CHAPTER 5 EDDIE IS BACK WITH HIS ARMY MEDICAL TEAM. THINGS GO FUBAR
Eddie felt a sudden jolt as the helicopter spun out of control. He looked out the window and saw a trail of smoke coming from the tail. He heard the pilot scream over the radio, "We're hit! We're hit! RPG from the ground!"
"RPG hit Right flank! We're going down!"
Eddie grabbed his medical kit and strapped himself to his seat. He saw the other passengers, four wounded soldiers and two medics, do the same. He prayed that they would survive the crash.
The helicopter spun out of control and plummeted towards the ground. Eddie felt a surge of adrenaline as he braced for impact. He heard a loud bang and a crunch as the metal frame hit the dirt. He felt a sharp pain in his chest and his head.
He opened his eyes and saw the ground rushing up to meet them. He said, "I love you, Shannon. I love you, Christopher. I love you, Viper. I love you. I'm sorry." As he felt a sharp pain in his chest and his head.
Moments later he blacked out for what felt like hours but was only a few minutes at most.
He woke up to the sound of gunfire. He smelled smoke and blood. He opened his eyes and saw flames and debris around him. He checked his pulse and his breathing. He was alive, but barely.
He looked at his shoulder and saw a bullet wound. He felt his wrist and felt another one. He was bleeding profusely. He reached for his medical kit, but it was gone. He cursed and looked around for help.
He saw the other passengers. Two of them were dead, their bodies mangled by the crash. The other four were alive but injured. One of them was screaming in pain, his leg broken and twisted. The other three were unconscious, their faces pale and bloodied.
Eddie knew he had to act fast. He crawled towards the nearest medic, hoping he had some supplies. He found a tourniquet and a bandage. He wrapped them around his shoulder and his wrist, trying to stop the bleeding. He felt dizzy and weak. He knew he was losing too much blood.
He moved on to the next medic, hoping to find more supplies. He found a syringe and a morphine vial. He injected himself with the painkiller, hoping to ease his agony. He felt a wave of relief wash over him. He felt numbness settle over him and felt a calm that was almost blissful.
He moved on to the wounded soldiers, hoping to save them. He found a splint and a sling. He used what could find to stabilize the broken leg of the screaming soldier all the while ducking and keeping low to avoid the hellscape waging on outside the shell of the downed chopper. He found a dressing and a gauze. He used them to cover the wounds of the unconscious soldiers. He did his best to keep them alive moving them out of the chopper and to the cover of the rocky shelter he saw 50 feet from the helo.
He looked at his watch. It had been 15 minutes since the crash. He wondered if anyone was coming to rescue them. He hoped that someone had heard their distress call. He hoped that someone had seen their smoke signal. He hoped that someone cared.
He closed his eyes and thought of his wife, Shannon, and his son, Christopher. He saw their faces in his mind and felt a pang of regret. He wished he could see them again, hug them, kiss them, tell them he loved them. He wished he could have been there for Christopher's birthday, his first steps, his first words. He wished he could have been a better husband, a better father, a better man.
He also thought of his time with the SEALs, the elite unit of the Navy. He thought of the missions they had done, the enemies they had fought, the lives they had saved. He thought of the camaraderie, the loyalty, the honour. He thought of the training, the discipline, the skills. He thought of the code, the creed, the motto. He thought of the SEALs as his family, his brothers, his heroes.
He thought of his time with the SEALs, the elite special forces unit he had been attached to as a combat medic. He remembered the missions they had done together, the dangers they had faced, the enemies they had fought, the lives they had saved.
He remembered the bond they had formed, the trust they had built, the friendship they had shared. He thought of the camaraderie, the loyalty, the honour. He thought of the training, the discipline, the skills. He thought of the code, the creed, and the motto. He thought of the SEALs as his family, his brothers, his heroes.
He thought of Viper, the second-in-command of the SEAL team. She was a fierce and loyal woman, a skilled and fearless leader, a good and true friend. She had always looked out for him, always supported him, always respected him. She had always called him 'Doc', a nickname he had earned for his medical expertise. She had always joked with him, always teased him, always made him laugh.
He wondered if she was still alive. It had been weeks since he last saw the tier 1 team. He wondered if she had forgotten him.
He hoped to see her again, but he knew his chances were slim. He knew he was dying. He knew he had done his duty. He knew he had no regrets.
He closed his eyes and waited for the end.
He heard the booming thunder of returning fire and saw the Black Hawks heading in their direction.
As they came close, he saw the familiar face of his friend, Evalynn' Viper ' Smith, scowling fiercely at the insurgents trying their damnest to kill their medical transport team.
She saw him and a look of steely determination entered her eyes.
She waved and shouted.
"Doc! Hang in there, Doc! We're coming for you, Doc!"
Eddie smiled back. He felt a surge of hope. He felt a flicker of life. He felt a touch of love.
He whispered her name.
"Viper..."
He heard a loud boom and felt a flash of heat. Then everything went black.