'Right,' Dawkins said. 'And it also means that another group of these ragheads is coming behind these crazy sons of bitches. And they'll be one of their better fighting outfits.'
James Bradley happily pointed to the corpses. 'They have canteens!'
'One man from each fire team get over there and gather up as many as you can,' Brannigan shouted. 'Make it snappy. We've got to get ready for some more visitors.'
Dave Leibowitz, Chad Murchison, Joe Miskoski and Bruno Puglisi rushed out to collect the water containers. As Joe went from corpse to corpse, he came across a particularly bloody one. The man, his dead face locked into a fierce scowl with the mouth opened in a silent scream of fury, appeared to have been hit at least a half dozen times. A pearl-handled Beretta automatic was still grasped in his hand.
Joe grinned. The pistol would make a nice souvenir.
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THE MUJAHIDEEN
1630 HOURS LOCAL
THE two Mi-24 helicopters came in and landed. Major Karim Malari and his radio operator jumped from the first, then turned to watch other mujahideen quickly disembark. The choppers immediately took off to pick up more fighters.
Malari took the handset from the radio and raised Warlord Khamami back at his CP. 'Amir, Durtami and his men have made their attack. It did not take long, but from the sound of firing, the infidels expended many bullets to stop them.'
'Very well,' Khamami came back. The tone of his voice revealed his exultation. 'Order Tanizai to move forward. Make sure he has troops up on the high ground as well as in the valley. The enemy will be forced to flee across open country by morning.'
'I have already issued the order:' Malari said. 'The helicopters continue to bring us more troops. Within an hour there will be more than four hundred men in our two units. The unbelievers will be caught between us. Even now they are unable to break out.' He handed the handset back to the RTO, and looked over at his sub- commanders. 'Get your men formed up! As soon as the next lift arrives, we shall be ready to move out and destroy the Infidels once and forever.'
.
THE SEALS
31 AUGUST
0100 HOURS LOCAL
THE problem of thirst was solved at least temporarily. That was the good news. The bad news was that by the time a shortage of water became a problem again, there was a strong chance that none of the platoon would be alive to be aware of it. Brannigan had pulled the Brigands back to an area where the slopes on both sides of the valley were not so steep. First Squad took one side while Second Squad took the other. They had situated themselves as best they could without digging fighting positions, using the brush and top of the valley for cover. When everyone had settled down, the Skipper sent Mike Assad and Dave Leibowitz out to do a reconnaissance.
.
0230 HOURS LOCAL
THE Odd Couple eased themselves off the high ground onto the slope of the valley. They moved slowly down the firm terrain, making a slow descent. Although they were no longer thirsty, each was nearing the end of his physical endurance. They walked through the OP manned by Senior Chief Buford Dawkins and Chad Murchison. Dawkins stood up as they approached. He spat, reaching for the liberated canteen to treat himself to a drink. 'Y'all bringing good news?'
'Not hardly, Senior Chief,' Dave Leibowitz replied as he and Mike walked past. 'To put it politely: we're in deep yogurt.'
Dawkins watched them walk way, and took a swallow of the water. It was tepid, but delicious after the long dry days. The only thing that could improve it would be some Jack Daniel's for flavoring.
The Odd Couple continued down to the valley floor, crossed it, then went up to the spot where Lieutenant Bill Brannigan's CP had been set up. It was no more than a patch of open area between a couple of thick stands of thorn bushes. Brannigan's greeting was only a tired nod as the two scouts settled down beside hini.
Mike Assad shrugged almost apologetically. 'Sir, we're ringed in tight here. They got us heavily outnumbered on all sides.'
'Yes, sir,' Dave agreed. 'We couldn't make an exact count o' course, but I'd be willing to say they got us at about twenty or thirty to one.'
'The ragheads have at least a battalion out there,' Mike added.
Brannigan was silent for a moment before he spoke. 'Okay, guys. Take a break. Try to get some sleep.'
He watched the Odd Couple move off into the darkness, then turned his thoughts to the situation at hand: (1) There was no way in hell they would be able to fight their way through the enemy. Even if they broke through on one side, the mujahideen could quickly rally other fighters on their perimeter to go after them. (2) No doubt the enemy had brought along their mortars, and that meant they could leisurely bombard the platoon to pieces if an attempt was made to set up defense positions. (3) The SEALs were low on ammo after expending so much to kill the loonies who had made the suicide charge against them. (4) Surrendering would be as sure death as would be fighting to the end. The only alternative was to go through the open country in a wild attempt to break through. Chances of that succeeding were slim to none.
Brannigan reached in his vest and pulled out an energy bar. He bit into it and chewed slowly. He really regretted that he and Lisa had parted while angry with each other. It all seemed so trivial now in the light of what tomorrow would bring. He wished he could leave a note or some sort of last words to let her know he died thinking of her and loving her now more than he ever did.
Brannigan folded the wrapper over the remnants of the energy bar and shoved it back into his pocket. He touched the throat mike of the LASH headset and spoke in a whisper. 'Two-I-C and chiefs report to me at the CP.'
Chapter 19
THE WADI KHESTA VALLEY
31 AUGUST
0300 HOURS LOCAL
ALTHOUGH Brannigan's Brigands were a platoon in U. S. Navy terminology, the organizational charts of the U. S. Army and U. S. Marine Corps would have identified the group as a section or a reinforced squad. A normal platoon consists of forty-plus individuals broken down into four squads led by a platoon leader who is assisted by a platoon sergeant and four sergeants as squad leaders. Thus, when the Brigands moved out that morning to ascend the slopes of the valley and begin their escape attempt across the flatlands, the combat formation they assumed was called a squad diamond in military parlance.
The name of the configuration, used when all-around security is needed, signifies a point on all four sides. In the case of the Brigands, the front was led as usual by the Odd Couple Mike Assad and Dave Leibowitz, while the rear was brought up by Bruno Puglisi. Chad Murchison was on the left flank and Joe Miskoski manned the right. Lieutenant Wild Bill Brannigan stayed in the center for command and control, while the other eight SEALs filled in between the points to balance out the firepower.
Now properly aligned, they moved through the darkness aided by their night vision goggles, taking slow, deliberate steps in an effort to maintain noise discipline. The morale of the platoon had sunk so low that a sort of emotional numbness dominated the collective mood of the men. The mission, originally laid on as a Simple link-up, had gone completely to hell, to the point that they now faced imminent death. Military life consisted of many upsets and setbacks, but this particular mission was so far down the tubes nobody could spot even the dimmest of lights at the end of the tunnel.
Things had reached such a state of hopelessness that the SEALs drank liberally from the canteens they had recovered from the dead mujahideen the day before. No one said it aloud, but all knew that there was no reason to conserve water when they would more than likely not be alive to see the noonday sun overhead.
Suddenly muzzle flashes blinked rapidly from the left flank and were immediately followed by the sound of
