Compensation

Well, I felt a little fear in the pit of my stomach when he said those things. If you've never had a Command Sergeant Major pissed at you then you probably don't know the feeling but if you have, you know how I felt. My asshole puckered up some I want you to know. He looked me in the eyes and it was all I could do to look back at him like a man should. Finally, he said, "I have a couple of friends I want you to go see."

He leaned back in his chair and put his feet on his desk then smiled. He looked at his watch and then smiled even bigger before he said, "You just have time to make it. I told them I'd have you there by 1400. Go to the Central Issue office and ask for Master Sergeant (MSG) Majors. He has something he wants you to do."

Well, I figured I was in for it but what could I do? the CSM gave me an order so off I went. When I got there I knocked on the office door and entered when told to. There was an old MSG sitting behind a desk staring at me. His skin was tanned as it could be and leathery like if he spent all his time outside. He just looked at me and didn't say nothin'. There was a man mountain sitting in a chair beside the desk watching me too. Man, he would make two or three of me and there weren't none of it fat. That man was just plain big and his muscles had muscles. He was wearing Sergeant First Class (SFC) stripes and was blacker than the inside of a dark cave. He gave me the once over, then looked at me again before he turned to the MSG and said, "Kid don't look too bad even if he is just a leg. He's got some muscle already. Let's talk to him for a while then if it seems like he'll do we'll run him through his paces to see if he has what it takes. If he can hack it, I say do it."

Well, I really didn't know then what was coming but I wasn't sure I wanted to find out. I didn't have much choice though so I just stood there like a good Sergeant waiting for them to tell me what was happening.

Well, they asked me about my job and why I didn't run around with the other Sergeants and why I was spending most of my free time exercising and learning how to infiltrate and kill people quietly. I knew then I'd messed up and committed the most serious mistake of a clandestine planner (see I told ya I knew those big words and how to talk). I'd failed in my operations security (opsec). I looked at the two green beanies and felt my innards turn to mush then said, "Well Sergeant, I figured since I was a Sergeant now, I needed to know a lotta stuff so I can train my squad, ya know? Since my Jenny died I don't have much else to do so I'm bettering myself."

Those two mean looking bastards looked at me and almost died from laughing then MSG Majors said, "Relax, Kid. I think we know what you're doing it for. You made one mistake though. You do your training too much in plain sight. Now, if something was to happen, say to some drug running assholes in town who do you think they would come to see first? You have to stop being so outspoken about those slimeballs and you need to do your training out of sight. You need to tell those has been rangers you've worked your anger off and don't want to run around with them any longer. Do I make myself clear here son?"

Well crap. There goes that idea, I thought. I knew the CSM and these two would have their eyes on me all the time now so I said, "Yes Master Sergeant. You make yourself very clear. Is that all Master Sergeant?"

"No Sergeant, that is not all. From now until further notice, you are to report here, to us, every evening at knock off. We have some things for you to do. I expect those things will take up most of your weekends also. Is there going to be a problem with that Sergeant?"

Well, all I could say was no, no problem. Hell, seemed like I had been given some extra duty to straighten me up but I was a soldier at least until my time was up so I had it to do. The MSG told me, "We'll see you here tomorrow. Dismissed."

I went straight to the field house and met my buds. They weren't very happy when I told them the CSM was onto us and I had been ordered to quit what we were doing. In fact, one of the group got in my face and said, "You idiot. Who did you tell what we were doing? Now the CSM is gonna be watching us like a hawk. You damn Leg Hillbilly's are all alike. Can't pour piss outta your boot with the instructions written on the sole. Fuck. Come on men. Let's get outta here before we really get into trouble."

(For those who don't know, a Leg is an infantryman who isn't jump qualified)

Well, the next evening I reported to the MSG like I was told to. He and SFC Jones were waiting on me with a Hummer. I was told, "Get in and keep your mouth shut." As soon as I was in the Hummer it took off and headed out into the boonies. After about fifteen minutes we stopped in one of the training areas and MSG Majors threw a bag at me and said, "Get out and put these on. Meet us over there." He pointed at a small storage building then they walked to it and stood glaring at me as I removed my ACU's (Army Combat Uniform) and got into something that might have been an ACU at some time in ancient times. To my surprise, they fit.

I won't go into the whole time I spent with those two Green Beanies but, let me tell you, what those Rangers were teaching me looked like preparation for some 5 year olds tea party compared to what I learned from those two men. That first day nearly killed me. We ran ten miles then did exercises for almost an hour. We did the same thing every day for the next two weeks before they began teaching me all sorts of nasty things. Not one time did either of those two look like they were even feeling the strain of what they put me through. Those were two damn tough men. I don't care if the MSG was missing part of his leg or SFC Jones only had his index finger and thumb on his left hand. They flat outdid me every way it is possible to measure.

After we began the training MSG Majors gave me some of his books to study from at night. Then we actually went on maneuvers with some of the other units on post. I don't know how he and the CSM cleared it with my boss but one day he called me into his office and said I was going to be on special detail off and on for the CSM and he'd tell me when and where to report.

After almost three months MSG Majors, SFC Jones and I were resting and having a beer one evening after we got back to the cantonment area when MSG Majors said, "I think you'll do son. We've been pretty hard on you and you didn't slack off once. You ever think about going into the Berets? You learn how to talk and learn a language and you'd do right well. Think about it. I know how you feel though. My brother's wife got killed and he went off half cocked, killed the bastard who did it but he wasn't careful. He's still in prison for it. I asked him one time if it was worth it and he said he felt better and the asshole wouldn't ever kill anyone else but he wished he had been more careful on how he got his revenge. We've taught you how to do it and how to be careful. All you have to do is remember what we've taught you and use your head. Maybe you'll be lucky and pull it off. Maybe not. At least you have a chance and anyone who kills an innocent person and deals those drugs deserves to die."

I started to open up and deny I had any intentions of doing something like that but the MSG raised his hand and continued, "Now, don't tell me any lies. The CSM and us have already got the intelligence on you. We know what you're planning and we know we can't stop you. We just hope we've helped some. I don't think you'll see us again but we'll keep our eyes on you. Don't even think about doing something that will reflect badly on the Army son. We wouldn't like that. We hear you've made plans to get out. You wait on that. You keep on doing what we've been doing here and you'll be fine."

MSG Majors pushed a box at me and continued, "Now, here is some stuff we found laying around post that might help some. Don't you dare get caught with it but if you do, you damn sure better never let on where it came from. You tell them you light fingered it or something ya hear? You come out here from time to time and look over there and see if something fell off a truck or something. You might find something from time to time."

Well, over the next several weeks, I had some of the fellers light finger some special stuff when we did training and I also found a few pretty nice surprises where the MSG told me to look. Not sayin' no more, ya know? They just fudged a bit 'bout how much stuff they used in their trainin' an ratholed the extry fer me. Do you know how big a bang a little dab of C4 makes? After each field training exercise, I would collect the underutilized gov'ment assets and redistribute them as we say. Then I would take off on my runs evenings and when no one was watching I'd make for a place I knew to stash it.

Ever so often I'd take my stash off base and put it somewhere else. Hell, no one ever checks a car or truck leavin' post ya know? I began spendin' lotsa time in town messin' 'round. City fellers n officers woulda told ya I wuz gatherin' intelligence. Me, I just thought of it as nosin' 'round. Surprisin' what a feller can learn if people just think he's just an ole drunk throwin' his money 'round.

One night 'bout five months after they took Jenny from me I follered one of those assholes outta tha bar he was workin'. Dude had sold a buncha stuff that night. I'd followed him and watched him all night. He had three bars he worked and I followed him outta tha last one at closin' time. Asshole took off like he owned tha street and had nothin' at all to worry 'bout.

I got sorta worried when we got deeper and deeper into the barrio. He was almost to tha river before he stopped at a ratty old house. He pulled into a yard looked worse than the ones back home and almost marched up to the house. Fancy dressed dude with a shiny nice car lived in a shack jus' like we did back home. I just kept drivin' by and he stopped to watch me but I never stopped. Hell, I almost looked like I belonged there. My ole truck was as ratty as most of 'em sittin' in tha yards thereabouts and I'd been outside with those two mean ole bastards so much I was tan and leathery just like one of those Mexicans. I even had dark black hair like they did. Only problem was my hair was cut shorter than theirs was.

Well, anyway, I took off 'round tha corner and killed my lights then coasted to a stop. I was outta the truck and hoofin' it back to his house almost 'fore he got inside. I moved like a ghost, ya know? 'Tween what I learned back home huntin' and what those ex Green Beanies taught me I WAS the night. I was dressed all in black and I wore rubber gloves and had a mask on. One of those rubber ones that was skin tight almost. Sure was hot!

Well, I looked in ever window I could and all I saw was the asshole and his woman. They was talkin' pretty loud but I didn't know fer sure what they was sayin', speaking mex like they was. He seemed pretty pissed 'bout somthin' and hit her. She screamed and fell down he hit her so hard. Pretty soon a coupla kids came outta the other room crying. That woman, she got up from the floor and rushed to them and hugged 'em then pushed ''em back inta tha bedroom I guess. She was crying too. Asshole walked into the kitchen and got a beer. He sat on the couch and put his nights collections on a little table in front of it then made a phone call. He just sat there drinking his beer and ever so often, when he heard a car, he looked toward the door.

Well, I don't know what I was thinking about but I went back around the house and I come in the back door and light footed it up to him. Hand 'round his head and over his mouth. Pull the head back and one slice then push. I went through his pockets right quick, then just grabbed the pile of cash on that little table and took off out the back door I came in through. He still had a buncha drugs but I didn't take them. I was outta the door without a sound before his woman had tha kids down again. One down.

I drove outta town and hid my mask and dark clothes then headed back to the post. When I got back to my barracks I went straight to my room. After I cleaned up I counted the wad of cash I brought home from the asshole's shack. DAMN. I grabbed over $7,000 from that table and his pockets. I knew that was just a drop in the bucket for those clowns but it sure was a wad for me; more than I normally made in two month's with the army. I kept on doin' my job and puttin' in my time. I kept goin' back ta town and watchin those fellers too. So far the damn cops hadn't found anyone to lock up for takin' my Jenny. I'm not surprised. I'm not even too sure they was tryin' too damn hard.

Well, the day finally come and I was mustered outta the Army. I sure was gonna miss it and 'specially the three squares and the pay but I had things to do. Before Jenny got killed we was gonna stay in but now I had to avenge my Jenny so I got out. There's lotsa places to camp around El Paso and some of them're even legal. I made use of those places while I followed those assholes. I changed campsites every two or three days just to be safe.

Over the next two months, I took a couple more out whenever I needed more money. I was careful to do the jobs differently each time and didn't take too many because I really didn't want the small fry. I wanted the big one that was there when my Jenny was killed. I started following the cars when they picked up the nights receipts from the pushers. It didn't take too long to find the distribution center. There sure was a lot of muscle 'round there and they looked rough.

You sure could tell who was in charge though. Coupla banty roosters came struttin' in and the rif raf parted like water. I watched that place for a whole week off and on, mostly on. Ever night 'bout 0400 a van came and they loaded a coupla big suitcases inside. Later 'nother one came and they carried boxes and bags inside again. Late in the afternoon pushers would come and pick up their nights inventory I guess. Then it all started over again.

I followed the van with the cases it loaded from there. It went to three more houses then took off for the industrial district. As soon as it got there a door in a warehouse opened and it drove inside. There were all kinds of Mexicans walkin' 'round tha building and I saw a bunch inside too. They had some offices inside all lit up with suits in them.

I took 'nother two weeks scopin' out tha warehouse. Best I could tell there was six guys outside all the time. I guessed there was 'bout a dozen inside. Some nights there was a few just hanging 'round, comin' n goin'. Their outside guards were good but ever so often one of them would be just a little off, not payin' attention like he should. I could get up to the building but I couldn't find a way to see inside and I didn't want to go through a door without knowing what was going on inside if I could help it. I did find a spot I could hide that allowed me to see inside when they opened the big doors to let vehicles in and out. Problem was I didn't get to see the inside for long at a time. I got me one of those digital cameras and took pictures every time the door was opened so I had sort of a record of the inside and goin's on.

Finally I gave up trying to see inside any more. I decided It was time to get into the building one way or another. I waited for the darkest night I could find, cloudy and no moon. I waited until the money van picked up the last house and we had a little fender bender at a corner. Well two of them mexes came chargin outta that van and began yellin at me. I just lifted my hand and let 'em have it. I gave each of 'em a double tap in the head then went to my truck for some plastic. I put it in the van and threw the dead driver on it. I put more plastic down on the passenger seat and leaned the one ridin' up there so it looked like he was doing his job. After I had the meat back in the van I drove to the warehouse pretty as ya please.

Hell, this night went just like the others had. The guards saw a van they recognized and one of the yard men just opened the door for me and I drove right in. Piece of cake. I drove in real slow and looked around all I could. There was a bunch of dudes 'round some tables inside an office counting money. There was a bunch more in another office drinking and watchin' a TV. One office had two dandies sittin' doin' I don't know what and there was three guards scattered about. It was almost exactly like every other night I managed to see inside.

Well, I had it to do. I really didn't expect to get outta this one alive but I had to avenge my Jenny, ya know? I promised ta take care of her and I didn't. Now someone has to pay. I don't have nothin' much to live for now anyways. Well, I came outta that van and quick as scat I dumped a frag grenade into each of those offices then pulled my pistol and began hunting those guards. I had three more grenades left and a buncha pistol rounds if I got to use them. I hadn't found a need for the little dab of C4 my buds managed to nick for me but I had it and some caps if the need arose.

Before I could hardly move the grenades began going off. Damn those things are loud! There was pieces of metal and wood flying and people screaming. Hell, over there. Bastard's shootin' at me. That fixed him. Shit, two of 'em are holed up behind that van. Pull a pin and lob a grenade under the van. Hell, I didn't know vans could fly 'though it didn't fly far. Those two aren't interested in botherin' me no more.

I moved toward the office with the TV. Coupla those assholes was still breathin' but a quick shot or two stopped that. Now to the office with Mr. Big. Well, he's not saying anything anymore. I moved to the countin' room. Jesus! Look at all that money! I sure would like to have it but with all that blood on it and all I guess not. Some of it is singed a mite too. I did grab a couple bags that still had money in them and some of the piled cash that wasn't in too bad a shape. I took off for the van I drove in with my cases of cash. As I got to it a couple of the guards from outside came in the door shooting. I took care of them quick as I could and jumped into the van.

Fuck, I gotta get outta here. I backed the van around so I could drive out of the building and took off. A couple of the outside guards came around the corner when I came out of the building and began shooting at me. I let fly through the window and they ducked back so I floored it and got the hell outta Dodge. Just as I turned into the road I heard siren's getting closer. I ducked into another warehouse complex, turned my lights off, and hid behind the building. Soon as the fire trucks and cop cars passed I drove back onto the street and took off with no lights.

I finally got back to my old truck and stopped the van in the middle of the street where it was when I took it. I put the assholes back where they fell when I offed them and loaded the bags into my truck. I rolled the bloody plastic up so it wouldn't leak and put it in my truck bed then took off for my camp site.

I got back to my camp spot just as dawn was breaking. Man I was bushed. I felt as tired as I did in the box after a fire fight. 'Course I guess that's what I just had so it made sense. I grabbed the bloody plastic and threw it on my fire to burn the evidence. While the plastic was burning I pulled one of the cases out of the truck and opened it. Damn, it's full of money of all kinds from ones up to $100's, all banded together with a name inside each bundle. Damn, there's thousands in this case. It'll take me forever to count it and I don't have time now and I have five of the cases.

I hung around town for a few more days watching and reading the news. The cops made a huge drug bust according to the news. They say they found a drug distribution center and bank in the industrial sector when they responded to what they thought was a gang war. They found over three million dollars and an untold amount of drugs as well as 15 dead men when they responded to a 911 call. The reporter went on to say this was the same gang that had been accused of killing the wife of a young soldier from Ft. Bliss. They did a little talk about Jenny before they moved on to other news. I wasn't sure I liked that. If I missed anyone they might decide to check up on me for this shit.