The Forgotten Children (Book 1 of The Forgotten Ones Saga)

Chapter 23 - Nathaniel

Music played as a pair of Humvees drove down a dirt road in what used to be Afghanistan. Everything seemed to be going smoothly while they were on a routine patrol run. The boys inside his truck were relaxed and enjoying the calm ride through the arid landscape.

"Hey Serg, what's the likelihood that we will see some action on this?" Franks asked as he put a stick of gum in his mouth.

"Well, we can pull over and find ya a goat if you want action," Miller answered him as he drove the truck.

Nathaniel smirked at them and shook his head looking out the side window. He noticed they were heading to the stretch they called the blindside because it had cliffs on both sides of the road. "Alright kids, stay frosty, we're heading into no man's land." He grabbed his rifle and checked the clip to make sure it was loaded.

"Yes dad," Franks responded mockingly as he did the same. "Rooks, don't piss yourself this time."

"I didn't Franks, that was Mikey." he responded quickly.

"Don't blame me for your lack of control, Rooks," Mikey responded as he made sure the fifty on top was ready. They drove past the edge of the cliffs and found themselves quickly overtaken by shade. Miller stayed focused on the tight road while everyone kept a lookout above.

Another other Humvee followed closely behind them as they snaked their way through the canyon. Without a notice, an explosion under the forward truck sent it flipping into the air. It landed with a hard crash on its roof. The accompanying truck stopped quickly. Ringing in Nathaniel's ears caused him to shake his head. Everything was upside down as he started to look around. Miller was unconscious, his forehead bleeding from impacting the steering wheel. Franks was checking on Mikey who was holding his arm having ducked back in the truck before impact. Rook was shaking uncontrollably. Nathaniel managed to get his door open and crawled out to the ground. He noticed the crew in the other truck was starting to rush over. He waved them off and pointed to the cliff tops to keep an eye out for danger.

He reached back in, grabbing Miller by the shoulders and dragged him out of the truck. He propped him against the frame and looked him over quickly. The pounding from within finally reached his ears as he saw Franks trying to open his door. Instinctually, Nathaniel grabbed it and ripped it off the hinges and tossed it aside. As the men started to climb out, they could faintly hear the approaching voices. Pebbles clanked as they fell down the sides of the cliffs. It was official, it was an ambush. The men waited impatiently for extra signs of hostility. That was when the first rifle could be seen. Instantly the squad opened fire upon the cliff tops but they were at a disadvantage. The ambushers had the advantage, they were calm and collected, whereas his men were shaken and nervous. They had the high ground and his men were exposed.

This was the moment he had feared, the moment he would have to truly reveal himself to his crew. It was a decision he'd hope he never had to make but there was no choice in the matter. Either his men all die in this kill box or he'd have to do something heroic. His men were distracted and firing at the cliff tops, he reached into the doorframe and yanked out the seat belt. He tied it around the door he threw on the ground then slung it over his back. He turned and faced the cliff nearest him and jumped into the air and grabbed hold of the rock face nearly halfway up. Climbing up the face took him mere seconds before he was at the ledge. He reached out and grabbed the leg of a gunman and hurled him over the edge into the canyon. He pulled himself up only to see three more men turning to face him. Hit punched the chest of the closest man to him, crushing his heart instantly under the force. He started to approach the second attacker who tried to stab him but the blade only broke in half. The gunman looked at it stunned before looking at Nathaniel in confusion. Nathaniel swung the door like a bat, sending the man flying several feet before viciously impacting the ground. Across the gap, he saw an attacker approaching the edge with a rocket launcher, aiming it at his men below. He hurled the door like a frisbee over the canyon at the man. He panicked seeing the object approach him and pulled the launcher up. It fired sending the rocket into the opposite cliff before being hit and broken in half. One gunman left on the side he was on as he turned to look at him. The man screamed something inaudible before unloading the entire magazine of his AK into Nathaniel's chest. The bullets merely bounced off of him as he slowly walked over to the attacker. In a panic, he turned to flee but Nate grabbed him from behind, picked him up into the air, before slamming him down into the ground, breaking his spine.