Excerpt–Buehler–Force Recon

(See buy link and pub info in author interview. AZG)

GySgt. Brogan Baker
Call Sign: Dream Crusher

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Staff Sergeant Brogan Baker sat rigid in the seat of the Boeing 747 outbound from Hartsfield International Airport and tossed the pamphlet he’d been reading on the empty seat next to him. While he wasn’t in love with the thought of burning three weeks in the middle of nowhere, once he started thinking about it, he realized he was always in the middle of nowhere. When Brogan first joined the Marines, he knew he’d finally figured out how to turn his talent for shooting stuff into a paycheck. But when the opportunity for him to go black ops and join one of the most elite force recon teams in the world presented itself, Brogan was certain he’d finally found his home. Allowing himself to relax just a little, Brogan closed his eyes against the bright sunshine streaming into the small plastic window.
While Brogan wouldn’t have picked the spot where his teammates had chosen to rendezvous for a little rest and relaxation, he had to admit that he was glad this particular destination wasn’t be a bug infested jungle where the local rebels enjoyed shooting at him. Besides, after reading about the virtues of the place he was headed, even Brogan, aka Dream Crusher as his brothers on the team called him, had to admit that he might be able to get into the East beach part of the trip. Maybe. “For God’s sake,” Brogan thought to himself as he ran his hands through his spiked chestnut hair, “what have these guys gotten me into now?”
Staring into the last of his crown and coke, Brogan wondered if spending three weeks of personal time with his buddies would alter his opinion of his team mates. Although they’d been together almost nonstop given that the last three missions had come back to back, Brogan knew first hand that down time was vastly different than being together on the job. While each of the men seemed to hint at wanting his fair share of privacy while on break, they had all talked about water skiing and fishing and late night poker games as well. The very nature of their destination shouted beach party, which in a strange way made Brogan laugh. With the exception of Sanchez, who lost his wife to a dreaded disease years earlier, none of Alpha team was married. For that matter, none of them had even mentioned a woman in months, let alone had anything that resembled a date. Even the new kid, Maxwell, who was better than easy on the eyes and garnered attention wherever the team travelled never mentioned women. Hhmm? Leave it to a bunch of jarheads who wanted to be alone to pick a vacation spot where secluded was probably code for “women everywhere.”
Regardless of what the bayou turned out to be like or what his buddies drug him into, Brogan needed a break. While he’d thought to bring his phone and his throw away gun in the event of an emergency, Brogan had no intention of using either. Besides, if he knew Wolf as well as he thought he did, that idiot would be armed to the teeth anyway.
Pulling away from the rental car lot, Brogan couldn’t believe that he’d been on the ground less than an hour when his phone rang. “Go for Baker.” Brogan said out of habit before realizing he held his personal phone, a shiny new iphone 4, instead of the dull, black plastic satcom encrypted hunk of junk he had to carry for work. “Hello,” he instantly corrected, wondering who in the hell was bothering him already.
“Hey babe.” The quiet voice that nearly whispered into the receiver made Brogan’s heart sink to his feet. Kate. “I was just thinking about you and wanted to make sure that you’re safe.”
“I’m fine.” Or at least I was until you called.
“I didn’t ask if you were fine, I asked if you were safe.” While it wasn’t a new record, it certainly hit the top five list for words spoken before Kate turned into a controlling witch.
“We’ve been over this, Kate. And if I’m not mistaken, I think I told you when you called the last time that we’re done. Just because I’m stateside again doesn’t mean we’re back on.” Half wanting to hang up altogether and half wanting to throw his phone into the baby blue waters of the Galveston bay, Brogan sat captive on a busy stretch of highway, staring at the water and listened as his ex-girlfriend whined in his ear.
“Have many times do I have to say I’m sorry Brogan?” Never again for all I care. “I didn’t know what else to do!” Kate pleaded as Brogan tried to force his mind not to go back to the last afternoon they’d spent together, him wild with need from too many months away and her, daring him for more at every turn. Brogan knew there was a side to him that Kate didn’t want to see, that she couldn’t handle. But in a moment of weakness he let her push him past knowing what was right and actually doing it.
“We could have called Sanchez.” Brogan hissed, anger welling at the notion that Kate could still get to him in a matter of seconds. How could he block out years of hunting humans and killing for the greater good when he couldn’t even hear her voice without instantly being taken back to that day? Seeing Kate reduced to a pile of battered flesh balled up on his bed and hearing her cry had twisted Brogan into knots. He remembered feeling utterly helpless as he watched the fat tears born of pain stream down her face. Just thinking about it made him want to hit something all over again. But it was seeing the blood that covered her pale skin after he’d taken her with way too much force that completely did Brogan in.
It was all Brogan had been able to do to help her clean up and get to the clinic that afternoon and he hated himself for it to this day. The fact was, he knew he didn’t care for Kate with the same intensity she felt for him. While they dated off and on as the team’s mission schedule allowed, he didn’t love her. He wasn’t sure he’d ever loved anyone for that matter. But love or not, he should have been there for her afterwards. A real man would’ve gone straight to his commanding officer and explained that due to the delicate nature of the situation, he needed a few days off to help out his girlfriend. A real man would’ve stayed. But instead, Brogan told his CO that since what happened between he and Kate was consensual, she was fine, he was fine and it wasn’t any of other man’s business. And then Brogan walked away.
“Eeww! Like I was gonna let your buddy stitch me there.”
Just listening to Kate talk like a thirteen year old teenager rather than a mature woman of thirty was enough to make Brogan grit his teeth. Note to self, no more lovers that can’t even say the names of body parts. “Well, that’s the difference between you and me then. If I have it my way, Sanchez will deliver my children.”
“But I’ve changed now, B. You’ve got to believe me. I’ve decided I’m gonna start going to one of the clubs to learn about what you’re into. I’m gonna learn how to be what you want. You’ll see. I can handle it, Brogan. I know I can.”
Sensing her desperation, Brogan felt the need to try and stop Kate’s ridiculous train of thought before she landed in the wrong hands and really did end up getting hurt. “Kate, what I’m into isn’t something you can learn, it’s something you either are or you aren’t. You’re not gonna find the answers in some club.” If Brogan had a dollar for every time he had tried to explain his lifestyle to a woman, he’d be rich. “We just didn’t fit. That’s all. Don’t risk your heart and let yourself get hurt. Let it go already.”
“You’re such a pig, Brogan, you know that. That’s all you have to say to me? We didn’t fit. Well no shit, dummy. I’ll say we don’t fit but you’re not the one who got torn up trying, huh big boy? Honestly–it’s always about you and your buddies. If you guys are all so close, why don’t you go sleep with one of them?”