“Reaper 2 this is Long knife actual sitrep.”
“Long knife Actual this is Reaper 2, on station and circling compound time now over.”
“Cas 6 this is Long Knife actual sitrep?”
“Long Knife actual is this Cas 2 we are green for take off and holding until called over.”
“Red 6 this is Long knife actual you are a go for operations.”
I was 200 yards away from the target compound behind my rifle when the green passed through the channel. “Long knife actual this is Red 6, good copy over proceeding with entry.” I com through as my team and I stood up from our over watch position we’ve been holding for the last 36 hours.
“Shit Sir, a small little walk and a wake up call for another pajama bomb maker doesn't seem to justify the shit we go through” my Staff sergeant mumbles. “Can it Ricks, if the Army wanted you comfortable they would have put you in the S shop not out here sucking it up with the cav.” I whisper back
Ricks was a graduate of West Point a prestigious military college but after graduation he turned down his commission as it wasn't combat oriented. He was actually in his final year the year I enrolled at west point. Taking the route I would have traveled if not selected for a combat commission.
“Red 6 this is Reaper 2 we have movement on your south east corner of the building.”
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
My team and I stopped and went prone where we were. We were not in a text book position as the mountain side we were traversing here in Afghanistan provided no cover other than the small patches of weeds that clung to the hard rock crevices like crabs O’Conner got at the strip club Mustangs outside the base in Kansas.
I watched as a lanky figure snuck out of the compound and approached the cow in the field.
“Hell yea Morris you owe me 20 bucks.” “Fuck you Cov, that shit don’t count we were off the OP”
My two privates whispering over the bet they placed the day before. A common bet about watching another local fuck the lonely cow in the pasture behind the compound. It impressed me how much a bored soldier could make disturbing actions of a 3rd world country seem so benign. “Hey fuck tards keep your cock hostlers shut or do you want to wake up the entire god damn village.” Ricks sent back with the skill picked up that only the NCOs could harness being able to yell and impose his will with only a whisper.
“Reaper 2 this is Red 6, we are going to change course and head west through the grape rows to target building how copy over?”
“Red 6 this is Reaper 2 good copy.”
My team and I low crawled to the half wall approaching the grape row. “Listen guys if we get stuck in this field with contact its going to be a shit shoot with us facing the fan. Move fast and keep your eyes open.” I say as my team rounds up. “ Cov I want you and Morris to push left Ricks is going to move with O’Conner and push our right flank ill head straight down the row towards the open gate. We restack on the wall and make entry. 2 mics to target room snatch and grab.”
The grape row was laid out like a washboard from the 1800s: an 8 foot grow wall followed by a trench 3 feet wide and then a dirt walking platform that sat 4 feet off the trench level with the next rows grow wall next to start the next row. The only issue with these were they were completely straight and offered no concealment nor cover so a sprint through these had more risk than reward.
“Long knife actual this is Red 6 we are executing now. 10 mics to pick up”
“Roger Red 6 spinning up Cas now” Long knife sent through
Ok boys lets go.