THE TELEVISION DOCUMENTARY Jake had watched on sniper training had made it look sexy—small teams of elite soldiers who stalked enemy positions using expert camouflage and precision weapons. It was about using art and science to conduct reconnaissance and eliminate distant targets without ever being seen.

Now, shivering from days of cold rain, out of food, short on drinking water, and worrying that something as trivial as the reflection of a flashlight against the whites of his eyes might betray his presence to an armed patrol, it didn’t seem quite as sexy.

In fact, it sucked.

Jake was tempted to kill the two men, to eliminate the threat. He could roll onto his side, swing his weapon around, and pump two rifle rounds into each of the men before they even realized what was happening.

But instead of solving his problems, killing the guards would more likely set in motion a chain of events that would quickly spiral out of control. The guards’ absence would be noted and more of Yaxaas’s men would pour into the hillsides. Jake knew that this mission would likely kill him, that infiltrating the camp undetected, destroying the weapon at close range, and killing Yaxaas would probably cost Jake his life, and he was prepared for it, but he did not want to die before it was done.

No less than the fate of the nation of Somalia hinged on the guards’ decision in the next few seconds. If they raised a weapon or walked in his direction, Jake would be forced to kill them and hope for the best.

He lay motionless, hoping that his camouflage and the darkness would give him another option.

After a few more seconds, the flashlight moved on and the armed patrol continued down the hill.

Jake exhaled and glanced at his watch.

It was just past midnight.

Christmas Day.

SEVENTY-SIX

THE RAIN ENDED before daybreak. Mist rose from the grasslands as three days of downpours evaporated back into the sky from which they had fallen. The air was sweet with the fragrance of balsam and cedar trees and a dozen different spice plants. The runoff from the hillsides subsided and the muddy ground began to dry. Across the valley, monkeys screeched and birds chirped in anticipation of the food that would soon come.

With sunrise came the insects. Swarming in clouds, they soon discovered Jake hidden among the tall grasses. They flew up his pant legs and down his shirt. They crawled inside his nose and burrowed into his ears.

But insect repellent still didn’t make his Christmas list.