The bearded man stood and stretched. “Tomorrow… you’ll know tomorrow.” He pointed to Jesse, who was still leaning against his pack, asleep under the wet blanket. “You should get some sleep. That’s a key around here: sleep when you can. We have a lot to do in the morning.” The man took another sip of his tea and splashed the rest into the fire before returning his cup to the mantle. He shifted away from the fire, moving into the back of the room where Jacob watched him dig a bedroll from his pack.
Jacob stayed by the warmth of the fireplace. With his back to the mantle, he removed his wet T-shirt then lay down on the thick rug and stretched out on the surface to let the fire become his blanket. He closed his eyes but couldn’t sleep; too many thoughts and emotions clouded his brain. He wondered if Masterson would keep his word and inform Laura that he’d shipped out, then he wondered if maybe it was better that she didn’t know.
The door to the cabin opened, allowing another pair of armed men to enter. They passed inside, stomping their boots and stripping off wet gear. Jacob feigned sleep, not interested in more uncomfortable conversation. He watched the men move near James and arrange their own sleeping areas. The men spoke in hushed tones that Jacob listened to for a few minutes before dozing to sleep.
He was awakened by a kick at the bottom of his bare feet and caught his name before he opened his eyes. He tried to sit up, feeling the cold aches in his back and shoulders. Light now shone into the room through the heavy drapes, telling him it was morning. He squinted, trying to focus on the tall man standing over him. He wore the same dark camouflage as the others and looked at Jacob with a beaming smile. “Told ya I’d look after you, bro,” the man said.
Jacob’s face filled with recognition after catching Stephens’s grin looking down at him, and he tried to sit up.
“How come every time I see you you’re laying down, always on your lazy ass?” Stephens joked.
“Oh man, it’s so good to see you. I didn’t know what to think after last night. So you’re the one responsible for all of this?” Jacob said. He reached for his now dry shirt on the mantle and quickly pulled it on. He looked to the wall to find Jesse sitting on his pack, eating something from a large bowl. “What are you doing here?”
“Hell, this is my spot. You’re assigned to me now,” Stephens said, going to the fire and using a wooden spoon to stir at a deep, black, iron pot. He used the spoon and plopped a large scoop of the mixture into a bowl. He handed it off to Jacob then made one for himself before dropping to sit on the floor. Stephens took a large mouthful and swallowed before saying, “Get your gear together and meet me outside with your boy. We got a lot to do and not much time to do it. We're moving out today.”
“Moving where?” Jacob asked.
Stephens smiled. “We’re going back… taking the fight straight to these things.” Stephens took another gulping bite and climbed to his feet, throwing his bowl and spoon into a large basin. He turned back to Jacob. “Seriously, you need to get a move on. You’re with Recon now; we don’t drag ass, so hurry up.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Jacob stood on the front porch of the cabin with Jesse waiting eagerly close beside him. Both men huddled under the roof. They carried their duffle bags on their backs and were still without weapons. In the daylight, Jacob could see that the cabin sat deep in the woods, surrounded by tall trees, the muddy road the only access point. There were no neighbors in sight. Old wooden rocking chairs were on the porch and a fieldstone fire pit in the backyard. At one time, this must have been someone’s vacation retreat—a hunting spot or place for family gatherings.
The sky was heavily overcast and the rain continued to pour down, causing the ruts in the road to overflow with brown water. Rain ran off the shingles and dripped over the roof’s edge, creating deep puddles on the muddy path. The road at the bottom of the hill was now empty, the truck gone. The guard was also gone. Jacob exchanged glances with Jesse. “They said out front, right?”
Jesse shrugged his shoulders in response.
“Hey, Private Pyle! Over here!” a shout echoed across the yard, causing both men to turn their heads.
They saw a cedar-sided barn just inside the tree line. Its large sliding door was open to reveal men inside, nearly concealed by the shadows. Jacob stepped off quickly toward the barn with Jesse following close behind, stomping through the puddles. A solidly built, clean-shaven man with a staff sergeant’s rank on his chest moved out and met them just outside the door. He looked them up and down without speaking.
“Damn, you all look even worse in the daylight. I asked Masterson for replacements and he sends me this shit? Hell… good thing Stephens vouched for you, or I’d be sending you off to the labor camps.” The man shook his head and pointed to the barn. “Well? What are you waiting for? Get inside, cherries.”
They stepped out of the rain and through the door to find the other men grouped around stacks of wooden crates. A lean, confident-looking man with bulging arms stood close to the door. He turned and grinned at them as they entered. “Finally got us some fresh ones. Where the hell they find these two?”
“Boots–right outta training from that new camp they set up at Meaford. They’s pushin’ recruits through fast as the Deltas can kill ‘em,” Stephens said, stepping from the back so that he could be seen. He shot a wink at Jacob to let him know he was among friends.
The lean man with
