Chapter 3 - Killed in Action
The first enemy PKM burst tore into the rocks inches from Morgan’s face.
Heavy rounds shattered stone and threw dust across her optic. She rolled behind the low ridge as more fire crossed the outpost from the valley below. Mortar smoke climbed between the canyon walls. Men shouted over radios already collapsing beneath interference.
Morgan pressed one hand against her side.
A fragment had torn through the edge of her armor and opened a wound beneath her vest. Blood soaked through the fabric, hot against the freezing mountain air.
She keyed the primary radio.
“Sterling, we are pinned down. Hostile force confirmed across the lower valley.”
Static cracked.
Then his voice came through.
“We are retrograding to the western slope.”
Morgan looked toward the defensive line.
Several soldiers were already pulling back under orders.
“What about OP 2960?”
A pause.
Then Sterling answered in the same cold voice he had used while tearing her report.
“Vance is KIA. Break, break. All units move now.”
Morgan stared at the radio.
She was alive.
Breathing.
Bleeding.
Still holding the only position with a full view of the valley.
Sterling had declared her dead because dead soldiers could not contradict reports.
Miller shouted from the western trench.
“Morgan, move!”
A mortar impact cut him off.
The shockwave threw Miller over the ridge and buried the channel beneath static.
Morgan was left alone.
May you like
Below her, the enemy began climbing.
Above her, her own command had already written her casualty report.
