Mark nodded. It's the kids that suffered themost during deployments. They were the ones who had to steelthemselves for this shit. “She can stay with me as long as you needher to.”
“We need to contact Brendon. Umm and William, ifhe's close to Phil.”
“I'll make the calls.” Mark said. “You two tellPhil's parents. Do you know where he's going to be sentafter...after Germany?”
“The Intrepid Center,” Kenneth guessed. It was aMilitary hospital at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio, in the BrookeArmy Medical Center.
Mark knew that Kenneth hated his father, but forPhillip and all concerned, he would pull every string he could.
“I told him I would kill him,” Sandy saidsuddenly, tears drying on her face. “I told him it would befine...because we had Ryan. Oh god. That was the last...” She burstinto tears and Kenneth quickly wrapped his arms around her.
“Shhh, baby he knows it was a joke. It's okay. Ipromise. He probably laughed at it,” Kenneth soothed. “We need togo get Katie. Come on, babe. We'll go get Katie and then go see theGrabowskis.” He looked up at Mark, who waved them off.
After they left Mark stood in the middle of hisliving room, wondering what he should do first. He picked up hisphone shakily and dialed Brendon's number. It was Friday. Brendonshould be getting up for PT.
“Hey Mark! How's it going?”
Mark swallowed and cleared his throat.“Brendon?”
“Dude...what's wrong? Which one?”
He could hear Brendon's voice change from beingfriendly to intrepid.
“It's Phillip. He...Brendon, it's bad.”
He heard Brendon start cussing, and heardsomething bang against the wall.
“What happened? When? What about Ryan? Is hegoing to…? Don't...Fuck.”
“They were clearing the road. Phillip was out ofthe Bradley directing traffic or something. Suicide bomber. He waslooking away from it. He's pretty broken up. We aren't sure what isgoing on, but if they get him stabilized they're shipping him toLandstuhl in Germany.”
Mark could hear Brendon breathing hard. He couldhear tears in the other man's voice.
“He can't...He just can't, Mark. He's fuckingSuperman. Superman doesn't die.”
“He's flesh and blood, Brendon. He can and wehave to--”
“Fuck you Mark. No he can't. He andRyan...This isn't happening.”
With that said Brendon slammed the phonedown.
Everyone had ways of dealing. Mark's way was totake charge and do the grunt work. Kenneth's was to get clinical.Sandy went emotional. But Brendon dealt with it like he dealt withbasic. Unlimited hero worship. Mark knew that the younger man hadlooked up to Phillip and himself like they could do no wrong.Nothing could ever happen to them because they were with the DrillSergeants. They were indestructible.
***
When the phone rang again Mark answered it onauto-pilot.
“What the fuck is going on?”
Mark couldn't help but feel the wave of reliefcourse through him. He felt guilty as hell for it, but he pushedthat aside.
“I love you, Patrick. I love you so damn much.”Mark choked.
“I know, babe. I do but what the fuck isgoing on? We had a blackout and I heard a couple guys from theseventh got killed and a few more fucked up badly. What's goingon?”
Mark gave Patrick the ‘no bullshit’ story.Unlike with Brendon he didn't sugar coat it. That would pissPatrick off to no end.
There was silence for a few moments before heheard Patrick sniff.
