We're getting there... stay with me! I won't leave us hanging with this chapter's ending for too long and will update again tomorrow.

Bridge checkpoint

Molly is in conference with the ANA contact, with Qaseem translating. The truck has been stopped and it is time for them to leave the compound. She gives the lads one final briefing. "Right, listen in. We're together and we're in one piece. And that's 'ow we're gonna leave once we've ID'd Badrai. Is that understood?"

"Boss."

"I am proud to serve alongside each and every one of you. You make me the solider I am. Smurf, lead out."

-OG-

They head towards the checkpoint which stands at the end of a bridge. A truck is stopped at the checkpoint barrier. As they get closer to the bridge, Molly directs the lads into covering positions. "Smurf, yer with me, James & Qaseem."

They cross the bridge towards the truck, Molly spots a farmer watching them from the river bank. "Smurf, eyes on that farmer and coverin' west." He takes up a defensive position half way across the bridge, whilst Molly, Charles and Qaseem continue the short way to the back of the truck.

"Qaseem, talk to the driver. James, yer to examine the back of the truck."

Inside the truck Charles sees four women, wearing niqabs and burqas, their faces fully covered except for their eyes. There are also two young girls sitting on the women's laps.

Molly is keeping an eye on the conversation Qaseem is having with the driver and covering

James at the back of the truck. "Everythin' lookin' as it should do, James?"

James is looking trying to look at the women, but it is difficult as they are all looking at the floor avoiding his eyes. They seem nervous. "Something isn't right Boss."

Suddenly there is the sound of a gunshot. Molly and James instinctively drop down on one knee. Molly calls over the radio, "Was that contact? She looks around, expecting to see the farmer holding a gun, but he's just looking on as mystified as everyone else as to what just happened. "Does anyone have eyes on? Wait out."

Charles spots Smurf dropping to the ground. "Boss, Smurf is down."

She shouts, "Smurf, are you hit? Talk to me?". There is no response. She's contemplating their next move, quickly deciding they need to check on Smurf first and then continue the truck search.

"James. On me. Check Smurf. I'll cover you."

As Charles approaches Smurf, he sees that he's having some sort of violent seizure, but doesn't appear to have been shot. He suspects that Smurf accidentally discharged his weapon as he started fitting. He tries to make Smurf as comfortable as possible. "Boss, he's having a seizure. There's nothing I can do for him until it stops. He needs to be medevac'd out, could be something serious."

She's just starting to radio this information in when there is suddenly movement at the back of the truck. Charles looks up and immediately realises that one of the burqa'd women is in-fact Badrai and that he has a gun. "Boss, it's Badrai! He's in the burqa. Everyone take cover!" Badrai, jumps from the lorry pulling off the niqab, looks coldly at Charles and takes aim.

Molly, seeing this happening, moves to put herself between Badrai and Charles & Smurf, fearlessly protecting her soldiers. As she takes aim towards Badrai, she is struck by a volley of bullets. Charles moves over to her, appalled at what he has just witnessed and starts assessing horrific injuries to her abdomen and lower leg. "Man down, man down. One Cat A, urgent medevac required. MIST out, wait out."

He's methodically working on her injuries, attempting to stem the bleeding, reassuring her "Just stay with me alright. You're going to be alright. I'm going to get you out of here". He knows he is on the edge of panic, but has to stay focussed, he has save her.

She's groaning quietly in agony, bravely fighting the pain surging through her body.

He's vaguely aware of the chaos going on around him as the rest of 2 Section attempt to locate Badrai. He looks up and realises Badrai is in his sight. In a split second, he reaches down and pulls Molly's pistol from its holster, carefully takes aim, and shoots Badrai sending him sprawling to the ground.

Without hesitating he's back to caring for Molly, who's starting to lose consciousness. "Stay with me Boss, alright, stay with me. Stay with me."

"Charles?" She suddenly looks terrified.

He grabs her hand and whispers, "Oi, that's Private James to you Dawesy."

She doesn't reply. She's gone.

-OG-