Finish the Course (The Barnes Family Book 1) Read Online Free PDF Page B

what they needed. They returned quickly to their positions inside.
    “Did you reach them?” Slater waited to get in until he was sure everyone was accounted for.
    “Command’s located us and is tracking our movement. They’ll have a chopper here by daybreak.”
    Slater looked behind them and saw headlights, “Get in,” Slater ordered. “Drive, Hall.”
    Hall didn’t wait to be told a second time. They soon lost the other vehicle. It was anybody’s guess as to whether that was because the people in it had no interest in catching the Range Rover or if it was because the driver of the trailing car wasn’t as insane as the driver of the Rover.
    “Where are they picking us up, Porter?”
    “East of Ghori two miles.”
    “We’ll get there before daybreak. Chung and Porter, try to get some sleep.”
    The men knew it was a command and did their best to comply.
    Slater and the others did their best to not think about their team mates sleeping.
    Ghori was hardly worth mentioning on the map. They reached it by four in the morning. Slater told Turner to wake Porter and Chung.
    “Stay awake and watch. Turner and Garret, try to sleep.”
    “Couldja quit talking about sleep,” Hall griped, “I got the feeling we’re not gonna get any.”
    Slater clapped his buddy on the shoulder, “Patience, man. Your time is coming.”
    Hall shook his head to wake himself up, “Porter, we got any landmarks?”
    “They had a satellite picture of a quonset or some other large building.”
    Slater blinked, “I’m not positive,” he pointed, “but that appears to be a Chinook coming in right there.”
    Garret craned his neck around backward, “That’s just your imagination, Chief. Like someone travelling through the desert sees water.”
    Slater yawned, “Well, I’m getting on board that mirage. You can stay here if you like.”
    The chopper landed as Hall parked.
    “Good timing,” Garret yawned, never having had the opportunity to actually fall asleep.
    Chung spoke into the radio, “Alpha team ready for pickup.”
    “Flight team waiting,” came the other end.
    The men gathered their gear as they moved toward the waiting chopper, “Who’s our captain today?” Hall asked the voice on the other end.
    “Captain Barnes.”
    The men looked at each other, sighed and resumed walking toward the vehicle.
    “Something wrong with Captain Barnes?” Riya asked Porter.
    “Nope,” he opened the door to allow her to enter ahead of him, “nothing at all.”

CHAPTER SIX
    “Captain Barnes,” Slater greeted the pilot before taking his seat, “I appreciate the pickup.”
    “Have a seat, Reed,” she ordered. “We’ll see if we can make the next landing a little smoother than the last.”
    The men and their guest all slept during the nine hour flight back to the base.
    Slater woke first, about seven hours into it. He was not too surprised to see the pilot had left post to her co-pilot for the purpose of checking on the men. He was a bit surprised to see her studying him.
    “Well, Captain Barnes,” he twisted his head around to crack his neck, “I assume we are nearly out of danger now.”
    “Nearly,” she agreed. “Of course, there is no guarantee of anything. If God had wanted men to fly, he would have given them wings.”
    Slater snorted at the old joke, “If God hadn’t wanted us to fly, we wouldn’t be doing it.”
    She rose from her crouched position, “I take that to mean you believe there is a God who controls what is going on.”
    He frowned a little, “I’d be a fool not to.”
    She gave him half a grin, “I’d love to debate that with you, but I should get back to my job,” she started to walk away but turned back, “I’m glad you made it out okay.”
    Slater nodded at her, “Thanks.”
    He didn’t consider they had made it out okay. They had lost five men – five members of their team – friends. Brothers.
    They had been together for more than three years. Some of them had worked together for eight.