Dog Days

Chapter 12

As we drive down a dirt road, the vehicle in front of mine comes to a screeching halt and Loki's voice comes over the walkie.

"Odinson, what's the protocol for IEDs?"

I furrow my brow and ask "How far out?"

"200 feet."

I set my jaw and respond "Any way to get around it?"

He replies "Not unless we go down the embankment."

I furrow my brow as Fandral gives me a cautious look. I clear my throat before responding "We need to detonate it. This might be an ambush."

He replies "I'm not the type to stand down from a fight."

I see the passenger side window roll down as Loki calls through the walkie "Everyone, cover your ears."

I put the walkie in my lap and cover my ears as he pops his torso out of the window and fires a shot at the dirt road in front of us. Before I can process it, the landmine detonates and sand flies up into the air.

As I uncover my ears, I find Loki scanning our surroundings. He stops for only a moment, before turning back halfway and firing two rounds into the bushes. He turns to the other side and fires three shots at the hill to our left, all five rounds are out within three seconds. The only thing that tells me why he did it was red spray painting the air. He ducks back into the vehicle and calls over the radio "Five dead. Feel free to look for yourself. Noticed them as soon as I opened the window."

Drax, who drives, Fandral, Volstagg, and Hogan turn to me with a look of disbelief on their faces. Volstagg furrows his brow "He is way too good at this."

Hogan furrows his brow and remarks "He spotted an IED, from sixty meters away and killed five men in seconds."

Fandral furrows his brow and looks towards me "Why was that hot?"

I furrow my brow and call through the walkie "Everyone in your vehicle staring at you like a god?"

He's silent for a moment, before replying "Affirmative."

I clear my throat and respond "We should get a move on."

Not ten seconds later, the vehicle starts rolling again and he calls through the walkie "Fuck, I need to smoke."

I clear my throat and order "Wait until we get out."

He replies "Yeah, I know."

Fandral furrows his brow and sighs "He smokes?"

I scoff, before declaring "Yeah."

Volstagg looks at Fandral, before remarking "You're so into him. You haven't stopped talking about him since yesterday morning."

Fandral looks at me and asks "Do you know if he's got someone back home?"

I clear my throat and declare "I think he lives alone."

He smirks "That's nice to know."

I have to look away from as just a ping of jealousy washes over me. I take a moment, before remarking "It's not wise to start something with your superior. People will think you slept your way up the chain of command."

Fandral smirks at me "You can't tell me he's not attractive."

I nod at him, before remarking "He's very attractive." He scoffs and I sigh "But it's not a good idea, unless you plan on leaving shortly after."

He gives me a confused look "What do you mean?"

I sit there for a moment, before telling him "My contract is up after this tour. If I choose not to renew, I go home and return to civilian life. If I really wanted to, I could screw as many people as I wanted and just leave."