human
Are you hot?
gpt
Nope. The medics checked me just before I took off.
human
And are there others down there who feel like heading for the hills?
gpt
Most of them are too damned near dead to make the effort. Why desert when you've had it?
human
The blooper got a lot of 'em, eh?
gpt
What the blast didn't get, the radioactivity did.
human
Is the pass too hot for more troops to go through it?
gpt
My guess is that way.
human
Your guess? Don't you know?
gpt
I didn't go up to see. I'm not that soft in the head.
human
I see your point. Well, things must be really rough if colonels are deserting. This is interesting. Cal fingered the gun but the muzzle no longer pointed at Zen's stomach.
gpt
What are you looking for up here?
human
A place to hide out.
gpt
For how long?
human
Hell, how long can this go on? Zen answered.
gpt
Even when it's over, I don't want to go back down there and walk on skulls.
human
Walk on skulls?
gpt
That's all that will be left.
human
You think the Asians are gonna win, then?
gpt
I got a hunch there will be more skulls than anything else in Asia, too. No, I don't think they're going to win. I don't think anybody is going to win this one, except the people who have enough sense to hide.
human
Kurt's all right,
gpt
He's my pal, Jake continued.
human
Let him join us. He'll make a good hand. Besides, me and him were buddies. And there was a girl--
gpt
Were you with this woman?
human
He never was with this woman in his life! Jake screamed.
gpt
She was mine, I tell you. Mine!
human
Shut up, crazy head.
gpt
Tell him, Kurt. Tell him Marcia was mine.
human
Sure, Jake, Zen soothed.
gpt
Everybody knew you and Marcia were that way. Cal and I were talking about another woman.
human
Oh. That's different. But I don't want to hear either of you say that Marcia didn't belong to me.
gpt
You stinking nut head, you stay out of this!
human
All I was trying to do was to tell you Kurt was my pal.
gpt
All right, you've told me. Now shut up. Cal turned to Zen again.
human
About this woman, colonel? Were you together?
gpt
No,
human
But she yelled out to you when me and Ed grabbed her.
gpt
I heard her.
human
You did?
gpt
Yeah. I was following her but I didn't know she knew it until she yelled.
human
Oh. Cal kept his finger on the trigger.
gpt
Why were you following her?
human
Hell, don't be stupid! Zen exploded.
gpt
Why would any man follow a woman like that?
human
I don't blame you for that. But why was she coming up here?
gpt
That I don't know, Zen said.
human
I don't think it made much difference anyhow. As soon as night came--
gpt
Do you think she might be a spy for Cuso heading for his camp to report?