Total pages in book: 90
Estimated words: 84266 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84266 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 421(@200wpm)___ 337(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
He still felt like the luckiest guy in BUD/S to have the friendship of the built guy who radiated confidence, no matter what challenge the instructors threw their way. Maddox might talk a good game, bolstering himself up, but it was Ben’s quiet capability that kept him believing that they could do this. Because it didn’t matter what the instructors said or believed about him—no way was he letting his friend down.
Even after all these years, with a stack of shooting ribbons for his prowess with weapons, visualizing Ben’s praise calmed him down. Ben believed in him and that meant something. His job would make it easier for Ben and the rest of the team to operate, and he took pride in that.
“In position,” he whispered into his com headset as soon as he reached his target position and got his weapons set.
“Wait for my signal,” the LT’s gravelly voice answered. Dawn was creeping up to the jungle, a pale blush of first light slicing through the dense vegetation. They wouldn’t want to wait much longer, and Maddox readied himself. There was a lone guard patrolling in front of the tents. Good.
Maddox said another quick prayer, and when the LT barked, “Go,” he aimed and neutralized the threat with a single shot. From his vantage point, he was able to watch as the rest of the team moved in, standing ready for further instructions from the LT.
Down at the compound, the sound of gunfire rang out and chaos descended, militants in mismatched camo running out of the tents just as planned, but Maddox couldn’t hear the LT’s barked commands. He tapped his headset. Nothing. Staying alert, he took it off, shook it. Nothing. Put it back on. Still nothing, silence reigning in his earpiece even as the air was filled with shouts from below.
Only thing he could do was wait.
* * *
“Com’s down. Fuck,” the LT cursed as they secured the largest of the tents. Ben had no idea what was causing the communications outage, but his headset had been silent several minutes now, a lifetime in operations time. “And we’ve got a wounded hostage.”
On the dirt floor, Wizard, the team’s medic, tended to a bruised and battered young man with a nasty head wound. “We need that chopper. Sooner rather than later,” he said grimly.
“Tovey, report,” the LT demanded, and Ben strode over to his side, breathing hard from racing through the haphazard collection of ancient tents in the encampment.
“Compound secured, sir, but we’ve got some runners in the jungle. Issacson’s injured, and Keith’s helping him until Wizard can get there. Last message before com went out was ETA fifteen minutes on the chopper. Rogers is working on getting radio back. Not sure what’s causing the outage—”
“Not good enough.” The LT shook his head. “We need to be ready to move out when the chopper comes in—wind is picking up. And Horvat is still on the ridge. We need him back. Can you get to him?”
“Will do, sir.” Ben readied his weapon for heading out, knowing that some of the militants likely lurked beyond the secured perimeter. “I’ll bring him back.”
“Make sure he hears you coming.” The LT’s eyes were dark, and Ben knew he was thinking of a friendly-fire incident that had rocked the teams a few months back. Getting a message to Maddox with com down wasn’t without risks, but Ben was more than up for the challenge, adrenaline still pumping from carrying out the first part of the mission.
The rain pelted down as he made his way up the ridge, thick sheets that obscured his vision and made the terrain slippery and treacherous. Overhead, a large black bird with a colorful beak swooped in, almost sending Ben skidding into a ravine.
He whistled low, a deliberate pattern, one of the team’s signals. He repeated the sound as he approached where Maddox was supposed to be. An answering signal came from a dense thicket of green vegetation.
“It’s me. Hold your fire,” Ben called as he slipped into the mass of trees and roots. The plants here were nothing like the ones back home—giant heart-shaped leaves and bright rubbery flowers that almost looked bird—or insect-like. The trees had massive, visible roots covered with moss, and were connected by thick vines that could easily be mistaken for a deadly snake.
Below him, he could see the encampment, SEALs scurrying around. The injured hostage and Issacson, their wounded radio man, were carried out, which had to mean the chopper was close. Time to haul ass. “Maddox?”
“Here.” Maddox slid out of the shadows, rifle at the ready, just as Ben had expected. “Com’s down for you guys too?”
“Yup. Chopper’s coming in. LT sent me to bring you in. No time to waste. Issacson took a bullet, but he’s stable, and one of the hostages is in bad shape. Possible hostiles escaped, but Rogers and company are hunting them down.”