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“I ignored him. I wasn’t ready to stop. We’d counter-punched the enemy with deadly precision but more, I knew, would be waiting. And there it was.
“A bus had just sped through the broken wall of a compound up ahead. I dropped a payload on the vehicle, lightingit up. Beyond the explosion, people ran, spreading out as they hit open terrain. I sprayed them with gunfire, ahead of them and to both sides.
“Again, I heard Jamie Jackson’s voice—now urgently screaming at me ‘Check fire. Check fire.’ Too bad for the enemy. I’d stopped listening.”
CHAPTER 99
BRADY KNOCKED ON the driver’s side window and got into the vehicle. He shoved the key into the ignition, slapped his vest pockets, said, “Shit. I’ll be right back. Left my phone.”
He got out of the SUV and headed toward the bulkhead, where a uniform opened the winglike doors.
I went back to Blackout’s diary.
After a blank page, he had written an epilogue entitled “After the Fall.” His story continued in lines of black inked letters marching across rough, handmade paper.
* * *
He wrote: “After that night’s mission, a year after signing up, I was drummed out of the Corps and sent home.
“Captain James ‘Jamie’ Jackson had told me that for many reasons, atmospheric conditions, comms confusion, my age and time in grade, he’d worked at and succeeded in getting my insubordination buried. He said I would be dischargedhonorably but there would be no more USMC for me. There would be no medals, no promotions, and I was told to consider myself lucky. And I did.
“Three years after that night in Helmand Province, having made many one-on-one kills near home and small but perfect videos recording my work, every minute of my tour is all still with me. The skills, the pride, anger, and self-knowledge are priceless. I am not ashamed. I enjoyed it. No, I loved it. I was being myself but battle-tested and although unacknowledged, in my mind my chest is covered with stars.
“These days I have a friend who is like me, but older and more experienced. He has been a great supporter. One day I hope to make him proud by beating his body count. But for now, since I cannot hunt with Evan Burke, I make my way surefooted and alone.”
* * *
I closed the diary and leaned back against the headrest. I heard Brady get into the car.
He said, “Why don’t I drive you home, Lindsay? Tomorrow is Sunday, your day off. I’ll have someone bring your car back to you in the morning.”
“Thanks,” I said. “And this is for you. Catton’s war journal.”
Brady reached into the glove box for an evidence bag and carefully stored the book. Then he unhooked the mic on the car radio and spoke with the dispatch supervisor, telling her who was still at the scene, who was off duty, asking her to pass it on to Clapper.
I called Joe.
I gave my off-duty FBI liaison and on-duty husband all of the bottom lines. Cindy had been found alive and was at the hospital. Rich had saved my life by shooting Bryan Catton, who was injured and in custody. That I was beyond exhausted and Brady was driving me home.
“Good,” he said, “Julie’s waiting up for you.”
CHAPTER 100
DINNER WAS ON the table when I came through the door. I ate something for show, then, moved to my recliner in the living room and pulled Julie into my lap. She had a lot of questions I couldn’t answer so I asked her to tell me a story and she did. It was her version of an old favorite of mine that my mom had read to me when I was Julie’s age. The story was about the unstoppable little engine that could. In Julie’s version, the train could not only climb mountains but it could sing and fly to the Planet Moon Pie. This little girl of ours made me laugh.
I woke up sometime later in bed with Joe, having no memory of getting there. I touched his shoulder, and he pulled me into his arms. I held onto him and said, “Lucky me.”
My eyes opened again as light came through the blinds. Joe felt me stir and turned toward me. He looked into my face.
“How do you feel?”
“Ten years older than this time yesterday.”
I didn’t say that my waking thought was,What if Catton hadput a couple of rounds through my head?That could’ve been well within the realm of possibility. What would happen to my family?
I sat up in bed, saying, “What day is it?”
“Sunday.”
