Page 9

"That's it, Krinkov. When we come back, you get the sad pill for a month."

Krinkov answered with a nervous laugh. The lower part of his mask slid down, a cigarette was promptly inserted. He lit it by pressing it against the heat claw on his left hand.

"Switch with me."

He did so, and rested the barrel of his rifle on the same window Gray was watching from a second ago. He didn't ask why. A second later, as the orange dot of his smoke forced the autocamo to subtly switch its patten near the flame, he got the reason why.

"Hey, Mr. Gray…"

"What is it now, god damn it?"

"How long do we have to wait?"

"Till we a get an all-green from the Captain."

"Not too long, then?"

"I just don't know."

…