“Roger,” replied the Captain…

Nick responds in a way that I will never forget and in a way that I will not repeat here.

Just about the time that incident is resolved, another call comes over the radio requesting my presence on the north side of the target house.  As I approach I see Eric, Nathan, and our interpreter standing over the boy who I shot earlier.  He is still breathing; in fact, he is talking. As I kneel down to assess his wounds, I ask the interpreter what he is saying.  I notice that he has more than just two holes in him. He was hit from multiple shooters.

For some reason I now feel less responsible for his situation. The interpreter says that the kid is 14 and came to Iraq from Saudi Arabia. I asked him what he is doing in Iraq.  As long as I live I will never forget his response.

“I have come here to kill Americans!”

“Then why did you run?”

“There are too many.”

“How did you get here?”