Carnifex

BdL Hildegard von Mises

Except for a couple of men who sat a bench near the superstructure of the ship, the small party accompanying Carrera stood in a group by its port side. In the distance, they could see Qamra approaching. A ladder had already been let over the side to allow them to climb down.

Soult and Mitchell watched Carrera as stood on the deck, while waiting for the Qamra to come alongside to pick them up. Carrera looked, to say the least, unwell. Soult worried about the "old man's" trembling hands. To Mitchell, the major concern was the glassy, mindless stare.

If the boss said it was right to nuke a major city and kill upwards of half a million people, that was enough for them. Still, though they, themselves, had no particular problem with the nuking of Hajar, perhaps it was bothering him.

Whatever he was feeling inside, though, could not be good. And then . . .

Ah, Jesus," Mitch thought, he's crying.

It was true, not some fluke of the light nor even some bits of detritus in his eyes. Trembling, staring down at the sea; tears also coursed down Carrera's face. He didn't seem to notice.

"Other side of the ship," Soult said to the other guards and seamen standing around. "Now! We'll take care of him." He looked at the boy, Hamilcar, and appended, "Stay here, son. Maybe it will help your father."

Hamilcar nodded but thought, I don't think anything much that I can do will help.

"He's just relieved that it's finally over," Mitchell insisted to the soldiers and sailors scurrying away. He called to their backs, "And if you mention a word of this to anyone, your grandchildren will have nightmares."

Both men moved in to stand close to either side. It was as well that they did; Carrera's knees buckled and he began to fall to the deck. They caught him and half carried him backwards to the bench.

"Boss? Sir? Pat?" There was no reaction, except that the tears were joined by sobs.

"What do we do, Jamey," Mitchell asked, desperately.

"Get him to a doctor? Get him home? Hell, I don't know. We've seen him in bad shape before, but this?"

"I think we'd better call the Sergeant Major."

"And my mother," Hamilcar added.