but the doctors can help you. Just go and see one. Please …
    The FOB’s loud speaker system sparked up again. ‘Standby. Standby. Showers are on, but today, only for an hour. The pumps need a service. End of message.’
    Toki picked up John’s laptop. ‘Leave the letter, Briggsy. We’ll finish it off later. Go clean yourself up.’

Chapter Twelve
    After showering and changing my shirt as Toki had instructed, I wandered back over to the Medic Centre. Emma still had the Chili Peppers banging out of her speakers when I finally got called in. It was a wonder she was able to concentrate on any kind of medical emergency with those twats warbling in the background. I was more of a Jay–Z man myself.
    ‘Emma! I’m back.’
    I was still pissed off with her for telling the lads about my war wound. She might be pretty, but she was definitely a pain in the arse. And I had one of them already!
    I decided to go straight into attack mode. ‘I can’t believe you told ‘em.’
    She looked puzzled for a moment, as though she wasn’t quite sure what I was talking about.
    ‘Hmmm … Did I? … I can’t remember …’
    She squirted her hands with disinfectant from a bottle and burst into fits of laughter. ‘That’s what you get for having a go at my music.’
    I smiled like I thought it was all a fantastic joke, but I wasn’t letting her get away with itthat easily. ‘That was bad. What about your Hippy oath thing?’
    She laughed again. ‘I haven’t taken an oath, you dickhead. I’m a medic, not a doctor. Besides, you can’t blame me. It was just too good to keep to myself.’
    I undid my combats and lay on the bench again, carefully pulling my underpants down along with my trousers, so as not to disturb the wound that was trying hard to scab up. I turned my head to one side to watch her as she came over.
    ‘I do blame you. I’ve been ripped apart all day.’
    She showed no pity, though. ‘Well, tough. The deed is done. Now, let’s have a quick look. How has it been?’
    ‘Fine now, thanks. I reckon it’s better.’ Then I ruined it by flinching big time as she ripped off the dressing and started prodding me.
    ‘Yeah, right.’ She wasn’t fooled by my speedy recovery act. ‘I can tell it’s still painful, but at least there’s no weeping. Looks like it’s healing well. I’ll just give it another quick clean.’
    I hoped she was feeling a bit guilty about telling the others, so I made my move. I twisted my head round further to try and make eye contact. ‘Can you tell Sergeant MacKenzie I’mgood to go, then? It would make up for making me look like a right idiot.’
    ‘Your trouble is, you have no sense of humour.’ So far, so good, at least I’d got a smile out of her.
    ‘Yeah, that’s right. It’s a laugh a minute being known as the man who needs two lots of bog paper.’ I looked back down at the plastic floorboards again.
    Emma didn’t respond. She was too busy doing her cleaning and swabbing stuff. It hurt like hell, but I tried to talk through the pain.
    ‘Talk to Sergeant MacKenzie for me? Please, Emma.’
    ‘We’ll see … There. You’re done.’ And with that, she walked back to the desk and started to write up some medical notes. As I got dressed, I couldn’t help but stare at the big black body bag again.
    ‘John.’ I hadn’t realized I had said his name out loud until she answered.
    ‘What about him?’
    I didn’t even know why I was asking. ‘Can I see him? You must have cleaned him up by now.’
    Emma’s voice was softer, kinder. ‘You sure that’s what you want?’
    I gave a nod. ‘Yeah. Quick goodbye before he goes.’
    Emma put down her pen and turned off the Chili Peppers. There was a long zip noise as she slowly opened the body bag so just his face was showing. She didn’t want me to see the wounds. We