Page 65 of Luck Be Mine
Hunt watched the countryside, counting every curve and crevice, every jagged rock, and every bit of brown dust, remembering. Sucked to be so familiar with a place, yet so far from a meaningful connection.
“Five minutes.” Carter touched his weapon, then put his hand back on the wheel.
Baxter communicated with the other vehicles.
A long stretch of road broke into a small clearing with a house and two side buildings. Jamil liked being secluded in this place of his grandparents. He talked often of keeping his family close and protected this way.
Hunt leaned to get a better view.
The house smoldered and black streaks marred the home. Bodies of people and animals lay in the dirt of the front yard, scattered like debris.
They were too late.
Hunt dropped his head to rub his eyes.
Carter pulled to a stop.
They remained idling and studied the scene. Their other two vehicles stopped behind them.
Jack pushed open his door, raising his weapon. “Let’s check them. Confirm identity.”
Baxter rounded the SUV to join Brennan. “Homebase, we are on site. Standby.”
Hunt got out, readied his weapon, and followed.
Dust swirled in their midst. The heat of the day slapped at him, and the suffocating smell of death rode along in tandem.
He wanted this not to be Jamil and his family. But his eyes, brain, and gut said no chance. Regret and grief clogged his throat. There was no slamming the mental door on this one.
Tommy got out of the third vehicle with his sniper rifle and headed for high ground. Doogie went the opposite way doing the same thing. Riaz and K-Rock went left to survey the area, Carter met Stemmons, and they went right.
“You have company coming from the south,” the neutral voice of Overwatch reported.
Baxter never broke concentration from the death scene. “Copy, Homeplate.”
With sweeps in progress, Hernandez came to Hunt. “Is it them?”
“Probable.” Hunt sighed, letting Brennan and Baxter examine the bodies.
He checked his weapon. Staring at the death scene accomplished nothing. “Let’s do a fast clear. See what we find.” He swept the area around the burning house, searching for threats. Hernandez did the same for the two side buildings. The two men met at their original spot.
“House areas clear,” Hernandez reported in his mic.
Brennan didn’t yell his results across the compound. He walked with Baxter to Hunt’s side. Grim expressions told the story.
“It’s them,” Baxter confirmed. “They’ve been shot and mutilated. Counted four kids. Looks like all the animals they had, too.”
Jack wiped his hand on his pants. “They’ve been like this for a few hours.”
“Tortured?” Hunt choked on having to ask.
“No. Reads like execution and punishment. Likely they didn’t know who they had. Or maybe they didn’t care.” Jackstared into the distance. “We need to move. Nothing we can do for them now.”
He dug for his command presence. “Agreed. Exfil. Baxter, report to homebase.”
Hernandez spoke to the other men via his radio. “Exfil. Return to vehicle.”
A shot rang out, hitting the front of their ride. The engine block hissed.
