Wolfe and Hirsch stood off away from the main group. They seemed to be talking to someone. Some poor half dead SOB. The day’s events had gotten much stranger since the attack of the snake rabbit creatures. Both Hirsch and Wolfe didn’t really have anything of merit to contribute to the group aside from tactical appraisal and a few well-placed rounds, still, it was good to be doing something worthwhile.
Wolfe yawned then shook his head. Hirsch noticed.
“You tired already?” He asked.
“Eh? Oh… nah, just not getting the sleep I need I guess..” Wolfe said with a shrug, “I’m fine though.”
“If you say so man, that white streak of hair you got wasn’t there before we ended up here.” Hirsch said flicking out his cigarette. “I may not be the smartest man in the world-“
“I’ll say.”
“FUCK you!” He yelled, “But… I know when a man has seen something completely fucked. And brother, you got that look.” Hirsch said.
“What? You’re crazy-“
“No, real talk homie, remember Chawkowski?” He asked.
Wolfe remembered. Lance Corporal Chawkowski was a marine that had been in the Corps about a year and half longer than both Wolfe and Hirsch. His squad had gotten ambushed in Afghanistan, their convoy had been traveling down a dirt road in between valleys. They had four trucks, the first truck ran over an IED, all occupants killed instantly. The enemy then fired rockets at the rear truck, all five rockets hit their mark, and the last truck also had all its occupants killed. The rest of the convoy was now boxed in, and they were taking machine gun fire from both flanks, from an elevated enemy. Before any air support could arrive about six Taliban fighters were able to get close enough to actually kill three marines in hand to hand combat. Chawkowski witnessed his whole squad killed. He was pinned to a rock wall from his truck. The driver had been shot in the head and his dead body jerked, causing the accelerator to be pressed. Before he was killed close air support had finally made it.
“Dude, when he came back that man had the thousand yard stare.” Hirsch said.
Wolfe didn’t answer.
“And the most fucked up thing about it all?” Hirsch asked hypothetically. “Is that YOU were in a similar situation almost a year later in Iraq, and you bounced back? You watched our brothers get torn down, and you were never phased, like you’re made of metal. Not Chawkowski, that guy is on several different anti-psycotics and anti-depressants. Not you though.”
“Your point?” Wolfe asked with a sigh.
“My point is bro…. what the fuck ever happened to you when that crystal exploded must’ve really fucked you up. I mean when I saw you after it went down the LT and that fucked cult, you looked 10 years older, your eyes seem almost dead, and you just look haagard man… like you spent a decade in actual hell.”
“I’m fine, Joe, really man, I’m fine.” He slapped Hirsch on the shoulder and walked away. Wolfe walked up and stood next to Natasha. He gave her a polite nod.
“So…Moon agent huh? I never really got a chance to see your dossier, but you your skill are impressive, where did you train?”
Wolfe yawned then shook his head. Hirsch noticed.
“You tired already?” He asked.
“Eh? Oh… nah, just not getting the sleep I need I guess..” Wolfe said with a shrug, “I’m fine though.”
“If you say so man, that white streak of hair you got wasn’t there before we ended up here.” Hirsch said flicking out his cigarette. “I may not be the smartest man in the world-“
“I’ll say.”
“FUCK you!” He yelled, “But… I know when a man has seen something completely fucked. And brother, you got that look.” Hirsch said.
“What? You’re crazy-“
“No, real talk homie, remember Chawkowski?” He asked.
Wolfe remembered. Lance Corporal Chawkowski was a marine that had been in the Corps about a year and half longer than both Wolfe and Hirsch. His squad had gotten ambushed in Afghanistan, their convoy had been traveling down a dirt road in between valleys. They had four trucks, the first truck ran over an IED, all occupants killed instantly. The enemy then fired rockets at the rear truck, all five rockets hit their mark, and the last truck also had all its occupants killed. The rest of the convoy was now boxed in, and they were taking machine gun fire from both flanks, from an elevated enemy. Before any air support could arrive about six Taliban fighters were able to get close enough to actually kill three marines in hand to hand combat. Chawkowski witnessed his whole squad killed. He was pinned to a rock wall from his truck. The driver had been shot in the head and his dead body jerked, causing the accelerator to be pressed. Before he was killed close air support had finally made it.
“Dude, when he came back that man had the thousand yard stare.” Hirsch said.
Wolfe didn’t answer.
“And the most fucked up thing about it all?” Hirsch asked hypothetically. “Is that YOU were in a similar situation almost a year later in Iraq, and you bounced back? You watched our brothers get torn down, and you were never phased, like you’re made of metal. Not Chawkowski, that guy is on several different anti-psycotics and anti-depressants. Not you though.”
“Your point?” Wolfe asked with a sigh.
“My point is bro…. what the fuck ever happened to you when that crystal exploded must’ve really fucked you up. I mean when I saw you after it went down the LT and that fucked cult, you looked 10 years older, your eyes seem almost dead, and you just look haagard man… like you spent a decade in actual hell.”
“I’m fine, Joe, really man, I’m fine.” He slapped Hirsch on the shoulder and walked away. Wolfe walked up and stood next to Natasha. He gave her a polite nod.
“So…Moon agent huh? I never really got a chance to see your dossier, but you your skill are impressive, where did you train?”