Beyond the Checkpoint

by Addison M. Conley

  Ali felt her heartstrings tug. Lynn stepped back and tucked her chin tightly to her chest.

  “I’ve always kept personal matters separate from work. Now, my thoughts keep wandering back to you. If someone notices my attraction to you, my career’s over.”

  “We worked well together before. Let’s get that back on track. In private, I’d like to get to know you better. And that kiss,” Ali smiled and shook her finger, “was amazing. I’ve been attracted to you from the beginning. I know you’re under more stress…”

  “DADT is unforgiving,” Lynn sucked in a deep breath, “but your agency has more lenient rules than the military.” Ali nodded. Lynn grasped her hand. “I’d like to kiss you again, but we have to be careful.”

  “I know.”

  Their fingers glided apart as Lynn slowly turned and walked out.

  Ali ran a hand through her hair. Lynn might be gone, but Ali’s fingertips and body tingled even more as the kiss and the feel of Lynn’s muscular body pressed against her played over in her mind.

  Chapter 9

  June 29, 2008 – Kabul, Afghanistan

  The sound of Ali’s alarm filtered into her brain. Her eyes popped open, and she grabbed the clock. “Shit, I’m late.”

  She bolted out of bed, dressed, and ran to the general’s 0600 briefing. Sneaking into the back of the room, she made it just in time to hear Major Vicki Abbott’s presentation.

  After the general gave the closing comments, he pointed at her. “Ms. Clairmont, is there a reason why you’re hiding in the back of the room?”

  Ali froze. “I’m sorry, sir.”

  After deafening silence, the general cracked a smile.

  “Well, I hear that today is your birthday. Here’s a little something.” His assistant walked up to her, palm up, holding out a challenge coin bearing the ISAF insignia.

  “Thank you, sir.” With all the events, Ali had forgotten.

  “You’re welcome. On that report, please get it to me by 1500.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  As they spilled out of the room, Ali shot down the stairs and out of the building.

  The report would have to wait. Lynn and Sergeant Henderson had completed a risky helicopter reconnaissance mission, and Ali and Paul were picking them up from the airport.

  Paul was waiting at the armored SUV with his wide, friendly grin. He handed her a small lapis lazuli stone.

  “Thanks, Paul. It’s beautiful.” She squeezed him tightly.

  “Looks like you’ve been overexerting yourself again. It wouldn’t be because of a certain officer, now would it?”

  “The general. Let’s go. We’re late.”

  “Only by ten minutes.” He chuckled and tossed the medical bag in the SUV’s back seat. “Sometimes it’s good to let the mind dream while the eyes take in the beauty of life.” He patted Ali’s shoulder. “Just don’t move too close to the fire and get burned.”

  Ali punched his arm. “I know the military rules.” She was honest with Paul from the start about her orientation. He was proper around others, but in private he was like an annoying little brother trying to coax just the right amount of information out of her.

  Paul flipped on the vehicle radio and tuned to the American Forces Network, which broadcasted from Bagram. He lowered the volume enough so they could enjoy the music and still hear the operations radio. With the sun shining brightly, they joked and laughed. At one of the traffic circles outside the Green Zone, a man with a cell phone pointed in their direction.

  “Ace, did you turn on the jammer?”

  Fear shot through Ali. “No. I thought you did!” Looking down and seeing the green light, she relaxed her breathing. “It’s on, but I don’t remember.” She turned off the music. “We need to concentrate.”

  Driving in Kabul was nerve-wracking enough. There were always attacks, and the countermeasures of a jammer only worked against radio-controlled IEDs, not on wire or pressure-plate-triggered bombs.

  They reached the airport and cleared the checkpoint. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief.

  “Over there!” Ali pointed.

  “Easy there. I know your drug of handsome major awaits you, but I worry that your energy is going to burn through the seat.”

  Ali swatted his arm. “I’m just happy they’re okay.”

  “If you say so. By the way, how does she kiss?”

  Ali raised her eyebrow. “Park the damn SUV, Paul.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Bouncing out of the truck, Ali said to Lynn, “How was the flight? Did Henderson puke again?”

  The burly sergeant said, “No. I have a cast-iron stomach. Must have been a bug last time.” He patted his tummy and smirked.

  “Bug, yeah sure. I made him take Dramamine,” Lynn said.

  The camera with a professional, high-definition telephoto lens hung around Lynn’s neck. The one-and-a-half-foot lens had to be heavy.

  “Where’s the case?” Ali asked.

  Lynn glared at Henderson. “Well, someone didn’t secure it too well, and it slid out the helo door with a pricy wide-angle lens in it, too. The door gunner wasn’t happy, and neither am I. Fortunately, this screwup is golden boy’s first. I’d string him up if he weren’t so good at his job.”

  “Sorry, ma’am,” Henderson said.

  “Did you get some good photos?” Ali asked.

  “The humanitarian mission guys will be happy and so will JETT. We got different look angles of the compound of interest.” Lynn winked as she bounced on her toes.

  Ali hoped it was one of the bad guys on the top-ten list. She glanced at her watch. “We need to get moving. We have to pick up a classified package at Camp Phoenix, and I have to deliver a report to the general.”

  As they started to upload, Paul tossed Ali the keys. “Your turn to drive.”

  Henderson pivoted toward Ali. “No offense. I trust your analytical skills, but do you know how to handle this thing?”

  “Yes. I’m qualified on defensive driving and have driven the route many times.” Ali said with conviction.

  Lynn slapped Ali on the shoulder. “I trust her, and we didn’t get much sleep last night.”

  “If you say so, ma’am. Let’s go. I need chow.”

  “Henderson, you always need chow.” As the others settled in, Lynn pulled Ali back and whispered into her ear, “Happy birthday.”

  Paul was watching. Ali smiled at him before sliding into the driver’s side. Yes, she’s a fabulous kisser.

  At Camp Phoenix, Lynn went to sign for the classified package and shouted, “This could take some time. Grab something to eat, and get a sandwich and drink for me.”

  When they hit the road, Lynn ate while Paul and Henderson tried to outdo each other’s jokes in the back seat. The ops radio chirped with orders to divert. Ali cringed at the location, then exchanged an oh, shit look with Lynn.

  Lynn turned and pointed at Paul and Henderson. “No questions. No talking.”

  Ali drove through a couple of checkpoints that only she and Lynn knew about.

  Henderson mumbled, “Huh?”

  “Quiet.” Lynn said. “Absolutely, no questions.”

  Ali peeked in the rearview mirror. Their faces were twisted in confusion. After parking, Lynn and the package disappeared into a guarded building. A few minutes later, she exited with a young man. The battle rattle hung poorly on his thin frame. Paul and Henderson were giants compared to him.

  “How’s our gas, Ace?”

  “The tank’s three-quarters full.”

  Lynn didn’t look at her when she said, “Point 36.”

  Shit, I hate that place. “Yes, ma’am. Should I drop—”

  “There’s no time. Go.”

  They exited the Green Zone, driving in the opposite direction from ISAF and other U.S. facilities. Looking at Paul’s and Henderson’s faces in the mirror, they didn’t look happy when they cleared the last checkpoint and left the city.

  After about an hour, she turned off the highway
. A mile down was a large compound.

  The concrete chicane barriers leading up to the Afghan checkpoint forced her to drive the SUV slowly in a series of curves, like a snake sneaking up on its prey. Only Ali felt like they were the prey.

  Two Afghan guards stopped them. Ali rolled her window down, just enough to offer their IDs. In broken English, the guard insisted they step out. Instantly, Ali’s skin prickled with fear. This demand had never happened before.

  “Out. You must. Out,” the guard commanded.

  Lynn said, “Stay in the vehicle!”

  “Out!” The guard pointed his gun.

  “Lower your guns. We are part of Operation Khorshēd,” Lynn shouted to the guard as Ali waved the IDs and paperwork. He stared at them, then lowered his gun and took the papers and marched off.

  “What is Operations Khorshēd?” Henderson asked.

  “What did I say about questions earlier?” Lynn said.

  “Sorry, ma’am.”

  Ali’s chest tightened as she estimated the high walls on each side of them. A loud engine noise from the rear, increasing by the second, pulled her eyes to the mirrors. A deuce-and-a-half truck stopped just behind them. In front, the drop gate was down, and the two Afghan security vehicles were parked at angles. With both ends blocked, they were in a precarious position.

  Ali took a couple of deep breaths, but her pulse was racing. She bounced her left leg up and down. What’s taking the fucking guards so long? The two-and-a-half-ton monster’s engine sputtered and cut. Her eyes widened, and her mouth went instantly dry.

  “Are you okay?” Lynn’s voice was faint to Ali’s ears. “Ali, you’re strangling the steering wheel.”

  “Yeah, I’ll make it through the gate.”

  The guard came back, his gun lowered, and handed back the papers. “Go.”

  Ali grabbed the IDs and papers and tossed them at Lynn. Part of them fell to the floorboard.

  “Easy.” Lynn’s eyebrows were scrunched. “You sure you’re okay?”

  “Let’s just get through here.”

  The drop gate lifted, and one Afghan security vehicle moved out of the way. Ali carefully maneuvered around more barriers and cleared the checkpoint. The hard part’s over. I just need to make it to the secure building.

  BOOM.

  Within a split second, part of what had been the Afghan security vehicle slammed next to them. Before they could react, another explosion shook them in their seats. Ali had no control of the SUV. Its engine was on fire. The run-flat tire inserts on the armored SUV automatically rolled the vehicle further from the checkpoint.

  “Out! Out! Out!” Lynn shouted.

  The SUV’s armor protection was minimal. They had to get out before the engine fire spread. Everyone scrambled like ants.

  The body armor was pulling Ali down as her legs pumped on sheer adrenaline. The sound of her pounding heart and the blood coursing through her veins seemed loud compared to the small arms fire and yelling. A burning, pinching feeling, as if someone had stuck a white-hot fire poker through her leg, caused her to falter and drop her rifle.

  Remembering a row of concrete barriers, she veered left through the smoke and crouched there alone. She flinched as the pain returned. The smell in the air made her stomach curdle. It was more than the burning vehicle. It was the smell of burnt flesh.

  Come on! You can do this! She removed her handgun. Her thumb crept up to the safety lever as she lifted her head and scanned around. The turning caused another sharp pain. She collapsed against the barrier. Her head stretched toward the sky. Such a bright sunny day…

  Lynn’s breath caught when Ali ran through the smoke and stumbled. Relief flooded her when Ali made it safely behind a concrete T-wall. Ali was holding her pistol in a ready position. Her rifle was in front of the barrier, but slightly out of reach. The pistol was for close range and no match for AK-47 fire.

  “Stay down!” Lynn shouted, then returned fire. An Afghan soldier lay dead, feet away. Henderson and Paul huddled behind another set of barriers and laid down heavy suppression fire. The thin young man was next to them with his head between his knees. Additional Afghan military arrived with more firepower. Lynn was grateful for the expedient backup. She glanced at Ali occasionally as the battle with the Taliban fighters continued.

  When the situation was contained, Lynn ran over to her. “Everything will be fine.” The words rushed out of Lynn’s mouth through labored breaths. Ali’s skin was pale, and her hands were cold and clammy. “It’s over, Ali.”

  Ali’s voice trembled. “All in a day’s work, huh?”

  Henderson and Paul joined them, dragging the dazed, thin kid. “Backup is on the way. We’ve done a quick visual and pat down. All of us are okay.” Henderson barked.

  Lynn stared into Ali’s face, “I’m doing you first, no arguing.” She shouted to the others, “Everyone, step back and give us some privacy. Keep the Afghans away.”

  Lynn swiftly stripped the body armor off Ali. Her hands raced over Ali’s upper torso. “I’m going to help you lie down, then I’ll check your groin and lower body.”

  “I know. Standard procedure.”

  Ali’s tone and slightly glazed eyes told Lynn something was wrong. Lynn squeezed her eyes shut. After feeling around Ali’s pelvis, Lynn moved to her legs. She pressed on the posterior mid-thigh, and Ali flinched. There was no mistaking the dampness under the pant leg.

  “Ali’s been injured,” Lynn shouted. Her chest grew tighter. Don’t you die on me!

  “Are you sure?” Ali’s words were barely above a whisper. She tried to sit up.

  “Lie still!” Lynn forced her down. Henderson came over with the medical kit and Ripshears. Within seconds, they had cut the pant leg away.

  Lynn leaned over her. “It looks like a shrapnel flesh wound, but we’re going to apply a QuikClot gauze.”

  “Not that hemostatic shit! It burns!”

  Ali rattled off expletives between sniffles as the sting of the QuikClot hit her skin.

  “Sorry. The worst is over now.” Lynn wrapped her arm around Ali’s shoulder and drew her in for a hug. “You’re going to be fine.”

  Lynn squeezed her eyes shut. Two years ago in Iraq, a buddy died in the front seat of the Hummer after an attack. She could still hear his voice. “I’m okay. A little pinch. It’s nothing. Set up security.” He was dead within the hour. A tiny bit of shrapnel had caused massive internal bleeding. Lynn had never forgiven herself, even though the doctors said nothing could have been done. Internal bleeding was difficult to identify. Signs, such as dizziness and pain, sometimes didn’t occur for several hours.

  “Hey,” Ali said. Lynn opened her eyes and dropped her arm. “I expect a cake and you to sing me happy birthday later.” Ali’s voice was weak.

  “A cookie from the chow hall will have to do.” Lynn shoved back her emotions and tried to sound as upbeat as possible. She rubbed Ali’s arm.

  Paul jumped in. “They’ve got fantastic cookies at the Italian rec center.”

  Henderson grumbled. “For crying out loud, stop talking about food. That sandwich didn’t last me. I’m starved.”

  Ali sniffled again.

  “Hey, you’re going to be fine.” Lynn kissed her forehead, not caring who was around.

  “Yeah. Is that why blood is on your hands?” Ali mumbled.

  Lynn held up her hand. Her eyes fixated on the red splotch covering her fingertips. “It’s just a little bit. Don’t worry. Everything’s under control.”

  Lynn drifted out of the debriefing. “You’re next Henderson.”

  She walked to the restroom and went into a stall to muffle her cries. After regaining control, she hung over the sink, splashing water on her face, afraid to look at herself in the mirror. Footsteps and the whoosh of the opening door startled her. She swiped at the paper towel and dried her face, then rushed out. I need to get back to my room before someone sees me.

  “Major!” Paul ran up, grinning widely and wrapped her in a bear hug and rocked
her side to side. “Ali’s going to be okay!” Lynn was so relieved that she almost hugged back.

  “Lieutenant Taylor! Thank you for the information, but I’m not your big sister.”

  “Sorry, ma’am.” Paul released her. “They’ll transfer her back tomorrow. They said we can see her mid-morning. With luck, she should be on some bed rest for a few days and then crutches, but will make a full recovery.”

  “Thanks for the news. I’m exhausted. Let’s get rest.”

  He yammered on as they walked out of the building. At the split in the path, she mumbled, “Goodbye,” but he continued to walk with her. “Isn’t your barracks in the other direction, Lieutenant?”

  “Yes, ma’am. I just wanted to say…well, Ali’s like a sister, and she’s always saving my butt on my weekly reports. Today scared the crap out of me. Tomorrow, I’m going to tell her how much she means to me. Life’s too short.”

  “You’ve come a long way since arriving as a newbie. You performed exceptionally today and saved lives. See you tomorrow.” Lynn turned toward her building.

  He called out to her, “Sometimes performance isn’t enough. Is it? This sterile place sucks the life out of us. We all need a life, Major. We all need love.”

  “Good night, Lieutenant. Get some rest.”

  Lynn swallowed back the tears and forced herself to continue.

  Chapter 10

  August 2008 – Kabul, Afghanistan

  A couple of days ago, the clinic had cleared Ali to return full time to work. Hearing Operation King Viper had been moved up, she relished getting back into the thick of the action. Her excitement soon spiraled down when the general announced that a small JETT force would support the Special Forces. The small force would be led by Lynn. Now, as the ground forces neared the target, Ali struggled to maintain her professional demeanor. Her gut twisted, and she squeezed a stress ball in her hand. Keep focused. Don’t imagine the worst case scenario.

  “God blasted.” Ali threw the ball in the waste can.

  “Did you ever think about having someone send you one of those mini-basketballs with a hoop that hangs off the door in your next care package?” Vicki asked. “Then you can play in your bedroom without disturbing the rest of us.”