During a meal with Sarah, I was caught off guard by a soldier who directed me to go to the Major's office.
As a Staff Sergeant, I rarely attended top-level meetings, leading me to question if I had misstepped. But then, memories of a soldier catching Sarah and me sleeping together flooded my thoughts. The fear of his potential blabbing churned my stomach. However, upon settling into the Major's welcoming chair, I felt at ease. As I observed the photos lining the walls, I eagerly awaited the offer of a biscuit, as it had previously signaled positive news.
After offering me food, he quickly addressed the purpose of my visit by stating, "I need you to go out to Iraq tonight, Nick. I won't waste any time with pleasantries."
Upon hearing the mention of Iraq, my adrenaline spi
...ked, leading me to inform Sarah that we would be embarking on this journey together. She too had already received the news and greeted me with a warm smile and embrace. Though fleeting, this moment of comfort was cherished as I made my way to the helicopter where the wind from the blades tousled my hair.
Upon handing over my bag to the loadie, I greeted the Captain and settled onto the cabin floor of the helicopter. As I drifted off to the soothing hum of its engine, an unexpected jolt woke me from my slumber. Despite having slept for roughly half an hour undisturbed, Sarah was nowhere to be found upon awakening. Although texting her crossed my mind, weariness took hold and I promptly returned to a sound sleep.
Upon awakening, I felt disoriented and uncertain of my whereabouts. It was
not until I gazed out the window and witnessed the barren terrain that it dawned on me - I was in Iraq. After landing via helicopter, the team proceeded to unload supplies from the hold. Despite being stiff from a six-hour flight, I emerged from the helicopter only to be momentarily blinded by the intense midday sun.
As I gazed into the future, I beheld Sarah adorned in her imitation Prada shades, stationed at a distance of 300 meters from my position. While dozing off for a moment, I had temporarily forgotten about her; however, I was promptly reminded of why she held such a special place in my heart: the playful way her tresses bounced atop her shoulders, the glinting twinkle that radiated from her eyes under the sun's rays and a grin capable of illuminating any dimly lit space. Upon conversing with her, one query that arose was how she had managed to arrive before me.
The utilization of a private jet, typically reserved for VIPs, caught me off guard. Yet, I quickly discovered that it was given to her because her husband had left her. This unexpected disclosure momentarily rendered me speechless and prompted me to offer an apology.
Despite secretly being pleased, calling her a hypocrite was a mistake that led to a shouting match and an unexpected slap to my face, causing me pain. She then ran off swearing and shouting, leaving me looking like an idiot amidst mountains of kit.
Arriving at the British operations center after a long walk in the midday heat, I was greeted by an 18-year-old Welsh lad who cracked a few jokes. Despite his attempts at humor, I
barely paid attention and took a seat on a flimsy plastic chair that creaked with my every move. As I stared off into space, the colonel arrived for the briefing, and I joined him in the makeshift office. Initially, I thought Sarah would be joining us on the mission, but my assumption proved incorrect when I left the briefing.
Doing it alone was a challenge. Having no prior experience, it was tough to grasp the plan. The news of being sent to Basra to demolish the country's biggest bomb-making factory within 48 hours was unnerving and uncommon. I felt frightened and wished I had someone to confide in, but I was aware that no one was available.
During Tuesday and most of Wednesday, there were no significant events. However, at 4pm on Wednesday, I received a task to retrieve equipment from the store. I managed to gather various items including water, food rations, coffee sachets, kilos of explosives, as well as a heavy and dusty radio which all fit into my bergen. Our departure for the mission was scheduled for 9pm while it was still dark outside. To prepare for any potential lack of meals during our operation, I enjoyed a large dinner consisting of my favourite dish - chicken curry. As I sat down to eat, I realized the significance of this mission and made a vow to carry out our objective successfully. Following a brief farewell with the Colonel, I set off in an old Land Rover.
Despite the fact that much of Iraq was desert, sand was still everywhere. Unfortunately, I had some between my toes, causing discomfort akin to glass shards. Following a
long, rough journey, I arrived at the location where I planned to hide my Land Rover. With great care, I concealed it within a thorn bush, quietly moving about. Regrettably, I had left my fighting knife behind and as a result suffered deep, bloody scratches while forcing my way through the bush. Walking for three hours with a large blister on one's foot is rarely enjoyable - especially when preparing to destroy a bomb factory.
Approaching the warehouse cautiously, uncertain of what or who might be present, I surveyed the exterior before beginning to plant the explosive. The malleable material reminded me of plasticine from my school days as I warmed it in my hands and shaped it into a thin, elongated form. I proceeded carefully, laying the explosive along the edge of the warehouse. Suddenly, catching sight of a flashlight in my peripheral vision, I instinctively threw myself to the ground.
With bated breath, I observed for additional beams of light. After twenty minutes of tense waiting, I rose from the frigid ground. Cautiously traversing the warehouse, I remained vigilant for any indicators of danger while laying out the detonator wire. It was now 6:30 am by the time I'd concluded, hiked back to the Land Rover, and extracted the remote detonator without injuring myself this time. In a matter of seconds, I had the device prepped and pressed the red execute button.
Shortly thereafter, there was a loud explosion indicating success in destroying another bomb factory. I felt a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.
