Read Online Easy Day for the Dead by Howard E. Wasdin and Stephen Templin - Free Book Online Page B

guys or someone elsewhere in the house. He squeezed the trigger, causing the hammer to cock back until it slammed forward. Bang! His brains splattered across the floor, and he slumped in his chair.
    â€œAllahu akbar!” Pistachio exclaimed. “Look what you did, Saeedi!”
    â€œMe?!” Lieutenant Saeedi defended himself. “Rapviz spun the cylinder! Why’d he have to stop the cylinder on the bullet chamber?!”
    â€œIt was random! I’m not going to clean up Rapviz’s brains!”
    â€œI’ll clean up his brains!” Lieutenant Saeedi snapped. “Give me a rag!”
    Major Khan stared coldly. I deserved to die more than anyone. Why couldn’t it be me? It should’ve been me. Allah wants to torture me by making me stay in this world.

8
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    A t 2200 hours, Alex and Pancho stood in the main room of Leila’s house wearing Iranian men’s clothing. John and Leila each wore a black burqa, the Islamic women’s garment, disguising them from head to toe.
    Leila smiled at John. “Why are you wearing a burqa?”
    John ignored her.
    â€œThere are not many blacks in Iran, but your skin is not so dark, and it’s difficult to see at night.”
    â€œMy father was African-American and Cajun, and my mother was French,” John said. “And I’m not gay. I just think it’s the best disguise.”
    â€œYou are an interesting person,” she said. “I asked you the other night why you do what you do, and you told me about the world as it is. But you didn’t tell me what made you join.”
    John said nothing. He was a private person, especially with people he hardly knew.
    â€œShould I tell her, or do you want to?” Pancho said.
    John glared at Pancho, then turned to Leila. “I was reading poetry to a friend when her boyfriend showed up,” he explained. “He was a control freak with a temper. The guy wigged out, went to his truck, and came back with a gun. He fired at us, so I picked up achair and threw it at him, stunning him. Then I picked up another chair and killed him in self-defense. After that, I couldn’t live in that town anymore, so I joined the Navy. At boot camp, our company commander made us take the SEAL physical screen test—I was the only one who passed. So I figured maybe my destiny was to become some sort of modern-day Paladin.”
    â€œWhat happened to your friend?” Leila asked.
    â€œOne of the bullets from her boyfriend’s gun killed her.”
    â€œI am sorry.” She put her hand on his shoulder.
    John covered his face with the veil ( niqab ). Leila did, too.
    Carrying their kit and an extra tank of water to keep in the vehicle, the SEALs and Leila left the house, walked through the darkness, and loaded into her car. It looked like a Peugeot with wide off-road tires and heightened suspension. Leila sat in the driver’s seat and Pancho rode shotgun. Alex sat behind Leila with John next to him. The guys secured their doors, but Alex’s wouldn’t lock. “How do you lock this?” he asked.
    â€œLock is broken,” Leila said. She started the engine—it purred. Great, we’re riding in a pussycat with a broken door. When she stepped on the accelerator, the vehicle sucked Alex back into his seat. I’m beginning to like this cat. In spite of its power, the vehicle ran quietly.
    Alex reminded Leila to exit Abadi Abad from the southeast so if anyone followed them, the followers wouldn’t immediately know the Outcasts’ true direction. Pancho kept a lookout ahead, Alex watched their left and right flanks, and John kept an eye on the rear.
    Pancho asked, “What kind of car is this?”
    â€œSamand,” Leila said. “It is an Iranian car. Samand is a fast horse.”
    â€œThis doesn’t look like an average sedan,” Pancho said.
    â€œDanny customized it.”
    Just after the Outcasts left the village, John said,