[DataKing]

THE FOFC BRIGADE

Chapter One: Rain And Blood

Two men sit on bunks opposite one another in a military prison cell. A heated debate rages…

“For the last time, I won the race!” exclaims JeffNights (known to many as Lieutenant Flunky). “I was in the lead when the whole thing went to hell, so that makes me the winner!”

“You’re full of it Flunky,” retorts Lieutenant Superman=#54, “and you know it.”

“Bull!” shouts JeffNights.

“The race didn’t end, it was interrupted! That means nobody won!” Superman=#54 continues. “And the only reason you were winning is because you bumped me! I damn near lost a track!”

JeffNights grins for a moment, but then the reality of the situation seems to settle in, and the smile melts from his face.

“I guess we’re wasting our breath. It doesn’t really matter now, does it?”

“No, I s’pose not,” replies Superman=#54. “But I’m gonna protest. They never told us that tank racing was illegal.”

“Yeah,” JeffNights agrees. “I never figured it would land me in the brig.”

Both men go silent as a MP appears from around the corner, scowling at the two men from the other side of the cell’s bars.

“You two officers have some visitors.”

Both men stand as Captain Coffee Warlord and Captain sachmo71 step around the corner. Superman=#54 gives a sharp salute, while JeffNights rushes forward and grabs the bars in front of Captain Coffee Warlord.

“You’ve come to get me out! Thank you Coffee! Thank God!” JeffNights exclaims. But his look of relief disappears when he sees the steely resolve on the face of his usually-relaxed commanding officer.

Sachmo71 dismisses the MP with a nod, then approaches the bars.

“I think you two have better things to do with your gasoline and your time than race with our tanks. Especially now.”

“Especially now?” both prisoners inquire.

Coffee Warlord takes a deep breath, then speaks.

“Four hours ago, the Japanese attacked our naval forces at Pearl Harbor, gentlemen. You can assume that a state of war exists between us and the Empire of Japan.”

The news strikes home like a thunderbolt in the two men. The thing they had been trained to do, was the very same thing they had all hoped to avoid.

WAR!

Sachmo71 produces a set of keys and unlocks the cell door, swinging it open. Superman=#54 stands and exits the cell, giving his Captain a crisp solute.

“We’ll discuss punishment later, men,” sachmo71 says. “Now it’s time to earn our pay.”

He and Superman=#54 exit the military prison, with Coffee Warlord and JeffNights a few steps behind. Quietly, so no one else can here, Coffee Warlord whispers to JeffNights…

“I don’t care what anybody else says. You won that race.”