Read Online Special Forces: Operation Alpha: No Protection (Kindle Worlds Novella) by Gennita Low - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Gennita Low
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who had only a couple months’ training. The first kill stayed with you forever. And Ella had done it with deliberate choice, like a sniper. She didn’t have the mental training of one and it worried him how the experience would affect her. But this wasn’t the time to deal with this and he knew it.
“Look at me,” he ordered. “Straighten up and look at me.”
She slowly did so. Her mouth trembled slightly.
“You did good,” he told her.
“I—Calak...”
He shook his head. “You did exactly what a good soldier does in a unit. Just as Calak had done for his team. If you hadn’t done so, the hostile would have thrown another grenade. So, you did what a good shooter would. Do you hear me, Fitz?”
“Yes.” She swallowed again. Closed her eyes for a second. When she reopened them, her expression was calmer. She took a deep ragged breath, then asked, “Did you just call that big guy Cucumber?”
* * *
A n hour and a half later, Ella looked around her. They were in one of the mess halls where there were enough chairs and tables to accommodate them all. The “hostiles,” as the SEALs called them, had been secured and put onto the arriving helicopters to be taken to another base. The injured were either being attended to by medics or being readied to be transported. The border fort was mostly in ruins and had to be repaired. Liam had told her the Iraqis were sending in laborers, and American engineers would be arriving in a few days to assess the damage.
But none of that mattered right now. Everyone who had been in the battle was here and that was what counted. They had just finished prayers for the dead, including the Canadians, and everyone was still in a solemn mood.
Then, Wolf, her Peshmerga commander, Noor, and the SEAL in charge of Liam’s friends, Jazz, went up to the front and stood together. They waited until the room quieted down.
“Everyone must be accounted for,” Lieutenant Noor said. “We have to be vigilant of traitors in our recruits from now on. Insha Allah , we’re safe, thanks to these men.”
Wolf leaned forward. “We wouldn’t be here without Miss Fitzgerald’s and Miss Zainab’s actions. Thanks to them, we’re all here now. Thank you, Ella and Zainab.”
Everyone turned and voiced their appreciation. The women nearby came over and gave her a hug. She hugged them back fiercely.
Then Jazz said, “Mission accomplished. At ease.”
A cheer rose and there was much rattling and thumping of tables and chairs. It was a good way to release some of the aggression they all still felt. Ella exchanged more hugs and handshakes. Lieutenant Noor came over.
“Any time you want to really join the Peshmerga , you’ll be welcomed,” she told her. “You’ve been an exceptional recruit. From now on, you’re an honorary member of our team. We’ll take you into battle any time you want.”
Ella smiled. The praise felt good because she had really put 100 percent in her training. “Thank you,” she said. “I’m honored.”
“A hell of a good shot,” Jazz said.
“You should have seen her climb the wall,” Mozart chimed in. “Like a regular monkey.”
“Oh, we saw her,” the big SEAL she’d met earlier said. “We were waiting for your signal and watching with the night scope.”
“We haven’t been introduced,” Ella said. “I’m Ella Fitzgerald. Do you have a name besides Cucumber?”
The big guy grinned. “Lucas, but you can call me Cumber for short. This is Mink and Dirk. And you’ve met our commander, Jazz.”
The journalist in her started buzzing questions in her head. “How did you get your nickname? And I heard Liam called the three of you The Stooges. Is there a reason?”
“Guys, be careful what you say in front of her. Not only is she a journalist, but she’ll psychoanalyze the shit out of you, including your names,” Liam said.
“Hey!” Ella poked him in the arm. “That’s not true. I was just interested in how everyone got theirs because I
“Look at me,” he ordered. “Straighten up and look at me.”
She slowly did so. Her mouth trembled slightly.
“You did good,” he told her.
“I—Calak...”
He shook his head. “You did exactly what a good soldier does in a unit. Just as Calak had done for his team. If you hadn’t done so, the hostile would have thrown another grenade. So, you did what a good shooter would. Do you hear me, Fitz?”
“Yes.” She swallowed again. Closed her eyes for a second. When she reopened them, her expression was calmer. She took a deep ragged breath, then asked, “Did you just call that big guy Cucumber?”
* * *
A n hour and a half later, Ella looked around her. They were in one of the mess halls where there were enough chairs and tables to accommodate them all. The “hostiles,” as the SEALs called them, had been secured and put onto the arriving helicopters to be taken to another base. The injured were either being attended to by medics or being readied to be transported. The border fort was mostly in ruins and had to be repaired. Liam had told her the Iraqis were sending in laborers, and American engineers would be arriving in a few days to assess the damage.
But none of that mattered right now. Everyone who had been in the battle was here and that was what counted. They had just finished prayers for the dead, including the Canadians, and everyone was still in a solemn mood.
Then, Wolf, her Peshmerga commander, Noor, and the SEAL in charge of Liam’s friends, Jazz, went up to the front and stood together. They waited until the room quieted down.
“Everyone must be accounted for,” Lieutenant Noor said. “We have to be vigilant of traitors in our recruits from now on. Insha Allah , we’re safe, thanks to these men.”
Wolf leaned forward. “We wouldn’t be here without Miss Fitzgerald’s and Miss Zainab’s actions. Thanks to them, we’re all here now. Thank you, Ella and Zainab.”
Everyone turned and voiced their appreciation. The women nearby came over and gave her a hug. She hugged them back fiercely.
Then Jazz said, “Mission accomplished. At ease.”
A cheer rose and there was much rattling and thumping of tables and chairs. It was a good way to release some of the aggression they all still felt. Ella exchanged more hugs and handshakes. Lieutenant Noor came over.
“Any time you want to really join the Peshmerga , you’ll be welcomed,” she told her. “You’ve been an exceptional recruit. From now on, you’re an honorary member of our team. We’ll take you into battle any time you want.”
Ella smiled. The praise felt good because she had really put 100 percent in her training. “Thank you,” she said. “I’m honored.”
“A hell of a good shot,” Jazz said.
“You should have seen her climb the wall,” Mozart chimed in. “Like a regular monkey.”
“Oh, we saw her,” the big SEAL she’d met earlier said. “We were waiting for your signal and watching with the night scope.”
“We haven’t been introduced,” Ella said. “I’m Ella Fitzgerald. Do you have a name besides Cucumber?”
The big guy grinned. “Lucas, but you can call me Cumber for short. This is Mink and Dirk. And you’ve met our commander, Jazz.”
The journalist in her started buzzing questions in her head. “How did you get your nickname? And I heard Liam called the three of you The Stooges. Is there a reason?”
“Guys, be careful what you say in front of her. Not only is she a journalist, but she’ll psychoanalyze the shit out of you, including your names,” Liam said.
“Hey!” Ella poked him in the arm. “That’s not true. I was just interested in how everyone got theirs because I
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