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“Captain Logan, is there a problem?”
Mitchell called out from nearby, and Jake hesitated for a brief second before taking a deep breath.
Logan had Mitchell doing his dirty work, and while Logan might make him run laps in the heat, Mitchell wasn’t so kind – he would put him front and center on recon missions, mock him in front of the other soldiers, or simply get in his face to make sure he understood that Mitchell was the boss of his team.
“Pixie dust, huh?” Logan said quietly. “Where exactly do I keep my magic wand, Ortega?”
“Shoved up your…” Jake began – and felt hands seize him, throwing him up against a nearby wall as he looked at Mitchell’s cold expression.
“You better think carefully before you utter another word,” Mitchell said evenly. “And it better rhyme with ‘I Apologize, Sir’…
“Mitchell, it’s fine.”
“No, sir. Begging your pardon, but I will not tolerate disrespect or insubordination.”
“Everyone is entitled to share their opinion when they are off-duty,” Logan said simply and looked at him. “Youareoff-duty, correct?”
Jake didn’t say a word because he knew either way, his silence would neither save nor condemn him. It didn’t matter because it was already decided by the person addressing him. Instead of Logan questioning him again, the man walked forward and looked at him silently.
“I’m going to give you a little tip on life, Ortega,” Logan said menacingly as Mitchell held him in place still. Jake didn’t look away from those steely gray eyes that held zero emotion. “If you act like a petulant child demanding things because you want it to be ‘fair’ – then you never get anywhere in this life. Grow up, realize that you aren’t entitled to anything, and quit being a hothead with a chip on your shoulder,” Logan paused. “You don’t have an email address yet because no one deserves your attitude – so perhaps when you learn to be humble, have a little karma rammed up your own…”
“Captain,” Mitchell interrupted, grinning.
“Ahem,” Logan cleared his throat and straightened his jacket. “When you learn how to be a friend, a member of the team, willing to be a part of something more and learn a little humility – then perhaps you would be ready to be a pen pal to a very lonely person who deserves a chance at happiness. Until then, your request has been noted, Ortega.”
The two men looked at each other silently for a moment.
“I apologize, sir,” Jake said quietly.
“Thank you, apology accepted,” Logan replied and stepped back, looking at Mitchell who released him. Jake straightened his uniform and adjusted his shoulders before taking a deep breath.
“Now, for abandoning your post because Iknowyou are actually on duty,” Logan began evenly. “I want thirty laps, starting now. Mitchell, make sure your team knows that you do not abandon your post – ever.”
“Yes, sir.”
Jake saluted, turned, and began to jog; each step leaving an acidic taste in his mouth.
He knew better than to say anything else.
* * *
A week later, Captain Logan walked into the barracks… and Jake froze. He was lounging on his bunk, his T-shirt untucked, and his boots were flopped over on the footlocker at the end of his bed instead of being tucked neatly under his bunk.
After finding a scorpion in his boot last week the hard way – he preferred to keep them off the ground, if at all possible. Inspection was the only time that he was voluntarily putting them there now.
Jake slowly half-way listened as he moved to tuck in his T-shirt, hoping that Logan didn’t notice. He couldn’t hide his boots, but he could make sure he was as close as possible to being in uniform. Selkirk said something, causing a ripple of laughter and a few strange looks. Jake realized that he’d missed something.
Captain Logan stood up to leave the room, laying down five slips of paper on the table closest to where Peña’s bunk was located. The dark-haired man was already zeroing in on them… along with every other man in the room.
The second the captain walked out – it was chaos.
Peña jumped over, grabbing one paper and handing another to Talbot, who was literally walking across the bunks to get to the other man’s side. Collins looked at him – and so did Pendergrass – before all three dove for the main aisle between the bunks. Collins shoved him and grunted as Pendergrass elbowed him, only for Jake to take an elbow to the jaw as they were shoving at each other fervently, trying to get past them and stared as Keyes literally appeared between his legs, lurching forward. Talbot shoved one of the papers into Keyes’ hand the moment he stood up.
All five papers were gone.
Several muttered curses were heard under the breaths of a few men who didn’t get a pen pal. Collins didn’t hold back in the slightest. He held up both hands, giving them all the middle finger before Pendergrass cursed hotly enough to make the devil blush.
“Man, you guys suck,” Jake snapped, frustrated and angry that this ‘gang’ of friends stuck up for each other – and yet once more, he was the odd man out.
