Alex Cross 26: Detective Cross by James Patterson

Author:James Patterson [Patterson, James]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Heavy rain fell when Mickey left the VA hospital long after dark. As soon as he felt the drops lash his face, he let go of the emotion he’d been fighting to keep deep in his throat. He choked off two sobs but finally let tears flow. Who could tell he was crying in the rain anyway?

Certainly no one Mickey encountered between the hospital and the D8 bus stop. They were all bent over, hurrying for cover. He was alone on the bench when the Hospital Center bus pulled up.

Mickey got on and was dismayed to find his favorite seat by the rear entrance taken, by a big Latino guy he recognized. Like almost everyone riding the Hospital Center Line from the north end, he’d been chewed up by war and was always pissed off.

Mickey nodded to the man as he passed and took an empty spot two rows behind, intending to take his territory back as soon as the man left.

But the bus was warm, and Mickey was as tired and dismayed as he’d ever been. What am I doing this for? Doesn’t he understand? How can’t he understand?

Tears welled up again. Mickey wiped his sleeve frantically at them. He couldn’t be seen crying here. Out in the rain was one thing, but not here.

Be a soldier, man, he thought as his eyes drifted shut. Be a soldier.

Mickey dozed and dreamed of scenes he had imagined many times. He felt tires hit potholes, and he was no longer in the bus, but deep in the back of a US military transport truck taking him away from the firebase for good, heading straight to Kandahar, then Kabul, and home.

“You happy, kid?” Hawkes asked. “Going stateside?”

Hawkes, the sniper, was sitting on the opposite bench, next to the tailgate, his Barrett rifle balanced between his legs, grinning like he’d just heard the best joke of all.

“Damn straight, I’m happy, Hawkes,” Mickey said.

“You don’t look it.”

“No?” Mickey said. “I’m just nervous, that’s all. We’re so close, Hawkes, I can taste it. No more crazy mofos in turbans lobbing mortars. Leave this shit behind for good. Go home and just…what are you going to do when you get home, Hawkes?”

Hawkes threw back his head and laughed, from deep in his belly. “Kiss my wife and play with my little boy, Mickey.”

“He’ll be happy his daddy’s home,” Mickey said. “That’s so—”

Automatic weapons opened up from high in the rocks flanking the road.

“Ambush!” Hawkes shouted. “Get down, kid! Everyone get—”

Hawkes vanished in a roar and a blast of fire that knocked Mickey cold.

For what seemed an eternity, there was only darkness. Then neon light played on his eyelids, and someone shook his knee.

Mickey started, and awoke to see the Latino guy with the attitude staring down at him. “Union Station.”

“Oh?” Mickey said. “Thanks.”

He took his knapsack and left the bus, running to the terminal to get out of the rain. There were police officers all over the place, and dogs, and reporters. But not one

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.