by Dave Hazel
“And I would never say this in front of the other men, but I sure as hell don’t like this set up with these Hawkmen people,” Ratner said and looked around to make sure no one was near enough to hear him.
Mykal looked to see where the Elves were. He knew the Elves would be able to pick up his words at a considerable distance due to their increased hearing. Mykal played dumb, though he felt the same way Gunnery Sergeant Ratner felt.
“What do you mean Gunny?” Finley asked for Diaz.
“I just don’t like that we don’t know whether they’re coming or going and we really don’t know if they’re on our side or not. We still haven’t met the rest of his clan,” Ratner said and used his hands to make air quotes. “Don’t get me wrong Sir, I don’t have a problem if they’re on our side, but are they? They come and go and don’t let us know anything at all. They could easily be setting us up for the Evil Dark Lord or whatever we’re supposed to call him. It puts me on edge. I want to know for sure that my allies are on my side. I have a great concern for all the men under me, and I don’t like the feeling that I can’t honestly protect them when it comes to these so called allies that come and go when they feel like it.”
“I agree with you Gunny,” Diaz said and sat up straight to show he took Ratner’s concern seriously. “But Starling, Leeno and Blair along with the three other Elves said they can be taken at their word even though they have been cursed and changed into the strange creatures they are now.”
“Yes Sir,” Ratner said and straightened to a form of attention as if he had just been corrected. “I just had to get it off my chest Sir.”
“No problem Gunny.”
Mykal was glad Ratner brought up his apprehension because that was the same unease he had concerning the Hawkmen and he didn’t have to voice his disquiet over the strange creatures. Mykal watched as one of the two media teams approached them with the Dosch brothers walking with them. The reporter seemed to be much younger than those he had been dealing with since his stay in Towbar’s world. He never met this team since they were a part of the new crew that came to Towbar’s World just recently.
“Hey Mykal, do you mind if we record?” The reporter asked and held his hand up to stop his cameraman in the event Mykal wouldn’t allow it.
Mykal was surprised that he had a slight Australian accent. “Sure, go ahead. What’s you your name? I haven’t met you guys before.”
“I’m Vick Daring,” he said with his pretty boy smile that seemed to light up the area. He ran his hand through his thick wavy brown hair in preparation for the camera. “And my mate is Benny Milnar,” he pointed to his cameraman.
“Is that a real name?” Mykal laughed. Vick had a great big smile that would engage everyone and make everyone feel welcomed in his presence. His smile reminded Mykal of Richard McDowell who had been killed just as they arrived back in the world at the end of their thirty-seven days being lost in Towbar’s world the first time.
Vick gave a slight laugh and confessed. “It’s my name, but I wasn’t born with it.”
“I was gonna say, that’s a pretty neat name for what you do.”
“And his name fits his personality,” Benny replied while preparing his camera for recording. Benjamin Milnar appeared to be twice as old as the pretty boy reporter. “He’s one loco son of a gun. But he’s good at what he does. I believe Vick is going to be famous one day,” he added in a tone that demonstrated complete trust and commitment in his partner.
“Where are you from?” Mykal turned to the Australian. “I’m from Los Angeles. My parents left Sydney when I was almost fourteen and I have lived in L. A. the rest of my life.”
“He’s got the pretty boy looks, and the great accent so the ladies just love this guy,” Benny explained while pointing his camera. Benny, clearly the elder came across as the serious one in their two man team of Vick and Ben. “We’ve been a team for about four years now. We have been in some real hell holes around the world, our world, and that’s why I say his name fits him. Mister Daring, that’s him. I thought for sure he was going to get his head blown off a couple of times in some of the shit holes we’ve worked in.”
“You’re not going to be stupid and endanger my men are you?” Mykal asked and sounded just shy of being hostile.
“Oh no Myk. I’m not like that. When I’m embedded with troops, these are my mates. I care about my story, but I care about my life first. Not only my life, but the lives of those I’m with. I’m not going to give you the particulars but when we were in a certain country in Africa, which I won’t name because we in an area we weren’t supposed to be. The situation turned ugly quickly. I put my camera down and took up a discarded AK-47 from a dead soldier and turned it on the group that were going to kill us and the soldiers we were with. I killed four of the bad guys and saved three of our wounded. I’m not like other reporters you’ve dealt with. I know the difference between right and wrong and I’m not going to sit on the sidelines and allow the bad guys to win when I can do something about it. I despise those who say they are just a neutral bystander and can’t pick sides because they are there just to report the story. Starkers,” Vick mumbled his disgust.
“What was that?” Mykal asked.
“It’s an Aussie term that means it’s crazy, mad or insane,” he giggled.
“Well good,” Mykal laughed and broke his stern expression. “I think we’re gonna get along just fine.”
“I don’t wear these for show,” Vick said and pointed to the two 9mm pistols at his sides. Beside the holster on his left side was a sheathed Bowie knife with a fourteen inch blade. “Thay way I view it Mykal, I’m a part of the team first because I know you guys are goin’ to be keeping my arse safe. It means me bum.”
“Mykal, let me tell you, that Bowie knife he has is one pretty blade,” Roy Jr. said with a smile and a wink.
“Not to come off as cocky cobber, but I’m not afraid to use it either,” Vick said and placed his hand on the hard wood handle of the menacing looking blade.
Mykal laughed at the long haired potential male model. “I think I finally met a reporter team I might actually like,” Mykal said to Towbar, Diaz and Finley.
“We won’t let you down mate,” Vick said and threw his arm around Benny’s shoulder. “But I gotta tell ya, we’ve gotten some wonderful film. Some of the scenery has been just bloody gorgeous. And the colors on that bird, are just,” he paused to gasp his excitement, “ah, just amazing. I can’t wait until we can meet the rest of them bird fellas.”
“I agree with you,” Mykal said and looked to see if the men were ready to move out.
“Were you in Australia long enough to miss it?” Lieutenant Finley asked. “Or are you Americanized?”
“Oh, I miss it, but I really do love the states. You yanks don’t know how well you have it, ah, let me correct that,” Vick stopped himself before anyone started to argue with him. “I’ve noticed all of those I have met, who have served in any branch of the military, really seem to have a love for their country. Where a great many of those I have met who complain about your great land are those who want everything given to them. They want all the freebees and handouts and don’t want to do anything in return for those gifts.”
“Are you really a reporter?” Ratner said which caused them to break out in laughter. “It seems like all the reporters I’ve met are on their side and say America is a terrible place.”
“Oh no, not me cobber,” Vick laughed and ran his hands through his long wavy hair. “I do know what you speak of though. The reality is I want to report the truth. Whether it is pretty or ugly. Just the truth. I don’t want to give an opinion I just want to state the facts and let people decide.”
“You better hide son,” Ratner joked. “Your reporter buddies might frag your ass in your sleep.”
“What does frag your ass mean?” Randy whispered to his brother with a confused look. “Is that a perverted thing?”
“No,” Mykal said and couldn’t help but laugh at Randy’
s confusion.
“No no,” Ratner laughed. “It was a term that meant to kill someone. Like in Vietnam if someone was a threat to the team or a problem in the bush, they would take a hand grenade, pull the pin and put it in their sleeping bag or toss it into their tent to kill them,” Ratner laughed. “I just said that because this boy will make all the lefty media people crazy so they might just frag his ass to get rid of him. I was just joking when I said that of course.”
“There is truth in what Gunny says,” Roy Jr. laughed. “Cuz most of them left leaning media types would be too wimpy to try to do something like that,” Roy Jr. continued to laugh and held out his hand for Ratner to slap it.
They continued to talk with Vick Daring as they moved out. They traveled over hills and into the trees. As time dragged on Mykal remained silent though he walked beside Towbar. After a few hours Mykal heard the sound that he was sure was water. It had to be a river, or a stream that seemed to be moving quickly. As he listened he knew he could hear the faint sound of a water falls. He grew up in Niagara Falls, New York so he knew what the sound of large falling water sounded like. Though he knew it was the sound of a water falls it sounded like it was on a smaller scale than the mighty Niagara.
The closer they neared the water he could pick up the faint watery scent and it made him somewhat homesick. The watery scent reminded him of his boyhood years, but he wasn’t homesick for Niagara Falls, New York, rather Minot, North Dakota where his lovely wife Pam and his two little boys were. They neared the water of a small river and it was obvious the water flowed quickly because it was flowing slightly downhill and heading to the drop of the falls. He could hear the roar of the water increasing, but he knew it was nothing like the magnificent Niagara in size.
“Hey Myk, look over head,” Mathis whispered after talking into the handset of the radio on his back. Lanorear and his clan were flying over the land on the other side of the river. The trees and brush on that side of the river were not as dense. There was a great deal of open flat land mixed with the sparsely dotted tree line.
Mykal looked up to see the clan of Hawkmen flying in somewhat circular patterns over the area of trees they couldn’t observe from this side of the river. The Hawkmen seemed to be following or watching over something on that side of the river. “Mathis, do we know what is going on?” Mykal whispered.
“No Myk. I’ve been speaking to Corporal Vega who is up front with Winnie and Freeman and the Elves who are leading the way. They said that the birdmen have been flying over that area but haven’t let us know what’s going on as of yet. Hold on, hold on,” Mathis interrupted himself to respond to his radio message. “Yes Sir, will do,” Mathis replied and dropped to one knee. “Hey Myk, Captain Diaz said for everyone to take ten until we find out what’s going on over there. He said he’s going to have one of the Elves shoot an arrow into the air to hopefully get their attention so we can find out if there is any potential danger.”
“Alright Mathis, keep me informed,” Mykal said. Mykal and Towbar were a part of the last quarter of the trail of men. He couldn’t see twenty feet in front of him, let alone what the point men were doing. “So Towbar, do you have any regrets coming out here?” Mykal asked only to break their silence.
“No, my friend. I enjoy adventures,” the giant said with a smile. “This adventure has some great importance tied to it. I will do whatever I must to rescue Doninka.”
“I agree with you one hundred percent. Oh wow, look at that,” Mykal whispered and pointed to a flaming arrow shooting into the sky. He realized one of the Elves shot it into the air to get the attention of Lanorear. “Look at that,” Mykal added and pointed to the lone man sized bird breaking off from the formation and turn toward where the arrow flew skyward.
“It is good they can see from the sky,” Towbar said just as Roy Jr. and Randy came and sat beside them. “They would be able to alert us to threats that are nearby.”
“Hey Myk, do you know why we stopped?” Roy Jr. asked. “Is anything about to happen?”
“We’re not sure. We’re sitting tight for about ten minutes to see if Lanorear can give us any info.”
“It sure as hell seems like something is going on over there,” Randy said and pointed to the five flying Hawkmen. “Unless they’re just hunting another big animal to feast on.”
Vick and Benny joined them and while they waited for any information Mykal introduced the reporter team to a couple of the military personnel who waited with them. “Hey Roy, so far these are the only good media people I’ve come across,” Mykal joked and repeated some of what Vick had said earlier. Mykal knew Roy Jr. disliked and distrusted the media, but he didn’t want him to feel the same way about Vick Daring. At least until he did something to lose the little bit of trust and respect he earned with Mykal.
Mykal’s true anger toward the media surfaced after the way they treated his friend Boris following the Minot Air Force Base Massacre. Boris did wrong by murdering more than forty people. That in itself made the world hate him, and rightly so. But Mykal despised the fact that the media went out of their way to rip Boris apart and to stir up more hatred for him. Mykal always felt the media were trying to get the public to lynch Boris through the newsprint. When Boris was down the media continued to kick him and wouldn’t let up. It made it hard for Mykal because he couldn’t defend or help his pitiful friend, yet the media had an easy field day attacking a defenseless dupe.
“Hey Myk, hey Myk,” Mathis whispered. “Diaz is talking with Lanorear and it sounds like there is one hell of an army on that side of the river. They just wiped out a village or a town and they are pursuing those who escaped. The birdman said there are a lot of people fleeing from that direction and coming this way. Lanorear said we are greatly outnumbered and we should avoid them. Diaz just said, despite the fact we might be able to beat them back, we shouldn’t draw attention to ourselves, because if we don’t kill them all, they will be able to start chasing us down and Diaz said he doesn’t want to be on the run in the forest.”
“I agree,” Mykal said while they continued through the trees until they reached the edge of the river. “Man this is beautiful,” he said while taking in a deep breath. The watery scent was so reminiscent of his youth back home in Niagara Falls. The water seemed smooth but it was moving pretty quick. He followed the length of the river until his eyes met the large cloud of mist that rose high above the river exposing where the water crashed against the rocks below. “Man, this really is pretty out here,” he said again more to himself. He wasn’t sure if anyone was even listening to him.
“Hey Myk, Captain Diaz just said the Hawkmen are allies to the Big Zee’s soldiers so that will not draw attention with them being in the air,” Mathis added and pointed to the large Hawkmen circling through the sky.
“I kinda figured that,” Mykal said and watched them circle. Mykal looked at Mathis with a serious stare. “Those are some birds you don’t wanna be under when they start letting loose their bird droppings.”
“Yeah,” Mathis said after a brief pause. He finally realized Mykal to be joking. “You definitely don’t want to walk under them with your mouth open,” he added in an attempt to be humorous himself.
“Oh damn Myk, look,” Roy Jr. gasped and everyone fell prone and slowly backed away from the water’s lip to the nearest trees. “Over there Myk,” Roy Jr. pointed to an area about a hundred yards behind them on the other side of the river.
“Crud,” Mykal sighed when he saw several dozen soldiers had stepped out of the trees and neared the river edge. “Oh damn look,” Mykal gasped. He pointed to three people who just darted from the trees to the water almost directly across from them. The width of the river was between one hundred fifty and two hundred feet, but Mykal wasn’t sure of the depth of the water or how strong the current would be. It appeared to be a man and two women. The man wore something on his head which drew his attention. It was a hat of some kind, maybe even a crown. It was a large headdress of gold, red and purple. It remind
ed Mykal of deer antlers since the top had points.
“What the hell?” Randy asked quietly. “They ain’t gonna try to cross are they? They’ll be seen.”
“Not only that, but with that big ol’ thing on his head, he might as well be a deer wearing an orange safety vest,” Roy Jr. said with surprise. “Why didn’t he just ditch the fancy headgear?”
“Oh shit,” Mathis gasped when the man stepped into the river and dropped into chest deep water. “They ain’t gonna make it crossing there,” he said while the man turned and the two women helped pull him out.
“They better be careful,” Randy whispered. “They’re real close to being seen by that army back there.”
Mykal looked back and saw there were now many more soldiers who stepped out of the trees and stood at the water’s edge farther back.
“Yes Sir, we see them,” Mathis spoke into his radio hand set. “Roger Sir.”
“What’s going on?” Mykal asked.
“Diaz said not to put ourselves at risk by trying to help them. He said Lanorear explained the army is spread out all through that land over there. He believes the army is in hot pursuit and we won’t be able to rescue them.”
Mykal sighed and felt bad. He didn’t know anything about the three people, but he wanted to help them. He watched as one of the women whispered something to the man with the funny headdress and pointed down the beach to where the army was gathered. The army didn’t appear to have seen them yet. The man and the two women ran back into the trees so they wouldn’t be seen by the army that appeared to be searching for something. They were probably the object of their search. The three, the man with the fancy headdress and the two women clearly looked to be on the run.
“They are so screwed Myk,” Roy Jr. whispered. “There’s nothing we can do to help them?”
“Na,” Mykal said and shook his head with a sigh. “From what Lanorear has been telling Diaz their numbers are super large and if we try and don’t take them all out, we’ll be on the run.”