Isolation & Fear (Damned of the 2/19th Book Seven)

Rage Works

314 Brigade Avenue
East Housing Area
Alfenwehr Secure Army Post
West Germany
08 February, 1988, Saturday
1000 Hours

The CUC-V rattled a couple of times after Pv2 Chalkman hit the ignition and pulled the keys from the GMC imitation of a Dodge Blazer that someone had pawned off on us. It needed a few days under a mechanic's touch, but there were too many vehicles that needed it first. She turned to me, popped a pink bubble, and grinned at me.

"We're here, Chief Henley," She told me.

"No shit, you life support for a bloody cheese sandwich," I grunted at her, hitting the release on the seat belt and shoving open the door. I lit a cigarette while the three morons that made up our current leadership pushed the seat forward so they could get out.

Chalkman leaned against the front of the Blazer and lit a cigarette of her own, looking around.

"Nice out today," She said as Colonel Henry got out of the Blazer.

The front door opened and Sergeant Bomber came out, dressed in his work uniform, pulling a softcap on. I noticed he was wearing his pistol rig again, his sidearm's retaining tab undone. Two steps and he'd checked the perimeter around him, checked out everyone getting out the CUC-V behind me, and focused on Chalkman's and mine's face.

The Texas retard's senses were on full alert since he got out of the hospital again.

I could still hear him wheezing when he moved up in front of me, his eyes still not still. His lungs were still bad, and now he was outside in the snowy morning because three retards wanted to see what two mangy stray dogs he'd found in the backyard.

"Chief," He grunted, checking over my right shoulder.

"Sergeant," I answered. I decided to forgo the insults, this was going to be sensitive and I didn't want to start anything that might involve someone swinging a knife. "Are they up to us coming in?" I asked.

He nodded slowly. "Arms length away," Bomber said. "No fast moves or he'll carve out your heart if she doesn't tear your arm off," He looked around again, checking the corners of his house behind him. "I'll warn you, this is going to be a bit strange."

"How so?" I asked, looking around. His paranoia was contagious.

"Her eyes glow in the dark and are purple instead of blue now," He said. I raised an eyebrow and he nodded. "It's eerie as hell."

"What about Stillwater?" I asked.

He shook his head. "He's... different. His limp is worse, you can hear his knee grinding when he walks now and I think his thigh is twisted. He's a little disconnected, startles easy, and he still looks like Grizzly Adams fucked Brunhilde."

Bomber suddenly went silent, his face hardening even as I snorted slightly. Colonel Henry came up and stopped in front of the big Texan. Henry was 6' 1" and I could tell he wasn't used to having to look someone in the eyes like that.

"Chief Henley said you managed to find Sergeant Stillwater and Corporal Cromwell," Colonel Henry said.

"Not exactly," Bomber said. "I'll explain in a second."

I ground my teeth, feeling stomach acid spew into my intestines. Bomber was tense, and that worried me. He was normally easy going with a shit eating grin plastered across his face, but he was tense, and I knew that would transfer to Stillwater and Cromwell.

While Major Miner and SGM Nicholas struggled out of the CUC-V I looked over at the slopes of Alfenwehr, squinting at the glacier. The whole area was covered in snow that made my stomach twist at how short the trees looked, meaning it was extremely deep up there.