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“Melvin wanted me to come see him about something. I was on my way there.”

“Screw Melvin,” I said. “You should be careful around him.”

“Why’s that?”

“I don’t want to go into specifics. You know we’re on a tight deadline. If we’re doing this, we need to go now.”

“Sure.” She patted her black messenger bag. “I have everything I need in here.”

“You’re lucky. I wish my equipment was that light.” I smiled. “Let’s get out of here. Ryan is driving us.”

“You two friends?” she asked as we walked toward where the Humvees and trucks were parked.

“You could say army buddies, I guess. We met back at the Savage Soldiers home base in Colorado, and sent out to New York together. Why?”

“Just curious. I want my piece on the Savage Soldiers to be human.”

“You been at this journalism thing long?”

“Ever since high school.”

“And how many years is that?”

“Are you asking my age, Warren?”

I grinned. “Not at all. Just curious.”

When we reached the parking area, Ryan raised a hand into the air. “Let’s go, people!” he said.

“You’re in the back,” I said to Rose, opening the door for her.

“As long as you don’t expect me to shoot the gun or anything.”

“Only in the case of an emergency.”

She smiled and climbed into the back. I got into the passenger’s seat, the butt of my M16A4 on the floorboard between my legs.

“Let’s rock-and-roll,” Ryan said.

“Is he always this full of energy?” Rose asked, leaning forward with one hand on each of the two front seats.

I chuckled. “You don’t know the half of it.”

The Humvee slipped into gear and lurched forward, pushing her back.

“Careful,” Ryan yelled over the roar of the engine.

I glanced back at her, impressed by her determination. “We’ll hand out medical supplies and water while we’re there,” I shouted.

She stayed silent, looking out at the barren landscape. I turned forward and stared out the windshield, looking for anything out of the ordinary. In Afghanistan, anything could happen at any moment; the only ones who survived were the ones who always stayed on their toes.

Ryan stepp

ed on the gas pedal and the giant vehicle rushed forward.

It was going to be one hell of a day.

* * *