The heat was worse here than she thought. Walking out of the gates, her gun in her hands she walked through the sand. She was up front this time, Captain Jones just ahead of her and Jefferson behind her.
"Sorry about earlier Jeff." She said turning her head to the side.
"No worries, Swan. Shouldn't have said it in the first place."
"It's fine seriously, I just made some assumptions about being the only woman."
"Well, don't worry Swanny, you're one of the lads around here." They both laughed then turned their attention back to the terrain around them, Jones' speech kept playing back in her mind about staying alive and not screwing up. Hopefully, she can do both without too much bother.
"Eyes on our right!" The Captain's voice brought her back to reality, she looked over to see 3 men with motorbikes hovering and watching them. The Afghan Special Forces, who had joined their section at the gate, told the men to move along. They walked for another half an hour, then arrived at the checkpoint.
"Right lads, Swan get some water around, Jefferson and Cassidy on the right, Humbert and Hood on the left, the rest of you in the sandbags I want all angles covered." Jones shouted. Emma walked around handing out water bottles then took one to the Captain. "Cheers, Swan." He said as he took the top off and they both had a decent drink. She walked back to the sandbags and set her gun on top of the barrier. She caught a glimpse of the Captain and an ASF soldier conversing out of the corner of her eye. "Listen up guys! There is a minefield beyond the river, it begins in the riverbed so I suggest if you want to keep your legs you stay away from that area."
"Yes, Sir!" They all shouted. Fifteen minutes went by and Emma was beginning to hope they would be heading back soon when a gunshot rang through the air.
"Talk to me, someone!" Jones shouted as he joined them behind the sandbags.
"It's Cassidy!" Jefferson's voice came over the radio. "I can't see him."
"Has anyone got eyes on Cassidy?" The Captain shouted. Emma looked around through her eyepiece when she caught a glimpse of him in the grass beyond the river.
"200 metres East, sir!" She shouted through her radio. All the guns turned immediately to where she said he was.
"Got him!" Jones said. "What the bloody hell is he doing in the middle of the minefield?!" He shouted. Then, Neal's voice came over the radio.
"I'm hit! My leg it's gushing blood, I can't stop it!" Emma's heart rate seriously increased knowing it was now or never.
"Sir, I can get to him! I know how to get through!" She said over the radio.
"No way, Swan! You are not going anywhere near him, we wait for a med evac!"
"Sir, if we don't get that bleed under control soon he will die! I don't want special treatment just because I'm a woman! Let me go, Sir!" She shouted. He looked over his shoulder to her. Then he jumped up and pressed the comms button on the radio.
"Jefferson, Humbert, with us!" He lead them down the path towards the river then they each jumped down either side of the small bridge, the Captain crouching as close to the bank as he could get whilst still having cover if anything went wrong. They set their guns and nodded to Emma. She shucked off her backpack and shouted to Neal.
"Neal! Where exactly are you hit?" She crouched down onto the ground and slowly crawled on her belly, digging her knife into the sand ahead of her to check for mines.
"In my calf, I can't stop the bleed." He sounded weak and his breathing was heavy, she would have to hurry if she was going to get to him in time. She kept crawling and talking to Neal ensuring he stayed conscious.
"I'm almost there just hold on!" She shouted. He didn't respond. "Neal?!"
"Swan, how's he doing?"
"He's gone quiet, can anyone see him?" She asked as she dug her knife in again.
"He ain't movin' sir!" Hood shouted over the radio.
"I'm almost there, Sir!" She crawled and dug her knife in again when her foot caught on something. She froze. Her eyes were wide, she didn't even breathe. Then there was a deafening noise and everything went black.