The Storm

"The Major continued, 'I will personally brief your team this morning one hour after you leave here. Have them there and ready and sharp. Are we clear captain?' 'Yes Sir! Thank you, Sir,' I replied. 'Then you are dismissed, Captain.' I stood and saluted and headed to the door to gather my men. 'Finally,' I thought. I had no idea what would be before me and my team. But I would soon find out." “You gettin' this, Zach?” Gunney asked. “I sure don’t want to wear out the good Captain's voice for nothin'.” Henry sneered and took another drink of his coffee. “I gotta heat this coffee up," he said. "Gettin' cold with all this chatter.” Henry stood and left the room. Gunny spoke up and said that this was probably taking a toll on old Captain Henry, but the story had to be told to put some ghosts to rest. Henry re-entered the room with a steady stream of vapor coming off of his heated coffee cup and sat down with a g roan. “I will continue, but if I leave out some gaps, maybe Gunny can help fill 'em in." With that, Henry continued: “I gathered my men and headed to the briefing room. My guys wore clean, pressed uniforms and spit-shined shoes. Entering the building we took our places again at the large marker boards. What appeared to be maps were covered with those sheets of cloth again. Several officers and a couple of plain- clothed, government-type guys were standin' at the front of the room when Major Lemmit entered. "'Attennnntion!' a uniformed officer yelled out, and we all stood up as stiff as boards as the Major made his way to the front of the room. 'At ease, gentlemen, and you may be seated,' the Major said, and commented on our training and our hard

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