Brothers in Arms (6 page)

Shankman finally got the Humvee under control. They slid to a halt, and in the same moment, the pressure around Jonah dissipated, and he took a long, deep, gasping breath. He shook his head sharply to clear it, battling back haze.

“What the hell was that, Gunnery Sergeant?” Garcia called from the backseat.

Jonah had no fucking idea. The blast had come from
behind
them, and it had felt close. It felt and sounded like an IED, but as the lead vehicle, they should have been the ones to set it off.

Chaos erupted on the comm right in Jonah’s ear.

“Shit! It was Two-Two!” Garcia shouted, twisting in his seat to look out his window. Jonah almost didn’t hear him over the noise of the radio.

Jonah felt the hard impact of an AK-47 round slamming into their Humvee. A split second later, the loud crack of the weapon itself carried over the heated sand. He keyed his mic and shouted over the growing sounds of battle and injured men, “Contact right, contact right. Everyone, out of your vehicle.”

Even as he gave the order, Jonah knew some of them, him included, would
have
to chance an exit on the passenger side.

“IED! IED!” He could finally make out the cry, but he was unsure if it carried on the air or over the comm. “Hitman-Two-Two’s hit. No one’s getting out.”

Round after round of AK fire was striking the Humvee, landing in the dirt around them and kicking up dry puffs of dust. Jonah had to get out of his vehicle and to his injured men. He kicked open his door and dove out onto the ground. Jonah stayed low, rapidly crawling around the rear of the Humvee until he was safe against the wide tire on the other side.

“Shankman,” Jonah barked. “Get me Company comms.”

Shankman stayed as low as he could as he ducked into the driver’s door of their vehicle to switch radio frequencies. He dropped back down to the dirt and gave Jonah a nod.

Keying his mic again, Jonah shouted over the rapid fire of AK-47s and the answering M16s, “Diyala Firm base, Hitman-Two-One, we’re taking heavy fire and Hitman-Two-Two has been hit by an IED. How copy?”

The ensuing radio silence seemed to last forever, though Jonah knew it was only seconds before First Sergeant Resler’s voice sounded loud, firm, and calm in Jonah’s ear.

“Solid copy, Two-One. Location and casualties?” Resler asked.

“The main street route just east of Kan’an,” Jonah replied, giving the map grid coordinate. “We’re pinned down, and I can’t get to Two-Two’s victor. I see no movement.”

“Roger that,” Resler answered immediately. “Slayer-Three and Assassin-Two are en route to your location with the two Corpsmen, Bertel and Pauling.”

Jonah was relieved medical help was on the way; they’d probably need it when this was over. “Two-One copy. I’ll advise when I know about casualties. Two-One out.”

Jonah rose to his knees and shifted to the rear of the Humvee to return fire. He leveled his rifle and tried to identify a solid target. Berms and scrub brush were all he could see. In the daylight, he couldn’t even be sure of a muzzle flash, but he did his best, squeezing off several rounds.

“Renz? Trujillo? Report,” Jonah called to the smoking Humvee tilting precariously into the crater created by the explosion. He received no answering shouts. “Hitman-Two-Three, report,” he ordered into his mic.

“This is Two-Three,” Roner’s voice answered, rough with stress. “We’re pinned down and taking fire, but no casualties at this time.”

“Any idea of Two-Two’s status?”

“Negative.”

“Fuck!” Jonah resumed his search for targets, firing at everything he thought he could identify. Rounds continued to hit the Humvee.

“Sarge, I’m hit!” Jonah thought that was Martinez’s voice.

Jonah had to do something. He’d most likely lost his VIP along with two of his men. He had a third man down and was in danger of losing more.

“Garcia, get on your fifty-cal,” Jonah ordered. Everyone still able laid down suppressing fire as Garcia scrambled up into the turret. Jonah would have gone himself, but this was his command. His job was to coordinate resources, meet the objective, and lead Marines through this firefight. Kellan had taught him that, more with deeds than with words.

M16s roared to life as Garcia’s head popped up over the roof of the Humvee. He quickly turned and sighted the big gun then opened fire. The vehicle shuddered with the force of the .50 cal’s rounds. He was suddenly aware of a fierce heat on his right, and Jonah knew it was the damaged Humvee going up in flames. If anyone was injured inside the vehicle, they would soon be dead from smoke or fire.

“Hitman-Two-One, Diyala Firm base.” Top Resler’s voice rang in Jonah’s ear.

“Go for Two-One.”

“Slayer-Three and Assassin-Two are three mikes out. Update sit-rep.”

“Hitman-Two-Two is going up in flames. I think I’ve lost the package, but I can’t get close enough to confirm. Two-Three has a man down, unknown condition.”

“Copy. Firm base out.”

Three minutes. Jonah and his men only had to hold out for three minutes.

Expended cartridges rained down from the .50 cal and Garcia continued to light up the countryside. Jonah thought the volume of AK-47 fire was lessening, but he couldn’t be sure. Still, he had to get to the burning Humvee and check on his injured men and VIP.

There was a sudden burst of fresh M16 fire from Jonah’s left.

“Hitman-Two-One, this is Slayer-Three, entering your lines from the north.” The radio crackled with the echo of the gunfire.

Jonah ordered his men to cease firing as reinforcements rolled in among them. A Humvee, with a second .50 cal roaring, slid to a stop in front of Jonah’s vehicle. A gun truck pulled up next in line, a grenade-lobbing Mark-19 adding to the furor. Jonah pulled the trigger of his weapon methodically until there was no return fire.

The Corpsmen Bertel and Pauling each leapt from a vehicle and ran for the burning Humvee. Jonah chased after them, shouting as he did.

“Roner, what have you got?”

“Martinez took a round,” the sergeant shouted. “I think it glanced off his vest, so it’s not bad, but he’s fucking bleeding everywhere.”

Bertel jogged past the burning vehicle and took a knee next to the injured Martinez.

Jonah joined several Marines from Assassin and Slayer trying to reach the occupants of the burning Humvee. He reached into the flames and grabbed a door handle, ignoring the scorched and burning human shapes inside. His fingers burned when they contacted the overheated metal, and he snatched his hand back. Jonah breathed through his mouth against the stench of seared human flesh and this time tried to get a handful of uniform. Leaping flames and acrid smoke drove him back again.

Slayer’s gun truck, an open-backed Humvee, carried fire suppression equipment, and several of Jonah’s Marines hauled it over to combat the flames. As the fire retreated, Jonah fought through to reach his men still inside the ruined vehicle. Impotence burned through him each time he came away with blistered fingertips, hacking up black ash. Marines shouted at Jonah to stay clear of the wreck. He pushed against the men trying to keep him back and shook off the restraining hands that gripped his uniform.

“We got this, Gunnery Sergeant,” a Marine said, pulling Jonah out of the way. “We’ll get the fire out and take care of them.

Jonah looked into the face of the corporal who was pushing him farther from the wrecked Humvee. He knew he should recognize him. This was a Marine Jonah knew, but he couldn’t recall his name. Instead of speaking, he gave the corporal a sharp nod and turned away.

“Diyala firm base, Hitman-Two-One,” Jonah said into the mic.

“
Go for Diyala firm base,” came Resler’s immediate reply.

“Assassin and Slayer are on scene, combating the fire. I’ve got an additional man down and a corpsman is stabilizing him now.”

“Roger that. Predator is en route your location.”

“Solid copy. Two-One out.”

Garcia was still up on the .50, Shankman was using the vehicle as cover, aiming over the hood and looking for a target. “You guys good?”

“Good, Sergeant,” they answered in unison. Jonah gripped Shankman’s shoulder briefly before moving to check on Two-Three and the wounded Martinez.

He gave a wide berth to the Marines putting out the fire and walked to where Bertel was treating Martinez. Roner assisted, holding up an IV bag and distracting Martinez by harassing him about wimpy hospitals and clean sheets.

“How’s he doing?” Jonah asked.

“Stable, but he needs to be evacuated.”

Jonah nodded, not surprised. “Steves, you good?”

“Fuck yeah, I’m good,” Steves growled from his perch atop the Humvee, vengeance dripping from his words. “I just got to kill them cowards with a big, powerful gun!”

Steves’s dark menace was somehow comforting.

A group of Marines, either from Assassin or Slayer, punched out to check the perimeter for dead or wounded militia. The fire in the Humvee was finally out. The corpsman, Pauling, checked the bodies inside. Jonah turned away. He had Marines who needed him. He blinked against the blinding sun. It was brighter than usual today.

As Jonah walked from vehicle to vehicle, his legs were leaden. He struggled to focus on the words being spoken, the questions being asked, but every little sound was amplified. Jonah’s uniform was painful on his skin. His fingers fumbled with the mic in the center of his vest. He had to give a sit-rep. Predator was inbound, and he’d expect an after-action. The ambush kept replaying in Jonah’s head like an action movie. They’d been traveling at speed. Their dispersal was good. There had been chatter in the Humvee, but he’d been confident in everyone’s situational awareness. Shankman’s driving after the explosion was proof he’d been alert and prepared. He could still feel the vehicle being rocked by the blast, and Jonah’s heart pounded in reaction, making the throb in his temples worse.

It ate at him that the detonation had taken out the number two vehicle. There had been no trip wire; he’d been on the lookout, he’d have seen it. Besides, if there’d been a trip wire, his own Humvee would have set it off.

Scrambling down into the crater, he ignored calls from Marines for him to be careful. He combed the debris, searching for the detonator. Jonah had only the barest idea of what he was looking for. His ordinance training extended only as far as what he needed to set charges during the course of his missions. Something was wrong with a few of the components that sifted through his fingers. He was searching for one piece in particular. Some of the parts seemed too new, too advanced even, to be contraband.

When he located the detonator, Jonah clutched it in his fist with a grim sense of triumph. They’d been taken out with a radio-controlled IED, triggered by a lookout’s garage door opener or cell phone. Grizzly had been the target.

Predator arrived on scene, and Jonah moved to greet him, IED parts in his hand. His mind flashed back to Grizzly’s warnings. The device looked like all the others he’d seen that had been assembled locally.

CHAPTER THREE

Diyala Firm base, Diyala Provence, Iraq

October 2008

Jonah filed the most complete and detailed after-action report of his career. He submitted it to Captain Hoegerl, along with the explosive components. The captain’s face darkened as he took the mangled parts from Jonah, but he didn’t comment.

The initial debrief lasted two hours. The second, the next day, lasted three more.

Two weeks later, people showed up sporting leaves on their collars, accompanied by civilians who only gave first names. The interviews started all over again.

Another week passed, and Jonah lay on his mat, arm thrown over his eyes, as he tried to get a few hours sleep in the sweltering heat of the day. He and his men had been cleared of all suspicion, and Jonah had been commended for his handling of the events. But no matter how many times he retold the story of events leading up to the ambush, or the story of the ambush itself, he couldn’t get certain facts to make sense.

“Gunnery Sergeant Carver?”

Jonah sighed heavily and then took his arm from his eyes. He looked up into Yarwood’s sheepish expression.

“I know you’re trying to sleep, but Captain Hoegerl wants to see you.”

Yarwood had grown on Jonah in past weeks. He was a good Marine, wanted to be better, and had gotten over his awe of Jonah. When Yarwood helped him clean weapons and other equipment, Jonah quietly shared stories of lessons learned in past battles. Yarwood eagerly absorbed the wise words of other Marines that had impacted Jonah’s career. The interaction helped Jonah to feel experienced, instead of just old.

Sitting up to tighten his boots, Jonah suppressed a tired sigh.

Hoegerl was alone when Jonah entered his office. This surprised Jonah. He’d expected Lieutenant Stoop to be present. Hoegerl gestured for Jonah to sit.

“Something big is coming down, Jonah.”

Indeed. It was so big, Jonah was having an informal sit-down with his company commander, outside the presence of his platoon commander.

“Is this something new coming down, sir?” Jonah asked. “Or does it have to do with the events surrounding Grizzly’s death?”

“The little intel I’ve garnered tells me it has more to do with his mission. He was on to something valid, and whatever it was, it needs to be seen through to its conclusion.”

“What do you need from me, sir?” Jonah’s stomach soured at the thought of additional paperwork recounting Grizzly’s activities. He regretted he didn’t have more to contribute to the situation, but it wasn’t like anyone beyond Grizzly had thought he needed to be read into the details of the mission.

Hoegerl tossed a few sheets of paper across the desk toward Jonah. “It’s necessary to backfill the holes left by Trujillo’s and Renz’s deaths, as well as Martinez’s injury.”

“I agree, sir,” he said, reluctantly picking up the sheets of paper.

“I’ve been ordered to have you select replacements from this roster of First Recon’s Marines who are within a half-day’s drive of our firm base. You are to pick those you know to be above reproach.”

It was an extremely odd request and Jonah’s eyes shot up to meet Hoegerl’s. The captain’s face gave nothing away. Looking back down at the list, Jonah focused. He skimmed it, picking out names he’d served with previously and knew fit the bill. Herndon and Crowden. He said them out loud to Hoegerl.