Tempted by Elise Marion Read Free Book Online Page B

damage…yet.
    “ Get that cocksucker!” Lieutenant Rawls bellowed as he raised his rifle toward the hiding coward. From where he crouched behind the fourth truck he fired shots in the direction of the boulder, hoping to draw him out. After a few shots, Rawls managed to put a bullet in the Iraqi’s chest, but not before he’d let another mortar fly.
    Jackson watched in open-mouthed horror as the mortar sailed straight toward the second truck. “Mortar!” he shouted, a warning to the guys crouched down behind the Humvee. Every man leaped for cover; all except for Corporal Davis, who had been taking a shot of his own. Seconds later, he was no more than pink mist and shattered body parts.
    “ God damn you, you raghead sons of bitches!” Lieutenant Rawls screamed as his wide eyes took in all that was left of Davis. Jackson felt bile rising up in the back of his throat as his eyes locked with another Corporal, named Jones, as he faintly heard the sound of chopper blades. The nine line medevac was in the area, but would not land until it was clear for them to do so. Jackson still counted about ten or more Iraqis lining the ridge.
    “ Jones,” he said to the Corporal who had dove from behind the second Humvee and landed next to him. “I need you to help me get Scott, Richards, and Reed out of here.”
    “ Roger Sergeant,” he replied with a nod. He allowed his rifle to dangle from the sling across his body and the two of them knelt by the driver’s side door of the Humvee.
    “ Scott first,” Jackson decided. “I think he might be really hurt. Maybe if we get him out we can get him to Doc.”
    Doc, the medic, was several yards away, ducked down behind the fourth Humveee with Lieutenant Rawls and two others. It would be a long haul, and Scott was a big man. Jackson ignored the pounding in his head and allowed the adrenaline in his veins to take over.
    “ We can do this,” he said as he swung open the door to the Humvee. “We need cover fire over here,” he yelled to the four guys huddled behind the fourth truck.
    “ Smith, Thompson, get your asses over there!” Lieutenant Rawls commanded as he made to climb up onto the fourth truck and into the turret that housed the biggest weapon in their arsenal, the .50 caliber machine gun. The two soldiers jumped to obey the Lieutenant’s command, making their way quickly but carefully over to the first truck where Jackson and Jones were already busy cutting Scott loose from his seatbelt.
    “ Get me the hell out of here Sergeant!” Reedley cried as his eyes connected with Jackson’s over the front seat. Jackson could see that Reedley had managed to find his seatbelt cutter after all. The boy had been so scared, he’d dropped the tool to the roof of the Humvee.
    “ Just a few more minutes Reed,” Jackson promised
    “ Yeah, given ‘em hell Ma Deuce!” Lieutenant Rawls yelled, calling the machine gun by its nickname. “Show those bastards what you can do.”
    Up on the ridge, chunks of rock and stone turned to dust as the .50 caliber rounds pulverized them. The Iraqis scrambled for cover, unable to do more than cower when faced with the .50 cal. The staccato sound of the machine gun echoed through the empty desert.
    Once Scott was free, Jackson grasped his upper body and Jones held his legs. Smith and Thompson ran alongside them, offering cover fire as they barreled toward the fourth Humvee, where Doc was waiting for them. Lieutenant Rawls was laughing and screaming curses at the Iraqis as he let the machine gun loose.
    They deposited Scott with the medic before sprinting back toward the Humvee. Jackson came to a sliding stop like a batter coming in to home plate. He jerked open the door of the Humvee and stared into Reedley’s wide eyes just as he heard the scream of an RPG round shooting through the air…
     
     
     
     
    Tears rolled down Sarah’s cheeks, her stomach churning violently at the images Leliel had showed her. It was no wonder Jackson had darkness