The Grey Man: -Vignettes-

by JL Curtis

  “We are,” Matt said. “We’ll go to this greasy spoon I know that won’t say anything about me being in utilities. You got everything you need?”

  Laughing Jesse responded, “Watch, wallet, ovaries, and glasses, I’m good to go.”

  Matt just shook his head. “Never should have told you that damn joke. C’mon, let’s go.”

  After a quick breakfast, Matt drove on to Pendleton and out to the range facility on the far side of the runways. Pulling in, he looked at the building and said, “I thought I turned the damn lights off before I left on Friday. Damn, I’m getting old.”

  Going up to the door, he unlocked it and stepped in, hearing a high pitched whine, he stopped dead. He pushed Jesse back out the door, and put his finger to his lips for quiet, and moved quietly through the building toward the armory in the back. Sticking his head around the door far enough to look in, Jesse was able to see him relax and shake his head.

  As the whine stopped, Matt bellowed, “Toad, what the fuck are you doing in my range house?”

  From the other room Jesse heard, “Gahdamn, you bout scared the shit outta me you asshole, and I almost screwed up this sear!”

  Matt went through the door and Jesse figuring it was safe, followed to be greeted by Matt picking up a short heavyset Marine in a bear hug and simultaneously cussing him for all he was worth. Jesse tried to stifle it, but she burst out laughing at the sight, causing Matt to drop the other Marine and Jesse to note he was really short for a Marine.

  Turning, Matt said, “Sorry ‘bout the language Jesse, but this useless piece of sh… asshole, ah hell, corporal..”

  To which the little Marine said indignantly, “Sergeant, dammit!”

  Laughing, Matt finally said, “Sergeant Toad Moretti, best damn armorer in the Marines and worst damn Marine you ever saw, may I present Jesse Cronin, and before you even think about it, she’s Aaron’s girlfriend.”

  The little Marine turned and faced Jesse, stuck out his hand and in a broad New Yawk accent said, “Pleased to meetcha miss. Don’t believe a word this big bast… er…”

  Snickering Jesse asked, “Asshole?”

  Toad smiled. “Yeah, dat works… Asshole says about me. It’s all lies and fabrications, and made up.”

  Jesse realized Toad really was about as ugly as a mud fence, with a big Roman nose, and beetling brows, needing a shave; and even though he couldn’t be more than 5’6” he looked to be as strong as an ox. Looking at the table she saw at least two rifles in pieces and what looked like a couple of trigger assemblies literally torn apart on the table. Matt glanced at the table and did a double take. “Dammit, Toad, what are you doing?”

  Abashed Toad replied, “Well, I was moving my spares in before I checked in last night, and saw the Plan Of the Day said you were test shooting today, so I dug around until I found the guns, and I noticed none of my guns were here, so I was fixing one up for you, and I decided to check out this Beret MRAD, whatever the hell it is, and it needed a little trigger work, and I was smoothing up…”

  Matt interrupted. “You were what?”

  Toad replied airily, “Oh, I’m on orders as the armorer here, so I figured I’d get here early, and get the spares put up.”

  “Spares?” Jesse asked.

  Both Toad and Matt started to answer, but Toad deferred to Matt.

  “Well, Jesse, it’s like this: each armory is allocated a specific number of guns, spare parts, equipment and things like that. But every armorer I know has quote spares unquote, in other words things he can’t or won’t do without. All these guys have a system so when they know they’re going to get inspected, the spares are shipped to an armorer that just finished his inspection, and after the inspection they’re shipped back. Also good armorers screw up a weapon or two, too much lube or something similar so the inspectors can find it and knock ‘em down from superior to excellent. What happens then is the booze comes out and they sit around drinking and BS’ing for the rest of the inspection. In other words, they’ve got a racket going that the Corps hasn’t broken since 1776.”

  Jesse smiled at the description as Toad had turned back to the bench and continued to work, his hands seeming to move of their own accord, and never reaching for the wrong piece. Literally in minutes, both rifles were re-assembled and he ran a rag over both while replacing the MRAD in its case and the M40A5 sniper rifle back in the rack.

  Turning back to Toad, Matt said, “Go clean up, get some chow and be back by zero seven thirty, the colonel will be here at zero eight hundred, and we need to sight in both rifles for the test, in addition to setting up the range.”

  “Aye, Aye your gunnieness,” Toad replied with a smile as he hurried out the door.

  While Toad was gone, Matt, with Jesse observing, set up two sets of lanes, one with steel targets at 400, 600, 800, and 1000 yards, alternating between lanes, and another set of lanes with targets at 100 and 300 yards.

  When Jesse asked, Matt explained they would first sight in the rifles, to ensure accurate scopes and then once the snipers showed up, each would sight in on the targets, then move to the steels and shoot them at the various ranges. Each sniper would fill out an evaluation of the rifle, scope, ease of use and their impressions of the rifle.

  Matt said, ”I taught a class last week using Barrett’s training documents on the MRAD and we broke down one rifle in class for the snipers to look at and fondle.”

  “Fondle?” Jesse asked with a smile.

  Matt hesitated. “Well, play with the rifle, you know…”

  Jesse just laughed as Matt turned to start laying things out.

  By 7:45 AM, Toad had returned, obviously cleaned up and fed, but already starting to look like he’d slept in his utilities, they sat and sipped coffee, each wrapped in their own thoughts for a few minutes, until zero eight hundred when Colonel Ortega arrived and Matt called, “Attention on deck!”

  Matt and Toad popped to attention when the colonel strode in, and Jesse got up from the chair she was sitting in. Matt reported all was in readiness, and the colonel looked at Jesse with a question look, and then he turned to Toad, “Moretti, disappear for fifteen.”

  Toad barked, “Yes, sir, colonel!” And disappeared out the front door.

  Turning back to Matt he asked, “Gunny?”

  “Sir, this is Ms. Jesse Cronin,” Matt replied. “She’s here as my guest because I didn’t want to leave her sitting in the apartment. She’s Staff Sergeant Miller’s girlfriend and he’s still in the field. They were supposed to be back yesterday, but apparently got hung up.”

  Jesse, not knowing what else to do, nodded and stuck out her hand.

  Colonel Ortega shook hands with her. “Miller, First SOBs? That Miller? He’s your roommate, right?”

  “Yes sir, that Miller. And I hope I’m not causing a problem.”

  Relaxing, Colonel Ortega walked over to the coffeepot and poured himself a cup. “Gunny, it’s not a problem for me, and pleased to meet you, miss. Now the real reason I kicked Toad out was I want to know if you can handle him, gunny. He made sergeant again for the third time, and I’d like to see him keep it, if you know what I mean. He’s not actually due for another two days, but knowing him, he’s doing his armorer shit behind my back yet again. Sorry, miss.”

  Jesse smiled. “No problem, colonel, I’ve been around Matt and Aaron long enough to know they can’t form a complete sentence without cussing!”

  The colonel just looked at her for a second, and then broke into a wide grin, transforming his whole personality.

  “No problem, sir,” Matt said. “I’ll work his ass in the damn ground, and keep him if not on the straight and narrow, at least close enough for government work. We’ve been through this before. I need to go sight in the rifles before the shooters show up, so if you’ll pardon me, I’ll go get this done and I’ll make Toad go put up pasters on the targets.”

  The colonel nodded and Matt picked up both rifles and a spotting scope and disappeared out the front door yelling for Toad. The
colonel sat behind Matt’s desk and looked at Jesse, “Miss, are you the one that was in the shootout with young Miller and gunny?”

  Jesse took a moment to walk over a refill her coffee before answering. “Yes, sir, that was me, and I’m truly sorry for all the problems it caused Matt and Aaron with the warrants and all.”

  Ortega waved her comment off saying, “That wasn’t an issue, but I have to say the way it got handled did leave some egg on that assh…er Attorney’s face, so I’m happy for that. First SOBs don’t actually come under my command, but I know their CO pretty well, and Staff Sergeant Miller has come back pretty well from his injury, but seems to be strangely reticent about saying anything about it or you. You’re a mystery woman around here, which is unusual for Marines. Hell, they talk worse than a bunch of old ladies in the damn nursing home, hence the curiosity.”

  Both of them cocked their heads as they heard the rifle fire three times in slow sequence, then Jesse sat in front of the colonel and rehashed the story from beginning to end for him. He shook his head in amazement. “That is one helluva story, miss, and no wonder Miller doesn’t talk about it; much less about you or your family. Just out of curiosity have you ever shot a Barrett?”

  Jesse laughed. “Yes, sir, I’ve got about four hundred rounds through our MRAD.”

  “Your MRAD? Four hundred rounds? Damn, what’s the longest shot you’ve made if you don’t mind my asking?”

  Jesse answered, “Well, technically it’s Papa’s MRAD, but I train on all the rifles too, and my longest good hit was sixteen hundred yards; I tried a couple at eighteen hundred but the wind got me on those, so I quit.”

  Matt and Toad came back through the door at that moment, with Toad carrying both rifles and heading for the bench to give them a quick cleaning. The colonel smiled at Jesse and turned to Matt. “I think we have a situation where we might have some fun with folks, gunny. Are you up to it?”

  Matt looked from the colonel to Jesse. “What kind of fun, sir? And is this fun gonna come back and bite me in the ass?”

  Ortega laughed. “Oh, probably, but it’ll be worth it. This lady told me the rest of the story you and Miller refused to tell us, and I find out she’s probably more familiar with the Barrett than we are. Now here’s what I want to do…”

  Amidst chuckles, outright laughter and snickers, a plan was put together: at zero nine hundred, a major, a captain and twelve shooters showed up at the range.

  Jesse stayed inside and out of sight as Matt set up the parameters for the shooting, handing out evaluation forms and started cycling the snipers through the weapons.

  The colonel, major and captain sat behind the line and observed. Just before they finished, a truck showed up and a Marine Gunner stepped out. Putting on eyes and ears, he walked over, casually saluted the officers present and stood watching the shooters.

  Turning to Matt he asked, “Any problems? Guns working okay? Any ammo issues?”

  “Not a one, Gunner Price,” Matt replied. “These are pretty good rifles, if I do say so. And it seems like the troops like ‘em, even if they are tending to shoot a tad high because the bullet drop is about half of the M40A5.”

  Gunner Price looked at Matt. “Half?”

  “Yep, 413 inches at 1000 for the M40A5, vice 201 inches at 1000 for the MRAD. Guys are having a hard time actually holding correctly unless they reset the scope between shots.”

  While Matt had the gunner distracted, the colonel motioned to the range shack for Jesse to come out. She stuck ear protection in, and putting on her shooting glasses, sauntered out to the line. She didn’t say a word, just stood at the back of the group, but was quickly noticed by the snipers that had completed their evals and were standing around.

  Finally, the last two completed their rounds and Matt jumped down on the gun that Toad had worked on, taking a couple of shots on the target to make sure the scope was on.

  Matt introduced Jesse to everyone, not saying anything about whom she was dating, and she asked in a bored voice if they were done yet. Matt looked at the colonel. “Sir, would it be alright if she shoots a round or two since she’s been sitting out here all morning?”

  The colonel looked around. “Well, do you think she’s safe and knows the rules, Gunny?”

  “Yes, sir, I’ve been shooting with her a couple of times.”

  “Objections anybody? Hearing none, let her put a couple down range if she wants to.”

  Matt made a production of getting Jesse set up on the rifle, to the snickers of the snipers who realized she was going to try to shoot a bolt gun with the wrong hand. Bets started being made among the snipers and Matt heard at least one say, “She’ll shoot one round and come off the gun crying.” Another was betting $20 she wouldn’t even hit the target. The colonel and the Gunner were quietly talking as Matt got up from “positioning” Jesse on the gun.

  Giving the commands, Matt took the range hot, as one of the snipers strolled over to the spotting scope.

  Jesse shrugged and settled in, causing the sniper to take a second look and ask quietly, “Which target?”

  Jesse said, “Closest to distant in order. Target.”

  The sniper quietly said, “Send it.”

  Jesse fired, worked the bolt cross handed, fired and worked the bolt four times with four hits in under twenty seconds. Getting up she turned to Matt with a smile. “Gee, that was fun, and easy too! Can I do some more?”

  The colonel was laughing, Gunner Price was not looking happy, and most of the snipers were standing slack-jawed, with the exception of the one who had been on the spotting scope, who leaned over to Jesse. “You’re a damn ringer aren’t you? And you know those were four head shots, right?”

  Jesse smiled, and said quietly, “Yep.”

  One of the sore losers amongst the snipers called out, “Yeah, maybe she can do that here, but I doubt she could do that in the real world like we do!”

  The colonel stepped up beside Jesse. “Gents, let me tell you two things: first never underestimate anyone, here or on the battlefield. Second, yes this lady can shoot, both here and in real life. I may be breaking a confidence, but I think this is important.” Glancing at Jesse, she shrugged and he continued. “She has two kills under fire by full auto AKs from less than two hundred yards, and she was in the open when they took her under fire. Oh, by the way, those kills were with a Winchester 94. This is Deputy Jesse Cronin, from Pecos County Texas, and they are fighting a war every day down there with the drug runners and smugglers.”

  Grumbling, the snipers and their Platoon leader got in the truck and left, while the Gunner walked over and shook her hand, “Good shooting, miss, and I should have known better… You’re Miller’s girlfriend, right?”

  When Jesse nodded, he smiled. “Sumbitch better tell me all the damn story next time. I don’t like losing, much less to the colonel.”

  Ortega came over a laid a hand on the gunner’s shoulder. “Gunner, it’s all about intel and this time I had the intel!”

  The gunner looked around and spotted Sgt Moretti, “Moretti, you better have a gun ready for me by Friday, or your ass is mine!”

  Turning, the gunner left without another word.

  Moretti looked glumly after the gunner. “Oh man. this is NOT gonna be fun, ‘cause I’m going to have to break into the spares.”

  Jesse looked at him. “Why, and would somebody explain what a gunner is?”

  Toad scuffed the ground. “Well, see it’s like this: officially, the Marines dropped the 1911 back twenty plus years ago, but the gunner, he likes 1911s and that’s all he carries. I don’t even think the Gen’ral has the balls to tell him to carry an M-9.”

  Matt and Colonel Ortega laughingly agreed, prompting Jesse to ask, “But isn’t he just a warrant officer? Colonel, aren’t you his boss?”

  Ortega answered, “Well, it’s like this, the Gunner Price is an odd bird, he’s got 24-25 years in the Marines, been a gunner or warrant officer for ten years. He took over a company in Fallujah when the leader
ship went down with the screaming… Montezuma’s revenge, and fought them for three days before anybody higher found out. He’s an advisor to the Battalion commander, and he trained the battalion commander when he was a First Looie, and knew the general when he was a captain, and honestly, he’s probably better versed in combat operations than I am. So no, I’m not about to call him down… “

  Jesse laughed. “Now, I understand.”

  Her phone rang, and as she answered it, a big smile spread across her face. “Aaron’s back and heading for the apartment. Matt can you run me out there?”

  Matt nodded as Jesse headed for the truck. The colonel just laughed. “True love, ain’t it grand?”

  29 Together Again

  Matt dropped Jesse off and headed back to the range with a smile on his face. Jesse walked up to the apartment door and stood there in indecision, knock or use Matt’s key? Aaron solved the problem by opening the door and picking Jesse up in his arms, kissing her softly. Jesse laughed. “Uh, Aaron, can we go inside please? You may be an exhibitionist, but this girl isn’t.”

  Aaron laughed and carried Jesse back into the apartment and kissed her again. “Is this better?”

  “Okay, much better, but close the door!”

  Aaron stepped away to close the door and Jesse got a look at his shoulder and back. “Aaron, what happened? Reaching up and lightly touching his shoulder, she traced the bruise that went half way down his back.

  Rotating his shoulder and grimacing he said, “Well, we do play rough some times. Actually, the squad was supposed to be evac’ing me as a casualty and the sumbitches slipped on the rocks and dropped my ass.”

  Jesse snickered, then leaned over and kissed his shoulder. “I’ll kiss it and make it all better.”

  Aaron laughed and suddenly stopped and sniffed. “You’ve been shooting! What the hell? Did Matt sneak you on the range?”