Title: Back To Barak, Chapter Three

Disclaimer: "Over There" and all its characters belong to FX Networks and other entities that may have been involved with its production. No infringement of copyright is intended. This story was written for personal enjoyment and to share with other "Over There" fans.

Summary: When Lieutenant Hunter volunteers the squad to infiltrate and capture Iraqi insurgents, all hell breaks loose.

Warning: Be warned that this story does include depictions of war; these depictions may describe consequential injuries and death, and while not over graphic, they may cause some readers discomfort. Please read at your own risk.


"This is just insanity. It's an exercise in futility!" Dim said, as soon as they were all back on the truck and turning down the road towards Barak. "He thinks that two squads with limited weapons are going to waltz right past the Iraqi's, into this village and….."

"Sergeant, this is a suicide mission-"

"Man, this blows-"

"Sergeant, you got to be kidding me-"

"QUIET!" Silas screamed. There was immediate silence; all sound with the exception of that of their vehicle as it bounced over the rough terrain, ceased.

"Look, I'm as pissed off about this whole situation as you are, but it's not going to help us to bitch and moan!" he shouted.

"You're good soldiers, all of you! " Silas said, turning his head towards the front of the vehicle and nodding to include the two women in his statement. "We've been in worse situations and we're all going to get thru this if we stick together, follow my orders, and keep your heads on straight! That means staying alert; that means keeping your eyes and ears open. Keep a close watch for I.E.D's and anything that looks suspicious. These insurgents love to booby-trap anything they can so don't get cocky!"

Suddenly there was a high pitched whistling sound.

"Get Down!" Scream yelled, reaching out and grabbing Smoke by the collar, pulling him down onto the floor of the Humvee with him.

The mortar missed them and exploded behind their vehicle and just in front of the vehicle behind them. The driver, trying to steer around where the round had hit, lost control; for a moment the vehicle sat tilted on two tires, as if suspended in air, before falling over onto its side with a deafening bang.

Silas began screaming to his own people to get out, all but shoving Tariq and Angel headfirst from the truck and then jumping out himself, and screaming for everyone to take cover.

He looked toward the front of his vehicle to see the drivers' side door flung open and an agitated Dim, yanking on Doublewide's safety harness which had some become locked and was now trapping her inside the vehicle. Dim stood there screaming, "Cut it! Cut it! at Smoke, who quickly pulled out his knife and began to saw thru the belt, while Mrs. B held the belt taut and tried to calm Doublewide, who's lips were moving in a silent prayer. The material finally yielded and they two men pulled her from the vehicle, Silas on their heels. They dived behind a small berm between the road and shoulder, just as the truck they'd been riding in exploded. A quick head count showed everyone had made it.

Throughout getting his own squad to cover, Silas could hear Malatucci screaming "get out, get out, take cover!" to his men, and glanced back once to see several men, still stunned by the crash and injured, crawling out of the back of the humvee. This was followed immediately by small arms fire, and then there were the shouts of the men who'd been hit. Now safely behind cover, Silas glanced back up and saw that Malatucci and one of his soldiers were endeavoring to free the driver who was still alive inside the cab. As fate would have it, no sooner had they pulled him up, than a RPG plowed into the hood of the vehicle and it exploded, killing the three men instantly.

"Dear God," Doublewide gasped; to her left Silas punched the ground beside him hard. "Goddamnit!" he yelled. Further down, Angel was saying a brief prayer for the men who'd been killed and made the sign of the cross.

"This isn't right." Dim whispered, getting increasingly agitated. "This isn't right, this can't be right. Jesus! Where's Hunter? Where the hell is that sonofabitch-!"

Silas turned to his right and grabbed at the collar of Dim's B.D.U jacket. "Shut the fuck up!" he screamed in the other man's face and then pushed his head down into the dirt. "Anybody see anything? Any idea where they are?" he yelled over the continued sound of small arms fire.

"They're behind the hill on the other side of the road and to the left Sergeant! Behind that outcrop of trees," yelled Angel. "Looks like at least four or five!"

"I got two over here!" yelled Mrs. B. "All the way to the left of where Angel said."

" Got ta be where they shot the RPG's from! They got-" yelled Smoke.

"Everybody get down!" Tariq screamed suddenly as he recognized the sound of a mortar being fired.

Seven heads immediately went down to the ground, hands over their helmets as the mortar round rose up, arcing high into the air and came down exploding just in front of the berm where they'd been taking cover. Sand flew thru the air as did small rocks and gravel. Almost immediately, there was the sound of a second mortar round being fired.

Silas flipped over on his back and looked out over the desert terrain immediately behind them. That last mortar round had been close, meaning that someone was probably spotting for these bastards and if they stayed where they were, they'd be sitting ducks, just waiting for mortar to land on them. There was a good size hill that would be excellent cover about 1500 feet back and so far no sign of enemy forces behind them. They'd have to move and move now. They'd establish a perimeter and then call for back up.

He called out to the rest of the squad. "Alright everybody, listen up! We gotta

get outta here now, right now! We're heading for that hill about 1500 feet behind us. Dim, Smoke and Doublewide you'll go first. Each of you picks a direction and covers it. Be ready to hit the deck if you draw fire."

"Angel! You'll cover our right side; I'll cover the left, and Tariq you cover straight ahead. Get ready to move you three!"

"Ready Sarge!" Doublewide called out.

"Then MOVE!"

Three soldiers jumped up and began running as fast as they could over the rocky, brush covered ground toward the hill. They were half-way between where they had been and their new destination when they heard the loud booming of mortar being fired. The round landed thirty feet behind them and shook the ground, causing Smoke to trip over a low piece of brush and fall, landing hard on his left knee. He lay unmoving for a moment then struggled back to his feet. With Dim's help on one side and Doublewide's on the other, they made it the rest of the way and over the hill to safety.

"Where they hell did that come from?" Dim gasped, breathing heavily, looking out from over the top of the small hill.

1500 feet behind them Tariq was asking the same question.

"They've got a spotter. No way mortar's that accurate," Silas answered. "We gotta go now."

"Sergeant!" Mrs. B screamed. "Look!"

From across the road they could see a small –mortar equipped truck advancing down the hill towards the road, and towards them as well.

Thru the still air came the sudden sound of an engine running roughly but steadily; it was coming from the humvee that Lieutenant Hunter had been riding in; obviously a soldier was still alive inside the small M1116. There was the sound of grating metal and gears followed by a soft "whirring", and then as if by magic, the gun atop it fired rapidly, hitting its mark and destroying the mortar bearing truck.

The soldiers who had taken cover cheered loudly, but their joy was short-lived.

Almost as soon as the mortar was destroyed, an RPG raced thru the air and struck the little M1116 squarely in side. The explosion sent clouds of dust and shards of metal thru the air.

Despite the grimness of the situation Silas realized that the explosion provided them with desperately needed cover; they had to move and move quickly. "Tariq, Mrs. B, Angel! Move, move, move! MOVE now! "