A Sense of Duty: A Former Navy SEAL Falls in Love and Begins a New Journey with his Private Consulting Company: Dark Horse Guardians Read Online Free PDF Page B

their legs under them, learning the lay of the land.  Toward the end, fatigue and a little bit of complacency creeps in.
    When Ben had to make the visit to Javier's widow, Marissa, he did not expect events to unfold as they did. Javier's uniforms and personal effects were neatly folded along with his medals and an American flag. Stoic and professional, Ben rang the doorbell on that beautiful sunny June afternoon in Santa Clarita California. The air was light and full of summer's promise, but Ben's sunglasses concealed his blood-shot eyes. He had made these visits to the families of fallen heroes before. But there was something about his relationship with Javier that made this deeply personal.
    Javier Mendoza was a California kid, the son of immigrant farmers, one of twelve children. He lived in extreme poverty all of his life. A six-foot-two mountain of muscle, he sported gang tattoos that he had to remove before joining the Navy. The tattoos were now just blurry faded images on his back and arms, but a serious reminder of the course his life could have taken. Ben's swim buddy, Javier was a fellow BUD/S graduate and had a brilliant mind. In training and in battle the two men could finish one another's sentences. They had the same political leanings, the same sense of humor, enjoyed the same books, movies, video games, even the same taste in food and women. Ben spent more time with Javier than with anyone. If they walked into a bar and both were attracted to the same dark haired beauty, Ben deferred to Javier. Ben often laughed saying that he and Javier might have been brothers in a former life. And, to that Javier would say, "Let's not get to the Nirvana part just yet, buddy…" But that blistering hot day in Afghanistan they had a fire fight on their hands and Javier was going to Nirvana in Ben's arms. The Taliban somehow got to their flank and made a clear shot and it was Javier that paid with his life.
    Dragging him behind cover in the unforgiving dessert heat, Ben immediately knew the shot was fatal. Javier's blood poured out of his head and Ben had his hand over the wound trying hopelessly to stop the bleeding. But he did not let Javier know it was hopeless. He stroked his hair and begged him to hang on. Javier was sweating profusely and very dehydrated. Ben gave him a drink as he watched the life drain out of his brother's young healthy body. It was Ben who wrapped the warrior in a blanket and carried him away from the scene. It was Ben who stayed with Javier's body as he was cleaned and examined, even though his commanding officer asked him to leave. Ben watched as the medical team put Javier's body into the icy cooler. Usually the calm, cool, collected soldier, Ben lost it that night. He gathered Javier's blanket and personal items before the officials could do so. He slept that night on Javier's bed and silently wept. He blamed himself for losing Javier. Ben was the commander. He was responsible for their position and the mission planning. It simply should not have happened. They had been running night missions and the enemy, an extremely dangerous and sought-after Taliban leader and drug lord had become familiar to their pattern. It was Ben's idea to do a daytime mission while the Taliban slept. Ben's planning proved to be a fatal mistake.
    Knocking on the door waiting to see Marissa's face on that June afternoon, Ben wished he had taken the bullet. Marissa, knowing what was coming, wailed uncontrollably. Thank god, Javier's three young children were away with their grandparents for the day. It was Flag Day, June 14. Ben handed the sacred folded flag to Marissa along with Javier's personal effects. He held Marissa in his arms for what seemed like an hour. Ben remained calm and helped her regain composure. His eyes were drawn to the dented white Dodge Ram pick-up in the driveway. He and Javier had spent many nights in that truck in dive bars in the vicinity of Coronado. He wanted to do whatever he could to help the