The Fourth War Page #3

The jeep you were driving

was found by a patrol, sir.

It was on fire

and you weren't in it.

What the f*** are you up to, Clark?

I was concerned about

your safety, sir.

I thought something

had happened to you.

The jeep caught fire, that's all.

The patrol said, that the...

The jeep caught fire, period!

I suppose you reported this

to Division as well?

Yes, sir, I did.

Is that what they teach you

at the Point?

Not specifically, sir.

They teach you to develop

your skills to a level where...

mistakes are things

other people make.

- One, two, three, four!

- One, two, three, four!

- One, two, three, four!

- One, two, three, four!

- One, two, three, four!

I'm looking for the Colonel.

I've not seen him, sir.

Do you know,

if he slept here last night?

I don't reckon he was here, sir.

His bed wasn't slept in.

Please, let me go.

They will kill me.

Who's they?

Come on!

Wake up.

We have to go.

The patrol just went by.

You went out like a light.

I'm sorry.

You must have needed it.

Yes.

I don't know who you are...

but, it's very important,

not to run like that again.

You've seen these

border guards are serious.

Do you understand,

what I'm talking about?

I understand.

I used to live there.

How'd you get here

in the first place?

Bus.

- Bus?

They don't allow buses'

on the border.

I came by the bus, from Regensburg.

And in Diefenbach, I...

Hitch-hiked.

That's what I did.

You lived in Regensburg?

I worked in Regensburg.

For three years, now.

I used to live in Prague.

Prague?

Well, if that's where you're headed,

you better find a different route.

Because, if it's this way,

you're only going to get shot.

I must go back to Czechoslovakia.

And they must not know

I'm coming.

It's a political situation.

And my little girl is there.

She has no one to take care of her.

Who's taking care of her now?

My mother, but she is ill.

She cannot anymore.

No one else you can ask?

There is no one. Nothing.

Get in the car.

These communist countries will

take the responsibility...

whether you like it or not.

Whether you like it or not?

Sounds wonderful.

I didn't say it was wonderful.

Would you want them to

take your daughter?

Look, I just think

things are better now, that's all.

And do you believe it?

No.

I think it's bullshit.

It is bullshit.

Big bullshit.

Here.

Drink this.

This is my number at the base.

Call me, if you need any more help.

And for god's sake, don't come

across that border again.

There is no other way.

If there was, I would have

done it long ago.

Why do you have to do this?

In Prague, I did translations.

For the

Revolutionary Underground Press.

We published a newspaper.

Prominent Student Youth Committee.

Committee to get rid of the Soviets.

It is a printing village,

which is outside the city...

to avoid detection.

One night, we arrived at the press

at the house of a friend.

The police were there.

Waiting for us.

I was able to escape, but, I had to

leave the country at once.

" Capiche? "

Yes, I understand.

And I'm very very sorry,

but...

I can't help you.

I wish you and your daughter,

much luck.

But Colonel, could you not...?

Believe me.

I can't.

- GO! GO!

- GO FOR IT!

- Yay! Yay!

It should be done like this!

- Yay! Yay!

Good afternoon, General.

Welcome onboard, sir.

Clark.

Gentlemen, I apologize for taking

you away from the game,

but, my schedule was bird-dogged

by a storm...

that's been screwing my ass

all the way from Frankfurt.

So, Clark.

Carry on, Sergeant Major.

Everybody, enjoy the day.

Where's Colonel Knowles?

In his quarters, sir.

I've been reading

your report, Colonel.

Yes, sir.

- You're a West Pointer, right?

- Class of '70, sir.

Well, that's a little after me.

- Who sponsored you?

- Senator Jordan of Maryland, sir.

- No sh*t.

- That's right.

Sam Jordan? Oh my god!

Sam and I go way back.

We used to chase

the ladies together.

Met his new wife, Mary Beth?

Haven't had the pleasure, sir.

She's the balls of the family, now.

Old Sam told me, when he got

remarried to that Mary Beth...

half his age, it would really

straighten his ass out.

The Senator was never anything,

but, straight with me, sir.

Well, alright.

General.

Jack.

Thank you, Colonel.

That's not the Jack Knowles

I ever remember.

We'll have that cleaned up

right away, sir.

Will coffee do?

It would be fine, Jack.

They're keeping you busy, huh?

That's right.

Back to Frankfurt,

then on to Stuttgart by 17:30.

Never a second to stop moving.

There was a time

when I could relax.

Take in a little golf...

sleep til noon on Sunday's.

Now, my wife, you met, Rachel?

- Mm... hmm.

Well, she is insisting that

I attend church.

Even got me to read the bible.

Right up there, in front of

the whole damn congregation.

So, I decided, I'd better brush-up

a little bit on the Good Book.

And I found myself,

trudging through all those " begets."

In the book of Genisis.

Then I thought of you.

I don't understand.

" Begets, " Jack.

The past tense of " beget."

It means, to produce "off-spring."

Abraham beget Isaac,

Isaac beget... it's all there...

It's in the beginning of the Bible, Jack.

Don't you read your Bible?

I always thought, that a man of

your spirit,

in spirit, would have it

within arm's reach.

Night and day.

What's your point, Roger?

Who do you think, "beget" you, Jack?

Well, if I don't know,

you're going to tell me.

Vietnam.

You're the off-spring of

the war in Vietnam.

Now, mind you,

you're not the only one.

But, war, also "begets" loonies.

And cowards...

and big heroin trafficker's.

Iowa farm boys, with their

first dose of "crack."

But, most important,

it "beget" heroes.

And you are one of them.

No, no, no,

you are a hero, Jack.

Most definitely.

And I can attest to that.

Because, you put your life

on the line for me...

many times under my command.

Do you want to know something?

I've been trying to

save your life, ever since.

I don't see what

your driving at, Colonel.

Like sh*t, you don't.

You can't be trusted

for five minutes.

You've been shuffled

through the army,

more times,

than a deck of cards!

Bangkok, Manila, ...Guam!

And on each and every assignment,

you caused trouble.

You can't be referring

to the jeep?

Of course, I'm referring

to the god damn jeep!

You war mongering, son-of-b*tch!

It exploded!

It caught fire!

IT EXPLODED!!

I have the evidence.

It was shelled by

a rocket propelled grenade.

RPG fragments were found

in the fuel tank.

I didn't know that.

You're a god damn liar.

And you also know, who did it,

don't you, Colonel.

Becuse there is only one army,

on the face of god's green earth...

who uses rockets, like some

old lady uses suppositories...

and that's

the armed forces of the U.S.S.R.

You see, right over there,

where I am pointing...

there's another hero...

just like you...

but, he didn't go to Vietnam.

He went to Aftghanistan.

And it was a f***ing mess.

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