Bosco didn't sleep a wink the night before the ambush was to take place. He was so nervous about it. He worried about the fate of all his men, as well as his own. This wasn't going to be a day at the park; it was going to be work.
The troops were awakened at 4:00 for enough time to eat and debrief. It took all of Bosco's will power to keep the breakfast down. Corporal Manor as well as other superiors entered the room, reports in hand and information about the day.
"Men, settle down. Here is what we have on today. We are going to ambush the Iraqi's and collect stinger missiles. You will do it just as we practiced. No heroics get in there and get the job done and get out."
A few men from Bosco's group looked worried but most of them were calm.
"SPC Boscorelli, that shouldn't be too bad should it? I mean, we are only going to get stinger missiles. Nothing too hard." The younger man took a bite of eggs and waited for Bosco's response.
"Never say that. We are still unsure about Iraq's power and if they are ready for us or not. Just keep a cool head, everything will go okay."
~~~~
Faith got home from work at around 11:00 from a day filled with dumb domestics to kids who shoplifted a candy bar at a local corner shop. She sat down beside Fred who was dozing on the couch.
"Hey Faith. How was work?"
"Never been better." She replied sarcastically, hating her job now.
"You got something in the mail today." He handed her two envelopes that were addressed to her, from Bosco.
She smiled as she opened both of them. Tears formed in her eyes as she folded them and placed them back in the envelopes.
"What's wrong Faith?"
"Bosco, his writing, it's so good." She covered her face and began crying like a baby. Fred pulled her into a hug, not sure what she meant.
"Faith, look at me. Just because the war has started, that doesn't mean Bosco is going straight into combat, you know that right?"
"I don't think I know anything about this Fred." She wiped tears away and went to bed.
~~~~
Bosco and his squad set up about 200 yards from the camp they were about to ambush. He was located in the front with four other men, while the rest of the squad was set up like in practice.
Bosco stared back at his men. "Guys, I know we haven't practiced much but be smart. No heroics just do your job." He glanced back at the Iraqi camp through his binoculars. He noticed two Iraqi's escorting a young, white female across the grounds. He didn't know if she was with them or a hostage.
"SPC Boscorelli, what do you have?"
"I'm not sure." He looked harder through the binoculars. He noticed that her hands were tied behind her back and she looked like she had been beat. "Guys, I think we have an American hostage in that camp."
He looked back at his men. What was he going to do about this? He watched them as they took her to a tent and left her there, alone. "Okay guys, let's go."
The ambush began. Bosco made his way to the tent, dodging stray bullets that flew past his head. He unzipped it quickly to find the female with an Iraqi guard. Bosco followed his instincts and shot him, right between the eyes. He looked at the woman and said, "Come with me." He picked her up and carried her towards the four helicopters that were waiting.
"Boscorelli, get to the helo, now!"
He could hear Corporal Manor yelling from the front chopper. Bosco continued to carry the lady and got closer to the choppers. His legs felt heavy, like in his dreams he had been having. They were within 300 yards of the helos when a bullet grazed the woman's leg, causing Bosco to fall. The sand was blowing and it was hard to see. All he could hear was the girl screaming. He couldn't tell the extent of her injury, he just knew she had been hit.
Bosco heard Corporal Manor over the radio. "Boscorelli, we've marked your spot. We've gotta get outta here to complete the mission. We'll be back to get you!" Bosco watched as the four choppers took off, leaving him and the unknown American to wait on Iraqi soil.
~~~~
Faith woke up at 2:45 feeling rushed. Her sudden movements had awakened Fred who was now sitting up next to her.
"Faith, you okay?"
"I know Bosco was sent into combat. I just know it."
"You woke up to tell me that?" He rubbed his eyes and began to lie back down but jerked up again when Faith turned the TV on.
"Faith, go to sleep. Why watch it, there is nothing you can do."
"Because I know I'm not going back to sleep."
~~~~
Bosco carried the girl over a sand dune to hide from the Iraqi's that were still alive at the camp. He took his overcoat of his Battle Dress Uniform off and wrapped her leg wound in it. She winced as she watched him do it. He leaned up against the hill and sighed, trying to catch his breath.
"What are you doing here in Iraq? I'm assuming you are American."
"I'm a journalist. I was taken hostage around a month ago, thank God you guys came."
He pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the dirt from her face. "I'm Specialist Boscorelli."
"I'm Nikki Heyworth." She reached her hand out and shook his.
"It must've been pretty scary here with these people for a whole month." Bosco tried to make small talk while he thought about a plan in his head.
"Yeah, it was. But that's the risk we take. Are we stuck here?"
"No. My Corporal said they'd be back."
"Specialist Boscorelli, do you have a first name?"
He picked up a hand full of sand and watched as the wind blew it out of his palm. "Yeah. Maurice. But call me Bosco."
"Do you think we'll make it through this war?"
"Of course. America always wins." He smiled at her through the dirt that was now caked on his face. Nikki couldn't help but notice how attractive he looked in camouflage pants and a brown shirt. Bosco couldn't help but notice how attractive she was.
"Bosco, has anyone ever told you how cute you are?"
"No." He smiled but knew this was no time for romance. All he could think about was getting the hell outta there before the Iraqi's found them.
"How old are you Bosco?"
"I'm 32. And you?"
"29."
Bosco heard the footsteps of several people on the other side of the hill. He heard the conversation of two men, not speaking English of course.
He whispered, "Nikki, we need to get outta here. Is your leg okay to walk?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"They know we are hiding here."
He began to walk, slouched over to the ground so they wouldn't see him. Nikki followed, fear showing across her face. He looked back at her. "Don't worry Nikki, I won't let anything happen to you."
They walked what seemed like 4 miles when Nikki's leg began to grow sore. Luckily they were out of sight from the camp and could actually sit down and take a brake. Bosco opened up his canteen and offered her some water, and she gladly took some.
"Rest that leg. We'll walk more later."
"Bosco, do you think it was smart leaving the place where your corporal knew where you were?"
"What other choice did we have? Stay there and get killed?"
He sat down beside her and took the jacket off of her wound to look at it. He poured some water over it.
"Ouch. Damn that hurt." She stared down at the wound and watched the water run over it.
"We need to keep it clean or it'll get worse." He wiped some hair out of her face.
"Thanks Bosco. I'd be dead if it weren't for you." She leaned in and kissed him lightly, but he pulled away.
"What's wrong?"
"Now's not the time for that. We've gotta keep our eyes open for everything. Are you ready to walk? We gotta keep moving."
"Yeah." She stood up and didn't even look at Bosco.
They reached the border of Iraq after about an hour of walking, where Iraqi soldiers heavily guarded it.
All Bosco could think to say was, "Oh shit."
Nikki looked at him, then back at the guards who were now approaching them.
One man spoke the native language and Bosco was clueless.
Nikki said, "Bosco, please tell me you speak this language."
"I can't say that I do."
Two other men took Bosco's gun and tied him and Nikki together and placed them on the back of a truck.
"We are in some deep trouble Nikki."
~~~~
Faith watched the TV before going into work. She felt like she was addicted to it now, like if she turned it off she would miss something major. Of course Fred ridiculed her about it but she didn't care. She needed to stay updated. Right before she turned the TV off, Bosco's picture and Nikki's picture flashed up on the screen.
The announcer spoke, "Just in, an American Specialist and an American journalist have been taken hostage. These are the first two hostages that have been taken by Iraq. The military has no other information at this time, just that they know that these two people are nowhere to be found. We'll have more in later."
Faith slouched down on the floor and cried uncontrollably. Why Bosco? She screamed to let her frustrations out. Fred approached her, not wanting to hear the news.
"Faith? What happened?"
"Bosco's been taken hostage."
The troops were awakened at 4:00 for enough time to eat and debrief. It took all of Bosco's will power to keep the breakfast down. Corporal Manor as well as other superiors entered the room, reports in hand and information about the day.
"Men, settle down. Here is what we have on today. We are going to ambush the Iraqi's and collect stinger missiles. You will do it just as we practiced. No heroics get in there and get the job done and get out."
A few men from Bosco's group looked worried but most of them were calm.
"SPC Boscorelli, that shouldn't be too bad should it? I mean, we are only going to get stinger missiles. Nothing too hard." The younger man took a bite of eggs and waited for Bosco's response.
"Never say that. We are still unsure about Iraq's power and if they are ready for us or not. Just keep a cool head, everything will go okay."
~~~~
Faith got home from work at around 11:00 from a day filled with dumb domestics to kids who shoplifted a candy bar at a local corner shop. She sat down beside Fred who was dozing on the couch.
"Hey Faith. How was work?"
"Never been better." She replied sarcastically, hating her job now.
"You got something in the mail today." He handed her two envelopes that were addressed to her, from Bosco.
She smiled as she opened both of them. Tears formed in her eyes as she folded them and placed them back in the envelopes.
"What's wrong Faith?"
"Bosco, his writing, it's so good." She covered her face and began crying like a baby. Fred pulled her into a hug, not sure what she meant.
"Faith, look at me. Just because the war has started, that doesn't mean Bosco is going straight into combat, you know that right?"
"I don't think I know anything about this Fred." She wiped tears away and went to bed.
~~~~
Bosco and his squad set up about 200 yards from the camp they were about to ambush. He was located in the front with four other men, while the rest of the squad was set up like in practice.
Bosco stared back at his men. "Guys, I know we haven't practiced much but be smart. No heroics just do your job." He glanced back at the Iraqi camp through his binoculars. He noticed two Iraqi's escorting a young, white female across the grounds. He didn't know if she was with them or a hostage.
"SPC Boscorelli, what do you have?"
"I'm not sure." He looked harder through the binoculars. He noticed that her hands were tied behind her back and she looked like she had been beat. "Guys, I think we have an American hostage in that camp."
He looked back at his men. What was he going to do about this? He watched them as they took her to a tent and left her there, alone. "Okay guys, let's go."
The ambush began. Bosco made his way to the tent, dodging stray bullets that flew past his head. He unzipped it quickly to find the female with an Iraqi guard. Bosco followed his instincts and shot him, right between the eyes. He looked at the woman and said, "Come with me." He picked her up and carried her towards the four helicopters that were waiting.
"Boscorelli, get to the helo, now!"
He could hear Corporal Manor yelling from the front chopper. Bosco continued to carry the lady and got closer to the choppers. His legs felt heavy, like in his dreams he had been having. They were within 300 yards of the helos when a bullet grazed the woman's leg, causing Bosco to fall. The sand was blowing and it was hard to see. All he could hear was the girl screaming. He couldn't tell the extent of her injury, he just knew she had been hit.
Bosco heard Corporal Manor over the radio. "Boscorelli, we've marked your spot. We've gotta get outta here to complete the mission. We'll be back to get you!" Bosco watched as the four choppers took off, leaving him and the unknown American to wait on Iraqi soil.
~~~~
Faith woke up at 2:45 feeling rushed. Her sudden movements had awakened Fred who was now sitting up next to her.
"Faith, you okay?"
"I know Bosco was sent into combat. I just know it."
"You woke up to tell me that?" He rubbed his eyes and began to lie back down but jerked up again when Faith turned the TV on.
"Faith, go to sleep. Why watch it, there is nothing you can do."
"Because I know I'm not going back to sleep."
~~~~
Bosco carried the girl over a sand dune to hide from the Iraqi's that were still alive at the camp. He took his overcoat of his Battle Dress Uniform off and wrapped her leg wound in it. She winced as she watched him do it. He leaned up against the hill and sighed, trying to catch his breath.
"What are you doing here in Iraq? I'm assuming you are American."
"I'm a journalist. I was taken hostage around a month ago, thank God you guys came."
He pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped the dirt from her face. "I'm Specialist Boscorelli."
"I'm Nikki Heyworth." She reached her hand out and shook his.
"It must've been pretty scary here with these people for a whole month." Bosco tried to make small talk while he thought about a plan in his head.
"Yeah, it was. But that's the risk we take. Are we stuck here?"
"No. My Corporal said they'd be back."
"Specialist Boscorelli, do you have a first name?"
He picked up a hand full of sand and watched as the wind blew it out of his palm. "Yeah. Maurice. But call me Bosco."
"Do you think we'll make it through this war?"
"Of course. America always wins." He smiled at her through the dirt that was now caked on his face. Nikki couldn't help but notice how attractive he looked in camouflage pants and a brown shirt. Bosco couldn't help but notice how attractive she was.
"Bosco, has anyone ever told you how cute you are?"
"No." He smiled but knew this was no time for romance. All he could think about was getting the hell outta there before the Iraqi's found them.
"How old are you Bosco?"
"I'm 32. And you?"
"29."
Bosco heard the footsteps of several people on the other side of the hill. He heard the conversation of two men, not speaking English of course.
He whispered, "Nikki, we need to get outta here. Is your leg okay to walk?"
"Yeah, I think so."
"They know we are hiding here."
He began to walk, slouched over to the ground so they wouldn't see him. Nikki followed, fear showing across her face. He looked back at her. "Don't worry Nikki, I won't let anything happen to you."
They walked what seemed like 4 miles when Nikki's leg began to grow sore. Luckily they were out of sight from the camp and could actually sit down and take a brake. Bosco opened up his canteen and offered her some water, and she gladly took some.
"Rest that leg. We'll walk more later."
"Bosco, do you think it was smart leaving the place where your corporal knew where you were?"
"What other choice did we have? Stay there and get killed?"
He sat down beside her and took the jacket off of her wound to look at it. He poured some water over it.
"Ouch. Damn that hurt." She stared down at the wound and watched the water run over it.
"We need to keep it clean or it'll get worse." He wiped some hair out of her face.
"Thanks Bosco. I'd be dead if it weren't for you." She leaned in and kissed him lightly, but he pulled away.
"What's wrong?"
"Now's not the time for that. We've gotta keep our eyes open for everything. Are you ready to walk? We gotta keep moving."
"Yeah." She stood up and didn't even look at Bosco.
They reached the border of Iraq after about an hour of walking, where Iraqi soldiers heavily guarded it.
All Bosco could think to say was, "Oh shit."
Nikki looked at him, then back at the guards who were now approaching them.
One man spoke the native language and Bosco was clueless.
Nikki said, "Bosco, please tell me you speak this language."
"I can't say that I do."
Two other men took Bosco's gun and tied him and Nikki together and placed them on the back of a truck.
"We are in some deep trouble Nikki."
~~~~
Faith watched the TV before going into work. She felt like she was addicted to it now, like if she turned it off she would miss something major. Of course Fred ridiculed her about it but she didn't care. She needed to stay updated. Right before she turned the TV off, Bosco's picture and Nikki's picture flashed up on the screen.
The announcer spoke, "Just in, an American Specialist and an American journalist have been taken hostage. These are the first two hostages that have been taken by Iraq. The military has no other information at this time, just that they know that these two people are nowhere to be found. We'll have more in later."
Faith slouched down on the floor and cried uncontrollably. Why Bosco? She screamed to let her frustrations out. Fred approached her, not wanting to hear the news.
"Faith? What happened?"
"Bosco's been taken hostage."