Someone turned on the projector showing a large lake with a dam at the southern point of the lake. According to the map, the name of the lake was called Arghandab and the dam was called Arghandab Dam. A couple of miles south of the dam was the city of Kandahar. In between the city and the dam was a river that had a road following its twists and turns. Scattered along the road blue triangles that indicated settlements.

“This is, as you can see, Arghandab Dam which supplies southern Afghanistan including Kandahar with irrigation. There are reports from Canadian forces on the ground that there might be a Brute in the area. They have their people checking it out but they requested support from the US Army. We are going to go in and stage north of Kandahar while the Canadians stages at Arghandab Dam. We will meet in the middle. We are going to sweep all the villages along the river looking for OCS troops and hope to flush out the super. The Canadians are going to do the same but from the north.” The Colonel said pointing out the lake.

“We will drive by convoy to Kandahar Air Force Base to stay the night then take the convoy to the staging area just outside of the city of Kandahar in the morning. The second and third platoon will be conduction sweeps of suspected compounds. The first platoon with Never will be held back as a reserve. If you discover a suspected super fall back and call in First Platoon." The Colonel paused and looked up.

“People we learned our lesson the last time out. We made a lot of mistakes. My command staff and I made a lot of mistakes. Just because that last ten times the super has been a Brute does not mean it will always be a Brute. War zones like this are a breeding ground for supers and we need to remember that not all supers a Brutes. Keep your head on a swivel and stay low on this next OP and all the Ops following this one." The Colonel said pounding his podium.

"The projected mission time is Five days. We leave at zero six hundred tomorrow. Get some rest. Any question get with your sergeants. That is all.” The Colonel said and left the room.

At Six in the morning, Emily found herself on a Humvee headed towards Kandahar. She was the rear passenger. In her Humvee was Sergeant Caraway who was the fire team leader for First Platoon first squad. He was a new guy. In fact, the entire fire team was reinforcements fresh in from other platoons and units. Sergeant Caraway was riding shotgun and was from The Second Platoon. Fant was from another unit entirely and he was the driver. Geary was the gunner and was fresh from the States. Emily found herself sitting in the back with Geary.

The Convoy consisted of five Humvee’s and three large unarmored transport trucks that were able to carry forty troops per truck not including the driver and passenger. Emily was in the second Humvee in the convoy. Following Emily’s Humvee was a transport truck and behind that transport truck was another Humvee. Behind the third Humvee was the last two transport trucks with the last two Humvee taking up the rear.

She felt that familiar thrill of excitement but this time there was more fear. She put her headphones on so she wouldn’t have to talk to anyone. She closed her eyes and tried to zone out to the music but it was a ten-hour drive. About an hour into the drive Emily gave up and took off her headphones. Geary apparently knew how to travel. He had loads of junk food that he passed out freely. He also had a tablet in which he downloaded a bunch of games on. He also had a case of Taurus in a small Styrofoam cooler which he had no problems sharing. Emily and Geary ended up play a Chinese checkers on his tablet. It was fun and passed the time.

They stopped briefly for a bathroom break around noon on the side of a deserted highway before continuing on their way. They arrived at the Air Force base a little after four thirty in the afternoon. They spent the night in tents at the Air Force base. The tents were surprisingly nice. They had ac and really comfortable cots. The next morning the Company got back into their trucks and headed out for the operation.

The next five days were very boring for Emily. They drove the trucks down the road and let off second and third platoon. The trucks then headed back to the Air Force base leaving just the five Humvees. The second Platoon took the east side of the river and the third Platoon took the west. The houses were set off deeply from the road so the platoons fanned out and marched well away from the road across the fields to get to each housing compound. Emily’s and her team stayed on the road with the other Humvees as fast response teams. At night they dug foxholes and slept well away from the road.

“No taser are not really effective on Brute because Brutes are really touch-telekinetic. The taser probes bounce off the field that surrounds their skin.” Emily said trying not to get mad at Geary. It was a hundred and two in the shade and they had been out in the Humvee for five days. Rumor had it that the Canadians were just a couple of miles away.

“What about fire?” Geary asked.

“Fire gets turned aside for a short time but molten metal works well. That’s what an SK round really is. It just a round that once it hits its target produces a lot of molten metal to overwhelm a Brutes Forvenman’s field.” Emily said tiredly. “Didn’t you pay any attention in Ranger school?”

“Nah I got by on my good looks.” Geary said grinning.

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“Geary shut up!” Sergeant Caraway said finally losing it. “Why are you even sitting down here. Get back on the fifty!”

“Yes, boss.” Geary happily. That was what was wrong with Geary. He was slow but always happy and it grated on everyone’s nerves. It was like he was happy that he didn't get it. It also didn’t help that they were sitting in full combat gear in the Humvee and the AC was not working all that well. Geary climbed up on the turret but then said from above. “Hey Never, what about water.”

Sergeant Caraway cursed. “For the love of god, Geary shut up!”

“Yes, boss.” Came the response.

It was quiet for about five minutes and then Geary said: “Hey boss got something coming over the hill on the road north of us.”

Emily immediately grabbed her M9 from the rifle rack and climbed out of the truck. Using the door as a shield she aimed her rifle down the road. The com chatter explodes as multiple people reporting that a Humvee was coming over the hill. Emily’s Humvee was parked on the right side of the road away from the river. The Lead Humvee was parked about forty feet in front of them and was parked on the river side of the road. The Third Humvee came driving up on Emily’s right about twenty feet further off road than Emily’s Humvee. They also piled out of the truck aiming their guns towards the unknown Humvee.

The com Chatter said that the Humvee was the Canadians. To further prove the point the Humvee unveiled a huge Canadian flag. The gunner in the third Humvee started to sing ‘O Canada. Emily didn’t know the words to the Canadian national anthem but she hummed along and sang the chorus. They were still singing the song when the Canadian truck met them on the road.

Just like that the operation was over. No one found any signs of OCS or the Brute that was supposed to be in the area. They followed the Canadian’s back to their base by the Dam and spent the night in their base. No loss of life and firefights. Emily could live with that.

“The Canadians are awesome.” Emily thought several hours later. The sun was just setting and they were sitting inside the Canadian’s base. There was music from a DJ booth someone had set up and Emily was eating a hamburger that she just got off the grill. She was sitting beside a skinny African American guy who’s had the coolest French Canadian accent. He was the Canadians only Main in the country.

“So this guy was like ahh don’t drop me. And I was like, Sir I am here to help you but he was too far gone to listen to me. And then I smelled it. It smelt like the most foulest thing I had ever smelled. It was even worse than Rickers in Montreal. You remember that Mikus eh. Anyway I looked down and this guy had crapped his pants and it wasn’t like normal crap you know. It was all liquidity and it was running down this guys pants. And since we were flying it was puddling on my bubble. I was like gross and the rest of the trip I was gagging” The Canadian super said making gagging noises.

The entire group of American and Canadian soldiers laughed. Emily was laughing so hard she had tears in her eyes. “So that’s how I made a politician crap his pants.” The Canadian super said smiling.

“Felix you bastard you're killing me.” Someone shouted out from the crowd.

The Canadian super made an angry face and said: “GRR I am the great Bubbles fear my awesome crappy powers.” That set the entire crowd off again laughing.

The Canadian Super was an exotic like Emily. In fact, he was Canada’s only military exotic super on active duty. He had the power to surround himself in an oval force field which he could move in any direction including upwards in the air. Because of that, he was classified as a flier. His main duty was as a bodyguard since his force field had enough room for three people and he could fly away from trouble. His force field was strong enough to take a hit or two from an SK round and could he could go toe to toe with Class one Brute. Emily heard a rumor about how he could use his force field as a weapon and cut through anything when he engages it. She didn’t want to ask because she didn’t think it was polite to ask.

Emily looked over at the nerdy looking super and thought that in a million years she would never pick him as such a badass super. His girlfriend misread her look and gave her a dirty look. Emily shook her head and smiled. Her thoughts were interrupted when a Canadian soldier with a big burly beard grabbed her hand and pulled her into the dancing crowd. Laughing Emily followed the man.

“So, tells us all the juicy details.” Jan asked the next morning.

“Nothing happened we just kissed.” Emily said blushing.

“Ah ha the guy looked like Hercules and he had a beard. There is no way I would have let that one go. So give!” Wonder said giving Emily a pointed look. They were sitting down in the chow hall on the Canadian’s base. The convoy was scheduled to leave at zero eight in the morning so the girls decided to get breakfast. Unlike American bases where they had to stand in line for an hour before eating the Canadian base was self-serve buffet style food service. The only ended up waiting for five minutes before getting something to eat.

“Don’t you worry Never, Wonder is only saying that because she didn’t get any last night.” Jan said waving her fork around.

“Who says that I didn’t get any?” Wonder asked.

“What?” Jan said choking on her eggs. “Who?”

“Mr tall, dark and yummy.” Wonder said with a hungry smile as she gazed off into the distance.

Laughing Jan said “Your slut.”

“What?” Wonder replied. “I am not a nun like our young friend over there. Besides, he met all the criteria. No wedding ring, great hands, and most importantly he is not with the company.”

“Hey I am not a nun.” Emily said outraged.

“Yea, Yea.” Jan said absently waving her fork at Emily. “So?”

“Well as I said he had amazing hands and he was amazing…” Wonder said pausing for dramatic effect. “...kisser.”

Rolling her eyes at the two laughing girls Emily picked up her tray and said “Right I am out. See you guys at muster.” The two girls made kissing noises as Emily made her way to the tray return.