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		CHAPTER ELEVEN Hawkeye took the long way back to camp, it was quite obvious that he wasn't in any hurry and all I could do was follow him. He trudged over the muddy hill and almost slipped into a huge water puddle trying to regain his balance. He walked the small distance that passed Rosie's bar and other civilian joints until he reached the foot of the camp. Hawkeye stopped and for a second I thought that he was gonna turn around and run away, but he kept on walking. As he walked through the compound he saw my small zoo that Colonel Blake let me keep. A thought struck me as he started towards the zoo. I loved all of my pets and I wondered what was gonna happen to them now that I'm gone. The day that Colonel Blake let me keep them Major Burns tried to get rid of them, he always hated me having animals and called them allsorts nasty names. Major Burns will probably let them go or do something worse to them. I tried not to think about it as I followed Hawkeye heading towards the cages. I watched as he slowly looked into each one, and he stopped when he reached the cage that one of my rabbits were in. He opened the door and picked him up stroking his white fur looking at him closely. "HAWKEYE!" I heard Trapper yell out as he came from the Mess tent. He had a worried look on his face and ran over to my small zoo. "Where the hell have you been Hawk?! I've been looking for you everywhere" Trapper announced as he came closer. Not looking up Hawkeye continued to look at my rabbit. "What are you doing?" Trapper asked. "I'm checking Radar's rabbit out for rabies; I don't want him to go through all those rabies shots again. He hates needles..." Hawkeye trailed off. "Rabies? C'mon Hawk your delirious and your soaking wet, you need a hot shower and some sleep." Trapper replied trying to drag him away. "NO! Radar's rabbit might be infected; I don't want him to get sick again!" Hawkeye yelled. "It's ok Hawk, I'll make sure Radar's rabbit is fine, c'mon.." Trapper gently said as he guided Hawkeye towards the shower tent. By this time I was upset and frustrated. I couldn't talk to him, he couldn't see or hear me-actually no one could and I just wanted to scream. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````` Trapper helped Hawkeye back to The Swamp after he had a hot shower and gave him a sedative to help him sleep. I saw as Trapper collapsed down onto his cot and for a while all he did was watch Hawkeye sleep peacefully. He muttered something about the war as he too started to doze off when an announcement came over the P.A. Attention, all personnel a memorial service will be held today by Father Mulcahy for the tragic lost of Radar O'Reilly at 13:00 hours in the Mess Tent. He will be very much missed by us all Hearing that announcement made my stomach go cold, Trapper closed his eye's as he tried to blink back the tears so he reached over towards the still to pour himself a Martini. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` 13:00 hours rolled around and the entire camp with the exception of Hawkeye gathered in the Mess tent. Deciding that I've had enough tears for one day I headed off towards my office, which as of this afternoon will become Klinger's. Walking over I wondered how Klinger was gonna be able to handle my old job as a Company Clerk. He's only had the job twice before when I went to Seoul for R&R, and that was only for 48 hours. When I came back I found the office a mess and my filing system all over the place, he had trouble working the radio and he droned on and on about the late night phone calls. The room was clean and tidy and my old cot had all my stuff neatly piled on top of it ready to be shipped home. I walked over towards my desk and the only thing that sat on it was the typewriter and a envelop. Looking closer I saw a familiar address neatly written in Major Houlihan's handwriting. I was a little surprised that the Major had typed out the letter herself instead of Klinger, but I guessed at the time she was the only one who could do it. Sadly knowing that Ma was soon gonna read it I turned away and headed out the door when I heard a loud crash coming from the Post-Op. 'Odd' I thought 'isn't everyone at the memorial service?' walking in I saw that the Post-Op was empty. The last few patients must've been transported back to their units earlier to make room for more potential wounded that were expected any time soon. I heard another crash as I headed closer to the O.R and a tray of sterilized instruments came crashing out the glass windows. I jumped back as the sharp instruments flew straight through me and an angry ghostly face popped out through the double doors. Straight away I recognized who it was and I screamed as he pointed and yelled out "YOU!" Panicking I ran as fast as I could back through the Post-Op and then through the tin walls. The ghost ran after me yelling out "STOP!" Scared I kept on running until I was back at the mine field where I came to an automatic halt-where I was gonna go, I didn't know. When he finally caught up to me he put out his hands and waved them around his head. "Please" he said "I'm not going to hurt you, please don't run away again." Scared out of my mind I stood still shaking. It was the same ghost that I saw back in the O.R a few months ago, and I wasn't gonna take the risk of angering him not knowing whether he had that huge knife still. He approached closer to me and said "You're that kid that saw me that day aren't ya?" I nodded and he let out a breath of relief and smiled. "The name's Lockhart, Corporal Stanly Lockhart. You're Corporal O'Reilly aren't ya?" I finally found my voice again and stammered "Y-yes B-but everyone calls me Radar because.." But Lockhart cut in. "Because you can tell when things are gonna happen before they happen." "How did you know" I asked surprised. "I've been here a long time Radar; I've seen you around you're the Clerk of this unit. I've seen you sense the choppers before anyone else knew that they were coming. I had a friend in my unit with the same thing you have but he, he....." Trailing off he looked down at his feet. "What?" I bravely asked. "He didn't survive during a shelling attack; he didn't have time to react." Lockhart replied looking back up at me again with a sad look in his eyes. Speaking up again Corporal Lockhart said "I saw what happened to you last night, that McShane guy is a real Psycho, I tried to warn you when he walked in but you didn't hear or see me, I banged on your desk and everything." I shivered when he told me that, I should've known that he was there, I saw him in the O.R once before why didn't I see him again? Maybe if I did I've would've been still alive. "I guess my 'Radar' was shut off that night" I replied and he nodded in full agreement. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````` CHAPTER TWELVE SUNDAY AUGUST 3rd, 1951, 13:23 HOURS The warm spring breeze blew gently around The Swamp. The tent windows were rolled up on Frank's side letting the nudist magazines that were piled next to the Still rustle. The sedative that Trapper gave Hawkeye started to wear off and he opened one eye to survey his surroundings. Realizing that he was alone Hawkeye slowly sat up and yawned. As he did he noticed the wet clothing that sat beside his cot. "What the hell happened to me?" he said out loud and he got up and walked out The Swamp heading towards the Mess tent. Before he was even halfway there he heard a sad voice quivering loudly from the Mess tent and stopped short realizing what was going on. Father Mulcahy was giving a memorial service and he just stood fixed in his spot listening to the young Priest giving his sermon. Sadness, grief and guilt washed over Hawkeye as he turned, walking the opposite direction knowing that he couldn't face the people who attended. As he reached Radar's office doors, he held his breath and walked in surprised at how clean it was now. Slowly breathing out he noticed the harsh smell of bleach and the icy cold air. He closed his eyes as pictures of him resuscitating Radar flashed through his mind. He felt foolish as the scene replayed over and over so he opened his eyes again. Looking to his right he saw the cot with Radar's personal effects piled up and on top of the footlocker sat a raggedy old Teddy bear. Hawkeye walked over towards the bed and picked the stuffed toy up and hugged it as he sat down. He reached over and opened the footlocker and gently picked up an old creased black and white photo of a middle aged woman holding a baby. He turned the photo around and read the writing: "WALTER, AGED 6 MONTHS, 1933" Hawkeye felt numb after realizing who the baby was, and just stared at the photo for a long time before he placed it back. After he closed the locker he reached over and picked up the single cardboard box that sat beside it and opened the lid revealing the contents inside. Radar's smudged, finger- marked glasses sat on top of a pile of old Archie comics. He picked the glasses up and started cleaning them with the hem of his shirt. While he cleaned and carefully wiped the glasses he heard the sound of glass shattering coming from the Post-Op. Startled by the sudden sound he got up and put the glasses in his pocket as he went off to investigate. Holding the toy under his arm Hawkeye reached the doors and before he even opened them he heard the loud sound of boots running through the Post-Op. As he burst through the doors and flinging open the white curtain, the noise stopped and the ward was eerily quiet. "Hello, anybody in here?" Hawkeye called out. "Hello...? Walking pass the empty beds he saw the shards of glass and a tray of instruments scattered across the floor. "What the hell..." he trailed off realizing that the instruments came through the O.R window doors. Walking over the mess and entering the O.R, he saw that it was trashed with bandages and trays all over the place. He only heard the window breaking before and he wondered how long the O.R had been like this. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````` "What a turnout" Margaret solemnly said to Trapper as they both walked out of the Mess tent. The memorial service lasted about half an hour and now people wandered off to relax or to start their tasks. "I found Hawkeye" Trapper finally spoke up as the pair headed towards The Swamp to drown themselves into a Martini. "You did?" she replied somewhat relieved. "Yeah, he was at Radar's zoo holding one of the rabbit's going on about checking it out for rabies. He was worried that Radar was gonna get sick." Trapper said sadly. "You should've seen him Margaret; he was soaked through and delirious. I had to practically drag him away and give him a sedative to get him asleep." Margaret shook her head sadly as they both walked in The Swamp. "Hey, where's Hawk?" Trapper said concerned, noticing the empty cot. "I thought you gave him a sedative? Where did he go?" Margaret replied with just as much concern. "C'mon, let's look for him, maybe he went to the office." He said as he pushed back through the tent door. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````` Confused Hawkeye was sure that he heard the sound of boots running towards the office doors, but no one was around and he would've bumped into them coming through. Returning back to the Post-Op he placed Radar's bear on an empty cot and bent down to pick up the instruments. Just then Major Houlihan and Trapper came through the office doors and walked out from behind the white curtain. "There he is" the Major announced seeing the doctor first on the floor, and they both quickly walked over. Before they reached him Margaret noticed the glass and instruments and yelled out "What happened in here!?" angrily. Looking up Hawkeye was confused "Hey have you guy's seen the O.R? It's trashed" "Pierce, what are you talking about? Margaret asked with authority in her voice as she pushed open the double doors. She gasped seeing the room. I heard the windows break, but I didn't hear the O.R being attacked, did you guys see anyone run outside before?" Captain Pierce asked. "I don't know what you're going on about Hawk" Trapper said "We didn't see anyone; every body was at the memorial service." A chill ran down Hawkeye's spine. 'Something's going on here' he thought, still feeling that icy air as he followed his friend back towards the white curtain. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````` CHAPTER THIRTEEN Trapper walked Hawkeye back to The Swamp and sat him back down on his cot as he poured Hawkeye and himself a Martini. Hawkeye refused the alcoholic drink and Trapper raised an eyebrow in surprise. For a few moments silence filled the tent and Trapper sat on the edge of his cot sipping his drink. Finally Hawkeye spoke up. "You think I broke those windows and trashed the O.R don't you?" More silence. "It's been hard on us all Hawk. I know your under stress and feeling guilty about Radar, I mean so am I. you should've seen Klinger this morning, he came in the Mess tent wearing fatigues and he refuses to go near the office, even when Margaret ordered him." "Trapp it's not stress, it's something else. I don't know what it is but I didn't.." but Hawkeye trailed off as he saw an Ambulance roll into the compound. Trapper got up and set his empty glass down by the still. "I'll be right back" he said as he left the tent. Hawkeye decided to follow but stopped when he saw the driver hop out of the old Ambulance. Walking towards the tent flap window he saw Trapper talking to the Lieutenant and signing something on the clipboard that was held out to him. A moment later he disappeared but came back again, this time with Major Houlihan carrying a stretcher with a bagged up body on it. Hawkeye froze realizing what was happening. His skin prickled and his breathing was almost rapid. "No" he said slowly "No, not this soon" He walked over the mess on the floor and pushed the door open almost running over towards the Morgue wagon. Margaret saw Hawkeye first as he ran towards the vehicle. "Hawkeye..." she called as he ran right past her and boarded the bus. "Hawk?" Trapper said surprised as he looked up strapping the body in. Hawkeye ignored him as he slowly walked over towards him. He stood staring at the body bag not moving an inch. Finally he unzipped the bag revealing the deceased. "He looks so peaceful doesn't he?" Hawkeye solemnly said after a few moments. "He looks as if he's sleeping." "C'mon Hawk, it's been a rough 24 hours. Let's go." Trapper replied gently pulling at his arm. "Wait." Hawkeye left the bus and returned 30 seconds later with the stuffed bear that he left on a cot in the Post-Op. He took one look at the toy and then carefully placed it under Radar's cold hand. Margaret stood at the step and watched. Tears slowly rolled down her face as she saw Hawkeye zip the bag back up again. As he turned around and started walking back, she quickly wiped the tears away and held her chin up as he passed her again. Trapper followed Hawkeye out and nodded at the driver to signal that he was ready. The old bus creaked and groaned as it pulled out of the compound and drove under the 4077th 'Best Care Anywhere' sign and disappeared around the corner. No sooner had the morgue wagon pulled out of the camp, choppers came flying over the mountains and ambulances pulled in containing heavy casualties. It was the first time that wounded came in before they knew and it took them by surprise. MONDAY AUGUST 4TH 1951, 03:15 HOURS Surgery lasted nearly thirteen hours and all the staff were beat as they walked back to the scrub room to wash the blood from their hands. For the entire session the O.R was silent with the exception of "Clamp" or "suction" spoken every now and then as the doctors asked for the instruments. Colonel Blake was the first out of the O.R as he walked towards his office without bothering to wash up. Over the last 48 hours since August 2nd Blake hadn't said a word to anyone except in O.R and he dove into a bottle of bourbon as soon as he pulled his gloves off. Danny McShane helped out in the session carrying the wounded in and out with assistance of a bland looking Klinger who, like Henry, hadn't spoken a word as well. McShane walked over towards the unusually happy Major Burns who for the first time ever hadn't been taunted by Captains McIntyre and Pierce as he bumbled around inside the patients. "Nice work, Doc" he said to Frank as he pulled off the white overcoat. "I don't know how you can bear standing up all those hours and digging inside all those shot-up guys?" Frank paused waiting for Pierce or McIntyre who stood at the wash tub close by to say a smart remark, but nothing was said. "Wellllll... Danny when Uncle Sam calls you up for your duty to fight the common reds, you must fight in every way. My gift as a surgeon is to patch up all our red-blooded American boys so we can send them back to kill the communist scurve." Frank paused again waiting for it. Normally a remark such as that would've taken a beating from the two Captains, but they both were too exhausted and numb to care and they walked out without even a side glance. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````` Trapper walked out of the scrub room and headed straight for the Officers Club with the sole intended purpose of getting drunk. And fast. Hawkeye refused Trappers offer to join him and he made a bee-line for The Swamp. Once inside he headed straight for the Still and poured himself a martini. For a while he sat in the dark just holding the glass. He tried a few times to sip the clear lethal fluid but he couldn't do it, for the first time ever the smell of it made him feel queasy and he poured it back into the tall beaker. He sat alone in the tent with only the noisy sounds of chirping crickets to be heard, but he didn't care he wanted his own company for a while and laid back on his cot staring at the canvas ceiling. It was nearly four in the morning when he heard a soft knocking at his door. Frank and Trapper were still out and Hawkeye was surprised to see major Houlihan walk in after he said 'come in'. "Hawk were you asleep?" she whispered as she shut the door quietly behind her. "No I can't, I'm too tired to sleep" he joked less than half heartedly. "Here sit down" he offered patting the space next to him. "Where's Frank and Trapper?" Margaret asked as she sat next to Hawkeye. "Trapper's at the Officers Club probably blind drunk, but I thought Frank was with you?" "Me? What exactly are you implying Pierce?" the major asked a little bristled. "Oh Come on Margaret, everyone knows about you and Burns. It's not exactly the worlds best kept secret you know." Margaret sighed. "Yeah I know. I don't even know why I bother to deny it. Actually I'm kind of getting sick of all the sneaking around and the so called "secrecy". Frank hasn't been himself lately and it's starting to wear me thin" Hawkeye looked into her blue eyes. She looked somewhat hurt and he was surprised that she opened up to him as much as this. He was going to ask about Frank some more, but he decided not to press his luck. If it were any other time he would've, but he didn't have the energy to pursue the subject. He looked away from her and tilted his head towards the still. "Do you want a drink? This morning was a very good year." Margaret smiled at his joke and nodded in reply. She watched as he got up and poured her a glass, surprised that he didn't bother with one for himself. He handed her the full glass and she took a sip scrunching her face up as she swallowed the poison. "Fresh isn't it?" She said a little hoarsely and took another sip. "Aren't you having one, I'm sure it'll kill off a few brain cells." "No" he replied "I can't. I haven't had a drink since before.." he trailed off as he sat down on Trapper's cot looking at his feet. Margaret set her glass down on the floor and walked over towards the other bunk. "Do you want to talk about it?" "What, about me not drinking?" he asked "No, about that night. About Radar." She softly said. Hawkeye's body tensed up at hearing Radar's name, and Margaret felt it when she gently touched his arm. For a moment silence deafened the tent. The chirping from the crickets seemed to increased twice-old. Finally he looked up and his eyes were fixed at the door. "When I was drafted I didn't plan on making any friends over here. I just wanted to fix these people up and get the hell home as soon as I could, I hated it over here and I still do." He paused and took a deep breath. "When I first met Radar I thought he was just another poor dumb kid drafted like the rest of us. I used to sit by myself in the Mess tent and he would come over and sit down next to me. He used talk non-top about Ottumwa, his farm and all the animals he had there." Hawkeye smiled sadly at the memory that flashed through his mind. Margaret who quietly listened smiled too. He stopped smiling and his face looked pained. "That night when I saw him on that desk with that gun in his hand, the only innocence that I'd ever found in this place went down the latrine. My heart literally stopped the moment I read that note, and it's my fault that innocent young boy is gone." "Hawkeye no..." Margaret started, but he cut in. "I never told him this, nor Trapper or anybody else." He paused again. "Radar was like a son to me and the little brother that I never had. To him I was his idol and ironically he was mine." Margaret was stunned at what she heard, but she still kept a straight face. By now his tears were brimming in his eyes and he trembled in her arms. She'd never seen him this vulnerable before and let him rest his head in her lap stroking his smooth black hair as a mother would a sick child until he finally let go and cried. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````` CHAPTER FOURTEEN (Radar's POV) "Come on Radar" Corporal Lockhart said to me as he turned around and started off towards the camp. He seemed real nice and I wondered how long he'd been out here. "Um, Corporal Lockhart how long have you been around here for, I mean you know, Korea?" I asked as I caught up to him. "Call me Stan. We're not in the Army anymore, Radar." As we walked back Stan told me about how he was drafted and the friends he lost in his troop. "I've been here for nearly a year; I've seen every thing imaginable, friends dying, depression, starvation, the works..." He trailed off "You were lucky kid; you had a cushy job at a MASH unit while others died out in the field." I couldn't believe what I had just heard, the nerve of that fella. "Hey Pal!" I said lividly and clenching my fists "You think I had it easy! I was the Company Clerk. I used to sleep in an office where people would barge in day or night whenever they felt like it. I had to type reports, requisitions, and paper work of allsorts into the early morning. I never got any more than four hours sleep at a time because the phone rings in the middle of the night and I was forced to answer it! So don't you go on about how easy my job is until you try having Major Burns ride your back!" I took a deep breath. I had to I've never blown my top off like that before and for moment it scared me. "Whoa there kid, I'm sorry" Stan said holding his hands up in front of him "I didn't mean to upset you" I felt bad now, but I couldn't help it. It's been a stressful week and I took it out on poor Stan, so I changed the subject, but he beat me to it. "Listen Radar I have to tell you something, something that I've been trying to tell you for months on end." He stopped me in my tracks and looked me straight in the eye. I was nervous. I didn't really know this guy, so I flinched. He felt it and loosened his hold on me. "Radar "he said letting go completely "Didn't I tell you that I wasn't gonna hurt you?" He was right but I still wasn't sure. "B-but about that time when I saw you in the O.R waving that knife? I stammered "You came running towards me with it, I thought you were gonna kill me." He looked at me with surprise. "Radar I wasn't trying to attack you, I was warning you. I tried every possible way to get your attention but it didn't do any good. So I thought by waving the knife and creating enough anger in the air I was hoping you would've sensed it." "I sensed it all right" I said "And it scared the living heck out of me. What were you trying to warn me about? Was it McShane because I already know about him" I replied as I rubbed the right side of my head. He looked down on me; his face was tense with seriousness. "No not just McShane' kid. "Then who?" I asked starting to get impatient. He took a deep breath and sighed. "Major Frank Burns. He's in on it too." ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````````````` I gasped and took a step back. I shook in terror at the thought of him sleeping in the same tent as Hawkeye and Trapper. "M-major B-burns?! What do you mean Major Burns is in on it too? I don't understand" We started walking back again as he explained. My stomach churned and grinded as we got closer. I knew that the Major was there and I couldn't do anything about it. "I was shot by snipers one night out walking with my troop and I was driven to the 4077th by ambulance. It was in the dead of the night and I was the only casualty brought in. Major Burns was the doctor who attended and Danny McShane helped by carry me back by stretcher to the Pre-Op." Stan paused before continuing. "By the time they got me there Burns pronounced me dead so he ordered the nurse to go back on duty and McShane disappeared, but he returned. He and Burns thought that they were alone with a dead guy around and they started talking about death. For some reason your friends Hawkeye and Trapper ended up in the conversation." "McShane told Burns about him being tormented by the enlisted men when the two Captains found out about the money making scheme and how he was harassed even more. The Major knew how it felt about being tormented especially if it involved Pierce and McIntyre so they both came up with the plan of murdering you as revenge. He paused again. "Burns took the gun from my holster so it couldn't be traced back to someone in the camp. As he did he noticed that I was still alive and he panicked knowing that I was listening to them the whole time. He ordered Danny to fill a syringe full of Morphine and injected the lethal dose." Stan looked away from me sadly and simply said "I was murdered too Radar. That's why I'm here." ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````` Knowing the fact that not only was Danny McShane a killer but Major Frank Burns was one too didn't help the situation. "We have to do something Stan we can't....." I trailed off. Suddenly I heard something in the distance, something that I heard nearly every day since I've been in Korea. "Choppers...." I said quietly as I looked up towards the sky. "What?" Stan replied looking up as well, but I started running before he even had a chance to ask. It was pure force of habit, I knew in the back of my mind that they couldn't hear me yell, but I did it anyway. "CHOPPERS! CHOPPERS! I screamed out as I ran but no heard me. The camp was practically deserted. When I reached the compound I yelled out 'choppers' again but no one was in sight. About 30 seconds later the choppers came over the mountains and ambulances rolled in with heavy casualties. It took everyone by surprise as they ran from their tents and other places. Hawkeye, Trapper and Major Houlihan assessed the wounded as Major Burns and Danny appeared out of nowhere, and made their way over a few minutes later. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` Me and Stan hung around the O.R until the session was finally over. I was furious when I saw Danny suck up to Hawkeye and Trapper while he and Klinger helped carry the wounded in and out of the O.R. The whole time during the session, Captain Pierce shivered and complained about the sudden icy air in the room. Everyone else noticed it too so I left knowing that I was the one causing it. Afterwards in the scrub room Danny asked the Major how he could stand digging around inside the shot-up soldiers and it infuriated me. I yelled out at him and I walked over getting ready to punch his lights out even though he couldn't feel it. "C'mon kid, don't waste your energy yelling" Stan said as he held me back by my shoulders "It's no use they can't hear you. Now listen we have to keep an eye on McShane and Dr Fumbles" He pointed to Major Burns. "They may try something tonight while the Captains aren't together."  Let's come up with a plan on how we can stop them from murdering your friends before it's too late." I nodded with agreement and I followed Trapper to the Officers Club first. Trapper sat down and ordered a Martini. He told the bartender to keep them coming and he passed out on the bar 45 minutes later. I figured that he was safe with people around so I left to check up on Hawkeye. As I neared the Swamp I was surprised to see Major Houlihan leave as she looked around and quickly walked towards her quarters. I stepped in quietly and I saw Hawkeye fast asleep on his cot. My presence in the tent made the temperature drop and his breath hung in the air. He shivered slightly and pulled the thin scratchy army blanket close to his chin moaning in his sleep. Just then I heard a snap just outside the door and I saw someone slowly creep up. At first I thought it was Trapper, but I've seen him drunk and he usually isn't this quiet. I walked towards the door and poked my head out. In the moonlight I saw the glimmer of something silver and my stomach turned cold. As the figure crept closer he opened the door and poked the gun inside towards Hawkeye. I panicked, it was Private Danny McShane. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````` *Please note in this chapter Stan; Radar's fellow ghost friend, traps Frank in the latrine by holding the door shut. I will explain in the following chapters why Stan can hold and move certain objects and Radar can't.* CHAPTER FIFTEEN "No....." I said slowly as I watched him walk through the door. He held the gun in front of him as he carefully and quietly crept over to Hawkeye sleeping on his cot. I didn't know what to do; I couldn't fight him or punch his lights out. "Hawkeye wake up! C'mon dammit, wake up!" I screamed at him jumping up and down. But he still couldn't hear me, neither could McShane. I paced back and forth between the cots in a panic, wringing my hands until they hurt. 'Where the heck is Stan?' I thought and I ran out the tent calling his name. "STAN!" I ran towards the Post-Op "STAN! DANNY'S GONNA KILL HAWKEYE!" I paused for a second expecting to hear an answer but silence was all I got. So I bolted back to the Swamp again. As I ran in I saw that Danny was only about two feet away and he held the gun barrel only inches away from Hawkeye's right temple. "NO! LEAVE HIM ALONE!" I screamed out and I ran up towards him trying to punch him in the face, but all I got was air. 'Dammit" I thought 'Why do I feel real and they don't!' I tried again several times but I got the same result as before when my hand went through his body. I gave up, and almost cried out of frustration watching McShane edging over. I didn't want Hawkeye to die alone like I had. Hawkeye was too good of a person to go like that, he saved so many lives over here and it wasn't fair that no one could save his. I tried everything that my ghostly body would let me and now all I could do was sit with him and wait for it to happen. I knelt down beside Hawk's bunk next to the still on the floor as I saw Danny grinning at him. It was ice cold in the tent; I could see it as Hawkeye's slow breathing filled the air with steam. Danny now stood on the other of the cot and he drew down the tent window flap. I closed my eyes as I heard him unlock the safety. It sounded all too familiar. "I'm so sorry Hawkeye" I whispered into his ear "I'm so, so sorry" Just then he groaned, his face scrunched up and I heard him whisper "Radar?" Danny stopped just as he was going to pull the trigger and he took a step back holding his breath. I gasped when I heard him whisper my name, but he could've been dreaming, Hawkeye had trouble sleeping sometimes and he often talked in his sleep from what I heard. "Radar, Radar?" he called out, this time a little louder than before. I don't know why I did it, but I took a chance and hoped it was gonna work. I sat up on my knees and I called his name out into his ear. "Hawkeye, Hawkeye wake up! C'mon I know you can hear me, it's Radar. WAKE UP!" I watched as Hawkeye stirred in his sleep, his head thrashed around side-to- side and I knew it was working. So I tried it again once more, this time louder. "WAKE UP, SIR!!" McShane started to panic when he saw Captain Pierce jolt and he backed away. "Come on sir, come on" I yelled out as Danny stumbled and bumped into the door. Suddenly Hawkeye awoke and he violently sat up screaming. He screamed out my name over and over again and Danny totally freaked and bolted without being seen. Poor Hawkeye was still screaming "RADAR! RADAR!" and in a blind panic he scrambled off the cot, bumped into the table that the Still sat on causing it topple onto the floor and smashing it into thousands of pieces. The whole camp heard the commotion and they all ran towards the Swamp. Major Houlihan and Colonel Blake were the first to arrive. "Pierce what the hell is going on! Your gonna wake the whole of Korea up....." I saw Colonel Blake's face change from anger to concern when he saw the mess on the floor. "What the hell happened in here?" I heard him say as he walked over towards Hawkeye. Hawkeye sat back down on his cot again shaking violently. His hands and feet were bleeding badly from the deep cuts he got from the broken glass. Colonel Blake came closer switching on the light and he gasped seeing Hawk. "STRETCHER!" I heard the Colonel call out and a moment later Klinger and another guy came rushing back loading him on. Major Houlihan ran along side holding Hawk's hand surprising everyone as they passed by. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ` ```````` I sat with Hawkeye as Colonel Blake silently stitched his feet and hands. The cuts were deep and I almost threw up watching that needle being threaded through his skin. Afterwards Major Houlihan wheeled Hawkeye into the Post-Op and helped him on a cot. "He was there, Margaret" I heard him say, finally speaking up. Major Houlihan's face was straight as she pulled the blanket over his chest. "He talked to me, I know it was him, he yelled his name out" My ears perked up and I scurried over towards him. "Hawkeye" I heard the major say softly as she gently patted his hand. Her kindness surprised me more and more. Who knew that the mean regular Army Major who hated Captain Pierce would actually care about his feelings? "Hawk, who are you talking about? No one was in with you" Hawkeye sat still for the moment and his eyes were distant. Finally he looked at her and said "Radar. He was there, he yelled at me to wake up. I don't know why but I think he was trying to tell me something." "YES!" I yelled out jumping around and dancing in circles. I finally managed to make contact at last and it saved his life. "Radar?" she said. "Oh Hawkeye, you were dreaming. You've been under a lot of stress and the O.R the other day..." Hawkeye cut in. "Stress!" I saw Major Houlihan quickly put her finger in front of her lips. "Quiet Pierce, you'll wake the other patients. "Margaret, I'm not stressed out and I didn't trash the O.R, there's something here-in this hospital I don't know what it is but I can feel it. Can't you?" I watched with surprise when the Major slowly looked around making sure that no one was listening and she lent down close to his face. "If I tell you something will you promise not to spread it around?" I saw Hawkeye's head nod slightly and she leaned even closer. "I feel something too." She said "Ever since Radar's suicide the whole hospital has been cold. That night when I had to clean his office, the air was like ice, it just wouldn't heat up. Also it's not just the office either, the O.R, Post-Op and even your tent feels like Antarctica. I was shocked, just shocked. "Then you believe me, Margaret?" Hawkeye carefully asked, and Major Houlihan nodded "Yes Hawkeye, I believe you." ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ` `` I stood there shocked and feeling relieved at the same time, I was gonna go sit with Hawkeye some more when suddenly Stan came running through the Post- Op. "Stan! Where the heck have you been? Hawkeye almost got killed tonight by McShane. I yelled out into Hawk's ear and he woke up just in time! I made contact Stan, I made contact!" I jumped up and down all excited, but he wasn't. He looked pooped. "What happened to you? Where'd you go?" He looked at me and rolled his eyes, the look on face told 'Don't ask' but I did anyway. "Well?" I asked and waited for a reply "I just spent an hour with Major Moron in the latrine." He finally said. "The latrine?" now I was really confused. "What were you doing in the latrine with Major Burns?" "I locked him in there. I saw the both of them walking over towards the Swamp to do in Hawkeye. Burns said he needed to make a stop so he told McShane to go ahead without him. Anyway when the Major was finished I held the door shut so he couldn't get out, you should have seen him he tried to kick the door open as quietly as he could without drawing attention to himself but I think he broke his toe in the process." Stan laughed and I couldn't help but giggle. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` CHAPTER SIXTEEN The whole camp was falling apart. It had been three days since the still incident in the Swamp. Hawkeye's injuries were getting better, but not better enough for him to operate when a deluge of wounded came in. THURSDAY AUGUST 7TH 1951, 12:06 HOURS "Clamp..damn he's hemorrhaging again! Suction.suction, Able!" Trapper called out angrily to the nurse as they operated on a seriously wounded soldier. Hawkeye, who had been hanging around the O.R since he felt guilty about not being able to operate himself due to his injuries, hovered over Trapper's table to see if he could do anything useful. "Do you need anything Trapp?" Hawkeye said leaning over the patient to get a better look. "Yeah, I do" he replied annoyed "I need you to get out of my light. Sponge, Able." "Sponge, doctor" "Hey I'm sorry, I was only trying to help" he said defensively. "You can help by not hanging around here. Go to the Mess Tent and have a cup of coffee or something, your no use here" Hawkeye was surprised and hurt from Trapper's hostility. "Fine, I'll go. But I'm not the one operating with a three day hangover" The whole room was quiet, even Frank, who was thoroughly enjoying the brewing argument didn't say a word. Trapper stopped what he was doing for a second and gave Hawkeye the evil's over his mask. "What did you say..?" he said lividly "You heard me" Hawkeye replied quickly and he stalked out of the O.R shaking with anger. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````` He walked out through the Post-Op and to what used to be Radar's but now Klinger's office. He stopped by to see how Corporal Klinger was handling his new position as the Company Clerk of the 4077th. The day after Radar's apparent suicide Major Houlihan, who was the only one with a sane mind at the time called Doctor Sidney Freedman; a psychiatrist who every now and then comes around to play a round of poker or two with Colonel Blake, Hawkeye, Trapper, Klinger and Father Mulcahy, asking him to talk to some of the people who took the sudden and shocking death badly. Naming Hawkeye, Colonel Blake, Trapper and Klinger to be on top of his 'to do' list first. He arrived a few days later after being delayed in Seoul. He had long chats and discussions with some of the members, and it helped a little with the healing process, but not by much. "Hey Klinger" Hawkeye said solemnly as he sat down on Radar's former cot, placing his crutches against the wall. Klinger looked up from a file cabinet and pulled out a manila file. He placed a pile of papers in it and replaced the file slamming the cabinet draw shut. "I hate this job; I don't know how that kid could've done it?" Hawkeye felt a pang of guilt in his gut remembering what Radar wrote in his note. I hate the office that I live in and the constant build up of paper work He winced at the thought and tried to block it from his mind. "You know what the worse part about this job is?" Klinger didn't give him a chance to ask "It's when people come in and out of here like's it Grand Central Station; you'd think that people would have a little consideration for other people's privacy. Like last night for example; I was undressing getting ready for bed when Major Burn's came barging in. Hawkeye's stomach got another shot of guilt when the memories of Radar trying to undress in his office while people kept coming in flashed through his mind. Why didn't he just close the doors when Radar asked him to? All because he was a doctor it didn't mean that the poor kid would feel comfortable with him sitting in Henry's open office a few feet away. Shaking away the thoughts, Hawkeye looked up. "Why did Burn's want to make a phone call?" "Who knows?" Klinger replied shrugging his shoulders "All he said was that he wanted to make an urgent call to his lawyer about changing his will. He told me that if I listened on the extension, he'd burn all my dresses and cut up my bras." "Well you know how much he loves your fashion sense Klinger" Hawkeye joked "Have you seen him lately?" "I live with the man, I see him everyday. I watch him pluck the hairs from his nose before he goes to bed at night, so yeah you could say that I've seen him lately" "Oh yeah, well have you seen how much more paranoid and jumpy he is than usual? At breakfast this morning he put Igor on report when he accidentally dropped a pile of trays. Major Burns jumped six feet in the air and screamed like an 8 year old school girl." Hawkeye couldn't help but laugh. It was the first time that he had in nearly a week and he was pleased that it was out of Burn's expense. But Klinger was right; Major Burns had become more paranoid and jumpy than usual and it made him wonder why. But right now he wasn't in the mood. "See ya later, Klinger" He said as he grabbed the crutches from the wall and used them to help himself up. "Okay sir, see ya later. Do you need any help?" "No thanks, Klinger, I've seen how they work once or twice before, I think I've got them down to pat" Hawkeye joked again and he slowly made his way towards the Swamp. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````` Sitting down on his cot, he looked around the lonely tent. At first he was going to go to the Mess tent, but the thought of last weeks Hash quickly changed his mind. Over the last few days Trapper had managed to scrounge up a few new items plus some of the original ones to rebuild the still. But it wasn't up and running yet due to the constant flow of wounded that came in. With nothing else to do after reading all of his dad's letters and his hometown newspaper over and over again, he decided to rebuild the still himself before Trapper got out of surgery as a way of an apology. He didn't want to fight with one of the few friends he had left in this god-forsaken hell hole, so he picked up the pieces and started to assemble them together. After making the last few adjustments before it was ready for the ingredients, he flopped down on his bunk to take a five minute rest. He closed his eyes and lay back on his lumpy pillow when suddenly the air grew cold and dense. He shivered when he slowly sat up and his breathing became rapid as his breath hung in the air. Although he was alone he couldn't help but feel as if there was a presence, and it made Hawkeye feel very uncomfortable. The temperature dropped even more and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end. Slowly he got up and started to head towards the Swamp door and using one of his crutches he opened it with a hard bash and quickly limped away. 'What the hell was that all about?' he thought to himself 'Why did I feel so uncomfortable all of a sudden?' as he reached towards the Post-Op door entrance he stopped before going through. "This is silly" He said out loud "Why the hell was I so scared for? There's no such things as ghosts" He shook his head in disbelief at being scared of something that doesn't even exist and he limped back towards the Swamp. As he approached closer to the door, he stopped. Something didn't feel right and he slowly pushed it open. He gasped at what he saw. The entire side of Frank's part of the tent had been totally trashed. It looked as if it was ransacked, but it couldn't have been, he was only gone for a minute or two tops and besides there was no way that anyone could've gone in without him seeing. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````````````````` CHAPTER SEVENTEEN THURSDAY AUGUST 7TH 17:55 HOURS **LT. COLONEL HENRY BLAKE'S OFFICE** "PIERCE! What the hell is wrong with you?!" After nearly 10 hours of hectic and chaotic surgery the doctors and nurses finally finished their jobs. The amount of wounded seemed to be higher this session without Hawkeye Pierce to operate and everyone, particularly Henry Blake, was in a bad mood. Frank returned after completing the non-stop marathon to find his side of the Swamp totally ransacked and trashed. Nearly every personal item of his was destroyed. His cot was tipped upside down, the pillow was ripped and the white feathers were spread all over the place. His lumpy mattress was slashed and papers were strewn all over the tent. Franks mothers picture frame was twisted and bent with the glass shattered. The Bible that he left open on his cot that morning was torn in two with the delicate tissue like paper lightly covering the floor and the other mess that lay around it. "Henry, I swear I didn't do it!" Hawkeye protested. "Well somebody must've, Pierce, because everyone was in surgery all day except for you, and I don't think Frank's belongings have the arms and legs to have a party!" Henry yelled at poor Hawkeye. "I mean, first the OR, then the Still and now Frank's stuff. He'll have you court martialed and hanged for this, if I can't talk him out of it otherwise!" Henry sent Frank out of the office while he talked to Hawkeye alone. Frank was so furious that he almost punched the captain the moment he laid eyes on him and it took the strength of Major Houlihan and Klinger to hold him back. "Henry, please, I didn't to it I swear to you on MacArthur's life." Henry was still in his bloodied scrubs as he poured himself a glass of Vodka, filling it to the brim. He stood up then sat down, but he stood again as he took big gulps of his alcoholic beverage. 'He's been doing that a lot lately' Hawkeye thought to himself as he watched Colonel Blake re-fill is briefly empty glass. 'I should keep an eye on him. He might drink himself to death' Blake paced back and forth across the office cupping his glass in both hands. "Well tell me who did? Coz I sure as hell would like to know and so would Frank, your lucky Houlihan and Klinger were here to hold him back; he was ready to kill you!" Just then Frank burst through the doors. Margaret and Klinger couldn't calm him down as he paced lividly around Klinger's office. He couldn't stand waiting any longer and he pushed past the Major and Corporal and literally lunged for Hawkeye's throat. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````````` Hawkeye didn't see it coming, Frank was too fast. He grabbed onto Hawkeye's throat and held a tight grip trying to crush his windpipes. "GET HIM OFF ME!" Hawkeye chocked out as he tried to pull the pair of hands away from him. Frank had a crazy look in his eyes and fixed them into Hawkeye's. He saw the rage and it sent a familiar chill down his spine. 'He's finally snapped' Hawkeye thought in a panic 'He's actually trying to kill me!' "FRANK!" Henry yelled out and he dove towards the crazy major. "Let go Frank, let go, HOULIHAN! KLINGER!" Suddenly Margaret and Corporal Klinger burst in and were shocked at the scene that lay before them. The both of them along with Henry tried to pull major Burns away, but he had a death grip that seemed to tighten with every pull. Hawkeye began seeing black spots dancing in front of him. He could feel his lips turning blue as they tingled from the pressure. In the chaotic situation he could see the blur of faces surrounding him, he could hear Margaret yelling at his attacker and Klinger calling the guards. He tried to yell out again but the air in his lungs seemed to be trapped and he couldn't push it out. "Get him off" he mouthed looking in Margaret's eyes; he could see the fear in them as the room started spinning around. Hawkeye's head flopped to the right as the spots changed into dark patches. He could feel the room go cold, and he couldn't tell whether it was him or from something else.. "Captain Pierce, sir!" he heard a distant voice, it seemed to echo around the room and getting louder. "C'mon Hawkeye C'mon, stay with us..." 'That voice, that voice sounds familiar....' Hawkeye looked around in a half conscious state. In the corner of his eye he saw two other burred figures. The voice was too high pitched to be Franks, Henry's or Klinger's, but deep enough not to be Margaret's. "Radar?....." he mouthed out. He heard the faint voice again as it came closer. The last thing he saw was the flicker of light that reflected off a pair of ghostly glasses not that far from him. Then everything went black. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````` The first thing Hawkeye noticed was that he was back in the Post-Op. 'Where am I? Am I dead, is this heaven or hell? No, it's too cold to be hell.." His thoughts drifted away into reality when he heard a familiar soft voice. "Hawkeye, Hawk?" It was Major Houlihan. "Margaret?" he tried to say, but he couldn't find his voice. With his eyes closed again he reached from under the cool scratchy covers and felt his neck; it was bandaged. "Hawkeye stay still." He heard Margaret say as she gently pulled his arm away. "He broke the skin, we had to wrap it" The next voice he heard came from Trapper. He came in the office after he was on his way looking for Hawkeye when he saw the guards run in, and the whole group managed to pull Frank off just before Pierce stopped breathing. "Hey buddy, it's Trapp, jeez you've been through hell and back. First the still and now this, we better send you home before a jeep runs over you." Hawkeye smiled, but slightly. Silence met the ward for a brief second before Trapper spoke up. "Um...Hawk. I just want to apologize for that stuff I said to you in OR earlier today." Hawkeye opened his eyes and looked at him. He motioned for Margaret to get him a pen and pad. Returning back she gave the items to him "DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. I'M SORRY TOO. MY FAULT. SHOULD HAVE GOT OUT OF YOUR LIGHT. MY HEADS TO THICK FOR LIGHT TO GO THROUGH. HA HA" Trapper grinned hard, Hawkeye smiled too. But Margaret didn't. "Why did you mess up Frank's stuff Hawkeye? He almost killed you, this time you went too far" she said cutting in on the friendly smiles. The two friends stopped grinning. Trapper looked at him again with curiosity. Suddenly Hawkeye remembered the faint voice, it sounded familiar. He tried to picture the face, but he couldn't remember seeing one. 'Damn' he thought 'C'mon Pierce, think, think.' Trapper and Margaret looked at him with curiosity; they saw the determined and strained look on his face twisted in concentration. 'Captain Pierce, sir....Captain Pierce, sir...' The memory of a ghostly lens reflection brought it back. Hawkeye looked straight at his two friends as it was the memories floated back. Suddenly he remembered. He grabbed his pencil and griped it hard, his hand shook in excitement. He scribbled down on his pad frantically and held it up. It read: "RADAR, HE'S HERE. AND HE'S NOT ALONE. I SAW HIM. I SAW HIM! The pair looked at him as if he was crazy, and just as Trapper was about to protest, a mug filled with different sized pencils that sat on the desk at the nurses station smashed on the floor. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````` CHAPTER EIGHTEEN (Radar's POV) A few days after the scary close call in the Swamp, both me and Stan had kept a very close watch on Hawkeye and Trapper; particularly Hawkeye. Danny and Major Burns had been pretty quiet after that and we hardly ever saw them. Danny was hiding out in his tent, he looked pale and sickly from not eating anything three days straight, but no one really noticed, or cared. Stan stuck around Major Burns constantly. He really hated him and every now and then I could hear him mutter to himself as he watched the major go about his daily business. After Major Burns had been locked in the latrine, he became paranoid and skittish. Well more so than usual. The morning on the third day after Hawkeye's accident Major Burns put poor Igor on report. It wasn't his fault that he dropped the trays, Major Burns should've watched where he was going instead of pushing in. Boy the nerve of that guy. Stan didn't think that the Danny and Major Burns would try anything again too soon, so he thought it was time to teach me how to move objects and stuff. "Come on kid, concentrate harder, I know you can do it" "I can't its no use, it won't move" I replied as we sat in the Swamp. Yet again another lot of wounded came in. It never stops. I didn't want to hang around the O.R with the rest of the doctors and nurses; we figured that with Major Burns busy 'operating' and Danny moving bodies in and out, Captain Pierce and Captain McIntyre would be okay. Poor Hawkeye couldn't operate with his hands bandaged and all so he hung around to see if he could help, but he and Trapper had a fight and Hawkeye disappeared into my old office, and we went back to the Swamp. "Radar, you have to concentrate harder, clear your head and concentrate, focus and picture that damn glass moving" I knelt down on the floor and stared hard at the martini glass that sat on the edge of the table. The still was in bits and pieces and was spread around on the floor on Trapper's side. Again I concentrated harder, this time focusing and picturing the glass moving across the table, after 30 seconds I gave up. "Its no use Stan, I give up, I'll never be able to move stuff like you do. It's no fair, how come you can do it and I can't?" I hated whining and it must've sounded awful coming from me. "Don't give up yet kid, it took me months before I first moved an object, you haven't even been dead a week, as time goes on you'll get the hang of it" I was worried, Hawkeye and Trapper may not even have till the end of this week if Major Burns and Danny are starting to plan their next move. I may have been able to make a small ounce of contact with Hawkeye to save his life the first time, but he thinks it's in his head. Stan might not be around next time to kept Major Burns at bay. "Aww C'mon Stan" I said with disappointment "I can't even move a stupid glass, what makes you think I'll be able to hold doors and throw stuff like you do?" "Radar if I can do it, you can too. You have a rare ability that very few people possess. You can tell when choppers are coming before anyone else does, you can read minds and feel the pain of others, with that and a little more practice I reckon you'll be able to pick up a whole human being. Use the energy in your mind and focus it all on one object, picture it again moving and direct it in the direction that you want it to go in" Stan paced back forth across the tent; he crossed his arms and kept a watchful eye on me. I sorta felt uncomfortable when he looked at me, but I didn't want to disappoint him. Again I stared at that glass. "That's it kid, harder, concentrate use the energy" Stan called out pacing quicker. I never concentrated so hard in all my life, harder than the time when I had that algebra test in high school, boy that test was real hard, and of course I didn't pass it. I could feel the energy swimming around in my head getting faster and faster, but no matter how much I focused it, I couldn't direct it towards the glass. "I can't Stan" I panted "I can't do it, can we try again later?" Stan sighed "Okay Radar, we'll try again later" he sounded more annoyed than sympathetic. Just then we saw Hawk approaching the tent. He limped with pain as he used the wooden crutches to support himself. Poor Hawkeye seemed more depressed than ever before and he sat on the edge of his cot. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ````````` For a while Hawk just sat and blankly looked around the tent. After a few minutes he snapped out of it and grabbed a pile of his pa's letter's and read them. Suddenly I remembered ma and Uncle Ed. They would've gotten that awful telegram by now, I can just picture ma crying her eye's out and Uncle Ed out plowing the field by himself like he does whenever he gets upset about something. It's so unfair. Hawkeye put his letters down and picked up the Crabapple Cove Courier that came with the last mail call. I watched as he flicked through it and I guessed it must've been the hundredth time he's read it so he set it down a few moments later. Looking around I saw him eye off the bits and pieces of the Still equipment and he started to assemble them together. "I knew a guy that had one of those back home" I heard Stan speak up, he seemed to be distant and saddened "In the summer our families would BBQ steaks and hamburgers. Sam and I would watch the kids playing under the hose and the wives chatting away happily as they set the table.." He drifted off and looked over towards Major Burns's cot. I saw that Hawkeye now lay back on his own bunk and rested momentarily. I noticed that Stan paced around Frank's side of the Swamp and he started clenching his fists. I could feel something stirring in the air and it wasn't us. I saw Hawkeye shiver as he slowly sat up, I could see his breath hanging in the air and he looked scared. The temperature must've dropped even more because I could see small icicles forming on the edge of the martini glass. Suddenly Hawkeye got up and bashed the door open quickly limping away. I was surprised at his reaction and I motioned towards Stan to have a look, but he seemed preoccupied. "I hope you enjoy YOUR family FRANK!" Stan yelled as he swung his arm out and knocked the framed photograph on the floor as the glass shattered. I jumped back in shock and I stood watching helplessly as he started tearing the place apart. He grabbed the Bible that sat on Major Burns's cot and held it up. "THOU SHALT NOT KILL?! HA!" he ripped the book in half and tore the papers out and flung them in the air. I cringed as he ripped it to shreds. "Aww jeez Stan, not the Bible, not the Bible.." I turned away not being able watch. After a moment all was quiet, he stopped his rampage and collapsed on the floor totally exhausted. He must've used all the energy his body could put out to do the damage he did. "Stan..?" I said cautiously. He didn't answer me so I went over to help him up, but he pushed me away. "Go away kid, I mean it. I want to be alone" I didn't argue I knew how he felt in some ways and I left him in peace. Just as I walked out Hawkeye walked through me and opened the Swamp door seeing the mess. "Uh oh" I said when he gasped. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````` Me and Hawkeye paced the Mess Tent as he looked at his watch every few seconds, I could see that he was real nervous and I couldn't blame him. I could hear the people milling towards the Mess Tent in an exhausted haze and Hawk sat down waiting for it. Suddenly Klinger's voice boomed over the speakers. CAPTAIN PIERCE REPORT TO THE COLONEL'S OFFICE IMMEDIATELY!......sir Walking in Major Burns took a swing at Hawkeye and Major Houlihan and Klinger held him back. I followed Hawkeye in and listened to the yelling and arguing. As usual Colonel Blake was drinking. Just then Major Burns burst in and flew straight through me; he knocked the chair over as he lunged for Hawkeye's throat. It took everyone by surprise and they tried to help poor Hawk. I panicked I didn't know what to do, so I yelled for Stan and ran towards the Swamp. "STAN, STAN! HELP!" I screamed. Stan was still exhausted but he ran out as fast as he could. "What's the matter kid?" he yelled back to me as we ran to the office "It's Major Burn's he strangling Hawkeye, do something!" As we walked through the wall, we saw the chaotic situation getting worse. "I can't Radar, I used all my energy back in the Swamp, you'll have to try" "Me?! I couldn't even move that stupid glass." I yelled back in reply "DO IT KID!" I groaned. I could see everyone trying their best to get Major Burns off, but seemed to have an enormous amount of strength. I yelled to Hawkeye and he heard me. "Captain Pierce sir!.....Captain Pierce." He looked in my direction and I swear he could have seen me. As I got close he said my name over and over again and then passed out. I looked at Stan with amazement "Did he...?" I didn't even have to finish my sentence. "Yes Radar, he saw ya….” ```````````````````````````` CHAPTER NINETEEN All three of them jumped as the mug shattered, and a huge gust of wind blew around the ward. Margaret quickly got up and shut the window that someone left open. "Just the wind" she said slightly shaken, and returned back to her seat. "That must've been a pretty strong gust" Hawkeye replied scribbling fast, and she knew that he didn't believe her. At this point Trapper looked and felt uncomfortable sitting around in the eerily quite ward and he shifted in his seat. Seeing everyone feeling the same he decided to change the subject. "You'll be glad to know that Frank is being placed under guard until Sid comes down again." "Sid's coming?" Hawkeye wrote looking surprised "I take it that he's gonna want to talk to me too?" he tore the paper off and gave it to Margaret. "Well.."Margaret trailed off "After the O.R, the Still and now Major Burns belongings, we thought that Major Freedman should come down just to have another chat" "Margaret, the only person that needs to be chatted to from a psychiatrist around here is Major Frank Burns..and he needs a straight jacket too!" Hawkeye wrote lividly. He always thought that Margaret believed him since the Still incident, and Trapper didn't believe him at all. He never felt so alone before in his life. "Listen Hawk" Trapper spoke up "He's not coming just to shrink your head or Frank's, we called him because of Henry" Hawkeye sat and thought about it for a moment. He remembered back in the office before Frank's grand entrance that Henry poured himself an awful lot of liquor and drank it pretty fast. Although it wasn't an unusual occurrence with the Colonel; after-all he does drink more than a sailor on shore leave, but it was way more than usual. "Yeah I can understand, back in the office you should have seen him, he skulled down two glasses of Vodka in less than a minute and he was ready to pour himself a third" "It's not just the drinking Hawk" Trapper looked up from the note seriously "He hasn't had a decent night's sleep since..." But Hawkeye cut in with another piece of paper "Don't say it Trapp" "Ok sorry...since you-know-what and he's made so many mistakes in surgery lately that he makes Frank look like he knows what he's doing." Hawkeye was now concerned, Henry Blake has never made any mistakes in surgery, ever, and it proved what he feared the most. "I think Henry may be depressed" Hawkeye concluded on his paper "I think out of all of us, Henry took Radar's death the hardest. Until Sid comes down tomorrow afternoon we'll just have to wait and see." Trapper and Margaret nodded in agreement after reading his messy writing, and decided that it was time to go hit the hay. "Night Hawk" Trapper yawned and he slapped him on the back playfully. Hawkeye responded by writing something rude on his note pad and Trapper laughed out loud as he made his way back to the Swamp. "I'm going to give you something to help you sleep" Margaret said as she filled up a syringe. Before he could protest she gave him the shot and he was peacefully asleep as she made her way back to her own quarters. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` Danny Mc Shane walked up to the V.I.P tent where two M.P's stood guarding Major Burns. "Halt!" A sergeant with red hair said using his gun to block him from entering the tent. "State your business" Danny held out the tray of food that he collected for the major for dinner, and the guard pushed the foul smelling substance away. "O.K, O.K go in, just keep that away from me!" the Sergeant stepped out of the way to let Danny through. Walking in McShane found Frank sitting on the edge of his cot staring blankly at the wall. Danny set the tray down on the side table hard making Burns jump angrily and he almost swore at the offender until he realized who it was. "D-Danny" he stammered nervously as he offered the private his place. The young private stood fixed in his spot furious at the Major. "Do you realize what you've done Burns?" he said furiously in a quiet voice, which scared Frank even more. "N-no, I-I, m-mean y-yes Danny" he stammered once again. Danny walked up to him and slapped him hard in the face; Frank took a step back in surprise. "You screwed up our plans you idiot!" McShane paced the tent and rubbed his hands together slowly "Attempted murder? What the hell were you thinking?!" Frank gingerly touched his cheek and he held his cold hand on it to take some of the heat away. "I-I'm sorry Danny, I didn't mean to do it, it wasn't my fault. If Pierce didn't break all my stuff I wouldn't have gotten all angry, besides you were gonna kill Pierce the other night anyway weren't ya? "Yes but I was gonna make it look like a suicide just like O'Reilly's you moron. Strangling Pierce in front of Houlihan, Klinger, McIntyre and Blake doesn't exactly look self inflicted, now they might suspect something about the way O'Reilly carked it, and they may start snooping around. Jeez you screwed it for the both of us, I'm gonna have to think of a plan to stop them in their tracks" Danny paced around the tent once more in deep thought. Major Burns sat back down on his cot as he rubbed the redness from his face. If it were any other person who slapped him he like that he would've either returned it or reported it, but he was scared at what the kid might do to him, he's crazy and unpredictable. After a few moments he stopped and grinned. Frank leaned back as he shivered seeing it. "W-what is it McShane, do you have a plan?" "Yes Burn's. Yes I do." Danny grinned again as a bolt of lightening scattered across the stormy sky. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `````` FRIDAY AUGUST 8TH 1951, 02:22 HOURS "Hrmmmmmm" Henry stirred as he opened his eyes seeing darkness and feeling hung over. Not moving his head in fear of it falling off he slowly sat up and pulled off the papers that stuck to his forehead. He moved slowly towards the lamp and turned it on, but he quickly switched it off as the headache he had got promoted to a migraine. 'Oh boy, I've really trashed the place' he thought looking around at the empty bottles and cans that littered the office. "Rad...." He called out but stopped before finishing suddenly remembering the reason why he got this drunk in the first place. Henry sat down on his chair and cradled a bottle of Bourbon in his arms. Outside he could hear the wind howling and the rain and thunder stirring. 'It happened on a night like this one' he thought as he tried to fight back the tears 'that sweet young innocent boy took a gun to his head and, and...' But he didn't finish, he hugged the bottle even tighter and cried. The rain started to pour heavily and he felt the water dripping on his fishing hat. Looking up at the ceiling he saw the patch of wood that Radar hammered to cover the hole from the last time water had leaked in, and he cried even harder pouring himself another drink. As he took the first sip he felt a wave of nausea wash over and vomitted before he even had the chance to move from his chair. After the horrendous amount of heaving he crawled back up from the floor and climbed back on the chair. He felt disgusted that he let himself go like that and he rested his head on the desk. "What the hell is wrong with me? I'm the Commanding Officer, I'm the leader, and I should be setting an examp...." but he slid down from his chair and onto floor as he started vomiting again. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` `` Klinger was fast asleep snoring very loudly on his cot. The phone hadn't rung once all night and morning and he didn't hear the office doors that he forgot to lock open. The wind had died down again, but the rain was falling harder than ever. Danny crept in quietly avoiding the water puddles that pooled on the floor. He could see Klinger fast asleep, and he walked over towards the desk and disconnected the phone so he wouldn't be disturbed. Heading towards the colonel's double doors, he could hear Henry heaving and crying from the alcohol induced vomiting and quietly pushed them open. As Henry finished for the second time he saw the pair of muddy Army boots that stood next to him and looked up to see the Private pointing a gun to his face. "Hey, what are you doing with that gun kid?" Henry responded angrily. "Quiet Blake!" he hissed and motioned for the Colonel to get back up on his chair. "C'mon McShane now put the gun down, I don't want anybody to get hurt..now put the gun down." Danny ignored him as he walked over and sat on the desk in front of him. He drew his gun back a little and polished the barrel with his shirt. "Now kid I'm sure we can talk about it if you will let me help you, we can talk about anything you want just put the gun away" Henry was frightened. This was a MASH unit, not the front; even though they weren't that far from it. "I don't want to talk, Blake, I can't stay that long, Company Clerk number two may stir in the night, I saw what crap was being served at dinner, I'm surprised that he's still asleep" Danny looked back at Henry as he grinned from ear-to-ear. "I don't want to do this you know. Out of all the people in this place, I actually like you the most." He paused and seriously said "Killing you wasn't in my plans, but you know what it's like, plans change" Scared out of his mind Henry didn't know what to say but he had to think of something. "If you pull that gun trigger, the whole camp is gonna hear it, and Klinger will be the first to know" "Well Blake, that's why I thought ahead" Danny reached into the top of his shirt pocket and pulled out a syringe. He took the top off and exposed the long needle. "W-what's in it?" Henry Stammered "Oh it's a little bit of morphine, just enough to kill you" "M-morphine?" Henry replied "Yeap, it's a little less messy than the last time I killed a certain little Corporal, at least this time I won't have to spend all morning cleaning blood off my uniform" Laughing hysterically Danny stood up and held the gun in his left hand and pointed it towards the Colonels face, in his right he held the syringe. "You know Blake, it's funny, O'Reilly had the same look on his face just before he died" With one swift movement Danny jabbed the needle in Henrys leg and injected. "Tell Radar I said hello" ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` CHAPTER TWENTY Henry yelped feeling the needle jabbing into the bone. Before he even had a chance to call out or react, the large dose of Morphine that was injected started to take affect. The office felt as if it was spinning three ways Sunday, and Danny's laughter echoed around his head. He could hear the storm outside brewing into a frenzy and the lightening flashed, lighting the whole office. In the distance Henry could see Danny wiping up the muddy floor with an old oil rag and he tried to get up and fight. As he lifted his body up, he collapsed on the floor. He could feel his muscles spasm and his heart racing a million miles an hour. 'If I don't get help in a minute I'll be dead as a door knob' he thought as he tried to crawl across the floor. "You won't get away with this McShane...." Henry slurred as he neared the door, but Danny stood on his hand to stop him. "Ouccchhh...gettaaaa offffaaa myyyyyy hhhaannnddd..."Henry slurred again as he tried to pull it away, but his body was now paralyzed and he just lay helpless on the floor. He could feel his heart now slowing and his breathing coming in short breaths. "C'mon Blake" Danny said lifting Henry's limp body from the floor and placing it on the chair "Let's make this look like a suicide" Danny felt Henry's wrist for a pulse and he could feel a faint beat as it slowly started to fade. "Damn Henry, Radar didn't take this long, but then again a bullet through the brain does have an immediate effect." "Nooooo.." Henry tried saying but his mind was all over the place, he could feel his organs shutting down as Danny place the Bourbon bottle that he emptied over the desk, in his left hand, and the empty syringe in his right. The Colonel's body lay slumped on the desk, as McShane continued to wipe the muddy boot prints off the floor with the rag that he took with him. After he was finished he knelt down next to Henry watching him die, the alcohol in his system slowed the process and he started to feel nervous. "C'mon, dammit hurry up" He got up to see if Klinger was still asleep and returned back to his spot. Henry's body started to spasm again and Danny smiled knowing the end was near. He noticed that the Colonel could still see and hear him and he decided to have a little fun. He shifted over closer so that he could be clearly heard. He knew how close the Colonel and Radar were, and was often jealous when he watched them bond. "You know, Henry; killing Radar was so much more fun than killing you. He practically begged for his life when I made him write that suicide note, I actually made him cry; can you imagine?" Danny saw the Colonels eye's widening, and he loved it. 'Torturing my victims is great, I love the reaction I get out of them; I'll have to remember that when I go after Trapper next' he thought as he continued. "You should have seen the little twerp squirm when I held that gun to his head, he whimpered like a lost puppy" This time McShane laughed hysterically. The storm raged outside as the water rapidly leaked through the wood patch soaking the fishing hat. The dirty rain water stung Henry's eyes as tears started form. Hearing the details of Radar's death and how McShane tormented him before pulling the trigger, ripped his heart out. "hrmmfffpptt..." was all the Colonel could manage as his organs, one by one shut down. He could see the room spinning around fast and darkness setting in. The Private's voice echoed as he continued to describe more grisly details about the first murder. He knew that he was seconds away from death as McShane faded away. He closed his eyes as memories of his home and family flashed through his mind. Pictures of him, his wife and kids lying in bed on Sunday mornings brought a slight smile to his face. The last thing that Lieutenant Colonel Henry Braymore Blake heard before he died was Lorraine's sweet voice repeating "I love you, Henry" over and over again. On his last breath he replied "I love you too Lorraine" and darkness filled the void. ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ` ``````````````````````````` Danny grinned knowing that the Colonel had finally died. "Jeez, took you long enough" he said as he pulled the empty Morphine Vial from his pocket, and placed it on the desk. "Why are you smiling? You have no reason to be happy, you're dead." He tried to force Henry's expression into a frown, but it was fixed into place. "Aww, who cares anyway, they'll think that he drugged himself so bad, he probably thought he that he was home" and he carefully checked the office before exiting. As he walked through, he saw that Klinger was still sound asleep. "That fool, here he is snoring away loudly, while I was in there murdering the C.O. When he wakes up soon, boy is he gonna be surprised" Danny took a step closer towards Klinger and held the gun just inches away from the Corporal's head. "You're lucky that I'm not a greedy person, otherwise you would've got it too" he whispered. A bolt of lightening cracked across the sky, making him jump a little and bringing him back to reality. He tip-toed back to the desk and re-connected the phone again. He pushed open the double doors that lead outside, taking one good look at Klinger. "Yes, you're really lucky. For now" ```````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` ` ``````````````` *BBBBRRRRIIIIIINNNNGGGGG!!!* "Oh no, it can't be 05:00 already!" Klinger grumbled as he slowly rolled out of bed, throwing the alarm clock on the floor. Groggily putting on his fatigues he noticed the large pool of water that over flowed from the helmets that were placed on the file cabinet the night before. "Damn, water leaked into the files!" he yelled out as he yanked the cabinet draw open. He saw that all the personnel files were soaked through and the ink running. Quickly as he could Klinger pulled out the folders and placed them on his cot. He raced towards his duffle bag and pulled out his last dry towel. One by one he managed to dry nearly all the files before the towel was too wet to dry anymore. "There, that's the last one" he said relaxing back on his cot. He looked at his watch and realized that it was nearly 6:00 am. Outside he could hear some forms of life stirring and he decided to go wake the Colonel, knowing that he slept in his office. Standing up and stretching Klinger carefully stepped over the files that covered the floor and he gently pushed the doors open. The office was dark, but he could see the Colonel in the dim light. Walking towards the desk he stood on empty beer cans and kicked the bottles to the side. "Great, now I have to clean this place too, boy it never ends" he said as he neared the desk and noticing the vomit on the floor. "Urgg... I see someone partied a little too hard last night" "Colonel Blake" Klinger whispered whilst shaking him gently "Colonel Blake, sir?" Annoyed that Henry wouldn't wake up, he went over to the windows and drew the curtains, letting in a stream of early Korean dawn light. "You're gonna have to get up now sir, I know how much you hate light and a hangover at the, the ...." Klinger turned around seeing the syringe in Henry's hand. "What the hell?" he said as he quickly walked towards the desk, picking up the Syringe. Glancing down Klinger saw the empty Morphine vial and he felt Henrys wrist. His stomach went cold when he didn't feel anything. "Oh god...not again...not again..." he took a step back, standing on an empty beer can "No, this can't be happening...first Radar and now the Colonel" Klinger's heart raced as he bolted out the office to get help.
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