The mercenary's story

chapter 6- shiny boots in the dust

Me and John shipped out today to our first serving. The last week before I spent with my friends and family giving them my final goodbyes just in case I didn't come home. On the last day before I went, I wandered the streets taking in what it was like to be free before I went to a place where everyone wants to kill me. It was peaceful and quiet and there were people all around. When I returned to my home at dark Katherine was in my bed, she told me I needed a "farewell gift" and we had fun.

I woke up to the sound of a airplane engine starting. John was sitting across from me and he was sleeping. We were in the cargo port of a C-130 transport. We were heading to the middle East. I didn't know what our first mission would be. All I knew was it is going to be hot and not to trust anybody without a us patch on their shoulder.

The other men were quiet. We were all officers I think because these weren't people I trained with back in the ROTC program. I believe we were a new shipment of officers and we would be out into squads. We were all part of the same platoon. The foxtrot-two was our platoon name and we had a patch in the front of our combat gear with a red fox on it. I thought it was really cool.

I smack John in the face as I looked out the viewing port of the C-130 to see that we were landing. "Moment of truth" I said as john stretched awake. "Looks like its time. Shiny boots on the ground. Let's get them dirty quick brother." He said as he got up and hugged and then slapped my butt for some reason.

The plane screeched to a slow halt on the dirt runway. A pilot came into the back port and call for our attention. "Alright there is a base ten clicks to the east where we should have landed. They are currently under fire from insurgents. Your directive is to go through this city and give support to the forces in the base who are taking fire. Keep moving and stick together, talk to no one and if someone stops you, talk care of it by whatever means necessary. Good luck gentleman. Watch your heads and good hunting."

The pilot swung open the door with a loud metal crash. We all jumped out into a line. "Alright listen up, stick together till we get to the base, haul ass in a line stay together constant, call outs let's do this." The largest of the officers said. He looked older than the rest if us. The group took off sprinting to the city. I saw the main roads were crowded with people. Bad. We took side roads and climbed up on the roof tops. I thought I was going to land in a base, get settled in, train, before I even saw combat. Turns out I'm gonna see combat before I even see my commanding officer.

We sprinted through the city and made it to the other side when we heard gunfire from the east. Our radioman picked up a signal. "This is recon base overwatch charlie, we are under fire and in need of support asap, does anybody copy?" The radio spurred. "This is the foxtrot-two scouting officer unit, we read you loud in clear, we are on the way to provide to support. What are we looking at?" The radio went silent for a minute. " there are multiple insurgents assaulting the base, I'm guessing there's over fifty of them. They have small arms and rockets." The radio crackled and the radioman called over the older officer. They talked for a minute while the rest of us stood around.

I looked at my m4 and my gear. I pulled back the bolt to put a bullet in the chamber and arm the magazine. I had nine thirty round magazines on my vest and two pistol magazines. I checked all my gear to make sure I was ready for a fight. " alright men listen up, there are a crap ton of buggers attacking the base we are stationed at, we are going to split the unit for a support and ambush. Shawn, john, Steve, rob you will go in from the east and provide covering fire while drawing the enemies fire, watch your heads boys. I and the rest of the unit will circle around the base picking off stragglers and loop around to ambush the enemy. Any questions?" Everyone was silent. The plan was a go. The unit split up. Me, john, and the other two guys, Steve and rob ran east to a hill where over it we could see tracer rounds flying in the open space. I pointed out a route with brush we.could take to get to cover and fire. We all agreed on my plan. I went first I took off fast for the rocks. I made it and waited for the rest. When we all.made it across we leaked over the rocks.to see insurgents shooting into the base. There were a small amount of troops in the base.

John nodes to me, I swung my rifle over the rocks and began to fire. The first magazine I shot with fully automatic, spraying bullets everywhere just trying to draw fire, which get people to shoot at me by firing my gun. I ducked downt o reload while the other men sprang up popping rounds off. I jumped up and took accurate shots. I saw bodies drop and I heard screaming. I lined my sites up on a insurgent. He looked at me... I pulled the trigger. The war had just begun.