Smoke and Shadow Read Online Free PDF Page B

happened
to Harrison? ”
     
    Warren shrugged
again. “ He tried
to stay in Trident for a while, but he ran into some complications
in the Congo …”

 
    Book Two: Toy
Soldiers
     
     
     
     

Chapter One: The Shit List
     
    Fall 2008
     
    “ There is no
part of this operation that makes any fucking
sense. ”
     
    Trent leaned over
his untouched whisky in an attempt to keep his voice low. He sat
across from his operations officer in the back of the small bar.
Trent positioned their discussion close to the bathroom and away
from both the bartender and the front door. They shared the dark,
dank room with only six other men who all watched a riot breaking
out in the middle of a regional soccer league match. All the other
men yelled at the TV and argued with each other as if they were
caught up in the melee. No one paid attention to
Trent ’ s rant,
least of all his conversation partner.
     
    Norman Tolbert
drained his Primus and motioned the bartender for another. He only
turned back to Trent when he realized the man
couldn ’ t be pulled
away from the television. His generous consumption of beer, and his
lack of interest in Trent ’ s concerns made his eyes glaze
over. “ You ’ re not
really in a position to question mission details, marine, but
I ’ m
feeling generous. Why don ’ t you tell me why
there ’ s a stick up
your ass and I ’ ll
give you complete and detailed reasons why I don ’ t give a fuck. ”
     
    Trent fought the
urge to break the beer bottle over Tolbert ’ s sweaty misshapen head and focused
on his complaints instead. “ First, you haven ’ t allocated the proper resources for
the job. What you ’ re asking for requires at least a fire team maybe two. If I
go in alone, it increases the risk and lowers the probability of
success. ”
     
    “ Ok …”
     
    “ Second, your
intel is suspect. You don ’ t have any agents on the ground to
direct me to the exact location. I ’ m going to be wandering around in
the dark with my dick in my hands trying to find this
cache. ”
     
    “ True …”
     
    “ Third, the
entire command and control element is unprofessional and negligent.
Shaw doesn ’ t have
any area expertise or field experience. He ’ s basing his plans on hopes and
dreams, instead of facts and analysis. ”
     
    “ Is there
anything else? ”
     
    “ Only that we
shouldn ’ t be
having operational briefings in a fucking bar! ” Trent banged his fist on the table
in spite of his attempt at control. No one turned around to see
what happened. They were too busy arguing over the latest riot
footage.
     
    Tolbert busied
himself by peeling off the label from his empty bottle. “ You know, Shaw told me
you were going to be a problem. He said you had issues with
authority. He said your time with Baker made you forget the chain
of command. ”
     
    “ I remember what
bullshit looks like. ”
     
    “ Do you remember
how it feels to be unemployed and on the run? Are you looking
forward to being homeless when you get back to the States, or are
you planning to go straight to prison and cut out the
middleman? ”
     
    “ Trident isn ’ t the only company paying shooters. I don ’ t need you to find
work …”
     
    “ Yes you fucking
do. One word from me and your name gets put on the shit list. Then
no one in the industry will come anywhere near you, not now, maybe
not ever. ”
     
    Trent sucked his
teeth with empty anger. He knew what it meant to be on the shit
list. Operators who were outed as part of the extraordinary
rendition program didn ’ t have a bright future in the public or private sector. They
had no future at all. Every man on the list became a public
relations nightmare. That ’ s why Trent found himself sitting in
a dank bar outside of Kolwezi. That ’ s why he didn ’ t break the Primus bottle on
Tolbert ’ s head.
That ’ s why he kept
listening now.
     
    “ So now that
we ’ ve established
who ’ s in charge,
let me address your concerns while I