Spencer did not say anything. He was trembling.
“I’d do it now, Ed.” Brodie lifted the grenade and assumed a pitcher’s stance. He brought the grenade behind his head, lifted his leg, and…
“Let me go!” cried Spencer.
Yogi let go of his arm, and Spencer ran and then dove to the ground as Brodie threw the pitch. Yogi raised his hand to meet the grenade. It was a perfect catch.
The round detonated, ripping Number 8 to pieces.
Captain Spencer remained on the ground, looking at the smoldering heap of titanium and electronics littering the asphalt.
Brodie strode up to him, grabbed him by his hair, and lifted him.
“I want a lawyer!”
“And I want a vacation.” Brodie socked him in the stomach.
The man doubled over, then threw up in the road.
Morgan said, “Brodie, that’s enough.”
“It’s not nearly enough, sir, but it will have to do.”
Brodie didn’t have his handcuffs anymore, but Taylor had hers. He said to her, “Please arrest the captain.”
She walked up to Spencer, lifted him by his arm, and cuffed him, then read him his Article 31 rights as she led him toward the Humvee.
Brodie followed them. As he passed Colonel Howe, she unclipped her walkie and said, “This is Howe. Six D-17s were recycled near the houses. How are we doing out there? Over.”
Staff Sergeant O’Connor came over the walkie.“We’re doing fine, ma’am. Only minor injuries among my men and the noncombatants are safe. The Black Hawk is our eyes in the sky and is working on a tin man body count. I will get back to you on the status of that. Over.”
“Copy. Over and out.”
Brodie flagged PFC Greer. “Can you drive us to the brig?”
“Yes, sir.”
Greer got behind the wheel of the rear Hummer, Taylor took shotgun, and Brodie sat in the back with Captain Spencer, who was staring blankly at the seat in front of him.
Brodie got on the walkie. “Brodie for Sergeant O’Connor. Over.”
“O’Connor here. Over.”
“How does the road look between our position and the brig? Over.”
“One moment, sir.”They waited, and then O’Connor got back on walkie.“Except for the burned-out car in the road, looks clear. Over.”
“Copy. Over and out.” He said to Greer, “Let’s go.”
Greer turned the Hummer around and headed slowly out of the cul-de-sac.
Brodie looked at Spencer as they drove. “Why the hell did you do it, Captain? Why get involved with these people?”
Spencer did not respond.
“Did you get Bucky to kill your friend? Or did it do that all on its own?”
Spencer looked at him, unable to let that go. “I would never do that.”
