Burman slowly eased his way off the Hummer’s hood. “I imagine you’re waiting for me to vacate this spot,” he quipped, “so you can finish your appointed rounds.”

“No rush, sir. I knew you were in the midst of putting together an order.” When Burman turned to walk away without saying a word Aveno called out, “Anything exciting, sir?”

“Nothing to be concerned about, Lieutenant.”

Aveno remained where he was, struggling to suppress the anger he felt welling up in him. The bastard was fucking with him. He was always fucking with him. It was as if they were still back at the Point, and Burman was still a first classman and Aveno was still a plebe. Since they were in different units and first classmen seldom took the time to bother with plebes who were not in their own company neither men had known each other then. Still, after all these years the psychological gulf remained.

There wasn’t a man in the team who hadn’t taken note of the “Me Tarzan, you Jane,” attitude that Burman showed in all of his dealings with his number two. Aveno knew it wasn’t personal. As best as he could tell, he had never said or done anything that could even remotely be considered improper or offensive to his commanding officer. Yet from day one the two had never really clicked. In Aveno’s opinion Burman’s policy of keeping him at a distance and his insistence on using proper military titles instead of establishing a more amiable relationship did not prevent the two from working together professionally. But it did create unnecessary friction. Like the fine grains of sand that he could taste with each bit of food and feel every time he blinked his eyes, Burman’s manner was irritating and wearing. All Aveno could do was to endure, just as he endured the harsh and uncompromising desert. The same could be true for the rest of Team Kilo. For better or worse the fourteen men had to keep functioning and surviving until such time as the Fates smiled upon them and their circumstances changed.

Copyright Page

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this book are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

AGAINST ALL ENEMIES

Copyright © 2002 by Harold Coyle

A Forge Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010

Forge® is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.

eISBN 9781429954679

First eBook Edition : February 2011

Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2001058283

First Edition: May 2002
First Mass Market Edition: February 2003
Second Mass Market Edition: May 2009