Blood Lily Company - Afghanistan - Year 2

V

My thoughts, which were improper because on someone else's private life, were interrupted by Jo's return.

- Erk, Ladislatz can't come, said the mechanic, a little out of breath, but he sent me a whole set of instructions.

- All right. Show me. Oh, and while I'm on it, you're on laundry chore tomorrow.

- What?! But? Why?

- You know...

Erk, who was probably going to answer that Jo knew why, stopped, probably realizing that Jo didn't understand.

- You made fun of me earlier when we were sounding the rock.

- What? Shit, Erk, I'm sorry, it was a reflex.

- Yes, that's what I understood. Listen, I'll let it go this time. But don't do it again, even by reflex. I'm still your supervisor, right?

- I promise...

They looked at Ladislatz' handbook, the man Erk called the terrorist, much to the chagrin of Katja Haïmalin-Ryan.

I lost interest in their conversation, much too technical for me. Unfortunately, there was nothing else to do. Our rooms were clean, our guns were clean, even all the magazines were full. The showers and so on were so clean that we could have eaten off the floor. In short, nothing to do.

Apart thinking and, frankly, I had too many subjects. But I focused on Tito, since I had sorted Erik a little. Well, in my head, right?

I had noticed that Tito, during the lunch before the sunburn, had positioned himself so that he could look at Bear in a discreet way and that he had been indulging in it a lot. So the Swede's good looks seemed to suit him.

Now, how to get them to discover each other? No idea and then... My left hand itched and I tried to scratch it and you're wondering what I'm getting at? I had version 2 of the special cream on my left hand and I thought that Bear might be able to slather his arms and shoulders with the cream, but for his back, macache!

I had a diabolical idea and an equally diabolical smile appeared on my face. Of course, Tito saw it.

- Tudic, what's with the smile?

- I've been thinking.

- Oh, you can think?

- Once a day and I've used up my daily quota, so don't worry, I'm not going to strain my neurons or break my brain.

- Pfft, can't you stop screwing around, sometimes? Like, hit your daily quota of bullshit?

- Oh, I don't have a quota for that...

- Get down!

We all threw ourselves to the ground, without even thinking, hands on our heads. I was tense, waiting for the explosion, then I heard happy laughter and I raised my head on Erk who, arms akimbo, standing towering above us, was laughing his ass off.

- You don't have a quota for bullshit, either, said his brother.

- Never. Anyway, nice reflexes, guys.

- Little shit, whispered Kris. Well, joke aside, what was that?

- Just to get your attention, and now that I have it, I'm going to start drilling according to Ladislatz' instructions. While I'm drilling the holes, Jo's gonna need your help preparing the charges.

And, with the background noise from the drill, we carefully measured the powder, placed it on small squares of silk paper, then we made the wick with more silk paper dipped in gasoline...