Сюзанна Бэк - Desert Storm

Stepping further into the charnel house, Tovah got a good look at both men, matching up what she could see of their features with the memories of her own captured kinsmen. Neither was a match and her heart grew sad and hopeful at the same time. Maybe her cohorts were having better luck.

“Tovah, in here!” came the voice of Adellich from the adjoining cell. “We’ve got a live one!”

Finishing her quick prayer over the two dead men, Tovah quickly retreated from the cell, entering the next one down the line at a dead run. The stench in the new cell was worse and the commander could tell by the condition of one of the bodies that death had claimed one of the prisoners some time ago.

The second body was that of a young, thin man who had most of his face blown away. The back of his bloodied head was pillowed upon the chest of the third figure, next to whom Adellich was currently squatting.

Tovah edged further into the cell, intent on examining the third member of the cell. Her eyes widened as she took in the deathly pale face of the prisoner. “It’s a woman!”

“Yeah. And she’s nearly dead. With these wounds, it’s a miracle that she’s managed to stay alive this long.”

“Can she be moved?”

Shouts and screams sounded near to the entrance to the prison. The fighting was getting closer. “I don’t think we have much choice,” Adellich replied, gathering the long body of the woman and hefting her easily into his strong, stout arms. “Hang on for a little longer,” he whispered to the woman in his arms. “Just a little longer. We’ll get you out of here.”

Tovah squatted down, retrieving her friend’s weapon while looking closely at the other two. Like their compatriots in the other cell, their faces were almost unrecognizable, but they didn’t match with any of her missing kin. “These aren’t ours either.”

“No,” Adellich agreed. “At first I thought they were Americans, but when I saw her … .” The big man shrugged.

“I guess we’ll just have to wait till she wakes up.”

“If she lives that long.”

Tovah looked into the woman’s face once again, seeing the strength there even near death. “She will,” she said with confidence. “Come on. Let’s get the hell out of here.”

Stepping back into the hall, Tovah and Adellich met up with the rest of their small party. All the other members were empty handed. “No one in the other cells,” one young soldier remarked sadly. “I guess we’ll never find them now.”

Smiling sadly, Tovah walked over to the young man, putting a warm hand on his shoulder. “Don’t give up hope, Itzak. They’re not here, so there’s always a chance, alright?”

Itzak returned his commander’s smile. “Yes, Ma’am,” he replied.

Giving the shoulder beneath her hand a fond squeeze, Tovah turned to the rest of her troops. “Even though we didn’t find our kin, our mission was a success. We’ve managed to save one soul from the arms of the Reaper. Now let’s get outta here and blow this place off the face of the earth.”

Raising their weapons, the squad let out a shout, turning to follow their brave leader back into the fighting.

The increased numbers evened the odds and the firefight quickly turned into a rout. Al-Hassein had been found much earlier in the battle, seated behind his desk, his life ended from a self inflicted gunshot wound to the right temple. He had died before the bunker was even stormed as in his killing rage he had managed to execute the last two people who could possibly tell him anything. Overcome with fear at the thought of what his superiors would do to him, the Iraqi Guard Commander ended his own life rather than face the tortures of the very regime he so gladly tortured others in the name of.

The Israelis fought with redoubled fury and soon not a Republican Guard within the bunker was left breathing. The commotion outside the barracks had prevented other soldiers from coming to the Iraqis’ aid, the sporadic gunfire inside the bunker seeming less important than the violent explosions outside.

Lifting the radio to her lips, Tovah pressed a button. “C’ team. All clear?”

“Ready and waiting, Commander,” came a static-filled voice.

“We’re ready in here.”

“Stand away from the walls then. We’ll have you out in a jiffy.”

The group stepped away from the south wall of the bunker, most milling around Adellich and the unconscious woman he still carried in his arms. “All clear,” Tovah announced.

Seconds later, a large area of the south wall disintegrated soundlessly. As soon as the dust settled, the group ran from the building, allowing the C team to enter and place explosive charges around the facility.

Five trucks, emblazoned with the Republican Guard symbol on their canvas flaps and door panels, stood ready for the group. Adellich and Tovah ran to the nearest one. Adellich laid Kael’s body on the floorboards in the back of the truck, then hauled his big body inside, lifting the soldier once again and gently placing her in a stretcher strapped to a long plank.

The driver of the truck, clothed in an appropriated Republican Guard uniform, stepped to the rear, striding over to his leader. “We’ve got problems, Commander.”

“What sort of problems,” Tovah asked, turning her attention from the silent figure being strapped to the gurney and searching the young man’s face with dark, almond eyes.

“The Iraqis are shoring up their boarders with Syria. Our escape route is pretty much cut off. The secondary route is still passable, but it’s at least a twelve hour trek through some pretty rough country.” He looked significantly into the back of the truck where Adellich was squatting next to the secured woman, checking her vitals.

“Shit.” Tovah looked inside the truck as well, waiting until her second had finished his work before clearing her throat. “You heard?”

“Yeah.”

“Think she’ll make it if we take the long way home?”

“I doubt it. I don’t know how she’s managing to hang on now. Any more jostling and we’ll probably lose her.”

Tovah crossed her arms and slapped one palm against her bicep as she searched her memory, working at her lower lip with sharp white teeth. “We’ve got a safe-house in Karbala. That’s closer to Baghdad than I want to be right now, but I don’t think we’ve got a choice.”

“I don’t think that’s such a wise idea, Commander,” the young soldier stated. “The roads between here and there are going to be crawling with the enemy with this massive troop buildup. And when the war starts, you can bet that Baghdad is gonna get bombed. You’ll be in a lot of danger.”

“I realize that, Martin. But this woman is going to die if we don’t get her some immediate aid. And I’m not willing to let that happen.”

The young man took a deep breath. “Commander, forgive me for speaking out of turn, Ma’am, but you’re taking a big risk. The chances are good that none of you will survive once the bombing starts. I know you want to save this woman, but what’s the point if she’s only going to die in Karbala along with the rest of you? I think it’s better to chance the longer route.”

Tovah looked back into the truck, meeting Adellich’s intent gaze. The older man shook his head slightly. The commander looked back at her young compatriot. “It’s a risk I’m going to have to take, my friend,” she said gently. “Only this truck will go to Karbala. The rest of the squad can take the route to the north and safety. If you want to go with the others, do so. I won’t fault you. Just leave your uniform so we can make use of it.”

“Begging your pardon, Ma’am. But if you’re going into danger, I’m going with you,” the young man responded, his chest stuck out with pride.