* * *
“Colby,I swear if you don’t wake the fuck up right now, I’m dragging you out of here by your hair.”
I groaned as my eyes fluttered and pain washed through my head. “Care to get this spike out of my head while you’re at it?”
“Leave it to you to joke during a life and death situation,” Chas grumbled.
That had my eyes snapping open. I ignored the pain and winced when I realized his face was a breath away from mine. “Get away from me.” I shoved lightly at his chest.
He chuckled. “I know you’re hurting, but we need to get out of this bird.”
“Why?”
“Fucking insurgents took a shot at us. Hit an engine or some shit. They’re still in the area according to the Apache pilot,” he said, voice grim.
I unbuckled from the seat and counted my blessings that at least I was alive...for now.
“The Apache’s keeping them back for now,” one of the pilots told me. “But they’re going to run out of fuel before long. We need to find some cover before then.”
Fuck. An Apache helicopter always escorted Blackhawks and Chinook helicopters on any flight because no one messed with birds that were armed to the teeth with guns and missiles. The Apaches had the capability to rain hell down on anyone who tried to attack the other transport choppers. Unfortunately, someone had gotten a lucky shot off at us and had disappeared before the Apache could do much about it. This was supposed to be a quick easy drop, and even though the Apache pilots had likely relayed our location, it was going to take time for a rescue to get out here.
“This area was supposed to be inactive,” I growled, rubbing a hand over the back of my head. My fingers were covered in blood. Just great.
“Let me see that,” Rogers said.
“No. They’re right,” I said motioning to the pilots. “We need to find somewhere to hunker down and wait for someone to pick us up. I’d like to do that before the Apache has to return to base.”
I didn’t expect the pilots to run their bird dry and be stuck down here with us, although some pilots might do that.
“Tell them to leave when they need to. Don’t stick around for us,” I ordered the pilot.
He nodded and relayed the order.
“Alright, where can we go? Wilkes?”
I went over and squatted next to him, looking out the door. He pointed to a group of buildings on the outskirts of a medium-sized village. “That’s gonna be the best place. Keeps us from trekking too far in and lets us keep an eye out for our ride.”
Huffing out a breath, I nodded. “Let the Apache guys know we’re going to make a break for those buildings.”
“Roger that.”
As soon as the bird circling above us was in position we moved out as a group, toward the buildings.