Page 46 of Tango

Brown looked over at me, his mouth gaped as he mouthed something.

“What?”

“Get up.” His eyes were black.

“Why?” I scanned the horizon, but everything was fuzzy.

“Get up, Ty!” He used my first name, and that caught my attention, then he bent at the waist and screamed inches from my face. “Open your eyes!”

I jerked back to the living and struggled to open my eyes. Sounds came in and out as my head pounded and throbbed with my effort to wake from the dead.

“Get up, Captain!” Brown’s voice echoed in my head again. With all my will, I felt something wash over me and I opened my eyes wide toward the sky.

Shit!

I grabbed my weapon on my hip when I heard a noise and focused in on the barrel of a gun that was pointed at me.

Slowly, my head kicked in and I saw the green tape on the handle. I released my grip on the weapon and lowered it. The man nodded as Ahmad moved into view.

“Oh, the American is awake.” He smiled at me. “Lucky I come back. You would soon be swarmed once the rats let them know.” He offered me a hand, and I stood on shaky legs. “Good thing I brought friends, but the brother never came back.” He examined the back of my head. “Good thing it’s from a shovel and not a bullet.”

“Thanks,” I somehow muttered as my stomach rolled. I took in the men around me; they were scattered about like a child’s toys in a room. I shook my head as something gnawed at my memory. “How long was I out?”

“Couple hours.” He shrugged. “We must move soon. Whoever hit you will bring Taliban.” He gave orders to his friends, and they laid out a tarp near Brown’s body. “Drink.” Ahmad urged water into my hand. “Friends are here to help. Take a minute to rest.” I was thankful for his kindness, but all I could imagine was the chopper leaving without me and Brown. I dropped my head and spit at the taste of sand on my tongue. I fished out some painkillers and swallowed them back. That was when I noticed my watch and remembered what Frank told me. I pulled out the tiny pin and activated the tracker. If anything, they’d at least know I was alive.

“See, all pretty. Like a gift.” Ahmad’s smile grew wide as he pointed to Brown, who was now wrapped neatly in the black tarp and tied with rope. “Sad, yes, but now you and your friend can go home, and we can get paid.” I nodded, happy I could take Brown back where he belonged. At least that was something.

“Thanks.” I gave a friendly nod to the others as they put Brown’s body in the back of the truck then put a fist to my heart to thank them.

“Come, I’ll drive you out of town.” Ahmad hopped in the truck.

Neither of us spoke as we skirted the town. I stayed silent not because my head felt like it had been cracked in two, but because I knew I was officially finished with this country. I wouldn’t return here again, and for once I was all right with that.

“Dress quickly.” Ahmad slowed the truck as he handed me some clothes. “We got trouble.” He nodded at a roadblock not far ahead. I blinked back my thoughts and was pissed I wasn’t more aware of what was happening around me.

“Let me talk. Act sick. Let’s hope the rats up the hill didn’t let them know you were here in town yet. If they do know, you better be prepared.” He nodded at my weapon, and I hid it under the cloth. Leaning my head against the door, I focused on the pain from my head and let that show through.

“Look at this asshole, thinks he’s big shit because he has a weapon as long as his leg.” Ahmad snickered quietly as we rolled on toward the roadblock. “I bet it’s the only thing that’s big on him. Good day.” He switched gears when the man approached the window.

“Where you going and why?” he barked in Dari, and Ahmad prattled off the information. “Who’s that?”

“Very sick friend.”

“Show me his face.” One of the men moved to my window, and I started to cough and acted like I was about to vomit. It wasn’t particularly hard, given that I fought back nausea as it was.

“I wouldn’t do that,” Ahmad warned. “You see that in the back? That dead man carries a disease that makes parts of your body shrivel up and fall off. He’s already lost his.” He pointed at me and gagged, and I had to cover my face to hide my grin. “Now it’s spreading up his stomach. He’ll die soon.”

Fuck it.

I let my stomach turn, pulled the cloth down from my mouth and projectile vomited all over the man next to my window. He jumped back, cursing and yelling. He started to rip off his shirt in fear while I quickly covered my face again.

“Get out of here!” The man hit the car, and Ahmad took off.

“Oh, my friend!” He cheered me on once we were well away from them. “That was something.” I had to laugh at his enthusiasm even as pain shot through my head as I tugged off the bile smelling clothes and tossed them out the window. “I appreciate that you aimed your mouth at him and not me.”

“It was the least I could do.” I pinched the bridge of my nose and tried to clear my head, “Ahmad, do you have a phone?”

“Box.” He pointed to the glove box, and I found an old Motorola phone. I noted it was charged partway. I used a secure number, and when the operator answered I gave her my ID and password.

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