Chapter 26IraqEven as the helicopter descended, sending up plumes of
dust and sand, he saw the faces of the waiting officers. Something was not
right. Making a ducking run from the aircraft, he headed for the officer in
command, who snapped a sharp salute. He perfunctorily responded, more
concerned to learn what had gone adrift. The captain’s hangdog expression
spoke volumes.
“OK, what went wrong?”
The captain walked by his side towards the base, waiting
until he could make himself heard above the engine noise.
“We lost the followers, sir. One minute we were in
this tight formation and I was in the leading Humvee, there were two more at
the rear. The next, they’d disappeared.”
The colonel stopped. The captain strode several paces
forward before coming back to suffer the comman
