you think?”
“This is a war zone, Chaplain. Things happen out here that don’t happen during peacetimes.”
Miller’s gaze pierced Goose. “Do you think Corporal Baker’s death was a tragic mistake, Sergeant?”
Goose tried to answer immediately that it was. But the words got stuck in his throat. By the time he got the way clear, it was too late.
“I don’t think so either,” Miller said. “Corporal Baker wasn’t liked by Captain Remington. His efforts to tend to the men’s religious needs were not appreciated.” He took a breath. “It shames me that I wasn’t one of those leading the men in prayer. Instead, I was drawn to Corporal Baker and looked to him for answers I should have known myself.”
Hanging from the rafter, the electric lantern shimmied. Light wavered throughout the cellar. Uneasiness descended on Goose. He checked his watch.
“It’s morning outside, right?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“We got clear visibility?”
Miller nodded and looked slightly puzzled.
The lantern vibrated again. A puff of dust descended from the wooden crossbeams that shored up the earthen ceiling.
“What’s wrong?” Miller asked.
Goose nodded at the lantern. “Vibration like that, coming steady, means we got armored cav moving around somewhere.”
“We don’t have many tanks or Bradleys here.”
“I know. I’m crossing my fingers that it’s just earth tremors.”
“Wouldn’t they be noticed by someone else in the camp?”
“Not necessarily.”
“I thought the nearest Syrian armor was days from here.”
“That was according to the last reports.” Goose stood. The pain in his leg flared to renewed life, and he winced. “Captain Remington’s kept the scouts pulled back, and we’re not doing any air recon because our pilots have been sitting ducks for entrenched Syrian ack-ack guns.”
The antiaircraft guns had knocked down five scout planes in the last two weeks. Air support was as hard to come by as armored cav, and Remington didn’t want any of it squandered.
“We’ve been working blind south of the border,” Goose went on. “Satellite recon has been iffy.”
The lantern swung wider this time.
“Excuse me,” Goose said. He limped up the stairs carved into the earth. At the top, he rapped on the door with a handful of knuckles.
“Who is it?” one of the guards demanded.
“Sergeant Gander.”
The hole the men had drilled into the door darkened as someone stuck his eye to it. “Back away from the door.”
Angrily Goose took two steps down the stairs.
“What do you want?” the guard asked.
“I need to talk to Lieutenant Swindoll.”
“Can’t let you out, Sarge. It’ll be best if you go on back down and have a seat. Where’s the chaplain?”
“He’s fine.”
“You need to let him see Lieutenant Swindoll,” Miller said from behind Goose.
“No can do. I’m under Captain Remington’s direct orders.”
“Then get the lieutenant here.” Goose used his command voice.
The guard banged against the door with the butt of his assault rifle. Goose identified the heavy thump immediately.
“You don’t give any orders here, Sarge. Not anymore. Now you back away from the door. Chaplain, your visit’s over. You’re coming out of the hole.”
Goose retreated down the steps. Miller had to go first because there wasn’t room to step past. Back in the cellar, they traded places, and Miller went up.
“I’ll get Lieutenant Swindoll,” Miller promised Goose.
Goose nodded. The lantern swung as another puff of dust dropped to the floor.
“You’d better make it quick,” Goose growled.
“I will.” Miller hurried up the steps.
Bright sunlight stabbed into Goose’s eyes when the door opened. Then Miller passed through, and the darkness returned.
Goose sat on the steps and watched the lantern as it danced again.
12
Downtown Sanliurfa
Sanliurfa Province, Turkey
Local Time 0605 Hours
SCUDs and missiles had destroyed many of the downtown buildings. Bombing
“This is a war zone, Chaplain. Things happen out here that don’t happen during peacetimes.”
Miller’s gaze pierced Goose. “Do you think Corporal Baker’s death was a tragic mistake, Sergeant?”
Goose tried to answer immediately that it was. But the words got stuck in his throat. By the time he got the way clear, it was too late.
“I don’t think so either,” Miller said. “Corporal Baker wasn’t liked by Captain Remington. His efforts to tend to the men’s religious needs were not appreciated.” He took a breath. “It shames me that I wasn’t one of those leading the men in prayer. Instead, I was drawn to Corporal Baker and looked to him for answers I should have known myself.”
Hanging from the rafter, the electric lantern shimmied. Light wavered throughout the cellar. Uneasiness descended on Goose. He checked his watch.
“It’s morning outside, right?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“We got clear visibility?”
Miller nodded and looked slightly puzzled.
The lantern vibrated again. A puff of dust descended from the wooden crossbeams that shored up the earthen ceiling.
“What’s wrong?” Miller asked.
Goose nodded at the lantern. “Vibration like that, coming steady, means we got armored cav moving around somewhere.”
“We don’t have many tanks or Bradleys here.”
“I know. I’m crossing my fingers that it’s just earth tremors.”
“Wouldn’t they be noticed by someone else in the camp?”
“Not necessarily.”
“I thought the nearest Syrian armor was days from here.”
“That was according to the last reports.” Goose stood. The pain in his leg flared to renewed life, and he winced. “Captain Remington’s kept the scouts pulled back, and we’re not doing any air recon because our pilots have been sitting ducks for entrenched Syrian ack-ack guns.”
The antiaircraft guns had knocked down five scout planes in the last two weeks. Air support was as hard to come by as armored cav, and Remington didn’t want any of it squandered.
“We’ve been working blind south of the border,” Goose went on. “Satellite recon has been iffy.”
The lantern swung wider this time.
“Excuse me,” Goose said. He limped up the stairs carved into the earth. At the top, he rapped on the door with a handful of knuckles.
“Who is it?” one of the guards demanded.
“Sergeant Gander.”
The hole the men had drilled into the door darkened as someone stuck his eye to it. “Back away from the door.”
Angrily Goose took two steps down the stairs.
“What do you want?” the guard asked.
“I need to talk to Lieutenant Swindoll.”
“Can’t let you out, Sarge. It’ll be best if you go on back down and have a seat. Where’s the chaplain?”
“He’s fine.”
“You need to let him see Lieutenant Swindoll,” Miller said from behind Goose.
“No can do. I’m under Captain Remington’s direct orders.”
“Then get the lieutenant here.” Goose used his command voice.
The guard banged against the door with the butt of his assault rifle. Goose identified the heavy thump immediately.
“You don’t give any orders here, Sarge. Not anymore. Now you back away from the door. Chaplain, your visit’s over. You’re coming out of the hole.”
Goose retreated down the steps. Miller had to go first because there wasn’t room to step past. Back in the cellar, they traded places, and Miller went up.
“I’ll get Lieutenant Swindoll,” Miller promised Goose.
Goose nodded. The lantern swung as another puff of dust dropped to the floor.
“You’d better make it quick,” Goose growled.
“I will.” Miller hurried up the steps.
Bright sunlight stabbed into Goose’s eyes when the door opened. Then Miller passed through, and the darkness returned.
Goose sat on the steps and watched the lantern as it danced again.
12
Downtown Sanliurfa
Sanliurfa Province, Turkey
Local Time 0605 Hours
SCUDs and missiles had destroyed many of the downtown buildings. Bombing
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