Chapter 0
I ran through the whistling flurry of bullets, blind to everything around me, guiding myself only by the massive silhouette of the American Humvee. Behind me, Iskander was breathing heavily. Suddenly, a pair of strong hands in tactical gloves grabbed me under the arms and literally threw me into the stifling, gunpowder-scented interior of the truck.
I spun around, stretching my arm out toward the open door.
“Come on, Iskander! Give me your hand! Now!”
Suddenly, cutting through the thunder of gunfire and the roar of engines from the far end of the courtyard, a piercing, desperate woman’s scream echoed:“Iskander!!!”
He spun toward the sound, his face twisting in horror. Looking back at me and my outstretched hand, he squeezed my fingers for a split second with his battered, blood-slicked hand.
“Baby... that’s my mom. She’s over there. I can’t leave her. I’ll be right back, I’ll be fast, I promise.”
He let go of my fingers and sprinted back, vanishing into the smoke and the flashes of gunfire.
“Iskander!!! No! Come back!!!” I screamed, throwing myself forward, trying to tumble out of the accelerating vehicle.
Two massive soldiers pinned me heavily to the floor, locking me in place. Around us, the chaos erupted with a vengeance—bullets pelted the armored truck like heavy hail. The Humvee lunged forward, slamming me into the metal floor.
