War Spirit - Lead Leopard

#11 - Valley of Loss

CHAPTER 11
Korengal Valley

7th July, 2018

Along the ride, it had just occured to Rocky that Zidar was left behind at COP Romeo. The chaos had caused him to forget everything, as he and Chevy fought to stay alive. His best friend, his brother in arms, was most likely dead by now.

Damn it, Zidar... if only I could've saved you. If there's anyone I didn't want to lose in all of this... it was you.

Rocky and Zidar had been best friends since high school, with the common goal and desire to join the army, to fight for their country, to fight for something they deemed greater than themselves. As he sat in the BTR-70's gunner seat, he was unable to come to terms with the fact that Leon Zidarich, his best friend, his brother in arms, was truly gone.

Just like that... just like that he's gone. With him dead, a part of myself is... dead too.

Rocky forced his palms into his eyes, hiding the tears that had begun to well up, pushing the emotions deep down, away from the surface from being felt. Chevy glanced at him from the passenger seat, noticing Rocky's turmoil. He understood the pain he felt, but remained silent. No words would be able to console him, this was a pain only fixable by time. Rocky turned around to face the front of the BTR-70, hiding his face from the squad.

Maybe I should've stayed in COP Romeo. Even if I died, I wouldn't have to live with Zidar being gone...
No! What am I thinking? If our roles were reversed, I would have told him to run and never look back...

The remote village was only a hundred meters away on the left of the road. The village, a cluster of a dozen small huts was situated on a slightly inclined hill, facing opposite a rock wall. The road continued West, before turning right, out of sight behind the rock wall. Dante pulled over on the side of the road at the outskirt of the village, speaking into his radio piece.

"This is Honeymoon checking in. We've arrived at the village, awaiting extraction... over." He informed,

"Roger that, Honeymoon. A bird is already en-route. Hold your position at that village. Out." They replied. Dante looked behind from the driver's seat to Rocky in the turret cage, who was scanning down the road behind them, using the gun's infrared night vision searchlight.

"Jekai, what do you see out there?" Dante asked him.

"It's clear as far as the eye sees, no movement." Rocky replied.

"Good, here's what we'll do. Me and you, Jekai, we'll stay in the BTR, provide infantry support in the event the Taliban come creeping up our ass again. Clark, I want you to lead the squad into the village. Disembark, find yourselves a defensive position and hold until our bird comes in." Dante ordered.

"Roger, Staff Sarge." Clark climbed out first, with the rest of the squad following closely behind. The squad moved up on foot, with their guns drawn ahead of them. The men used their night vision goggles to guide themselves through the darkness. Just then, a burst of gunshots went off,

"Clark! What the hell was that?" Dante demanded over the radio.

"It's bad news Sarge! Two Taliban combatants, I think they've called in reinforcements!" He exclaimed. Dante rubbed his forehead, letting out a stressful sigh.

"Fuck!" He growled.

Shit... it ain't over yet. Dante thought, before lighting himself a cigarette inside the APC.

Chevy and Clark stood before the two men they had just killed. They had stormed the hut and found two taliban combatants, one unarmed holding a radio, the other wielding an AKM assault rifle. They layed on the ground, groaning in pain as their blood formed into a pool of crimson that seeped the life out of them.