Read Promises to Keep for Free Online

the MSR."
    That
made Jack feel a little better. MSR stood for "main supply route" and
to Jack that meant a wide paved road and a Hell of a lot less dust. He hated
the dust.
    It
would be hot… again, as usual. Scorching hot. One-hundred and twenty degrees in
the shade, hot. This place was the definition of 'Hell' in a few different ways.
Unrelenting, immense summer heat was definitely one of them.
    Huge
clouds of talcum powder-like dust the patrol trucks kicked up, added to their
misery. It was so fine that it got into the hoopty and all over everything.
    Dust
got up his nose, in his mouth, ears and throat. It tasted like a mixture of
dirt, oil and goat shit. Jack felt as though he could never get fully clean
while he was in this God forsaken place.
    What
I wouldn't give to be going deep on some gnarly waves, right now. At this
point, I'd settle for a long shower.
    Iraq
might have sand, but Orange County had sand and surf. Besides, Iraqi’s
sand was more like nasty-ass dust.
    Chief
Whitley put away his map. "Why don't you ever let me drive, sir?"
    "'Cause
I get bored, that's why. I gotta do something or I'll go nuts. Tell me, why are
we following these guys around again?"
    "You
said you wanted to be where the action is," Chief said, as he waved his
hand at the windshield. "That's the action."
    "Funny."
Jack shifted. "Looks like we're moving again. It must've been somebody's
laundry."
    The
column moved up the trail in silence until they reached the village. It was
small, just a collection of huts, really. Jack could tell it was probably a
bunch of farmers by the palm orchards and goatherds.
    They
turned left at the main intersection.
    "Keep
your pacing, you're getting behind."
    "I
see it." Jack sped up a little.
    In a
convoy, you don't want to get too close to the vehicle in front of you. If
you’re too close, a bomb could take both of you out. However, if you got too
far behind the group, you'd be a sitting duck for an ambush.
    The
wheel jerked in Jack's hand as they made the transition from a dirt trail to
the paved road of the MSR.
    "Chief,
I think — "
    Jack's
voice was lost in an ear-splitting roar just ahead. A large plume of earth and
smoke erupted from the shoulder, right next to the passenger side of the HUMVEE
in front of them. The vehicle was propelled to the other side of the road where
it shuddered to a halt.
    "Fucking
Hell!” Yelled chief. "That was a big one!"
    Chunks
of asphalt and dirt that had been tossed into the sky, pattered down on top of
their hoopty with metallic pinging noises.
    Jack's
ears were ringing. He felt as if his whole body was shaking, vibrating like a
tuning fork.
    The
entire right side of the HUMVEE was caved in, kind of like a beer can that had
been stepped. Black smoke billowed ominously, like a growing thundercloud from
under the hood.
    In a
rush, Jack kicked open his door, and pulled the small fire extinguisher from
its mount on the dashboard. With his other hand, he grabbed his medic bag and
slung it over his shoulder.
    "Don't
forget your rifle," he called needlessly back to Chief.
    Fire.
I hate fire.
    A
tendril of fear ran through him. They both knew that more often than not, these
roadside IEDs proceeded an ambush. First responders to the wrecked vehicle were
almost always the targets of choice.
    Together,
without hesitation and well aware that they may get shot, Jack and Chief Whitley
rushed toward the blasted hoopty.

Chapter 9.
    To
Jack's relief, the other HUMVEEs in the patrol had noticed the blast and
stopped. He could see a number of Marines dismount and fan out on either side
of the road, their rifles pointed outward, to make a defensive perimeter.
    When
Jack and Chief reached the wrecked vehicle, two Marines were already at the
front, spraying under the hood with their fire extinguishers. Jack pulled open
the driver's door, prepared for the worst.
    Unexpectedly,
the driver tumbled out, falling like a rag doll. Hyper-alert due to the blast
of adrenaline rushing through his