As the chopper took off I knew something was not right. New pilot, with a mountain right in front of us – not a good start to the evening. The pilot tried to climb too steep and we started drifting backwards seconds after taking off. Somehow, he righted the transport and we made it over the peak of the hill. Our LZ was a good mile in the distance under the cover of night. But this was no quiet night. AA fire lit up the skies. Silhouettes of transport choppers moving in ways they were never supposed to were visible against the cloudy moonlit sky. About 40 seconds after we passed over the mountain peak I saw our pilot simply bail. The constant sound of having a missile locked on you can play with your mind. His mind was in need of a vacation. I jumped just high enough to deploy my chute. It was right about then that I realized that the plan went to hell.

I was on my own with nothing but the sound of sniper fire whizzing past me and the nylon of my chute cutting the wind. I hit the ground and ran for cover. Up that hill to the north and around some huge rock outcropping is the base we need to capture. It is a good 20 second sprint in sand from the cover I have now to that rock up ahead. I ask myself, “is it worth it?”

I think of the life I knew before the oil ran dry. I can not even remember what my parents looked like. I have been fighting this bloody war for what seems like forever. Those that are left alive at this point are all living on the edge, like me. At least I remember what caring felt like.

I spat on the ground and poked my head out a bit. A round from a sniper passed inches from my head. More annoyed than fearful I load up my m203. I love my n00b tube.

After all this fighting, everyone I know is dead. I don’t even care if we win or loose anymore, but someone needs to die, and it may as well be the other guy. I start the sprint. I see the dirt fly from the sniper round almost before I hear it pass by my head. The recoil of his gun catches my eye. I take aim and let the ordinance fly. BOOM! The sniper tumbles from the rocks and I sprint the distance.

As I hit the cover I think to myself smiling. “Yeah, it was worth it. Who’s next?”