“Very well, Major Toranssen, I won’t try to dissuade you. Goodness knows you are saving more lives than we can yet count,” came the other pilot’s answer across the dawning sky. “But that said, I think it is best that I bid you farewell. I am afraid a rogue Pakistani plane will get an even worse reception in Afghanistan than a rogue US one, and I wouldn’t want to compromise you by accompanying you across the border. I will stay with you a little while longer to make sure the Pakistani air force doesn’t try anything else, and then I will probably head north and take this plane down in the mountains. If I eject late enough they shouldn’t even see that I made it out and I’ll be able to disappear before the army gets to the scene.”

Jack looked distressed. This man, or whatever he was, had just saved their lives, and they were going to leave him to crash land, alone, probably to be hunted like some fugitive. But as he considered trying to talk the Allied forces into letting the other man fly into Afghanistan, he knew that he and Martin were going to have a hard enough time negotiating for their own lives without the specter of a lone rogue fighter pilot on their wing.

Recognizing the wisdom and the selflessness of Shahim’s … Lord Mantil’s actions, Jack was about to wish the other pilot luck when he heard the fighter’s alarms sound through the radio. Shit! That sounded like missile lock.

“What is tha …” Jack began into the radio, but was cutoff by Shahim.

“I have been locked on by ground-based air defenses, Major, they must have been given the green light to launch on me. I am a sitting duck up here. That explains why the other fighters pulled back. Listen, I haven’t much time. I have to pull away from you or they may pick up your jet stream and take you out as well.” There was a brief hesitation as the alarm changed, registering launches now. Jack and Martin saw it too, four blips appearing below them as the missiles began their climb to intercept Shahim’s fighter. But the warrior had one more comment before he left.

“Before I go,” Lord Mantil said, “I just wanted to say I’m sorry.”

Jack and Martin both spoke at once, “Sorry for what!” they both exclaimed.