//------------------------------// // Chapter 3: Good bye old friend. // Story: Freedom Comes From Teamwork. // by Carmack21 //------------------------------// Pulling the colt .45 away from his chest, Croft slid back into position behind the back half of the wrecked Humvee. “Croft watch your 3, I see movement in your direction!” Abe said over the loud thud of Ruffles 50 cal. “I see them, watch your 10 Abe!” Croft yelled back, stealing a quick glance in direction which the voice originated from. Croft took aim, but didn’t fire, all that laid before him and death were those measly 21 bullets. He couldn’t afford to miss his mark. He saw the shadows of the enemy dancing on the buildings, but his targets wouldn’t dare stick their heads out. This scenario reminded Croft of Basic. “Hey Abe, remember what Drill Sergeant Waldo said?” Croft yelled to his comrade. “When In Doubt, a nade should go out!” Abe said with a grin on his face, and reaching for his grenade pouch. Find his grenades, he passed one to Croft. “GERNADE OUT!!!” Croft yelled, pulling the pin and lobbing it high into the sky in the direction of the shadows. KABOOM, the grenade found its mark on the wall and exploded. Croft looked through the dust the best he could, to see if the shadows would run and charge in his direction, but after a couple seconds passed all he heard was the thud of Ruffles .50cal. “Croft, Abe, and Hay! I need you guys to secure that restaurant; we can use it as our operations camp till APDF arrives, or until Sergeant Habble arrives.” Clatts told his team he though would be more suitable to clear the building, and set up connections with HQ. “Understood sir.” The Three colts replied in unison, looking at the building that Clatts was pointing too. Croft glanced in the Humvee searching for anything that could be useful before heading over. Something caught his eyes, something that seemed so familiar, his back pack. He never quiet wondered what happened to it till he saw the pack. He reached in to grab the sack, careful not to cut his arms up on the ragged metal sides of the once new Humvee. He pulled it from the carnage and searched the ragged sack for his tools. He found his grenades, two clips for an M4, his cord, and duck tape. A small box laid under his sack he noticed when he glanced in once again, Caution High Explosives Trip Mine. In other words, claymores. He grabbed them as well as the M4 he left laying on the ground and followed his small squad to the restaurant. Abe and Hay both laid them selves on the wall next to the door waiting for Croft, “You coming Croft?” Hay said in a shaky voice, questioning his courage for the first time in a long time. “So, I guess I’ll go first.” He said as Croft laid up against the other side of the door. Hay turned to face the door and with one solid kick, the door swung open, a blast of heat and explosive smoke meet the three comrades as the door and walls were blown from the building. “Ahhhhh!!!” Croft yelled at the top of his lungs. Croft, Abe, and Hay were all thrown from the side of the building, sent flying like ragdolls through the air, as though they were nothing. Croft was engulfed in the flame as his body was tossed in the air, the fire that surrounded him faded away. BUZZZZZZZZZ… Is all he heard for the time being, his thoughts though were more concerned for the team, and if any pony had been seriously injured. Hay stood in front of the door, so he took most of the blast, he was the most important. Croft thought as he raced over to where Hay had landed, which Croft had guessed was rough about 30 meters away. He looked fine, except for minor burns and cuts, and hadn’t responded to Croft when he asked if he was ok. His hearing was gone, the same as his own. “CROFT! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” The colt asked. “DO YOU NEED ASSISTANCE? I FEEL FINE, EXCEPT FOR MY EYE, I THINK YOU SHOULD CHECK ON ABE THOUGH!” “Croft, help…” Abe said in a weak voice. Croft raced on to help him, he was buried under the wall which once stood erect, and provided protection for the three ponies. All Croft was able to make out was the upper half of the colt, but even that half was so bloody and damaged it was hard to look at. “Croft… I want you to take this please. Can you make sure it gets home for me?” The battered pony reached inside his ACU’s vest pocket and reveled a small neatly folded envelope. Croft knew what was contained in the envelope; he was hesitant to take it. Abe looked him in the eyes, “Don’t look too worried, you’ll see me soon enough. Oh, by the way, Marry yea she liked me first.” The humorous colt took one last breath, laid down on his back looking at the sky; a small tear filled the eye of the brave colt that would put his life on the line for his country. He shut his eyes and he didn’t open them again. Croft stared at Abe, he didn’t know what to do, or what actions would anyone do. He reached for Abe’s neck, grabbed the shinny silver chain, and with one good yank it popped off. In his hands were two bloody dog tags. The blood covered half of the information on them, he folded them, opened a pocket in his vest put the envelope, the dog tags, and Abe’s wedding ring in his pocket. “CROFT, WHATCH YOUR 2 O’CLOCK!” The half deaf, half blinded, pony yelled to his friend. Hay was up and moving now, his right eye looked like its seen better days, but he shoot lefty so he was alright. His energy came from pure adrenaline. His anger though burned in his heart, he knew Abe was gone, he didn’t need too look. He just had an out of body feeling when someone close to him died. Hay and Croft returned to the building, this time looking ever so carefully for tripe wires, and booby traps that the enemy left for the soldiers to find. The staircase was still intact but badly burnt. One by one the two ponies took each step up the staircase so gingerly as to not brake through the burnt wood and scorched cement stairs. With one last step they stood at the top of the stairs, they looked at each, “Ready?” Croft asked in a hushed voice. “WHAT?!!” Hay said back. Croft quickly slapped a hoof over Hay’s mouth, and used his other hand to explain what to do. The two quickly opened the door and meet, no one on the roof. Croft grabbed the radio out of Hay’s backpack and contacted the rest of the group, “Its all clear sir! Bring what you can up to the top floor, and watch out on the stairs, they’re badly burnt.” Croft informed his CO.