Page 137 of Cowboy's Last Stand
She shook it gingerly.“Natalie Luna.”
“I knew your husband in Kabul.”
This statement might have ended the conversation a month ago.She might have said it wasn’t a good time to talk or made some other excuse to send him away.
“I came here to tell his story.I’d appreciate the chance to share it.”
She cleared her throat.“Would you like to come in?”
A month ago, he might have refused.He might have insisted on staying outside, where he felt more comfortable.Today, he inclined his head in agreement.She went through the front door and gestured to the couch.He sat, clasping his strong hands together.The ambiance inside her home had changed, and she knew he recognized the difference.She’d put away most of her mementos.Her living room no longer resembled a shrine.
“I have iced tea,” she said, falling back on basic Texas hospitality.
“That would be great.”
She poured two glasses and brought them from the kitchen.When she handed him one, he drained half of it.She took the seat beside him and waited for him to speak.He took a breath, as if collecting himself.Then he told the same story, in the same somber tone, about the accident in Kabul.It sounded different to her ears, however.It sounded different becauseshewas different and because she knew it was about Mike.
“Mike was one of the best people I’d ever worked with,” Jason began.“He was an excellent Marine and a good man.”
Her eyes filled with tears at the apt description.It wasn’t because she was still grieving her lost husband.It was just that the memories made her emotional.She grabbed a tissue, smiling to let Jason know she was OK.
“I’d been briefed about the scene before we arrived.It was supposed to be a small explosive device that could be dismantled easily.When I got there, I discovered something much more complicated.There was a second set of fuses leading to a large underground cache.It was two bombs, designed to work back-to-back.”
She nodded her understanding.
“I reassessed the threat and informed Mike.The team had to evacuate a much wider area than we’d planned, including a nearby mosque.It was chaotic.I should have retreated with them.Instead, I decided to keep working.I knew there was a greater risk, but I ignored it.I assumed that defusing the first bomb would neutralize the second.”
“It didn’t,” she whispered.
“No.It was designed to do the opposite.When I heard the click of a trigger mechanism, I realized I’d made a fatal mistake.I tried to run, but I couldn’t because of my suit.Its layers of protection impede movement.”
Natalie swallowed hard.She knew what came next.
“I tripped and fell.Mike came to help me, against my orders.He got me to a safer distance before the explosives detonated.”
“You said he was in the impact zone even before he came to help you.”
“That’s right.”
“Would he have died anyway?”
Jason raked a hand through his hair.He hadn’t told this part of the story before.She hadn’t asked this question.“According to the report, his original location had a 75 percent mortality rate.He could have reached a 25 percent zone if he’d run away.The mosque also offered some cover.It was about 50 percent.”
“So he might have been killed even if he’d left you to die.”
“Yes.”
“Did he know that?”
“He understood perimeters and impact zones.He could calculate the risks.”
“And he knew that you both had a chance if he could get you to the mosque.”
“Yes.”
“What would you have done in his position?”
Jason stared at the coffee table.“We’re trained to follow orders and minimize risk.To save ourselves first.”
