He got out of the vehicle and leaned against the open door, looking up at the sky. A moment later he said, “Roger.” His voice came out weaker than she’d ever have the power to make him admit. She just prayed he could keep up his energy long enough to get aboard the helicopter.

Cynthia got out of the truck and opened the tailgate. Ozzy opened his eyes and looked at her. “Hurts,” he whispered.

She touched his face with both hands. His skin burned hot. “We’re almost there,” she said, checking his pulse. God, please get us there. Please don’t let him die here.

Sanders walked very slowly around the truck and leaned his hip against it. “Doc, we need to prepare the LZ.” He pressed a hand to his chest. “I can’t. Can you do it?”

They’d explained it to her, drawn pictures, used vernacular to help her understand. She prayed she could do it. She found the pack and sorted through the equipment, then held up a flare. “This?”

Sanders nodded and slouched onto the open tailgate.

Completely alone, she ran to the field and counted paces to set out the panels.

Chapter
Eleven

As soon as the helicopter touched down, a soldier jumped out and ran to the truck. He conferred with Sanders, then nodded and slapped Sanders’s shoulder before turning to her.

“Doctor Myers,” he yelled over the sound of the rotor, “I’m Sergeant Waller. Combat medic. I will assist you on the trip to the embassy.” He had friendly blue eyes and had to bend down to talk to her.

She nodded. “Nice to meet you, Sergeant Waller. I have Lieutenant Osbourne. He was shot in the thigh. I had to surgically repair his femoral artery. We’re just over sixty hours post-op, and I’m pretty sure he’s septic. We need to get straight to an OR when we arrive.”

“Yes, ma’am. We have a surgeon standing by.” They carried the stretcher with Waller in the lead. Together, they loaded Ozzy into the rack prepared for him. As Cynthia and Sanders strapped in, the helicopter started to lift off.

“Wait!” she said. “We’re leaving them?”

Sanders shook his head and lifted his hand in her direction. She scooted off her seat and leaned toward him so she could hear over the sound of the helicopter. “There’s two more birds. We’re going up to provide cover.”

That’s right—she remembered him mentioning another helicopter earlier. Relief at his words made her eyes fill with tears again. She nodded and buckled into the seat along the wall of the helicopter, then put on the helmet Waller handed her. The helicopters didn’t have any lights on. From her vantage point, she had the same view as the gunner, except he wore night vision goggles, and she could see only blackness surrounding them.