Read Grendels for Free Online

open but catch some sleep.”
    Sanders watches each of the platoon icons flash to green indicating they understand. 
    “You first sir, I’ll take first watch.”
    “Thanks Davis.  Wake me if anybody stars.”
    “Of course.”

5
    “Alright, package in atmo,” Sanders announces across all channels.
    “Twenty minutes until touch down,” Davis says scooting down lower in his hole, rubbing up against Sanders.
    On the screen as if on cue green circles all around the perimeter explode into swirling stars some flashing to red.  “Here we go, you ready for this?” to Davis only.
    “When am I not ready boss?”
    “Davis, you are always the one guy I am actually worried isn’t paying attention the moment before a firefight lights off.”
    “I’m usually surprised when it lights off.  How do you always know in advance to worry when I am not even paying attention?”
    “Look Davis your sarcasm isn’t funny.”
    “You’re right, it’s hilarious.”
    Sanders cuffs Davis before getting back on the sights.
    Picking targets with the sniper rifle provides unique challenges because the rifle fires a thirty millimeter round.  Hitting targets too close to friendly forces leads to collateral damage.
    Sanders squeezes the trigger three times focusing on the hotspots on the battlefield.  Davis beside him cycles through targets more quickly using the flechette micro rounds.  After picking off each target in rapid succession Davis begins moving on Sander’s targets. 
    “You going to get off my ass?” Sanders huffs.
    “Nope, not until you speed up to keep it from getting hairy down there.”
    “T-minus twelve minutes.”
    Sanders cycles to new targets squeezing the trigger and watching the soft bodies of the squids inside their combat armor evacuate out the far side of the bullet holes. 
    “Sir, we are losing ground over by 'toon three.”
    “Yeah, I’m. . .” Pausing long enough to squeeze another shot, “Shifting the remaining three reserves over to that gap.  Just keep your fire focused on that direction.  Give them enough time to get setup.”
    On the overlay three spinning stars zigzag out from the command mound to the Northern edge of the formation. 
    “Captain,” the command override channel clicks on, “your packages are almost on site.  Want you watching for any AA out there.”
    Over the local command channel, “Yeah sir, what do you want me to do about their superior air support?  I have no anti-missile defense systems or anti air platforms.”
    A tech on the command override comes on, “Chute deployment on both Seekers.  Gliding into DZ.  The Boston is taking fire!”
    Sanders watches the screens while looking up trying to spot the event midair.  After a second Boston begins to descend much more rapidly than it travels forward.  “Chute on the Boston is down Davis.  We are going to organize and push further out to secure that Seeker!”
    Davis activates the command comm, “Alright four and five push forward, three and six collapse behind them.  One, Two and Seven through Ten fall back and get skinny.  We gotta hold this point for the McChrystal.”
    On the screen the spinning stars quickly become blurs spinning faster and faster to indicate near constant fire.  The firefight and the lines hold steady for a few moments while the Boston comes crashing to the ground just inside of platoon Five.  McChrystal sails and skips across the rugged landscape well within the center of the DZ.  With both of the seekers on the ground the lines begin to shift slowly faltering and falling back away from the onslaught.  The spinning clusters quickly wink out one here, two there, half a dozen at once and then the lines begin to evaporate under the boiling fire. 
    “Damn it Sir!  We are getting crucified here.  How long till the techs get those damn things running?” Davis yells into his comm.
    “How long?”  Sanders yells over the tech comm.
    “Five minutes sir!”
    Sanders looks back down