Lieutenant Mike Murphy bellowed out the command, the third time he had done so in the battle. Same
mountain. Same command. “Fall back! Axe and Marcus first!”
Again he really meant Fall off! And we were all getting real used to it. Axe and I sprinted for the
edge, while Murph and Danny, tucked into the rocks, drew fire and covered our escape. I had no idea
whether Danny could even move again, with all his wounds.
Lying right along the top of the cliff was a tree trunk with a kind of hollow underneath it, as if it had
been washed out by the rains. Axe, who could think quicker on his feet than most people I’ve ever met,
made straight for that hole because the tree trunk would give him cover as he plunged down to whatever
the hell was over the goddamned cliff.