Read Online Braco by Lesleyanne Ryan - Free Book Online

the lower road and meet up with you on the other side. It’ll be dark soon, so the rest of the way shouldn’t be a problem. Just keep them calm. And for God’s sake, keep them behind the carrier. Got that?”
    â€œGot it, Sergeant,” they replied in unison.
    â€œGood. Now let’s get the hell out of here before they change their minds.”
    The peacekeepers secured the vehicle, closing the hatches and tossing the remainder of their equipment inside. Arie rearranged the gear around the pregnant woman and closed the ramp. Janssen jumped on top and gestured to the crowd to stand up. Everyone stood and surged ahead. Jac held out his arms and shifted from side to side like a cowboy trying to corral a loose horse.
    Janssen lowered himself into the driver’s hatch until only his helmet and sunglasses were visible. Erik dropped into the gunner’s hatch, everything above his waist still visible from the outside. The vehicle roared to life, spooking the refugees. They stepped back, falling over one other. The carrier lurched ahead and then slipped sideways, heading for a ditch. The saturated embankment gave way and the carrier slid farther. The tracks rotated, spitting dirt and mud as they dug twin ruts into the loose soil. Jac stepped back, avoiding the flying lumps of earth.
    â€œHe’s going to have to take the pads off the treads,” Karel said. “We’ll be here all night.”
    Men shouted.
    Jac looked back. A group of Bosnian soldiers emerged from the woods, weapons pointed at the peacekeepers. The soldier carrying the anti-tank weapon on his shoulder ran to the front of the carrier, shaking his head and waving his free arm. The carrier powered down. One of the soldiers walked up to the peacekeepers.
    â€œNo,” he said. “You stay. You can’t leave or Chetniks come.”
    Another soldier raised his rifle to Karel’s chest.
    â€œStay,” the soldier said. “You go, Chetniks come.”
    The sergeant pulled himself halfway out of the driver’s hatch and twisted around.
    â€œWhat’s going on?”
    â€œThey’re not letting us go,” Karel said.
    A third soldier pointed his rifle at Erik who raised his hands away from the machine gun mounted on the hatch.
    â€œGoddamnit.” The sergeant hauled himself up on top of the carrier then dropped to the ground and faced the first soldier. “Will you make up your goddamned minds? Do we go or don’t we?”
    Jac heard a commotion among the refugees and turned. Nezir had pushed his stocky frame through the crowd and was shouting in Bosnian at the first soldier. The soldier hollered back, motioning to the carrier and the refugees.
    Nezir fell silent. He wiped the sweat from his brow and dropped his hand to his hip. His eyes shifted between Jac, Maarten, and the sergeant. Jac’s gaze drifted down. Nezir’s fingers had unbuttoned the clasp of his holster and his hand was grasping the butt of his pistol.
    Jac looked up. Nezir’s eyes had moved back to the first Bosnian soldier and, without a word, Nezir raised the pistol and shot the soldier in the head.
    Jac sucked in a sharp breath and stumbled backwards, bumping into Maarten.
    â€œJesus!”
    The second soldier swung his rifle around. Nezir shifted his aim and shot him in the face.
    Blood splattered Janssen.
    Nezir shouted at his men; muzzles lowered and the soldiers trudged away. Nezir turned to Janssen.
    â€œNow Sergeant, you can go to Potocari,” he said. “My soldiers will not stop you. So, please, take my family and go.”
    Nezir jammed his pistol back in the holster, patted the sergeant once on the shoulder, and walked over to his family. He kissed his wife and hugged his children then vanished into the crowd.
    â€œMy God,” Jac said, staring at the two bodies.
    Janssen wiped the blood from his cheek and turned away from the dead soldiers.
    â€œLet’s get the hell out of