Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (Book 4): Walking In The Shadow Of Death Read Online Free Page B

could see in all
directions. He could clearly see that the plane had crashed in a valley, eating
up earth as it had cut a path down through the snow-covered ground. Brad
couldn’t see any structures or buildings, and no other signs of life, just the
tall forests ringing the clearing.
    He reached down and dropped another
bundle of branches on the fire before stepping off towards where Daniel and
Joseph had taken up positions away from the makeshift campsite. As soon as
daybreak approached they had moved out to set up observation posts. He held his
rifle at the ready as he walked in the direction where he knew the brothers
would be. The snow had come down fast the previous night, but had begun to let
up over the last couple of hours. The snow covered the sound of his movements
but he still wasn’t able to sneak up on the brothers. As Brad stepped closer to
the tree line, Daniel stepped out of cover to greet him.
    Brad walked closer then leaned
against a tall pine looking back towards the makeshift campsite. “Where’s your
brother?”
    “Two hundred meters out that way.
Watching over the far side of the plane.”
    “You see anything?”
    Daniel shook his head and looked
out over the campsite. “Nothing. How’s Kelli?”
    “Brooks is keeping her drugged up.
He says she’s going to need a doctor.”
    “Doctor? Hell, where we gonna find
us one of them?” Daniel grouched.
    “Yeah … I don’t know.”
    “Psst, get back in the trees,”
Daniel whispered as he stepped back in to the cover of the tree line.
    Brad took a knee next to the tall
pine he had been leaning against. “What is it?”
    “Joey just signaled,” Daniel
whispered, pointing far off. “There, see it?”
    Brad followed his finger to the far
off patch of trees. He spotted the flash of a signal mirror.
    “What does it mean?”
    “It ain’t exactly a radio, Sergeant
… he sees something, so get your eyes open.”
    “There, off the nose of the
aircraft above that ridgeline,” Daniel whispered.
    Brad lifted his rifle and used the
optics to search the area. He spotted them: three figures walking slowly, two
out front, and another trailing farther behind. “What do you make of it?” he
whispered.
    “Well they ain’t primal. The two
out front are carrying long guns.”
    “I have to get down to the campsite
and warn the others, you stay here. If things go bad, meet up with your brother
and flank from his direction,” Brad whispered.
    He stepped off, ducking low. He
tried to stay in the shadow of the trees as he wound his way back down into the
valley and towards the campsite. As he moved he felt the wound in his leg
tighten up. The pain reminded him that he still hadn’t fully recovered from the
fall in Yemen, the fall that had nearly cost him his life. Brad slowed his pace
and took a knee in the snow.  He lifted his rifle and searched the far off
ridge line. He could no longer see the three strangers.
    Brad slowly got back on his feet
and continued his move towards the others. As he approached, Sergeant Hahn took
notice of him and lifted his head in Brad’s direction. Brad quickly held up three
fingers and pointed to the far off ridgeline. Hahn nodded before turning on the
balls of his feet and quietly began waking the others. Brad moved into the
enclosed campsite and kicked out the low-burning fire. He was careful to spread
the ashes instead of smothering it, to prevent extra smoke.
    Chelsea was awake and cradling her
rifle. Gunner and Sean had already gotten to their feet and had moved off
towards the aircraft to warn Brooks and Nelson who were caring for Kelli.
Parker and Hahn, with weapons in their arms, moved into the outcropping of
rocks and took up a concealed position just ahead of them. Parker had swapped
his SAW for Theo’s suppressed M203. He didn’t want to make more noise than
necessary. Chelsea looked back at Brad as the men moved out. She looked
confused as if she wasn’t sure what to do. “What did you see,