Every One of Them

The lieutenant stormed through the doors.

“Ma’am, there is not enough support on that ridge. I’ve got a quarter of my Marines left. The platoon’s damn near wiped out! I’m going to take charge of my Marines and send them over that goddamn ridge!”

“Lieutenant Bicker. You’re a fiery one,” Major Joselyn Kendall said. “I enjoy your esprit de corps. It’s invigorating. Those men and women aren’t going to make it.”

“Ma’am?”

“I didn’t stutter, Lieutenant. They’re fresh for the meat grinder. Let them get blown up. IEDs. RPGs. Whatever. Make sure we kill every one of them.”

Bicker’s eyes got wide. “Ma’am what you’re saying is treason and you could spend the rest of your life on bread and water in some brig in Pendleton.”

“Yeah, no. At least you would be right behind me….”

“How?”

“You got lost, your Marines came under heavy fire and you couldn’t handle it. If you don’t go to the brig, you’ll be in the puzzle factory for the rest of your days. How’s that sound, Bicker?”

The lieutenant just shook his head.

“C’mon. Look at the alternative: We call in for an airstrike, wipe out the enemy and ensure that the Devils get decimated in the process. All those Purple Hearts. They’ll probably be some Silver Stars, Bronze Stars, maybe even a Navy Cross or two. Hell, you do this the right way, I’ll personally write a letter to ensure that you are awarded the Medal of Honor.”

Bicker breathed. “I—”

“Don’t worry about anything. We’ll just kill them all and we’ll have more plots in Arlington and cemeteries around the nation just ready to receive cool bodies.”

“Ma’am, I can’t listen to any more of this.”

“Oh, but you will,” Joselyn switched on a screen showing helicopters dropping ordinance on the areas where the enemy lie. It also showed Marines killing one another.

“No! Goddamn it, no!”

“Now, all you have to do is report back to the FOB and allow the baby general to sort out the mess. We know what happened. The American people will have no clue. They’ll just raise beers and hold their hats over their beer bellies and call everyone a hero. Even you.”

Bicker went over to the major and slapped her. Blood streaked her black skin. Bicker’s black hand then retracted as he prepared to exit.

“That was cute Lieutenant, I’m kind of turned on by that. For that reason I won’t put you up for a court martial. But what I will do is recommend that you receive the psychiatric care which you so desperately need.”

“Go to hell, Joselyn,” Bicker said through gritted teeth and heavy breathing.

“Gladly. Now, go away!”

Bicker hopped in the military vehicle and rode back to where his unit had been destroyed. He wasted no time with the corpsman identifying everyone and trying to collect the remains.

The sting of Joselyn’s words still stayed with Bicker as he looked out on the ridge.

“Gunny! How many are still alive?”

“We’ve got about twenty-five still moving. About thirty are still breathing. I’ve never seen anything like this.”

“And you won’t ever again,” Bicker reassured.

In Washington, Bicker wore his Service Alphas and walked with his cover in his left hand. He went to the office of Lieutenant General George Li.

“In your correspondence, you mentioned Major Kendall’s deliberate use of force against her own company. What is the veracity of this statement, Lieutenant Bicker.”

He stood at parade rest in front of the general. “Yes, sir. In my report I state that the major had ordered for the entire platoon to be wiped out.”

“If this is true, she could spend at least twenty five years of her life on a military compound under guarded supervision. Are you absolutely certain this took place?”

“Yes, sir, I am.”