Page 46 of Barry

The man shouted, “You took my brother from me!”

Barry made a fist with his right hand. A subtle movement that wouldn’t draw any attention. It was a prearranged signal asking if the sharpshooter could take him out.

“I have him, but if I take the shot, he’ll drop that snake,” Alex said.

“I didn’t take him from you. The enemy did that,” Barry said, keeping Jackson engaged. But the reality of those words sunk in deep. The enemy had caused his injuries and Fish’s. The enemy had taken his peace and Fish’s life. The enemy was to blame. Not him, not Cap, not Gunny, not anyone. They were pieces of a game of war that had been blown to hell and back.

“Let me see her,” Barry demanded.

“Fuck you!” the man yelled and shook the stick with the snake. He kicked Kathy, and she moved. “She’s already been bit once. She’s just waiting to die. I want you to feel what it’s like to lose the most important person in your life.”

That comment ticked every box he needed to hear. Everything was driven into each of the participant's minds during the briefing. Kathy’s life was in danger. Jackson had caused the injury, and he was a threat. If the comms didn’t pick up the words the bastard uttered, it didn’t matter because Barry could live with the call, and he’d be justified. “I need a three count, your count.” Barry scarcely moved his lips.

“Who are you talking to?” Jackson looked out at theland behind Barry. Jackson grabbed at the base of the stick with both hands for a second.

“You.” Barry dropped his right hand. Jackson didn’t notice. He was searching the vista. “There isn’t anyone out here but us.”

“Where are they?” Jackson yelled, turned to his right and then to his left, one hand grabbing the stick, the other went to the small of his back. “Fuck you!” the man yelled.

“One, two,” Alex said in his ear simultaneously.

Barry pulled the taped Beretta from his shirt. He didn’t hear the third count.

His focus was on the snake.

Breath control.

Cup the grip for support.

Sight picture.

Finger pull.

Shot.

All the actions took place in the same split second. The movement was as natural as breathing. He fired, and the snake’s body jumped in the air.

His eyes followed the upward movement, and he fired again at the apex. The snake dropped, and Barry was running. He was up the incline and on his knees in front of Kathy.

He picked up the snake by the rattles and flicked it away from her. Her face was mottled, bruised, and caked with mud on one side. “Oh,fuck. Baby.” He tried to free the gag from her mouth.

“Get that chopper here now!” he commanded as he pulled out his knife and cut the material, pulling the gag out of her mouth.

“Incoming. ETA five minutes. Doc Cassidy is on his way.”

“A doctor is coming.”

“The snake bit my hip.” Her words were raspy and breathless. “He’s going to hurt Gen and Sev.” Her words came out in a sobbed mess as he worked on the twisted wires around her wrists.

“I love you, baby. Hold on, let me get this wire off you.” He glanced up and watched the doctor sprinting up the incline. The hood of his ghillie suit was slapped off, and Barry moved as the doctor slid on his knees beside her. “Hi, Kathy.”

She tried to reply, but the effort seemed too much.

“Doc, the snake bit her on the hip.” Barry nodded to Kathy, who cried out when Barry pulled the wire apart from where the bastard had wrapped it around her wrists.

Dr. Cassidy nodded to her ankles. “Get that shit off her.”

“On it.” Barry worked on the twisted wire as Dr. Cassidy assessed the snake bite.