Hawkins' Heroes: The Enemy Within

By Todd McLeod and Eric Meyer

Browning M2 .50 caliber gunner Eddie Hawkins enjoys his work, and he is good at it. His other passion is first-person shooters. Stationed in Afghanistan, Eddie has a reputation for his deadly skills with the heavy machine gun, after an initial shaky start. Life is good for Pfc Hawkins, until the night the Taliban arrive at Bagram.

Eddie recognized a hostile when he sees one, and he does not hesitate to open fire on a vehicle inside the Bagram perimeter fence. Yet the vehicle escapes, and the Afghan’s stationed at Bagram insist he shot at one of theirs. His punishment is seven nights sentry duty, and he begins on a bitter night, with snow lying thick on the ground. His biggest enemy is the cold, until he sees an Afghan military convoy approaching the gates. Could this be another enemy? If he shoots, Bagram will become engulfed in gunfire and flames, and if he is wrong, innocent men will die.

He has a decision to make, and the result is...explosive. The start of a long, hard fight against an enemy wearing the uniforms of American allies and carrying bitter hatred inside their black hearts.

Hawkins’ Heroes: The Enemy Within is the fifth short novel in the Hawkins’ Heroes series. A collaboration between Todd McCleod and Eric Meyer, the bestselling author of more than fifty war novels.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Swordworks Books
• Release date: Aug 16, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463294000

Book preview

THE ENEMY WITHIN

By Todd McLeod & Eric Meyer

THE HAWKINS’ HEROES SERIES

Copyright 2019 by Todd McLeod & Eric Meyer

Published by Swordworks Books

All rights reserved. Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, brands, media, and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. The author acknowledges the trademarked status and trademark owners of various products referenced in this work of fiction, which have been used without permission. The publication/use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with, or sponsored by the trademark owners.

Chapter One

Snow fell covering the scarred landscape with a coating of white that gave the impression of a land at peace; except this was Afghanistan, a country where peace was an alien word. Where brutal, savage men had been making war as far back as history could record. Eddie Hawkins surveyed the terrain from the lofty perch of the cupola of their vehicle, the High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, HMMWV, more familiarly known as the Humvee. Wondering if it could ever end. On a day like this, it looked possible. Peace to all men.

As if reading his mind, Sergeant Dan Jones called over the intercom, Don’t be fooled, guys. They’re out there somewhere, and they’ll be back soon.

It looks so calm, Sarge. Maybe they’ll give us a break, at least for a while. Spend some time with their families, play ball with their kids.

They play ball with the heads of the infidels they’ve killed. As for their wives, they treat them like dirt, so they’re not playing happy families.

Eddie didn’t reply. He was thinking about the game he’d played on his portable console last night. The Internet connection was crap, and he’d felt like giving up. Instead, he’d played on, and all he’d managed was to reduce his position in the rankings.

That sucks. I need to get my act together, like find a better connection. I’ll talk to the intel officer. He has access to the base communication gear. Maybe he can help out with some ideas.

We’re almost at the outer marker of our patrol area, Corporal Al Taylor’s voice came through his earpiece. Taylor was the comms guy, the technical wizard, and a second tour vet.

Maybe I could ask him, he knows most things.

The turn’s coming up, about one klick, PFC Winston Bellows called up to them, his deep, baritone requiring no amplification, Do we go back?

Sergeant Dan considered for no more than two seconds. Okay, maybe I was wrong, it’s all quiet. We’ll head back as planned.