move troops forward so they can attack our defenses,

then it’s our job to find them and destroy them. It’s a no-

brainer. We’re not just out here to get payback for Matt.”

“I know. And I don’t want to piss you off, but you

keep saying this could all be pretty straightforward, and

they keep telling us it ain’t that simple.”

I hardened my gaze. “Maybe we just have to open

148 GH OS T RE CON

our eyes a little more and stop convincing ourselves that

this is so complex. What if it’s not? What if these people

are just playing us all for fools? Turning us against each

other, so they can get what they want? Maybe . . . it’s as

simple as that.”

He shrugged.

Yes, I was trying to convince myself more than him.

He didn’t buy it, and really, neither did I. But we needed

to trick ourselves into thinking it was good guys versus

bad guys, especially in the hours before we committed.

If we started thinking about the millions of dominoes

we might kick over with every move, we’d become para-

lyzed.

I slapped a hand on his shoulder. “Thanks for having

my back. You always do.”

He gave a slight nod. “What’s the plan to get off the

base?”

I beamed at him. “We’re Ghosts. I think we can come

up with something.”

“Yeah, we’ll figure it out.”

At about two A.M. we piled into a Hummer and drove

straight for the main gate. I had no clever plan. I just

told the sentries we were relieving a security detail at the

construction site. I showed him the fake credentials that

identified us as regular Army personnel. We weren’t on

the guy’s list. I argued. At the sound of my first four-

letter word, we got ushered through. It wasn’t as glam-

orous as sneaking off the base, but it did work.

CO MB AT O P S

149

Or at least I’d thought it had.

After we left, the son-of-a-bitch guard called the XO,

who in turn woke up Harruck.

We left the truck and driver at the edge of the con-

struction site and talked to the rifle squad posted there.

I told them we were on a classified operation but if they

heard gunfire and explosions, they were welcome to join

us. The sergeant in charge grinned and said, “Is it bring

your own beer?”

“Hell, no. We supply everything.”

He smiled. “I like the way you guys roll.”

We hustled off into the desert, the sand billowing into

our eyes, the sky a deep blue-black sweeping out over a

moonless night.

The foothills lay directly ahead, cast in deep silhou-

ette, and I strained to see the tunnel entrances that

Treehorn so fervently believed were there.

At the base of the first hill, with our boots digging

deeply into the soft, dry earth, Ramirez called for a sud-

den halt, and then we dropped to our bellies, tucking in

tightly along a meandering depression. Someone was

approaching.

Actually two figures.

I whispered into my boom mike to activate my Cross-

Com. The hills lit up a phosphorescent green as the

HUD appeared and the unit made contact with our sat-

ellite. Within the next two seconds my entire team was

identified by green diamonds and blood types via their

Green Force Tracker chips.

So, too, were the two men approaching, and I gave a

150 GH OS T RE CON

deep sigh as I read the names. Warris had come along

with a private, probably his driver.

“Ghost Team, this is Ghost Lead. Friendlies approach-

ing. Hold fire.”

“Roger that,” said Ramirez. “But are you sure about

that?”

I grimaced over the remark, but yeah, I understood

how he felt.

Warris, unbeknownst to me, was wearing a Cross-

Com and had linked to our channel. He’d been clever

enough to research the access codes. He’d heard Ramirez’s

remark and suddenly said, “Ghost Team, this is Captain

Warris. I’m coming up. And if I were you, I’d be sure

about holding fire.”

Ramirez shifted over to me, covered his boom mike,

and issued a curse.

I saw his curse and raised him two.

Warris, crouched over, slipped up to the depression

and dropped down beside us, with his private doing

likewise.

“Ghost Team, this is Ghost Lead. Turn off your Cross-

Coms and huddle up.”

They immediately complied. I didn’t want anything

recorded at this point.

“How you doing, Scott?” my former trainee began, as

though he were about to offer me a beer. I sensed, though,

that he was speaking through clenched teeth.

“What’s up, Fred?”

“Harruck sent me out here to relieve you of com-

mand and bring the team home.”

CO MB AT O P S

151

I pretended I didn’t hear him. “Maybe we shouldn’t’ve

slipped off the base, but you know what? I’m just too

lazy and just don’t care anymore. We’re heading up to

find, fix, and destroy the enemy. We’ve got enough

actionable intel to justify this raid. If we let ’em keep

moving in and doing overwatch of our construction site,

they’ll set up their offensive, and all of Harruck’s work

will go to hell. So you need to go back now and tell him

that. Tell him we’re out here to save his ass.”

“You can tell him yourself. We’ll contact him right

now.”

“I don’t have time for this—”

“Captain, I’m here to relieve you of command.”

“Okay, but can you give me about an hour?”

Warris’s voice came in a stage whisper, but he would’ve

shouted if he could: “This is serious shit, asshole! I’m

relieving you of command!”

“I’m sorry, sir,” said Ramirez, butting in and ignor-

ing my glare. “But we don’t recognize your authority

here, nor will we obey your orders.”

“You think you speak for the rest of them?” Warris

asked.

Ramirez looked at the others. “Oh, yes, sir. I know I

do. We won’t follow you. Trust me.”

I shook my head. “Freddy, the problem is you’re try-

ing to play by the book with people that don’t exist.”

He looked lost for a second, then said, “I’m not going

anywhere.”

“That’s fine. You can wait for us.”

“No, I’m coming on this mission.”

152 GH OS T RE CON

“Negative. I need you to return to the FOB, and

bring your driver along.”

“Excuse me? I’m here to relieve you.”

“I am not relieved.”

“You’ve got no authority to refuse me.” He glanced

around at my team. “Captain Mitchell has been relieved

of command and will be returning to the base with my

driver.”

“Guys, just ignore him. I’m in command. Prepare to

move out.”

“Scott—”

Now I was talking through my teeth. “You listen to

me, and you listen good. Each one of my guys has got

two rifles. One’s their favorite toy. The other’s an AK

confiscated from the Taliban. Do you understand what

I’m saying?”

“That I could accidentally get shot? You gotta be kid-

ding me. You don’t threaten me with that. We’re on the

same team, and you just need to suck it up. I’m in.