Stay Frosty

"Kelly," he said. "Push security out and form a barrier around the girl. Disperse at about fifteen meters."

I responded quickly. "Staff Sergeant. With the village at our six and the hardball to our twelve, we're fucking sitting out here with our dicks in the wind, Staff Sergeant."

"That's true, but until we secure this girl, our dicks will have to wiggle, Kelly. That's the facts of combat." He stared at the corpses. "Alright, you know what?" he said. "Take Red and check for weapons." He turned back to Doc. "Doc... Doc."

He waited for a response. All movement seemed to stop, all eyes fixed on Doc.

"I'm busy, Theo," Doc snapped back as he continued to take her vitals.

"I understand that, but priorities first. We need to secure the perimeter. Do you need Chief?"

Doc took the stethoscope from his ears, draping them around his neck. He palpated her forehead with one hand on top of the other.

"He's in line, for Christ's sake. What do you want me to do?" Tension filled Doc's voice, as did the anger.

"Doc, I need him to post security—Doc? Okay? You've got to stay frosty, Doc," said Theo.

"Fine. Just let me do what I need to do."

Theo started to speak but bit his tongue, knowing how passionate Doc could be. "Have Chief cover our three. I'll watch our nine." He said to me. "Let's pray that these assholes were armed."

With the tension at a lull, we moved into security.

"Red, you heard the man. We're on the move, oscar mike," I said as we branched out. Every Taliban body we walked by we shook with a firm kick and lifted with our boots. The wind caught their turbans, shemaghs, and patos, bending them like sails.

The shifting breeze brought a rotten smell from the village, adding to the stench of the kill. Again, no sewers or sanitation, just the awful odor of waste, urine, and God knows what else.

"I got one, Staff Sergeant," said Red as he leaned down to take an AK-47 with a collapsed stock from the neck of one of the Taliban.

"Got one here too, Theo," I said as I saw the muzzle sticking out from underneath one of the bodies.

"Stay there, Kelly," Theo said, walking toward Red. "Red, gimme." He took the rifle, pointed it towards the woods from where we came and fired. He slowly turned, covering a five to ten-meter semi-circle, the casings falling around where Red had found the body and rifle. He completely emptied the magazine and threw the AK at the dead T-Man's hand.

Walking over to me, he did the same thing, this time only firing four bursts, dropping the rifle near another corpse's head. We found two more armed and did the same thing, firing one or two bursts each.

"Alright, take up a sector, our six—near the village."

"Roger that, Staff Sergeant," I said. He'd left evidence. Brilliant!

I passed the women as I moved towards the village. They were still kneeling, each curled into a ball, trembling and whimpering. I could only assume that the sounds of the AKs were traumatizing. These people knew what that sound meant— death and punishment. I didn't want to look at them, even hear them. I had heard enough crying for one day.

Five village men finally came out, deciding it was time to check on their womenfolk. I couldn't help but spit at them. I raised my rifle, waiting to gun them down. They sickened me just as much as the Taliban—and for a good reason. Where were they when the girl was being stoned? As the women cried and mourned? Were they going to get involved or let the Taliban kill everyone? They were cowards, sheep. Why did we have to do the job they could do themselves? I wanted to shoot them out of spite to make a point.

"Kelly, Chief, snatch 'em! Make sure they're friendly," shouted Theo.

"Get the hell down!" I yelled. "On your knees!"

When I waved my rifle and advanced toward them, they complied and raised their hands skyward, yelling. They were angry and began to flail their fists over their heads. They prattled on, obviously offering explanations and outrage at what had been done to the girl. However, I didn't want to take a chance if they weren't friendlies.

To hell with the ROE. I'm not dying in this shit-hole.

Theo yelled at me from behind. "Keep 'em the hell away from here, Kelly. If they're armed, light 'em the fuck up."

"No Taliban, no Taliban," one said. It caught my attention. Even though I understood the words, it was near impossible for me to communicate. We could, however, tell that they weren't armed with rifles or chest rigs.

I felt rushed, unprepared, and frustrated with the operation's tempo for the first time. How could we have been sent forward with no interpreter? How could we have been ordered off from protecting that girl, and what would happen to us now? And it was all because these guys were cowards.

Red and Chief took my lead, becoming very aggressive in their posture, sites at eye level, and closing distance with a fast-paced glide. Doc and Viking tended to the girl while Theo stood as our observer.

"Shut the hell up!" I said. My frustrations were boiling over.

Chief pointed the barrel at the head of one of the villagers while Red began a tirade about his hatred for them.

I called out to Theo, who was about five yards away. "I don't understand a goddamn thing they're saying!" I found all the noise, the wailing, the shouting, and Red's tirade distracting. "All I know is they're not armed, and they're saying they're not hostiles!"

"Treat 'em like EPWs for now 'til we know who they are." His attention switched from Doc and the girl to the men I held at rifle point. "Bring me one," he said.

I waved to the one who communicated with me, but he hesitated.

"Come on," I said. Fatigue was creeping in. I was worn out and scared. Then, feeling like I needed to break the tension, I signaled the man to stop. I decided to have some fun with Red.

"Chief, you stay with the rest. Red, get my six— and Don't treat 'em like cheesecake," I said and smiled.

"Yeah, that's real funny, Corporal," he replied. Once at the dining facility, someone touched his cheesecake, and he went ballistic. He sent it flying across the room, challenging the guy to a fight. After two fifteen-minute sessions of intensive training punishment, he told Theo that he saw red, which was why he threw his cheesecake. He was our SAW gunner, so the name stuck.

"Goddamn, son, don't touch my cheesecake. I'll shoot you in the face! Hey, hey!" said Viking from the pit, laughing at Red's expense. I knew Viking wouldn't let this go.

"My girl loves Cheesecake," I said. I smiled and escorted the villager to Theo.

"Hell yes, Kelly, rah Brother!" said Viking excitedly. He put his fist out to fist-bump me. However, since we were about ten meters apart, we air-bumped instead. Viking sang the lyrics about gobbling turkeys and his favorite dessert.

"Cheesecake," I exclaimed.

"Knock it off," said Theo. "Watch your freaking sectors and cut the shit!" He wasn't happy.

I stood there with the villager as Doc began his secondary assessment, scribbling everything down. Then, smacking Viking on the helmet, Doc got his attention from Cheesecake to communications on the net with Blackhawk Actual.

All of us knew there would be trouble.

"Requesting casevac, pediatric priority—Shock trauma surgeon," said Doc, and Viking relayed the information word for word. "She's presenting with a basal skull fracture and massive head trauma. Tachycardic at one sixty, shallow respiration, forty to fifty over palp." Doc looked at Viking, shaking his head. "She's not going to freaking make it. We need to get her the hell out of here, now!"

Viking continued on the coms.

"Lost Boy Six-One to Lost Boy Actual, requesting priority casevac for a pediatric emergency. How Copy?"

There was a momentary delay in response from command before Viking handed the handset to Theo. "Theo, Blackhawk Actual's on the com—he wants you."

When Viking reported that The Battalion Commander was on the radio, my stomach turned: that's the fear that haunts me.

The next thirty seconds were full of Aye, ayes, and Yes sirs. Theo's voice became more aggravated with each passing pleasantry. Finally, after a moment of pause, Theo ended the broadcast. "Affirm on all."

Handing the handset back to Viking, he shook his head and sighed.

"Blackhawk's denied casevac for the child. Our company's been moved back. They're taking accurate mortar fire—so —we're on our own."