Part 80 (1/2)

”We searched him,” Bunny finally said. ”Definitely a boy.”

Finn kept shaking his head. ”No, you're wrong . . .”

I snapped my fingers in front of his face. He blinked and stopped shaking his head. His eyes were bloodshot and there were dark smudges under them.

”Hey-listen to me, Finn,” I said, pitching my voice low and calm, ”you're in shock and you're not making a lot of sense. You've got to calm down and-”

”No, I-”

”Shhh,” I said. ”It's cool. We're clear and we're safe. We searched the area. It's just the four of us, and help is on the way.”

He gradually calmed, but only halfway. ”What's . . . what's our status? Why is there all this blood on my clothes?”

”We're piecing that together. We found the spot where Rattlesnake Team ambushed the opium convoy.All of the Taliban are dead, the opium's there, but there's no sign of your guys.”

Finn gave me a sharp look, penetrating and unblinking. ”You're sure about that, Joe? You haven't seen them?”

Before I could respond, Bunny said, ”Nah, we ain't seen hide nor hair. But we think they ambushed another convoy a couple hours ago.”

Finn stared at him. ”You're sure it was them?”

”Not sure of anything today,” said Top. ”But whoever did it used M14s. Cla.s.sic SpecOps ambush scenario, too. How many teams of gunslingers you think are out here? There's us and there's your boys.”

Finn's eyes s.h.i.+fted away. He looked toward the town and then he looked down between his knees at the dirt.

”My team is gone,” he said softly.

”Gone . . . ?” prompted Bunny. ”You mean they been capped?”

Finn shrugged.

”Where are the bodies?” asked Top.