WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.880 --> 00:00:10.519
This podcast may not be suitable for
young listeners. Co name Wild Hunt,

2
00:00:10.839 --> 00:00:17.199
Operation Blood Eagle, written by Da
Roberts and read to you by Cameron Buckner.

3
00:00:23.440 --> 00:00:30.640
Chapter fifteen, Dogfight, zero hundred
hours, sixteen May, above Lake

4
00:00:30.760 --> 00:00:36.799
Nawelapi, Clark erupted from the end
of the underground runway, pushing to full

5
00:00:36.920 --> 00:00:40.679
throttle. He knew the other planes
were only minutes ahead of them, and

6
00:00:40.719 --> 00:00:45.439
they could only go as fast as
the JAU fifty two. They were the

7
00:00:45.520 --> 00:00:50.159
defenders of that transport and wouldn't leave
it. Clark smiled, knowing that P

8
00:00:50.280 --> 00:00:56.039
fifty one could fly circles around the
transport plane. He spotted the lights of

9
00:00:56.079 --> 00:01:00.759
the JAU fifty two heading south over
the lake. He banked to port and

10
00:01:00.840 --> 00:01:03.799
lined up on the lights and began
climbing. It was only going to take

11
00:01:03.840 --> 00:01:08.200
a few minutes before he caught up
to them. The BF one O nine

12
00:01:08.280 --> 00:01:14.120
s were in a diamond formation around
the transport plane. The moon was full

13
00:01:14.200 --> 00:01:19.879
and bright, giving Clark great illumination. Thunder God to asgard, said Clark,

14
00:01:19.599 --> 00:01:25.319
go ahead, thunder God said the
same female voice be advised, I'm

15
00:01:25.359 --> 00:01:29.920
in pursuit of five aircraft that have
lifted from the compound, said Clark.

16
00:01:30.519 --> 00:01:36.359
Say again, thunder God said Asgard
control surprise in her voice. How are

17
00:01:36.359 --> 00:01:41.359
you pursuing over? I'm in a
P fifty one Mustang flying over the lake,

18
00:01:41.599 --> 00:01:46.239
said Clark. We're heading south.
They have the high value targets on

19
00:01:46.280 --> 00:01:51.719
a JU fifty two transport plane with
four BF one O nine escort fighters.

20
00:01:52.439 --> 00:01:57.239
Henderman is flying the lead fighter.
Personally, I'm going to engage over,

21
00:01:57.879 --> 00:02:02.319
thunder God. This is Asgard to
actual boom the voice of General Dalton.

22
00:02:02.920 --> 00:02:07.360
We're calling in fast movers from the
USS Harry S. Truman. They can

23
00:02:07.400 --> 00:02:13.159
be on station in thirty minutes.
Keep them in sight until they arrive over.

24
00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:16.039
No can do, sir, said
Clark. If they go into the

25
00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:20.919
mountains, we'll lose them. Our
only shot is for me to engage.

26
00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:24.719
Get recovery teams on standby. I'm
going to splash as many of them as

27
00:02:24.759 --> 00:02:30.759
I can before they take me out
over. There was a long pause before

28
00:02:30.840 --> 00:02:36.319
Dalton spoke, use your best judgment, son, said Dalton. How good

29
00:02:36.360 --> 00:02:38.960
a pilot are you anyway? Well, I guess we're about to find out,

30
00:02:39.000 --> 00:02:45.280
Sir, replied Clark. Thunder God
out. Clark went into a steep

31
00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:49.520
climb, gaining over one thousand feet
in altitude above the group of planes.

32
00:02:50.120 --> 00:02:53.639
He had the advantage for now.
They had no idea he was in the

33
00:02:53.680 --> 00:02:58.479
air. That would change the moment
he attacked. He also knew he only

34
00:02:58.520 --> 00:03:01.520
had so much AMMO before or he'd
be out. He'd have to make every

35
00:03:01.599 --> 00:03:07.240
past count. He felt his heart
racing as the powerful aircraft responded to his

36
00:03:07.319 --> 00:03:12.919
every touch. It felt like an
extension of him instead of just a machine,

37
00:03:13.319 --> 00:03:16.479
like it was a living thing.
He decided that if he survived this,

38
00:03:16.639 --> 00:03:20.840
he was going to ask the General
if he could keep it. He'd

39
00:03:20.840 --> 00:03:25.719
have to survive first. He thought
about Amanda for a moment and silently whispered

40
00:03:25.719 --> 00:03:30.719
his goodbyes. He knew he didn't
stand much of a chance against five aircraft,

41
00:03:31.080 --> 00:03:36.080
and little to no chance once he
hit the water. For one,

42
00:03:36.199 --> 00:03:38.919
it was cold enough to kill him
in minutes. Also, there were the

43
00:03:39.000 --> 00:03:44.680
shark men to contend with. What
was it that Hines had called them die

44
00:03:44.719 --> 00:03:51.840
weeper high the white sharks somewhere below
him, More than a dozen great white

45
00:03:51.919 --> 00:03:55.599
sharks with the intelligence of a human, were watching and waiting for a fresh

46
00:03:55.719 --> 00:04:00.120
morsel to hit the water. Clark
shivered when he thought of what must have

47
00:04:00.240 --> 00:04:05.199
happened to the pilots of the apaches
that were shot down. He whispered a

48
00:04:05.240 --> 00:04:10.240
silent prayer for them, and won
for comfort for Amanda if he were to

49
00:04:10.360 --> 00:04:15.480
die tonight, Amen, he muttered, he was in position. Pushing the

50
00:04:15.519 --> 00:04:20.319
stick forward, he dove towards the
JAU fifty two, accelerating hard as he

51
00:04:20.399 --> 00:04:26.920
swept down from the sky toward his
unsuspecting target. Lighting up his crosshairs on

52
00:04:26.959 --> 00:04:30.480
the cockpit, he held us fire
until the last second. He was coming

53
00:04:30.519 --> 00:04:35.560
in from above and slightly to the
starboard of the transport. At the last

54
00:04:35.560 --> 00:04:40.279
moment, the coppilot looked out the
window and saw him. Before he could

55
00:04:40.319 --> 00:04:45.639
raise the alarm, Clark squeezed the
triggers, engaging all six fifty caliber machine

56
00:04:45.639 --> 00:04:49.920
guns. His rounds tore through the
fuselage and into the cockpit of the light

57
00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:56.839
transport like a hot knife through butter. He saw blood explode into the windscreens

58
00:04:57.000 --> 00:05:01.759
seconds before it too exploded into leith
little shrapnel for whoever was in the cockpit.

59
00:05:03.360 --> 00:05:08.879
Instantly, the plane keeled over and
went into an uncontrolled dive. The

60
00:05:08.920 --> 00:05:13.439
aircraft had three engines, one on
each wing and one mounted in the nose

61
00:05:13.480 --> 00:05:17.439
of the aircraft. The burst had
not only shredded the cockpit, but the

62
00:05:17.439 --> 00:05:23.240
nose engine was now bursting into flames. As the plane shot toward the water,

63
00:05:24.319 --> 00:05:27.279
Clark didn't see it, but at
the last minute, the wounded plane

64
00:05:27.399 --> 00:05:30.480
leveled off just enough to avoid the
water and then crash landed onto one of

65
00:05:30.519 --> 00:05:35.079
the larger islands in the lake.
There wasn't a fireball, but the plane

66
00:05:35.199 --> 00:05:40.519
was down, and it was highly
likely that some of the passengers had survived

67
00:05:40.519 --> 00:05:45.759
the crash. Clark couldn't watch the
plane's death. He had other problems.

68
00:05:46.279 --> 00:05:48.759
He pulled back on the stick and
brought one of the measure schmidts into the

69
00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:55.040
crosshairs as he began to climb,
ripping a quick burst. As he climbed,

70
00:05:55.079 --> 00:05:59.639
he saw the devastating effects of the
fifty caliber rounds shred one wing and

71
00:05:59.680 --> 00:06:03.720
part of the fuselage directly behind the
pilot. The wing caught fire, and

72
00:06:03.800 --> 00:06:09.920
Clark saw flames licking up into the
fuselage behind the pilot. He was going

73
00:06:09.959 --> 00:06:15.120
to have to ditch or die.
The decision was made in an instant as

74
00:06:15.160 --> 00:06:19.319
the pilot opened the cockpit and dove
away from the burning aircraft. Fuck yeah,

75
00:06:19.360 --> 00:06:25.360
shouted Clark as he climbed into the
night. Below him, Two of

76
00:06:25.399 --> 00:06:28.959
the BF one O nimes came after
him, while the other one banked away

77
00:06:28.959 --> 00:06:32.680
from the dying aircraft. Clark hoped
that the pilot of the plane was Henderman,

78
00:06:33.040 --> 00:06:38.360
but he couldn't tell what the flying
helmet and mask in place. If

79
00:06:38.360 --> 00:06:42.839
he'd already splashed Henderman and the transport, then the rest of this fight didn't

80
00:06:42.879 --> 00:06:46.680
matter. He'd already won. Well
done, edit, Clark, said Henderman's

81
00:06:46.759 --> 00:06:53.879
voice over the plane's radio. Clark
hadn't considered that all Henderman's planes would be

82
00:06:53.959 --> 00:06:58.759
programmed to the same frequency. Reaching
down, he grabbed the flight helmet and

83
00:06:58.800 --> 00:07:01.920
slipped it on. I know it's
you here, Clark, said Henderman.

84
00:07:02.959 --> 00:07:09.759
No other pilots that are familiar with
these vintage aircraft in this area. It's

85
00:07:09.879 --> 00:07:14.399
me, said Clark, activating the
calm. Sorry to hear you survived.

86
00:07:14.639 --> 00:07:18.240
I guess I'll have to rectify that, like you Americans like to say,

87
00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:25.360
said Henderman mockingly. You are welcome
to try. I'm unmatched in dogfights over

88
00:07:25.439 --> 00:07:30.240
this lake. Sure you are,
said Clark, because none of your flunkies

89
00:07:30.279 --> 00:07:33.879
would have the balls to outshoot you
for fear of being executed. You've never

90
00:07:33.920 --> 00:07:38.759
really flown against a pilot that wants
you dead. Well, welcome to the

91
00:07:38.800 --> 00:07:45.600
first time we shall see here,
Clark said Henderman behind him. Clark saw

92
00:07:45.680 --> 00:07:48.480
the two BF one o nines open
fire, and he instantly banked hard to

93
00:07:48.560 --> 00:07:54.319
port and dove for the deck.
They turned over and followed him, and

94
00:07:54.399 --> 00:07:57.560
once he had gained some air speed, he took a deep breath inside.

95
00:07:58.199 --> 00:08:01.839
I've always wanted to try this,
he hissed. Pulling back onto the stick,

96
00:08:01.920 --> 00:08:05.959
he swept into a steep climb.
Straight up, he pushed a full

97
00:08:07.040 --> 00:08:11.199
power and held his course. Come
on, baby, he said, feeling

98
00:08:11.279 --> 00:08:16.240
himself forced back into the seat with
a combined force of acceleration and gravity.

99
00:08:16.279 --> 00:08:20.000
The plane continued to climb, and
the BF one O ninees were right behind

100
00:08:20.079 --> 00:08:24.839
him, trying to match his maneuver. Come on, baby, he repeated,

101
00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:28.120
give me all you got. Clark
saw the first one and then the

102
00:08:28.160 --> 00:08:33.639
other BF one O nine fall away
while he continued to climb, but was

103
00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:39.000
slowing rapidly. When he reached his
applegee, he leaned back and pulled hard

104
00:08:39.039 --> 00:08:43.600
on the stick and then applied full
rudder to port. The plane flipped around

105
00:08:43.679 --> 00:08:48.440
and was now facing directly down and
started to accelerate rapidly. Hammerheads stall,

106
00:08:48.559 --> 00:08:54.759
bitch, he shouted, you fuckers
can't do that. Pushing the aircraft to

107
00:08:54.879 --> 00:08:58.120
her limits, Clark shot directly at
the nearest BF one o nine and raked

108
00:08:58.120 --> 00:09:03.120
it with his guns. It tried
to bank away, but he ripped through

109
00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:07.639
the starboard wing and sheared half of
it off. The stricken aircraft went into

110
00:09:07.679 --> 00:09:11.120
a spin, and Clark knew that
there was no way the pilot could eject

111
00:09:11.320 --> 00:09:18.080
if weeder shade, asshole, said
Clark. Most impressive, said Henderman.

112
00:09:18.440 --> 00:09:22.200
You shall pay for this. Two
to one now, replied Clark. I

113
00:09:22.360 --> 00:09:28.080
like these odds. Clark looked around
and saw one of the BF one o

114
00:09:28.279 --> 00:09:31.879
nine flying level toward the burning debris
on the surface of the lake that was

115
00:09:31.919 --> 00:09:37.039
the remains of another BF one o
nine. Clark considered attacking the aircraft,

116
00:09:37.120 --> 00:09:43.519
with the fault suddenly hitting where's the
other one? From above him and to

117
00:09:43.559 --> 00:09:46.320
his right, one of the BF
one o ninees came screaming out of a

118
00:09:46.360 --> 00:09:50.759
low cloud bank. It had to
be Henderman, having ordered the other plane

119
00:09:50.799 --> 00:09:56.080
to attract his attention so he could
make a surprise attack. Banking hard to

120
00:09:56.120 --> 00:10:01.120
starboard, Clark went into a steep
dive before a burst of machine gun fire

121
00:10:01.200 --> 00:10:07.000
ripped through his fuselage just behind the
cockpit. Clark kept diving but checked his

122
00:10:07.080 --> 00:10:13.759
gages. He didn't see anything serious. Some minor pressure loss in the hydraulics,

123
00:10:13.039 --> 00:10:16.480
but it wasn't significant. It could
get dangerous, but he was all

124
00:10:16.600 --> 00:10:20.120
right for now. The head had
been minor, and as he began to

125
00:10:20.200 --> 00:10:24.360
level out over the water, he
turned his head to check on Henderman.

126
00:10:24.960 --> 00:10:28.720
That's when he felt the pain in
his neck. He reached back and found

127
00:10:28.759 --> 00:10:33.600
that there was a piece of shrapnel
lodged in his neck where the trapezesa's muscle

128
00:10:33.759 --> 00:10:37.919
meets the spine, just above the
shoulder. He yanked it out and he

129
00:10:37.960 --> 00:10:43.440
felt warm blood oozing down. His
back wasn't bleeding a lot, so he

130
00:10:43.559 --> 00:10:48.399
ignored it. Glancing around, he
saw that the remaining two BF one O

131
00:10:48.600 --> 00:10:52.720
nine's were moving to catch him in
a pinser maneuver, not this time assholes.

132
00:10:52.840 --> 00:10:58.559
He whispered and dough for the water, pushing for all the speed he

133
00:10:58.600 --> 00:11:01.440
could get. He leveled out of
six feet off the water. He saw

134
00:11:01.480 --> 00:11:07.600
the two BF one on Nines approaching
at an intercept angle. He waited until

135
00:11:07.639 --> 00:11:11.559
he knew they were getting close enough
to engage their guns. Come on,

136
00:11:11.679 --> 00:11:16.159
you, bastards, he thought,
careful not to speak so that Henderman wouldn't

137
00:11:16.159 --> 00:11:20.080
hear him. He heard the machine
guns of both aircraft engage, and he

138
00:11:20.120 --> 00:11:26.360
saw the tracers streaking through the night
just ahead of him. Pushing the throttle

139
00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:31.440
down to almost nothing, he extended
all flaps and the Mustang responded by slowing

140
00:11:31.519 --> 00:11:37.720
instantly to half her previous speed.
The BF one O Nines overshot him and

141
00:11:37.879 --> 00:11:41.600
raked each other with machine gun fire. One plane began to smoke, and

142
00:11:41.639 --> 00:11:46.879
the other banked furiously away, going
to full power. Clark turned and went

143
00:11:46.919 --> 00:11:52.639
after the smoking aircraft, coming in
from behind to the starboard side. Clark

144
00:11:52.720 --> 00:11:58.080
targeted the BF one on nine's engine
and raked it with his guns and then

145
00:11:58.200 --> 00:12:03.960
cease firing. As he banked sharply
away. The already smoking engine burst into

146
00:12:03.960 --> 00:12:09.039
flames and completely engulfed the front end
of the aircraft. The pilot tried to

147
00:12:09.080 --> 00:12:13.120
eject, but his flight suit caught
fire as he was doused with burning fuel.

148
00:12:13.879 --> 00:12:18.039
He was immolated, and the man
fell screaming to the dark water of

149
00:12:18.120 --> 00:12:22.879
the lake. Clark turned hard and
raced away from the dying man to look

150
00:12:22.879 --> 00:12:28.039
for Henderman. Was your son of
a bitch, roared Henderman. Clark pulled

151
00:12:28.039 --> 00:12:33.039
a stick hard to port as Henderman
streaked toward him, firing his guns as

152
00:12:33.039 --> 00:12:37.919
he approached. Clark tilted and turned, but Henderman stayed right behind him.

153
00:12:37.840 --> 00:12:43.399
Henderman kept firing burst from his guns, but Clark was constantly jinking back and

154
00:12:43.480 --> 00:12:48.879
forth, narrowly avoiding the worst of
the deadly projectiles. One burst struck the

155
00:12:48.919 --> 00:12:52.240
back of the plane, and Clark
could see that he was now losing hydraulic

156
00:12:52.320 --> 00:12:56.080
pressure at a much faster rate.
Come on, baby, he whispered,

157
00:12:56.879 --> 00:13:01.039
thunder God to Asgard. Clark shouted, but didn't act activate his radio.

158
00:13:01.399 --> 00:13:03.679
I'm hit losing hydraulics. I'm going
to have to ditch in the lake.

159
00:13:03.960 --> 00:13:09.639
Over behind him, he saw Henderman
level off and accelerate, moving to finish

160
00:13:09.679 --> 00:13:13.919
off what he thought was a dying
aircraft, and Clark waited for him to

161
00:13:13.919 --> 00:13:20.039
get close before pulling back on the
stick and going to full power. The

162
00:13:20.120 --> 00:13:24.840
graceful P fIF one climb like a
homesick angel and powered into the night sky.

163
00:13:26.919 --> 00:13:30.960
Clark kept the stick back until he
was inverted, and halfway through a

164
00:13:31.080 --> 00:13:35.639
roll. He flipped the stick over
and hit the flaps, and he spun

165
00:13:35.759 --> 00:13:41.480
over and emerged from the climb facing
the other direction. He saw Henderman rapidly

166
00:13:41.480 --> 00:13:45.960
turning to port to get back behind
him, and Clark pushed the stick starboard

167
00:13:46.039 --> 00:13:48.759
and shoved it to the red line. At the current rate of turn,

168
00:13:48.840 --> 00:13:54.559
Clark would get Henderman in his sights
before he was in Henderman's I got you,

169
00:13:54.559 --> 00:13:58.519
you, son of a bitch,
Clark thought. Henderman didn't see the

170
00:13:58.600 --> 00:14:03.279
danger until it was too late.
Clark engaged the guns and strafed the BF

171
00:14:03.320 --> 00:14:07.519
one O nine. After just a
few seconds of fire, the guns fell

172
00:14:07.600 --> 00:14:13.279
silent. I'm out of AMMO,
he roared. Henderman's plane shuddered and smoke

173
00:14:13.399 --> 00:14:16.679
was now pouring from the engine.
He turned sharply away from Clark and headed

174
00:14:16.720 --> 00:14:22.159
for the mountain passes. Clark knew
that that meant he thought he could make

175
00:14:22.200 --> 00:14:24.679
it to a haven. It had
to be close by to reach it with

176
00:14:24.759 --> 00:14:30.080
a severely damaged aircraft. Oh no, you don't, snarl, Clark,

177
00:14:30.200 --> 00:14:35.240
banking after him. What are you
going to do to me? Mocked Henderman.

178
00:14:35.639 --> 00:14:39.080
You have nothing left. I would
live to fight another day. You

179
00:14:39.159 --> 00:14:45.360
cannot stop me. Now we'll see, whispered Clark. Pushing the throttle forward,

180
00:14:46.480 --> 00:14:50.679
he caught Henderman in seconds and climbed
slightly above him. He could hear

181
00:14:50.720 --> 00:14:56.120
Henderman laughing as he moved into position. Keep laughing, asshole, whispered Clark.

182
00:14:56.279 --> 00:15:01.360
Once in position, Clark pulled the
stick over hard, inverted the aircraft,

183
00:15:01.759 --> 00:15:05.679
and slowly he began moving in over
Henderman's aircraft. From the way the

184
00:15:05.720 --> 00:15:09.960
measure Schmidt was vibrating, Clark knew
that he couldn't maneuver or risk falling out

185
00:15:09.960 --> 00:15:15.279
of the sky. The BF one
O nine was barely staying in the air

186
00:15:16.440 --> 00:15:20.519
as Clark eased into place just above
Henderman. He held it with their cockpits

187
00:15:20.639 --> 00:15:26.080
less than six feet apart. What
are you doing, your stupid American,

188
00:15:26.519 --> 00:15:31.759
asked Henderman, looking up. With
one hand, Clark opened the canopy and

189
00:15:31.799 --> 00:15:37.440
felt the cold air rush into the
cockpit. He shivered involuntarily, but held

190
00:15:37.440 --> 00:15:41.320
his course. He took a moment
to lock eyes with Henderman. The older

191
00:15:41.360 --> 00:15:46.080
man glared back at him with all
the hate and malice that he contained in

192
00:15:46.120 --> 00:15:52.000
his long sense corrupted soul. What
do you want, demanded Henderman. This

193
00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:58.279
replied Clark, Drawing the fifty gi
glock on his right hip, he aimed

194
00:15:58.320 --> 00:16:03.480
and fired into the other cock pit. The first round shattered the plexiglass of

195
00:16:03.519 --> 00:16:07.879
Henderman's plane. The next three rounds
ripped into Henderman's torso in the final three

196
00:16:07.919 --> 00:16:14.840
went into Henderman's skull, exploding it
all over the cockpit. Audio's asshole,

197
00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:19.559
said Clark, slipping the pistol back
into his holster. He watched as the

198
00:16:19.559 --> 00:16:23.879
bfe O nine fell away from him
and dove straight into the dark water of

199
00:16:25.039 --> 00:16:30.639
Lake Noel Api, vanishing into the
abyss in seconds. Clark pulled the stick

200
00:16:30.679 --> 00:16:33.519
over and brought the plane back upright, and then banked and headed for the

201
00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:40.320
shore. He saw several black Hawk
helicopters already searching the water for bodies or

202
00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:45.519
survivors. Another was landing on an
island to look for survivors of the JAU

203
00:16:45.720 --> 00:16:49.840
fifty two. Thunder God to Asgard
Control, he said into his mic.

204
00:16:51.639 --> 00:16:55.320
Go ahead, thunder God, said
General Dalton, what's your status? Over?

205
00:16:56.480 --> 00:17:00.919
Splashed all five aircraft, said Clark. Henderman is confirmed dead. There

206
00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:06.759
might be survivors on that island.
I've sustained heavy damage to my aircraft and

207
00:17:06.799 --> 00:17:11.039
I need to put it down most
ricky tick. I'm losing hydraulics and I'm

208
00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:14.880
low on fuel. Can you light
up a section of the highway near the

209
00:17:14.960 --> 00:17:18.880
village where I can put it down? Over we'll make that happen. Thunder

210
00:17:18.920 --> 00:17:23.680
God, said Dalton. Or should
I call you? Ace? You splash

211
00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:30.359
five enemy aircraft in a P fifty
one Mustang That hasn't been done since World

212
00:17:30.400 --> 00:17:33.240
War Two. I guess I'm going
to have to put you in for a

213
00:17:33.279 --> 00:17:40.799
Distinguished Flying Cross, Ace, said
Clark questioningly. Then his thoughts went to

214
00:17:40.839 --> 00:17:47.079
the card that Matthias had handed him
before the assault on an Alco started reaching

215
00:17:47.119 --> 00:17:49.799
into his pocket, he pulled it
out and there in his hand was the

216
00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:53.640
Ace of Spades. Why'll be a
son of a bitch, he said.

217
00:17:56.160 --> 00:17:59.960
Ahead in the darkness, he could
see the shimmering lights of the village.

218
00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:03.599
Along the highway, he saw lights
beginning to burn bright red. Someone was

219
00:18:03.720 --> 00:18:07.400
throwing out flares along the road to
light it up for him to land on.

220
00:18:08.400 --> 00:18:12.559
Thunder God to Asgard, said Clark. I see flares. I'm coming

221
00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:17.519
in, copy thunder God and said
Dalton, I'll see you on the ground.

222
00:18:18.319 --> 00:18:22.680
Firmative, sir, said Clark,
thunder God out. He lined up

223
00:18:22.720 --> 00:18:26.880
on the highway and brought his nose
against the wind. He began his descent.

224
00:18:27.039 --> 00:18:30.960
He hit the landing gear and he
waited for the thump as they locked

225
00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:34.759
into place, but there was no
thumb. He glanced at his gages and

226
00:18:34.799 --> 00:18:38.039
he knew that he had to put
it down now or he'd crash. This

227
00:18:38.240 --> 00:18:42.440
was his only shot at controlling the
landing. Shit, he said. The

228
00:18:42.559 --> 00:18:47.799
hydraulics can't lock the landing gear.
Not enough pressure. Come on, baby,

229
00:18:47.880 --> 00:18:52.640
let's bring this home. He cycled
the switch twice more, trying the

230
00:18:52.759 --> 00:18:56.319
landing gear. The ground was getting
steadily closer. He was only two hundred

231
00:18:56.359 --> 00:19:00.519
feet off the ground when the thump
came and the green light indicated the landing

232
00:19:00.559 --> 00:19:04.960
gear was now locked. That's my
girl, he said, patting the instrument

233
00:19:06.000 --> 00:19:11.200
panel. That's my baby. He
continued his approach and felt the engine begin

234
00:19:11.319 --> 00:19:15.720
to sputter. All those maneuvers and
pushing her to her limits had drained the

235
00:19:15.799 --> 00:19:21.279
fuel rapidly. He feathered the throttle
and brought her in and the tires barked

236
00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:25.880
softly as they contacted the pavement,
and he began powering her down, applying

237
00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:29.799
the brakes. Come on, baby, he whispered, holding the stick tightly.

238
00:19:30.279 --> 00:19:34.480
Seconds later, the tailwheel came down
and made contact, and he throttled

239
00:19:34.519 --> 00:19:38.519
back and he cut the power and
began to slow down. He laughed as

240
00:19:38.519 --> 00:19:44.440
he taxied off the highway and into
a familiar parking lot. He just pulled

241
00:19:44.440 --> 00:19:48.119
back into the driveway that led to
his hotel. He taxied to the front

242
00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:52.920
of the hotel and pulled under the
awning Fuck it, he said, grinning.

243
00:19:52.279 --> 00:19:56.359
Hector, can pour me a drink
while I wait. He cut power

244
00:19:56.400 --> 00:20:00.720
and climbed out onto the wing.
Welcome back, Sor, said Hector,

245
00:20:00.960 --> 00:20:06.440
as if airplanes pulled up to the
hotel every day. I need a drink,

246
00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:10.400
said Clark. Of course you do, sir, said Hector. Come

247
00:20:10.440 --> 00:20:15.480
with me. Clark headed inside.
Hector. When my friends show up looking

248
00:20:15.519 --> 00:20:19.160
for me, said Clark, please
send them to the bar. That's where

249
00:20:19.200 --> 00:20:29.079
I'll be very good, Senor,
said Hector. Enjoy your drink. Chapter

250
00:20:29.200 --> 00:20:37.240
sixteen shock Waves, Oh two forty
five hours, sixteen May via La Angostura.

251
00:20:37.599 --> 00:20:41.599
Clark was on his second glass and
McCollen m single mault. When General

252
00:20:41.680 --> 00:20:45.160
Dalton walked in the room. Other
than the two of them, the bar

253
00:20:45.319 --> 00:20:51.599
was empty. Dalton walked over and
went behind the bar, stopping directly across

254
00:20:51.640 --> 00:20:55.519
from Clark, who was sipping the
whiskey in his glass and staring off into

255
00:20:55.519 --> 00:21:00.119
the distance. How's a Scotch,
asked Dalton, not bothering to hide it

256
00:21:00.279 --> 00:21:03.880
is stick Virginia accent. Clark shook
his head like he hadn't even realized the

257
00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:08.880
General was standing there. He started
to snap to attention. Relax Son said

258
00:21:08.960 --> 00:21:15.319
Dalton, keep your seat. Dalton
visibly relaxed, and then lifted his glass

259
00:21:15.359 --> 00:21:19.000
at the General. Damn good,
sir, said Clark. Best I've ever

260
00:21:19.079 --> 00:21:22.640
had. Hell, it's the best
I'll probably ever have. Couldn't afford a

261
00:21:22.640 --> 00:21:26.720
glass of this on what I may
let alone a full bottle. Yeah,

262
00:21:26.720 --> 00:21:32.839
that stuff's expensive, said Dalton.
I generally stick to Bourbon myself. I

263
00:21:32.920 --> 00:21:37.920
prefer my whiskey from Tennessee. I've
never been one for an expensive or fancy

264
00:21:37.039 --> 00:21:41.680
drink. I like Jack Daniels.
I like my coffee straight up, just

265
00:21:41.759 --> 00:21:47.319
like my daddy and granddaddy took theirs. However, if this stuff is good,

266
00:21:47.400 --> 00:21:49.759
enough for the man who killed Hitler. Then I reckon I can try

267
00:21:49.759 --> 00:21:53.920
it. Dalton grabbed a glass from
beneath the bar, and Clark filled it

268
00:21:53.960 --> 00:22:00.359
with a generous poor Dalton nodded his
appreciation. You ever decide to become a

269
00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:04.599
bartender, said Dalton, I'm coming
to your bar. You pour a real

270
00:22:04.680 --> 00:22:10.640
goddamn drink, not that barely a
sip stuff they do at most bars.

271
00:22:11.920 --> 00:22:15.519
Clark refilled his glass and lifted it
to the general. They clinked their glasses

272
00:22:15.559 --> 00:22:21.559
and they both took a long pull
before lowering them. That's smoother than silk,

273
00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:26.160
said Dalton appreciatively. But it'll put
fire in your belly. That's not

274
00:22:26.359 --> 00:22:30.079
bad. It was the most expensive
bottle they had, said Clark, grinning.

275
00:22:30.559 --> 00:22:34.279
All of this was charged to Henderman's
account, so I figured i'd celebrate

276
00:22:34.359 --> 00:22:40.200
a bit. Clark held up the
bottle, offering a refill. I'll leave

277
00:22:40.240 --> 00:22:42.440
the rest for you to take with
you, said Dalton. I want you

278
00:22:42.480 --> 00:22:47.559
to have some for later. Drink
up, sir, said Clark, refilling

279
00:22:47.599 --> 00:22:51.160
his glass. I'm not worried about
this bottle. I've got six more in

280
00:22:51.200 --> 00:22:56.440
my bag. Dalton chokled loudly before
accepting the refill, Clark lifted his glass

281
00:22:56.480 --> 00:23:00.880
and nodded at Dalton. To those
who didn't make it, said Clark.

282
00:23:02.400 --> 00:23:06.640
They clinked glasses again, and to
those who have gone before us, said

283
00:23:06.720 --> 00:23:11.079
Dalton. Clark nodded, and they
drank deeply. You feeling better, asked

284
00:23:11.160 --> 00:23:17.480
Dalton, eyeballing Clark closely. My
nerves were a bit shook when I landed

285
00:23:17.519 --> 00:23:21.400
the plane, said Clark. Honestly
didn't expect to come back from that,

286
00:23:21.680 --> 00:23:26.799
especially at five to one odds.
I got damn lucky. You might say

287
00:23:26.839 --> 00:23:30.599
you had an angel on your shoulder, son, said Dalton. I didn't

288
00:23:30.640 --> 00:23:33.640
expect you to come back either.
That was a hell of a thing.

289
00:23:33.200 --> 00:23:37.400
You should have heard the cheering and
the command bunker. How did the arrest

290
00:23:37.440 --> 00:23:41.920
of the assault on Enolco turn out, asked Clark. Well, we took

291
00:23:41.920 --> 00:23:45.559
it, said Dalton. We had
a few casualties, but less than I

292
00:23:45.599 --> 00:23:51.279
expected. We also found the survivors
of that film crew who went missing.

293
00:23:51.680 --> 00:23:55.640
They were all in cells beneath one
of the larger buildings. We're going to

294
00:23:55.680 --> 00:24:00.400
get them on a plane back to
Buenos Aire's in the morning. About the

295
00:24:00.400 --> 00:24:03.200
crews of those apaches, asked Clark, did any of them make it.

296
00:24:04.119 --> 00:24:07.920
We pulled all but two of them
out of the water, said Dalton.

297
00:24:07.319 --> 00:24:11.480
Either the cold or the sharks got
them. We couldn't find them. They

298
00:24:11.559 --> 00:24:15.720
might have ridden their birds to the
bottom of the lake, said Clark.

299
00:24:15.519 --> 00:24:21.359
Well we considered that too, said
Dalton. There were concealed anti aircraft guns

300
00:24:21.440 --> 00:24:26.240
hiding all above that cliff, goddamn
eighty eight flat cannons, just like those

301
00:24:26.240 --> 00:24:30.680
some bitches used on us in World
War Two. Once they fired on the

302
00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:34.000
apaches, we locked in on their
positions. The ghostwriters took them out.

303
00:24:34.839 --> 00:24:40.440
That's good, said Clark. Those
guns would have made rescuing those chopper crews

304
00:24:40.480 --> 00:24:44.799
impossible. Well, that's why we
took them out, said Dalton. You

305
00:24:44.799 --> 00:24:48.039
matter if I keep that P.
Fifty one, Sir, asked Clark.

306
00:24:48.839 --> 00:24:52.799
Well, I'd be shocked if you
didn't want to, answered Dalton. I'll

307
00:24:52.920 --> 00:24:56.799
arrange to have it transported back to
Fort Lennard Wood for you. I assume

308
00:24:56.839 --> 00:25:00.279
you'll want the same thing for the
Catalina. I might just fly that one

309
00:25:00.359 --> 00:25:03.839
home, said Clark. I'll take
part of the team and land it near

310
00:25:03.920 --> 00:25:08.119
my place on Table Rock Lake.
That's a good idea, said Dalton,

311
00:25:08.359 --> 00:25:14.119
But make sure you're all fully debrief
first, then I'm sure we'll be happy

312
00:25:14.119 --> 00:25:17.519
to let you have a few days
to recover. We've still got work to

313
00:25:17.559 --> 00:25:22.279
do before that, the shark men, asked Clark. Exactly, said Dalton.

314
00:25:22.759 --> 00:25:26.279
We know from the files that Bauers
sent us that there were twelve of

315
00:25:26.319 --> 00:25:30.839
those creatures. They were all males, so there's no chance of any of

316
00:25:30.880 --> 00:25:33.599
them are going to drop a baby. And when is Clinton supposed to arrive?

317
00:25:33.799 --> 00:25:38.240
Asked Clark. Do we think his
hydrophone thing will work? He came

318
00:25:38.279 --> 00:25:41.720
in right behind us, said Dalton. He and his crew had been setting

319
00:25:41.799 --> 00:25:47.599
up all night. They already cleared
Lake corn Toso. We set up a

320
00:25:47.680 --> 00:25:52.880
sonic beacon in the river that connects
corn Toso with Noelapi. They can't go

321
00:25:52.000 --> 00:25:56.920
back in there without tripping the sonics
and explosives. We know they're in Nowelapi.

322
00:25:57.200 --> 00:26:00.799
We've caught all twelve of them on
pass so onar at least twice.

323
00:26:02.559 --> 00:26:06.119
Are we going to try to capture
him, ask Clark, No, said

324
00:26:06.160 --> 00:26:11.960
Dalton. We already know the process
is irreversible. This group is uncontrollable and

325
00:26:11.039 --> 00:26:15.519
there'll only be a threat to whoever
they're around. We have to eliminate them.

326
00:26:17.400 --> 00:26:21.720
Well, how's Bauer, asked Clark. He's stable, said Dalton.

327
00:26:21.880 --> 00:26:25.599
We're flying him back to the state
so we can begin treating him. With

328
00:26:25.680 --> 00:26:29.720
the notes in the data that you
recover from Mingele's lab, we should at

329
00:26:29.799 --> 00:26:33.799
least be able to stabilize him and
give him the control that the other group

330
00:26:33.839 --> 00:26:37.480
couldn't get. Well, what's going
to happen to him after that, asked

331
00:26:37.519 --> 00:26:41.279
Clark. Well, that'll be up
to him, said Dalton. We'll either

332
00:26:41.359 --> 00:26:45.039
return him to Germany or offer him
a job with the team. I hope

333
00:26:45.039 --> 00:26:48.839
he takes this job. Having him
in control of his abilities and on our

334
00:26:48.920 --> 00:26:55.279
side would make one hell of an
underwater operative, agreed Clark. Bower's good

335
00:26:55.359 --> 00:26:59.839
man. I just hope this experience
hasn't broken his spirit. He might not

336
00:27:00.039 --> 00:27:03.599
want to do any of it anymore. Well, that's possibility, said Dalton,

337
00:27:03.759 --> 00:27:07.440
taking another long pull of the whiskey. Thank you, sir, said

338
00:27:07.519 --> 00:27:12.880
Clark for what, asked Dalton for
coming to check on me, said Clark.

339
00:27:14.200 --> 00:27:18.400
You didn't have to do that bullshit, said Dalton. When one of

340
00:27:18.400 --> 00:27:21.759
my men kills Hitler, I come
to see him and buy the man or

341
00:27:21.839 --> 00:27:26.079
drink. And by the way,
I wasn't kidding about the Distinguished Flying Cross

342
00:27:26.480 --> 00:27:30.000
you've earned it. We were watching
the entire thing from a drone camera.

343
00:27:30.519 --> 00:27:34.759
They're already calling you the last of
the Army Air Corps aces. By the

344
00:27:34.759 --> 00:27:40.559
way, here, Dalton tossed a
set of aviator wings on the bar.

345
00:27:41.279 --> 00:27:45.720
Those are just placeholders until I can
find the actual Army Air Corps version,

346
00:27:45.960 --> 00:27:51.400
said Dalton. I'm making a special
disposition for you. I just did what

347
00:27:51.519 --> 00:27:55.640
needed to be done, said Clark. We couldn't let those assholes escape.

348
00:27:56.160 --> 00:28:00.880
By the way, were there any
survivors? We pulled Canaris and Borman,

349
00:28:00.960 --> 00:28:06.200
along with a few staff members off
the island, said Dalton. Down it

350
00:28:06.640 --> 00:28:11.759
was piloting the JAU fifty two.
You took him apart with your guns.

351
00:28:11.200 --> 00:28:15.759
We were able to identify him,
but there was zero chance he was alive.

352
00:28:15.279 --> 00:28:18.960
You've got to have a complete chess
cavity for that to happen. Fuck

353
00:28:19.079 --> 00:28:23.559
him, said Clark, draining the
rest of his glass. Exactly, said

354
00:28:23.680 --> 00:28:30.000
Dalton. We're already interrogating Rommel.
The others will get their time in the

355
00:28:30.039 --> 00:28:34.039
box when they're released by medical Canaris
and Borman are both hurting the crash.

356
00:28:34.440 --> 00:28:40.640
Rommel was almost unscathed, and he's
offered to tell us everything for asylum in

357
00:28:40.680 --> 00:28:45.319
the US. He does not want
to go to Israel. We expect to

358
00:28:45.319 --> 00:28:48.599
get a lot of intel out of
them. We're already planning a joint task

359
00:28:48.680 --> 00:28:53.319
force made of the Special Ops teams
from several countries to be tasked with going

360
00:28:53.359 --> 00:28:59.119
after other Nazi facilities. And we
know for sure now that they have several

361
00:28:59.160 --> 00:29:03.119
others in South America and a few
other places. We're going to find and

362
00:29:03.160 --> 00:29:07.599
eliminate all of them. Clark poured
about two fingers of whiskey for himself and

363
00:29:07.640 --> 00:29:12.359
went to refill the general's glass.
Dalton placed his hand over the top of

364
00:29:12.400 --> 00:29:17.240
his glass and shook his head.
Good, said Clark. But I'm happy

365
00:29:17.240 --> 00:29:19.960
to let somebody else handle that.
I think I'm content to go back to

366
00:29:21.039 --> 00:29:26.039
hunting monsters, well the non human
type. Anyway, I've got a car

367
00:29:26.079 --> 00:29:29.880
standing by to take you to a
helicopter, said Dalton. I'll take you

368
00:29:29.960 --> 00:29:33.599
back to Valhalla to meet up with
the rest of your team. By the

369
00:29:33.640 --> 00:29:36.839
way, I don't know what you
said or did to Captain Nyan, but

370
00:29:36.880 --> 00:29:40.839
he's been singing your praises since the
fighting ended. I think you made a

371
00:29:40.880 --> 00:29:45.359
hell of an impression on her.
I can't imagine why, said Clark,

372
00:29:45.400 --> 00:29:48.519
shrugging. I barely spoke to her. Dalton shrugged and headed for the door.

373
00:29:49.319 --> 00:29:52.799
Nicely done, son, said Dalton. I'll talk to you later.

374
00:29:55.319 --> 00:29:59.960
Clark finished his drink and headed out
to the waiting vehicle. General Dalton's car

375
00:30:00.160 --> 00:30:04.200
had already gone. The young sergeant
that was driving the vehicles saluted as he

376
00:30:04.240 --> 00:30:10.319
opened the back door of the captured
antique Mercedes. He slid into the back

377
00:30:10.359 --> 00:30:14.759
seat and leaned back, and briefly
he wondered what had happened to Yokim,

378
00:30:15.000 --> 00:30:18.880
but thought it best not to dwell
on it. Still, it was a

379
00:30:18.880 --> 00:30:23.519
beautiful car, probably wind up as
General Dalton's staff car. They drove in

380
00:30:23.599 --> 00:30:29.160
silence until they came to an open
field with lots of team personnel moving around

381
00:30:29.599 --> 00:30:36.039
several black haw helicopters sitting on makeshift
landing zones. The sergeant drove Clark nearly

382
00:30:36.160 --> 00:30:40.799
to the helicopters and then stopped and
came around to let him out. Clark

383
00:30:40.839 --> 00:30:45.559
nodded his appreciation and slung the large
Sduffel bag over his shoulder, careful not

384
00:30:45.640 --> 00:30:49.279
to break the contents. As he
was heading for the flight line. He

385
00:30:49.279 --> 00:30:55.279
heard a familiar voice and turned to
look. The team that was providing security

386
00:30:55.319 --> 00:30:59.759
for the helicopters was none other than
Team or Ryan, and he saw most

387
00:30:59.759 --> 00:31:04.200
of the team too were present.
He spotted Gunnery Sergeant Miller sitting on an

388
00:31:04.240 --> 00:31:08.559
am O crate rubbing his knee.
Hey, Gunny, said Clark as he

389
00:31:08.640 --> 00:31:14.440
approached. Hey major, said Miller, starting to get up. Stay seated,

390
00:31:14.519 --> 00:31:18.799
guns said Clark. How's the knee? Well, let's fuck, said

391
00:31:18.839 --> 00:31:22.400
Miller toward the ACL and snapped a
couple of ligaments. Well can they fix

392
00:31:22.440 --> 00:31:27.680
it, asked Clark. Yes and
no, said Miller. The surgery will

393
00:31:27.759 --> 00:31:32.319
undo most of the damage, but
they say it'll put me off the team.

394
00:31:32.839 --> 00:31:36.039
I'll have to either take a desk
job or retire. I think I

395
00:31:36.119 --> 00:31:38.599
might just take the pension and go
if I can't be with the team.

396
00:31:40.519 --> 00:31:44.200
Shit, I'm sorry to hear that, Gunny, said Clark. Don't be

397
00:31:44.400 --> 00:31:48.160
said Miller. I've had a good
career, and what a fucking mission to

398
00:31:48.200 --> 00:31:51.920
go out on. I mean,
I'll never be able to tell anyone about

399
00:31:51.920 --> 00:31:55.240
it. But no, and I
helped put down Hitler in the Nazi inner

400
00:31:55.359 --> 00:31:57.680
circle. I can be happy with
my career, knowing I did that.

401
00:31:59.359 --> 00:32:02.680
Now join the team to fight monsters. Who knew I'd end up stopping the

402
00:32:02.720 --> 00:32:07.279
biggest monster ever and it wasn't even
a creature, just one evil, fucking

403
00:32:07.440 --> 00:32:12.519
human. Well you can be proud, said Clark. You did well,

404
00:32:13.000 --> 00:32:15.400
Thank you, sir, said Miller. Did you get those fuckers before they

405
00:32:15.440 --> 00:32:20.799
got away? I did, said
Clark. None of them escaped. Fucking

406
00:32:20.880 --> 00:32:23.960
ay, sir, said Miller.
Then it was a good day. Clark

407
00:32:24.000 --> 00:32:29.039
opened the bag and handed Miller a
bottle of the McCallan. Take this,

408
00:32:29.200 --> 00:32:32.880
said Clark. Have a drink with
your senior people. Is this good Scotch,

409
00:32:34.119 --> 00:32:37.839
asked Miller. Oh it's damn good, replied Clark. Is it expensive?

410
00:32:38.599 --> 00:32:43.440
Round six grand a bottle, said
Clark. Enjoy it. Your team

411
00:32:43.519 --> 00:32:46.559
earned it, Thanks Major, I
know just who to share this with.

412
00:32:47.359 --> 00:32:51.960
We'll have to pour a bit into
some canteen cups and have a drink later.

413
00:32:52.599 --> 00:32:54.920
Well, enjoy it, said Clark, turning his head for the chopper

414
00:32:57.079 --> 00:33:01.319
leaving already, said a voice behind
him. Clark turned to see Captain Knowing

415
00:33:01.599 --> 00:33:06.839
approaching with a smile on her face. I heard you barely brought that plane

416
00:33:06.880 --> 00:33:10.000
back in, she said, Are
you all right, had a few close

417
00:33:10.079 --> 00:33:15.039
moments, said Clark, but she
got me back down safe. They don't

418
00:33:15.079 --> 00:33:19.799
build planes like that anymore. Well, I'm glad you succeeded, said Nowang,

419
00:33:20.079 --> 00:33:22.720
smiling and brushing her hair back away
from her right eye. It was

420
00:33:22.759 --> 00:33:27.599
good working with you, you two, captain, said Clark, smiling.

421
00:33:28.119 --> 00:33:30.519
I gave your gunny a bottle of
whiskey for you and your senior people to

422
00:33:30.559 --> 00:33:35.920
have a glass. Thank you,
she said. You sure you won't stick

423
00:33:35.960 --> 00:33:38.960
around to have one with us.
I wish I could, said Clark,

424
00:33:39.000 --> 00:33:44.000
But all father is waiting for me
to come back to Valhalla maybe next time.

425
00:33:44.839 --> 00:33:49.200
Looking forward to it, she replied, have a safe flight. Thanks,

426
00:33:49.200 --> 00:33:52.079
said Clark, giving her a rare
smile before turning back toward the chopper.

427
00:33:53.400 --> 00:33:57.880
As he was walking away, he
heard Miller say something to her that

428
00:33:58.000 --> 00:34:00.400
made her laugh. He didn't make
it out, but he had the feeling

429
00:34:00.480 --> 00:34:05.400
that they were talking about him.
You ready, sir, asked the crew

430
00:34:05.480 --> 00:34:08.559
chief, as Clark approached the chopper, Yeah, Chief, said Clark,

431
00:34:08.679 --> 00:34:14.800
take me to Valhalla. Clark sat
in silence as the chopper spooled up and

432
00:34:14.880 --> 00:34:19.280
lifted off. Soon they were climbing
over the village as they headed north toward

433
00:34:19.440 --> 00:34:22.840
Valhalla. It was only a short
ride and they landed in a large clearing

434
00:34:22.880 --> 00:34:28.199
that was serving as a base of
operations for the Midwest Division of the Wild

435
00:34:28.280 --> 00:34:31.920
Hunt. It had turned into a
military encampment since the last time he'd seen

436
00:34:31.960 --> 00:34:37.400
it. There were tents in rows
and perimeter wires strung around the edge of

437
00:34:37.400 --> 00:34:42.000
the clearing. Patrols were moving with
dogs, and several larger tents were set

438
00:34:42.079 --> 00:34:47.119
up for senior personnel Conscertina wire and
fencing had been put in place at the

439
00:34:47.199 --> 00:34:52.639
edge of a large encampment. Thanks
Chief, said Clark, slipping out of

440
00:34:52.679 --> 00:34:57.480
the chopper and ducking low to avoid
the rotors, he no sooner cleared the

441
00:34:57.480 --> 00:35:00.400
makeshift landing zone. When the chopper
lifted off off and headed back south,

442
00:35:01.280 --> 00:35:07.239
he quickly found his way to the
GP Medium tenth that was the field offices

443
00:35:07.320 --> 00:35:13.480
for Team Odin. Ducking inside,
he found Saunders, csm Hammond, Specialist

444
00:35:13.599 --> 00:35:19.119
Wilder, Gideon, Gregel, and
Murdoch all inside. They all looked up

445
00:35:19.159 --> 00:35:22.239
when they saw him walk in.
Greetings, said Clark, Why aren't we

446
00:35:22.320 --> 00:35:28.239
set up inside Valhalla. That's the
offices of Colonel Boudreau and his staff.

447
00:35:28.320 --> 00:35:31.719
Said Saunders. We're out here.
Well, he's missing out, said Clark.

448
00:35:32.400 --> 00:35:37.360
Why is that, asked Hammon.
Because he might have the climate controlled

449
00:35:37.400 --> 00:35:43.000
mimic units, said Clark, But
we have something he doesn't have. What

450
00:35:43.119 --> 00:35:47.079
did you bring, asked Hammond,
giving Clark a sly look. Five bottles

451
00:35:47.119 --> 00:35:52.559
of McAllen m said Clark, grinning. Clark said Hammond, getting slowly to

452
00:35:52.639 --> 00:35:57.800
his feet. If you're messing with
me, I swear I'm gonna shoot you.

453
00:35:59.039 --> 00:36:01.840
Clark handed him bag, which he
quickly opened like a kid with a

454
00:36:01.880 --> 00:36:07.559
present on Christmas morning. His eyes
lit up when he looked inside the bag.

455
00:36:07.159 --> 00:36:12.519
Holy shit, Levi said Hamming.
This is the real deal, like

456
00:36:12.559 --> 00:36:16.360
a five grand, a bottle six
and some change, said Clark. You

457
00:36:16.360 --> 00:36:20.320
could put a hell of a down
payment on a house with what's in that

458
00:36:20.440 --> 00:36:23.760
bag? Was that Daniel Clark?
I just saw walk in here, asked

459
00:36:23.800 --> 00:36:29.559
a booming voice from the entrance to
the tent. Clark turned around and saw

460
00:36:29.559 --> 00:36:32.960
a bear of a man entering the
tent. Built like a powerlifter. He

461
00:36:34.000 --> 00:36:37.599
had dark hair that was starting to
go gray on the beard and at the

462
00:36:37.719 --> 00:36:44.079
sides. Clark recognized him instantly.
Clint Bruce, you dirty old bastard,

463
00:36:44.119 --> 00:36:47.119
he said, heading for the newcomer, how the fuck are you? As

464
00:36:47.159 --> 00:36:51.599
Clark approached him, they could see
that he was far bigger than Clark.

465
00:36:52.119 --> 00:36:54.760
Instead of a handshake, he reached
out and picked Clark up like a small

466
00:36:54.880 --> 00:36:59.760
child and gave him a massive bear
hug. Put me down, you crazy

467
00:36:59.800 --> 00:37:02.400
son of a bitch. Wee's Clark. Hey, you leave my mother out

468
00:37:02.480 --> 00:37:07.239
of this, countered Bruce, dropping
Clark from about a foot off the ground.

469
00:37:07.719 --> 00:37:09.719
Why, asked Clark, grinning.
Does she still ask about me,

470
00:37:10.280 --> 00:37:15.599
you asshole, said Bruce, laughing
and throwing his arm around Clark's shoulder.

471
00:37:15.639 --> 00:37:19.960
Hey, let me introduce you,
said Clark, turning to the others.

472
00:37:20.719 --> 00:37:24.719
This is our Clint, Bruce said
Clark, biggest dick head the Navy Seals

473
00:37:24.760 --> 00:37:29.760
ever turned loose on an unsuspecting world. He's a hell of a guy,

474
00:37:29.840 --> 00:37:31.559
and I try to get him to
come out of retirement for the team,

475
00:37:31.599 --> 00:37:36.760
but I'm fairly sure his wife would
murder me with a cast iron skillet.

476
00:37:37.280 --> 00:37:42.239
You and me both, brother,
said Bruce. This is Lieutenant Colonel Levi

477
00:37:42.480 --> 00:37:46.599
Saunder, said Clark, pointing that
crusty old bastard in love with the whiskey

478
00:37:46.679 --> 00:37:52.400
is command, Sergeant Major David Hammond, a Sergeant Major John Gideon, Lieutenant

479
00:37:52.559 --> 00:38:00.400
Nathaniel Murdock, First Sergeant William Gregel, and specialist Katie Wilder. Good to

480
00:38:00.440 --> 00:38:04.480
meet you all, said Bruce.
Have we met before? He was looking

481
00:38:04.519 --> 00:38:08.480
at Gideon. You look familiar,
said Bruce. Maybe, said Gideon.

482
00:38:08.800 --> 00:38:14.480
I've been in the marine since god
was a lance corporal. I understand you're

483
00:38:14.519 --> 00:38:17.840
here to help us with our shark
problem, said Saunders, changing the subject.

484
00:38:19.400 --> 00:38:23.039
That's the plan, said Bruce,
grinning. Everyone grab a canteen cup,

485
00:38:23.199 --> 00:38:28.360
said CSM Hammond. Let's have a
glass of whiskey like civilized folk.

486
00:38:29.719 --> 00:38:34.400
Canteen cups were produced, and Hammond
poured a generous measure into each one,

487
00:38:34.559 --> 00:38:37.719
emptying the first bottle of the McAllen. Once they were all served, they

488
00:38:37.840 --> 00:38:43.320
raised their cups in silent tribute,
an unspoken toast for the ones who had

489
00:38:43.360 --> 00:38:46.239
been lost in the battle. Afterward, they all took a long sip.

490
00:38:46.960 --> 00:38:52.599
WHOA, that is good, said
Hammond. It is, agreed, Saunders.

491
00:38:52.719 --> 00:38:55.960
Tastes expensive. I've had it once
before, said Bruce, but I

492
00:38:57.039 --> 00:39:00.599
have to admit this is the first
time I've ever had Scotch this good out

493
00:39:00.639 --> 00:39:05.840
of a canteen cup. This is
a first. I've drunk far better out

494
00:39:05.840 --> 00:39:09.159
of far worse, said Gideon with
a shrug. Clark chuckled as he calasted

495
00:39:09.159 --> 00:39:13.760
at Gideon, but he said nothing. So when are we getting started on

496
00:39:13.800 --> 00:39:17.360
the shark problem, asked Murdoch.
Well we already have, said Bruce.

497
00:39:17.960 --> 00:39:22.960
We planted ultrasonic hydrophones in parts of
the lake. The sharks are sensitive to

498
00:39:23.039 --> 00:39:29.400
loud noises because of the overdeveloped tim
paddic membrane, and once we activate the

499
00:39:29.480 --> 00:39:34.320
hydrophones, they'll haul us away as
fast as they can swim. We've got

500
00:39:34.320 --> 00:39:37.719
them position from the far end of
the lake. At regular intervals, I'll

501
00:39:37.840 --> 00:39:40.880
drive them this way, and once
they've been pushed to the far end of

502
00:39:40.880 --> 00:39:45.840
the lake, we'll use a specialized
team to force them to the surface.

503
00:39:45.280 --> 00:39:50.079
Then it's up to your team to
finish them off. Well it sounds easy,

504
00:39:50.199 --> 00:39:54.840
said Murdoch. Too easy, said
gregel. Getting them to the surface

505
00:39:54.960 --> 00:40:00.000
might be easy, said Bruce.
But I'm given to understand that these things

506
00:40:00.119 --> 00:40:02.519
aren't easy to kill. So you're
going to leave that to us, said

507
00:40:02.559 --> 00:40:07.000
Clark. Not going to get your
hands dirty. That's not like you.

508
00:40:07.719 --> 00:40:10.000
I never said that, said Bruce. If you can hook me up with

509
00:40:10.079 --> 00:40:15.159
some gear, I'll be happy to
go fishing with you. Clark looked at

510
00:40:15.159 --> 00:40:20.840
Saunders. Well he is a highly
decorated Navy seal, said Clark. All

511
00:40:20.960 --> 00:40:23.239
right, said Saunders. Let's get
him some gear. We might need the

512
00:40:23.280 --> 00:40:27.960
help anyway. We've got quite a
few people in the med bay. But

513
00:40:28.039 --> 00:40:31.280
when do we get started, asked
Clark. The equipment's already in place,

514
00:40:31.440 --> 00:40:36.559
said Bruce. We go on your
command. Colonel. It's been a long

515
00:40:36.639 --> 00:40:39.039
day, said Saunders. Let's give
the team a few hours to rest.

516
00:40:39.599 --> 00:40:43.760
We'll go once the sun is up. We should all try to get some

517
00:40:43.880 --> 00:40:47.079
rest before then. Fair enough,
said Hammond. It's not a bad idea.

518
00:40:47.199 --> 00:40:52.440
We've been running and gunning for hours. Let's go have a drink in

519
00:40:52.440 --> 00:40:55.199
my tent and catch up, said
Bruce to Clark. I don't know,

520
00:40:55.440 --> 00:40:59.559
said Clark. Last time I went
out drinking with you, I woke up

521
00:40:59.599 --> 00:41:02.519
in a walter with a tattoo on
my ass and I still don't remember getting

522
00:41:04.360 --> 00:41:07.360
That's fine, said Bruce. Once
it's over, I'll break out the private

523
00:41:07.400 --> 00:41:12.480
stash for all of us. That
sounds good, said Clark. Honestly,

524
00:41:12.559 --> 00:41:15.280
I'm exhausted, I'm gonna go crawl
in a sleeping bag and catch some sleep.

525
00:41:16.079 --> 00:41:20.159
I'll show you where we put up
your tents, sir, said Gregel.

526
00:41:20.920 --> 00:41:22.880
I'll see you in the morning,
said Bruce. They gave me quarters

527
00:41:22.920 --> 00:41:28.960
inside the mimic unit briefing here in
the c Q ten at eight hundred hours,

528
00:41:28.960 --> 00:41:32.119
said Saunders. We'll be there,
Levi, said Hammond. I'll have

529
00:41:32.159 --> 00:41:38.840
the coffee ready, said Wilder.
Everyone's scattered, Gregel and Clark headed down

530
00:41:38.920 --> 00:41:43.760
the line of tents. There was
a group of people from Team two gathered

531
00:41:43.760 --> 00:41:49.119
around the campfire, eating MRIs and
laughing. Clark nodded at Gregel, and

532
00:41:49.199 --> 00:41:53.119
they stepped to the fire. How's
everyone doing, asked Clark. We're all

533
00:41:53.239 --> 00:41:57.840
right, said Valkyrie, smiling.
Nice of you to join us, Sir,

534
00:41:58.719 --> 00:42:00.840
I just got back a few minutes
ago, he replied. It's been

535
00:42:00.920 --> 00:42:06.039
a long night. Can anyone tell
me who got hurt on the team?

536
00:42:06.559 --> 00:42:09.360
Eagle took a round through the shoulder, said Valkyrie. He's in the medical

537
00:42:09.480 --> 00:42:14.840
unit at Asguard Control. Probably be
out of action for a few weeks.

538
00:42:15.440 --> 00:42:20.400
Anyone else, asked Clark. We
got lucky, said shield Maiden. Most

539
00:42:20.400 --> 00:42:23.480
of our injuries were minor. CADUSI
has took a round through the meat and

540
00:42:23.559 --> 00:42:28.880
his calf. He's bandaged and he's
fine. He won't be able to run

541
00:42:28.920 --> 00:42:31.719
for a while. Margolin took a
piece of shrapnel, but I pulled it

542
00:42:31.760 --> 00:42:35.760
out and stitched him up. He's
going to have a nice scar. But

543
00:42:35.840 --> 00:42:38.960
other than that, he's fine.
That's good, said Clark. What about

544
00:42:39.000 --> 00:42:44.920
you, asked Valkyrie. Are you
okay? Just really tired, said Clark,

545
00:42:45.039 --> 00:42:47.239
rubbing his neck. And I took
a piece of shrapnel to the back

546
00:42:47.239 --> 00:42:52.800
of my neck during the dogfight.
It quit bleeding, though. Sit down

547
00:42:52.880 --> 00:42:55.840
and let me take a look at
that, said Valkyrie. Clark started to

548
00:42:55.920 --> 00:43:00.719
protest, but she gave him the
same look that Amanda gave him when he

549
00:43:00.800 --> 00:43:04.239
was at home and didn't listen to
her. You don't get to give me

550
00:43:04.320 --> 00:43:08.679
that look, said Clark, grinning. We're only fake married. She grinned,

551
00:43:08.679 --> 00:43:13.159
and he took a seat on a
log, digging out her medkit.

552
00:43:13.320 --> 00:43:15.239
She got up and again looking at
the back of his neck with a small

553
00:43:15.280 --> 00:43:20.760
flashlight. Damn, she said,
this should have had stitches. It's pretty

554
00:43:20.800 --> 00:43:24.199
deep. Well, it's not bleeding
now, said Clark. True, but

555
00:43:24.280 --> 00:43:29.079
the back of your shirt is covered
with blood. She said. You lost

556
00:43:29.159 --> 00:43:31.920
quite a bit of blood. Well, it's not bleeding now, Clark repeated

557
00:43:31.960 --> 00:43:37.360
stubbornly. This is gonna hurt,
said Valkyrie, probing the wound with her

558
00:43:37.360 --> 00:43:42.480
fingertip. Clark tens but didn't make
a sound. I think there's still a

559
00:43:42.519 --> 00:43:45.079
piece inside the wound, she said. She old maid, when you get

560
00:43:45.119 --> 00:43:49.199
your kit and help me clean this
out. Sure, said she ol,

561
00:43:49.280 --> 00:43:52.599
Maiden, grabbing her pack. Within
minutes, they had reopened the wound and

562
00:43:52.639 --> 00:43:58.119
were digging around with a pair of
tweezers. Valkyrie pulled out three shards of

563
00:43:58.199 --> 00:44:01.960
plexi glass before she was intent that
the wound was clear of any more shrapnel.

564
00:44:02.840 --> 00:44:06.960
They cleaned out the wound and put
in eight stitches to close it,

565
00:44:07.639 --> 00:44:12.360
packing it with antibiotic ointment. They
covered it with a large bandage. There

566
00:44:12.440 --> 00:44:15.239
you go, said Valkyrie. You're
good as new. I'll change that for

567
00:44:15.360 --> 00:44:19.280
you a couple of times a day
for a few days. We can take

568
00:44:19.320 --> 00:44:22.639
the stitches out in a week or
so. She handed him a handful of

569
00:44:22.679 --> 00:44:28.599
ib profen and he swallowed them without
water. That's for the headache you're going

570
00:44:28.679 --> 00:44:31.719
to have by the morning, she
explained. Thanks, said Clark, we

571
00:44:31.760 --> 00:44:36.360
should get some rest. We've got
a job to finish in a few hours.

572
00:44:36.920 --> 00:44:40.280
You got it, boss, said
Valkyrie. Clark got to his feet

573
00:44:40.320 --> 00:44:45.400
and nodded at Gregel. They headed
off into the darkness until they reached a

574
00:44:45.480 --> 00:44:47.599
small tent at the end of the
row. This is yours, sir,

575
00:44:47.840 --> 00:44:53.800
said Gregel. Thanks will, said
Clark, much appreciated. Gregel nodded and

576
00:44:53.840 --> 00:44:58.880
headed off into the darkness. Clark
crawled in the tent and lit up a

577
00:44:58.920 --> 00:45:04.280
small flashlight, illuminating the interior.
All his gear was there, including what

578
00:45:04.400 --> 00:45:07.800
he'd left behind when he jumped into
the P fifty one. His weapons were

579
00:45:07.800 --> 00:45:13.239
all there, including his bounty knife, which he'd come to love. There

580
00:45:13.280 --> 00:45:17.079
you are, he said, checking
the blade. He kicked off his boots

581
00:45:17.079 --> 00:45:22.480
and shrugged out of everything except his
T shirt, pants and socks. He

582
00:45:22.559 --> 00:45:24.920
crawled into his sleeping bag, and
he stuffed the corner of his pack under

583
00:45:24.920 --> 00:45:30.320
his head for a pillow. True
to the nature of professional soldiers, everywhere

584
00:45:30.480 --> 00:45:36.559
he was asleep. In moments,
he found himself reliving the battle in the

585
00:45:36.639 --> 00:45:40.159
air, seeing things as if in
slow motion. Only this time the guns

586
00:45:40.159 --> 00:45:45.000
were empty, and he was doing
everything in his power to avoid being shot

587
00:45:45.079 --> 00:45:50.719
down by the other planes. He
banked and turned and fought hard to stay

588
00:45:50.760 --> 00:45:53.360
out of the enemy's sights. But
it was a losing battle. There were

589
00:45:53.400 --> 00:45:58.599
too many of them and he had
nowhere to run. Then the guns of

590
00:45:58.639 --> 00:46:04.400
Henderman's plane tore into his and he
felt the plane tearing itself apart. He

591
00:46:04.519 --> 00:46:07.760
was losing control, but he fought
like hell to keep the plane in the

592
00:46:07.800 --> 00:46:12.519
air. The fire was leaping from
the engine compartment, and he could feel

593
00:46:12.559 --> 00:46:16.519
the flames licking up beneath him and
into the cockpit, and smoke was everywhere

594
00:46:16.519 --> 00:46:21.199
and he could barely see. He
had to hold on to reach the shore

595
00:46:21.519 --> 00:46:24.679
or he'd go down in the frigid
lake. He pulled back on the stick

596
00:46:24.719 --> 00:46:29.000
with all his might. He felt
the nose start to come up when the

597
00:46:29.039 --> 00:46:34.039
stick suddenly went slack in his hand. The linkages had all broken. It

598
00:46:34.159 --> 00:46:37.679
was a dead stick and he had
no control at all. The plane began

599
00:46:37.760 --> 00:46:43.239
to spin as it spiraled toward the
dark water below him. He was only

600
00:46:43.280 --> 00:46:45.960
one hundred yards from shore. If
he could get clear of the plane,

601
00:46:45.960 --> 00:46:50.639
he might be able to make it
before the shark Man got to him.

602
00:46:51.320 --> 00:46:54.440
He reached up and grabbed the canopy, and it wouldn't open it was stuck

603
00:46:54.519 --> 00:47:00.440
closed and there was no escaping the
dying plane. He grinted his his teeth

604
00:47:00.480 --> 00:47:04.880
and he braced for the impending impact. The fire was now coming through the

605
00:47:04.920 --> 00:47:08.400
control panel and into the cockpit.
At least the water will put the fire

606
00:47:08.440 --> 00:47:13.480
out, he thought fatally. I
think I'd rather drown than burn to death.

607
00:47:14.960 --> 00:47:17.960
The plane hit the water with tremendous
force, and he felt his legs

608
00:47:19.000 --> 00:47:22.440
both snap at the knees. There
was a stream filling the cockpit now as

609
00:47:22.480 --> 00:47:28.719
the flames were extinguished and the plane
began to sink rapidly. The cockpit was

610
00:47:28.760 --> 00:47:34.079
now swiftly filling with water. He
couldn't move his legs, and he knew

611
00:47:34.119 --> 00:47:37.079
that there was no chance of swimming
to shore with broken legs. And as

612
00:47:37.079 --> 00:47:40.679
the plane began to sink, he
knew the plane was going to serve as

613
00:47:40.719 --> 00:47:45.599
his water. He coughing on a
one way ride to the bottom of Lake

614
00:47:45.719 --> 00:47:52.760
Nauelapi. Then he heard something tapping
on the plexiglass canopy. His heart raised

615
00:47:52.840 --> 00:47:55.039
with hope, thinking divers were about
to pull him out of the wreck and

616
00:47:55.119 --> 00:48:00.880
take him to safety. The plane
was now far enough underwater that only small

617
00:48:00.960 --> 00:48:05.679
bubbles of air in the cockpit was
keeping him alive. The water was too

618
00:48:05.760 --> 00:48:09.079
dark to see more than a few
feet from the plane. He turned towards

619
00:48:09.079 --> 00:48:14.239
the sound of the tapping and found
himself face to face with the grinning face

620
00:48:14.280 --> 00:48:17.199
of death. One of the shark
men had found him and was about to

621
00:48:17.239 --> 00:48:22.800
pull him from the wreckage and devour
him. He reached for his pistol,

622
00:48:22.800 --> 00:48:25.559
and he considered trying to kill the
creature, but he thought better of it.

623
00:48:27.079 --> 00:48:30.360
At this depth, the bullets wouldn't
go far in the water, but

624
00:48:30.400 --> 00:48:34.719
they would shatter the canopy. With
thoughts of his wife, he put the

625
00:48:34.719 --> 00:48:38.559
pistol beneath his chin and closed his
eyes, screaming, he pulled the trigger.

626
00:48:38.960 --> 00:48:44.639
Nothing happened. He racked the slide
again as the shark man shattered the

627
00:48:44.679 --> 00:48:49.800
plexiglass and reached for him, yelling. He felt strong hands gripping by the

628
00:48:49.840 --> 00:48:55.079
shoulders. He felt himself being violently
shaking, and then there was a sharp

629
00:48:55.159 --> 00:49:00.559
crack of pain on his face,
and he was jolted suddenly awake. When

630
00:49:00.599 --> 00:49:05.920
his eyes focused, he wasn't looking
at the face of the dreaded shark man.

631
00:49:06.159 --> 00:49:09.920
He was looking into Valkyrie's blue eyes. She was hanging onto his shoulders

632
00:49:09.960 --> 00:49:15.800
tightly, saying something that he just
couldn't hear. Slowly, he focused and

633
00:49:15.880 --> 00:49:20.119
heard her words. When he quit
screaming, It's okay, she kept saying,

634
00:49:20.400 --> 00:49:23.440
it was just a dream. You're
okay, I've got you. Clark

635
00:49:23.480 --> 00:49:28.840
shook himself fully awake. He felt
the wave of embarrassment rush over him.

636
00:49:29.679 --> 00:49:34.280
Everyone here looked to him for leadership
and inspiration, and here he was losing

637
00:49:34.320 --> 00:49:37.719
it. Are you all right,
she asked gently, Yeah, he said

638
00:49:37.800 --> 00:49:42.880
softly. That was a hell of
a nightmare. I feel like an idiot.

639
00:49:43.239 --> 00:49:46.360
I never get those. It's fine, she said, smiling. We

640
00:49:46.480 --> 00:49:51.599
all get them occasionally. I heard
you screaming and I came to see who

641
00:49:51.639 --> 00:49:54.480
it was. Must have been a
bad one. Are you sure you're okay?

642
00:49:55.159 --> 00:50:00.320
Yeah, he said, smiling.
He looked at his watch and noticed

643
00:50:00.360 --> 00:50:04.679
that he'd been asleep less than an
hour. However, with the adrenaline still

644
00:50:04.760 --> 00:50:08.079
rushing through his veins, he wasn't
going back to sleep anytime soon. I'm

645
00:50:08.119 --> 00:50:12.719
fine, he said, trying to
reassure her. I'm not going back to

646
00:50:12.760 --> 00:50:15.920
sleep anyway. I'm not sure I
could now. If you want me to

647
00:50:15.960 --> 00:50:20.480
sit with you, I will,
she said. I'm a bit worried about

648
00:50:20.519 --> 00:50:23.559
you. I'm okay, he said, forcing a smile. I need some

649
00:50:23.639 --> 00:50:28.199
coffee and something to focus on for
a while. I'll be all right.

650
00:50:29.880 --> 00:50:34.280
Valkyrie stared at him for a moment
before she spoke, all right, boss,

651
00:50:34.400 --> 00:50:37.599
she said, but if you change
your mind or just want to talk,

652
00:50:37.880 --> 00:50:40.840
you know where my tent's at.
Thanks, said Clark, climbing out

653
00:50:40.840 --> 00:50:45.519
of the sleeping bag. I appreciate
that. It was a hell of a

654
00:50:45.639 --> 00:50:49.880
day, just a lot to process, but I think I'll be okay if

655
00:50:49.920 --> 00:50:52.239
you say so, she said,
sliding back out of the small tent.

656
00:50:54.519 --> 00:50:59.880
Clark grabbed his boots and started putting
his gear on. He could hear Valkyrie

657
00:51:00.079 --> 00:51:02.760
walking away, and he felt bad
for not taking her up on her offer.

658
00:51:04.800 --> 00:51:07.239
Right now, the only person he
wanted to talk to was his wife.

659
00:51:07.880 --> 00:51:12.880
Even then, he just hold her
until he felt better. He never

660
00:51:12.920 --> 00:51:16.239
talked about any of it to anyone, and deep down he knew that wasn't

661
00:51:16.239 --> 00:51:22.639
a good thing, and eventually he'd
have to talk to someone. He climbed

662
00:51:22.679 --> 00:51:24.840
out of the tent. He did
a quick check of his weapons and made

663
00:51:24.880 --> 00:51:30.840
sure everything was in place. He
checked his blades, the bounty the gunners

664
00:51:30.920 --> 00:51:35.480
made on his hips. They were
quickly becoming his favorite tools to carry.

665
00:51:36.280 --> 00:51:39.239
He made a mental note to look
up scalleywag Tactical when he made it home

666
00:51:39.320 --> 00:51:45.519
and order a bunch of blades.
The night air was crisp, and he

667
00:51:45.559 --> 00:51:49.440
knew there would be a pot of
coffee going on the fire. Heading for

668
00:51:49.480 --> 00:51:52.840
the fire pit, he found only
one person was sitting there. He took

669
00:51:52.840 --> 00:51:57.599
a seat on the opposite side,
and he found himself looking through the flames

670
00:51:57.599 --> 00:52:01.119
at get in you all right,
as Gideon, I will be, said

671
00:52:01.199 --> 00:52:07.000
Clara. He dug out his canteen
cup and filled it about halfway up with

672
00:52:07.079 --> 00:52:10.440
the hot black coffee from the old
metal percolator sitting on the wire rack.

673
00:52:12.159 --> 00:52:15.599
He could smell it before it reached
his face. This was brewed, rough

674
00:52:15.639 --> 00:52:20.159
and strong, just what he needed
to get him through the rest of this

675
00:52:20.400 --> 00:52:23.719
night. Wheren't you get your blades, asked Gideon, nodding at the bounty.

676
00:52:24.440 --> 00:52:29.199
It was a gift from Runestone,
said Clara, drawing it and handing

677
00:52:29.239 --> 00:52:32.719
it across the fire. Gideon took
the blade and felt the weight and flipped

678
00:52:32.760 --> 00:52:37.079
it around a few times. It's
heavy, said Gideon, tapping the steel

679
00:52:37.119 --> 00:52:40.840
with his fingernail. It's good and
metal, and the balance is nice.

680
00:52:42.599 --> 00:52:45.519
This bastard is made for chopping off
limbs and heads. I like it.

681
00:52:46.360 --> 00:52:51.199
I'll get you one when we get
back, said Clara. No thanks,

682
00:52:51.239 --> 00:52:54.719
said Gideon. I'll keep my Gladia. I'm rather fond of it, just

683
00:52:54.800 --> 00:53:00.119
out of curiosity, said Clara.
That's not your original one, is it,

684
00:53:00.360 --> 00:53:05.000
I mean from the Legion? No, said Gideon. I've had several

685
00:53:05.039 --> 00:53:08.079
from the Legion at different times,
but the first one, that one's in

686
00:53:08.159 --> 00:53:14.320
my collection. I'd like to never
use it unless I didn't have a choice.

687
00:53:14.440 --> 00:53:17.159
The steal is old and likely brittle. Now I'll keep it as a

688
00:53:17.199 --> 00:53:22.079
memento, but it's earned its retirement
many times over. I bet you could

689
00:53:22.079 --> 00:53:28.119
tell some stories, said Clark,
As could you, said Gideon. To

690
00:53:28.320 --> 00:53:32.559
say, said Clark, The dreams
will pass, said Gideon, What ask

691
00:53:32.679 --> 00:53:37.920
Clark? The dreams? Said Gideon, they'll pass. Don't let them break

692
00:53:38.000 --> 00:53:43.400
you. You're a sword, and
swords come under a great deal of stress

693
00:53:43.480 --> 00:53:47.360
during battle. A sword that doesn't
give will shatter. If it gives too

694
00:53:47.440 --> 00:53:52.880
much, it'll ben and be useless. The trick is in the forging of

695
00:53:52.920 --> 00:53:55.599
the blade. The core of the
blade is just as important as the edges.

696
00:53:57.039 --> 00:54:00.920
It's perfect harmony is required to make
a perfect sword. The Japanese knew

697
00:54:00.920 --> 00:54:05.920
this better than anyone. I've ever
seen. No one to cut, no

698
00:54:06.000 --> 00:54:09.400
one to bend. Find that balance. You're a warrior as true as any

699
00:54:09.400 --> 00:54:15.760
I've ever fought Beside. Clark thought
about his words for a long moment before

700
00:54:15.800 --> 00:54:21.639
speaking. Thank you, said Clark. That's good advice. Gideon nodded and

701
00:54:21.679 --> 00:54:27.039
said nothing further. He just stared
into the fire, occasionally absent mindedly taking

702
00:54:27.079 --> 00:54:30.400
a sip from his coffee. Clark
let the silence hang in the air.

703
00:54:30.920 --> 00:54:36.960
It didn't feel like talking, and
Gideon wasn't pressing him. After several minutes,

704
00:54:37.000 --> 00:54:39.800
Gideon finally broke the silence. I
was there, you know, he

705
00:54:39.880 --> 00:54:45.159
said softly. Clark almost didn't hear
him. He thought of asking where,

706
00:54:45.280 --> 00:54:49.760
but he didn't want to interrupt Gideon. It was rare that he spoke of

707
00:54:49.800 --> 00:54:54.599
his past. I was at the
fall of Constantinople, whispered Gideon. I

708
00:54:54.800 --> 00:55:00.880
was a Byzantine drawing Garios, in
command of the drugos of four hundred of

709
00:55:00.920 --> 00:55:06.239
the bravest men I've ever served with. When the Stratigos fell, I found

710
00:55:06.280 --> 00:55:09.800
myself in command of the last line
of defense. Our job was to fight

711
00:55:09.840 --> 00:55:15.119
the retreating action to get Emperor Constantine
out of the city before it fell.

712
00:55:16.000 --> 00:55:20.400
We failed, but the deeds were
done that day, and they will resonate

713
00:55:20.519 --> 00:55:25.920
eternally. Clark felt himself being drawn
into the story and completely forgot the dream

714
00:55:25.960 --> 00:55:31.719
he'd had. He felt himself there
fighting the desperate battle against the overwhelming forces

715
00:55:31.719 --> 00:55:37.599
of the Ottomans. Blood made the
hilt of his sword slick and hard to

716
00:55:37.599 --> 00:55:40.880
hold on to, and all around
him was violence and death. As the

717
00:55:40.920 --> 00:55:47.199
city fell, one thing kept him
fighting. Gideon stood behind him, smiling

718
00:55:47.280 --> 00:55:52.360
in the face of certain death.
He found himself doing the only thing he

719
00:55:52.360 --> 00:56:00.360
could do, smiling, and he
braced himself for the Ottoman attack. Chapter

720
00:56:00.440 --> 00:56:08.360
seventeen oh seven thirty hours, sixteen
May, Team odin command tent, Clark

721
00:56:08.440 --> 00:56:13.559
walked into the command tent and saw
that it was mostly empty. He looked

722
00:56:13.599 --> 00:56:16.800
around and found the only specialist,
Wilder, sitting at the folding desk.

723
00:56:17.159 --> 00:56:22.360
Where is everyone? He asked?
Looking around, Colonel Boudreau decided that the

724
00:56:22.400 --> 00:56:27.559
briefing was going to be in Valhalla. Sir, she replied, I think

725
00:56:27.639 --> 00:56:30.519
everyone already headed in there. Nice
of them to let me know, said

726
00:56:30.559 --> 00:56:34.800
Clark. Well, that's why I'm
here. She said with a smile.

727
00:56:35.199 --> 00:56:38.000
However, I'm not invited to the
briefing. But don't feel too bad,

728
00:56:38.119 --> 00:56:45.000
said Clark. Boudreau's meetings are rarely
exciting, but she laughed and then caught

729
00:56:45.000 --> 00:56:50.119
herself and regained her composure. Colonel
Saunders said almost the same thing. She

730
00:56:50.199 --> 00:56:53.719
said. He's not wrong, said
Clark. Hell the only enjoyment I ever

731
00:56:53.800 --> 00:56:58.800
get out of his meetings was watching
Stratton roll her eyes every time they said

732
00:56:58.840 --> 00:57:02.880
something good about tea. I never
understood why that woman hates us so much.

733
00:57:05.039 --> 00:57:08.559
The flap to the tent opened and
Lieutenant Murdoch ducked inside. He looked

734
00:57:08.559 --> 00:57:13.440
flushed, like he'd been running major. He said, they want you in

735
00:57:13.519 --> 00:57:17.880
command bunker inside Valhalla. Immediately.
Something's come up, dude, he calls,

736
00:57:19.039 --> 00:57:23.039
said Clark, nodding at Wilder,
I gotta go. Clark motioned for

737
00:57:23.159 --> 00:57:28.639
Murdoch to lead the way, and
they quickly exited the tent. Murdoch looked

738
00:57:28.639 --> 00:57:32.800
at Clark with a questioning look,
and Clark nodded. Both men broke into

739
00:57:32.840 --> 00:57:37.519
a quick pace, heading for the
mimic units more than two hundred yards to

740
00:57:37.599 --> 00:57:40.920
the south. When they cleared the
last of the tents, they broke into

741
00:57:42.000 --> 00:57:45.800
a sprint for the last seventy five
yards. Clark pushed hard the last twenty

742
00:57:45.880 --> 00:57:51.280
yards and managed to beat the younger
Murdoch about a step. They arrived at

743
00:57:51.280 --> 00:57:54.559
the door to Valhalla, and the
arm guards at the door saluted then opened

744
00:57:54.599 --> 00:58:00.320
the door for them. Clark returned
the salute and stepped inside, and as

745
00:58:00.360 --> 00:58:05.280
soon as Murdoch entered, they closed
the door behind them. Clark reached up

746
00:58:05.320 --> 00:58:07.639
and pulled off his green beret,
and as he duck through the door into

747
00:58:07.679 --> 00:58:12.519
the command center, he saw that
it was set up vastly different than before.

748
00:58:13.440 --> 00:58:16.199
This wasn't a feel command center like
they were used to using. This

749
00:58:16.400 --> 00:58:21.639
was set up for handling the logistics
of large numbers of troops in combat,

750
00:58:21.920 --> 00:58:27.599
a full command and control tactical center
with real time satellite and drone feeds and

751
00:58:27.719 --> 00:58:31.440
direct line communication to Asgard. This
is why he wouldn't let us set up

752
00:58:31.440 --> 00:58:36.559
shop here, whispered Clark as he
slid into the chair next to Saunders.

753
00:58:37.519 --> 00:58:40.480
Murdoch headed for the coffee pot and
looked at Clark. He was about to

754
00:58:40.480 --> 00:58:45.480
say yes when Hammond hit him on
the arm and shook his head. You

755
00:58:45.519 --> 00:58:50.639
don't want that coffee, whispered Hammond. It's some Namby Pamby government vanilla cinnamon

756
00:58:50.679 --> 00:58:57.039
bullshit. It tastes like hipsters smell. Clark glanced back at Murdoch and shook

757
00:58:57.079 --> 00:59:00.599
his head negative. Murdock shrugged and
poured himself a cup, and as he

758
00:59:00.679 --> 00:59:05.840
was starting back to the chairs,
he took a sip. He froze midsip,

759
00:59:06.039 --> 00:59:07.880
spit it back into the cup,
and turned around and poured it down

760
00:59:07.920 --> 00:59:13.000
the train, tossing the cup in
the trash. He came back sat beside

761
00:59:13.039 --> 00:59:15.840
Clark. I don't know what kind
of anilla bullshit that is, sir,

762
00:59:16.000 --> 00:59:21.519
said Murdock. But it ain't coffee. Please tell me I didn't just sprout

763
00:59:21.519 --> 00:59:25.760
a man butt. It's the new
battalion exec's personal favorite, whispered Saunders.

764
00:59:27.119 --> 00:59:31.039
I'd keep my opinions quiet, gentlemen. Clark looked around the room and saw

765
00:59:31.079 --> 00:59:36.800
the heads of all the Midwest teams
in attendance. He caught Major Nick Slayton's

766
00:59:36.840 --> 00:59:39.719
attention, and when he looked back, Clark scratched the corner of his eye

767
00:59:39.760 --> 00:59:45.960
with only his middle finger extended.
Slayton, the commanding officer of tim Uller

768
00:59:45.039 --> 00:59:50.559
chuckled and shook his head. Clint
Bruce got up from his chair at the

769
00:59:50.559 --> 00:59:52.840
front of the room and came back
to sit beside Clark and the others.

770
00:59:53.519 --> 00:59:59.679
He handed Clark a stack of styrofoam
cups with a large black thermous. Here

771
00:59:59.719 --> 01:00:04.159
you go, brother, said Bruce. Real coffee already had a cup.

772
01:00:04.880 --> 01:00:08.480
Oh you're a life saver, said
Clark, opening the thermos and inhaling the

773
01:00:08.519 --> 01:00:14.199
aroma of the strong, dark liquid. Strong as fuck, said Bruce.

774
01:00:14.639 --> 01:00:19.480
Heavy caffeine's needed for heavy shit.
Bless you, said Hammond, nodding in

775
01:00:19.599 --> 01:00:24.000
appreciation. Clark began handing out cups
to the rest of his teammates and then

776
01:00:24.039 --> 01:00:30.920
began pouring. Slayton slipped over and
Clark gave him a cup. Muchos graciass,

777
01:00:30.159 --> 01:00:34.880
said Slaton, grinning. Just remember
who's got your back, Slaton,

778
01:00:34.960 --> 01:00:38.400
whispered Clark. I'll get you back
in the monthly poker game, said Slaton.

779
01:00:39.000 --> 01:00:42.639
I've got to get back to the
front, said Bruce. They might

780
01:00:42.679 --> 01:00:45.400
want me up there to explain what
we're doing. Thanks, Clint, said

781
01:00:45.440 --> 01:00:50.440
Clark. Bruce just gave him a
wink and the thumbs up, and then

782
01:00:50.519 --> 01:00:53.480
headed back up front. They all
leaned back in their chairs, sipping the

783
01:00:53.519 --> 01:00:58.519
strong coffee while Murdock felt the top
of his head. Just to be sure,

784
01:00:59.599 --> 01:01:02.960
Ladies and gentlemen, said Colonel Boudreau. Let's get the briefing started.

785
01:01:04.000 --> 01:01:08.000
Now that everyone has arrived. The
big display board changed to an overhead view

786
01:01:08.000 --> 01:01:14.239
of the area that could see the
area centered around in Nalco. Clark thought

787
01:01:14.239 --> 01:01:16.599
it was just an image until he
saw a car driving down the highway.

788
01:01:17.159 --> 01:01:22.119
It was a real time feed,
almost likely from a high altitude drone.

789
01:01:22.159 --> 01:01:27.400
This is our target area, said
Boudreaux. We're going to attempt to force

790
01:01:27.440 --> 01:01:30.719
the sharp men into this area.
He lit up a spot on the map

791
01:01:30.800 --> 01:01:37.119
near the beach in front of a
Nalco. With the implementation of the sonic

792
01:01:37.159 --> 01:01:42.199
devices put into place by mister Bruce
and his team, said boudreu, we

793
01:01:42.360 --> 01:01:45.639
believe we can drive them to this
area. Once they are contained, we're

794
01:01:45.639 --> 01:01:49.760
going to attempt to force them out
of the lake and on to the shore.

795
01:01:50.519 --> 01:01:53.719
Once that is accomplished, we will
eliminate them with an intense strike.

796
01:01:54.800 --> 01:01:59.519
We don't intend to risk the lives
of our team, so we will be

797
01:01:59.599 --> 01:02:06.199
deployed to contain only the strike will
be carried out by drones. Clark bristled

798
01:02:06.239 --> 01:02:10.599
but said nothing the way Boodreu said, mister just didn't sit right. Then

799
01:02:10.639 --> 01:02:15.679
there was the fact that this was
unlike any previous operation. Something was different.

800
01:02:16.519 --> 01:02:22.480
They were suddenly playing it cautiously when
the objective was within sight. He

801
01:02:22.559 --> 01:02:25.639
looked over at Sanders and he saw
the same look of bewilderment on his face

802
01:02:25.679 --> 01:02:31.000
as well. Why, asked Clark, standing up. Excuse me, Major,

803
01:02:31.159 --> 01:02:35.480
said Boudreau. Can I help you
with something? Yes, sir,

804
01:02:35.599 --> 01:02:39.320
said Clark. Why are we changing
protocols? Drone strikes are messy and in

805
01:02:39.440 --> 01:02:44.960
the resulting explosions and smoke, we
could lose one or more of the creatures.

806
01:02:45.440 --> 01:02:49.199
We need boots on the ground to
verify they're all dead. I mean,

807
01:02:49.480 --> 01:02:53.400
drones are good, but nothing replaces
precisions still on target that you get

808
01:02:53.440 --> 01:02:59.880
with the field team engaging the creatures. That's why we train. Boudreau looked

809
01:02:59.920 --> 01:03:02.559
at angry, but took a deep
breath and excel slowly. Sit down,

810
01:03:02.679 --> 01:03:07.559
Major, said Boudreau in a low
and menacing tone. Slayton stood up.

811
01:03:08.159 --> 01:03:13.400
I agree with Clark, said Slaton. This is a huge change in protocol.

812
01:03:14.119 --> 01:03:16.480
If even just one of these things
gets away, we might never catch

813
01:03:16.519 --> 01:03:20.880
it again, and there are dozens
of lakes in this area for it to

814
01:03:20.960 --> 01:03:25.039
hide in. Saunders and CSM Hammond
stood up, along with the commanders of

815
01:03:25.119 --> 01:03:30.199
Team Scottie Tire and Freyer. Boudreau
looked like he was about to have a

816
01:03:30.239 --> 01:03:35.840
stroke when the main monitor changed.
I'll take this question, if you don't

817
01:03:35.880 --> 01:03:39.360
mind, Colonel, said General Dalton
from the large screen. Yes, Sir,

818
01:03:39.519 --> 01:03:44.920
said Boudreau, stepping back away from
the podium and glaring daggers at the

819
01:03:44.960 --> 01:03:51.880
assembled officers and senior staff. Ladies
and gentlemen, said General Dalton, please

820
01:03:51.920 --> 01:03:55.480
take your seats and I will do
my best to answer your question. Everyone

821
01:03:55.559 --> 01:04:00.239
looked around at each other and then
sat down to hear the General out.

822
01:04:00.760 --> 01:04:05.800
A large cache of intel was retrieved
from the Lalco Manor House by Lieutenant Colonel

823
01:04:05.880 --> 01:04:12.519
Saunders and his team. We began
pouring through it immediately and discovered something that

824
01:04:12.599 --> 01:04:18.920
directly affects our operational security for the
entire mission. Everyone exchanged concerned glances,

825
01:04:18.960 --> 01:04:25.119
but didn't interrupt the General. We
found a list of operatives that had been

826
01:04:25.199 --> 01:04:30.199
infiltrated into different governments and militaries by
the Nazis, said Dalton. We immediately

827
01:04:30.239 --> 01:04:35.440
began dispatching teams to take them all
into custody. One name stood out from

828
01:04:35.440 --> 01:04:42.280
the others. Lieutenant Colonel Elizabeth Stratton
was listed as an operative in place.

829
01:04:43.159 --> 01:04:46.960
I contacted the Air Force Chief of
Staff to have her detained and found that

830
01:04:47.000 --> 01:04:50.320
she was gone. She's in the
wind, and we have no idea where

831
01:04:50.360 --> 01:04:57.519
she is. Clark frowned and saw
Saunders greeting his teeth. That fucking bitch,

832
01:04:57.679 --> 01:05:02.159
whispered Saunders. Matters worse, said
Dalton. We have it on good

833
01:05:02.159 --> 01:05:09.559
authority that the real Elizabeth Stratton died
at birth and this person assumed her identity.

834
01:05:10.320 --> 01:05:13.679
Her parents were both dead, and
she was able to pass a rigorous

835
01:05:13.760 --> 01:05:17.800
background check because no one thought to
check for death certificates under that name.

836
01:05:18.719 --> 01:05:24.440
We failed to identify her before she
could infiltrate this team, and we have

837
01:05:24.559 --> 01:05:30.000
to consider everything we've done to know
to be compromised at this point, no

838
01:05:30.079 --> 01:05:33.119
offense general, said Clark, standing
up. But who the hell is she?

839
01:05:34.880 --> 01:05:39.719
If these documents are to be believed, and it appears they are legitimate,

840
01:05:39.840 --> 01:05:45.400
said Dalton, then she is Henderman's
daughter. Murmurs. Rumbled around the

841
01:05:45.480 --> 01:05:49.000
room as the shock of that statement
set in. We have to assume that

842
01:05:49.079 --> 01:05:55.760
she has already compromised this mission,
said Dalton, Sir said Clark. Yes,

843
01:05:55.920 --> 01:06:00.199
Major, said Dalton. You canned
her before we were briefed on this

844
01:06:00.360 --> 01:06:03.039
mission, said Clark. She might
have found out where we were going,

845
01:06:03.119 --> 01:06:05.840
but it would have been too late
for her to do anything about it.

846
01:06:06.320 --> 01:06:13.000
She was already removed from our clearances
and security protocols Dalton looked like he was

847
01:06:13.079 --> 01:06:17.039
considering it for a moment before he
scratched his chin and nodded. I believe

848
01:06:17.079 --> 01:06:21.920
you're correct, said Dalton. I
did relieve her of command before briefing you.

849
01:06:23.840 --> 01:06:28.000
By the time you landed in Florida
to refuel, I had already walked

850
01:06:28.000 --> 01:06:31.400
her into the Air Force Chief of
Staff's office. It would have taken her

851
01:06:31.480 --> 01:06:35.360
days to figure out where we sent
you. Then let us do our job,

852
01:06:35.480 --> 01:06:40.239
Sir, said Clark. General,
if I may, said Bruce,

853
01:06:40.840 --> 01:06:45.199
I think Major Clark is correct.
This will require precise targeting of these creatures.

854
01:06:45.280 --> 01:06:48.760
If this is going to work,
If they get away from the trap,

855
01:06:48.800 --> 01:06:53.119
they won't fall for it again.
The best we'll be able to hope

856
01:06:53.119 --> 01:06:57.000
for is to drive them away from
an area. They won't allow themselves to

857
01:06:57.039 --> 01:07:00.599
be funneled into a small area.
Again, honestly, I think we're going

858
01:07:00.639 --> 01:07:04.119
to get one shot at this.
I'm willing to go with them to make

859
01:07:04.159 --> 01:07:10.119
sure this works all right, Commander
Bruce said Dalton. If you feel that

860
01:07:10.280 --> 01:07:14.039
strongly about this, you can go
with Team Odin. Odin will be the

861
01:07:14.079 --> 01:07:17.559
tip of the spear directly on the
beach at Analco. The other teams will

862
01:07:17.599 --> 01:07:23.559
be placed where they can engage should
the sharp men attempt to come ashore unexpectedly.

863
01:07:24.440 --> 01:07:27.840
We need to get the teams in
position before setting off the sonics,

864
01:07:28.000 --> 01:07:31.400
said Bruce. They also need to
remain out of sight. If they sense

865
01:07:31.440 --> 01:07:35.360
a trap, I doubt they'll come
ashore. The sonics are painful, but

866
01:07:35.440 --> 01:07:41.599
they still won't knowingly walk into something
that they know could kill them. You

867
01:07:41.719 --> 01:07:45.239
heard the man, said Dalton.
How long will it take to sequence of

868
01:07:45.320 --> 01:07:49.400
sonics to drive them this direction?
The sonics are already in place, said

869
01:07:49.400 --> 01:07:55.559
Bruce. Give the word and will
initiate. It will take approximately an hour

870
01:07:55.679 --> 01:07:59.079
to drive them the length of the
lake. We don't want to push too

871
01:07:59.159 --> 01:08:02.320
fast, or we risk pushing them
onto the shore long before we're ready for

872
01:08:02.360 --> 01:08:06.519
them. Let's get the teams into
positions, said Dalton. As soon as

873
01:08:06.519 --> 01:08:11.119
they're in place, activate the sonics. Yes, sir, said Bruce.

874
01:08:12.079 --> 01:08:16.800
Everyone said Dalton, your positions and
deployment locations are being uploaded to your risk

875
01:08:16.880 --> 01:08:24.600
computers. Now let's move dismissed.
The briefing broke up, and Boudreau was

876
01:08:24.640 --> 01:08:29.640
still glaring darkly at Clark, but
said nothing. Clark had a definite feeling

877
01:08:29.680 --> 01:08:33.479
that Boudreau was still angry over Stratton. That was always the possibility that he'd

878
01:08:33.520 --> 01:08:39.840
been turned by her. Hopefully General
Dalton had already thought of that, but

879
01:08:39.920 --> 01:08:43.880
Clark intended to keep an eye on
him regardless. So what do you need,

880
01:08:44.119 --> 01:08:47.079
asked Clark, nodding at Bruce.
Give me all of your guys who

881
01:08:47.079 --> 01:08:53.239
are steal qualified or have underwater experience, said Bruce. You're not planning on

882
01:08:53.359 --> 01:08:57.319
going in after them, are you, asked Clark. If you build a

883
01:08:57.359 --> 01:09:00.920
trap, you got to have bait, said Bruce. Don't have a choice.

884
01:09:00.159 --> 01:09:03.479
We'll get one shot at stopping these
things. We've got to make it

885
01:09:03.560 --> 01:09:09.560
count, Murdoch, said Clark,
glancing to his left. Yeah, boss,

886
01:09:09.640 --> 01:09:14.640
said Murdock. Give me the following
people, said Clark, Runstone,

887
01:09:14.760 --> 01:09:19.199
Reard, Bedford, Palermo and the
Brett Atkinson. Got it, boss,

888
01:09:19.279 --> 01:09:24.920
said Murdoch, heading for the area
where Tima Odin was gathering. Five.

889
01:09:25.319 --> 01:09:28.720
Asked Bruce. I guess we can
make it work with the six of us.

890
01:09:29.560 --> 01:09:31.800
I can pull from the other teams
too, said Clark. Well,

891
01:09:31.840 --> 01:09:34.840
I'd prefer to have at least ten, said Bruce, if you can swing

892
01:09:34.920 --> 01:09:41.920
it. Hey, Hernandez shout at
Clark. Captain Philip Hernandez from Odin's team

893
01:09:42.039 --> 01:09:45.359
four looked up and headed for Clark. What's up, major, asked Hernandez.

894
01:09:45.880 --> 01:09:49.920
Can I borrow your seals? Asked
Clark, Sure, said Hernandez.

895
01:09:50.039 --> 01:09:55.640
Can I ask why? Special underwater
team, said Bruce. Looks like we're

896
01:09:55.640 --> 01:09:59.760
going to have to go in after
these things, got you, said Hernandez.

897
01:10:00.039 --> 01:10:02.640
I'll round them up and send him
your way. I'll ask Saunders to

898
01:10:02.680 --> 01:10:08.000
send his two, said Clark.
Thanks, brother, said Bruce. Have

899
01:10:08.159 --> 01:10:13.560
everyone meet me at the c Q
ten in fifteen Roger Wilco, said Clark,

900
01:10:13.680 --> 01:10:18.239
turning and heading off to fine Saunders. Fifteen minutes later, there was

901
01:10:18.279 --> 01:10:24.840
a group assembled from tim Odin's team. There was Chief Petty Officer Hector Garcia,

902
01:10:25.520 --> 01:10:30.760
From Team two there was Senior Chief
Petty Officer Samantha Alvarez Runestone, Petty

903
01:10:30.760 --> 01:10:38.079
Officer first class Thomas Reardon, Petty
Officer first class Chuck Bedford, Petty Officer

904
01:10:38.199 --> 01:10:44.520
second class Gilbert Palermo, and petty
Officer Harry Atkinson from the British Special Boat

905
01:10:44.600 --> 01:10:49.840
Service. From Team three there was
Senior Petty Officer Damian Reynolds and Chief Petty

906
01:10:49.840 --> 01:10:56.720
Officer Max Brewer. From Team four
there was Petty Officer second class Joseph Rains

907
01:10:56.760 --> 01:11:01.560
and Petty Officer first Class Tim Lane. Nicely done, said Bruce, looking

908
01:11:01.600 --> 01:11:05.119
over the crowd. Ten plus me. We can make it happen. With

909
01:11:05.199 --> 01:11:10.359
that, we could probably round up
a few more from the other teams,

910
01:11:10.359 --> 01:11:14.560
said Clark, if you need them
for some reason. We don't get a

911
01:11:14.560 --> 01:11:17.239
lot of seals trying out for the
teams. We'll get far more Marines and

912
01:11:17.399 --> 01:11:21.880
Army than anything else. Well,
don't bother, said Bruce. There has

913
01:11:21.920 --> 01:11:26.840
to be someone left to try again
if we fail. Also, I'll put

914
01:11:26.840 --> 01:11:30.680
the word out in certain circles and
see if I can't change the demographic on

915
01:11:30.720 --> 01:11:33.920
the seals with your team. Well, let's just not fail, said Clark.

916
01:11:34.199 --> 01:11:39.279
If you need me. I'll go
no offense, brother, said Bruce.

917
01:11:39.319 --> 01:11:45.000
But no thanks. You're scuba certified, not rated on a dragger rebreather.

918
01:11:45.800 --> 01:11:48.680
You're also not a combat diver,
so stay here and lead your people.

919
01:11:48.880 --> 01:11:53.880
We'll do our part. Then let's
get in place, said Clark.

920
01:11:54.279 --> 01:11:59.479
We'll set the snare, you just
bring them to us. Clark headed off

921
01:11:59.520 --> 01:12:03.359
toward where tem Odin was waiting while
Bruce prepared the seals. They gathered their

922
01:12:03.399 --> 01:12:06.880
gear and headed for a pair of
Blackhawks that were waiting to take them to

923
01:12:06.960 --> 01:12:12.640
their staging area. Listen up,
boys and girls, said Bruce. Nothing

924
01:12:12.680 --> 01:12:16.520
brings a shark to dinner quite like
live bait. Welcome to Team Bait.

925
01:12:17.399 --> 01:12:21.560
I think Team Chum has a better
ring to it, said Runstone. You

926
01:12:21.640 --> 01:12:27.800
might be onto something there, said
Bruce with a chuckle. Once everyone boarded

927
01:12:27.800 --> 01:12:31.640
the choppers, they lifted immediately and
turned toward it Almalko. It was only

928
01:12:31.680 --> 01:12:36.000
a few minutes away. By aaron. They arrived without incident. There was

929
01:12:36.039 --> 01:12:41.600
a security team from Team Oriyan in
place to make sure that no one tried

930
01:12:41.640 --> 01:12:45.600
to retake this place. Bruce found
himself hoping that none of them were left

931
01:12:45.640 --> 01:12:51.239
to try, but he knew that
was just being naive. The Intel had

932
01:12:51.279 --> 01:12:56.520
already told them that there were others
out there. Justice would be coming for

933
01:12:56.640 --> 01:13:00.319
them all very soon. Get your
shit on, roared Bruce. As they

934
01:13:00.479 --> 01:13:05.760
hit the deck, the black Hawks
lifted off and headed back toward Valhalla.

935
01:13:06.520 --> 01:13:10.960
The Sonics are already going off,
shouted Bruce. We need to be in

936
01:13:11.079 --> 01:13:15.680
place, in place where, asked
Runestone. If you'll all check the bags

937
01:13:15.720 --> 01:13:19.039
we set out for you, said
Bruce, with a grin. You'll find

938
01:13:19.039 --> 01:13:26.159
the latest metallurgical technology. The shark
suits in these bags are made of titanium

939
01:13:26.199 --> 01:13:30.960
alloy, capable of withstanding three times
the bite pressure of previous suits. That

940
01:13:31.159 --> 01:13:36.000
means you can withstand the bite of
a great white shark. I don't recommend

941
01:13:36.039 --> 01:13:41.640
it, but it can't bite through
it, Yeah, said Palerimo. It'll

942
01:13:41.640 --> 01:13:45.479
still fucking crush the bone under the
suit. Ding ding ding, said Bruce.

943
01:13:45.600 --> 01:13:49.920
Give that man a prize. Oh
awesome, said Palermo. What do

944
01:13:50.039 --> 01:13:56.319
I get a date with? Runestone, said Bruce. Aw shit, muttered

945
01:13:56.319 --> 01:14:00.560
Palermo. I got the consolation prize. We all laughed as they prepped their

946
01:14:00.640 --> 01:14:04.960
suits and started putting on their gear. We're going in the water, said

947
01:14:04.960 --> 01:14:09.960
Bruce. We have limited time because
of the coal. Make sure your dry

948
01:14:10.039 --> 01:14:14.319
suits are sealed properly. These are
state of the art. We should have

949
01:14:14.399 --> 01:14:18.479
plenty of downtime to finish this.
I heard a team of Argentine's Special Forces

950
01:14:18.600 --> 01:14:23.560
was taken out by these things,
said Bedford. That's true, said Bruce,

951
01:14:23.640 --> 01:14:27.720
but we have an advantage. They
didn't the suits, asked Palermo.

952
01:14:27.920 --> 01:14:32.319
Grinny that in the fact, we're
US Navy, fucking seals, roared Bruce.

953
01:14:33.000 --> 01:14:39.239
The men thundered their approval. We've
got more new choice, said Bruce.

954
01:14:39.439 --> 01:14:44.039
You're all familiar with the standard bang
stick, well, emphasize the bang.

955
01:14:44.399 --> 01:14:47.159
You're going to get more bang for
your buck with these bastards. Six

956
01:14:47.199 --> 01:14:53.680
feet of aluminum titanium shaft with a
rotating barrel on the end, using a

957
01:14:53.760 --> 01:14:58.880
twelve gage magnum rounds loaded with double
locked buck shot and chunks of pure potassium.

958
01:15:00.000 --> 01:15:03.920
Resulting boom should cripple or kill your
target. Bruce had now the rapt

959
01:15:03.960 --> 01:15:09.640
attention of the entire team. Hit
this lever on your end of the pole,

960
01:15:09.840 --> 01:15:13.840
said Bruce, and it cycles over
and gives you another shot. You

961
01:15:13.960 --> 01:15:16.960
get five, Now make them count. Oh yeah, one other thing.

962
01:15:17.640 --> 01:15:21.239
If the ship really hits the fan. You can hold the grip down and

963
01:15:21.319 --> 01:15:26.199
hit the trigger at the same time, and it fires all five rounds at

964
01:15:26.239 --> 01:15:30.399
once. I don't recommend it.
I tried it on the range and nearly

965
01:15:30.399 --> 01:15:34.239
broke my fucking arm. It hurt
for two weeks. He began tossing the

966
01:15:34.279 --> 01:15:40.399
bangsticks to everyone. Now listen.
Reloading is easy, said Bruce, but

967
01:15:40.439 --> 01:15:44.560
you'll have to service to do it. You replace the entire cylinder on the

968
01:15:44.720 --> 01:15:48.319
end. Don't take a spare.
It's not a fast reload and it's heavy.

969
01:15:48.800 --> 01:15:54.600
Concentrate on using your five shots.
Well, okay, who the team

970
01:15:54.720 --> 01:15:59.520
roared. You'll all find an odd
looking pistol with your gear, said Bruce.

971
01:16:00.039 --> 01:16:03.520
Looks like a grenade launcher that shoots
around with an air bag and an

972
01:16:03.560 --> 01:16:08.840
air canister. When you kill one, hit it with that pistol, the

973
01:16:08.920 --> 01:16:13.399
bag will inflate and take the body
to the surface. It holds five shots.

974
01:16:14.119 --> 01:16:16.399
We need to recover all the bodies
to verify they're dead, and to

975
01:16:16.439 --> 01:16:20.960
be sure we got them all.
Everyone nodded and clipped the strange pistol to

976
01:16:21.000 --> 01:16:27.479
their chest harnesses. Last thing,
said Bruce. In addition to the amphibious

977
01:16:27.600 --> 01:16:31.079
version of the glock, seventeen.
You'll be carrying one of these. He

978
01:16:31.199 --> 01:16:35.840
brought out an odd looking rifle that
looked like a strange version of the AK

979
01:16:36.000 --> 01:16:43.439
forty seven. This is a Russian
APS underwater rifle, said Bruce. You

980
01:16:43.479 --> 01:16:47.920
can reload these underwater. It holds
twenty six rounds of one hundred and twenty

981
01:16:48.079 --> 01:16:55.239
millimeter long by five point five six
millimeter caliber bolts. It's got much better

982
01:16:55.399 --> 01:16:59.880
range than the spear guns we all
trained with. Shoots like a fucking ag

983
01:17:00.760 --> 01:17:04.479
and I know damn well all u
assholes know how to use those. Gotta

984
01:17:04.560 --> 01:17:11.319
love the goddamn Russians for sticking to
a simple design that works. Once everyone

985
01:17:11.359 --> 01:17:15.439
had their gear in place, Bruce
led them to the water's edge. According

986
01:17:15.479 --> 01:17:19.720
to sonar, we've got about ten
minutes until those things get here. We're

987
01:17:19.720 --> 01:17:23.880
going to get in the water and
hide in the rocks on the west side

988
01:17:23.920 --> 01:17:28.560
of this lagoon. But do not
engage until I give the order. We

989
01:17:28.600 --> 01:17:32.119
want them contained and to drive them
onto the shore, and then tim Odin

990
01:17:32.199 --> 01:17:38.520
will rock their shit unless we do
it first, said Runstone. I love

991
01:17:38.600 --> 01:17:43.920
that attitude, said Bruce. All
right, Colm's check. Everyone slipped their

992
01:17:43.960 --> 01:17:47.840
dive helmets on and connected them to
the dragger rebreather on their chest. One

993
01:17:47.880 --> 01:17:53.560
by one, they all checked in. Everyone checked clear, and Bruce motioned

994
01:17:53.560 --> 01:17:57.000
for them to follow him into the
water, and as they were submerging,

995
01:17:57.119 --> 01:18:00.159
he saw two chin Uk helicopters landing
on the forest out of the main building.

996
01:18:00.920 --> 01:18:05.439
Clark and Team two had just arrived
on the scene. Bruce smiled and

997
01:18:05.479 --> 01:18:12.680
slid into the water backward beneath the
surface. It was surreal. The cold

998
01:18:12.760 --> 01:18:16.159
water prevented a lot of vegetation from
growing, and it seemed more like they

999
01:18:16.159 --> 01:18:20.960
were on the surface of another planet
than in a lake on Earth. Bruce

1000
01:18:21.039 --> 01:18:25.279
motioned for the group to follow him, and he led them to the group

1001
01:18:25.359 --> 01:18:30.279
of large boulders. Once they were
behind them, it would be almost impossible

1002
01:18:30.319 --> 01:18:35.039
for the sharkmen to see them come
to Papa, thought Bruce. Across the

1003
01:18:35.079 --> 01:18:40.119
compound, Clark was the first set
of boots on the deck. He immediately

1004
01:18:40.199 --> 01:18:44.359
motioned for all of them to fan
out using hand gestures, and he sent

1005
01:18:44.439 --> 01:18:46.920
part of the team to the east
corner of the building while the rest went

1006
01:18:46.960 --> 01:18:53.479
to the west. Four people on
each team were carrying special compressed air launchers

1007
01:18:53.680 --> 01:19:00.880
that fired arrows attached to steel cables
so they could recover the bodies for Valkyrie.

1008
01:19:00.079 --> 01:19:04.880
Himdall Scald de la Cruz to come
over to him. All right,

1009
01:19:04.920 --> 01:19:09.239
said Clark. I want you both
on the balcony on the second floor of

1010
01:19:09.319 --> 01:19:12.920
the main building. It faces the
water and gives you a clear line of

1011
01:19:13.000 --> 01:19:16.399
fire. Himdall, you're spotting for
both of them, got it, boss,

1012
01:19:16.560 --> 01:19:20.920
said Heimdal. Make your shots count, said Clark. We can't let

1013
01:19:20.960 --> 01:19:26.840
any of these goddamn things get away. We won't miss fa said Skald.

1014
01:19:27.119 --> 01:19:31.479
We've got your back. Valkyrie just
gave Clark a concerned smile. Go,

1015
01:19:31.760 --> 01:19:36.119
he said. We don't have much
time left. He looked at his wrist

1016
01:19:36.199 --> 01:19:42.079
computer and Clark checked the feed from
Asgard. Seven minutes until they arrive,

1017
01:19:42.199 --> 01:19:45.000
said Clark. Get in position and
watch for friendlies. We've got a team

1018
01:19:45.039 --> 01:19:49.960
in the water. Clark headed around
the west end of the building while they

1019
01:19:50.039 --> 01:19:55.479
ran inside to get to their positions. Clark took his place at the front

1020
01:19:55.479 --> 01:19:59.079
of the group, knowing Murdoch was
doing the same on the other side,

1021
01:20:00.119 --> 01:20:03.359
stepped up beside Clark and nodded,
I'm right beside you. Major, said

1022
01:20:03.399 --> 01:20:09.840
Beer. Kodiak was standing a short
distance away, checking over his many gun

1023
01:20:10.479 --> 01:20:14.960
Rayon was beside him, wearing a
duty uniform but no armor or weapons.

1024
01:20:15.680 --> 01:20:19.159
Clark knew she planned to shift forms
that they needed her. She wasn't a

1025
01:20:19.199 --> 01:20:25.079
military combatant, and Clark couldn't help, but wonder how Gregel Kodiak and Rayan

1026
01:20:25.119 --> 01:20:29.399
would fare against the shark men out
of the water. In the water,

1027
01:20:29.479 --> 01:20:34.239
it wasn't even a contest. The
sharkmen owned the water. Clark checked the

1028
01:20:34.279 --> 01:20:39.319
load on his AA twelve. He'd
gone back to it since it would fire

1029
01:20:39.439 --> 01:20:43.439
under almost any circumstances, even if
he had to go in the water.

1030
01:20:44.079 --> 01:20:47.760
It was almost unstoppable as a weapon. It was even loaded with the flatget

1031
01:20:47.840 --> 01:20:53.560
rounds, which Sergeant Hall had altered
to use directly against the shark men.

1032
01:20:54.720 --> 01:20:59.680
The process that created them was based
on the same shape shifting ability that Rayan

1033
01:20:59.760 --> 01:21:03.319
had. She was more than happy
to give blood samples so they could figure

1034
01:21:03.359 --> 01:21:10.720
out how to hurt them silver mixed
with tincture of aconite commonly known as wolf's

1035
01:21:10.800 --> 01:21:15.760
bane below the surface. Bruce checked
his computer. They had four minutes.

1036
01:21:16.479 --> 01:21:20.880
Temperature gages were good, and they
still had plenty of down time. The

1037
01:21:20.960 --> 01:21:25.640
draggers made certain that they wouldn't run
out of air for a long time.

1038
01:21:26.319 --> 01:21:29.640
They were only forty feet down,
so they wouldn't have to worry about coming

1039
01:21:29.720 --> 01:21:34.039
up too quickly or having to decompress
beside the thunder God, said Bruce.

1040
01:21:34.560 --> 01:21:40.119
Go Poseidon, said Clark. Four
minutes till game time, said Bruce,

1041
01:21:40.279 --> 01:21:44.239
We'll try to save you a few
copy that, said Clark, just don't

1042
01:21:44.279 --> 01:21:48.079
get eaten. I'm not explaining that
to your wife. Bruce laughed into his

1043
01:21:48.279 --> 01:21:53.439
mic me either, said Bruce,
I'm more scared of her than these sharp

1044
01:21:53.520 --> 01:22:00.159
things. Siding out, Bruce checked
his wrist computer. Three minutes remaining for

1045
01:22:00.359 --> 01:22:04.399
twelve of the deadliest predators in the
world anyone had ever seen were in attack

1046
01:22:04.560 --> 01:22:10.720
range. His heart raised in anticipation, and he had to force himself to

1047
01:22:10.760 --> 01:22:15.079
calm down. It was an old
breathing trick he learned years ago. Divers

1048
01:22:15.079 --> 01:22:19.399
had to find their zin or risk
burning through their oxygen too fast, and

1049
01:22:19.479 --> 01:22:28.399
he knew he was going to need
every second of it. Chapter eighteen,

1050
01:22:29.359 --> 01:22:35.079
Blood in the Water, eight thirty
seven hours, sixteen May late Nawelapi.

1051
01:22:36.439 --> 01:22:41.560
Clark felt the buzz of the alarm
on his risk computer. It was signaling

1052
01:22:41.680 --> 01:22:45.479
that the shark men were now in
range of the dive team. Clark at

1053
01:22:45.520 --> 01:22:48.239
the coms for the entire team.
They're here, folks, he said,

1054
01:22:48.439 --> 01:22:54.920
look sharp above him. Valkyrie took
the covers off her scope and began sweeping

1055
01:22:54.960 --> 01:22:59.479
the surface of the water. Skull
did the same, while Heimdahl began glassing

1056
01:22:59.520 --> 01:23:03.000
the surface with his powerful spotter's scope. So far, they hadn't seen so

1057
01:23:03.079 --> 01:23:09.640
much as a ripple on the surface. Clark's risk computer vibrated again. He

1058
01:23:09.840 --> 01:23:15.680
just received a message from Bruce.
It read simply visual contact. Fuck,

1059
01:23:15.840 --> 01:23:19.640
whispered Clark, tightening the grip on
his weapon, reaching for his mighty sent

1060
01:23:19.720 --> 01:23:25.199
a quick command. Thunder God to
tire, said Clark. Move into the

1061
01:23:25.239 --> 01:23:29.840
trees and advance toward the water.
Stay out of sight, over copy,

1062
01:23:30.039 --> 01:23:34.800
said Murdoch. Take point, said
Clark, nodding at Beer. Beer began

1063
01:23:34.880 --> 01:23:39.920
moving rapidly toward the trees. Once
inside the tree line, he found the

1064
01:23:39.960 --> 01:23:45.319
patrol trail and began leading the team
toward the water. Clark followed close behind

1065
01:23:45.359 --> 01:23:49.000
Beer, with Kodiak right behind him. Margoline moved up next to Clark and

1066
01:23:49.039 --> 01:23:54.359
glanced at him. Clark couldn't remember
the last time he'd seen such a serious

1067
01:23:54.399 --> 01:23:59.039
look on his face. I fucking
hate sharks, he whispered as he fell

1068
01:23:59.039 --> 01:24:02.439
into step next to Clark. Wait
till you see these out of the water,

1069
01:24:02.720 --> 01:24:06.239
said Clark. I saw the ones
in the tank, said Margolin.

1070
01:24:06.880 --> 01:24:11.880
That was Gen two, said Clark. Gen one is bigger and less human.

1071
01:24:12.199 --> 01:24:15.279
I think that's why they couldn't control
them. Well, fuck me,

1072
01:24:15.600 --> 01:24:20.439
whispered Margolin. Beneath the water,
Bruce watched the darkness for signs of movement.

1073
01:24:20.960 --> 01:24:25.359
He'd gotten a glimpse of one when
he'd message Clark, and then nothing.

1074
01:24:26.119 --> 01:24:29.840
According to the passive so our feed, they were close. It was

1075
01:24:29.880 --> 01:24:33.199
almost like they were sensing the trap. Where are you, you bastards,

1076
01:24:33.279 --> 01:24:39.800
he thought. He didn't dare risk
using the radios. Water conducted sound far

1077
01:24:39.880 --> 01:24:43.800
better than air, and even a
faint noise would travel a long way.

1078
01:24:44.399 --> 01:24:47.840
They also had to contend with the
fact that these shark men had extremely sensitive

1079
01:24:48.000 --> 01:24:54.199
tempanic membranes. They could hear even
the smallest sounds from a great distance.

1080
01:24:54.720 --> 01:24:58.680
They could also smell blood in the
water for miles. They keyed in on

1081
01:24:58.720 --> 01:25:03.479
the sounds of distress, things that
didn't belong in their environment. Deliberately slowing

1082
01:25:03.479 --> 01:25:08.600
his breathing, Bruce fought to keep
his heart rate under control. While he

1083
01:25:08.680 --> 01:25:13.119
doubted that they could hear his heart
beating, he knew that staying under control

1084
01:25:13.399 --> 01:25:18.039
meant everything underwater. Any loss of
controller judgment could get them all killed.

1085
01:25:18.640 --> 01:25:23.720
Bruce wasn't going to let his brothers
down. Come on, Clint, he

1086
01:25:23.800 --> 01:25:29.840
thought the only easy day was yesterday. The familiar mantra calmed him and he

1087
01:25:29.920 --> 01:25:33.600
focused like a laser on the task, and once he resumed his rigid self

1088
01:25:33.680 --> 01:25:39.720
control, he noticed something he was
missing before. There were dark shapes in

1089
01:25:39.760 --> 01:25:43.600
the water just at the edge of
their vision. They were swimming back and

1090
01:25:43.720 --> 01:25:47.199
forth, looking over the entire lagoon. That meant they were coming toward them.

1091
01:25:47.239 --> 01:25:53.119
As they methodically searched for any sign
of a trap, the tension was

1092
01:25:53.199 --> 01:25:56.439
building in all of them, and
Bruce knew that something had to break.

1093
01:25:57.359 --> 01:26:01.199
Inspiration struck him and he tapped out
a on his wrist computer, sending it

1094
01:26:01.239 --> 01:26:05.560
to everyone on the dive team and
Clark, get ready, it said.

1095
01:26:08.079 --> 01:26:11.800
Taking out his dive knife, he
reached slowly over to the rock and tapped

1096
01:26:11.840 --> 01:26:15.520
on it with the steel. Immediately, he saw the dark shapes turn toward

1097
01:26:15.600 --> 01:26:20.920
his direction, but they didn't approach. Tapping twice more, he saw them

1098
01:26:20.960 --> 01:26:26.520
begin to move slowly in their direction. Slipping the knife back in the scabbard

1099
01:26:26.560 --> 01:26:30.760
on his leg, he prepared his
bangstick. All right, assholes, he

1100
01:26:30.880 --> 01:26:36.359
thought, come to Daddy. Slowly
and menacingly, the dark shapes crept closer

1101
01:26:36.479 --> 01:26:42.439
until they were able to start making
out details. They were built like sharks,

1102
01:26:42.520 --> 01:26:46.319
but had both arms and legs.
The fingers and toes were webbed with

1103
01:26:46.399 --> 01:26:51.199
claws on the tips, and the
legs and arms acted as fins. They

1104
01:26:51.199 --> 01:26:56.159
had large dorsal fins like the great
white, and a long tail, but

1105
01:26:56.239 --> 01:27:01.239
there the similarities ended. From straight
on, the monsters faces looked almost human,

1106
01:27:01.800 --> 01:27:06.960
almost, and as they got closer
the similarity faded away and they were

1107
01:27:08.000 --> 01:27:13.880
revealed as the deadly predators they were. Bruce felt his blood go cold at

1108
01:27:13.880 --> 01:27:17.399
the sheer size and power of the
creatures. They were massive, easily ten

1109
01:27:17.439 --> 01:27:21.319
feet long or more. They moved
like sharks, but they seemed to have

1110
01:27:21.359 --> 01:27:26.920
a presence of mind that you don't
find in true sharks. These things were

1111
01:27:26.960 --> 01:27:30.920
not only reacting to their surroundings,
but they were studying it, observing it,

1112
01:27:31.079 --> 01:27:36.640
and adjusting their approach based on what
they saw. The biggest one was

1113
01:27:36.680 --> 01:27:41.319
at the center and he appeared to
make a few hand gestures, which caused

1114
01:27:41.319 --> 01:27:45.520
the others to fan out. On
the biggest one's arm was what appeared to

1115
01:27:45.520 --> 01:27:49.439
be a tattoo. They all had
the same tattoo, and Bruce recognized it

1116
01:27:49.479 --> 01:27:56.439
from the file he'd read. They
were from the German Kriegsmarine. Game time,

1117
01:27:56.680 --> 01:28:01.479
whispered Bruce. As the sharkmen's swam
slowly toward them. Bruce realized they

1118
01:28:01.479 --> 01:28:06.239
were in formation, like a military
patrol. The creatures remembered enough of their

1119
01:28:06.319 --> 01:28:13.119
humanity to use tactics. Well fuck, he thought. One of the creatures

1120
01:28:13.119 --> 01:28:17.159
swam forward and seemed to be looking
at something to Bruce's left. He held

1121
01:28:17.279 --> 01:28:23.600
still as the creature drifted closer and
closer, watching the spot with intense focus.

1122
01:28:24.520 --> 01:28:28.239
Bruce flicked his eyes that way and
saw a large fish moving among the

1123
01:28:28.359 --> 01:28:31.640
rocks, eating something on the ground. The shark men realized it was a

1124
01:28:31.640 --> 01:28:35.920
fish and started to back off,
but he'd gotten too close. Now,

1125
01:28:36.119 --> 01:28:43.600
snapped Bruce, driving his bangstick into
the beast's head just behind the black eye.

1126
01:28:43.720 --> 01:28:47.159
The bankstick made a dull crump under
the water, and instantly the beast's

1127
01:28:47.239 --> 01:28:53.680
head exploded as the buckshot and the
potassium reacted with the water flesh and brain.

1128
01:28:54.760 --> 01:28:59.720
The creature thrashed violently before going still
and floating dead in the water.

1129
01:29:00.399 --> 01:29:04.680
All around him, Bruce saw his
team go to work with their aps rifles,

1130
01:29:04.720 --> 01:29:11.600
firing into their targets using control shots
instead of auto fire. He could

1131
01:29:11.640 --> 01:29:15.760
see the trail of bubbles made as
the high speed bolts shot through the water.

1132
01:29:16.199 --> 01:29:20.279
Two more of the creatures stopped moving
as the other creatures scattered and put

1133
01:29:20.319 --> 01:29:26.359
distance between themselves and the seals.
Bruce shot one with a canister and it

1134
01:29:26.479 --> 01:29:30.479
instantly inflated, taking the body on
a rapid rise to the surface. The

1135
01:29:30.520 --> 01:29:35.840
others quickly followed suit and sent a
total of three monsters up for recovery on

1136
01:29:35.920 --> 01:29:40.800
the surface. When the three creatures
popped to the surface, they were shot

1137
01:29:40.880 --> 01:29:45.000
with barbed arrows attached to steel cables, and once the arrow was secure,

1138
01:29:45.439 --> 01:29:50.079
they used a winch to haul them
to shore. Nine Togo, said Bruce,

1139
01:29:50.399 --> 01:29:55.920
tapping a set of commands on his
Wrisk computer. They all heard the

1140
01:29:55.960 --> 01:30:00.720
sonics increase, forcing the shark men
deeper into the harbor and to the shore.

1141
01:30:00.279 --> 01:30:05.079
Move it ordered, Bruce pushed him
into the shallow water, breaking cover.

1142
01:30:05.199 --> 01:30:09.439
The team began swimming in an arc
to block the deeper water from the

1143
01:30:09.520 --> 01:30:14.760
shark men. It was a dangerous
ploy, but a necessary one. The

1144
01:30:14.840 --> 01:30:17.359
sonics were painful, but the shark
men could fight through it and die for

1145
01:30:17.439 --> 01:30:21.840
deep water. If that happened,
they might never have another chance to catch

1146
01:30:21.880 --> 01:30:26.479
them, and they would go on
hunting these water for many years to come.

1147
01:30:27.520 --> 01:30:30.359
No one in the area would be
safe, especially since the creatures could

1148
01:30:30.359 --> 01:30:35.319
come onto land as well. As
they moved forward, one of the creatures

1149
01:30:35.359 --> 01:30:40.960
suddenly appeared from the darkness below them
and grabbed Palermo by the legs, biting

1150
01:30:41.000 --> 01:30:45.840
into his left thigh. They didn't
see blood erupt so they knew the shark

1151
01:30:45.920 --> 01:30:49.800
suits held. Palermo screamed, but
pulled out the canister gun and jammed it

1152
01:30:49.840 --> 01:30:54.079
through the gills on the side of
the beast's neck, and then pulled the

1153
01:30:54.119 --> 01:30:59.760
trigger. The creature released its grip
and began to dig frantically at its neck

1154
01:31:00.079 --> 01:31:04.520
for the airbag inflated, forcing its
eyes out of their sockets and distending the

1155
01:31:04.720 --> 01:31:10.560
entire head. It rocketed toward the
surface, still digging at its face.

1156
01:31:11.800 --> 01:31:15.119
Palermo said, Bruce, what's your
status over? I think that thing broke

1157
01:31:15.199 --> 01:31:18.479
my fucking leg, he said,
trying to hold his position in the water.

1158
01:31:18.880 --> 01:31:23.600
I can't move it, Bedford said, Bruce, get him out of

1159
01:31:23.640 --> 01:31:28.239
here. He needs a medic on
it, Boss, said Bedford. As

1160
01:31:28.239 --> 01:31:31.920
he swam for Palermo, Bruce saw
a creature materialize out of the darkness behind

1161
01:31:32.000 --> 01:31:36.399
him. Before he could shout a
warning, the creature gripped Bedford's helmet and

1162
01:31:36.560 --> 01:31:42.000
ripped it off. Bedford tried to
hold his breath, but the creature snapped

1163
01:31:42.039 --> 01:31:46.960
forward and bit his head off.
Motherfucker, snapped Bruce, swimming hard toward

1164
01:31:47.000 --> 01:31:53.520
the creature. It turned toward Bruce
with an evil grin on its nearly human

1165
01:31:53.640 --> 01:31:59.279
face. The grin vanished when Bruce
drove the bankstick into its throat and discharged

1166
01:31:59.359 --> 01:32:04.159
all remained charges. The resulting explosion
tore the head apart, leaving it hanging

1167
01:32:04.239 --> 01:32:10.000
onto the rest of the body by
the thinnest of strands of flesh. Palermo

1168
01:32:10.119 --> 01:32:14.159
put a canister into the beast's back, and it was pulled toward the surface,

1169
01:32:14.319 --> 01:32:19.239
trailing blood and soft pieces of tissue. Five down called Palermo, grabbing

1170
01:32:19.279 --> 01:32:27.319
Bedford's headless body and activating his emergency
vest as it inflated, Palermo pulled Bedford

1171
01:32:27.359 --> 01:32:30.800
along with him, and Bruce knew
they had to buy them time to be

1172
01:32:30.920 --> 01:32:33.520
recovered before the sharp men picked them
apart. In the water from below,

1173
01:32:34.840 --> 01:32:40.640
one of the creatures shot to the
surface in pursuit of Palermo. It stuck

1174
01:32:40.680 --> 01:32:44.720
his head out of the water and
looked around. Before it could even focus,

1175
01:32:44.840 --> 01:32:49.159
valkyrie put a forty five seventy explosive
tipped round through its forehead, brains

1176
01:32:49.199 --> 01:32:54.920
and tissue, and an eyeball flew
into the air. As it rolled over

1177
01:32:55.079 --> 01:32:59.720
onto its back in the water,
an arrow streaked out and stuck deep into

1178
01:32:59.800 --> 01:33:02.920
it chest. The line went taut
and began hauling it to the shore.

1179
01:33:04.279 --> 01:33:09.359
At the shoreline, Palermo was waving
and trying to pull Bedford onto the beach.

1180
01:33:10.199 --> 01:33:13.319
His legs still wouldn't work, and
he was pushing as hard as he

1181
01:33:13.359 --> 01:33:16.399
could with the one that still worked. He was in less than three feet

1182
01:33:16.439 --> 01:33:20.000
of water, struggling to pull the
body of his friend when one of the

1183
01:33:20.039 --> 01:33:25.880
beasts erupted out of the water and
reached for him. It let out an

1184
01:33:25.960 --> 01:33:30.680
ear piercing shriek that was not human. In the slightest the creature stood nearly

1185
01:33:30.800 --> 01:33:34.840
eleven feet tall, and its tail
was thrashing in the water behind it,

1186
01:33:34.880 --> 01:33:41.880
stirring the surface into a white froth. It grabbed Palermo by his bad leg

1187
01:33:42.000 --> 01:33:45.920
and twisted, and Palermo screamed in
pain and began digging his hands into the

1188
01:33:45.920 --> 01:33:49.800
soft soil of the shore to keep
the beast from pulling him back below the

1189
01:33:49.880 --> 01:33:57.640
surface. It wasn't even a close
contest. The beast pulled him without effort,

1190
01:33:57.840 --> 01:34:01.560
and Palermo could hear it laughing mockingly
as it taunted him, And just

1191
01:34:01.600 --> 01:34:05.560
as he was about to go back
under, another roar split the air,

1192
01:34:06.439 --> 01:34:12.479
Kodiak slammed into the shark Man with
the force of a freight train, sinking

1193
01:34:12.520 --> 01:34:15.720
the massive canine teeth of his bare
form into the back of the shark Man's

1194
01:34:15.800 --> 01:34:20.079
neck. Kodiak dragged it, shrieking
and kicking, out of the water and

1195
01:34:20.199 --> 01:34:26.880
up onto the shore. Now it
understood how Palermo had felt when all its

1196
01:34:26.920 --> 01:34:31.800
strength was for nothing against the juggernaut
that was Kodiak. As it slashed a

1197
01:34:31.880 --> 01:34:38.800
Kodiak with its horrendous black claws,
Rayon snarled and dove onto its chest and

1198
01:34:38.920 --> 01:34:44.359
slashed out its throat with her claws. Kodiak released his hold on its neck

1199
01:34:44.399 --> 01:34:47.600
and then sank his claws into the
gill slits just below the head and pulled.

1200
01:34:48.520 --> 01:34:53.039
There was a wet, tearing sound
as he ripped it off and threw

1201
01:34:53.079 --> 01:34:59.279
it nearly one hundred feet up the
hill toward Amalco. Another creature leaped out

1202
01:34:59.279 --> 01:35:02.399
of the water and dove onto Kodiak's
back, and as it tried to bite

1203
01:35:02.520 --> 01:35:08.000
into his massive shoulder, a bullet
struck it in the open mouth and exploded

1204
01:35:08.079 --> 01:35:12.760
out the back of its head.
Scald was now on the scoreboard, making

1205
01:35:12.800 --> 01:35:16.640
it one to one for the snipers. Mano de Dios whispered, Skald,

1206
01:35:16.880 --> 01:35:24.079
crossing himself blow the surface, Reins
and Lane engaged another creature. It grabbed

1207
01:35:24.119 --> 01:35:29.640
Reins by the shoulders and began viciously
biting onto its helmet. Water bubbles began

1208
01:35:29.680 --> 01:35:33.960
appearing as the LExEN face shield began
to crack. The Lane jammed his bangstick

1209
01:35:34.000 --> 01:35:41.520
beneath the creature's left arm and cracked
off five rounds. The resulting explosion shattered

1210
01:35:41.520 --> 01:35:45.960
the creature's chest cavity and sent Lane
spinning off into the water. The beast

1211
01:35:46.079 --> 01:35:50.680
released rains and started to float away. The rain, shot a canister into

1212
01:35:50.720 --> 01:35:58.039
the beast's exposed torso, and it
quickly rose to the surface. Brewer and

1213
01:35:58.119 --> 01:36:02.199
Renolds circled another creature as it moved
toward lane. The Renolds moved into Jabbett

1214
01:36:02.239 --> 01:36:05.920
with his bainstick, and the creature
whirled in the water, snatching the weapon

1215
01:36:06.000 --> 01:36:12.079
away from him. It drove the
tip of the weapon into Brewers dragger and

1216
01:36:12.239 --> 01:36:16.439
detonated it. The resulting explosion drove
him backward, but Renolds could see it

1217
01:36:16.479 --> 01:36:21.640
hadn't punched through the shark suit.
Brewer pulled his emergency cord and flated his

1218
01:36:21.760 --> 01:36:28.319
vests, rocketing him to the surface. As the creature watched a Brewer rising,

1219
01:36:28.680 --> 01:36:31.720
Renolds switched to his rifle and dumped
a full burst into the creature's back

1220
01:36:31.760 --> 01:36:38.000
at almost point blank range. The
creature spasled as the bolts dug deep into

1221
01:36:38.079 --> 01:36:44.199
its flesh and the silver aconite blend
took hold. It began to go slack,

1222
01:36:44.319 --> 01:36:46.319
and Reins hit it with a canister
shot, sending it up in a

1223
01:36:46.359 --> 01:36:53.119
flurry of air bubbles. A few
yards away, another creature swam directly at

1224
01:36:53.119 --> 01:36:58.399
Atkinson. His training in the Royal
Navy's SBS kicked in and he drove his

1225
01:36:58.520 --> 01:37:01.800
hand into the beasts, now forcing
it to his right, and as the

1226
01:37:01.800 --> 01:37:08.399
beast started to move around him he
reached out to grab him. Atkinson rolled

1227
01:37:08.479 --> 01:37:13.199
onto the creature's back before it could
grab him, using the beast's dorsal fin

1228
01:37:13.479 --> 01:37:16.920
to help hold himself in place,
and as the beast tried to whirl around,

1229
01:37:17.000 --> 01:37:21.560
Atkinson pulled out his canister pistol and
shoved it into the creature's mouth,

1230
01:37:23.199 --> 01:37:26.880
and as it tried to bite down
on his arm, he fired twice and

1231
01:37:26.920 --> 01:37:31.640
the air bags began to inflate as
they tore the beast apart. Atkinson held

1232
01:37:31.680 --> 01:37:36.800
on and rode the beast to the
surface. I think that's all of them,

1233
01:37:36.880 --> 01:37:43.640
said Rains. Everyone get to the
surface, said Bruce. Nicely done.

1234
01:37:43.760 --> 01:37:45.800
As they all began to emerge,
Bruce began to do a quick head

1235
01:37:45.840 --> 01:37:51.880
count with Palermo and Bedford on the
shore. Everyone was accounted for. Just

1236
01:37:51.920 --> 01:37:56.600
as he was about to motion for
everyone to head for shore, the big

1237
01:37:56.640 --> 01:38:00.319
One emerged right in front of him, grabbed him by the helmet, and

1238
01:38:00.359 --> 01:38:04.239
lifted him out of the water.
Using him as a shield. The creature

1239
01:38:04.319 --> 01:38:10.239
kept Bruce between itself and the snipers. It looked into Bruce's eyes, and

1240
01:38:10.279 --> 01:38:13.880
he knew that it was about to
kill him. It only seemed to be

1241
01:38:14.000 --> 01:38:18.159
considering how Bruce could hear. The
helmet began to groan and the LExEN was

1242
01:38:18.239 --> 01:38:23.720
cracking as the beast began to tighten
its grip, fuck snapped, Clark,

1243
01:38:23.800 --> 01:38:28.600
dropping his gear and racing along the
shore. In seconds, he reached the

1244
01:38:28.680 --> 01:38:32.000
rocky outcropping that was nearly thirty feet
above the surface of the water, and

1245
01:38:32.039 --> 01:38:35.720
he drew his bounty and he held
it in both hands and he leaped from

1246
01:38:35.760 --> 01:38:42.319
the cliff, holding the blade edge
down. He dropped the distance and slammed

1247
01:38:42.359 --> 01:38:46.840
into the creature's back. The blade
embedded itself to the hilt, and Clark

1248
01:38:47.000 --> 01:38:50.920
used his weight and the sharpness of
the blade to begin cutting his way down

1249
01:38:50.960 --> 01:38:57.399
its torso. Hitting the ice cold
water, Clark felt the sensation of a

1250
01:38:57.479 --> 01:39:01.680
thousand needles sinking into his flesh all
at once. He ignored the pain and

1251
01:39:01.800 --> 01:39:06.359
concentrated on the task of killing this
creature. He had to save his friend.

1252
01:39:08.800 --> 01:39:13.079
As the beast released Bruce with one
hand, it tried in vain to

1253
01:39:13.159 --> 01:39:16.439
reach Clark, who was now cutting
past the dorsal fin and moving toward the

1254
01:39:16.520 --> 01:39:21.680
tail. Before the creature could reach
Clark, Bruce drew his knife and plunged

1255
01:39:21.720 --> 01:39:28.039
it into the creature's throat. Snappy
gets attention back to Bruce. The beast

1256
01:39:28.079 --> 01:39:30.920
gurgled and threw him into the rocks
at the edge of the water, and

1257
01:39:30.960 --> 01:39:35.199
spinning around, he grabbed Clark and
pulled him free. The beasts back was

1258
01:39:35.199 --> 01:39:39.880
cut open, but it was already
beginning to heal. W you just do,

1259
01:39:40.479 --> 01:39:45.159
rumbled the beast. I had tortonshen
replied Clark, driving the bounty into

1260
01:39:45.199 --> 01:39:51.279
the monster's neck. The beast howled
in pain, and Valkyrie put around through

1261
01:39:51.319 --> 01:39:56.520
the back of its head, exploding
the cranium in a fountain of bluish blood

1262
01:39:56.560 --> 01:40:00.279
and brain matter. That's two,
she said. The skulls shook his head

1263
01:40:00.319 --> 01:40:04.000
as Heimdall chuckled. I told you
not to bet with her, said heimdel

1264
01:40:05.560 --> 01:40:10.640
The creature slid over backward, and
Clark released his grip on the bounty.

1265
01:40:10.680 --> 01:40:15.319
It was still embedded in the monster's
neck. His fingers were too numb to

1266
01:40:15.359 --> 01:40:18.399
hold onto it now anyway. He
tried to swim ashore, but his arms

1267
01:40:18.399 --> 01:40:23.359
and legs were cramping. He felt
like he was just going to slip beneath

1268
01:40:23.399 --> 01:40:28.039
the water and down into the depths
when strong hands grabbed him from behind.

1269
01:40:29.479 --> 01:40:31.880
I've got you, brother, said
Bruce. We got all of them.

1270
01:40:32.279 --> 01:40:38.560
Us go home. Hauling Clark to
the shore, Bruce walked out and did

1271
01:40:38.560 --> 01:40:42.920
a physical count of the bodies.
All twelve were lying dead on the beach.

1272
01:40:43.680 --> 01:40:47.399
They were taking no chances with these
creatures. Binding their arms and legs,

1273
01:40:47.439 --> 01:40:51.760
they put a bullet through their heads
just to be sure. Once they

1274
01:40:51.800 --> 01:40:58.000
were bound, they were rolled onto
cargo nets for transport. The fuck,

1275
01:40:58.239 --> 01:41:03.520
said Clark, his teeth chattering.
That water's cold. Thank you for saving

1276
01:41:03.560 --> 01:41:09.319
my ass out there, said Bruce, removing his cracked helmet, where even

1277
01:41:09.600 --> 01:41:15.760
muttered Clark, you pulled my ass. Sure you didn't have to come after

1278
01:41:15.800 --> 01:41:19.119
me, said Bruce. I would
have figured something out. Yes I did,

1279
01:41:19.359 --> 01:41:24.079
said Clark. I wasn't going to
be the one to tell your wife.

1280
01:41:27.880 --> 01:41:35.039
Epilogue twenty one, thirty hours nineteen
May Steve's Pub and Grub. Clark

1281
01:41:35.079 --> 01:41:39.520
was sitting at the bar, sipping
a large mug of hot coco, his

1282
01:41:39.560 --> 01:41:44.199
wife sitting beside him with her arm
looped through his. The dog, Sam

1283
01:41:44.239 --> 01:41:47.079
and Dean were lying beside them on
the floor. I didn't think you were

1284
01:41:47.119 --> 01:41:51.319
the hot cocoa type, said Gideon, sliding onto a bar stool next to

1285
01:41:51.399 --> 01:41:56.680
Clark. Normally I'm not, said
Clark. I've had a chill since I

1286
01:41:56.720 --> 01:42:00.279
was in that fucking lake. I
know I'm not cold, but that was

1287
01:42:00.319 --> 01:42:04.119
bone deep cold. What you need
is a week on the beach, said

1288
01:42:04.119 --> 01:42:09.840
Amanda Sanchez Clark grinning, no,
thank you, said Clark. I'm not

1289
01:42:09.920 --> 01:42:15.319
going anywhere near Sharks for a while. Everyone laughed. So what did you

1290
01:42:15.359 --> 01:42:19.159
guys bring to hang on the wall
this time, asked Steve. Usually that's

1291
01:42:19.239 --> 01:42:24.840
Margolin's thing, said Clark. But
this time I brought you something. He

1292
01:42:24.920 --> 01:42:30.079
handed Steve a square bundle wrapped in
cloth. Steve took it and examined it.

1293
01:42:30.560 --> 01:42:35.039
Open it, said Clark. Steve
unwrapped the painting that Henderman had given

1294
01:42:35.119 --> 01:42:40.800
Clark and Valkyrie as a wedding gift. This isn't bad, said Steve.

1295
01:42:41.239 --> 01:42:45.640
Who is Augustus Henderman? Ah,
no one special, said Clark with a

1296
01:42:45.680 --> 01:42:48.159
shrug. I picked it up in
a little place on our last deployment.

1297
01:42:48.840 --> 01:42:53.479
It's an interesting landscape, said Steve. I'd like to see this place in

1298
01:42:53.520 --> 01:42:58.920
real life. Where is it?
It's late Novelapi and Argentina, said Clark,

1299
01:42:59.039 --> 01:43:01.640
sipping his cocoa. I'll get a
hammer and nail and hang it,

1300
01:43:01.680 --> 01:43:06.279
said Steve, walking away. Are
you going to tell him he's hanging a

1301
01:43:06.399 --> 01:43:13.800
painting by Adolph Hitler, asked Gideon
Hitler asked Amanda shocked. I'll tell you

1302
01:43:13.960 --> 01:43:15.760
later, babe, said Clark.
And no, I'm not going to tell

1303
01:43:15.840 --> 01:43:21.199
him. Probably for the best,
said Gideon. Rachel emerged from the kitchen

1304
01:43:21.279 --> 01:43:25.800
and sat a large portion of shepherd's
pie in front of Clark, and a

1305
01:43:25.840 --> 01:43:30.199
plate of breaded fish filets with steamed
vegetables in front of Amanda. Thanks,

1306
01:43:30.359 --> 01:43:34.960
said Clark. Can I get what
he's having too, ask Gideon. I'll

1307
01:43:34.960 --> 01:43:40.119
bring it right out, said Rachel, smiling. This is the best Shepherd's

1308
01:43:40.119 --> 01:43:43.359
pie I've ever had, said Clark. I get it every time I'm in

1309
01:43:43.399 --> 01:43:47.560
here. Rachel beamed with pride and
headed back into the kitchen. So what's

1310
01:43:47.680 --> 01:43:53.079
next, boss, asked Gideon.
We trained for the next mission, said

1311
01:43:53.119 --> 01:43:57.680
Clark. We prove the success of
the international team model. We're going to

1312
01:43:57.680 --> 01:44:01.159
be getting more people from other countries. Now, what about Stratton, asked

1313
01:44:01.199 --> 01:44:05.520
Gideon. Have they found her yet? No, said Clark. They lost

1314
01:44:05.560 --> 01:44:10.159
track of her in an airport in
Bolivia. She managed to slip the tail

1315
01:44:10.239 --> 01:44:13.720
that was on her. We know
she's in South America, but that's it.

1316
01:44:14.439 --> 01:44:17.439
They'll find her, said Gideon.
The Israelis are looking for her now,

1317
01:44:18.399 --> 01:44:21.880
then she better hope we find her
first, said Clark. That's a

1318
01:44:23.000 --> 01:44:27.359
fact, said Gideon. Even I
would be worried about being captured by them.

1319
01:44:28.199 --> 01:44:31.960
Damn, said Clark. General Dalton
is practically chewing steel and spitting nails

1320
01:44:31.960 --> 01:44:38.000
over this. He's restructuring the entire
upper tiers, shaking out all the career

1321
01:44:38.079 --> 01:44:41.880
officers who only want the slot,
not to actually be part of the team.

1322
01:44:42.560 --> 01:44:46.680
I think the drop into Patagonia showed
him just how woefully unprepared some officers

1323
01:44:46.680 --> 01:44:51.399
were for an actual mission. I
think you mean Boudreaux in the new Battalion

1324
01:44:51.479 --> 01:44:57.399
exec Lieutenant Colonel McDermott said Gideon.
Well, I can't confirm her. Deny

1325
01:44:57.479 --> 01:45:01.359
that statement, said Clark. Taking
a sip from mus Coco. Any news

1326
01:45:01.359 --> 01:45:05.319
on the German diver, asked Gideon
Bower. I think was his name.

1327
01:45:06.479 --> 01:45:12.079
He stabilized, said Clark. He's
doing well and he was granted permission by

1328
01:45:12.079 --> 01:45:15.199
the Germans to join our team.
I don't know where he's getting a signed

1329
01:45:15.279 --> 01:45:19.680
yet, but I hope we get
him. Clark scanned the room. He

1330
01:45:19.720 --> 01:45:24.920
could see that all the new team
members were there. They were sharing food

1331
01:45:24.960 --> 01:45:29.840
and drinks and laughter. They'd earned
their places on the team. Steve's Pub

1332
01:45:29.920 --> 01:45:33.199
and Grove was now the official after
mission stop for all the Midwest teams,

1333
01:45:33.279 --> 01:45:39.720
which meant the place was almost always
packed. Steve was thrilled at the business,

1334
01:45:39.800 --> 01:45:44.600
but only Tim Odin could hang stuff
on the walls. Rachel set a

1335
01:45:44.640 --> 01:45:47.439
play to Shepherd's Pine in front of
Gideon, and he nodded his gratitude.

1336
01:45:48.000 --> 01:45:53.319
Gideon began eating immediately, and Clark
watched the older man's eyes roll back in

1337
01:45:53.359 --> 01:45:57.680
his head with pleasure. Oh Lord, said Gideon. You weren't kidding.

1338
01:45:57.840 --> 01:46:01.560
This is amazing. I told you, said Clark. Best I've ever had.

1339
01:46:02.439 --> 01:46:05.359
Cody, Eak, and Rayon were
sitting at a table with Gregel and

1340
01:46:05.399 --> 01:46:11.880
his wife Sarah. They were laughing
and eating with Runestone and Raven. Clark

1341
01:46:11.920 --> 01:46:15.239
smiled at the scene. They were
his team and his family. They'd gone

1342
01:46:15.239 --> 01:46:20.319
through hell together and emerged stronger out
the other side. Congratulations, by the

1343
01:46:20.359 --> 01:46:26.680
way, said Gideon, for what
asked Clark. The distinguished flying Cross,

1344
01:46:26.800 --> 01:46:30.560
said Gideon with a shrug. Another
bit of ribbon, said Clark. That's

1345
01:46:30.600 --> 01:46:35.079
not why I do this, then
why do you do it? Asked Amanda.

1346
01:46:36.319 --> 01:46:41.680
For them, he said, gesturing
at the festivities going on around them.

1347
01:46:42.479 --> 01:46:45.279
That my friend, said Gideon,
placing his hand on Clark's shoulder,

1348
01:46:45.720 --> 01:46:50.640
is the right answer. That's why
we'll follow you into Helen back. Thank

1349
01:46:50.680 --> 01:46:56.439
you, said Clark, meeting the
older warrior's gaze. It's my pleasure,

1350
01:46:56.560 --> 01:46:59.680
sir, said Gideon. Now,
if you'll excuse me, I have a

1351
01:46:59.760 --> 01:47:04.199
day with whom asked Clark, grinning. Believe it or not, said Gideon.

1352
01:47:04.399 --> 01:47:09.359
That rather attractive emissary from the Vatican
wanted to take me to dinner.

1353
01:47:09.920 --> 01:47:14.439
Magdalena and I are driving to Saint
Louis for a few days. Well,

1354
01:47:14.479 --> 01:47:17.520
good luck, said Clark. If
she's anything like her brother, she's going

1355
01:47:17.560 --> 01:47:21.640
to be a handful. I'm counting
on that, said Gideon with a smirk.

1356
01:47:23.920 --> 01:47:27.560
Gideon walked away and headed for the
door. He stopped at the table

1357
01:47:27.600 --> 01:47:31.800
where the Giovanni triplets were seated and
held out his arm. Magdalena took it

1358
01:47:32.000 --> 01:47:36.159
and they left. Mattia still glared
daggers at him, but said nothing.

1359
01:47:38.640 --> 01:47:42.760
Now, said Clark, turning to
face Amanda, you and I need to

1360
01:47:42.800 --> 01:47:46.279
have a little talk about you and
Valkyrie. I kind of thought you'd say

1361
01:47:46.319 --> 01:47:50.239
that, she said, don't be
too mad. I just wanted to know

1362
01:47:50.279 --> 01:47:55.319
if she could tempt you away from
me. Now I know she can't.

1363
01:47:55.760 --> 01:47:59.720
Clark shook his head. He had
been tempted, but he wasn't going to

1364
01:47:59.720 --> 01:48:03.399
say that to her. That was
something best kept to himself. He wasn't

1365
01:48:03.439 --> 01:48:06.880
sure how either of them would take
it. So what do you want to

1366
01:48:06.920 --> 01:48:12.319
do while you're on leath, ask
Amanda. I was thinking that if you

1367
01:48:12.359 --> 01:48:15.399
didn't mind, said Clark, would
drive up to Saint Louis and visit my

1368
01:48:15.560 --> 01:48:19.359
sister. Well, that's fine with
me, said Amanda. We haven't seen

1369
01:48:19.399 --> 01:48:24.920
her since the wedding. The front
door opened with a thud, and they

1370
01:48:24.920 --> 01:48:29.159
could see a large truck backing up
to the entrance. What the hell,

1371
01:48:29.399 --> 01:48:34.239
asked Steve, delivery for Major Clark, said a man in dark coveralls.

1372
01:48:34.399 --> 01:48:41.279
General Dalton sends his best. They
opened the double doors and wheeled in a

1373
01:48:41.279 --> 01:48:46.600
beautiful antique piano. What is that, asked Amanda. That's a boasting door

1374
01:48:46.640 --> 01:48:50.920
for Grand piano, said, Clark, remind me to thank the general.

1375
01:48:53.319 --> 01:48:57.920
Steve directed the delivery crew to a
corner where the acoustics would be good.

1376
01:48:58.600 --> 01:49:02.439
No one really sat there because the
lighting was terrible. He dragged two tables

1377
01:49:02.479 --> 01:49:05.479
out of their way so that they
would have room to set up the piano.

1378
01:49:06.479 --> 01:49:11.840
Will you play for us, ask
Amanda. She didn't expect him to

1379
01:49:11.880 --> 01:49:15.279
say yes. He was reluctant to
play, even at home. Yeah,

1380
01:49:15.439 --> 01:49:20.199
he said, smiling, I think
I will. Heading over to where they

1381
01:49:20.199 --> 01:49:25.399
had placed the piano, Clark took
a seat behind the keyboard and adjusted the

1382
01:49:25.399 --> 01:49:30.600
bench. Everyone in the crowd went
silent as he sat down. Valkyrie put

1383
01:49:30.640 --> 01:49:35.800
her hand to her mouth and her
eyes went moist. Clark closed his eyes

1384
01:49:35.840 --> 01:49:41.640
and started playing. And while most
of the crowd thought the song sounded familiar,

1385
01:49:42.039 --> 01:49:46.600
they just couldn't quite place it.
Valkyrie recognized it as Zombie by the

1386
01:49:46.640 --> 01:49:55.079
Cranberries. This has been cod named
Wild Hut Operation Blood Eagle. Written by

1387
01:49:55.159 --> 01:50:00.560
Da Roberts, read to you by
Cameron Buckner. Print copy Da Roberts,

1388
01:50:01.079 --> 01:50:09.479
Audio production copyright by Cameron Buckner.
Reproduction of this audio is prohibited in any

1389
01:50:09.640 --> 01:50:15.439
form without written approval under the US
copyright laws. Stay tuned to the Dixie

1390
01:50:15.479 --> 01:50:17.760
Crypti podcast for more full length audio
books.