Fire for Effect by Kendall McKenna Page A

exploded, closer to their position this time. It sounded like more AK-47s firing. M16s chattered close by. Kellan felt impotent. He desperately wanted an M16 so he could step out and join the firefight. He knew it had to be worse for Jonah.
    The .50-cal roared on the roof of the Humvee again. Expended casings crashed down all around them, bouncing on the metal floor of the victor.
    Kellan’s door opened abruptly. A uniformed arm reached in and gripped his MTV. Kellan gripped the wrist of his assailant and fought back. He struggled to stay inside the victor.
    “I gotta get you to cover, sir,” the Marine shouted.
    Kellan registered that the cammo uniform was friendly. A quick look at the shoulder told him a Marine Corporal was trying to get him out of the Humvee. A glance behind him told Kellan that Jonah was being extracted as well.
    When his boots hit the sand, Kellan ducked and pressed himself to the side of the Humvee. A second Marine fired his weapon around the rear of the victor.
    “Wiggins!” The corporal called. The Marine at the rear of the Humvee dropped back to join them. “We’re gonna get you and the First Sergeant to cover inside the house, sir,” the Corporal addressed himself to Kellan.
    “Keep it simple, call me Kellan,” he shouted over the constant weapons fire.
    “Armitage,” the corporal shouted his own name. Armitage turned his back to Kellan, took Kellan’s hand and had him grab the side of Armitage’s MTV. “Don’t let go. Wiggins will cover our six.”
    Kellan took a firm grip of each side of Armitage’s armor. He felt Wiggins move in close behind. Wiggins reached around Kellan and slapped Armitage in the arm.
    “Mounting!” Armitage shouted and stepped around the front of the Humvee.
    They stayed in a crouched position, moving as quickly as they could across open ground. Kellan caught glimpses of Marines, all around, firing from behind cover. The large guns on top of the Humvees were roaring.
    They burst through a doorway and into a large, open room inside the village’s large structure. Wiggins peeled off but Armitage kept moving, leading Kellan farther into the room. Relief swept through Kellan when he saw Jonah already seated on the tiled floor, back to the wall.
    Wiggins took up a position by a window and began to fire his weapon. Kellan pulled his sidearm from his leg holster. Beside him, Jonah did the same. Together they each racked a round into the chamber.
    More Marines burst through the door, one of them was the staff sergeant from their Humvee. “Who cleared the house when you took cover?” he demanded.
    “Me and Morgan, Sergeant,” shouted one of the Marines.
    “Weeks, take Porter, Blaine and Hooks and secure the rest of the house,” the sergeant ordered. “Find a more secure room for our VIPs.”
    Four Marines detached themselves and moved quickly down the hallway. The four left in the large main room kept up the exchange of fire from the doorway and two windows. Kellan watched the gun battle rage. He hated having to sit it out. Jonah had to be ready to climb the walls.
    “Any chance of a sit-rep, Sergeant?” Jonah shouted across the room.
    “Looks like an ambush, Top,” the Staff Sergeant replied. “The motorcycle was probably a lookout. Large group of heavily armed insurgents came out of nowhere and tried to surround us.”
    “How’re we doin’?” asked Jonah.
    The answer was delayed while the staff sergeant returned fire. “Captain’s out there with the rest of the platoon tryin’ to hold them off while this detachment makes sure the two of you make it through okay.”
    The Marines scrambled as two more of their platoon stumbled through the doorway. One of the newcomers fell heavily to the floor, his uniform showing several dark patches of blood.
    Moving as one, Kellan and Jonah crawled forward to the wounded Marine. “We got this, you guys do what you have to.” Kellan used a tone of voice he hadn’t utilized since his discharge. Finally, he and