Matt Archer: Monster Hunter (Matt Archer Series, Book 1)

Chapters 7 and 8

Chapter 7

After my tussle in the woods, Mike and Colonel Black conceded that I needed some breakfast. As we walked down the road toward the little bunk house, I asked about something that had been bugging me.

"Colonel Black, are you surprised the knife picked a fourteen-year-old?"

"Well...I'll be honest. Yes, very," he said. "But I've had a week to get used to the idea. Major Tannen briefed me right after the knife transferred to you." He gave me a quick look and I could see worry in his eyes. "We've got some work ahead of us, getting you trained. It's not going to be easy—probably painful. Are you up for that?"

I mulled it over. "Have to be, don't I? No real choice but to suck it up and learn as much as I can this week."

Colonel Black's shoulders relaxed. "I'm glad you're taking it seriously." He nodded at my leg. "How's the ankle?"

"Barely feel it," I said. "Guess I walked it off while the 'cougar' was chasing me."

The men laughed as we turned onto the drive near our barracks. The sun had nearly risen, and the little house looked shabbier by daylight. The brick was a dingy ivory color and the screen door had a few holes in it. Tired as I was, though, I doubted a five-star hotel would have looked better.

Mike let us in. "Grab the knife."

Now I got why Mike had insisted on leaving it behind for our run. It wouldn't have been good if I'd stabbed the colonel in the back during his ambush.

"Where to next?" I asked.

"Colonel Black's office," Mike said.

I crossed my arms and made an impatient noise. "Food first."

"Matt, you're going to eat in my office," Colonel Black said. "We don't want the whole base to know you're here until we can concoct some kind of story for it. My team will know, but that's it for now. They'll be here at oh-nine-hundred to meet you. Now, let's go, Private."

"Private? Oh, come on...not even a sergeant or something? I killed a monster on my own, sir. That has to earn me three stripes at least."

"High expectations there." Mike pushed me out the door, wearing a wry grin. "I'd guess corporal at best."

Colonel Black's office was closer to the center of the base. It was a good sized room with a large desk, a narrow window that cranked open and a little wooden table with four folding chairs. Not fancy, but comfortable. Once we got settled, he rang for his secretary, who turned out to be a staff sergeant with a buzzed head and a big nose.

"Kingston, breakfast for three," the colonel said. Kingston gave the colonel a crisp nod and marched down the hall.

"See, even your secretary gets to be a sergeant," I said. He probably hadn't killed a monster by himself. But, no, I was a private.

Uncle Mike dropped into a chair at the table. I joined him and asked, "The monster team...are they all part of the 10th Airborne like you?"

Mike had told me that the 10th Special Forces Group was a tough bunch of Green Berets who liked to jump out of airplanes and do other dangerous—and righteously awesome—things. Behind enemy lines usually.

He shook his head. "They're from the covert operation in South America. The general heading up that mission hand-selected a team of Green Berets from the 10th and other units. But since Colonel Black's our commanding officer, we're based here."