Hotak backed to the rear as his new man, Nasir, marshaled the men, readying them for combat. He held Nasir’s AK. His new leader had Badi’s machine gun in his hands. Nasir stood at the landing, waiting for Hotak to give the command.

He smiled to himself and waved the men forward.

Nasir swung the gun around and fired, not letting go of the trigger. Two more men jumped out and fired up the stairs. Two more stepped out and shot upward. Nasir pushed up the stairs with the four men behind him.

The firing stopped.

“Baabaa Hotak, the way is clear.”

Hotak moved up the stairs to the tractor next to Nasir. The other four were on the other side, two to the tractor’s left and two to the right.

“Get down.”

One of the Americans fired at them from the door. The two men to the right of the tractor went down.

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Hotak ducked behind the tractor. With practiced ease, Nasir pulled the bipod legs down and set it on the tractor. Hotak nodded with satisfaction. Perhaps Nasir was as good as he said.

Nasir fired. The American rolled out of the doorway. The machine gun’s barrel followed his path outside the closed hangar doors, punching holes through the facade.

Nasir turned to the men on the stairs behind him. “Get up here now.”

The men ran up the stairs and jumped over the tractor, their AKs aiming toward the hangar door.

“Be ready.” Nasir climbed over the tractor and pushed a man toward the hangar door control box. “Open the hangar door. The rest of you keep your eyes open.”

The doors split in the middle, drawing back inside the hangar. The helipad was empty.

“Everyone move to the edge of the hangar. Stay out of sight.” Nasir moved to the front of the soldiers.

Hotak walked to the wreckage of the helicopter. He watched in admiration. Badi had turned this simple goat herder into a soldier. “Nasir, I will watch your victory from here.” The reality was he wanted to stay out of the path of the American bullets. That’s what Nasir and the other men were for.

Nasir ordered two of his men to throw grenades. As soon as they exploded, he sent all the men out for the assault. They turned past the opening and out of sight.

One gun opened up, then another. Hotak couldn't tell who was shooting his men or the Americans.

He heard a scrape of metal behind him. He turned to see a rifle butt raised above his head.