Page 12 of Lucky Charm

“Copy, Alpha One. Proceed.”

Carter slowly turned onto a narrow channel a few feet beyond the tree. That the truck width matched the rocky dirt road was a concern. Either side was stratified with jagged boulders and rocks.With Doc’s surgical equipment, they couldn’t leave the vehicles behind and walk. Besides, they might need them for cover.

He twisted again to check for the second vehicle. K-Rock was in the driver’s seat and had kept tight behind them all the way. Along with him were Doogie, Tommy, Hernandez, and Quaid.

“How far?” Hunt’s internal calculations put the village over the next rise.

“One klick more max.” Carter checked his mirrors. “We’ll make it unless this thing narrows more. We might need a few goats to carry the equipment.”

Hunt spoke into his mic. “Alpha Seven, hold back. Alpha Two and Alpha Five take to the hills.” Doogie and Tommy would exit the back vehicle and take a thorough look around.

The next rise in the road partially blocked the view forward. “Hold, Carter.”

Carter slowed to a turtle roll, keeping an incremental pace that gave them time to react or get blown to hell. They passed over the rise with no problems. The road flattened out from there. Buildings formed in the distance.

“Village coming up,” Carter announced to the whole vehicle.

“Alpha Three, Sit-Rep.”

Hernandez answered with his usual clipped tone. “Alpha Two and Five exited the vehicle to the rocks, left and right. We’ve stopped.”

“Village in view. Hold there.” Hunt leaned forward studying what might be a fork in the road.The left side was less passable than the right. “I guess right is our lucky direction.”

Dust preceded a change of situation.

Two dented, scarred pickups pulled out from the left side trail and blocked the road.

“Alpha One, Overwatch identifies two moving vehicles coming your way,” squawked in his earpiece.

“Copy, Homeplate. We see them.”

“Alpha One, hold your position.” Doogie’s quiet voice came over his earpiece.

“Hold Carter.” Hunt ordered. The battered vehicles had seen war, the black paint on each pocked and peeling.

“Each truck has four men in the truck bed and two in the cab,” Doogie reported. “Weapons undetermined. Driver. Front right vehicle. Target priority.”

“Copy. Alpha Five?”

Tommy’s hardened voice came over his earpiece. “Weapons undetermined. No forward motion. No line of sight.” That put Doogie on the right in the direction they needed to go and Tommy on the left, blocked.

He shifted his M4 rifle to facilitate protection, calculated trajectories, reviewed the vulnerabilities of their position, and the enemy’s typical use of mortar fire. That lasted a mere second in his head.

The click of Carter’s weapon being prepped for use sounded through the cab. Baxter’s was half a second behind.

“Doc, get behind my seat,” Hunt ordered, snapping his focus in place.

A rustle of clothing and the slide of a backpack sounded. “I’m down, LT,” Doc confirmed.

“Stay that way. Baxter?”

“Ready, LT. Left side in my sights.”

“I have right.” Double covered, Hunt surveyed all his choices for a position of advantage.

Movement sharpened his focus. One of the men exited the closest truck and walked their direction. A couple others followed.

“Are these Ali Haquiri’s people, LT?” Doc’s voice remained steady and calm.