Gettysburg: A Tale of the Second War for Pennsylvanian Independence Read Online Free PDF Page B

Communication terminated. Reestablish? ”
    “Oh, hell no,” the captain answered.
    Trying not to eavesdrop and failing miserably, Hatch stood
in the tree line gazing at the smaller of the two objectives: a two-story, cylindrical
building. He was standing exactly where Bravo Squad had set up its machine gun
yesterday to cover his own squad’s retreat. Hatch felt an 18-millimeter caseless
shell in the dirt beneath his boot. He bent over and picked it up. Rolling it
between his fingers, he looked at it absently, considering their position. To
his left, Bravo and Echo squads had just secured the guard post and turned it
into a defensible anvil. Again, they’d found only one Transport soldier defending
the guard post. Again, that Transport soldier had died. Echo’s two chain guns
were now deployed behind a makeshift berm facing east from the guard post,
covering the town. Now, it was time to swing the hammer at the warehouses.
    “Where the hell are they?” wondered Stug. “Can there really
be that few of them?”
    “The downside of having everything you need as a fighting
force is that you don’t have to innovate,” said the captain.
    “Sorry, ma’am, I’m just a sergeant. What does that mean,
exactly?”
    “It means,” said Hatch, “that they’re not the brightest
military geniuses on the planet. They should’ve guarded the okcy with more
troops to begin with. Now they’re rationing out the soldiers they have here
until help arrives.”
    But the big man shook his head. “Still doesn’t make sense.
They had all night to reinforce.”
    “And TRACE has been more active in the City lately.”
    Stug understood then. “The cops go where the crime is.”
    “By that logic,” offered Charger, “the cops will be showing
up here soon.”
    “Hell, they should’ve been here already,” said Stug. “Okcy
ain’t cheap.”
    The QB nodded. “Which is why we can’t stand around here
talking about our good fortune all day.” She looked at the sun halfway up the
side of the hills behind the town. “It’s oh-eight-thirty, give or take.
Lieutenant Hatch, your squad will take point. Lieutenant Freeman, your squad
will maintain vigilant support until Alpha is at the first building.”
    “You mean, ma’am, if we aren’t killed, Delta Squad can come
out of hiding?” asked Stug with a smirk.
    Despite the grumbling from Delta Squad, the QB said,
“Something like that.”
    “Ma’am,” said Hatch, addressing the QB formally, as he
always did in the company of others, “Might I suggest you hang back with Delta
Squad until—”
    “You can suggest it,” she said, cutting him off again and
immediately regretting it. She knew she was reacting to him the same way he was
reacting to her. Anticipating arguments in conversations, overcompensating for
the baggage. At best, it was unprofessional and unbecoming of a soldier. At
worst, it was damned dangerous and could get someone killed.
    Clearing her throat, she said, “I appreciate your concern,
Lieutenant.” The daggers he’d been shooting her way softened and disappeared.
“But the colonel is already polishing his gavel on this one.” She turned to the
two assembled squads, who were watching the two of them carefully.
    No secrets in foxholes , her inner voice said.
    “Let me make this clear. Lieutenant Hatch is in charge of
Alpha Squad, and on all matters tactical, I’m placing myself under his orders.”
    Stug raised his eyebrows, which only made his forehead look
like the grille on the front of an ancient automobile.
    “But I reserve the right to make command decisions related
to this mission,” she continued.
    Hatch blinked once, then nodded. “All right, let’s go,” he
said. “Hawkeye’s already scoped the advance. Stay low and use the rolling berms
for the approach, just like yesterday.”
    “Remember, LAN only for comms, ladies,” said Stug. “Er, and
Captain. Ma’am.”
    With the sergeant on point, Alpha Squad humped it out of the
trees and