Chapter 18: Stonewalling
January 6th 2008 1145 Hours
Zayed Fahim's Poppy Field's, Helmand Province, Afghanistan
Fahim was expecting us as we arrived at his property line with his bodyguards in tow. He knew what we were there for so after a quick hello he led me and Kennedy to his house while Sawyer and Lucente stayed behind to guard the MATV's. I was still reeling from Kane's bullshit from before we left. All he said was that those three were loose ends and he couldn't afford letting Kasim know that someone was looking for him. He might as well as killed them himself if he knew where he was sending them off to. He also couldn't even give me the identity of who Kasim was, or if he was a he at all. But I had other things to worry about for now, like getting some new intel from one of our informants, I didn't need to figure out that Fahim didn't just sell all those flowers just because they looked pretty.
As far as economics goes for Afghanistan, other than war, the only thing they export to keep the country from truly collapsing in on itself would be the trade in hashish and non-pharmaceutical opium. I still couldn't figure out why the country continues to remain in the fucking stone age because the people continue to fight instead of finding a way to live peacefully. The opium dealing didn't help much either because frankly it makes a bigger profit than farming or from exporting the rather large amount of lithium I've heard that the country has been mining. Of course we would need evidence that they were shipping out all this smack but it wouldn't really matter. I read somewhere that there was no rule of law in southern Afghanistan, only the bullets rule. Or in this case it would be how much money we could use to get this guy to think that it would be beneficial to work for the US instead for himself. It still didn't excuse the fact that we were technically supplying a major drug dealer and just helping him expand his business. Fahim definitely didn't take after regular Afghani's, with his silk shirt and khakis he was also clean shaven that was a bit of a taboo in Muslim societies. But in the end I don't think he cared, he was loyal to one thing, money. He was however a good reader of people, the man knew I hated his guts but I didn't want to piss him off or cause a fight with his bodyguards, we needed that intel for our next mission.
"You don't approve of how I run a business Captain? I thought that when the American's came here they would help expand a free market society."
"I'm not here to talk ethics on drugs Fahim. You know what I want, do you want your money or not?"
The man then lit up a cigarette, an American Marlboro. He probably got one of his men to buy them from the Marines at Dwyer.
"You know this has only been our second meeting and you compare me to all those Pablo Escobar imitations in South America. Where you should take my money and live or I will just kill you so you don't cause problems for me later on. That seems rather brutish."
Drug dealers were the same all over the world. They liked to preach that they serve the people but they tend to leave out the fact that sometimes the products they sell tend to ruin people's lives or make them addicts and overdose on their shit. Not to mention the fact that they kill to keep their empire running.
"Any kind of deal that comes from people like you always involves a catch. Usually it ends up being fatal."
I saw Ken give a look that was telling me to calm down but I didn't care. I was gonna make my point stand, but Fahim didn't let up.
"So that's what you believe? From all your American crime show's and documentaries from National Geographic? Let me tell you that there's a difference from what is shown and what really is. You've seen some of the villages that have had some improvements equivalent to the modern world mostly around my territory yes?"
"Yeah."
"Not all of those accommodations came from when the Americans first came here. Simple things like electricity, running water, propane for heat. I gave them those things to help improve their lives and they pay me to continue to do so and that's not all. I also built school houses for different age ranges, along with providing up to date books on all kinds of fields of knowledge, even sources where they can apply to academies in other countries."
I couldn't figure out if he wasn't listening or if he thought he was so in the right that it didn't matter. He was right though, except for the fact that those "accommodations" had looked a bit dated.
"You're still leaving out the catch. I gotta feeling that whenever someone doesn't want to pay you just get that form of payment by other means."
His eyes then slanted. I thought I made him angry but what came next I found baffling.
"I'm not an extortionist Captain Andrushko. I follow the same guidelines as any public servant. If a man doesn't want to pay his water bill I simply shut off his water nothing more. I know that you are a very smart young man and I know that you know that the entire world doesn't revolve around a single set of rules that determines what is right. Legally and morally speaking."
I found it hard to believe that I was getting schooled by a drug czar. Hypocrisy to me was on par with evil, but not being worse than it. Often times it was used as a proper excuse to make sure the next generation didn't follow in the same mistakes the previous one did. But I wasn't gonna let this guy tell me what was right or wrong. I came here for intelligence on where some more Taliban members were at and I was gonna get it.
"Ok, alright. We're getting off topic here. I came to collect information, not discuss philosophy."
Fahim then looked at me as if he was disappointed and then sighed.
"Very well Captain. It seems I can only keep it strictly business with you. Come then. It's inside my house."
We then made our way to his estate, or if that's what could pass for an estate in a third world country. It consisted of two floors but could only be described as being no bigger than a four or five room boarding house. The inside however was vastly different. The walls were painted with a cream colored white with beige tile floors and intricate work on the doorways with blue, gold, and, green patterns. The rooms all included modern furniture and appliances and there were even servant's cleaning the place. After Fahim then entered his kitchen, Ken then pulled out his comedic side when he saw what they could be living in, instead of the bunks back in Anvil.
"Hey sir, you think this place would be a good start an expansion on MTV Cribs? I was thinking "Drug Dealer Edition", think about it. This is the place where I cut my product. This is where I keep my shark tank where I feed them my enemies!"
I paused before entering.
"Oh God. Don't start descending into acting like the regular grunts. I thought you were more mature than that Ken."
"Aww come on sir. Ever since we first met in Kabul you've been all business and barely any play. Didn't Colonel Pegorino say your sarcasm would give Kurt Russell a run for his money?"
Might as well give him what he wants.
As we approached the kitchen door I turned around and smiled. "Well don't expect me to shoot a man sized hole in each door I come across."
"That's the spirit sir!"
As I turned around the kitchen door opened rather suddenly and I felt a thump in my gut. As I looked down I saw a girl, short dark hair, glasses, definitely in her late teens but in traditional Afghan garb with colors of red, dark orange, and dark green but no burkha. She then looked up to me nervous as all hell but she actually spoke good English.
"Umm…I'm sorry. I wasn't paying attention. I didn't know my father had guests."
"It's alright you didn't…wait a second are you his daughter?"
"Yes I'm Khandan. Who are you?"
Before I could answer Ken butt in.
"Don't worry young lady. I'm Sergeant Kennedy and this pile of testosterone in my boss Captain Andrushko. We're with the US Army and your dad is helping us out."
She looked at us both and acknowledged. Then hurried off with books in her hands.
"Aww…look what you did sir. You scared her away."
"Shut up Ken." I said annoyed.
We then entered the kitchen which was just as lavish as the rest of the house. With sky blue cabinetry and grey granite counter tops. Fahim was sitting there with coffee in his left hand and his right on a folder on the table.
"She may come across as the nervous type but she is incredibly intelligent. Next month she's scheduled to take the exams which will get her out of here and into Oxford. After that I will do my best to make sure she sees the outside world and never come back here."
I pause to think about the meaning of her name. I remembered what it meant in Pashto.
"Her name means smiling right?"
He stared into his coffee cup. "My late wife gave her that name. It's no secret that war is a common practice here. With so much suffering and sadness within the last thirty years when the Soviets came here and tried to expand their empire it's hard to find things to smile about."
Thinking back on my history lessons Afghanistan really started to go bad when the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan started implementing radical types of reforms in a country that the people did not really agree well with. The communists then looked to their Soviet overlords for help, Soviet 40th Army rolls in, a massive mess rolls on for nine years, and the country is left in ruin as a state of anarchy until we came in and figured it was our turn. I didn't need to figure out that Fahim took advantage of the chaos and consolidated his power.
"When things become so chaotic you have to do what is necessary to survive Captain. I don't want the life I had to be passed on to my child. I killed my first man when I was only fifteen when the Soviet's invaded. After the war I purchased several poppy flower seeds with what little money I had left because the wheat was too expensive to grow. Eventually I discovered I had a talent for this particular business, and with it I was able to steal the heart of a young woman who bore me Khandan but before she even got the chance to see her walk she stepped on an old landmine left by the Russian invaders."
He then stood up with the folder and placed it hard on my chest, it looked like he was gonna make his final point and our business was over.
"Not everyone in this country who you technically conceive to be what you call bad is bad. Many of us just want this madness to stop. Here's what you asked for, just leave the money here and get out."
I took the folder, placed the money on the table and Ken and I left the house in silence.
God, Dad wasn't kidding when he said not everything is black and white.
As we walked down the path back towards our trucks I then saw Khandan sitting under a tree reading a textbook. The Pashto version of Arabic translated as "Cardiology" for the title I saw on the spine.
"Taking in the medical profession? Good choice seeing how your dad is probably prone to an ulcer if he continues on his rants."
She smiled uncomfortably and closed the book.
"I know what my father does. I know that what he does hurts a lot of people. But no matter what he's ever done he's always showed me great kindness and support. He's the best father in the world, he never once tried to get me to follow in his footsteps. He let me make my own choices in life."
"Hmm. Mine is like that too. We both drive each other crazy sometimes but I also realize that it was just the two of us when I was growing up. He made sure he spent as much time with me as possible because he often got to go to war whenever he had to. Not because he wanted to. So he let me make whatever choice I wanted to be when I grew up. I liked what he did, and I figure I'd keep close with him. Cause I can sympathize with you too. I lost my mother when I was young as well."
She stood up and walked towards us both. "I think we introduced ourselves rather awkwardly, what's your name? Your first name?"
She held out her hand and I shook it. "Damien."
January 15th 2008 0412 Hours
Flying over the South East Farah Province
As I was looking out the door window of the Blackhawk it truly looked like I stepped backwards in time. Nothing but dark night sky and no lights from cities for miles on end. I still found it hard to believe that people lived this simply for so long. All I could really make out was my reflection, highlighted in read from the interior lights. Then the pilot came on my radio.
"Iron, ETA to drop off point is five mikes."
"Understood. Ok guys keep your shit wired tight, we gotta make it to that ridge by sunrise."
After over a week of waiting for confirmation on location we got the green light for the take down of a known bomb and IED maker Dural Usmani. Fahim's intel turned out to be solid. This guy had apparently been teaching some of the Taliban on how to properly put together IED's from damn near anything. Highway One which was supposed to be a huge boom to the improvement to Afghanistan's infrastructure had just become a magnet for bombing's, kidnappings and ambushes for US Military convoy's. It was essentially a big fucking sign that signaled to the insurgents that important shit was here. Hopefully after today that threat would at least decrease by chopping off the head of a snake.
As the signal light came on I motioned to hook up the ropes to rappel out of the bird. The chopper then began to hover and the crew chief opened up the doors. Leading by example I went out first, followed by Kennedy, Sawyer, and Lucente. We touched down and after a quick look at my GPS headed in the direction of the village he was supposedly at.
0655 Hours
The sun was beginning to rise and after a lengthy jog we arrived at the ridge that overshadowed the village. A slightly moderate settlement where there was one main road with two dozen different structures. We then slowly made our way up while scanning the surroundings for any hostiles. After reaching the top I then scanned the area below with my binoculars. Certain people were already out performing their morning chores but no sign of the target.
"Anything yet sir?" Ken was busy preparing his Model 700.
"Nothing yet."
We waited for about twenty minutes but then I had a match. I took out the photo that Kane handed to me just before we left. Late 40's, not more than five foot seven, slightly greying beard, bulbous but flat nose, but most distinctly a missing index and middle finger on his left hand. Explosives making was a dangerous profession even with certified and licensed training but bomb makers always had injuries when they made theirs. It was just a matter of when, not if.
"Got ya. Sawyer, get on the horn and tell Forge we have the target."
"Nice." He then switched frequencies from team to his long range radio. "Forge this is Iron 3, we have positive identification of the target. I say again, positive ID. Requesting permission to liquidate target. Over."
"Iron 3, this is Forge. Confirming coordinates of the settlement the target is at Sierra Charlie 2037-8645. Over."
Sawyer had a confused look on his face but then answered.
"Uhh…affirmative Forge. But what about the target? Over."
"Maintain visual on the target for the time being. Notify if the target leaves the zone. Out."
The radio went dead and Sawyer couldn't believe what he heard.
"The hell? Boss he just wants us to keep an eye on the guy."
I turned to him with an eyebrow raised.
"The fuck for? Ken you got him in your sights?"
"Lined up Cap."
"Urrgh…keep an eye on him for now."
God I hate this hurry up and wait shit.
0733 Hours
Usmani still hadn't left the village and Kane hadn't picked up the radio when I asked why we were just waiting out here. All the four of us were doing was just watching a village with people conducting life like normal. Smoke was coming from some of the stacks, probably for breakfast or keeping their houses warm. Men tending their livestock, wives doing laundry, children getting water from the well, and Usmani talking to other male villagers probably discussing what he was gonna do to other Americans or coerce other's to join the insurgents cause. But all four of us were starting to get restless, Sawyer especially.
"Damn it boss why don't we just waste this creep and deal with the fallout later? We've already past the point where we can't be stealthy and just abduct him."
Lucente then spoke up. "I got to agree sir something doesn't feel right, we go out here, find Usmani, and then Kane tells us to stay put? Something don't add up."
"Ugh…trust me guys I share your frustration. Kane's crap on trying to limit on what we can do out here is getting on my nerves. I don't get it either, before I left I was told I would have full control over what you guys did while we were out here and we'd be working with the CIA not for. But this is starting to get a little bizarre even for me and all the ridiculous shit regular army makes us jump through. Any more movement on the target Kennedy?"
Ken was still having eye's on the house Usmani went into when we first ID'd him through his scope.
"None sir. Hasn't left his house, probably just having breakfast or jacking off." He then took his head away from his rifle and looked around in the sky. "Hey you guys here that?"
It was the roar of jet engines. Fast movers were patrolling daily all over Afghanistan but they were normally high up out of sight. These however were close and it was getting louder. Then all of a sudden there was a sonic boom followed by a massive series of explosions and fire jutting up from the village below. It that moment all went silent and then what came to me were the people that were down there. Ordinary people going on with their lives just ending in a moment, men, women and even children incinerated. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, I was in utter shock of the overkill as well as the fact that there were people in that village that had nothing to do with the bomber that was there. I then felt a shake on my shoulder, Ken had brought me out of my mind fuck.
"Damien!? Damien! Come on man talk to me what the hell did we just do!?"
I then shook my head to let him know I was paying attention but I couldn't stop looking at the blaze that was eight hundred meters from us.
"Louis I got no idea. But this is insane. Sawyer! You got any traffic on who the hell dropped that ordinance?"
"I was trying to do that the moment I saw the blast. I don't have their frequency."
I could hold my frustration in any longer and I started kicking rocks and threw my helmet on the ground in a rage.
"FUCK!" After I few seconds I shut my eyes and realized there was only one person who had an answer for what happened, Kane.
"Sawyer, radio in a bird to take us back to Anvil, NOW! I'm gonna have a nice long chat with Kane and get some answers out of him. One way or another."
1014 Hours
Black Site Anvil
I personally wanted to beat the answers out of him but the screaming I gave Kane in his office was good enough. I didn't even care one way or another because he knew I had no superiors to answer to out here. But he didn't even flinch. He looked as if I expected to come back the way I felt. That he also planned out on how he was going to answer my questions. It didn't excuse the fact that I technically helped glass a whole village just to get one man.
"There are many ways to fight war's Captain and not all of them are the ones you want to do."
"It didn't fucking include leveling the whole place! THERE WERE INNOCENT PEOPLE THERE!"
"You don't fucking think I knew that!?" His outburst caught me surprise, I didn't expect this from him.
"Then what the hell was even the point of sending us out there?" I said flat and bluntly.
Hey folded his hands looked on his desk and answered calmly.
"Captain I can understand why you're so upset and I'm not saying that just because. We no longer live in the age where the enemy is easily recognizable or is what you might consider an actual army. The enemy for the current generation we are currently fighting is made up of both ideology and religion and neither don't necessarily have to follow the moral path."
He was dancing around my question like a politician. I pressed two fingers on my forehead and let out an annoyed sigh.
"You're not answering my question Kane. What does that have to do with why we were out there?"
"We needed eyewitness human confirmation from what went on out there. Contrary to what you believe technology is not always reliable even though we have a higher limit on our budget compared to the rest of the US military. Drones and spy satellites can do a lot but they can't see, hear or do everything. You said that Usmani was speaking to quite a few people that morning correct?"
"Yes, but we couldn't hear what they were saying."
"We had reason to believe that Usmani was meeting with more senior advisors from not only the Taliban but of foreign powers as well, specifically the Pakistanis. They were scheduled to meet with him this morning, one sniper wouldn't have been good enough and there were too many to try and abduct to get information out of them so taking them all out was the next logical step."
I'd ask him about the Pakistani's later, I already knew the insurgents were getting their guns and gear from somewhere. They didn't just steal everything they could get their hands on. Instead I ask the one that really burned under my skin.
"There were kids in that village Kane. Most of them not even ten or eleven."
He then opened his left desk drawer and took out a thin three ring binder notebook.
"Take a look at this Captain, this is some old evidence one of our SAD teams got last year."
I took the binder and opened it. After flipping through a few pages on photos of weapons, HVT's, and one with a few creeps cheering in front of a burning US Humvee I stopped at a photo of a man who appeared to be teaching a class on how to use a suicide vest. It was a mixed group of ages, but children sat in the very front row. Kane knew the moment I would find the photo and then spoke.
"Close to half the population in this country is under the age of fifteen. It is almost identical to when the Soviets withdrew in 89. A nation that refuses to keep up with the times with a population like that is a recipe for disaster. War has a lot of definitions and one of them is where the old and bitter get the young and stupid to do their dirty work. You know of Pol Pot?"
"Killed off the entire intellectual class in Cambodia, or about a quarter of the whole country."
I knew that answer by instinct. Dad occasionally forced me to watch documentaries on tyrants. He said that this is who and what our military is not.
"He was in his late fifties and a hardened communist with the idea of a peasant utopia. The average age of his Khmer Rouge soldiers were teenagers, some as young as six. He brainwashed them into thinking murdering anyone who didn't agree with him was ok. It's the same thing over here and in Iraq. They corrupt the minds of the people, children especially, by simply saying misinterpreted or false quotes in the Koran that we are the source of all their misery and salvation means killing us, infidels."
I didn't want to admit it to his face but as sick as it was the man had a point. Al-qaeda and the Taliban had used civilians as shields and they were even getting kids to fight with them. They knew we operated humanely with the laws of war and that we would hesitate in fighting and it's why guys were getting killed. They fought in the sickest way imaginable and we were sacrificing our humanity to beat them. Even though it was my first deployment, witnessing such things first hand was different than watching it one the news or reading the history about it. But I did not intend on turning myself into a savage.
"If you want eyewitness facts on shit and want total annihilation then send out your SAD teams. From now on, me and my boys do clean running ops our way. We'll continue to provide you with intelligence. You want us to blow the hell out of something? Make sure it's a weapons cache or someone that deserves it and only that. I'm also not cleaning up any messes you make Kane and if it comes down to it I will answer to the Army not the CIA. Do we understand each other?"
I handed him back the binder but I could tell by the look in his eyes that he wasn't going to take the sass of a man not only thirty years his junior but on his first deployment. He must have thought I was just another kid full of piss and vinegar thinking he could change the world. He was only right on the second part though. I was gonna try to make an impact on the world in my own way later.
"You're furious and you have every right to be considering what you witnessed. But we are an organization that does not fight by morals, ethics, or even fairness. We have only one objective, to win."
Every now and then my temper got the better of me but I had always tried to use it on people who deserved it. My eyes never left Kane but my fists were shaking and I wasn't being subtle on my heavy breathing.
If we lower ourselves to the level of the guys that are gutting people alive then what the fuck is even the point in beating them?
"Very well Captain. It looks like we'll be having conflicting interests while we're working together so since this is your first time in a war I will ignore our little argument. But that doesn't mean you will not be held accountable for insubordination if you do anything stupid, you do have a job to do and you are representing the Army and its Special Forces while you are working with us. One more thing, just remember what we are capable of. Anything else you want to discuss?"
That last part had to have meant he could make me disappear and no one would be the wiser. Bad call, cause he had to aim first but I'm not here to wage my own war.
"I'll need details later about the Pakistani's providing support to the Taliban. On who I need to be looking for what I'll be needing to obtain. And before you start thinking that I'm gonna go off on a tangent on why we aren't hammering the Pakistani's if their providing weapons and support to the Taliban, I don't need to figure out what's gonna happen if two nuclear powers start butting heads. Little matter of national security right?"
That's if that crap even means anything anymore judging from what I've seen.
"Just get out of here and go do what you must Captain. We'll be in touch on what we need help on soon."
Since I didn't really follow military courtesy out here I left and slammed the door to his office. The son of a bitch must have thought he had a plan for everything. But at least I got the point across that my team wasn't their attack dogs. Unlike the guy who was waiting outside the HQ building, Special Agent Nicholas Brooks one of the SAD team leaders. He was one of those out here that was truly a law unto himself but he didn't act in arrogance. Since the man was a former SEAL he upheld the strict discipline of accomplishing the mission and not letting his feelings get in the way. Unfortunately from what I could tell, it was costing him his humanity and especially his manners.
"Nothing will get people killed faster than a feud within the chain of command Andrushko."
"Hmpf. Not that it's any of your business Brooks but my men and I work with you, not for you."
He ran his hand across his shaved head with a frustrated sigh.
"Unlike Chief Kane, I'm not opposed to say what I truly know. You're like almost every other new officer that's achieved a lot and expects everything to go their own way. You need to realize that there are certain things that have to be done specific ways and there isn't always choice."
I don't got time for this shit.
"I'm not gonna even bother getting into a pissing contest with you. If you don't mind, I got to brief my team on a mission we will be going on next month."
I shoved passed him and made my way toward Team Iron's quarters. I always knew that not everyone who joined up were good people. Some just managed to get around all the warnings that such a person was not recommended for a position by being good at their job and passing training. Certain brass who thought they knew better than everyone must have seen guys like Brooks as necessary evil's that can do good. To me it was a load of horse shit. That would backfire and blow up in their faces when they'd least expect it. Where I was gonna go with my life, I was gonna change that. I was gonna make sure that everything had a choice and that there more than just two options.
As I got back to the teams quarters, Ken was already going over the intel on what our next mission was going to be. It was gonna be a little further north this time in the Faryab province in a mountainous region about 12 miles near the Turkmenistan boarder. There was apparently a Taliban stronghold there that was also shipping weapons to the other provinces that were in the mountains to reach any air support that came to help the grunt's on the ground. Simple mission, search, destroy, exfiltrate. But it looked like the guys wanted to clear the elephant in the room cause they knew where I had been all morning, Lucente went in first while he was cleaning his rifle.
"Well at least you're still in one piece and not bleeding sir. It was a ballsy move going head to head with Kane like that."
"I made the man realize that he doesn't have total control over us and that's that. Ken get me up to speed what's the 411?"
He booted up his laptop and I looked over his shoulder.
"Satellite surveillance has shown consistent activity at this valley here. But what I found that can be quite useful to us is that there appears to be scheduled supply drop offs about every four weeks. Big ones in fact so maybe we can make a big hit on them during that time but it won't be for a while since they just got supplied yesterday. You thinking what I'm thinking sir?"
"Yeah, if we catch them at the right time we can find out who's giving them their crap and get some valuable intel on where it's coming from."
"And maybe cause their shit to be rendered unusable boss?" Sawyer said with a wide grin as he was holding up a block of C4. Thank God it wasn't prepped.
"Just the things that can kill people Jim. Ok four weeks, then we air drop out here early about a day or two before the shipment arrives. Then we hump for a day over this pass and then once we're there, destroy anything they'll use and snatch whatever intel we need and get the hell out of there. Any ideas on numbers Ken?"
"Rough estimate two platoons, maybe more when the supplies arrive."
"We'll have to take them by surprise then. Ok, Lucente! Get on the horn with our friend's in Kandahar. Tell them we're gonna a ride up north for a jump and some choppers for exfiltration. For now we start planning until we got the ok from the Air Force that we can go."
January 26th 2008 1130 Hours
Kandahar Airport, 451st AWE Command Center, Kandahar Province
Under the control of the US Army's 159th Aviation and the Air Force's 451st Air Wing along with the British RAF Kandahar International Airport was the primary go to base for if you wanted air support or where Spec Ops needed a ride into hostile territory quickly. The Air Force was used to us hitching rides with them so all we really needed to do was tell them where to go and we'll take care of the rest. While we all operated under our own orders we still needed to get approval to go anywhere. Since we had to wait half the time when that next supply drop off was I was getting a bit nervous that we'd miss our window but with the classified paperwork I had with me the C-130 pilot, Lt. Colonel Hyatt, was more than willing to give us a ride. Our exfil guy CW3 Stevens was gonna pick us up once we're done.
"Sorry this took so long Captain but we been a little busy these last few weeks. They've been doing pilot swaps to get some of the more experienced guys over to Iraq. It's heating up way more over there than here." Hyatt said.
"Not a problem sir. Just as long as we got a ride to and from I'm happy."
"We'll need to stop by FOB Farah to refuel but once we get there, we're not waiting around cause since we'll be that high up the Muj's will hit us with anything so don't be late."
"If we're late it's because we're dead Chief. Ok, that should be everything. You got our call sign and frequency so we'll be back ready to go in little more than ten days."
Our business was done so we had time to walk around and stretch our legs. We kept getting odd looks from the flyboys since the four of us were a little more decked out than normal and our grooming standards were completely out of regulation. Operators had an aura about them that other's noticed and felt but I always kept a thought in the back of my head. We are human just like you. I hated the idea of thinking I was superior, made me fall into a class. After a while we started heading back toward the tarmac where our Chinook was finishing getting refueled and I saw some F15's take off but then my thoughts raced back to the burning village. The sonic boom, the blast, the fire, charred corpses, the smell of scorched earth and flesh. All for one fucking guy and maybe a few others. It was also then that I saw what I hoped I didn't see, flag covered coffins being loaded onto a C17. I then remembered that I was in a war and it meant casualties.
"Boss? Boss! You ok?" Sawyer brought me back to the land of reality.
"Yeah just planning on…ok maybe not. Is that who I think that is?"
We all turned around and speaking to a group of Air Force officers was Khandan Fahim. She then noticed us and waved.
"Excuse me gentlemen I'll be right back."
She left the officers and came to us.
"Captain Damien! Good to see you! Why are you here?"
"Was about to ask you the same question."
"I work as a liaison for the Afghan branch of the ISAF. The money I'm making will help me get to England and attend Oxford. I'm here on business from Helmand. Now your turn!"
She was a little bit more giddy than her usual self. Then again most new college students were, and it was even crazy that I was actually at the age I would have graduated a senior if I went through West Point as a normal student.
"Classified." I said as I looked back out the window to the C17.
"Aww your no fun."
She then noticed on what I was looking at.
"The attacks on the Kandahar Highway have been increasing in the last month, there was also a big jump in attacks just recently."
No doubt on the reason why that was. I saw it. Better keep my mind off that and ask her something else.
"It's good to see your working your butt off though. Your father not helping you out?"
She leaned in close to me and whispered.
"You know what he does silly. It's not like I pay for school with his money."
"True there would be a few flags raised if a girl like you just popped up in one of the most prestigious schools in the world. Well I hate to cut this little run in short but we gotta go."
She then grabbed my upper right arm, I could feel her squeeze more than once.
"Wait before you go I wanted to let you know I got that book you sent me on dialysis, that helped a lot. Bye!"
As she made her way back to the officers I heard snickering behind me. Kennedy, Lucente, and Sawyer each had cocky smiles and raised eyebrows.
"What the hell are you idiots finding so funny?"
"Sir as your senior medical advisor I suggest you spend more time being social because you clearly don't know when a girl takes interest in you."
"Gotta agree boss, she wasn't really hiding it. Hell a young, tall, broad shouldered, blue eyed stud like yourself would catch the eye of any girl."
"I do have to admit Cap but when I first heard we were gonna be assigned to a guy who graduated two years ahead of everyone else I thought we get some kind of nerd. Instead we the next cover of GQ and sounded about ten years older than he looked."
I rolled my eyes and did my best not to act embarrassed. I had no idea what women typically saw in me, I was always antisocial. Even though I had been with more than one girl in my life, it was a matter of fact that I never really had what you would technically call a relationship. But I wasn't gonna fall into the category of most military couples that get married and then divorced after three years. If I ever found anyone, I was gonna make sure it lasted. So instead I focused on my job, and now that our final piece was locked in all we had to do was wait.
"Whatever. Let's get back to Anvil. We got ass to kick. Hooah?"
"Hooah!"