The Kaleidoscope Project
by
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The sky over Cambodia was chain mail, raveling into steely rain. A black, ominous sky with deafening coughs of thunder, lightning stabs that made abrupt flashes. The jungle rain came down. Softly at first...then harder.
Softly again...then harder.
Kevin Richards wished the rain would either abate or the sky to open up its flood gates. He didn't like the rain. He never had. It reminded him too much of how his life had been at times. But here he was, once again, standing in the rain.
Sergeant First Class Kevin Richards contemplated his life during every mission. He had dedicated his life to the army, but his heart belonged to his one, true love, Jessica. Kevin had served in the United States Army for over nineteen years. He was part of the Army's Special Forces Sniper Team Five, the most elite - and most deadly - fighting team in the world. He had been the selected leader of Team Five for six years. With more confirmed kills than anyone...ever...he had earned more decorations than most of his superiors. His chest swelled with pride, weighed down with numerous medals and badges from his military career. But none of those had been given to him. No, he had earned each and every one. But with all of his decorations, Richards was far from arrogant. He knew that more dependability accompanied more responsibility.
At six-foot even, one-hundred-ninety-five pounds, Richards was a force to be reckoned with. In martial arts, you name it and he knew it. His schools included Airborne, Air Assault, Ranger, Delta Force, Special Forces, and the Sniper Course - just to name a few. While growing up, SFC Kevin Richards longed to serve his country. Just like his father before him; just like his grandfather before him.
Kevin Richards was the real-life G.I. Joe, but you wouldn't have known it by meeting him in civilian clothes. To passersby he was an average, dedicated family man - sturdy when he had to be, humble when he needed to be. His faith in God kept him going day to day, and his love for his family brought him home each time. No matter the country, no matter the enemy, no matter the circumstances, no matter the odds - God delivered him home to his wife and daughter.
But for now...he would have to wait.
In the saturated foliage of Kratie, Cambodia, his love for his family was keeping him sane. One thousand one...,he slowly breathed. One thousand two...,[Crack!]. Over six-hundred meters away, the head of SFC Richards' target exploded into a pool of flesh, blood and brain matter.
Lee Shang Chou had been on the Central Intelligence Agency's Most Wanted list for over a decade, but no one could seem to pinpoint his exact location. That location was now confirmed - his abiotic body laid horizontal in the hull of a river boat.
Richards wondered why such a low man on the drug cartel's totem pole needed to be exterminated, but he wasn't one to question his orders. After all, this was his job.
After Richards' spotter visually confirmed the kill, Sniper Team Five absconded into the abyss of the Asian jungle. Bullets rang out past them, none coming close enough for worry. The team's hike along the Mekong River took a little over forty minutes. They stopped five klicks south of Kratie where the extraction team was scheduled to pick them up. As usual, their extraction was on time, the team safely boarding a Blackhawk helicopter. High-fives were exchanged, along with the lighting of their traditional mission-ending cigars. The team members seemed to enjoy the quaint but manly ritual.
Kevin Richards smiled to himself.
Another mission completed.
As the chopper lifted off, the rains came again, gently misting Richards' face. He sat beside the gunner's door, viewing the jungle and rice paddies below. The rain became heavier. As he had done so many times before, he softly whispered, "I'm coming home, Jessie."
During the flight back to Firebase Angel, Richards' mind was turning in thought. He pondered the age-old question of battle: What brings two beings to a precise instant in an exact place - one to die, the other to live another day?
For SFC Kevin Richards, the answer didn't matter...as long as he was the one who lived another day.
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About the Book
In a world of chaos you never know who you can trust, and when reality finally becomes lucid, insanity sets in. Spanning the globe from South Carolina to Greece, New York to Peru, The Kaleidoscope Project will draw you into its plot. But just when you think you've figured it out, you'll be left disoriented.
Be-trayed(v): Delivered into the hands of an enemy.
Av-a-tar(n): A temporary manifestation of a continuing entity.
Ka-lei-do-scope(n): A series of changing phases or events.
About the Author
Richard K. Patterson was born and raised in Greenville, South Carolina. He served 8 years in the United States Army, with a 5-month tour of duty in Iraq during Desert Storm in 1991. After leaving the Army he moved to Simpsonville, South Carolina. He has three children and enjoys fishing and golf. The Kaleidoscope Project is his first novel. He can be reached at rkp112@aol.com.