“Bravo Platoon?”

  “He nodded. “Yes, the other rapid deployment platoons are already in the field. It has to be Bravo, or those poor devils will be killed, one by one.” He looked at Nolan. “It’s up to you, Chief. You know that I have to send Lieutenant Boswell to lead the men in.”

  “Admiral, he’s not up to it, you know that.”

  Jacks shrugged. “He’s what I have to work with. The best I can hope for is to have experienced men to help him when he’s a little out of his depth.”

  Carol looked at him. “This Lieutenant Boswell, what happens if he doesn’t cut it? Can he be replaced?”

  “Maybe. But not right now. He’s on the board to lead them in. No, if he doesn’t cut it, those people die. That’s the stark choice we face.”

  Carol’s face paled. Nolan couldn’t make up his mind if it was anger or fear. Maybe it was both.

  “You mean that you have to have Kyle along? Is that what you’re saying?”

  “No, I’m not saying that,” Jacks insisted. “But you know as well as I do that he’s one of the best, most experienced men in my command. Common sense dictates that having him along will give the mission a better chance of success. Especially with an inexperienced platoon commander. It would mean those medics would have a better chance of staying alive. That’s the simple equation we’re faced with.”

  She walked away and stood near the door, as if she was undecided about whether to stay in the room or leave. For several long minutes, they watched her think and work through the problem. Finally, she looked at them.

  “Okay.”

  Nolan stared at her. “You mean, you’ll stay?”

  She nodded. “Yes. I was thinking, what if I was on that aircraft, and I was relying on you to rescue me? I don’t have the right to deny any other woman that chance of living, or their partners, parents, kids, and families. Kyle, I die inside every time you go away, but somehow, what the Admiral has said makes the importance of it more real for me. It’s not your fault these animals do what they do. Someone has to stop them. But I’ll make one condition if you want me to stay around.”

  Both Jacks and Nolan spoke together. “What is it?”

  “You keep me in the loop. I’ve been involved with Navy Seal missions in the past, so it’s not as if I’m a stranger. Just let me know, keep reminding me that it’s worth while.” She stared at Jacks. “It is worth while, Admiral?”

  “Yes, it’s worth anything. Without people like Chief Nolan, our freedoms would soon be non-existent, and these terrorists would be all over us. And yes, you’ll be kept in the loop. You have my word on it. Thank you, Carol.”

  She nodded. “Admiral, I imagine you’ll all be leaving soon. Would you play host to our guests for a short time. Kyle and I have a couple of matters to attend to.”

  He looked at her with a straight face. “Yeah, I’d be glad to. You go help him pack.”

  He left the room, and Carol took his hand. “Shall we go upstairs? I need to help you pack.”

  “Lead the way. That’s the first time I’ve heard it called ‘packing’.”

  “I don’t care what it’s called. We don’t have much time. Let’s go up and get packed.”

 

 

  Eric Meyer, Strike on Iran

 

 

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