Chapter 19: The Lower Valley

The descent into the lower valley was a tactical nightmare. The vegetation was thick, providing a thousand hiding spots for an ambush. I walked behind James, my radio keyed to the command net.

"Lion 6, this is 3-6," Thorne’s voice crackled in my ear. "I’ve got eyes on the compound. Three armed guards. No sign of the HVT yet."

"Copy, 3-6," James responded. "Maintain overwatch. We’re moving into the breach."

We moved like shadows. I watched James’s back, my mind flashing to the way his hand had felt on my jaw. I had to be the RTO. I had to be the medic. I couldn't be the girl who wanted to touch his hand.

We were fifty meters from the compound when the first shot rang out. It wasn't from the compound; it was from the ridge above us.

"Ambush!" Jax screamed.

The world turned into a chaos of green tracers and red dust. I dove behind a fallen log, my radio antenna catching on a branch. I ripped it free, ignoring the scrape on my arm.

"Lion 6, I’m calling in air support!" I shouted.

"Hold!" James yelled, pinned down behind a rock. "We have civilians in the compound! No air! We do this the hard way!"

I saw Stitch go down. He wasn't hit, but he’d tripped into a ditch and was pinned by heavy fire. Thorne was on the other side, unable to reach him.

"I’m going!" I yelled.

I didn't wait for James to say no. I bailed from my cover, my medic bag thumping against my hip. I ran through the crossfire, the bullets snapping like whips around my head. I dove into the ditch with Stitch, pulling him down just as a round shattered the rock where his head had been.

"You okay, Moreno?" I panted.

"Yeah," he gasped, his eyes wide. "Ghost, you're crazy."

"Shut up and keep firing," I said, grabbing my rifle.