Kevin Miller - Declared Hostile

“Did they put her in for a medal?”

“ Medal of Honor. Skipper wrote the citation.”

“Wow. They should name a ship after her. Annie was a good XO. I always liked her husband.”

“It got downgraded,” Macho sighed. “SOUTHCOM weenies wanted to downplay the military action and not spin up the region by recognizing someone— a woman especially —with a high-profile award like that. She’s getting a Silver Star — same as me — and all I did was shoot a guy in the face with a bigger missile. Never really saw him. She was down there among them, taking fire the whole time, giving everything to keep them off Lemur. I’ll never forget her.”

Trench let it sink in, the unfairness of the decision by guys who were miles away in headquarters and whose biggest risk was the evening commute. Fuck ‘em, he thought, knowing they weren’t qualified to shine Annie’s shoes. “And the Skipper?” he asked.

“He came back to us after spending three days on the ground in frickin’ Trinidad. The Flintlocks got him, too, after they and the Hunters shot down something like ten helos— Hind gunships and shit. At night . Skipper was holed up with a priest and holding off drug guys and Venezuelan soldiers. I guess it was like the OK Corral. Skipper was beat up bad, but he took out some bad guys. Shot one point-blank with his .45.”

“Holy shit.” Trench shook his head in amazement as he absorbed her account.

They spent a few more minutes catching up on everyone, and then the small talk seemed to dry up. Macho wasn’t sure how to proceed, so Trench did it for her.

“No more bullshit, Macho. Why did you come here?”

She took a breath. “I had to reconcile with you. I hated you, and I’m done with hate.”

Trench thought for a moment before he spoke. “Why did you hate me?”

“Because you embodied everything I hate about guys. The frat-boy culture, the porn stash, the catcalls, the hook-ups….”

“So that justified your holier-than-thou condescension, the bitchy sermonizing?” Trench added.

Macho recoiled at his cutting remark but nodded to herself. He’s right.

“Great then. You’ve seen me in a fucking hospital ward, broken, depending on the chicks out there to bring me food, and with a bright future at Lighthouse for the Blind. You won , Macho. Coach and I are out of the Firebirds . You got what you fucking wanted. Now leave .”

“Please forgive me!”

Trench looked up, his way of observing what he could of her. His anger melted, but he was puzzled. “Why? What did you do to me?”

“I used Shane to set you up.”

“I know…. Why do you come here and apologize to me instead of her?”

Macho gathered her thoughts.

“I want to get it off my chest, to let go. To put it behind us and move on.”

“Fine. Thanks for coming. Safe trip to wherever Shane is,” Trench muttered as he turned away from her.

Macho pursed her lips and swallowed. She had hoped it would go better, but Trench wasn’t going to make it easy on her. Still, she had done what she came to do, and, resigned, she gathered her bag and stepped toward the door. Her heels echoed in the chasm of bitterness between them.

When she got to the door, Trench spoke in a low tone, “ Tiffany. ”

Macho turned and saw Trench standing by the bed, looking away, but his hand was stretched out to her.

She walked back to him and placed her hand in his.

“I’m sorry, too,” he whispered. “I’m sorry…. I’m sorry. ”

They stood there, sworn enemies, considering the uncertain futures that lay ahead. Fighting back the tears of guilt they felt about the lives they had devastated in their combat with each other, they remained still and held each other’s hands for a moment in silence, two squadronmates forged in battle.

Both broken. Both forgiven.

Captain Kevin Miller, a 24-year veteran of the U.S. Navy, is a former tactical naval aviator and has flown the A-7E Corsair II and FA-18C Hornet operationally. He commanded a carrier-based strike-fighter squadron, and, during his career, logged over 1,000 carrier-arrested landings, made possible as he served alongside outstanding men and women as part of a winning team. Captain Miller lives and writes in Pensacola, Florida.

DECLARED HOSTILE is the second novel in his Flip Wilson series.

Contact the author at kevin@kevinmillerauthor.com.