Z-Minus (Book 4) by Perrin Briar Read Free Book Online Page B

felt self-conscious as a pair of soldiers passed by.
    “There’s no one to take your call at the moment,” the impassive answering service voice said. “Please leave your message after the beep.”
    John hesitated, and was about to hang up when he heard the beep.
    “Katie?” he said. “Sorry. I thought I heard you answer. John here. I’m about to go into training for a few days. I’ll be out of contact in case you need to reach me.”
    He scratched his eyebrow with his thumb. He had so much to say but lacked the words to express them.
    “Well, I suppose I’ll be seeing you,” he said.
    He hung up. Unspent coins spilled into the receiver. John pressed his forehead against his arm. He shook his head, eyes closed, already regretting something he knew he would later dwell on.
    He picked the phone up and stabbed at the numbers with his pinky again. Before he dialed half the numbers he stopped, and slammed the phone down hard. He raised it and hit the receiver hook again, and then again and again. The handset snapped in half, its wire entrails hanging out. He threw the handset aside. It skittered across the ground.
    A couple of soldiers caught sight of him, but daren’t approach a man John’s size. John turned and marched away, returning only to scoop up the spare change and stuff it in his pocket. Most of it spilled across the concrete.

14:41pm
     
    “Mrs. Drew, please,” Jacob said.
    The line bleeped a few times and was answered by a sleepy voice.
    “Hello?”
    “Mom?” Jacob said. “Sorry to wake you. I just wanted to tell you that I’m about to go on a training assignment. I’ll be away for a while.”
    “Jacob?” his mother said. “Where am I?”
    “You’re at the hospital,” Jacob said. “Don’t worry, there’s nothing to worry about.”
    “How did I get here?” his mother said.
    “You went there,” Jacob said. “You had a pain in your back, remember? You fell over and needed help.”
    There was a pause.
    “I’ve got something to talk you about when I get home,” Jacob said. “It’s about you going to a better place, a nicer place, than the hospital.”
    “It can’t be worse,” his mother said. She lowered her voice. “I think they’re trying to poison me.”
    Jacob pinched his eyes.
    “They’re not trying to poison you,” he said. “They’re trying to help you.”
    “No, they put something in my food,” his mother said.
    “No, they didn’t,” Jacob said, leaning against a wall.
    He might as well get comfortable. This was going to be a long call.

15:34pm
     
    Fort Bragg was a hive of activity beneath a blood red sky. Soldiers marched in perfect lines, others jogging, led by drill sergeants. Most of them would puke out, failing in their training, just as most of Mark, Jacob, John and Roach’s training groups had. Only a handful would make it through.
    Mark and his team had their bags packed and were heading for the chinook helicopter, its engine whirring and preparing for takeoff. None of them were looking forward to the training, but orders were orders.
    “Hey, hey!” a voice said. “Look what we’ve got here!”
    Mark’s team turned to find a soldier with a large handlebar mustache. His name was Eddie. He was flanked by a contingent of two dozen soldiers – some of whom Mark recognized as members of Groups One and Five.
    “So you’re the rats in the maze, ay?” Eddie said. “The boys and I did wonder.”
    “Now you know,” Jacob said, turning back to the chinook.
    “I’ll make sure to tell the lads not to pack too much,” Eddie said with a grin. “We’ll be back before dinner.”
    Eddie turned to Daoud.
    “Sorry you’re with these losers, Daoud,” he said. “After you got the call, you should have called me. I might have been able to get you out of it.”
    “I’m sure you’ll cope without me,” Daoud said. “Who’s taking my place?”
    “Wachowski,” Eddie said.
    “He’ll do fine,” Daoud said.
    Eddie turned back to Mark.
    “It’ll be