Semper Fidelis Read Online Free

slammed into the car in the lot behind him. Just as ZJR pulled onto the main road and disappeared.
     
    * * * *
     
    Zach heard a heavy thud and looked around for what sounded like a car accident, but didn’t see anything. He shrugged and pulled out into the street. He drove toward the 210, the dulcet voice of his traffic app letting him know there was already a backup and she was rerouting him. But his drive was going to take him forty-five minutes, regardless of which way he took. So why did he need to go home at all?
    He hit the button on his phone for voice dialing. “Call Linc.”
    While the other end of the line rang, Zach pulled into a gas station and waited for an open pump. The call went to Linc’s voicemail—‘ Don’t you fucking dare leave a message’ —and Zach hung up. He was just about to text Linc when a Waze notification popped up. Every message he’d ever gotten was from the app developers, usually talking about updates and improvements, but he hated seeing those obnoxious red bubbles and had to clear them away for his own sanity.
    Zach tapped the app open and went to his inbox that had a little red ‘1’ in the corner. When he opened his inbox, though, this time the username wasn’t one he recognized. It was a message from another Waze user named Galen who had a ninja avatar with a rainbow mask.
     
    Galen: Did you know that Captain America can use Thor’s hammer?
     
    Zach chuckled. What the hell was this?
    His cell pinged with another notification and another message appeared.
     
    Galen: You’re blown away by my intimate knowledge of Steve Rogers, no?
     
    This time Zach laughed out loud. Now he was really intrigued and had to reply.
     
    ZJR: I didn’t know I could get messages from other users through here.
    Galen: Oh yeah, I’m a totally advanced Waze doer person.
    ZJR: Think we’re called Wazers.
    Galen: That’s so basic. I prefer Waze doer. Like evildoer but for completely distracted driving in heavy dangerous traffic.
    ZJR: You’re not driving while you type are you?
    Galen: Are you?
    ZJR: Can’t you see me on the map? Figure that’s the only way to message someone.
    Galen: Saw your kickass avatar when I was in the Synthfad parking lot.
    Galen: Okay, that totally sounded like a stalker.
    ZJR: Think that saying you sound like a stalker is classic stalker as well.
    Galen: Dammit.
    ZJR: That was awkward.
    Galen: I’m on temporary assignment at Synthfad, by the way. So at least you know I had to pass a government security clearance.
    ZJR: Bit less awkward.
    Galen: Soooo ZJR like RDJ?
    ZJR: Those initials aren’t remotely the same.
    Galen: Zeffer James Reading? Zola Jean Rafferty?
    ZJR: Just Zach.
    Galen: Hey Just Zach, I’m Just Galen.
    ZJR: Figured from the username.
    Galen: What do you do?
    ZJR: I’m an aerospace engineer. Work on propulsion systems.
    Galen: …… You’re a rocket scientist.
     
    Zach laughed.
     
    ZJR: Yes. A genuine rocket scientist. You?
    Galen: Marine.
    ZJR: Working with Synthfad on the IEDs. Cool.
    Galen: I don’t know what ultra-classified project you’re talking about ;)
     
    The IED identification project wasn’t ultra-classified, but at least this guy had a sense of humor, unlike many of the Marines Zach had met. He was trying to figure out what to type back to Galen, if anything, when another message came through.
     
    Galen: I’m going to add you as a friend on here since we share part of our commute. Talk to you later, ZJR not RDJ Just Zach.
    ZJR: Later, Just Galen.
     
    With that exchange, he shut off Waze. He wasn’t sure what had just happened—a friendly greeting or a pickup. Galen hadn’t asked him to meet. He hadn’t pushed any kind of agenda besides starting up a conversation because of something they had in common. There was something reassuring about that since Zach hated trying to guess what other people were thinking. This type of communication was removed, far safer than face-to-face. Zach found himself thinking about that