Mario watched helplessly as the incoming Afghan helicopters maneuvered in sequence around the building, looking to be orchestrating a way to get their guns in position. He should’ve done something. Anything. But they were outnumbered and surrounded. In terms of options, there were none. Kim had been right when she warned that this might be their Alamo.
Looking over at the others, Mario saw that Billy and the Kiowas had stopped firing down on the enemy and were watching in amazement as the hulking MI-17 helicopter went stationary about half a football field away. Simultaneously, the light-attack Little Birds dove in from the sky, formed a line, and circled around back.
Mario covered his mouth with a keffiyeh scarf as dust floated into the granary and looked down at his vibrating phone. Which he almost didn’t feel given the thundering whomp of the rotors. He hit talk and brought the phone to his ear, ready to lay into Zemar with a profanity-laced tirade for leaving them to die.
It took a few tries, but when the message from Zemar registered, it all made sense. Get down! Get down! Without even responding, Mario turned to the others, who were still gawking at the display of power like they were spectators at an air show. “Everybody hit the deck!”
As if on cue, one of the Little Birds cut loose with its gun pod on the uniformed soldiers down below. At a rate of fire of 1,100 rounds per minute, its .50-caliber FN M3P acted less like a machine gun and more like a chain saw. At least a dozen Badri 313 fighters, caught flatfooted in the open courtyard, were nearly cut in two.
The ones who saw it coming turned tail and ran but ultimately fared little better. The attack craft, still on the hunt, rotated in pursuit and opened up its barrels. A few wounded stragglers dragged themselves to cover, but there was no sympathy from the Little Birds, which kept unleashing hell. Chopper one banked right and climbed, while the next in line opened fire.
Mario knew he should have ducked and hid behind the wall, but he was too enthralled to move. What was left of the Taliban’s best of the best dove back into their Humvees for cover, while others tried in vain to drive away. But the Little Bird simply shifted aim. And by the time its guns were empty, there was nothing left of the vehicles but smoking debris.
The third chopper in line hovered for a moment, floated over the wreckage, and then looped around the building. There were a couple more bursts of gunfire, presumably to finish off any stragglers who were trying to flee on foot. Then all that was left was the trailing-off sound of rotors in the distance, as it joined the rest of the Little Birds and flew away.
Mario knelt beside Kim and put his hand on her shoulder. “It’s over.” He was just about to inform Billy as well, but he and his team were already up and headed for the stairs.
Kim got to a sitting position and immediately searched for Faraz. After finding him only a few feet away, she turned back to Mario. “Zemar came through for us, huh?”
All Mario could do was shake his head and laugh. “How many times have we seen it over here? Allegiances change in the blink of an eye.”
“Too many to count.” Kim glanced back at the sound of the thundering whump of the Mi-17 and saw it flying toward them. “Now, let’s get the hell outta here before they change again.”
Despite the urgency, Kim made it down the stairs slower than the others. It was out of fear, but also out of deference for Billy’s men who’d want to get to the Taliban fighters first. A couple of shots rang out which were no doubt executions, then a few screams from those who weren’t fortunate enough to get a bullet to the head. She turned back at the sound of footsteps.
Faraz rounded the corner and waved her to come. “You’ve got to see something. This way.”
Following his lead, Kim took off in a sprint and followed him to the front of the granary. As expected, there wasn’t much left of the Badri 313 fighters but a bloody mess. Severed limbs and headless bodies were scattered across the grounds of the complex. Their burning vehicles were nothing but twisted metal, spewing black smoke high into the air.
Kim looked at Faraz, who had stopped amid the carnage. “This what you wanted me to see?”
“No.” He pointed beyond the smoldering wreckage of Humvees. “I’m talking about that.”
About fifty yards out in a wheat field sat the massive Mi-17 helicopter.
Mario jogged up, holding his satellite phone. “Zemar said this guy is a friend. Will get us to the Tajik border. He’s waiting there for us in the Black Hawk. We’re good to go.”
Kim glanced around at all the carnage. “How are they going to explain what happened here?”
“Air support is reporting back to Kabul that they engaged us, but we got away.” Mario looked around at all the dead bodies also. “Clearly these guys don’t have a chance to tell their bosses what really happened.” He turned back to Kim and chuckled. “Afghanistan, right?”
Kim wanted to cry but held it together. “I’m sure there’s a much more elaborate explanation but that can wait.” She turned to Faraz. “Can you bring Bayat’s body? We need to move.”
Faraz gave a quick nod, sprinted over to the building, and disappeared inside.
Kim looked back at Mario. “How many can we take with us?”
“We’ve got room for everyone, but we don’t have approval to bring anyone into the country but you, Faraz, and Bayat. Once we got the Kiowas across the border, there’s a good chance that they’d be sent right back here.”
“Nobody’s getting sent back, Mario. And since when do you care about approval? I’ll call Conner once we get to Tajikistan and explain the situation. He’ll make it happen.”
“But it’s not just that.” Mario turned around and looked at Billy and his men, who were turning over bodies, and dragging others from the Humvees and stacking them in rows. “Look at them, Kim. These guys aren’t just off the grid. They’ve gone completely feral. I’m pretty sure Billy would’ve killed me when I got here if I hadn’t offered him a bribe.”
Kim shot him a skeptical glare. “What did you promise him?”
“He wanted revenge against the Taliban. So, I told him I’d help him get it.” Before Mario said the rest, he winced, clearly bracing for impact. “Names and addresses of high-ranking officers. Whoever they held responsible for what happened to their families.”
Kim let out a huff. “So, you sanctioned an assassination squad. Not in support of any U.S. strategic interests or security concerns. Just for good old-fashioned vengeance.” She could tell he was searching his mind for a way to make it sound better. “And don’t lie to me.”
“Yeah.” Mario shrugged. “That pretty much sums it up.”
Kim shook her head. “Okay, well we’ve got to give them something. But we can figure it all out later.” She turned and locked eyes with Mario. “This can go no further than us. Got it?”
Providing unapproved intelligence support was a pretty big no-no. If anyone found out, it would cost them their careers, and more than likely their freedom. But her outrage went only so far. Without the arrangement, she and Faraz would be dead. She owed the Kiowas their lives.
“You got it.” Mario gave her a solemn nod in return. “This stays between us.”
“You really think they want to stay here? Just for revenge?”
“Billy said that’s what they wanted.”
“But they could have a new life,” Kim argued. “A fresh start in America.”
“Start over and do what?” Mario pointed at Billy. “Think that guy wants to trade in his rifle for a mop? Can you see him flipping burgers? Taking orders from some pimple-faced kid? He’s a warrior, Kim. They all are. They want to die with honor and I can respect that.”
Kim turned to the Kiowas and studied them for a moment, then looked back at Mario. “Go help Faraz get Bayat to the helo and tell the pilot to fire her up. We’ll be right behind you.”
Mario cocked an eyebrow. “Who do you mean by we?”
“All of us.” A slow smile crept up her face. “This time, no one gets left behind.”