Jacqueline Druga - Then Came War

He had both feet on the brakes and fought the steering wheel as they careened wildly down the embankment. But despite his efforts, the bed of the truck slammed into a tree.

“You okay?” Rick asked.

Ben nodded and opened the truck door. He assessed the damage to the truck. It was still drivable, but just getting out of there would be tight. They’d worry about that later. First they had to get to the pilot.

Both men hurried toward the road in a low crawl. They had to cross the two lane highway in order to get to the field.

The sky briefly looked clear; the planes were probably making another circle. Using the opportunity of the clear window, both Ben and Rick charged across the road and into the field.

“We’re Americans!” Ben called loudly. “We saw you go down! Are you hurt?”

Nothing.

The weeds and foliage came to their chest, keeping them somewhat hidden.

“I radioed for help!” a male voice called. “I’m injured. Stay down.”

Rick pointed to the left. He had locked in on the voice. Together they began a crouching run in that direction.

Ben could see him not far away, and then he heard the jet engines.

The sound of rapid fire rang out, ripping through the fields. In an open and vulnerable position, Ben did the only thing he could do. He dropped down and covered his head.

The bullets missed him by inches and he turned to check on Rick.

Rick exhaled with a relieved whistle and said, “That was close.”

The momentary break had allowed them the opportunity to get into the field it was just that, only momentary.

Jets now flew overhead. They fired not only down but at each other and as Ben and Rick reached to the pilot, they heard the sounds of trucks.

“Are you hurt?” Ben asked.

“My leg is broken,” the pilot answered. “The trucks, are they ours?”

Ben looked up. He could see the two Humvees approaching, moving at a rapid speed. “Yeah.”

“They’ll get here,” the pilot said as he breathed heavily, his eyes peering up. “Our guys are giving air support, but I don’t know for how long. We’ll get you out of here, too. What are you guys doing so close to the front lines?”

Rick answered, “We’re hunkered and stuck in a small town about two miles from here.”

Sheer horror spread over the pilot’s face. “Agabarn?”

Ben saw the look. ‘Yes, why?”

“How… how many people are there?”

“Hundreds,” Rick answered.

Immediately the pilot picked up his radio. Gunfire surrounded them as the trucks grew closer. . Before the pilot made the radio call, he said, “Agabarn is the cutoff point. There are enemy forces coming across the Connecticut border as we speak. Our goal is to wipe them out in Agabarn.”

Ben closed his eyes and his stomach sunk.

Rick started to get up. “I gotta go warn our people.”

The pilot reached out for him. “I’m radioing now. We’re close to Agabarn than you are right now. We’ll get them out.”

A bang and explosion directly overhead caused Ben to jump. He looked up to see an enemy plane spin out of control and burst into flames. “My God, I didn’t even think the Iranians had an air force, let alone one that good.”

“Those planes aren’t Iranian…” the pilot said through painful breaths. “They’re Russian.”

The shrill cries of child birth pain were replaced with the tender wail of the newborn infant. The entire bunker cheered over the hope for new life, but it was short lived.

Foster was in the eating area with Judith and several others when Manny appeared in the doorway, waving his hand and motioning Foster to come forward.

“Manny is calling for me,” he told Judith.

“I hope everything is okay.”

“We’ll see.” Foster stood and walked over to Manny. “What’s up?”

“You can say no, if you want,” Manny said. “But Tina, the young woman who has just given birth, is not in good shape.”

“What’s wrong?”

“She has begun hemorrhaging. She is in need of a medication that we don’t have here.”

Foster realized what was being asked of him. “You want me to go find it?”

Manny nodded. “I’ll go with you. But you are my fastest man, you know where the clinic is and you can get in and out very quickly.”

From across the room, Judith yelled, “No.”

Foster turned.

“I can hear what you are asking of the boy. You can’t possibly want to put him in danger.” Feeling her way using the tables, Judith walked toward them. “Please, do not ask him, He’ll say yes.”

Manny exhaled. “The young woman is dying. The clinic is not far.”

“There is a war raging above us.” Judith was firm. “A minute hasn’t passed without the sound of a gunshot or explosion. It’s right above us.”

Manny nodded. “I know. But I already sneaked up to the top to see. We can sneak out, stay hidden, move fast. We don’t have time to waste.”

Judith reached out and her hand found Foster. “Jimmy, no.”

Foster looked at Manny and then faced Judith. “I helped you and others, what would you want me to do if that was your daughter in there?”

Judith lowered her head. “But, Jimmy, I am so scared for you. Do you hear that?”

“I do. And I am so sure, Jude, that I can go and get what is needed; I can get out and back here in a flash.”

“So you’ll go?” Manny asked.

Foster replied, “Yes.”

“Excellent. I thank you and her mother thanks you as well. I’ll be back. I must let the doctor know we are going.”

After Manny left, Foster faced Judith again. “Did you hear what he said? Her mother.”

Judith nodded.

“Judith, please, I need your support.”

“I don’t know what I’ll do, Jimmy, if something happens to you. You promised me you would go to Vegas. You promised me you would let me take care of you.”

“And I’ll keep that promise. And I also promise, after this one thing, I won’t take any more chances. Okay?”

Judith sobbed a single sob.

“Jude?”

“Please, please, please be careful.” She reached out for Foster. Gripping his shirt, she brought him to her. “I will be praying for you the whole time.”

“Thank you.”

Holding on to Foster, Judith’s body tensed and she jumped when a loud explosion rocked the bunker. “Please be safe.”

“I will,” Foster said. You aren’t getting rid of me that easy. I’ll be back, Jude.” He pressed his lips to her cheek and whispered, “There is nothing more in this world that I want than to have you make me stay in my room and study and give me a hard time about the girls I date.”

Emotionally, though her tears, Judith chuckled. “Hurry up and get yourself back here.”

“With everything I am,” Foster said as he clenched her tightly to him, his eyes focused on the ceiling at the sounds of war, “I promise to do my best.”

Ben felt as if he were living a video game. The pilot had been loaded in one Humvee behind them. As the Humvee carrying Ben and Rick swerved to avoid the gunfire and grenades, and the Sergeant filled Ben and Rick in on a lot of things.

They had chosen Agabarn as an ambush or cut off point because air searches and satellites had never shown any movement on the streets of the town.

All their evasive running, all their efforts to stay hidden to keep from being spotted by the enemy had saved them initially, but it ended up being detrimental. Residents who remained in other towns had been airlifted days before. Agabarn, it had been assumed, was deserted.

But the Sergeant let Ben know they weren’t throwing Agabarn under the bus. They just weren’t sure how they could get everyone out in time. Two trucks and air support would be arriving there in minutes.