Eyes of the Hammer

CHAPTER EIGHT

The wheels of the 707 hit the ground with a bounce. Riley turned to Partusi with a nod out the small window. "Home, sweet home."

"I can deal with it."

"Bet you can't wait to meet your old lady."

Partusi smiled at the thought. "Yeah. She's been pissed as hell with all the temporary duty this past year. She'll be glad to have me at home for a little while."

Partusi nudged Riley. "Last time I talked to her on the phone she said she had a girlfriend from work she wants you to meet. You'll have to come over for dinner soon. But not too soon. Me and Gina got some lost time to make up for."

Riley rolled his eyes in mock dismay. "Not another one of Gina's real estate girlfriends. I'd rather do a blind night drop into Panama than go through that again."

"I'll tell Gina you said that," Partusi threatened playfully.

"You do and I'll jumpmaster your next jump and forget to check your static line. I like Gina but I can't deal with those friends she sets me up with." Riley waited until the plane rolled to a stop and then stood up. "Let's go."

He led the way through the aisles, down the stairs, and across the tarmac to the small terminal that served Fayetteville. Entering the building he spotted the back of a figure encased in camouflage fatigues and topped with a green beret. "Our ride's here."

Riley snuck up behind his team sergeant and grabbed him around the neck. "Man, you'd get run over by a bulldozer, you're so unobservant."

Powers didn't turn. "Seems some sort of insect is hanging off my back. Probably be best if that bug lets go before I squash it."

Riley released his grip, laughing. "I'm too fast for you, Dan. You'd have a heart attack trying to catch me before you could squash me."

Powers finally turned. "Yeah, right, Dave. I didn't see you come in 'cause you're such a miniature human being it would have required binoculars to spot you."

Riley nodded. "Sure. You missed Partusi, too." Leading the way to the baggage claim, Riley tried to get up to speed. "What's going on back at group? What's the team doing?"

Powers grabbed Riley's duffel bag off the carousel. "Not much. Most teams in the battalion are down in Panama doing the police MTT. Nobody has said much of anything to me. I gave the guys Monday and Tuesday of next week off. Only reason I'm in uniform is to pick you up. You all can sign in and I'll drop you off at home. The colonel said not to show up until Wednesday."

Riley smiled. "Sounds like things are finally going to slow down. Maybe they've got a good deal lined up for us."

Powers turned and shook his head. "When you've been in the army as long as me you don't believe in good deals. It's like in combat: Just when you think things are quieting down is when you get hit the hardest."