Page 65 of Leave Me Behind
A relieved breath escapes me and I don’t waste time unclicking my deployment bag. My shoulders are sore and so are my ribs, but nothing else seems to be injured. I immediately click on my night vision and scan the area.
The top of Bradshaw’s helmet glints, slick with rain. I head toward him. He’s in complete stealth mode. The way his broad body moves so lethally sends chills up my spine. I say in a low voice through the headset, “Bones, coming up behind you.”
He turns and squats beside me when I reach his side. I can barely make out his eyes beneath his goggles as he looks me up and down thoroughly. “You okay?” he asks quietly. I give him a sharp nod.
Ian comes in through the headset. “Bones, Bunny, ten o’clock.” Our heads snap in that direction and, even with night vision, it’s hard to make out his camouflaged figure.
We move like liquid through the underbrush. I try to orient myself, but I can’t figure out where we are geographically. The wind has brought the pine trees to life, their rattling raucousand distracting. I studied that map until my eyes bled, but with the storm and crash landing it’s useless to guess where we are exactly while under the canopy of trees.
Bones mutters with an empty tone, “Where are the others?”
Ian shakes his head as the pounding of the rain thrums against the leaves above. The plan has already unraveled so much. But, as with any mission, we’re to get back on track immediately if we get separated.
“Wasp, Jobs, and Badger are probably fine. Let’s find the clearing and get to the vantage point to watch their backs as planned,” I say sternly. Ian notices my uniform and mask are the same as Bradshaw’s and it gives him pause. He stares at me and only moves when Bradshaw nudges him and jerks his head.
It takes about five minutes until we get our bearings and find the clearing. The field is empty and a certain death sentence for anyone who walks out there right now. The rain has thickened and visibility is so low that I doubt I’d be able to make a clean shot.
“Wasp, come in,” Ian mutters as we lower into a thick bush.
Silence.
“Badger, where are you?” Ian tries Pete.
No response. I shift on my feet uneasily and look at Bradshaw. His breaths are hard but that’s all I can make out in the dark.
“Jobs… Jobs, come in.” Ian’s voice is laced with despair.
The worst-case scenario is playing out in my mind. Was the enemy waiting for them once they landed? Were they killed quickly? Taken as hostages? My throat dries with dread at the thought. I shut my eyes and try to refocus.
My headset crackles. “Colt? This is Jobs. What is your location? Over.” The voice sounds too low to be Jefferson’s. A warning signal goes off in my head, screaming that something is wrong.
Ian opens his mouth to reply.
I set my hand over his lips and he stills, eyes flicking to me with apprehension. Slowly, I shake my head.
“This is Jobs. Colt, I need the location, over,” the man repeats.
Ian jerks away from me and opens his mouth again to reply. This time I unclip his helmet with his headset attached and toss it into the bushes.
“What the fuck are you doing?” He shoves me back on my ass.
I make sure my headset is muted before snapping, “That’s not Jobs.”
Bradshaw moves beside Ian, his goggles are set on top of his helmet, and glares down at me. “Jobs, what’s the name of the book you gave me last week?”
There’s a beat of silence.
“I’ve never given you a fucking book, Bones. What the fuck are you talking about? Where you guys at? Did Bunny eat shit?” The voice belongs to Jobs this time. I stare at Bradshaw. Can he really not hear the two different voices?
Bones nods his approval and tilts his head for Ian to go collect his helmet. I hear Ian list off the coordinates for our location. The blood in my ears roars loudly and my gut tells me something awful is about to happen.
“Those were two different peo?—”
Bradshaw grips my arm and cuts me off. “You don’t get to put your trust in yourself over us. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you’re trying to fuck this mission up.” He unsheathes his combat knife and angles it to my throat. “I don’t trust you, Bunny. Pull something like that again and I’ll cut your throat myself.”
My heart pounds heavily. He’s dead serious. “You thinkI’mtrying to derail the mission?” My voice is laden with venom. The rain pummels against our gear.
Bradshaw’s eyes narrow. “I think you’re trying to keep the squad split up, which is a dead ringer for a conspirator.”
