Free Run With The Brave Page B

These men were toughies and not in the habit of relinquishing leadership; he could only reason they had weighed up the odds and concluded more chance would be had of escaping Iran with his knowledge and experience than if they tried it alone. And, like him, probably thought there would be strength in numbers
.
    Having operated in northern Iran before, Ryder knew enough of that part, at least to maybe get them as far as the Turkish border. He did not hesitate. “Right, if that’s what you want, let’s go.” He now had command. First priority: sort out the injured, second: get away from here fast, and as far as possible.
    â€œWhat about the bodies?” Brady asked. “We need to bury.”
    â€œNo time,” he shot back. “It’ll take too long to dig out then bury.”
    â€œWe can’t just leave them like this,” pressed Kellar. It was standard practice for Special Forces, especially Americans, to never leave their dead to the enemy.
    â€œYou’ll have to if you want to survive; leaving ASAP must be the priority. Iranian troops could be swarming any time. We need to put as much distance away from here as possible.”
    The three Americans stared at one another.
    Ryder was not prepared to waste any more time. “Okay, you do what you have to; I’m outta here.”
    Suddenly, from inside the truck, the raised voice of the Iranian with the broken legs averted their attention. He spoke rapidly and passionately to the man with the crushed leg alongside, “Massoud, my legs, I cannot move them… the pain… it’s unbearable!”
    Massoud pointed to his own left leg. “I cannot help. I cannot move. Look, Naveed, my leg is smashed too. The bleeding will not stop.” He tried to move but gave up. When he eased the makeshift cloth tourniquet, blood from the severed femoral artery spurted out.
    Naveed turned to one of the surviving Iranians looking on with a pistol tucked into his belt and demanded, “Give me the gun.”
    The man hesitated, suspecting what he intended to do.
    â€œGive it to me!” Naveed pleaded, “Give it to me!”
    The man reluctantly handed it over.
    Naveed rolled sideways, tears filling his eyes and, without a word, shot dead his haemorrhaging companion. He then immediately placed the end of the barrel into his mouth and pulled the trigger.
    Shocked by what they had just witnessed, no one spoke for several seconds, the echo of the gunshots reverberating down the valley.
    The first of Ryder’s priorities had been resolved and he prepared to leave; the Americans reluctantly doing the same, Brady saying quietly, “We’re with you.”
    One of the three men Ryder suspected of being Israeli military, due to the way they handled themselves, stepped forward and said, “We want to join you.”
    Another who believes in the strength of numbers
. “Please yourselves,” he replied.
    One of the surviving Iranians also asked if they could join.
    Ryder agreed;
more the merrier!
Ordering everyone to hurriedly gather up weapons, clothing and equipment they were able to carry, together with what scant food they could find from the wrecked vehicles, he led the bedraggled, defiant band up the valley west towards a setting sun – hope renewed.

9
    Snow began to fall as Ryder, leading the file of eleven men and one woman, weaved silently through the trees up the rising ground, swirling snow hampering progress and branches swaying overhead in the wind affording little protection from the growing storm. However, the more snow, the more their tracks would be covered. They travelled through the night and well into the next day. Now almost totally exhausted and acutely aware of their vulnerability in this wilderness more than 3,000 feet above sea level, Ryder looked for somewhere to rest, get warm and eat some of what little food they had. Survival depended on adapting to the extreme conditions. Ryder knew he