Rough Diamonds (A Spider Shepherd short story) Read Free

and screwdrivers, and so on.  He wouldn’t just use the kit to keep his weapon clean, he would also have been constantly adjusting, repairing and re-zeroing his weapon as necessary, so once more, they’d be well worn and scratched.  Stick some biltong - wind-dried meat - into one of the pouches too, because he would use that to stem his hunger pangs between the irregular meals he would be used to.  Then to round it off, tape a couple of Russian grenades to the ammo pouches for effect.  That should just about do it for the webbing and belt kit.’
    Parker took out a small black notepad from his pocket and a gold pen and began to scribble in it.
    ‘Now for the boots,’ said Shepherd. ‘The guy who said an army marches on its stomach got it wrong. Armies march on their feet. The only guys in the modern army who wear standard-issue army boots are the REMF’s - the Rear Echelon Mother Fuckers - because they only ever march from the canteen to the billet and back.  Guys in the field know their lives depend on being able to march 24/7. And I’ll tell you one thing for sure – I probably spend more on my boots than you do on your Savile Row suits.  On ops we try not to take our boots off all the time we are in the field.  This means they must fit like gloves, be supple and extremely comfortable.  The boots we need will have been worn by this guy for years.  He will probably have worn them for gardening and hiking around South Africa after he left the regular army and before he signed up to the mercenary game.  They’ll be clean but not polished and will have had insect and leech repellent applied to them for years.  The soles will be worn but not too worn - he will have climbed on and jumped down from a thousand different vehicles over the lifetime of his boots.  There will be traces of petrol and oil, and several different soils in the tread pattern. They will feel like kid glove leather and if you find an authentic pair, then one of us is quite likely to keep them. If you can get us those things, we’ll see what we can do. Oh, and as you were just saying to me, you’ll have to move fast.’ He winked at the others.
    ‘Is all this detail strictly necessary?’ Parker said. ‘Feels to me like you’re using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. The Liberians are hardly going to be subjecting this kit to Scotland Yard-style forensic examination.’
    ‘It’s necessary,’ Jock growled. ‘If the Liberians are not convinced and start making allegations that British troops are behind a breach of their sovereign territory then the diplomatic shit will hit the fan big time, at which point your future promotion prospects may not be looking too rosy. So, you know what? Just do as Spider says and get the fucking kit we need.’
    Parker flushed with anger and opened his mouth to say something, then thought better of it and with a curt nod, he turned and hurried away, sliding his pen and notepad into his pocket as he went.
    Jock waited until the SIS man was out of earshot before speaking.  ‘So what have you got in mind, Spider? You’ve obviously been hatching a plan, because I could hear the cogs whirring.’
    ‘I’ll tell you, but before I do, I just want you to know that I’m going to do it anyway.   If any or all of you want to come along for the ride, then fine, but if not, there’ll be no hard feelings from me.’
    His three patrol mates looked affronted. ‘What the hell are you talking about?’ Jimbo said. ‘Of course we’re in with you. We’re mates aren’t we?’ The other two nodded in agreement.
    ‘We’re the three and a half musketeers,’ said Jock. ‘All for one and one for all.’
    ‘Who’s the half?’ asked Jimbo, frowning.
    ‘If you’ve got to ask,’ said Geordie, and he laughed.
    ‘That’s just offensive,’ said Jimbo, crossing his arms and scowling.
    ‘Great,’ Shepherd said, ignoring the banter. ‘Though you may not be quite so keen when you hear the plan. Whatever we might