My eyes were blurry. My head pounded. Everything was dark, but I could hear screams in the distance. I tried to stand but my leg was pinned under a concrete block. The explosion. It started coming back to me.

The entire mission had been a trap. It was bad intel, served to us to lead us into an ambush. The building was on fire and if I didn’t get out, I would be a part of the next blast.

I shoved the beam off my leg, grunting loudly with the effort. I stood, looking for my team.

“Crane!” I heard the scream over the hiss of the flames. I leapt over the rubble searching for the voice.

I threw bricks and beams, until I uncovered the trapped Ranger. I stared at Karl, the team communication specialist. He carried the radio equipment in his pack, but I knew it had been smashed into a million pieces. We wouldn’t be able to call for help.

I stared into the man’s eyes. They were wide with panic. The blood trickled along his temple. It started coming back to me. This was exactly how I found Elliot. Trapped and surrounded by fire. I felt the anger well up inside. I couldn’t let another man die like this. I wouldn’t let it happen. I grabbed the end of a concrete beam and lifted it until Karl could move out from under it.

“Let’s get out of here,” I yelled, gripping Karl’s arm and dragging him from under the pile.

I hiked him to his feet and pulled him out of the building.

“Where are the others?” I asked. I didn’t know how long I had been passed out under the beam.

“I think they got it before us. The Delta team was calling us back when the explosion went out,” He huffed as I laid him against a wall.

“Do you think you can walk?”

Karl nodded. “If you could pull a building off me, I think I can walk.” He looked at me. “How’d you do that by the way?”

I shook my head. “I lift weights.” I knew it was an adrenaline rush, but we had bigger issues.

We didn’t have time to argue. I could hear the gunfire. I had to find the rest of the team and get the hell out of here before we were captured. Things were bad now, but it could be fucked up worse if I didn’t find a way out.

“Any chance you can piece together your equipment to call in air cover?” I asked.

Karl winced as he tried to haul the pack over his shoulder. “I might have a radio in here that didn’t take a hit. We can try to find one.”

“Good.” I slapped him on the shoulder. “Call in our coordinates. I’m going back in for a sweep.”

“But the building is on fire. There are too many rooms to cover in the hotel.” Karl tried to urge me to stay. “There could be more explosives. Don’t go back in there, man.”

“I’m not leaving until I know our team is out.” I ran into the burning building, ignoring Karl’s warnings. I wouldn’t leave anyone behind.

I ran into the side door, scanning through the smoke for any sign of the Ranger or Delta teams. I tuned in to my army instincts, knowing they would help me detect enemy presence.

I darted room to room, calling out for my men.

“Crane, over here!”

I peered through the smoke, my eyes landing on Newt.

I jumped over a fallen door. “I have two men trapped under this wall,” Newt yelled.

I nodded as he grabbed the other side of the wall. Together we lifted the wall high enough for the Delta team to roll out.

“Thanks,” Newt shouted. “I’ve already covered the second floor. Do you have all your men?”

“No. I only have the comm guy.”

“All right. My team is accounted for. I’ll take the rest of this level and I’ll meet you at the south exit.”

We ran in opposite directions, searching for the rest of the Ranger team. I knew with Newt looking, the search would be thorough. If my men were here we would find them. Two Special Forces Rangers were worth at least five soldiers searching.

Part of the second floor had collapsed into the first level. There were places in the floor where the ground gave way, exposing a basement. It must have been how the target escaped. There were always tunnels and secret exits. No matter how accurate or timely the intelligence was we received, the target always seemed to be a step ahead.

I kicked open a door, my anger growing. I pulled two more men out of the hotel, assembling everyone at the south entrance with Newt and the Delta team.

Karl was able to call in two helicopters with his radio. Fifteen minutes later we had enough air support to load the injured teams and get out of the city.

I let my legs dangle over the side of the door, watching the desert blur past me as the helicopter flew them back to base camp. We had found everyone. The injuries may keep some of the men from staying on the team, but by some miracle no one had died. I shook my head, knowing I was one of the ones who almost died today. Everything could have ended. Was that how I wanted to go out? Had I given my life everything I should have? I knew what the answers were.

I decided then. No matter what it took, I was going back to Oregon. Back to Olivia.