War Read Free Page B

did, Sergeant Edmonds,” muttered one of the men sullenly.
    “What’s this, Branford?” Sergeant Edmonds suddenly grabbed the note from Jake’s hand and peered at it. ‘“Red button twice for turbo firepower, explode glowing brick to reach nitro depot… ’?”
    Code. For Pete’s computer game. “I need that!” Jake said. “It’s just … code.”
    “Code?” Sergeant Edmonds began to circle Jake. “How old are you?”
    “Fourt—” You fool. Wrong answer. Too young for the army. “Fort … Sumter! What a mistake, huh? Broke my heart. I would have reinforced it more aggressively, sir. It was wide open. Biggest insult to the North in the whole war, sir !”
    “IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR HEARING? I ASKED YOUR AGE!”
    Lie.
    “Seventeen!” Jake shot back. “Just thought you might want to hear my fighting experience, sir.”
    “Fighting experience?” Edmonds leaned closer. Jake held his breath. “Branford, I don’t trust you. You’re dressed like something from a theatrical show, you sound like a fool, and you’re carrying what’s either a child’s scrawl or secret Rebel code. I’m betting it’s the former, so I’ll give you a chance. On the condition that Colonel Weymouth agrees with me, after he reads it.”
    “Cool beans.” No no no no. “I mean, I’ll eat anything — cool beans, hot beans, whatever.” Concentrate, Jake. FEEL IT. “Seriously, Sergeant Edmonds, you made the right choice. I can fight with the best of them. Maybe I can help the colonel. I know everything about the war — strategy and tactics and combat and — ”
    “Just show me you can tie your own shoes and lift a bucket of slops. We’ll go one step at a time.” Edmonds pointed to a nearby cabin. “Pick up a proper uniform in there and report to me afterward. By then, I’ll have talked to the colonel.”
    Shoulders back, Jake walked to the cabin.
    He felt ten feet tall.
    Yes.
    This isn’t bad.
    It’s fun.
    But it could be better.
    Okay. Plan it out.
    Number one. No slang.
    Number two. Don’t act like a kid.
    Number three. Get rid of anything that didn’t exist in the 1860s.
    Byron will be so jealous.
    Jake quickly undid his watch and slipped it into his pocket. Then he pulled open the cabin door.
    A man barged out, nearly knocking Jake over.
    “Whoa. Sorry,” Jake said. “Are you, like, the costume guy?”
    The man’s face was the color and texture of rare roast beef. A scar ran from his left eyebrow to the back of his left ear. Orange-red hair, slick from sweat, stuck out from under his cap.
    “Corporal Rademacher to you, lassie.”
    “Lassie?” Please. “I mean, I guess that’s authentic, but it is so incredibly sexist — ”
    SHHHHHINK.
    Rademacher drew his dagger. His face was reddening more, his lips drawing back over his teeth. “Are you funnin’ me, yard dog?”
    Totally deranged.
    Jake swallowed.
    Don’t push him, Jake. You never know.
    Lincoln was killed by an actor.
    “Uh, no, sir. I — ”
    “Where are you from, anyway?”
    “Hobson’s Corner.”
    “Like hell. What are you doing here?”
    “Getting my uniform, that’s all — ”
    Rademacher’s voice was a low rasp. “I smell grits on your breath.”
    “Uh, well, I think it’s Cap’n Crunch, but they’re both made of corn — ” Cap’n Crunch? Stay in character.
    A flash of steel.
    Jake lurched backward.
    He felt the cool blade of Rademacher’s knife against his cheek.

We’ve sighted our man.
    Then get him. Now. Before he does any more damage.

6
    “D ROP THAT, C ORPORAL R ADEMACHER!”
    Edmonds.
    Calling from across the camp.
    Jake started to turn. Pain.
    A stinging sensation on his cheek. Sudden. Sharp.
    Warm.
    He touched his face and felt wetness.
    Blood.
    His fingers were coated with it.
    He cut me.
    I’m bleeding.
    I’m actually bleeding.
    “I can’t believe you did that,” Jake said.
    Rademacher wiped off his dagger and stuck it in its sheath. “It’s a U. For Union. Just so everyone knows what side