Pointblank by David Sherman & Dan Cragg

Author:David Sherman & Dan Cragg [Sherman, David & Cragg, Dan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction, war, adventure, Fantasy
ISBN: 9780345493637
Google: 9yNJsCc8UFcC
Goodreads: 7303035
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2006-08-29T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER

* * *

TWENTY-ONE

On the Beach, Oceanside, Arsenault

The three friends, Jak Daly, Felicia Longpine, and Manny Ubrik, had finished their breakfast at the Four Seasons and were discussing the latest news. They were now in their eighth month of OTC, had just finished their company-level command exercises, and were looking forward to battalion staff and command training and then graduation. They were in the best physical and mental condition of their lives, and to top it off, they were in Oceanside on the first day of a seventy-two-hour liberty pass.

Daly laughed suddenly. “Hey, you know that class Dr. Mitzikawa told us was in the lesson plan, ‘Hand Receipts and Inventories in a Hostile Environment’? Remember, the first day of class?”

“Yeah, we had that block of instruction, didn’t we?” Manny Ubrik looked bewildered. “Or maybe we will have it. Why do you bring it up now?”

“I don’t remember it,” Felicia said. “Most of that stuff went right out of my noodle as soon as I passed the exam on it.”

“Well, we didn’t have it.” Daly leaned forward toward the others. “I asked Mitzikawa about it because I was curious. And you know what he told me? He said there was no course like that! He just threw it in to play a joke on us! Can you imagine that!” Daly laughed.

“The guy does have a great sense of humor,” Ubrik said. “I found his classes some of the most, er, ‘entertaining’ of the course. He makes military logistics sound like fun.”

A waitress came by and refilled their coffee cups.

“After eight months at Camp Upshur, I’m beginning, well, I don’t know how to put this,” Daly said, “but I’m beginning to feel, well, as though I like this place, the courses, the instructors, the tactical officers, hell, even the staff!”

“You would,” Felicia remarked sourly, “since you have that ‘special’ relationship with the commandant.” She knew now she’d hear the story again of Daly’s interview with the brigadier, and it was getting a little old but she couldn’t help ribbing Daly over it.

“Well”—Daly shrugged—“an outstanding Marine like me, you know?”

“I know what you mean,” Ubrik interrupted hurriedly, to forestall another recital of Daly’s interview. “We’ve grown into OTC and it’s grown on us. The staff and instructors here have led us through eight months of hell and they’ve done a superb job. They’ve shown us what we’re really made of. I’ve never felt better about myself in my whole life than I do now!”

“It is pretty amazing, if you consider how many really good people have dropped out since our class began. But, yeah, we’re great,” Felicia went on quickly. “Now, if you guys will get down off your Dragons for a moment, I’ve been thinking about what we’re gonna do while we’re here in Oceanside. First, I want to—”

“Good people,” Daly echoed Felicia’s comment, “some of them I considered better Marines than I’ll ever be, but”—he shrugged—“you never know how the coin is going to flip on you. Well, today let’s hit the beach, soak up some rays, enjoy that crystal clear water.

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