Natural Selection (A Free Spider Shepherd short story) Read Online Free PDF

Hereford.’
    Pilgrim led the way back to the village, this time using the track. He exchanged a few words with the alcalde, who was hovering nervously at the edge of the village, his smiles now replaced with a worried frown. Pilgrim shook his hand, murmured some more words of reassurance, then led the patrol away, moving fast towards the RV point for a heli lift-out.  Just as dusk was falling, a Lynx helicopter clattered out of the sky. Shepherd and the others threw their bergens into the loading bay and jumped up after them and within five minutes the chopper was airborne again. It was now dark - Shepherd still hadn’t got used to the speed of nightfall in the tropics - and looking down from the chopper, he could see nothing but the dark mass of the jungle, extending to the horizon, unrelieved by any glimmer of light.
    They flew in to the dusty airfield camp on the outskirts of Belize City, half-dead from fatigue, but at once went to the headquarters building for a briefing with the Chief of Staff, an Infantry Colonel with thinning, sandy-coloured hair, fleshy features and sweat patches beneath the arms of his shirt. He came straight to the point. ‘As you know, the Guatemalan Army are making cross-border incursions and appear to be waging a terror campaign. We believe it may be the prelude to a full scale invasion, since they’ve long wanted to take Toledo Province from Belize.’
    ‘Why would the Guatemalans want Toledo?’ Jimbo said. ‘As far as I could see, there’s nothing there but jungle.’
    ‘They want a port on the east side of the continent, giving them access to the Atlantic. Punta Gorda would do that, but an oil company has also been prospecting in Toledo and there are rumours that they’ve found significant deposits.’ The colonel paused, putting the tips of his fingers together and lowering his gaze as if in prayer. ‘It’s a delicate situation. We don’t want to provoke a major international incident, particularly in what the Yanks have always considered their own back yard - and the Guatemalan military junta is closely allied with the US - but we need to stop these incursions. So,’ he said turning to Pilgrim, ‘you are to take a patrol into Toledo, going in with the local Infantry Company as cover, and carry out aggressive patrols in the Mayan reservations spanning the border areas.’
    Pilgrim stared at the Çolonel. ‘And what are the rules of engagement?’ he asked.
    The Colonel flushed at the direct question and he dropped his gaze. ‘We are awaiting clarification from the Ministry of Defence about that. So, do what you need to do but don’t on any account get into any more fire-fights with the Guatemalan Army. The diplomatic and political consequences of that could be disastrous, particularly if they take place on Guatemalan soil.’
    Shepherd looked over at Jimbo as the same thought obviouslyflashed through their minds. They were to carry out aggressive patrols but not fire their weapons? How was that supposed to work? It sounded like standard officer double-think.
    Pilgrim opened his mouth as if he was about to ask another question, but then appeared to change his mind. As they left the headquarters, Pilgrim led Shepherd, Geordie, Liam and Jimbo off to the far side of the compound, away from everyone else. ‘What did I tell you?’ he said, clearly annoyed.  ‘They want us to sort it out but won’t give us a direct order to do it. Last time that guy saw action was about twenty years ago - if then - and now all he’s interested in is protecting his pension. Here’s the lesson for today - always question authority; if they want the mission to be done a certain way then let them do it. If it is not your plan it will fail. Nine times out of ten officers haven’t a clue what they’re doing.’ He took a deep breath.  ‘Right, you four are going to form the patrol with me.’ He paused, checking their expressions. ‘Assuming that you’re all up for it, because it’s a