Smiling sadly, Tovah walked over to the young man, putting a warm hand on his shoulder. “Don’t give up hope, Itzak. They’re not here, so there’s always a chance, alright?”

Itzak returned his commander’s smile. “Yes, Ma’am,” he replied.

Giving the shoulder beneath her hand a fond squeeze, Tovah turned to the rest of her troops. “Even though we didn’t find our kin, our mission was a success. We’ve managed to save one soul from the arms of the Reaper. Now let’s get outta here and blow this place off the face of the earth.”

Raising their weapons, the squad let out a shout, turning to follow their brave leader back into the fighting.

The increased numbers evened the odds and the firefight quickly turned into a rout. Al-Hassein had been found much earlier in the battle, seated behind his desk, his life ended from a self inflicted gunshot wound to the right temple. He had died before the bunker was even stormed as in his killing rage he had managed to execute the last two people who could possibly tell him anything. Overcome with fear at the thought of what his superiors would do to him, the Iraqi Guard Commander ended his own life rather than face the tortures of the very regime he so gladly tortured others in the name of.

The Israelis fought with redoubled fury and soon not a Republican Guard within the bunker was left breathing. The commotion outside the barracks had prevented other soldiers from coming to the Iraqis’ aid, the sporadic gunfire inside the bunker seeming less important than the violent explosions outside.

Lifting the radio to her lips, Tovah pressed a button. “C’ team. All clear?”

“Ready and waiting, Commander,” came a static-filled voice.

“We’re ready in here.”

“Stand away from the walls then. We’ll have you out in a jiffy.”

The group stepped away from the south wall of the bunker, most milling around Adellich and the unconscious woman he still carried in his arms. “All clear,” Tovah announced.

Seconds later, a large area of the south wall disintegrated soundlessly. As soon as the dust settled, the group ran from the building, allowing the C team to enter and place explosive charges around the facility.

Five trucks, emblazoned with the Republican Guard symbol on their canvas flaps and door panels, stood ready for the group. Adellich and Tovah ran to the nearest one. Adellich laid Kael’s body on the floorboards in the back of the truck, then hauled his big body inside, lifting the soldier once again and gently placing her in a stretcher strapped to a long plank.

The driver of the truck, clothed in an appropriated Republican Guard uniform, stepped to the rear, striding over to his leader. “We’ve got problems, Commander.”

“What sort of problems,” Tovah asked, turning her attention from the silent figure being strapped to the gurney and searching the young man’s face with dark, almond eyes.

“The Iraqis are shoring up their boarders with Syria. Our escape route is pretty much cut off. The secondary route is still passable, but it’s at least a twelve hour trek through some pretty rough country.” He looked significantly into the back of the truck where Adellich was squatting next to the secured woman, checking her vitals.

“Shit.” Tovah looked inside the truck as well, waiting until her second had finished his work before clearing her throat. “You heard?”

“Yeah.”

“Think she’ll make it if we take the long way home?”

“I doubt it. I don’t know how she’s managing to hang on now. Any more jostling and we’ll probably lose her.”

Tovah crossed her arms and slapped one palm against her bicep as she searched her memory, working at her lower lip with sharp white teeth. “We’ve got a safe-house in Karbala. That’s closer to Baghdad than I want to be right now, but I don’t think we’ve got a choice.”

“I don’t think that’s such a wise idea, Commander,” the young soldier stated. “The roads between here and there are going to be crawling with the enemy with this massive troop buildup. And when the war starts, you can bet that Baghdad is gonna get bombed. You’ll be in a lot of danger.”

“I realize that, Martin. But this woman is going to die if we don’t get her some immediate aid. And I’m not willing to let that happen.”

The young man took a deep breath. “Commander, forgive me for speaking out of turn, Ma’am, but you’re taking a big risk. The chances are good that none of you will survive once the bombing starts. I know you want to save this woman, but what’s the point if she’s only going to die in Karbala along with the rest of you? I think it’s better to chance the longer route.”

Tovah looked back into the truck, meeting Adellich’s intent gaze. The older man shook his head slightly. The commander looked back at her young compatriot. “It’s a risk I’m going to have to take, my friend,” she said gently. “Only this truck will go to Karbala. The rest of the squad can take the route to the north and safety. If you want to go with the others, do so. I won’t fault you. Just leave your uniform so we can make use of it.”

“Begging your pardon, Ma’am. But if you’re going into danger, I’m going with you,” the young man responded, his chest stuck out with pride.

Tovah smiled and clapped the young man on the shoulder. “You’re a good man, Martin.” She beckoned another soldier to approach. “Relay my orders to the others. B and C squads get in those trucks and head north to meet with A squad at the rendezvous point. Take the secondary route out of here. Benjamin, Martin and I will go to Karbala with our injured friend. Good luck and God’s blessings on all of you. You did a great job today. I’m proud of you.”

The young woman beamed, snapping off a stiff salute. “God grant you safety in your journey, Commander.” Turning, the officer gathered the rest of the soldiers and the group entered the remaining trucks, escaping the bunker under cover from their compatriots still pinning the Iraqi forces down.

Adellich reached down a hand and aided Tovah into the back of the truck. Once there, the commander found a cache of purloined uniforms and took one out for herself, groaning at the gigantic size compared to her tiny form. She also threw one to Adellich and the two began to hurriedly dress as the truck lurched away from the scene of slaughter.

Scant moments later, the small truck rocked on its springs as a titanic explosion sounded behind them. Tovah looked out the flap and saw the remains of the bunker litter the sky in a field of fire. “May God have mercy on your souls,” she whispered before turning and coming to sit beside her friend. “How’s she doing?”

“No change,” Adellich replied, dragging a hand through his sweaty hair. “She has an incredibly strong will to live. I just hope it’ll be enough. There’s nothing more I can do for her here.”

“The safe-house has a pretty good medical facility,” Tovah informed him, leaning over to brush a lock of dirty raven hair from the face of the injured woman and gently caressing her noble brow. She cocked her head to the side, studying the woman’s features intently. “Who are you, Jafit?” she whispered. “Where are you from? Do you have kin to mourn your fate or tell your stories?”

The silent battered woman gave no answer as the truck lurched along through the desert.

24 July 1990. Israeli Safe-House. Karbala, Iraq

The journey to the safe-house was easier than any of them expected. They arrived quickly and without incident, having only been stopped twice on the road. The scarlet of their uniforms and the expertly forged documents allowed the group through the established blockades with nary a passing glance from the quickly growing ranks of Iraqi soldiers filling the streets.

With a rattling cough, the truck stopped outside of a non-descript two story building that had seen better days. The whole neighborhood had, in fact, seen better times. With its close proximity to Baghdad and the continuous shelling that was doubtless going to start up soon, Karbala might just be gasping out its last breath of existence in these watchful weeks of summer.

The rear flaps blew back as Tovah jumped from the truck, followed quickly by Adellich who bore Kael’s heavy body easily in his arms. A knock to the door, an exchange of passwords, and the group was allowed entrance into the home.

With one look at the unconscious figure slumped in Adellich’s arms, the soldier guarding the door sent the group up the narrow stairs and onto the second floor of the house where the medical facilities were housed. The rooms were filled with young men and women industriously going about their assigned duties. Quick glances of curiosity were spared the newcomers before attentions were returned to the important work being done.

A door at the far end of one hallway opened and a tall, striking woman with cropped dark hair stepped out, taking in the sight of the three visitors and beckoning them closer to her. “Bring her in here,” the young woman said, stepping aside to allow Adellich and Tovah to enter a large, sterile room filled with medical instruments. “We’ve been ready since we received your call.”

Adellich strode to the single bed set in the center of the room and gently laid his charge out on the crisp white sheets. He turned to the woman, running a hand through his disordered hair. “Show me to your washing facilities. Then get her prepared for surgery.”

With a crisp nod, the woman did as ordered, leading the medic back to the bathroom and the stack of clean gowns laying on a rack just inside the small room. Conditions were hardly sterile, but Adellich was used to operating in the middle of battle and so would make due with what he had, filling the woman with potent antibiotics to stave off whatever infection the lack of sterility would cause. Of course, lying about in fetid, filth infested water for days with open wounds would pose far more of a danger to the woman’s fragile health.