Page 6 of The Soldier's Final Mission

“Got it. Looks like they may have a tunnelsystem or at least an underground safe spot. Armed men just took two unarmedmen into a well. Insurgent leaders possibly.”

“Okay, let’s wrap it up and move. Mack,you good to go?”

“Good to go, boss.”

As the men began their retreat, a shotrang out. Jake took down the lead man ascending toward them. “Raul, to ourleft! They’re spreading out!” The group fired more shots and took more mendown. The insurgents were getting a few shots off, but luckily they were stilltoo far away to inflict damage.

“Scotty, you radio that copter? What’s itstwenty?”

“Thirty minutes out. We need to head backsouthwest to the rendezvous.”

“Jake, Raul, let’s move. Keep eyes on oursix, I’ll take the lead.”

Garrett positioned himself up front withBob while they kept Scotty and Mack behind them. They needed to move quickly inorder to put space between them and the men that were following.

They made it only a few hundred yards beforeRaul went down. Everyone spun and caught sight of another man coming out of theground. Sneaky bastard must’ve stayed hidden when he realized all his buddieswere goners. He got off another shot, hitting Jake in the shoulder.

Bob aimed, fired. Shooter down.

He and Garrett ran back to Jake’sposition. He was kneeling, assessing Raul. When Bob approached, he saw Jake’sgrim expression as light slowly filtered into the sky.

Jake shook his head, indicating that Raulwas dead.

“Fuck!” Bob rarely lost his cool, but hewas sick and tired of losing men. He knew the risks, they all did. Never takefor granted that it’d be a cut-and-dried mission, because danger was never far.He knew well not to forget that. “Garrett, wrap Jake’s shoulder. Scotty, getRaul’s gear.”

The men reacted, doing their duty, but Bobknew they were just as pissed as him. Bob bent down, picked Raul up, and slunghis body across his shoulder.

“Let me,” Mack said. He was the biggestand strongest of the men.

“I got it,” Bob grunted. “You’re a bettershot, so you and Garrett watch our backs. The longer we stand here the closerthose bastards get. Jake, G2G?”

“G2G, boss.”

“Scotty, lead the way. And get that copterto us. Let’s go!”

The group resumed their movement, tryingto put distance between themselves and the men intent on ending their lives. Moregrenades were launched, and they were landing closer and closer. Mack andGarrett took out a few more men, but others were quickly gaining on them. A quickpeek behind him told Bob that they were clearly outnumbered.Shit!

As the sun made its way over the mountainpeaks, it sent its blinding light into the eyepieces of Mack and Garrett’sscopes. They had to readjust to get eyes on the men. One second was all it tookfor a grenade to hit its mark.

Bob felt as if someone had shoved him frombehind. It felt as if a million fireballs were thrown at his backside. He heardmuffled yells, he smelled dust and heat. He saw the ground rise up and smackhim in the face.

Lights out.

****

Becca watched Riley splash in the shallowsurf, his squeals of delight bringing a smile to her face as always. Mid-SeptemberSaturdays still brought plenty of beachgoers, and today was no different. Herson darted around others, slipping in and out of the water as if playing tag,laughing harder when it touched his feet. At four, he was a little daredevil. Manytimes he reminded her of herself when she was younger and seemed to fearnothing.

Moments like this almost made Becca forgetabout her worries. Forget about Riley’s dad, Patrick, who always found reasonsto put off his visits which were becoming more infrequent. They were supposedto have a family day at Sea World and then a picnic on the beach.

But if she was being honest, she selfishlywished he’d just give up partial custody and leave her and Riley alone. Her sonwas already confused enough by his actions, and Becca was tired of makingexcuses for him.

Granted, Patrick was a busy man. He was anorthopedic surgeon at Sharp Coronado Hospital. For all the skill and care hegave his patients, she wished he’d given his family just a fraction of that. Then,they might still be together. They might still be happy.

Who was she kidding? Patrick liked theideaof the perfect family, but all ofPatrick’s focus had been and would always be on his career. Realizing theirmarriage wasn’t salvageable, it took a considerable amount of persuasion toconvince Patrick that a divorce was best, rather than live in a lovelessmarriage. They finally came to a civil agreement.

She certainly couldn’t complain about thefinancial support he provided for her and Riley, but Patrick seemed to thinkthat that would more than make up for his absence. In Becca’s eyes, his loveand devotion to his son should be most important. Money couldn’t replace afather’s presence. But the more she thought about it, the more she asked ifRiley needed a father figure. With Patrick being such a non-presence, she’d bequick to answer no.

Becca was more than capable of providingall the love and emotional support her son needed, as he had become her numberone priority from the second he was born.

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