Mercenary at heart - стр. 10

George was involved in transporting cargoes of various categories, from foodstuffs to military equipment and explosive chemicals. In addition to him, there were three other drivers on staff. A logistician was given separate authority, organising the shortest, least congested and safest routes. From time to time George also had to hire a team of mercenaries to escort the cargo and make sure it got from point A to point B smoothly. It was a small group of four men that he had been working with for quite some time.

The leader of this group was named Fred. Yes, the same Fred they'd sat in the bar with. And who was so genuinely excited about Michael's imminent birth. By the time the boy was just 14, Fred was 52 years old. He looked like a typical daredevil: a T-shirt with a giant skull print on the chest, a black leather waistcoat with no buttons, pierced ears with piercings, red lenses, worn torn long shorts and black sports trainers with ornaments on the edges. Behind his back hung a short-barreled shotgun, with ammunition on his belt. At his sides were pistols in holsters. His group had two identical brown Safari jeeps with machine guns instead of back seats. George felt quite secure with mercenaries with such a solid combat arsenal accompanying him.

During the transport, one jeep was in front of George's car and the other was behind it. Since Michael's father and Fred were best friends, and the former was a regular customer, Fred always gave a substantial discount on his group's services. In addition, he was a frequent guest at the Silver house. He could even come uninvited to a party, or just show up when he had some free time on his hands. At the table Fred often talked about his orders and the trouble he'd been in lately.

Michael always admired him: his courage and bravery, fearlessness and selflessness. Secretly from his parents, the boy always dreamed that when he became an adult, he would be trained for the military, becoming a successful mercenary like Fred. He dreamed that he would help the local population and protect them from trouble. A bright pipe dream of a naive boy immersed in his dreams. Only then he didn't know that such a job involved not only good deeds, but also dirty orders, which Fred deliberately didn't tell him anything about.

753. It was spring. The buds on the trees in Ounvilshen began to blossom and flowers woke up from their winter hibernation. The town was filled with the wonderful colours and smells of blossoming plants. April was approaching, which Michael had always looked forward to. It was his birthday that month, and every year he and his family would go out and have fun. George had arranged his schedule so that he wouldn't take bookings at this time, or at least not participate in them, and Mariana would take a couple of days off. There was no such thing as a holiday. The cities had no social security or pension fund. Employers refused to pay for days off, but with advance notice they would at least provide them.