EPISODE CIX - THE EPISODE WHERE MEL FIRES FLO FOR SAYING "KISS MY GRITS"
Sgt. Stauch and Corporal Broski crept forward until they had a full view of Minnesota Tex's compound. The rest of the team were a few hundred feet behind them, concealed
in a thicket of twisted, short desert trees. Stauch looked questioningly at the Broski who was surveying the area with a pair of N-Ray goggles. The corporal turned the insectile lenses on his superior,
studying him intently.
"Well?", Stauch inquired.
"You have two cavities", Broski observed, adjusting one of the nobs on the glasses, "and from the way your colon looks, you should lay off the red meat for a while."
"Not me", Stauch retorted hotly, "what do you see out there?"
Broski shrugged. "Not much, just a few buildings."
"And inside those buildings.", Stauch prompted.
"Furniture.", the corporal offered.
"Any people?", Stauch asked, reaching the end of his patience.
"Negative.", Broski confirmed, "Nobody at all. It's almost like they new we were coming.", he added casually.
Stauch felt the hairs on the back of his neck bristle. He'd had an uneasy feeling for the last several minutes, and the corporal's statement had just confirmed it.
"They do know we're coming.", Stauch whispered, pulling the hammer back on his antique weapon.
Broski likewise cocked the rifle he'd brought, and scanned the horizon for threats. "If somebody's out there waiting", he said in hushed tones, "they're doing a hell of a job of hiding."
Stauch and Broski hit the dirt as the roar of gunfire echoed down the canyon. Hazarding a look above the small crop of rocks they were using for cover, they saw several of their crew mates scrambling from
the twisted grove of trees in which they were hiding. Orwig and Proteau dragged a bewildered Mr. Jeffy into a nearby ditch, dodging rounds as best they could while Reed and Number Two returned fire into the
nearby hillside from behind the twisted foliage. VanTedly stood abruptly from behind them and emptied both of his six shooters into the the countryside. Several cries of dismay and anguish erupted in
the surrounding area in answer to his seemingly random fusillade.
During a brief pause in incoming artillery, Reed dared a quick glance in the direction he'd sent his two commandos. They weren't where they'd been before the firing started, which was reassuring. As
he drew back down into a crouch, a shot rang out from his left as something struck his head, sending him to the ground. He looked up at the clear blue sky, wondering who had knocked him down and why.
When tried to turn onto his side, the white, hot pain that erupted behind his eyes robbed him of his strength. He saw Number Two looking down at him, concern etched on his young face, saying something urgently
over and over. Though he tried desperately, Reed was unable to make out the Lieutenant's words, which drew further away as the darkness closed around him.
