Page 32 of Oblivion

“I dunno, Forrest. I mean, I love my job, but it’s the other bullshit that comes with it. Ward’s court martial is case in point. How the fuck are we supposed to trust that our entire team has our backs if we can’t trust one individual as far as we can kick him?”

Forrest crossed his arms over his wide chest and shook his head. “I’m hearing you, brother. That’s not the kind of shit we signed up for.”

“It’s the kind of shit that makes me want to not sign these,” I hissed, waving my re-enlistment papers in the air.

“Fuck, Bateman, don’t do anything rash, will ya. Just, let it settle for a few days before making decisions.”

An unchecked growl caught in my throat. I was pissed. Super pissed.

“Is the boss in his office?”

Forrest nodded cautiously. “He is, but forewarning, Lote, he’s not in a good mood.”

“Fuckhismood. Neither am I.”

“I’ve got your back, man. Just say the word and I’m there.”

A snappy nod was all I offered. No matter the situation or how close he was to the issue, Forrest had a knack of being able to see things from an outside perspective. Me, however…

I barely waited until my unit commander called, “Come in,” before barreling through his partially-closed door.

“Ah, Sergeant Bateman. I was needing to catch up with you and Sergeant Matthers—”

“News travels fast when it’s shit. How the fuck could they let him off?”

Captain Peters pushed to his feet and radiated anger back at me. “Watch your tongue, Sergeant.”

I forcefully inhaled through my nose, hard enough for my nostrils to flare and my chest puff. “With all due respect, sir, the shit we endure overseas shouldn’t have to be put up with at our home unit. Not in the Berets. He’s making an absolute mockery of everything we stand for.”

“I understand your concerns, but the verdict is final. Youknowthat. We need to move on as a unit and put this behind us.”

“I want him relocated. He’s unhinged. The accusations and evidence to back up those claims prove it. And don’t even get me started on how much of a joke the verdict is. At the end of the day, there’s no way he can be trusted now. I’m not alone in this, sir.”

The captain pressed his knuckles to the desk and raised his voice.“Idecide where he’s stationed, and at the moment, he’s right where I need him, whether you, or anyone else likes it or not.”

I scoffed. “I know you two are friends, but come. Fucking. On.”

“You areout of line, Sergeant.Get the hell out of my office before you regret this conversation.”

My lip curled in disgust. Fuck him and my insubordination. I was done.

The building warped and blurred as I stormed from his office. I made my way to the back room where a lone boxing bag hung. Cooling my back wasn’t going to cut it in this instance. I needed to pour all the internal anger into my fists, and I struck the bag over and over until my knuckles began to blister.

By the time Forrest arrived, my breathing was labored. He leaned against the wall behind the bag and folded his arms across his chest. I didn’t need to glance at him to know his steely gaze watched my every move. He was here, butIwould be the first to initiate conversation.

“I’m an understanding guy, right?” I panted, then ignored his scoff. “I tolerate a lot of shit, but not where it counts. I don’t think I can get past this, Shane. Loyalty iseverythingto me.”

Forrest tipped his head back and eyed me down his nose. We seldom used our given names. Nicknames or surnames were the norm, so he knew without a shade of doubt that I wasn’t fucking around. I meant what I said. I wasdone.

He pushed off the wall and braced the swinging bag as I continued to lay punches without a care for my knuckles.

“You’re serious.” It wasn’t a question. More like a mindless comment spoken aloud.

I met his eyes when he got up in my face. “And what will you do if you bang out, huh? I can’t see you pushing paper. You need this shit. You’ll fucking crave it before a week’s passed.”

He had a point; becoming a civilian and working without the weaponry and edge of danger wouldn’t fulfil me in the slightest.

I grunted. “No shit.”

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