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He took a knee and put the rifle behind his back. “I know you’re scared, but we can get you out of here. Do you want to tell me your name?”
The girl shook her head slightly, too numb and checked out to speak. She can’t be older than Mason. Landon choked back the sickened scream.
“Gunny, we have an issue,” Sgt. Sierra cried out from the doorway as he leaned back into the hall.
“Are you hurt?” Landon tried to visually assess the girl for injuries, but the massive furball she clung to covered half her body. The animal’s yellow eyes were as wide as the girl’s but it didn’t fight to get away.
“Minerva?” GySgt. Fuimaono’s voice was an octave higher, a surprised pitch none of them had ever heard.
Landon turned to him, confused. “Do you know her?”
“That’s my cat.” GySgt. Fuimaono’s eyes filled with happy tears and he didn’t bother to blink them away as the beast wiggled itself from the girl’s grasp and started meowing frantically, pressing itself against the Samoan warrior’s legs.
“Gunny, I think that’s a dog.” Sgt. Sierra stood in the back of the room, eyeing the cat warily.
“It’s a Maine Coon.” GySgt. Fuimaono scooped the creature up and its thick head nudged the man’s jaw. She settled into the crook of his arm, purring, and suddenly seemed small.
“Were you taking care of her for me?” GySgt. Fuimaono looked down to the girl and she nodded, turning her face away in shame.
“Thank you.” GySgt. Fuimaono reached out his hand. “Now let’s get you out of this stinky place and take you and your mom somewhere safe.”
The girl’s eyes brightened, her small hand disappearing within Gunny’s calloused palm, as she walked with him outside of the destroyed house.
Sgt. Sierra sided up next to Landon as they passed the smoldering wreckage of the AAV and the two men walked side by side under the warm morning sun. Sgt. Brittany was already on his way down the hill, coasting to a stop on the dirt road where the girl’s mother kept pulling up her bra strap and pushing her chest out toward GySgt. Fuimaono.
Gunny nuzzled the beast of a cat, ignoring her, but the little girl still kept her hand within his, clinging to him even as the mother made a fool out of herself.
“Well, that was a morning.” Sgt. Sierra yawned and winced when he rubbed the back of his head.
“Let me see.” Landon chuckled, the adrenaline from the fight and mission gone well still pushing endorphins through his veins as he checked the Marine’s skin. “You’re probably going to be bald in the back for a while but it doesn’t seem too bad. We’ll keep an eye on it though.”
“Saves on haircuts.” Sierra shrugged, a tired happiness making him giddy. “Can we please go get Tessa now?”
Landon smiled so hard his cheeks hurt and the elation wiped away every ache, every ounce of pain as he nodded. “Finally.”
