Linda nodded. It was true. She'd even checked on Brutus personally, and had to fight back an emotional urge to do more than just listen to the muffled sound of his snoring through the door. It was almost, she hated to admit to herself, cute.
"So he's squaring himself away. We just need to put him in a position where he has to not only be second banana, but accept that position and rearrange his internal thinking on the matter at hand." Parker tapped his chin with a forefinger. "Okay. Well, effort-wise, he's getting passing marks and I'll tell the CO that. But tomorrow's going to be a big test for you all. Sergeant's Time, which means I'm going to be missing out on everything while you two run the show. Sergeant Lincoln's going to be getting the final touches ready for our field exercise on Friday. What's your plan?"
"You and I were thinking similar things, sir," Orkin said. "So we're going to do some old-fashioned soldiering for the platoon. Range Eighteen, you know it?"
"The FBI training area?" Parker asked. "Yeah, of course. You requested it?"
"We're going to go Fortnite the fuck outta the place, sir," Linda explained with a grim little smile. "Fire team against fire team, using simunitions. While I'd like my team to win at least a couple of rounds, I'm expecting Brutus to get shot in the ass at least once."
Parker laughed, nodding. "Good plan... and I have to confess, I'm a bit jealous. While you two get to do some real training, I'm going to be spending from oh-seven to ten-hundred hours meeting with the other officers in the battalion as we all get briefed up on the upcoming Combined Federal Campaign charity drive."
Parker left, and Linda looked at Orkin. "So, what about Brutus?"
"Look, let me take your fire team over this afternoon. Have you run Brutus through a firearms familiarization class yet?"
"Not yet, but I didn't think we'd need much," Linda said. "Half hour at the range tomorrow to make sure he doesn't shoot himself in the balls and that's it. More time for hooah soldier shit."
"Nope, let's do this by the book," Orkin said. "We keep him safe, and that means he knows the guts of an M4. So dust off the old classroom training mat, get him down in the armory, and go over the weapon with him this afternoon."
"Will do," Linda said reluctantly.
It wasn't that the class would be difficult. She could break down, clean, and rebuild an M4 in her sleep, and could walk a blind man through familiarization with the weapon.
But the armory was the most isolated area of the Charlie Company offices, in the basement next to the supply cage where nobody went unless they either had to get something or were fucking off, trying to avoid work. But since the company was doing almost exclusively group training activities today, there were no chances to disappear for slacking off.
Which meant she'd be alone with Brutus.
And what she hadn't told Orkin, or Lieutenant Parker, or anyone yet... was that part of what worried her about Brutus's personality was that she found herself tempted to give in and listen to him too.
A very primal side of her liked the idea of Brutus Townsend taking charge. More than once last night, she'd had idle thoughts about the sight of him shirtless, those rippling muscles and powerful hands on her skin, those searing blue eyes looking into hers as he told her exactly what to do... on her knees.
And in her idle thoughts, she could see herself obeying those commands.
Which could be very, very dangerous for her career.
8
BRUTUS
"This is your M4A1," Castellanos said, setting the rifle on the table. "You'll get to know it pretty well."
Brutus reached out and touched the compact weapon. "Looks different from what I've seen in movies."
"The real thing usually is," Castellanos said. "This is what we'll be using for all the rest of your training. You'll learn how to operate it, field strip it, clean it put it back together."
Brutus's stomach roiled suddenly and he turned his head, burping loudly and painfully. Castellanos stopped. "Damn! You okay?"
Brutus nodded, rubbing his stomach. "Ugh... that chili mac n' cheese for lunch was rough as hell," he said. "I don't handle spicy food very well, but that was the only protein other than milk available. I think next time, I'll just go with a double protein shake instead. Damn."
Castellanos chuckled, and reached into her pocket. "Here. I hate spicy food myself, and keep some antacids on me all the time."
Brutus took two of the tablets and chewed them up, savoring the chalky flavor. "Thanks. No spice for you too?"
Castellanos nodded. "People assume once they hear my name that I always want spicy food. But Puerto Rican food isn't spicy by nature. Still, people hear Castellanos and assume I'm Mexican or something. Hell, even Mexican food isn't always spicy." She took a deep breath, and blew a lock of hair out of her face. He could tell she had more to say on the subject, but was trying to focus on her job at hand. "Anyway, back to the M4. You're going to learn how to operate it because we will be carrying rounds during the exercise."
"We will?" Brutus asked, surprised. "You people trust me with ammunition?"
"Actually, we'll be using Simunition."
