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20
Landon
“This sucks,” LCpl. Wallis complained about being left behind with Sgt. Brittany on the hill in the second AAV. Their version of air support. A machine gun is a machine gun.
“Maybe next time you’ll think twice about slamming your hand in a taxi door.” Landon shrugged and jumped out of the way as she threw a rock in his direction. Sgt. Forges and Cpl. Bailey had gone with GySgt. Fuimaono and Cpl. Hemming last night to pick their positions around the compound.
Landon almost wished he was out there too, laying in the open air alone and waiting for the sun to rise, instead of breathing in the diesel fumes again in the back of the tin can. The hill in the distance to the north called to him. If he could make it to the peak then he might even be able to see his house. The ache was stronger than ever today, but he buried it deep like he always had to. One last stop.
The first rays of light broke over the mountains and Landon closed the back doors of the AAV, shrouding himself in darkness.
“Yeah buddy.” LCpl. Launce flexed his fingers as the engine rumbled. His smile lit up like a kid at Christmas. “I’ve always wanted to drive one of these things.”
“Just go straight,” Sgt. Sierra grumbled as he poured the rest of the M&Ms from the MRE pouch directly into his mouth. His eyes closed as he sucked on the sugar coated chocolate and when he opened them again there was a fierce determination on his face.
“Twenty yards.” Landon touched his ring.
“Locked and loaded.” Sgt. Sierra fed the belt into the MK19.
LCpl. Launce came to a stop right outside the fence.
There were no radioed orders.
Chaos was the signal.
Landon lifted his head through the crew chief hatch just as the first grenade hit the center of the building, spewing out dust and drywall as the wood cracked and the windows shattered.
And then the screaming started.
Half clothed bodies rushed outside clutching handguns with bloodshot eyes as they focused on the AAV. Sgt. Sierra switched to the rapid pulse of the .50 caliber machine gun and mowed them down, relentless with the attack.
Spent brass peppered the earth as those smart enough to seek cover darted to the back of the house. He didn’t have to hear the shots to know they were being picked off one by one by the Marines positioned on the hills.
The echo from the machine gun stopped with Sgt. Sierra cursing as he smacked the side. “Jammed.”
Shit. Landon raised his rifle, sweeping the yard for anyone stupid enough to come running back this way. His gaze landed on the pit bull hiding under the Chevy Nova with the chain still around its neck as the sun rose fully over the mountains. Nothing else moved besides the swirling dirt and falling portion on the roof in the middle of the house that hadn’t fully collapsed.
“Cease rapid fire,” GySgt. Fuimaono’s deep voice echoed through the valley, a war cry fueling them for what was to come.
“Let’s go!” Sgt. Sierra released the machine gun and tightened his hold on his M4. “You ready for the fun part, Doc?”
He turned to Landon, his face hardened from years of training, but there was still that familiar fear in his brown eyes. For a brief moment, Landon hesitated. The memories flooded him. A bone-weary ache made his shoulders sag, but he flexed his back and gave a reassuring nod to his friend.
“Take that you baby killers!” Glass exploded against the front of the AAV, illuminating Sgt. Sierra’s frozen silhouette in a burst of flames.
“Get down!” Landon screamed, falling back to the compartment and reaching blindly through the billowing black smoke for LCpl. Launce. His hand found the shoulder strap of the Marine’s Kevlar flak jacket and he jerked him out of the driver seat, dragging him through the choking smoke to the back of the AAV. The lance corporal flailed behind him but he barely registered the weight as he kicked open the doors and tossed him onto the dirt.
LCpl. Launce caught himself in the fall, maneuvering his body and his rifle to land in the firing position as he coughed up a lungful of smoke and tears streaked his face.
Landon sucked in a breath of fresh air with the heat from the AAV searing his back. “Sierra!”
“Molotov cocktails? You’re kidding me, right?” Sgt. Sierra spit as he jumped out of the vehicle and his boots hit the earth next to Landon. “Fall back,” he directed, wiping soot from his face with his sleeve as the flames licked the inside of the AAV and combusted with the diesel fumes.
Landon moved to safety, taking aim at the thug who stood watching the flames, and clenched his jaw as he fired. The man flew to the ground leaving his unlaced boots behind.
“Move forward.” Sgt. Sierra continued the advance once they’d made a wide perimeter around the burning vehicle.
“Forgot the shotgun,” Landon chuckled at his own bad joke as he took point, keeping LCpl. Launce behind him while Sgt. Sierra led from the rear. He’d trained for this even if it wasn’t standard protocol.
