Chapter 2
Twenty miles away, above the desert haze, Major Emily Hayes heard the distress call through a broken channel.
She was already on her way back to base.
Her A-10 Warthog was low on fuel.
Her left engine had been running hot for six minutes.
Her warning panel blinked like it was begging her to go home.
Command had already told her to return.
But then she saw the orange smoke.
A thin, desperate line rising from the bottom of a canyon most pilots avoided even in training.
Emily leaned forward in her seat.
Her face was streaked with sweat.
Her flight suit smelled like fuel, dust, and fear she refused to name.
She checked her fuel gauge.
Almost empty.
She checked the canyon.
Too narrow.
Too steep.
Too many blind angles.
A perfect trap.
Overlord came through her headset.
“Hawkeye Two-One, divert immediately. That canyon is a kill box.”
Emily did not answer at first.
She could see flashes from the ridges.
She could see muzzle fire raining down on the men below.
She could see the orange smoke marking Americans who had no way out.
Overlord repeated, sharper now.
“Major Hayes, do not enter that canyon.”
Emily’s hand tightened on the controls.
Then she keyed her mic.
“Mark your position.”
Down below, Mercer heard her voice and looked toward the smoke.
For one second, he thought he had imagined it.
Then Emily came again.
“Reaper Six, mark your position.”
Mercer grabbed the smoke canister and shoved it higher above the rock.
“Orange smoke!” he shouted. “That’s us!”
Briggs stared into the sky.
“Who is that?”
Mercer heard the engine now.
Not high.
Not distant.
Low.
Angry.
May you like
Coming straight for them.
Read Part 3 to see what happened when the A-10 dropped into the canyon.
