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Back Angels of Vengeance
Chapters (68)
  1. Blurb
  2. CONTENTS
  3. Dedication
  4. CHARACTER LIST
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. 22
  27. 23
  28. 24
  29. 25
  30. 26
  31. 27
  32. 28
  33. 29
  34. 30
  35. 31
  36. 32
  37. 33
  38. 34
  39. 35
  40. 36
  41. 37
  42. 38
  43. 39
  44. 40
  45. 41
  46. 42
  47. 43
  48. 44
  49. 45
  50. 46
  51. 47
  52. 48
  53. 49
  54. 50
  55. 51
  56. 52
  57. 53
  58. 54
  59. TWO MONTHS LATER
  60. ONE YEAR LATER
  61. TWO YEARS LATER
  62. FOUR YEARS LATER
  63. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
  64. ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  65. Also by John Birmingham
  66. ALSO BY JOHN BIRMINGHAM
  67. Copyright
  68. Cover

She actually giggled, charmed by this old-world eccentric. ‘I am Colonel Kate Murdoch, Sergeant Milosz. United States Air Force.’

‘Ah,’ said the Ranger, bowing formally again. ‘You are to be investigating this bandit fool Morales, yes? We have heard about you. Temple is very small town. Smaller even than my home in Poland. No. I will not speak of it. You will mispronounce name if I try to tell you. It translates roughly as “Little hamlet of hovels at the foot of the big hill, smelling of sulphur, where it rained all the time and nobody had enough to eat”.’

‘So, you must feel at home here then, Master Sergeant.’

Milosz grinned appreciatively. ‘An air force colonel with wit! This is exceptional improvement to fortunes of Milosz. Do you read, madam Colonel? I have explored ruins of local library. There are many well-preserved books for to be found there. So few of my comrades here read or wish to discuss ideas if ideas prove unrelated to strange football games with body armour or the salvaging of old cars for purpose of racing in circles.’

Caitlin put up her hands. ‘Master Sergeant, take a breath. I am indeed a reader. When I get the opportunity. But, I’m afraid, on this trip all of my reading will be for work.’

She took a step to signal her intention to keep moving.

‘I wonder though, Master Sergeant,’ she said, ‘whether you’ve ever tried your luck over in Killeen or Fort Hood? There’s a lot more people over there. I’m sure they could find both pulled pork and a good book.’

A shadow darkened the Ranger’s face. ‘I am afraid Milosz is not welcome in the kingdom of Blackstone,’ he replied. ‘At first I thought his stupid TDF troopers were prejudiced against Poles because of our superior intellect and handsome looks and winning ways with the ladies. But then I realise pretend soldiers of TDF simply prejudiced against everyone. So like everyone, I stay away from Fort Hood.’

‘I’m sorry to hear that, Master Sergeant,’ she told him, aware that she’d better head back and change for the meeting with McCutcheon. ‘Tell you what, though, I have a meeting with Mr Blackstone’s aide later this evening. You can rest assured that I’ll see to it you can move freely around Fort Hood.’

The diminutive senior non-com appeared to stand a foot taller as he smiled. It was an almost cartoonish grin that lifted Caitlin’s spirits for no reason she could identify. ‘That would be most excellent, madam Colonel,’ he said. ‘I shall continue my walk and hope to see you again.’