The road ran south-southwest, then curved slightly more west before turning almost due south. They pulled up next to a tin shack that was obviously some farming building or at least had been. The ramshackle external appearance was completely at odds with the desk full of computers and screens inside the gloomy building. Andrew had spotted a farmhouse to their east just before they reached the shack and wondered why the company headquarters wasn’t set up there and filed that question away until he could ask somebody at some point.

Captain Wright was a slightly rotund, relatively short man balding on top, even though he was probably only thirty or so. The lieutenant saluted.

“Lieutenant Colonel Gray is still not convinced the Japs are going to attack your positions directly. The indications are that their main attack will fall to the east, probably hoping to break through and encircle the town from behind. However, he is not leaving you hanging out to dry entirely. He’s retaining the headquarters company back up the road, ready to deploy if needed in your support, and he sent you Private Harris here along as a reinforcement.”

Captain Wright did not look overly impressed with this information.

“Is this some sort of joke?”

“Harris here is one of Greaves’ people. She deliberately assigned him to this flank because, according to him, he is the next strongest mentalist after Greaves even though he’s only just arrived at the front.”

The Captain studied his new reinforcement with a distinct lack of enthusiasm. Then he frowned.

“Only just arrived at the front, eh? Where were stationed before that?”

Here we go, Andrew thought to himself.

“Boot camp at Singleton.”

The Captain swung around to face the grinning Lieutenant Frost.

“Is the Colonel’s idea of a joke, Frost?”

The Lieutenant didn’t appear to be intimidated by the captain’s ire. He was slow to wipe the mirth off his face as he answered Captain Wright.

“Well, he doesn’t seem to think you’re going to be attacked, but Captain Greaves thought you needed mentalist support,” he waved at Andrew. “She’s over on the east side.”

“Jesus Christ!”

The Lieutenant drew himself up at attention and saluted. “I need to report back to headquarters, Captain. I’ll leave you to it.”

“Shit! Yeah, piss off Frost.”

The Lieutenant gave a very sloppy salute and disappeared out the door. Captain Wright stared after him for some considerable time before he finally wheeled around and studied Andrew.

“So you’re a brand-new mentalist, are you?”

“I’m a brand-new soldier, sir. Not a brand-new mentalist.”

This response caused the Captain’s eyes to narrow.

“To me, you appear to be a waste of time. However, I’m willing to listen for a few moments if you can tell me what you can do for me.”

“That depends on the tactical situation, sir. If you are convinced the Japs are about to attack your positions here, first, I would need to look at a map so I can see the tactical situation, sir. Any intel on where their mentalists are would be helpful as well, sir.”