Three Years Ago

Duty called, as Marine Captain Jake Isaacs was informed of his mission. He and a handful of his fellow troops had to locate and execute one of the most notorious Arab terrorists responsible for hundreds of deaths – civilian and American troops alike – Hassan Al Mahri. The Saudi native had been avoiding arrest for years. He had narrowly escaped multiple drone strikes, adding to the frustration of U.S. government officials. However, an Iraqi asset had located him, hiding in the ruins of what used to be Tamok, a small village just north of Baghdad. The Department of Defense decided that their best option was to send an experienced officer to lead the operation. Jake had been to Iraq twice already and he knew that area like the back of his hand.

“Alright boys and girls, listen up!” he cried, turning to face his troops right before the airplane hatch was to slide open. “Keep your eyes peeled for our target! Command says Al Mahri is hiding in that village; it’s our job to flush him out! Follow my lead and you will come back alive. Do you get me?”

“Yes, sir!” they all cried in one voice. Then, he fixed his gaze on the blonde standing closest to him, his favorite person on Earth: Allison Barnes. He nodded to her as the hatch slid open, and took one, short step closer to it. The cool night air hit him right in the face, as he adjusted his night vision goggles, mounted to his helmet. Jake sucked in a deep breath, gazing down into the darkness. He loved his job and, unlike his girlfriend and most of the men and women with him, he enjoyed jumping. The rush of adrenaline it gave him was unlike anything else.

“Here we go.” He said to himself, putting his hands on either edge of the hatch. Shutting his eyes, he pushed off. He spread his arms and legs, presenting his chest to the ground and arched his head and back upward, as the rest of his fellow troops began to jump from the massive airplane. His heart beat faster and faster, as he plummeted to the ground, the wind against his face growing stronger by the second. By now, he could visualize his landing spot: A large, wide patch of land, a few yards away from a narrow road that led to the village.

Upon landing, Jake punched his hands into the parachute cloth that had been wrapped around him and got free of it. He jumped up and looked around him, watching as his troops landed, one by one. Seconds later, the twelve men and women were safely on the ground. Gripping the handle of his rifle tighter, he started forward. Straight away, he pointed it up ahead, at a mangled car that littered the road.

“Careful.” He spoke through his headset. “I don’t like th…”

Jake didn’t have time to finish his sentence. A powerful, explosive blast lit up the night, sending the car in question more than twenty feet up in the air. He and his troops were blown backwards. Jake landed flat and hard on his back, his large, heavy body kicking up dust. His ears buzzed, as he leaned against his shoulders. Opening his eyes to slits, he saw a powerful weapon being placed on the ledge of a window, in the building closest to them and to the left.

“Take cover!” He yelled, his stomach chilling with fear as he lunged toward the burning car. This time, he landed flat on the ground, with his head to his right side, as the crackling sound of bullets tore through the night. He brought his right leg up near the side of his torso and moved his left arm up above his head, bending it. Jake quickly crawled towards the car, placing his weight on his bent arm and leg, as adrenaline rushed through his veins. Reaching it, he rolled over onto his back, placed his hands on the ground and sat up, as bullets struck the car. Two of his men were hurtling towards him, with light antitank weapons in their grasps.

“Rivers, Sanchez, take that fifty-caliber out now!” Jake ordered, as they dropped to their knees beside him. The two men pulled their weapons from their arms, looking over the car. They put the tubes on their shoulders and pointed them at the building, pressing their eyes to the optics, amid a hail of fire. Rivers and Sanchez squeezed their triggers, almost at the same time. Two, loud, banging noises ripped through the atmosphere, as the rockets left the tubes. The consecutive explosions rocked the ground, as two, massive fireballs ignited, shattering every window of the building. Thousands upon thousands of shards of glass, along with small chunks of concrete landed all around them.

“Son of a bitch…” Jake gasped, his chest rising up and down. “Someone knew we were coming.”

“Medic: I need a Medic!” Corporal Brand yelled. The shouting voice drew Jake’s attention. He jumped up and rushed towards him, staring down at one of his troops. The few seconds it took him to get to them felt like an eternity. His heart sank, as he discovered the identity of the fallen marine: it was Allison. She was lying on her back: her eyes closed; her hair all over her face; a pool of blood slowly spreading across her chest. Jake fell to his knees beside her, his eyes dark with shock. He grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her up.

“Allie! Come on, baby, talk to me.” He spoke too fast, his voice riddled with tension and fear. Dr. Jensen checked for a pulse over her carotid artery. Then, he put his hand on her chest. Clenching his jaw, he dragged his gaze up to meet Jake’s. He didn’t have to speak. The sullen look in his eyes confirmed Jake’s worst fears.

“No…” A whisper of despair fled his lips, as he placed her head on his lap. Removing his right hand from her shoulder, he pushed her hair back from her face, his lips quivering as tears welled up in his eyes. “Wake up, baby. Don’t leave me now…” he went on, caressing her cheek.

“I’m really sorry,” Dr. Jensen said in a low and calm voice. “I know you were close.”

Jake tilted his head further down, staring at her lifeless face, as two tears spilled from his eyes. Allison Barnes, the woman he was about to propose to, the love of his life, was dead in his arms. Feeling the unbearable pain ripping through him, he looked up into the sky, screaming at the top of his lungs:

“Noooooooooooooooo!”