“Me either,” Dale replied. “She knows more than she’s telling us, I agree.”
“But why?” Clements asked.
“Don’t know. Maybe she’s holding back because she doesn’t know everything, maybe there’s another reason. She seems to want us to succeed, so we can only hope she isn’t filling us with bullshit.”
“I don’t want any surprises out there,” Clements said.
“Agreed.”
“What about the Colonel? Think he’s holding back?” Clements asked.
“No, I don’t. Pretty sure he doesn’t know all the facts. I think if he knew something, he’d tell us. Colonel Reynolds is a straight shooter.”
“I sure hope so.”
“The guy is a battalion commander, and a hard-ass. He’s smart, talented, and owes the fuckers at the CIA nothing. He’s military; he’s got no ties to the intelligence agency. My gut tells me Reynolds is Marine all the way.”
Clements nodded his head. “I’ll trust you on him. Seems easy to read. Not shady, like that scientist, or Elizabeth. Shit, even that Rivers guy seems to be holding something back.”
“Ah, you just don’t like SEALs,” Dale said.
“No, that’s not it.” Clements lowered his voice, turning it so only Dale and York cold see. “Sure, fucking Damn-necks piss me off, but that’s not why. He seems too close to Elizabeth. Caught them whispering about something before we left. Something’s up, and I can promise you this — that guy does something to fuck up our mission or hurt the team, he’s dead,” the big man warned.
“Don’t worry, he won’t,” Dale responded.
“How can you be so sure?” Clements asked. “You seem real defensive of the guy.”
“I know him,” Dale responded. “Jeff and I go way back. He’s one of the best. In a firefight, he’s a good guy to have on your side. Trust me, I’ve worked with him before.”
“With SEALs?”
“Yeah, I trained him. I trained Rivers. He’ll listen to me. He’ll ensure the job gets done. He always does. The dude is a badass, so let it rest.”
“Well, maybe so. I’ll trust you on it, Dale, but I swear to God I’ll put a bullet in him if he fucks up.”
“Fair enough,” Dale replied.
Both men leaned back, looking at York once more. He didn’t let up on the crazy stare, and the two Operators felt uncomfortable. Delta or not, they weren’t sure if this was a good idea.
“Ha!” York spout out, “You guys are worried about me, that right? Shit, I’m a bad mother fucker just like you. From the Unit, here to fight.”
“You better. You’ll do exactly as I say,” Dale ordered, pointing a finger his way.
York nodded, adding, “You just don’t get it. Don’t ya see? Don’t ya realize why we’re here, what this is all about?”
“Why don’t ya tell us, smart guy,” Clements said, his tone condescending.
Everyone on the plane couldn’t help but stare.
“This is a death sentence, bud,” York replied. “We’re going into that valley to die,” York stated. He couldn’t help but smile at the notion.
“And you’re happy about this?” Clements asked.
“Yup,” York replied, his grin wider. “I’m not going into that cave to make friends, that’s for sure.”
“We aren’t either,” Clements said.
“I know, but the difference between you and I is simple. I’ve accepted what this mission is really about. I’m going in to die, plain and simple.”
“Listen here, Sergeant York, we understand you’re Delta and all. On the same team and all that shit. We’ve been doing Special Operations for a few years too, so don’t think we misunderstand the risks. If we die, so be it. It’s the life we choose,” Dale said with conviction. “In my twenty years, I’ve accepted one simple fact about war.”
“What’s that?” York asked.
“As I know combat, it is long periods of foreboding and solemn thoughts of home, punctuated by moments of stark terror.”
“That’s the truth,” York agreed.
“Well thing is, when that terror comes, we here will step it up. We’ll fight, we’ll kick some ass. We won’t go off the reservation, we’ll remain professional. We’re Special Activities Division, and live or die, we’ll show some professionalism and pride.”
“You misunderstand my point, Sergeant Comstock. It’s not that this mission is risky, it’s that this mission is impossible. We’re all going to die out here, Sergeant. Difference is, I know it, and you think it won’t happen.”
“It could always happen. Not my first time in the field, bro,” Dale retorted.
“We will die on this mission, Sergeant Comstock,” York repeated.
“You crazy fuck,” Clements barked, leaning forward to teach this bastard a lesson. Dale grabbed his arm, preventing such a thing.
“No, I’m not crazy,” York stated. “I’ve just accepted it. I suggest you two do the same.”
89
“We’re entering an infected area,” York continued. “They aren’t mound builders, they’re burrowers. The cave gives them shelter, gives them solitude. It gives them comfort. It allows them to grow in strength, to increase their colony’s numbers. It’s the simple mathematic game nature plays.”
“What do you mean?” Clements asked. “And how do you know this?”
“I just know. And what I mean is, it’s all in the numbers. How many ants are there for every spider? How many spiders for every human? You get my point? They’re trying to expand their hive, started from day one. For more than twenty years, they’ve been increasing their numbers. They’re breeding.”
“So why the lack of urgency? For over twenty years, nobody did shit,” Clements said.
“I can’t answer that,” York replied. “Didn’t know about it until my boys were dead.”
“You’re not holding anything back, are you?” Dale asked. He didn’t trust York, was skeptical of the man.
“No, I’m not,” York replied.
“Why do you think it took so long?” Dale asked, rephrasing his question.
“They were scared,” York replied.
“Who?”
“The Soviets, later, other countries. The Soviets were afraid because things weren’t going well. It was their grand victory, and they were losing. They couldn’t stand the fact that the Muj were defeating them. So they try this chemical, and get results that are even more horrifying,” York said.
“You’re certainly a history scholar,” Clements remarked snidely.
“I like knowing what I’m up against. The Soviets realized they’d created the ultimate killing force, and worse off, they couldn’t control it. They tried, according to that Elizabeth gal. They failed. Other countries did the same. Now, we’re here. I guess we overcame our fears when my boys went in,” York said.
“Now, we’re forced in,” Dale remarked.
“Yeah, and not just ’cause my team is dead. It’s because the major governments of this world know these things are a danger. A danger that at one point won’t stay so local.”
“There are that many?” Dale asked.
“Yeah, bud, there are. So the brilliant minds at Langley, once they realized they needed to fix this problem, sent you boys in. I earned my ticket by blackmail.”
“How so?” Dale asked.
“Told ’em I wouldn’t tell them the location of the cave, or what it looked like inside.”
“That’s important INTEL,” Dale said.
“Also my ride in. Don’t worry, I won’t hold it from you… once we’re on the ground, I’ll tell you everything I know.”
“What I don’t understand is the fear. Humanoids — that’s what the Russian gal called them,” Dale said, looking to Svetlana. “But America has the best, most well trained army. Cutting edge technology. The most advanced military in the modern world. And we’re scared of what exactly?”