Dak To
The surgeon came out of the hospital tent wiping his hands on a paper towel.
As soon as Trautman saw him, he rose to his feet.
“Have you been waiting for me long?”
Trautman didn’t reply. He just stared into the surgeon's eyes without any kind of facial expression waiting to finally be told the truth.
So the doctor lowered his look hoping to avoid the colonel's eyes while he spoke.
“Jorgenson won't make it through the night” he said.
Trautman swallowed.
Jorgenson wasn’t just ‘anyone' to him.
For the colonel, Jorgenson was one of 'his own' men.
He’d trained him personally, and since he’d made it back from the battlefield alive, he’d imagined, albeit briefly, that he was going to live.
Being hopeful was foolish however, and a part of him had always known it.
“Rambo, Delmore and Danforth will make it. There may be aftermath with Rambo's arm though and I’ve got some serious doubts about the complete recovery of Danforth's eye as well. We’ll know more in a few days”
“That's all?” Trautman asked.
“Yes sir”
The colonel turned his heels and went back to the command.
Three dead and five injured out of sixteen men.
Overall, the mission had been successful and there were no doubts about that. If central command forced his teams to fight a few more conventional missions resembling the last one however, there wouldn’t be any experimental program for Trautman to bring forward much longer.
That night, Trautman had risked losing both his teams even before they’d actually done the kind of unconventional mission he had really created and trained them for.
Goddamn brass heads – he thought as he continued toward the base's command.
***
As Trautman opened the entrance door to the base, he saw Garner sitting on a chair waiting for him.
“Jorgenson?” he asked.
Trautman however merely shook his head without saying a word.
“Goddamn it” Garner replied, slamming his feet on the floor.
“I heard he was still alive”
“Not for long”
Garner looked up, took a deep breath and tilted his neck to one side, making it crack not unlike boxers do before starting a match.
Finally, he said:
“He’s got a little girl if I remember well”
Trautman nodded. Garner then lowered his thoughtful eyes.
“And how are Rambo, Delmore and Dan forth doing?”
“They will all be K.O. for a few months. As for long-term consequences, Rambo might have permanent arm damage and Dan forth may lose an eye. We’ve got to wait for them both”
“Jesus. We’ll have to join the two Baker teams”
“That’s probable”
They were both silent for a minute.
“I don't know what to say Trautman”
“You probably shouldn’t say anything then”
Garner reflected for a while.
Then Trautman said:
“I’d say that’s it Garner. Now let's go and officially close this fucking operation down once and for all”