by Laura Acton
Catching the drift, William kicked himself for not making it clear to all those present. He scanned the room, closely studying the sergeant’s men, as he explained, “It recently came to our attention the AAR filed on behalf of Master Corporal Broderick by persons who shall remain nameless, was altered significantly. He is here to provide the missing data and correct currently documented inconsistencies.”
Granted permission to speak freely, Dan said, “The most important discrepancy is the entire cell was not eliminated. Four men, including Ashkani’s second-in-command, Ramtin Dogar escaped. That man is Dogar.”
“How the hell do you know?” Hicks blurted out.
Eyeing Hicks, still ticked off by the idiot’s earlier remarks about Brody, Dan bit back, “What part of ‘I was there’ didn’t you understand?” He regained enough control to leave off ‘moron’ from the end of his query.
Aware of Hicks’ erroneous beliefs about Dan, Sutton intervened before things went off the rails. “Perhaps you should walk us through all aspects which are missing or incorrect? Locations are important if you recall them.”
“Yes, sir, I’m fairly decent at remembering locations,” Dan responded.
Blaze snorted softly but kept his thought to himself. Decent my ass! An understatement if I ever heard one. Never seen anyone other than Dutch and Shy better at navigation and mission recall.
William glanced at Blaze understanding what must’ve run through his mind, Daniel excelled at land navigation and retaining specifics.
Dan took a moment to gather his thoughts. To quell and hide his rising emotions, he spoke in monotone. “Best to start at the beginning because most of this,” he tapped the folder containing the AAR, “is rubbish. Plouffe assigned Mutt to lead the op. Due to an outbreak of food poisoning, Mutt selected a five-man team from the few soldiers not affected. The unit included Mutt, me, Ripsaw, Buzz, and Dutch.
“We were tasked with a kinetic mission to eliminate Ashkani’s cell and did a HALO infil.” Dan turned to Sutton. “Sir, can you display a map of section two fourteen?”
Tom scrunched his brow, comprehending that section had been a hot zone in which they possessed little intel at the time of the Blockhouse mission. They paid dearly to acquire data which allowed them to gain a foothold in the Taliban controlled area … they lost Yankee and almost Dan too. “Sure.” He brought up the map on the large monitor and slid a laser pointer to Dan.
Wishing for a swiveling chair, Dan suppressed a moan as he adjusted in his seat to highlight a spot on the topographical map. “We landed here, three klicks outside our target area. Intel placed Ashkani and his inner circle in a two-story house in the center of the village. We made our way to the target building. After breaching, we discovered it was a trap.
“Neither Ashkani or any of the other targets were on site. However, four military-aged males, boys really, ranging from fourteen to seventeen were inside. They were all tied to chairs, two per level, and strapped with explosives. The first and youngest kid we came across was in tears, begging not to die. Dawar Yamin, the eldest and the second boy we found, was more composed and I was able to communicate with him using Pashto.”
Blaze, Tom, and William all turned at Dawar’s name. Each recognizing the name of the man who supplanted one of their deep-cover agents who was inadvertently snagged when Blaze captured Husain Kundi, also known as Grape Man. Dawar, an honorable man, willingly went to prison so the agent could return to Mousa’s network and continue his work.
William shook his head slightly when Tom’s gaze questioned if Daniel was aware of the connection. It occurred after Daniel left the service, and was on a need to know basis, so he never shared that bit with him. He refocused on Daniel as his son continued recounting the mission.
“As Dutch, Buzz, and Mutt guarded the entry, Ripsaw assessed the bombs, and I conducted a field interrogation. Dawar told me Ashkani’s men abducted him, his two brothers, and their cousin. Ashkani planned to kill them because their father and uncle spoke out against the Taliban. The brave boy supplied us with four potential locations after Ripsaw managed to defuse the s-vest.
“One thing of import is the sophistication of the devices. Ripsaw said he had never seen such a complex detonator rigging. Each one utilized a cascading relay and if not deactivated properly, would’ve set off the others. Do not assume simplicity by first impressions alone. Be careful and scrutinize each explosive you run across before attempting to disarm them.”
Dan drew in a breath as icy guilt washed through him, chilling him to the core. Ripsaw saved us all that night. Without his EOD expertise, we would all be dead. His steady hand never wavered once. He saved me, and I failed him.
Ripsaw’s hand rested on Blondie’s left bicep, sending him ethereal energy, as he whispered, “Be at peace, brother. My death is not your fault.”
Tamping down on his remorse, warmth encircling his arm chasing away the chill pervading his soul, Dan said, “Mutt contacted ops command to provide a sitrep. Plouffe ordered us to pursue Ashkani and investigate the locations.”
Using the pointer, he plotted the course and pointed out three locations. “We double-timed northwest twenty klicks and sought cover before daylight. The following night we traveled twelve klicks to the first site. After reconning the area, we determined it to be empty. We moved fast and were able to check three of the four positions before dawn required us to hunker down out of sight for the day.”
As Sutton, Marchant, and Hicks jotted down the coordinates, they asked for details about each location. Dan supplied as many particulars as he could recall, expanding where possible on things he believed might be beneficial, but he acknowledged to himself he was using a delaying tactic. He didn’t want to talk about the last location.
Blaze recognized the kid’s telltale strategy, although useful info, Blondie was stalling. He understood the next would be painful to relate, so he reached for a bottle of water from the center of the table. Uncapping it, Blaze placed the bottle in front of Blondie and gave him a legitimate reason to hold off at least a few more minutes. “Doc says you need to remain hydrated. Stop a moment and drink some water.”
Peering first at the water, then meeting Blaze’s eyes, Dan appreciated the ruse. He took several long drinks relieving his parched throat, as he prepared himself to open the box in the dark, inner recess of his mind and allow the ghosts of his past to roam free again.
Buzz and Dutch joined Ripsaw, laying hands on the pup’s shoulder and back, offering their strength to shore up their brother as he related the agonizing details of their deaths. All three wished to relieve him of the unjust guilt he carried and give him solace.
Allowing the others to take the lead today, Brody stood back. Those three had been with Danny and understood his anguish better than him. His brother would likely benefit more from their presence than his at the moment.
Yankee stood between Hicks and Gruber, instructing their guardian angels to keep their charges in line, though he doubted either man would listen to the guidance of their angels. One regret he still held … he could never change Hicks’ mindset towards Dan. Though not a bad man, Hicks remained obtuse, refusing to recognize the truth of events surrounding Dan.
Accepting he must face his past, Dan set the half-consumed water bottle down, moved his hands to his lap, and made fists to hide any potential shaking. “We racked out in intervals until sundown.” Lifting one hand and grasping the pointer, he flashed the red dot on the final location. “We hiked all night and arrived here an hour before dawn. Unfamiliar with the locale, we waited until first light to do a cursory recon.
“With only one high ground position available and the weather taking a turn for the worse,” Dan pinpointed his perch with the light, “my visibility inside the compound from here was limited. The site consisted of five buildings enclosed by an adobe wall with several breaks in it. Mutt selected the far one as an entry point to recon the structures to determine if our targets were on site. He figured the dust storm would work to o
ur advantage, helping to shield Dutch, Buzz, and Ripsaw as they approached the complex.”
Dan halted and finished off the remaining water, glad for the momentary diversion as horrible memories started to assault him. He took a few steadying breaths and pushed his demons away. “The three went in to do recon while I maintained overwatch and Mutt acted as my spotter.
“About twenty minutes later, the haboob rolled in, obliterating my view of the area altogether. At the same time, Ripsaw reported they found the targets in the fourth building. Mutt ordered them to pull back and wait for him. He headed down to meet them while I remained in place … Mutt wanted me to stay put to provide cover when they went in after the dust settled.”
William spied Daniel’s hand tremor slightly, comprehending he struggled with intense emotions. He wished to avoid causing Daniel more anguish by recounting the remainder, so he allowed his father persona to reign. “Daniel, we have your confirmation the second-in-command and several others got away and the locations now. The rest is irrelevant. You may stop now.”
Dan peered at his dad, conflict warring in his head. Although he couldn’t stand Hicks, he had nothing against the men in his unit, and his sense of right and wrong would not allow him to put even Hicks in danger. No more senseless deaths … no more blood on my hands … no more ghosts to haunt me.
“No, sir, I cannot. Things are missing from my report the unit must be aware of to prepare for what they face so they …” Dan’s breath hitched, “all come back alive.”
Blaze shared a glance with the general before moving his hand to the kid’s upper left arm and applied light pressure. “Blondie, like what?”
Shifting his gaze to his arm, Blaze’s comforting gesture giving him support, Dan inhaled and held it for a count of four. As he gradually exhaled, he scanned Hicks’ unit, hoping they would not witness or experience what he did that horrible day. Turning his eyes to Blaze, Dan quantified his reason. “The utter brutality and inhumanity of the bastards they are going after.”
Fighting fatigue which wanted the upper hand, Dan took one more deep, steadying breath before he shared one of his most painful memories. “As I said, Mutt went to meet them. The storm blocked my sight for five minutes. I couldn’t even see the tip of my rifle as the dust howled around me. When the haboob started to abate, sounds over the comms indicated the guys ran into trouble. Still unable to view them from my position, I radioed Mutt for permission to join him at the wall.”
Briefly closing his eyes and taking a quick breath, Dan said, “Once I linked up with Mutt, he and I moved forward together, careful to remain unseen as men poured out of buildings. We spotted Dutch, Ripsaw, and Buzz in the middle of the compound on their knees surrounded by twenty targets all armed with AK-47s. Ashkani and Dogar were there, gloating over capturing three soldiers. Dogar told one man to film him as he stepped forward to …”
His eyelids lowered again, but Dan opened them quickly as a grotesque image assaulted him. Dan’s voice cracked with emotion as he said, “Buzz.” He stopped, swallowed hard, cleared his throat, and forced himself to continue without breaking down in front of others. “Dogar taped a grenade to Buzz’s neck which had a long string tied to the pin.
“Most of the group stepped back, beyond the blast range. But as Dogar attached the explosive, Dutch and Ripsaw roared in anger and although bound and disarmed, they attempted to rise and stop the bastard.”
Bile burned Dan’s throat, but he managed not to puke. Emotion surged forth, lacing his words, as his pulse quickened with ghastly recollections. “They beheaded them before either one got to their feet. As Buzz screamed Dutch’s name, Dogar backed away and yanked out the safety pin.”
“Why the hell didn’t you shoot the Hajis before they killed your mates?” Hicks demanded in an accusatory tone.
Blaze glared at the sergeant and began to open his mouth to put Hicks in his place, but the general beat him to the punch.
William rose, in full-on General Badass mode and pinned Hicks with an icy expression. “Watch your tone and words, Sergeant. It is okay to ask questions but not in that manner. Do I make myself clear?”
Under the fire and ice glares of the captain and general, Hicks backed down. Though, the general’s rebuke of him while the wuss sat there a free man after murdering Hunter and now admitting he stood by while terrorists slaughtered three soldiers solidified his impression of favoritism. “Crystal, sir.”
Dan stared directly at Hicks. He needed to detach himself before he lost control and allowed tears to show. Affixing his deadened mask and using an emotionless tone, Dan stated, “Everything occurred in less than a minute from the time we spotted them. Mutt and I took out sixteen of the bastards before the remaining four managed to drive off in a truck.
“I would’ve pursued, but Mutt took several bullets. Three to his vest, two to his right thigh, one to his left calf, and one in the shoulder. Saving his life became my priority. I failed the others, and I couldn’t allow Mutt to die too.”
Stunned by the viciousness Broderick witnessed and guts it took to face twenty to two odds, and come out alive, Gruber began to doubt his CO’s perception of the junior Broderick. His tone respectful, he asked, “How did you get back? If a quick response unit was sent in to help with the CASEVAC, we would possess the coordinates, right?”
Exhausted, the emotional toll impacting his physical state, Dan answered in the same deadpan mode, “All our comm units ended up damaged. A bullet through Mutt’s, three from the grenade blast, and mine from impacting the ground. While I rendered first aid to slow the bleeding, Mutt tried to piece together one from all the parts.
“When that didn’t work, I hotwired one of their trucks and carried Mutt to the vehicle. Neither of us wanted to leave Ripsaw, Buzz, and Dutch, so I found cloth to wrap their bodies before loading them into the truck’s bed. Made it within ten klicks of base before we ran out of gas. Due to his injuries, Mutt couldn’t walk, so I carried him the rest of the way.”
Dan lowered his eyelids and bowed his head, spent … his tank as bone dry as the truck had been that day. The room remained dead silent, every person except Hicks, contemplating the unimaginable misery Broderick lived through viewing his buddies die violently, gathering their headless bodies and heads, and carrying Mutt about six miles to save him.
Hicks stood as he shook his head and snorted, not believing the so-called heroics for one moment. “No one is alive to counter your story. For all we know, you’re making things up to put yourself in a better light. How can I trust your info? None of that is in the AAR. Unlike you, I value my men, and I refuse to risk their lives on your word alone.”
William yearned to pound his fist into Hicks’ face, but Blaze beat him to the punch … figuratively, and Tom’s hand on his arm kept him seated.
Fire burning bright in his eyes, Blaze was out of his chair and around the table in a flash. He squared up against Hicks, doing his damnedest not to lash out physically, but unleashed a storm worthy of Winds. “Blondie doesn’t lie you fucking asshole. I’m not sure what your problem is, but you damned-well better not disparage an honorable man’s name again or so help me, you will regret it.”
Blaze took a breath and was about to continue when Blondie’s soft, “Blaze, stop. His opinion of me isn’t worth your career,” reached his ears. Turning, he connected with sapphire orbs which reflected weariness beyond measure. Those eyes were as effective as the time Lexa doused his inferno by pouring ice-cold water on him in the Grand Citadel Hotel.
Sutton stood and assumed control. “Gentlemen, take your seats.” Noting lurking questions in some of the soldier’s expressions, he waited until both sat before continuing, “You are not privy to certain details, they are on a need to know basis, but I believe all Broderick shared.
“I can tell you, Broderick arrived carrying Murdock, and the guards at the gate provided statements attesting to both of their physical conditions. Before succumbing to dehydration, exhaustion, and blood loss from GSWs to the arm and
shoulder, Broderick conveyed the location of the truck. Our CASEVAC team located the vehicle exactly where he indicated … ten klicks away.”
William noted Daniel appeared on the brink of collapsing by his slumped posture … as if even sitting required substantial effort. Fearing this overtaxed his boy’s still fragile health, William rose and went to him. Placing a hand on Daniel’s shoulder, a public display of affection for his son, he asked in a gentle tone, “Son, is there anything else you wish to share?”
Nodding, Dan said quietly, fatigue evident, “Besides Dogar, who killed Buzz, the man who beheaded Ripsaw got away.” Lifting his head, he scanned Hicks’ men. “Go careful. The animals you are hunting will not hesitate to kill brutally. Cover each other’s sixes.”
Dan used last of his strength as he stared at Hicks and his voice mirrored the authority of his father. “I don’t give a rat’s ass what you think of me. But you need to seek justice for Buzz, Dutch, and Ripsaw.”
For the first time, a fleeting sense he might’ve misjudged Broderick flashed through Hicks’ mind as he replied, “Deeds, not words.”
Unable to care about exhibiting weakness now, entirely depleted, Dan laid his head on the table on top of his crossed arms.
William addressed the room, “We will break for thirty minutes so that I may take care of my son’s needs.”
As Sutton stepped out to alert Wilson, Blaze retrieved the wheelchair. Crouching next to the kid, Blaze said, “Time for a nap, Blondie.”
“Mmm ready napping …” Dan mumbled before dropping into oblivion, escaping from the ghosts of his past.
Blaze chuckled as he peered up at the general. “I swear, Blondie can sleep anywhere. Sir, would you please help me transfer him?”
Gruber observed the tender care General Broderick displayed toward his son and his last reservation about the younger Broderick slipped away as he made up his own mind about the man’s character. Hicks is wrong.