Watch Stander

Chapter 2

Seeing as they were fliers, Cross and Kip were not used to the rough ride of the old humvee. It got even worse when they left the neglected paved roads and hit the back country woods of Virginia. Cross was pretty sure First Sergeant Slaughter was intentionally hitting every pothole and sizable rock on the road. So when they came upon seemingly random tents and groups of people Cross couldn't help but think that they were going to be helping these people. Cross saw that most of the people here looked worn out and hungry. Instead the slowed down and kept going until they passed through the camp and sped back up to hit the rocks and potholes at a good enough speed to rattle teeth out.
"What's with those people back there?" Kip inquired the First Sergeant.
"Random groups of refugees collected together and set up camp there and try to survive." The annoyed First Sergeant replied, obviously annoyed that he had to drive these two squids to their new posting instead of some Specialist.
"Why did they set up camp there?" Cross asked.
"Because any closer to the bunker and they tend to become a hinderance and a liability."
"What's so special about this bunker anyway?" Asked Kip.
"Are you two always so fucking chit chatty? This isn't 20 goddamn questions, so shut the fuck up and sit there until we get there!" Barked the First Sergeant.
Silence followed as Cross and Kip exchanged perplexed glances.
After a few more minutes an odd looking fortress started to become visible through the trees. As they rounded the last bend in the road they were immediately met with two small guard shacks on either side of the road. The guard shack on the right housed a soldier manning a .50 caliber machine gun and a rifleman both with their weapons trained on the humvee. The guard shack on the left had one soldier manning a smaller machine gun, probably a M240B thought Cross. The other soldier in this guard shack held a shotgun but was not raising it to meet them. First Sergeant Slaughter slowed the humvee down and stopped at the bar that was crossing the road between the guard shacks.
"Two more for ya." He told the soldier, who looked like a battle hardened infantry soldier.
"First Sergeant please tell me they aren't Air Force or admin clerks or something. Please tell me they are useful." The soldier said to the Slaughter.
"Close to the Air Force, Navy. How many more do you need to be at full strength?"
"Navy! O great. Just as useful as the Air Force. Thanks First Sergeant!" Exclaimed the solder.
Cross was starting to get annoyed at being talked about like they weren't there. What's wrong with the Navy he wondered, we ain't that bad.
"These are the last two we need. Thought I kinda wish you could have brought them in two days ago, then I wouldn't be stuck with two Air Force guys on my post."
"Well Sergeant Simmons, maybe you can appeal to your CO and get them transferred to you. Where do you want em?"
"That'll be the day, drop em off over by the comms tent. LT Connor will sort em out. Thanks First Sergeant."
And with that he raised the bar by pushing down on a weight on his end and let the humvee pass through before lowering the bar again.
Once the rolled to a stop in front of a tent with a bunch of antennas around it, Cross and Kip climbed out and grabbed their bags and weapons. The First Sergeant sped off before they could even close the doors to the humvee without even so much as a second glance.
"What the hell was his issue?" Kip asked Cross as they watched the humvee drive off through the gate and disappearing into the woods.
"He's become Major Thompson's aid and since there is no lower rank available, he has to do all the Major's bitch work." Came a voice from behind them.
They turned to see a man about Cross' height in blue digital cammies with a single silver bar on his collar. They both stood at attention but didn't salute as they didn't have their covers on them.
"Are you two my newest additions?" LT Junior Grade Thompson asked.
"Yes sir." They replied.
"Good. If I heard right on the radio, you two are Navy?"
"Affirm." Said Cross
"Sweet. You know how refreshing it is to have Navy here? Well we have Corpsman here but they are attached to Marine units so they are kinda more Marines than Navy anymore. The only other one here is a Master-at-arms, and he's in the watch that you two are going to."
"Sir?" Kip looked at him puzzled.
"Evening watch was down two bodies when two of their guys got killed by Raiders. And you two are taking their spots. Aren't you lucky? Now come on, grab your gear and follow me...where's your stuff?"
"What we got on our backs and in these bags is all we've been living on for the past few weeks sir." Said Kip.
"Are you shitting me?"
"No sir."
"Well I'll get with what's left of our supply system and try and find you some more gear. You can't expect to stand watch for months on end with what you guys have."
"Thank you sir."
"Now come, Evening Watch's tent is in the back of the grounds. Behind this damn bunker."
And they walked through the maze of tents and wood boards serving as sidewalks.
"When it rains this place turns into a mudbog." Explained Thompson when he saw them looking around and looking puzzled at the boards.
"Well that sucks." Said Cross.
As they walked around the small compound Cross noticed the wall of dirt surrounding the compound. There were shacks at intervals all along the top. Men and women wearing different uniforms walked along the top looking out, but he could only see about mid chest up so he figured there had to be some kind of trench dug up there for them to walk along.
"Here we are. Your new home." Said Thompson a little to cheery.
"Thank you sir, are we to go on watch tonight or get settled and start tomorrow night? And when is our watch?" Kip inquired.
"Your group should be in there and they will explain everything to you. And as for watch, of course you are to go on watch tonight. Did you really think you would get a day off?"
"No sir it's just that we both haven't slept much the past few days, cause we were trying to fix our plane before we got brought here.
"Well I guess it's best if you head in there and introduce yourselves and get the low down real quick and get some shut eye. We can't have any watch being down a man or two because they fell asleep."
"Roger sir." They replied. And turned to the tent.
"After you." Said Cross.
"Like hell, get your ass in there."
Cross smirked to himself as he reached for the tent flap and stopped for a split second to reflect on what happened today. This is going to be an interesting entry into my journal he thought as he sighed before pulling the tent flap back and entering into the tent.