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.The colonel wore the badges of Special Forces and the Rangers.His hair was iron gray, cut short and flat on top, contrasting with a deep tan that could only be achieved by decades in the sun.Affixed to his chest were five rows of medals indicating Vietnam and other foreign service, as well as a few Gage didn’t recognize.He was tall and fit; Gage guessed his age as late forties or perhaps fifty.The colonel sat on a steel fifty-five gallon drum and twirled his green beret on his index finger.“I’m going to talk to you about something highly confidential, sergeant.If you ever utter an unauthorized word of it to anyone, I’ll ruin your life—or worse—and that’s a promise.”To hear such a blusterous threat would typically be amusing, but the look in the man’s blue eyes demonstrated that he wasn’t kidding at all.Gage nodded, still trying to determine what might be so sensitive as to warrant his death if he ever spoke of it.“I command a small, very select force of men from all branches of military service.There’s only about thirty-five of us, and we’re highly skilled at a number of unusual activities beneficial to the U.S.and her allies.Very few people know about us, including President Clinton.”“Delta, sir, or something like it?” Gage asked, referring to the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta, commonly known as Delta Force.“Not Delta, no…but not too unlike Delta, Sergeant Schoenfeld.” The colonel removed a tin of Copenhagen snuff and slipped a pinch inside his lower gum.Gage politely refused.Hunter took Gage’s sunflower seed cup and spit before continuing.“Delta is an essential group, able to do all kinds of things.” He narrowed his eyes.“Public things that CNN and FOX News know about.”“Yes, sir.”“We can do all those same things, and a few more, without the public ever knowing who it was.”“Like what, sir?”Hunter’s eyes smiled.“Like blowing up a cocaine-laden ship off of South America.Like inserting silently into Iran and vaporizing a few undesirables.Like sometimes even neutralizing card-carrying American citizens when they threaten our freedoms and our people.”Gage paused a moment, feeling Hunter’s scrutiny of his reaction.“I understand.”Hunter nodded, seemingly pleased.“We recruit one or two or three men each year, using a pretty complex process on how we choose our candidates.There’s no additional schools or anything like that.You’ve already proven that you can hack it and have the juice to get things done.If you choose to come with us, the rest, well, you’ll learn it along the way.Hell, I guess you could say every day is a lesson.” The colonel removed his jacket and laid it over the drum.He stood above Gage, the late afternoon sun making his left side appear to be on fire.“Sergeant Schoenfeld, do you want to join our team?”Gage’s mind had gone in ten different directions.“Why me, sir?”The colonel nodded as if this was the expected question.“Lost your family a few years back.Tragedy like that is awful, but a soldier with absolutely no strings is the first thing we look for.Have to have it, no exceptions.No wife, no kids, no dogs…nothing like that.And once you join us, well, as you might imagine, you’re vowing not to add any of those things during your term.And that term’s ten years, son.Ten long years.” He spit into the cup and leaned against the block wall.“Still listening?”“Yes sir.”“The other requirement is the physical and mental characteristics, which you’ve already shown.Phase-two cadre had you graded as the toughest bastard in your class; commandant said you’d die silently before you quit.” He twisted his mouth.“And you’ll have to die, in a sense, if you want to come aboard with us.” The colonel shifted, lifting his head as he seemed to be recalling the dossier.“The weapons school has got you pegged at number two, and then you graded out in two tough languages at Monterrey with marks of what would be cum laude at a damned good university.” He pointed to Gage.“I been through every file, son.You’re the guy I want.”Gage’s eyes darted back and forth, realizing that this insane man wanted a decision immediately.“How long do I have to decide, and what will it mean to my career and future if I—”The colonel held up a hand, his jaw set.“Yes or no, son.My number two choice is at Fort Sam right now, and I got a still-running bird at Pope to take me there.I don’t have time to dick around.”The noise of squealing subway brakes jolted Gage from his trance.He refocused his eyes, watching the train’s doors open as his mind came back to the present.What a day that had been.He had accepted the offer, of course, changing his life forever.He hefted his backpack from the floor (only about ten pounds, these days) exiting the subway at the Hauptwache stop near the center of Frankfurt, Germany
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