Brothers in Arms by Kendall McKenna Read Free Book Online Page B

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