The Severance Read Online Free Page A

talk like that,” the soldier remarked.
    “Yeah, well, that sucks for you,” Bena said.
    Jake fumed as he walked to the head of the formation. Fortune had never smiled upon Big Joe. The gentle giant hadn’t always been Jake’s soldier. He’d previously been assigned to another battalion in the rugged Logar province with a young platoon leader fresh out of West Point, when his vehicle had been struck by an improvised explosive device. Everyone, including Jake, had heard the whole story. How Joe had refused to shoot the wounded platoon leader as several Taliban approached, even as his officer had begged Joe to kill him. While the officer wept in fear of being tortured and killed, Joe had found a weapon and fought off the enemy. It was only by luck that Joe and the lieutenant were rescued by a CH-47 transport helicopter that just happened to be passing through the area. But later, when Joe told the truth about his part in the battle, he was branded a liar by the brass. Jake looked back at where Joe stood patiently in line. Joe had tried to play fair, but got nowhere. Conversely, when the lieutenant lied about what had actually happened during the battle, claiming he had been in command throughout, he was awarded a Bronze Star for gallantry under fire. Joe, present at the award ceremony, lost his cool and attacked the officer. This bought him an express flight back to Afghanistan and an assignment to the Kodiak platoon.
    “You’re such a sweetie,” McBride said, as Jake walked up to him at the head of the formation.
    “If you think you can smooth talk your way past second base, forget it. You’re going to have to buy me dinner first,” Jake said hoarsely.
    “Well, I do have reservations at the chow hall,” McBride said.
    “That works for me,” Jake replied. He noticed that LT Hunley was staring at him. He obviously wanted to talk, but couldn’t work up the nerve. If Jake hadn’t known better, he would have said Hunley was about 14 years old.
    “How long you been in the Army, Lieutenant?” Jake asked.
    “Seven months. How long have you been in the Army, Sir?” Hunley asked.
    “Four years,” Jake shot back. The younger officer appeared shocked at his answer. Officers with four years of service didn’t normally still lead platoons. Some of them commanded companies or held higher-level staff positions. Jake could read the confusion in Hunley’s eyes and chuckled.
    “My career has hit a few bumps,” he said.
    “Do you mind if I ask what bumps?” the lieutenant asked, sounding slightly bolder.
    “I absolutely do mind,” Jake said curtly. McBride rolled his eyes and turned back toward Bena, who was holding his radio handmic in one hand. Bena made eye contact with McBride and indicated with his free hand that the birds were two minutes out.
    “Two minutes, Sir,” McBride said to Jake, ending his awkward conversation with LT Hunley.
    In the distance, Jake could hear the sounds of rotor blades spinning. Like the soldiers in his platoon, Jake had sins that he carried around in his heart. He was going to leave those sins in the cold Afghan mountains and never look back, or at least that’s what he hoped. It felt good to hope. Jake smiled. For him, this was the end of the war.

Jake hated heights and could barely tolerate flying in military aircraft. So, according to the indecipherable logic of the Army, he was a perfect candidate for the 101st Airborne Division. What better officer for the “World’s Only Air Assault Division” than one who got airsick just looking at a Chinook?
    Fortunately, even with a stop at Sabari District Center to drop off LT Hunley’s platoon, the flight back to Forward Operating Base Salerno took only about 22
    minutes. Upon touchdown, Jake was greeted by a truck and a soldier with orders to escort him to the Battalion Tactical Operation Center. As a rule, if anything big happened out in sector, the officer in charge of the chaos got an earful of either praise or disdain right