Every set of eyes was on him. He didn't realizethis was a round robin. “Umm….Ft. Knox. AIT,” he said.
“Tanker or Scout?” King asked.
“Scout all the way!” Ryan said, with asmile.
“Fucking crunchies.” Both Connelly and King saidit at the same time.
“Don't hate on us because you're not cool likethat,” Phillip said easily, smiling wide.
“Gandhi?”
Patrick looked up; that seemed to be his cue tostart talking. Ryan knew it already, so he just kept his eyes onGrabowski.
***
The road march back to the barracks sucked somuch ass that Ryan didn't even want to go into just how much ass itsucked. The 15 miles at the end of FTX was brutal. Every one ofthem had on at least seventy-five pounds of equipment. They startedout at seven in the evening and at midnight they were stillmarching. Guys were falling out left and right.
“Dude, if I walk one more step I'm going to passout,” Patrick said from his right.
“Fuck, no. We're finishing this bitch, Patrick,”Brendon said stubbornly.
Ryan felt like butt-stroking Brendon. He hadbeen channeling Richard fucking Simmons for the past two hours.Even Kenneth, who could handle Brendon longer than either he orPatrick could, was rapidly becoming grouchier and grouchier withtheir friend.
Patrick muttered something like 'fuck you' butkept on walking.
“Come on, Privates!” Phillip's voice came frombehind them. He walked steadily, not even hunched over. Hell, theman looked like he was taking a leisurely walk in the fucking park.Ryan hated the man all the more now.
Brendon grinned. “Right with ya, Drill SergeantGrabowski.”
The other three men glared at Brendon.
“If I slit his throat before we get back do youthink we can rule it ‘justifiable homicide?’” Kenneth asked.
“Nah, Rosey-Ass, you planned it while I wasstanding behind you,” Grabowski retorted. “Furry is a fuckingsquared-the-fuck-away soldier. Lean, mean and ready to fuckingkill. Right, Furry?”
“Yes, Drill Sergeant Grabowski!”
This time Ryan and Patrick looked at the blondand glared at him.
When the Drill picked up his pace Ryan sighed.The man had the world’s longest legs.
“Furry, you fucker! Why don't you kiss the fuckup some more?” Patrick bitched.
“Don't hate me because I'm young and in bettershape than you old farts,” Brendon teased.
“Yeah, well fuck you too, son. When we get backto the barracks I'm going to tie you to your bed and let everyonehave a blanket party all over your ass,” Patrick warned.
Ryan snorted. That would be the day. The nightafter Brendon had gotten them smoked for talking when he shouldn'thave, four guys came into the room, going to give Brendon his ownwake up call. Patrick had been awake and all hell broke loose intheir room. Needless to say the blanket party didn't happen andthere hadn't been a threat since.
“Can you believe it? Dude, two more weeks andwe're all out of here.” Brendon sounded sad.
“Two weeks furlough and then off to AIT.”Kenneth sighed.
Patrick, Brendon and Ryan all snorted. “AITfirst, then we get leave for two weeks.”
“It doesn't seem possible, does it?” Ryan asked.“Six weeks ago we didn't know each other…”
“And now we would die for each other,” Patrickfinished with a grin.
