things are finally going to happen.”
“They gave me a target.”
“And you think you can act with impunity?”
I tensed. “I can and will act with impunity.”
“So now you’re God.”
My hands turned into fists. “Why are you doing this?
We’re on the same side. Zahed is a thug.”
He rubbed the corners of his eyes. “You think I’m a
bleeding-heart liberal now?”
“They sent you here to secure the town and help the
people, and they’re calling that counterinsurgency. It’s a
goddamned joke. They sent me here to capture or kill
the bad guy. To them, it’s all very simple.”
“I just want to help these people, give their kids a
school, let ’em have a police station, and let them have
more drinking water so they’re not constantly screwed
over by the Taliban, who’re selling it to them at outra-
geous prices. What’s wrong with that? We’re talking
about basic human rights.”
I hardened my gaze. “At what cost? My life? The lives
of my team?”
He couldn’t meet my gaze.
“Simon, you’re not here to create a legacy. Just get
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89
the job done. Secure the town. Assist in building the
infrastructure.”
“They’re already talking about pulling me out. Giv-
ing me four months—if I’m lucky.”
“Well, you got the ball rolling now.”
He swore under his breath. “Maybe. So what’s next?”
“Well, I can’t trust you, but I still need this compa-
ny’s support to get my job done. Does the XO know
what happened?”
“Shoregan’s on my side. He’ll do whatever I say.”
“Don’t trust him. He wants your command, and I
could give it to him right now.”
“Scott, I don’t want to take this any further.”
“Yeah, because you got caught.” I snorted. “I don’t
care what you got on me. Bring it.”
“Just slow down, and think about what you’re
doing . . . one minute you sound like you’ll let me off,
the next you’re blowing the whistle.”
He was right. I was torn. I could still go against Keat-
ing’s wishes, burn Harruck, and back the old man into a
corner; however, if I did that, Keating could easily ruin me.
I glanced over to the wall, where Harruck had
proudly displayed pictures of his various tours. One on
the left caught my eye: our Robin Sage training. I stood
there with our class, with Simon at my side, his arm
draped over my shoulder.
So right there I reasoned that now I could better con-
trol and even manipulate him. The guilt persuaded me
to give him a chance.
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GH OS T RE C O N
At the same time, I couldn’t help but see him as a
mindless cog in the wheel of socialism. Sure, we’d build
the locals an infrastructure, but they’d screw us over and
probably forget about us after we left. Nevertheless,
Harruck billed himself as a humanitarian—one who’d
been willing to sacrifice us for his “larger cause.” You
had to love that irony.
“Here’s the plan,” I began. “You get word out to the
village elders that the Taliban blew up the bridge and tried
to frame some of the local merchants. That way we save
face with Kundi and the rest of those idiots in the town.”
“I don’t think they’ll go for it.”
“Doesn’t matter. All we need is doubt. Just make
them think everyoneis lying. Now, with the bridge out,
you’ll have a little more freedom to begin construction,
because the Taliban will use the shallowest part of the
river to cross, and they’ll have to move through the east
side and approach through the valley and our choke
point, so you guys can better defend against them now.
I’ll help your men set up some overwatch positions and
some gun emplacements.”
“So you knew that blowing that bridge would actu-
ally help my construction project?”
“Yeah, I did.”
“Then why didn’t you tell me?”
“I don’t know, Simon. You pissed me off the last time
we talked, all right?”
He flumped into his chair. “I still can’t have you
going into Sangsar and raising hell. And now that you’ve
blown the bridge, they’ll attack us again.”
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91
“Let them. They have to fight on our terms now.
Zahed’s army will get smaller and demoralized, and
then we’ll swoop in.”
“I can’t see this ending well, Scott.”
“It’s hard to see right now.” I found myself quoting
Keating and hating myself for that. “Our situation is
complicated.” I started for the door.
“So we have an agreement?”
I turned back. “What?”
“We call the chopper pickup a miscommunication, and
from here on out, I won’t interfere with your mission.”
“You’re damned right you won’t.”
“But can you do me a favor?”
I almost chuckled, and there was no hiding my sar-
casm. “Sure, we’re still bestest buddies.”
“Try contacting Zahed.”
“Excuse me?”
“Try to make direct contact with him. Maybe we can
call a truce. If we can get him talking, maybe your mis-
sion can change.”
“He’s a terrorist.”
“That hasn’t been proven.”
“I plucked a little girl out of there—and she told me
he’s a scumbag terrorist. That’s definitive.”
In truth, she hadn’t uttered a word about Zahed him-
self, but her eyes had told me enough.
Harruck went on with his speculation. “Maybe he
doesn’t have full control of his men. He’s a politician,
too. He wouldn’t condone that.”
“So it’s okay that I talk to the leader of an insurgency
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GH OS T RE C O N
who rapes children in the name of saving these other
children over here.”
“Scott, we can debate this all night.”
“No, we can’t. And we won’t. The fat man will be
captured or killed before I leave. And if he’s not, then
I’ll be the one leaving in a body bag.”
I hurried out into the cooler air as two Hummers
came rolling by. Harruck had put the entire base on
alert, and all the engines and shouting made me wince. I
couldn’t wait to collapse into my rack. Maybe I’d wake
up back in North Carolina. I could tell Auntie Em that
I’d had a terrible dream about a sandstorm that had car-
ried me away to a land where camels had wings and no
one told the truth.
NINE
The next morning while I was in the mess hall, I ran
into Dr. Anderson, the woman from ARO, who’d been
given temporary quarters on the base to begin coordi-
nating with the engineers for the construction projects.
She remembered my name. I called her Dr. Anderson.
I didn’t want to get too chummy with her.
“Eating alone?” she asked.
My team had already chowed down, allowing me to
sleep in. They’d understood the night I’d had.
“Yes, I am.”
“Want some company?” she asked.
I glimpsed her blond hair, now flowing easily over her
shoulders. No veil required here. She was probably in