Sergeant Lana Harrison, stepped out and went to the back of her vehicle.  Alberts barely understood what the Master Sergeant said.
    “There's a roadblock up ahead, guys.  I got a message stating of a detour to our destination, but it requires us legging it there.  Everyone has five minutes to get ready,“  The Master Sergeant ordered the marines in the back of the five-ton.  She walked over to the driver's side of the Humvee.
    “Any problems, Master Sergeant Harrison?”  Alberts asked before nudging Richmond.
    “Same thing I told the guys in the truck, you got five to get ready.  Road's blocked up ahead.  Orders from HQ are to use a detour to get to our destination, but we have to leg it.  Do I make myself clear?“
    “Yes, ma'am.”  Richmond responded.
    “Bevelle, unload that machine gun and help me get the rifles from the crate in the back.“  Richmond ordered to Nicole.
    “Got that, sir.”  She said before unloading the heavy machine gun and jumping down from her spot on the Humvee.
    Richmond got out of the vehicle and opened the back hatch of the Humvee.  Alberts unbuckled himself from the seat and turned the vehicle's engine off.  Richmond grabbed a few XM8 rifles and handed one to Nicole after her small dash to the back of the Humvee.  He handed another to Alberts.
    “Master Sergeant Harrison, ma'am!”  Richmond cried out after dropping both arms to his side.
    “Yes?”  She replied.
    “My squad has prepared for the march, ma'am!”
    “Roger.  I'm preparing a waypoint on your GPS.  Share it with your squad.“
    “Understood, ma'am!”
    “Move out, Richmond.”


Richmond peeked around a corner and spotted an insurgent.  He motioned for Nicole to move close to him.
    “Bevelle, hand me a frag grenade.”  Richmond ordered.
    Nicole reached into one of her cargo pockets and took out a fragmentation grenade before preceding to hand it to Richmond.
    “Here you go, sir.”  She whispered.
    Richmond glanced at the insurgent once more before looking back at Nicole.
    “After you hear a small explosion, move to that position and clear.“  Richmond ordered.
    “Understood, sir.”  Nicole replied.
    Cliff Richmond preceded to pull the safety pin on his fragmentation grenade and pushed the small lever on the side.  He held it for four seconds.  A small toss powered the grenade to its destination, along with a small bounce on the sand before landing at the feet and detonating.  Shrapenel flew up into the face of the insurgent, sharply injuring his face.  He died by pieces of the fragmentation lodging itself in the veins of the grenade's victim.  Nicole ran out after the insurgent fell.  After she got to the body, one of her knees dropped as her hand checked for a pulse. She glanced at Richmond and Alberts with a shake of her head.  He ran out to her and crouched down after patting her shoulder.  Nicole ran forward to a column next to a small warehouse door.  She made a small hand movement to signal an “All Clear” message to her commander.  Alberts looked at Richmond, who then gave a motion, a finger pointed at each eye, then one finger to a small tuft of grass about fifty meters from Nicole.  Alberts ran forward, tapping Bevelle's shoulder along the way, signaling her to prepare to run.
    A small flare from the Sun lit up Nicole's eyes as she rested herself against a wall.  She stared at Richmond, who moved his head up and down at her.  She nodded back.
    Alberts, barely hidden in a tuft of grass was tapped as Nicole ran by past him.  He followed Nicole as Richmond moved to the same grass.  Richmond stared into Nicole's eyes as she gave an “All Clear” sign to him.
    
    A graduate of the West Point academy, Nicole was instantly promoted to the E2 ranking for reasons that she did not know of.  She had the least experience out of the group of three she was in, but she was the most athletic. Long very dark brown, so dark, some people thought it was black, hair along with blue eyes that attracted the opposite sex when she was younger.  Only twenty-three at the time, Nicole thought that she would be the first woman to reach the top of the Marine rankings.
    Alberts was a natural technician.  The only reason he joined the military was because of his income at the time.  His mother grew up in Harlem while his father was an African immigrant.  Very proud of his African heritage, he was tattooed with a silhouette of the continent.  The name Alberts was given to him by his godfather, who died shortly after he was born.  A transfer from the 1st Armoured Division, Jamal was assigned to a Humvee driver.
    Richmond was near the end of his tour of duty.  Thirty-two and past his prime, Staff Sergeant Richmond was a hot tempered individual.  A veteran of the conflict in Somolia, he had the most experience out of his small group.  Born on the farmlands of Nebraska, Richmond was a natural farm boy, it was known in his speech.

The roadblock was far behind them.  Nicole took off her helmet and ran her hand through her hair.  Alberts started to sit on the street but was stopped by Richmond.
    “We are ahead of the rest.  Alberts, hand me the radio.“  Richmond ordered.
    Alberts unbuttoned a pouch on his knapsack and grabbed a small hand radio, slid the antenna up, and gave it to Richmond.  Richmond started to walk away from the squad, barely.
    “Break, good.  Master Sergeant Harrison, this is Staff Sergeant Cliff Richmond.  My squad and I have got past the blockade and we are requesting new orders, ma'am.“  He said briskly over the radio.
    The hand radio replied with some static then, “Hold your position until we arrive.  Set up a small perimeter and make sure everyone in your squadron is alive when we reach there.“
    Richmond replied, “Understood.”  He switched the power off.


    Nightime.  A blue moon lit the city intersection they were situated at.  Nicole was hid behind a tipped over mail drop.  Half-asleep, she gazed about, trying to find anything suspicious..  She looked over to her side and found Richmond in a deep sleep.  Bevelle nudged him.  No reply.  She nudged him again.  Same result.  Alberts crawled to Nicole.
    “Any sign of anyone yet?”  He whispered.
    “Not that I saw.”  She answered.
    “I'll stay on watch, go get some Zs.”
    “Thanks.”
    PFC Bevelle stretched on the dirty sidewalk perfectly lined up with the intersection.  Her eyes closed.  She tossed and turned on the solid concrete of the sidewalk she slumbered on.  She sat back up.  Jamal looked at her.
    “Thought you wanted to get some sleep.”  He said.
    “I tried.”  She replied.
    “Richmond is out.”
    “Yes, I know.”
    “This doesn't feel right.”
    “What do you mean?”
    “Everything so quiet, it scares me.  We're here in the desert somewhere in some Arab
country with no one near us besides a million little turban fuckers with little guns just wanting to kill us.  I'm surprised there isn't one of their rockets with their explosions about to make us meet our maker.“
    “They're probably hiding.”
    “Like they'd do that.”  Alberts laughed.


The convoy they were waiting for rolled in.  Major Sergeant Harrison jumped down from the five-ton truck and shook Richmond's hand.
    “Safe perimeter, Major Sergeant.”  Richmond briefed.
    “Good.”  Harrison hissed to Richmond.  “Your squad has control of Humvee 5, second to last Humvee in the convoy.“
    “Understood.”  Richmond looked at Nicole and Jamal.  “You two, pack up and get to Humvee 5.“
    “Yes sir!”  The two yelled out before running towards the vehicle.
    “You're assigned to machine gunner, Richmond, get to it!“
    “Understood, ma'am.”  Richmond ran to the Humvee.

Alberts climbed into the driver's seat and started the engine, then let it idle.  Nicole sat in the front passenger's seat as two more marines, Captain Sanchez and Private Michaels, sat in the back of the Humvee.
    “Lance Corporal Alberts,”  Sanchez said, “I've heard a lot about you as a driver, use to command tanks if I remember.“
    “Yes sir, I knew the Abrahms like I knew the menu at McDonalds.“  Alberts joked.
    “At least you've got some sense of humor.  We had to ride with the Major Sergeant.  She was honestly a bitch and a half.“  Michaels muttered.
    “We all know that,”  Nicole said.

    The truck in front of the Humvee started to accelerate.  Alberts slid up right behind the truck, nearly clipping the bumper.  The convoy turned left onto a wider street and continued to drive straight.  Then it happened.

    The first truck, with a load of twenty marines, was shot with a rocket propelled grenade.  It did not destroy in the fireball Hollywood depicts every RPG shot.  The rocket smashed through the thick tarp that covered the back of the five-ton truck, nailing a few marines along the way, before exploding right next to the truck, forcing it to spin to the right, knocking over a street lamp.  The truck jackknifed, rolling over onto the top, crushing most of those in the back.  Another RPG was shot.  This rocket torpedoed through the chassis and frame of the monstrous vehicle, landing on the solid tarp that was supported by the concrete under it, exploding and killing the rest of the marines in the truck.  Richmond loaded the machine gun on the Humvee and shot at the top of the building where the RPGs were fired, killing one insurgent in a violent death, seventeen torso shots, five head shots, then a twenty story fall to the streets below.  Another insurgent was injured in the gunfire, but this insurgent hopped away with his life.
    A car, its final description was a late Fifties Ford or Chevy with only one seat.  The rest of the car was packed with explosives and a timed detonator with a thirty-second timer programmed already.  The driver sped on the opposite lane of the road before shifting lanes and activating the detonator.  The vehicle collided with one of the Humvees in front of the truck that Nicole's squad was behind, making the car spin out and collide with the front of the truck in which Nicole was behind, when the car's timer expired and the car ended up as a fireball, killing the driver and front passengers of the truck along with the gunner of the Humvee that the car collided with.  Another car bomb with its timer already activated sped towards Nicole's Humvee, but turned at the last second and made impact with the Humvee where Master Sergeant Harrison was located, killing everyone, including Harrison, in the truck.
    “Sir!”  Nicole yelled as she tried to reel Richmond inside the Humvee.  “We're under attack!”
    “Bevelle, we need every gun we need!”  Richmond yelled back.
    “Staff Sergeant Richmond,” The older and wiser Captain Sanchez ordered.  “Your soldiers are smart.  I order you as a Captain to get inside of this vehicle at once.  Step down from your post!“
    “I cannot, sir,”  Richmond said back   “I will not step down.”
    “Then I will make you.” The Captain forced out of his mouth before pulling Staff Sergeant Richmond from the Humvee and from Ak-47 automatic fire shot from an insurgent running down the street.
    “Alberts, pull out of the convoy,”  Sanchez ordered.  Alberts did not respond.
    “Alberts!”  Richmond yelled out before shaking the soldier in the driver's seat.  There was still no response.
    “Sir, sir, sir, sir,”  Nicole kept repeating to Richmond.  “Alberts is dead.”
    “Shit, get out of the vehicle, someone give me cover fire, Michaels, help me with unhooking Alberts.“  Richmond yelled out as Sanchez opened up the back hatch of the Humvee.  Michaels leaped forward and unhooked the driver's seatbelt before helping to pull Alberts from the chair.  Sanchez opened fire on a few insurgents that sneaked up behind Humvee 4A.
    “Bevelle!”  He yelled out.  “Help me cover fire!”
    “Got that, sir.”  Nicole responded as she crawled to the back, along side Sanchez.  She loaded a full magazine of ammunition into her rifle, flicked the safety switch off, and cocked it.  “Locked and loaded.  All set.  One frag.”
    “Understood,”  Sanchez acknowledged.  “Richmond, split up.  Take Michaels and cover the front flank.  Stay on the look out for any rockets.“
    “Of course, Captain,”  Richmond muttered out of his mouth.
    “Bevelle, cover my six,”  Sanchez ordered to Nicole.
    “Got it,”  She quickly retorted as she actuated to a distance of six meters from her new squad leader.


Sanchez hurdled himself over a small layer of dust and debris as he scouted out the rooftops that were lined up with the street layered with dead carcasses of the vehicles.  Nicole escalated behind him.  She smacked the magazine of her rifle back into the chamber as Sanchez gazed the rooftops that were parallel to the same platforms that Bevelle and he was wading on.  An insurgent ran up and pinpointed the two marines.  He shrieked out to two more insurgents that were spraying the wrecked convoy below.  They observed the rooftop before unloading their PKM light machine guns at Sanchez, asphyxiating him instantly.  Nicole jerked the pin out of her frag grenade before chucking it at the insurgents clutching onto their machine guns.  The grenade conducted a small ricochet off the street and erupted in the faces of both insurgents, launching both men from each other, two instant fatalities.  She opened fire on the insurgent that was at the same altitude as her, yet another asphyxiate for Private First Class Nicole Bevelle.
    Nicole cried out for her captain as she located his deceased body.  She abandoned her weapon as she sprinted over to the carcass of Sanchez.  She dropped down to her knees as she freed the captain's helmet from his head.  A tear traveled down her face.
    “Bevelle, he's dead.  CSAR will come and pick him up.  We need to get back to main camp,“  Michaels voiced as he marched to Nicole.  He rested a hand on her shoulder.  “You can cry as soon as we get back.  I'll make sure of that.“  Michaels assisted Nicole from her knees.  She placed her head on his shoulder and kept crying.  “There, there, Bevelle.”  He cradled her head in his arms.


    “What do you mean that you were ambushed?”   Brigadier General Lee asked Nicole.
    “The convoy rolled through the path you assigned it to, sir.  We all know that they attack when we think that they won't,“  Nicole retorted.
    “A small group of insurgents cannot cause this much chaos.  You and I know that?  Tell me something, Private First Class Bevelle.  Where were you?  You were assigned to protect your vehicle but you did not.  Why?“
    “Staff Sergeant Richmond...he ordered me to stay inside while he manned the gun, sir.  I had to listen to my commander at the time.“
    “But, the Major Sergeant ordered you to man the gun.“
    “I was never told this, sir.”
    “Bevelle, you're excused.  Go to your garrison.”
    “Yes, sir.” 
    Nicole grabbed her rifle from the side of the tent and marched out.  The sun rained down on everyone in Base Camp, from the cooks in the mess halls to the soldiers in the showers on the other side of the area.  A small breeze sifted sand around, sometimes pelting patrolling soldiers in the eyes, at least the soldiers that forgot to wear eye protection.  Bevelle walked into the mess hall and proceeded to the serving line.
    “Bevelle!”  Someone yelled out before jogging over to her.  It was Michaels.  “How was the flak from the Brig?”
    “Not as much as I thought it would be.”  She turned her head to the Private who served the food.  “Could I just get some water.”
    “Sure thing, ma'am.”  The Private said as he walked into the back of the mess hall.
    “I was just wondering if you wanted to tag along with us when we go inside the city later.“
    “Who's 'us'?”
    “Private First Class Peterson, Specialist Vaughn, Lance Corporal La-Ran, and I.“
    “Ma'am,”  The Private behind the counter spoke.  “Here's your water.”
    “Thanks,”  Nicole said sweetly before taking the bottle of water.  “Michaels, I have guard duty tonight.  I could go, but not for long.“
    “Why?  Kuwait City isn't that far from here.  No way in Hell I'm stepping into Iraq on my own again.“
    “Well, I could go.  I'd just need to get cleaned up.“
    “Oh, ok then.  What about 1900?”
    “Today's Friday, right?”
    “In Kuwait, yes.”
    “I have guard duty 0600 Saturday.”
    “We could just go inside the city, get a few drinks, have a good time, and be back before city curfew.“
    “Alright, if that is what you want.  Bye.”
    “Bye.”
    Nicole walked out of the mess hall while drinking the water.


    Nicole sat in on a bench inside her garrison starring at the tiles on the floor as she waited for the shower room to be cleared out.  Another soldier, Private Courtney Ying, walked in and sat next to Bevelle.
    “I know how you feel.”  Ying said.  “Get grabbed at by ten horny guys while in the shower.  It's offensive.  The name's Courtney Ying.“  She put her hand out.
    Nicole shook Ying's hand.  “Nicole Bevelle, PFC.  I always wait for everyone to be out before I take a shower, it feels embarrassing to be looked at while in a personal situation like that.  You must be new here.“
    “Just got in a few days ago.  Supposed to drive Humvees through the city.  They assigned me to 4A Squad.“
    “Really?”
    “Yes, anything important about it?”
    “Well, I should show you the rest of the squad, or the remains of it at least.  Hey, why don't you come with me and a few of the other soldiers for a few drinks.“
    “Alright.”
    Nicole placed a hand on Ying's shoulder.  “We women are scarce in the base camp, so watch out with a few of the others around here.“
    “Don't worry, I can protect myself.”
    “I'm just saying that though, some of these people have been around for two or three years.  Well, it looks like the shower's cleared out.“
   
    Nicole started to unbutton her uniform top as she walked into the shower room.  She tossed the top into a clothes hamper near the entrance before taking a bar of soap and a small tube of shampoo from a shelf close to her.  She glanced at the exit once before pulling down her uniform pants.  Nicole left the pants on the floor as she opened a curtain on a shower stall.  Warm water started to rain on her as she lifted her bra off.  Her mind slipped into a black hole as she felt the water touch her breast.  She slid a hand down her panties, lightly rubbing the edges of her vagina.  A rush of excitement raged throughout her as she pulled down her panties.  A small pair of lacy white panties fell to the floor of the shower room, a pair that was sent to her from a care package of an ex-boyfriend a year ago.  It felt more comfortable to her than the standard undergarments that were issued to her when she was assigned to Squad 4A.
   
    Her bottom lip shivered as her index finger slid inside her slit.  This was not her first time in this state of mind, but she always thought that the next one would always be better.  A small moan came from Nicole's mouth as the shower on the other side of Nicole's shower stall turned on.  Suddenly the shower curtain on Nicole's shower opened up slightly.  She turned around.  It was Ying.
    “Ying!”  Nicole yelled out as she tried to cross her legs while covering her breasts.
    “Sorry, sorry, sorry,”  Courtney said.  “I thought you were hurt or something.  I have a problem with the shower stall they gave me, though.  And where's the soap?“
    “The soap's over on the right near the exit.  Plus, the stall that you tried to use is out of order, at least I think it is.  I'll try to turn it on for you.“
    Nicole stepped out of her shower and tip-toed over to the stall across from her.  She pulled back the curtain and attempted to turn the hot water knob.  It would not turn.  She turned around and found an all nude Ying, clutching onto a bar of soap.  Courtney quickly looked at Nicole's eyes.
    “You were looking at me, wasn't you,”  Nicole said with a playfulness tone.
    “No. No.  No I was not,”  Courtney quickly retorted.
    “Don't lie, you were.”
    “Fine.  I'll admit, I'm jealous of you.  You have a full body while I just have these.“  Courtney pushed her A-cup breasts up and let them fall.
    “Ying.  It is the inside that counts.”
    “I still feel jealous though.  I'm the smallest person here.“  Courtney attempted to stand on her toes.
    “Come here,” Nicole commanded.  Courtney walked over to Bevelle.  Nicole wrapped her arms around Ying, giving her a small squeeze on her backside.
    “Sorry,”  Nicole whispered.
    “That was different.  Do it again.”
    “What?  You liked it?”
    “What did I say?”  Ying voiced.  “Yes, I did.”
    Nicole squeezed Ying in the same area, then smiled.  Ying gave her a quick kiss on the lips.  Bevelle parted Courtney lips and slid her tongue into her mouth.  Ying pushed Nicole away slightly.
    “I do not want that, Bevelle.  I'm not lesbian.”
    “Ying, what happens in the shower room stays in the shower room.  I swear not to tell anyone about this.  I promise I won't.“
    “Are you sure?”
    “I'll kill myself if I tell anyone.  Lets say that.”
    “Ok.  Then, do not go too rough.”

    Ying hopped into Bevelle's arms and wrapped her legs around Nicole's waist.  Nicole lightly licked Courtney's right areola as Ying kissed her neck.  Nicole sat down inside her shower stall as the water still fell.  Ying closed the shower curtain and sat in Nicole's lap, confused of what to do.  Nicole turned Ying around in her lap and took the soap out of her hand.  She ran the soap in the water before she slid her hand between Ying's legs.  Ying put her back up against Bevelle's breasts and slowly parted her legs, exposing her most valuable asset: her womanhood.  She took control of Bevelle's hand, the one that clutched the soap, and stuck it near her vagina, breathing heavily.  Nicole fondled one of Ying's breasts, while whispering into Courtney's ears.
    “You owe me for this, Ying.”  She whispered.
    “I know, Nicole.”
    Courtney pushed the soap close to her labia as she closed her eyes.  Nicole placed a finger in Ying's mouth as Ying slid the soap into her vagina.  She got onto her knees as she pushed the soap deeper into her.  Bevelle pulled Ying's head back and put her nose between Nicole's breasts.
    “Give them a good lick, I know you can.”  Nicole said sweetly to Courtney.
    “Is this that repayment?”  Ying asked.
    “You can say that.”
    “I will then.”  She ran her tongue up the underside of Bevelle's right breast and stopped shortly of the nipple.  Nicole bent over slightly, placing both of her hands on Courtney's shoulders.  Ying extracted the soap out of her vagina as she licked Nicole's nipples.  Ying was pushed onto her back as Bevelle climbed on top of her, placing her own vagina near Ying's mouth.  She wanted an orgasm.
    Ying moaned as her clitoris exposed itself from the hood.  She ran her tongue against Nicole's labia, feeling a wetness against her lips.  Nicole turned onto her back, forcing Ying to turn over onto her stomach.  An attack on her vagina raged throughout Courtney's small body, nearing herself to the golden state of mind: the orgasm.  She sank her tongue into Nicole's intimate parts with an intensity close to the same that was ravishing her closer to nirvana.  Ying shook as she moaned a final time and closed her eyes as she had an orgasm.  Nicole kept darting her tongue into her partner's wet slit, making Ying have an orgasm again, and again, and again.  Courtney became deadweight as her fifth orgasm rocked her body.  She blacked out for a second.
    “Courtney?”  Nicole questioned.  “Are you all right?”
    “Ye..ye..yes.”
    “Well...are you?”
    “One second.”  Ying whispered as she tried to regain control of her body.  She ran her fingers around the edge of her new found lover's vagina, right before licking the hood of Nicole's clitoris again.  Bevelle's clitoris stood in place as Ying formed a ring with her mouth around it.  She licked the tip as she created a vacuum with her mouth.  Nicole supported herself with her hands as she trembled.  Nicole took hold of her colleague's head and kept it still as Ying circled her tongue inside her friend's labia, closing in on her cervix.  Nicole gave out a small shriek as she reached her first orgasm of the day.  Courtney kept licking her partner, in the same fashion as she was received, as Nicole kept her orgasm running numerous times, until she collapsed.  Courtney laid down on top of Bevelle and kissed her on the lips.
    “That was amazing,”  Nicole mumbled.  Both women stood up and continued to bathe each other, not muttering a word.