Nightmares

by Stephen Brandon

  My left arm was pinned between us as she pulled her knees up and continued kissing me. She was fumbling with my belt and zipper when LT Andrews crawled under the truck and slapped her on the butt.

  “Cool it, your making noise. Wait until we get back to the bunker day after tomorrow. I need Kenric back at the orderly room, Wilcox needs to see him.”

  “Dam it June, I'm first.”

  “I know the order Alice, you will be. Right now our survival has to come before our pleasure. Pull your pants up and get some sleep. He won't be back tonight.”

  I gave the Shrimp a quick kiss and whispered, “I'll hold you first.” Then I rolled over and fastened my pants and crawled out from under the truck. Both of the guards giggled and one pointed out the fact that my erection was showing. She then pulled off her field jacket and handed it to me saying, “Wear this until it is my turn. I'll find you one your size.”

  June then informed me that the Wilcox's scouts had come across several trails of small groups of unknown personnel.

  Back at his tent we discussed sending out more scouts, also moving down to our secure area. I told him that it was set up the best we could to repel an attack, but there were to many holes in the perimeter to keep out infiltrators.

  Wilcox then said, “I guess we'll have to move back into the impact zone. I think we can set up a couple of ambushes. The only problem is some of the terrain may be to rough for those tractor trailers.

  ~ ~ ~

  Brass picker

  “Well, that can work to our favor. We'll send out scouts to find a trail for the vehicles. When we get to a area that's impassable we top off everything that can keep going, then camouflage the vehicles. You and I both know they'll find them.”

  After a moment I continued, “Hopefully you have some snipers with a good scopes. We'll also booby-trap some claymores on any approaches. If you have a squad for bait we can also leave them. However I only have one pallet of claymores and a case of grenades. Our retreat into the impact area will have to generate enough noise to attract them.”

  Wilcox replied, “That sounds like a plan, but what about your CP south of here.”

  “I'll need to contact them and tell them about the threat. I think they will want to rendezvous with us in the impact zone. However, I hate to abandon that range.”

  His LT then piped up, “We can't split up the our unit, we barely have enough men as it is.”

  Wilcox then said, “The LT is almost right, but the infantry squad we rescued can be do our ambush and snipers. Hopefully you can furnish a few personnel also.”

  I replied, “Most of my soldiers will volunteer, even the women. I hope the women won't be a problem. Knowing them, they may even volunteer to stay with the vehicles as bait, I pity any enemy that they catch.”

  LT Andrews then commented, “I think we should send out a patrol or two today and have them return at dusk. Then after eating we can sent everyone needed to scout the path into impact zone. I also think we should retake NFH, or at least get everything we need and destroy the rest.”

  A corporal entered the tent and announced, “One of our patrols caught a civilian family on the edge of the impact zone. He claims he lived in Gatesville. I think he's a brass picker. They are bringing them in.”

  Looking at the corporal I said, “Have them hold him just inside the perimeter, MSG Wilcox and I will come to where you have him.”

  Wilcox looked at me and said, “What the hell.”

  “Look, if he is a brass picker, and escaped with his family from Gatesville, he probably knows some safe routes through the impact zone. We may be able to use his knowledge to infiltrate NFH, and move any vehicles we get. I'm not above using any asset we can find. We can use his family as leverage once we insure he's the real thing.”

  Bill Gail was his name. Wilcox and I grilled him for almost an hour and then started on his wife. His three girls were terrified. The oldest was only seventeen and the youngest thirteen. We separated them and we started on the daughters one at a time. They all had the same story, but not word for word.

  When we finally moved back to Bill, Wilcox said, “We think you might be the real thing brass picker, but we're going to keep your wife and girls back here with our rear guard. You however, will come with us.”

  Three of my lady squad walked up then and said, “Where are the women that were captured. We'll take charge of them.”

  I could see him deflate as he watched Brenda playing with her bayonet. Looking at him she raised her voice slightly and said, “Don't worry about them, my girls and I will keep them safe from these horny guys around here, as long as you play it straight with my sergeant. However, screw with us and we'll do to them worse than we did with those guys we caught the last time we visited north Fort Hood. They went to meet their maker without any balls, and a nice hole we cut with our bayonets, where they like to stick their peckers. Am I clear?”

  With dread in his eyes he asked, “Sir, are you going to keep them safe.”

  With a laugh another of the girls stated, “We're women and nobody that has tried to rape any of us is still alive. Does that answer you question?”

  With a groan Wilcox exclaimed, “One of that lady squad almost killed one of my soldiers the first day here, because he reached out and grabbed her. If two of them hadn't stopped her, she'd have gutted him like a hog. Your wife and daughters will be safe as long as you are honest with us. We are going to raid NFH again, and can use your knowledge of the impact zone.

  “Girls go secure his women and bring them back over here.”

  “Yes Sergeant Wilcox.”

  “Mrs. Gail, our unit is going to raid North Fort Hood again, and we need your husbands knowledge of the impact zone. The lady squad will be responsible for you and your daughters safety as long as your husband is honest and helps us. After this raid, if you want to go your separate way you will be given a few days rations and allowed to leave. If you want to stay, we'll make room for you.”

  The move into the impact zone was without problem. Bill knew the lay of the land and we even got the tractor trailer trucks in without to much problem.

  Our ambush squad reported eight enemy ambushed and bought their weapons and ammo in. They also found a hand drawn map and notebook. The problem was we had no one that could read the squiggly script.

  ~ ~ ~

  The raid

  We arrived just outside of NFH before dawn. After going to ground we sent three scouts forward to reconnoiter the area. The Indian had the annoying habit of sneaking up behind us and then asking us if we'd heard him approach. I jumped out of my skin more than once on the trip north because of that.

  When they reported back we knew we had it to do. There were about 75 enemy and they were rotating guards on three shifts with roving patrols. They also found a barracks with several women being used.

  The Indian suggested that we use claymores to eliminate most of the enemy in their barracks and set up claymores along the patrol routes. They would need three more stealthy guys to take out the guards at the motor pool and warehouses.

  It took half the next night to get the claymores set up at the barracks. By then the booby-trapped claymores were set along the patrol routes. We determined that the best time to attack would be 0600 because we only had six night vision goggles.

  The attack went off with only one hitch. One of the patrols was out of place because they'd decided to wander off and smoke their dope. We lost two men and three wounded because of those doped up assholes.

  The guards at the women's barracks managed to kill one of the women before they were taken out. The scout that took them out said he'd never seen women so vicious when they realized they were rescued. They went out of their way to mutilated every enemy body they passed as they were escorted back to our rally point.

  We took every vehicle that would run from the motor pool and emptied the war
ehouses. We had to stash three loaded vehicles in the impact zone due to lack of drivers. On the way out we set fire to everything that would burn. The women rode in the back of an almost empty five ton truck.

  At the end of the day we set up a temporary camp near a dry creek bed. From what the 5 ton driver told me the women were acting weird, because they just huddled together and shivered, besides their moaning and crying.

  I grabbed a hummer driver, told him to drop his trailer and beat feet back to the main camp. He was to tell MSG Wilcox that I needed the Shrimp up here ASAP. I also reminded him what she'd done to the KP and warned him to keep his hands to himself. He wasn't happy when he left, but traveling light he thought he could make it back by noon the next day.

  Then I sent the scouts around camp to find clothing and blankets for the women. When they returned I led them near to where the women were huddled. I took a blanket and set of fatigues that smelled like mothballs and sat down about ten feet from the women. Quietly I announced my position and name.

  Several were looking at me.

  Then I said, “I have some blankets and fatigues. If one of you will come over here I'll give you a set. My unit consist of US Army soldiers that escaped the first attacks. We've been in running battles since. If you decide to trust us you can join us. If not we'll give you a weapon, ammunition, food, and water and let you leave.” Then I sat there and watched them talk amongst themselves. Finally one got up and limped over, but kept just out of arms reach. I held out the blanket and fatigues at arms length. “Sorry they smell like moth balls, but at least they're clean.”

  She looked at me like I was nuts and gabbed the fatigues. After holding them up to her face and smelling them, she launched herself at me and landed on top. I quickly realized that she was just holding me down, not trying for my knife or pistol. Two other women scrambled over and took the blanket and fatigues. One of them then said, “Do you have more?”

  “If you will let me up I will get more, or I can call my scout over that has them.”

  The woman on top got off and squatted beside me and then picked up a rock.

  I called over my shoulder, “One of you bring up the fatigues and blankets on my clear side and set them down. Then back off.”

  I then heard, “Sarge you got a pair. I almost pulled the trigger when she jumped you. If you'd fought she'd be dead.”

  “Then I'm glad I was relaxed. These women have had it rough. One of you guys find a couple of pots of water. I'm sure they would like to clean themselves before putting on clean clothes.”

  The woman with the rock dropped it, grabbed me and started sobbing. Her two companions started patting her on the back and I could see the tears in their eyes. I heard a quiet here, as my scout set some blankets and fatigues down.

  One of the women grabbed him and also started sobbing. I caught the flash of his knife as he put it back in its sheath. Then he just started patting her on the back. After a minute or two he used his free hand to pick up several blankets and said to her, “Lets take these blankets over to the other women.”

  She had the blankets from his hand in a flash and was running back to the main group. The third woman then asked, “You're Apache, aren't you.”

  He replied, “Only half.”

  She replied in a language I didn't know and he answered, I guess in the same language. She then turned to me and said in English, “White eyes, you have my spirit.”

  I was puzzled by the comment, but then thought of something I'd read. “I return to you your spirit, and offer you my knife to protect yourself and the other women.”

  I guess my reply was what she needed because as I handed her my knife she grabbed my hand and made a small cut on it and her hand and clasped them together. Her only word was something in Apache, then she got up and strutted back to the other women.

  Looking at my scout I asked, “Was I just adopted?” He slapped me on the shoulder and grinned. Then he answered, “White eyes, you just got a wife if you accept her. When she gets done talking to the other women you may have a harem. Tread carefully if you don't want her. I'll tell you the custom later.”

  “Oh shit, I don't need another woman trying to get in my pants.”

  A look of astonishment crossed his face as he said, “The women with your unit. How many?”

  Answering him, “I don't know, I just found out the other night. We were interrupted, and another mentioned an order that they were to get me in. I think I'm screwed!”

  With a laugh he commented, “I thought something more that sleeping was going on under that truck, but I didn't mention it to Wilcox.”

  The woman sobbing on my chest lifted her head and said, “You have other women here.”

  “No, they are south of here, but I've sent for one. They are all soldiers and hardheaded. You'll be safe and they can teach you, if you want them to. Now take these blankets and fatigues back over to the rest of the women.”

  “No, you two bring them.” she replied and got up.

  Sgt Longbow got up and said, “Well you heard the boss sarge.”

  We gathered the fatigues and blankets and followed her back to the main group of women. She started calling them up one at a time and introducing them to us. My new name was White eyes and Longbow's was Sgt Elisha. That's when I figured out that she must be part Indian, when she started talking to the woman with my knife in that strange language. The other woman bent down, picked up a pebble, chanted over it and then handed it to me.

  I looked at Longbow and he said, “You need to accept. This is an exchange of gifts. You still need to either accept or reject the proposal, but at least you now have some time to make a decision.”

  Just after noon the Shrimp and her driver arrived. The hummer was piled high with stuff that wasn't in it went south. I saw the Shrimp question one soldier. I could tell from his posture that she intimidated him as he pointed over where we were. She started my way and the hummer followed. As she approached she took one look at me and then walked down to the women. Whatever she barked at the women made them all stand up. As the group approached the hummer the driver shut it off and ran.

  Sgt Longbow and I just stood there and laughed as they tore into the clothing and other stuff in the hummer. Then the Shrimp pointed at four soldiers and told them to grab the water cans and carry them down to the creek. They hesitated until she put her hand on her bayonet. The women scurried to the side as the guys grabbed the eight five gallon water cans. Then they grabbed the bundles of clothes and walked back to their area by the creek. After the Shrimp saw that they were going to start cleaning themselves she barked, “You guys better face away so these women can have some privacy.” Then she marched over to me and turned me away. Longbow was laughing so hard he was crying.

  After a few minutes he commented, “Good thing she wasn't here yesterday. I think someone would be walking in the Happy Hunting Grounds.”

  As she twisted toward him I said, “Don't say another word, I'll brief her.”

  Grabbing her arm I dragged her over to a fallen tree and told her to sit. “After rescuing these women I got some blankets and fatigues and took them over near them and offered them if one of them would come and get them. One young woman was selected and came over. I offered her a blanket and set of fatigues at arms length. She jumped me and forced me to the ground. I realized she wasn't trying for my knife or rifle so I lay there while two others came over. After smelling the mothball smell of the clothing she started sobbing on me. Her older sister and the other woman took the clothing back to the other women and they changed.”

  Squinting she said, “And what else, don't lie to me.”

  “The older sister offered her spirit. I declined and offered her my knife so she could protect herself and the other women. She cut my hand and chanted something. Sgt Longbow told me that that was a proposal of marriage Apache style. This morning she gave me a
round pebble and Longbow told me to accept it as an exchange of gifts. I've still got to figure out to decline her proposal and Longbow said he'd tell me how later. Satisfied?”

  With a glare she jumped up and stomped over toward the women. Spotting a bayonet she zeroed in on the woman. After some words she pulled her bayonet. Feather Airwing picked up my bayonet off the blanket and handed it to Shrimp handle first. They exchanged bayonets and she stomped back to me. Handing me my bayonet she commented, “Stupid move white-man, you better get her straitened out fast or I'll scalp you.” She then turned and sundered back.

  I grabbed Sgt Longbow by the collar and said, “We will go get a cup of coffee and you'll tell me how to get out of this mess, or else.” I damn near had to hold him up, he was laughing so hard, as we walked to the mess truck.

  ~ ~ ~

  Contact

  By time spring came busting in, we'd hit main post several times. We now had over a hundred female civilians and dependents. All had problems because they'd been used to satisfy the invading forces. It appeared that women from 16 to 25 were their favorites for sex slaves. Once we trained them, killing the enemy wasn't a problem for them.

  For over two weeks we'd been using captured weapons and ammunition. We must have attracted lots of attention because the enemy units coming at us were larger and better led, but we knew the terrain, and guerrilla warfare is a bitch.

  They would set up supply points and we'd raid them as we found them. Their patrols didn't survive contact. One thing that seemed to terrorize them were bare-chested woman screaming and running right at them with a large knives in their hands.

  My Apache's taught many infiltration skills. I learned as well as I could. I still jumped out of my skin because now the women enjoyed sneaking up on the men and tapping us on the shoulder and asking if we'd heard them coming. They didn't tap the enemy on their shoulder, they just gutted them.

  In October after destroying one of their ammunition dumps near I-35 we heard a plane flying low. Suddenly ten parachutes popped out the rear. My Amazons moved to intercept them. Three were gutted before I could stop them. They were Special Forces. Their NCOIC was still shaken when they dragged him to me.