“One thousand one…one thousand two…one thousand three…” Mallory heard the Gunny counting softly to himself as they straightened to watch for the impact of their first shot. With all the light spilling over the Chouf, it wouldn’t be hard to spot. After a few seconds, they saw the angry orange and black detonation clearly in the blue-white glow of flare light and heard the boom of the explosion roll down from the foothills.
Barlow began to fiddle with the elevation and deflection controls on the mortar. “About two hundred right and drop one-fifty. Get me another round, same charge.”
Mallory scrambled to prepare another shell. As he worked, he noticed the pace and tempo of the incoming had changed. It was more ragged and less coordinated. He imagined whoever was calling the shots for the ar
