Blood Lily Company - Afghanistan - Year 2

XXV

This evening, it was no fun at base. We got there after dark, Fatso took care of our dirty laundry while Lin and Kris locked themselves in her office and we went to wash.

When Kris joined us in the showers, he asked me to go see Lin. He seemed... Not calm. But...tamed? Or squared up? As if Lin had told him off something serious. But I wondered for how long.

I went to find her once clean and dressed.

- Well, I yelled at Kris, I listened to him, too, and I'm extremely worried. He's on the verge of losing his temper and doing something fucking stupid.

- What kind?

She looked at me for a moment.

- He told me he would kill any bastard who came his way. He told me you offered to help.

- I did.

- And how do you plan to get rid of the bastard?

- As quickly and as cleanly as possible, Lin.

- What I fear, you see, is that Kris, blinded by his despair and his anger, will take his time, will not do this cleanly.

- Are you talking about...torture?

- I don't know if he'll go that far, but at least a good beating to get rid of his anger.

- And it would hurt Erk if he found out.

- And it would hurt our reputation, too.

There was a knock at the door.

- Come in.

- Lin, Mike said, Mac caught the shooter. Shall I put her through?

- We're coming with you to listen. Archer, call... No, just Fatso and Baby Jane. Kris is calm for now, let's keep it that way. And I want Kitty out of the way. She is getting stronger, and she is starting to be quite the vet, but she's not strong enough yet.

The four of us followed Mike to the Ops room.

- Mac, I have Lin with me. We are listening to you.

- We managed to catch the shooter.

- How? Since his shot, he has had time to escape...

- That ass tangled his feet in his tripod and knocked himself out. He was waking up when we picked him up.

- Is he damaged?

- A little. But not by us. Well, not yet.

- Thank you for your honesty, Mac.

- Normal, Captain. We would like to take him back to base, but on a motorcycle, he will be dangerous.

- Curly went back your way after dropping off the walkers, so go meet him as much as possible, then give him the package and see if you can find Erik and Tito or their trail. Yaka can be carried on a motorbike, on JD's lap. You should be able to put him with Song, she's the lightest and the best after Wilha. Oh, and try the comms again. See if you can triangulate their position, roughly.

- Okay, Lin. We'll keep you posted. Mac out.

- BLC out, Mike said after Lin nodded at her.

- Okay, I said. Gonna have to keep him away from Kris, I guess.

- Yes and no. We're going to use his anger and his madness, homemade morphine and good old psychological warfare.

- How so? Fatso asked.

- We will allude to Kris' destructive madness, but without giving him the opportunity to use it. You will see. Because I prefer to plan a little and adjust as I go. By the way, Tugdual, good idea to have entrusted him to Bear.