Although it was 0415, the outside temperature was inching up. A thin crack of sun like spilled orange juice seeped out from the horizon. He glanced down inside the truck, wondering what the others were thinking. Then he thought about Kale. Kale, like Moose, was assigned to one of the dismount teams. Maybe Cooke’s idea of a confidence builder. Moose felt resigned about Kale. No matter what, it was up to each man to acquit himself well.
He disengaged the lock on the gun turret and rotated it around to the right, and practiced picking up targets while on the move.
“Anything up?” Cooke asked from below, when he noticed Moose’s movement.
“No. Just getting ready.”
Part of why he’d joined the Army was because it still celebrated the manly virtues. Traits he felt were right for real men were e
