Bishop's Song Read Online Free

example hopefully taught with sham weapons now, rather than driven home with dead bodies later.
    Besides, they had all been in the students’ shoes. They all remembered what the men around them were feeling. It was necessary pain.
    The troopers gathered in front of Nick looked sullen and beat. Many were covered with welts and splotches of color, the direct result of stinging paintballs. Others were coated in white, dusty powder – the residue of improvised flash-bang bombs constructed with extra chalk dust for effect. None of the victims looked very happy, a few were downright pissed.
    Bishop lingered at the back of the group, showing Nick the respect of listening intently to instructions he had learned so many years ago. He had joined the class to get back in shape after the months-long convalescence required when he encountered a 9mm bullet and spent several hours on the operating table. Still, he worried about the trainees… worried that today’s experience would pale to what they might face in the future.
    While he listened to Nick reiterate the importance of awareness in the field, Bishop took a quick mental inventory of his performance and how his body was reacting. His legs seemed to ache more than normal, but other than that, he felt like his old self, at least physically. It was a good thing, with the storm clouds of war gathering on the horizon, and every man might be drawn into the looming conflict.
    It was his mental outlook that was troubling. While he believed strongly in the cause, the thought of a large-scale conflict knotted his stomach. Had he lost his nerve? The thought was interrupted by the squawk of the radio on his shoulder.
    “Bishop? Bishop? This is Diana. Do you read me?”
    “Loud and clear, Diana. What’s up?”
    “It’s time, Bishop. You better head back to town. I think Terri is going into labor.”
    It took the expectant father a moment to digest the news. He looked up to see everyone around him had paused, smiles plastered on their dirty faces. Shrugging with unfelt calm, Bishop pushed the talk button. “Okay, I’m on my way. Tell her not to get started without me.”
    Before anyone in the class could say a word, Bishop threw down his pack and paintball gun and then was running back down the mountain at full speed.
    “It’s his first one,” noted Nick, address ing the now-chuckling circle of men.

     
    It seemed like Bishop would never cover the three miles back to town, thoughts of Terri giving birth before he could return adding to his negative perception of what seemed like an ever-increasing distance.
    After an initial burst of speed, he had to slow his pace. Despite countless hours of exercise and conditioning, he still wasn’t up for such a sprint and eventually settled into a reasonable stride. While he ran, Terri’s words that morning helped reduce his stress.
    “I want you to go to the class, Bishop,” she had stated without hesitation. “You’re so sweet waiting on me hand and foot, but quite frankly I just want to sleep for a while and relax. Go play warrior games with your friends. I’ll be just fine.”
    “But Terri, you’re due any time now,” he’d protested. “I feel like I need to be here.”
    She had hugged him close - well, as close as she could with her huge baby bump. “I want you to go. You’re doting me to death, and besides Diana and I have a bunch of work to do this morning. We’re running a government, ya know.”
    “I thought you wanted to sleep?”
    Sighing, she’d stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “I do want a nap, but later. I’ve got to work a little. Go. Shoot. Blow the hell out of something or whatever the guys do. Recharge that wonderful testosterone. I’ll not have a wimpy man about the house.”
    As he approached Alpha, signs of a growing civilization began to appear. A newly launched logging operation was felling pines in the distance, the humming of saws and other equipment interrupting the calm mountain morning.