Page 34 of Evening Shadows

After trudging through that thicket of the jungle, they broke through to a small trail and based on the overgrowth, it didn’t look regularly used. It took them southwest versus west alone, but using it could allow fast movement to escape anyone on their tail. They could turn back west when the best time warranted. He hated the team hadn’t recon’d it.

Knowing what Ken meant by his statement, Franks spouted, “Foxtrot Uniform.”

Ken wanted to laugh at how Franks had gotten around flat-out profanity. The younger, blond man might have it right. With the bursts of gunfire in the area, he felt that “fucked up” might be appropriate.

“We’re moving to Point Alpha.” If they couldn’t make that extraction point, then they’d have to go to Point Bravo and wait until someone came to extract them later.

“Copy,” Franks responded.

As they raced along the trail, the expanse between him and Sam grew further with each moment. His limp slowed him down.

Voices tossing out words in Spanish that he didn’t understand—and figured Sam didn’t either—breathed out through the jungle to the east. More than likely, that meant they’d found their friends and knew at least one person was on the run.

He had to get Sam to keep going no matter what. Damned if she didn’t turn around and run behind him to check his six. He’d been wrong about getting her to quit HIS. She rocked in her warrior-woman mode. It made him love her all the more.

Realizing the men were closer than first thought, he whispered, “Blend into the jungle. If I get caught, you run and save yourself.”

“What? No.”

How could she really think he wanted her as a captive or dead? He ground his teeth. He hated pulling the boss card, but dammit, he’d do it without fail if it saved her life. “Follow my damn orders.”

Without a retort, she blended into the foliage. He followed her before they fanned out to put some distance between them in case they were discovered.

The men, or new ones, were too close. It became obvious they were on his tail, and no matter what happened, he thanked God they weren’t on Sam’s. He’d endure anything to keep her safe.

About the same time he heard the shot, a searing pain to the back of his leg wracked him, and he crumpled to the ground doing the last thing a soldier should, he allowed his weapon out of his grasp. Before he could move, Sam appeared and used her boot to slide his rifle to him. Lightning fast, she ripped the scarf she wore around her neck to keep critters from crawling down her shirt and swiftly wrapped a makeshift tourniquet on his leg. Without a moment to chastise her for disobeying him, she rose to one knee, faced behind him, her rifle pointing toward their threat. “Use my shoulder to get up,” she offered.

He didn’t want to need the help, especially from the one he promised to protect, but he had to use her or he’d be found. Taking a deep breath against the pain, he moved to get to his knees and fell, cursing at his failure. No way would he give up. The second time he tried, he gritted his teeth against the blinding shot of agony, then reached to Sam’s shoulder to help him stand.

Three shots erupted from Sam’s rifle. With her precision, she had no need for automatic.

Not a newbie to the type of pain that burned in his thigh, he thought Jesse might’ve made the wrong choice keeping him on the payroll after all. He hadn’t fully recovered from being shot in the hip. They should just shoot him in the calf and foot and call it done.

Somehow, leaning heavily on Sam, he got to his feet. She slung her piece over her shoulder and took his rifle since he couldn’t hold it with one arm slung over the same shoulder. Not at all arguing, he pulled his SIG, and they took off toward the west as best as they could. While one person could slip through the jungle with little noise, the movement of the trees gave their path away.

In the same situation he found himself in, any man would appreciate the help from a teammate but would push the teammate to save themselves so they could help mount a rescue or recovery—although he tried not to think about the last option. “Sam, go. I’ll be right behind you.”

“We’ve a situation here,” she said and still tugged him along.

“Go ahead,” Franks responded, albeit a bit breathless. Ken hadn’t even been listening to what happened in the compound.

Ken broke in, “Have you got the package?”

“Roger.”

Before anyone else could speak, Sam piped back in, “Boss is shot, and we have tangos on our six.”

“Don’t you dare turn back,” Ken commanded like the team actually needed to hear it. “Your job is to get the package safe. If we’re not at Point Alpha in time, we’ll be at Point Bravo as scheduled.”

Although he wanted to climb all over Sam for asking for help, he held back. One reason was that he wasn’t sure she really asked, but with the open mics, there were some things that didn’t need to be aired.

After he stumbled for the second time, Sam said, almost like she finally accepted their dire straits, “We’re not going to make it to Alpha in time.”

Releasing a heavy sigh, he agreed, “No.”

The airwaves held only silence for the second time during the op. All chatter had ceased. If he were Franks, he’d struggle with how to save the boy and rescue members of the team. This would be the first time Franks faced this situation, but thankfully Jesse could mentor and take over if needed.

“Doc, you’re Shaggy,” Franks directed the man to observe and play decoy if needed.

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