Editor’s Note: The hunt for Blackjack takes a dangerous turn, and the decision to engage becomes a life-or-death moment. Here’s the second and final part of First Solo Kill: Always When You Least Expect It. If you haven’t yet, read the first part here.

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All real names have been changed.

 

Morty acknowledged the call; time to get that sparkle going. I peeked down to find my radio and looked up just in time to see two of the three guys running away from us across the dried river to my right. They were both armed with rifles and sprinting full speed.

I decided to engage the guy furthest away from me first. He was about 80 meters away and wearing dark-colored clothing.

Still kneeling, I shouldered my SCAR 16, put my IR laser center mass on the poor devil, and sent him to meet his other three buddies. He looked like one of those narcoleptic weenie dogs, running full speed and then suddenly, like a light switch, asleep.