Title: To Light, To Guard, To Rule and Guide
Setting: Between seasons five and six, during Booth's deployment to Afghanistan
Rating: T for descriptions of violence and death
Genre: Spiritual/Drama
Character: Booth
A/N: The prayer (in italics) is a traditional Catholic prayer to one's guardian angel - very fitting, I thought, for a man like Booth.
~o0o~
Night raids were dangerous, even if you weren't in a country where hostiles disguised themselves as civilians and innocuous garbage could blow up in your face. Booth gripped his weapon grimly as he silently approached the house, his Afghan trainees creeping along behind him. An anonymous tip had told them that several insurgents were using the building to stockpile weapons, including RPGs and parts for IEDs.
They surreptitiously neared the door, and Booth took a deep breath before he gave the signal.
O Angel of God, my guardian dear...
The insurgents were utterly surprised when the door blew open. Two of them grabbed wildly for the guns on the table, half-hidden amid the cooling remains of dinner.
To whom God's love commits me here...
Booth's bullets took the first, while Hamid's shredded the torso of the second, sending him sprawling to the ground, covered in blood. The third stared at them in shock, frozen in panic at the sudden turn in events.
Ever this day, be at my side...
Abdul, coming from behind them, wasted no time in throwing the third man to the floor and securing his hands with zip ties as Booth advanced on the inner room, covered by Hamid and Ahmad.
To light, to guard...
The last insurgent, warned by the deaths of his fellows, fired off blind rounds with his AK-47, shouting incoherently, something about "death to Americans" or something equally 'last stand', Booth wasn't sure what. In any case, Booth barely ducked out of the line of fire - one bullet came so close that it tore through the shoulder of his tac vest and camos, but miraculously left his skin untouched. Booth hit the floor and shot the insurgent's legs out from under him with cool accuracy. The man collapsed to the ground, screaming in agony for several moments before falling silent.
To rule and guide.
Booth, Hamid, and Ahmad cautiously entered the inner room. The tip had been good, more than good, it seemed - a terrifyingly large stockpile of weapons and ammunition was packed in crates, on shelves, in sacks, with the makings for IEDs laid out on the tables. It was almost miraculous that the insurgents hadn't accidentally blown up the building and taken out the entire block. Booth stepped over to check on the last man; his eyes stared up sightlessly, his hand frozen in his last desperate grab for a grenade that was only inches away.
Booth let out a deep, profound sigh.
Amen.