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“So what now?” I asked dismally.

Kyle reached down with his free hand and clasped mine. “Feed’s out,” he shrugged. “Transmitter’s gone.”

He tilted his chin upward, just as a cool wind picked up.

“Now we watch the skies.”

Forty-One

JASON

I knew something was wrong when I was suddenly alone. When the trio of men who usually traded off shifts just outside my cell disappeared all at once, and quickly too.

Then I heard the explosions.

I stood immediately and began stretching my legs. I might need them soon, and they’d been used way too little in the tiny, six-by-eight chamber I’d called home for the last few months.

Shouting reached my ears, but only from within the compound. And then I heard shouting from outside, as well. The sharp, commanding bark of orders.

Here we go…

Gunfire broke out before I even finished my thought. M-16’s for sure. Maybe M4 carbines. Then I heard the unmistakable sounds of a chopper coming in fast, and the crisp, rapid report of someone’s M249 light machine gun.

One of my M249 light machine guns…

I pulled on my ankles, desperate to get going. My quadriceps screamed as I forced oxygen into the unused muscles.

“HEYYYYY!”

If anyone heard me, they didn’t respond. The noise outside was louder now. The shots rang out much more locally.

You should probably crawl under your bed.

Logic certainly dictated I protect myself in such a situation. But fuck logic. I’d been here way too long. Either I was escaping this shithole now, or I was getting drilled by random gunfire. Either way though, I was getting out.

BOOM!

A violent blast rattled the entire concrete building. I felt the heat of a secondary explosion, and all the lights blinked off at once.

They took out the generator…

It was a targeted strike — something I’d order for sure. It was progress. It was a good sign.

Not such a good sign however? The dark smoke rolling in from the only hallway.

Quickly I ripped off the base of my shirt. Wadding up the dirty fabric, I held it over my mouth.

Shit.

The smoke was getting thicker.

“HEYYYYY!” I shouted again, realizing it might be

my last chance. There wouldn’t be enough oxygen to shout in another minute or two. “OVER HERE!”

The smoke grew thicker… followed by more gunfire. I was taking shallow breaths. Trying to stay low, where the air would still be good for another minute or two.

Well this is it…