Lost Sight - NATO-Russia Conflict 2018

8: Heading out to Foxtrot Pass.

Targu Mures, Romania

November 1st 2018

Captain White was tall, slick, and quick. Intelligent and handsome, he was pretty much the model Marine officer of the entire Marine Corps. He was clean-shaved, blond-haired, blue eyed, and sharp-sighted. If he had worn his Dress Blues or his Chucks, there would be a heap of qualifications and combat medals on his chest. And he was just a captain, newly promoted too. However, as decorated as he was, he was just a young guy. But he was damned reliable.

Just out of the helicopters, he gathered his lieutenants and briefed them. There were three platoons in Hitman Company. First Platoon was led by Lieutenant Salvade, a reliable young fellow who showed great promise. Second Platoon was led by Second Lieutenant Erving. Erving came from a poorer black family in St Louis, but high school achievements in Marine JROTC had made him get easy into a Marine ROTC unit in Missouri, where he graduated with a Pre-Law degree. The other and most senior lieutenant in the platoon was First Lieutenant Greg Norton. Apparently, Norton had an older brother in the same battalion, Captain William Norton.

White stood tall and firm on his two feet, his armor on, his helmet under his arm. The lieutenants formed around him. Gunnery Sergeant Phil Barnes stood behind the captain, standing with a stone-face.

“OK, the colonel hasn’t told us anything to do and as far as that goes we’re just going to stay here and be on standby. I’ve gotta be honest, guys, I hate waiting, and the faster we get moving, the better.” Said the captain. “So you guys just relax for the moment. Understood?”

“Yes, sir.” Said the three lieutenants, naturally. “Alright. Dismissed.”

The three lieutenants dismissed themselves quite quickly, and no comments were uttered, at least from where Captain White could hear. He had full confidence that his lieutenants were his buddies, but either way his best friend closest to him was the Gunnery Sergeant. Phil Barnes had been a good friend to him since he was a lieutenant. He was promoted to Gunnery Sergeant not more than ten months ago, and before that he was the Weapons’ Platoon’s Platoon Sergeant, in which White commanded right until his promotion to captain not so long ago.

His own promotion was an emergency. Usually before lieutenants became captains, they would be first sent back to Quantico to have a ‘social meeting’ with the officer candidates there. After that and a few tests here and there, then they would be captains. But due to the intensity of the Russian expansion and the defeat of Odessa, the Corps needed more expert staff officers, in which, his predecessor had been taken, leaving him in command of the company, letting him go up the ranks.

“I’m pretty sure the colonel or the battalion commander would get here soon.” Said Phil Barnes out of nowhere.

“And how did you know that?”

“You know, being this long in the Corps I just got a gut feeling when a higher-ranked asshole would come over and fuck our asses over.” Said the Gunnery Sergeant. He noticed something and turned his head, prompting Captain White to follow. “There he is. Major Eldridge.”