Gary's Print Shop
CHAPTER 4
"RELIGION ISN'T THE CAUSE OF WARS, IT'S THE EXCUSE."
Jasper Fforde
Mabior stood looking out
the window of the entrance door. Watching through my office window, I observed
him as his face turned from pensive to horror. Then, the explosive shock blew
the windows in as Mabior dove for distance away from the shattering glass. At
the same moment, I went under my desk as my office window blew inward upon me.
Small arms fire erupted in the courtyard as Al Shabaab stormed over the walls
of our compound. I crawled to my rifle in the corner while doing a quick
inspection of my face and body for wounds. Mabior got my door open and inquired
as to my condition. He and I both being only superficially cut by flying glass,
crawled out to engage the incoming Shabaabites.
We let them break through the damaged doors at the entrance. That's when Mabior
and I emptied two clips each at the incoming terrorists. It was done to gain
the upper hand and surprise the incoming enemy. After that, Mabior tossed a
smoke grenade through the entrance that blinded them.
His phone went off just as he and I were about to do another two-clip burst
through the heavy smoke. Tossing his phone to me, he said, "Chief, take
care of that while I keep these lightweights busy."
I could see it was Alek. "Alek, Chief here. Mabior is busy." He had
to be hearing Mabior shooting in this enclosed building.
In an irritated voice, Alek informed me, "Chief, we should have disposed
of these idiots while we had the opportunity! Samuel wants me to get permission
to fill the courtyard with mortar fire. Do we have any friendlys inside that
area?"
All I said was, "Open fire! Attack!"
That taken
care of, I joined
Mabior firing through the smoke.
We were receiving small arms fire until mortar rounds began pouring into the
courtyard. Then we started hearing small arms fire coming from
the top of the compound wall.
Samuel rang in on my phone. "Chief, you and Mabior okay?"
"Yes, how about you guys?"
"Kuol and Ali were doing a leisurely scout outside of town on some intel
from Uncle Abdul's team when they were ambushed by these guys. They are
wounded, but Uncle's team has them hidden and getting medical attention. With
your permission, we're opening up with grenades from our Scar's launchers."
"You got it, now back to work. Keep updated."
The sounds of grenades added to the firing and mortars were intense.
Mabior shouted above the free-for-all, "Chief, let's do a firing back-out
down the hall by my office to the back door. It's getting too hot in here - on
three."
The way to the back door went underground and ended up at the printing shop
across the street, Uncle Wadood's business. The employees there had already
opened fire on any Shabaabites coming around to that area. We had a generous
store of extra ammo there. They gave us bottled water to refresh us after the
smoke grenades.
Gary, the head printer, loved that American name for some reason. He wounded
two terrorists. Then he proceeded to run out and drag them into the shop with
help from three other employees. What heroes!
In questioning, we found the prisoners were afraid of and forthcoming to Gary.
It was discovered afterward that Gary and staff had taped two pieces of fake
dynamite, prepared in advance, to each prisoner. Mabior and I had to turn away
to laugh at Gary's excellent sham that worked out so well. We would totally
embarrass him and his staff after this was all settled by a surprise honorarium
in front of thousands.
Info from Gary's prisoners gave us a good picture of the attack and its plan.
Till then, we were not totally sure that this was an Al Shabaab revenge attack.
I phoned Samuel with a plan Mabior and I came up with from this info. This was
a larger force than I had at first pictured. We would need reinforcements, but
from where?
On the call to Samuel, I ordered him to withdraw his forces from the compound
area to the Market's west side, and that we would meet him there. My orders
included The Team putting on their orange armbands for instant ID. It was going
to be urban combat. The worst job in warfare is to fight in an urban
environment. At its best, it is petrifying. At its worst, it is hell on earth.
With the help of Uncle Abdul's men, we worked our way around the radicals to
The Team. In addition to The Team, minus the twins
who were wounded, there were about 100
armed men from Uncle's brigade. The key here is that those men were trained,
and many were ex-South Sudanese army. I didn't object one bit when
Gary walked up to me asking permission to lead Uncle's men. He was well
respected by all, and deservedly so.
Fred, bless his heart, brought coffee and snacks to all of us. I told him to
keep a tally on everything, so he could be reimbursed. He was insulted by my
request. Samuel, Mabior, and I all gave Fred a brotherly hug. I think we all
fought back tears.
Uncle came walking up with a big smile on
his face that reminded me so much of
his nephew, Chan. Our beloved Chan, how we would always miss him and Mark.
Uncle had an announcement, "The women are busy cooking meals that can
easily be distributed and eaten by hand. You will have no worries about food."
Fred interrupted, "Or coffee, Uncle."
Everyone cheered while Uncle put his arm around Fred, honoring him with these
words, "Fred, what man does not live each day for a hot, strong cup of
your life-giving coffee."
A runner came breathing heavily into the middle of our group. He brought word
about the combatant's movements toward our area. It was time to put our plan
into effect.
Samuel took this point to order all of us to our knees for prayer. Dut, our
future in leadership, wanted to lead the prayer, and he did, beautifully.
The Team would spread out to appointed firing positions that covered the entire
main open Market area. Uncle's men lined along the way up to the Market would
funnel the combatants using shoot-and-run tactics purposely into a gradually
narrowing path to The Team's deadly field of fire at the Market.
After the men trotted off to their assigned areas, Mabior and I climbed to the
top of the building where his famous battle with the Iranian Assassination
Squad occurred. We sat on that high point with a 360 view of the imminent
action. As we sat there, I turned to Mabior and asked, "Does it bother you
that I've stuck my nose into your command?"
Without looking at me, he answered, "Chief, you gave me a quote by
Galileo, 'You cannot teach a man anything. You can only help him discover it
within himself.' I miss you being around to help me discover what's within me."
I didn't know what to say. I just stared at him, till he turned to me.
"Did you really kick that sergeant in the butt at the academy?"
"Unfortunately, yes."
We both chuckled and smiled.
Mabior sighed, "Chief, you had all of us worried till you told that story.
It's nice to know you're human. We respect you for that."
Wow, I think Mabior just taught me something. He taught me the importance of
being human and not so self-righteous. Thank you, Lord.
I gave the signal, and Alier and Jok, our two computer wizards, launched our
newest weapons into the air. Up went our two new DJI Pro drones with excellent
live cameras and twenty-minute flight times. We saw them go up and climb to a
thousand feet out of sight. We received the feed on our phones. There were the
enemy, walking nonchalantly like out on a Sunday stroll.
About five minutes had elapsed when Uncle's men began to enfilade the enemy
from the front and sides. It was performed just as we had rehearsed it last
summer. Quick shots, then fall back to another sheltered firing position. The
object was not to engage in a protracted battle, but to force the enemy in a
direction and path of our choosing.
Mabior commented, "It's like watching a professional army. My countrymen
are showing themselves to be very capable."
The entire Team had the feed on the running battle. Cheers were going up here
and there from The Team's assigned positions as they watched Uncle's men calmly
and efficiently herd the enemy right down the path to us. As the Shabaabites
attempted to take cover and stall, Uncle's men worked into firing positions
based on their knowledge of the area that would hopefully put pressure on the
enemy to keep moving.
Though cumbersome and not highly trained, the enemy had twice our numbers. We
couldn't run if things went south. The local population was in danger of being
executed, raped, enslaved, and every other horrible end if we were to be
unsuccessful.
Mabior gave the order to get ready. The enemy was upon us. We let them think
they were escaping into the open Market area. Mabior held back the fire order
till all combatants were inside the Market area. Mabior called out in Somali on
the Market loudspeaker system, "Put down your arms. You are surrounded!"
The enemy immediately began firing as we opened up on them in return.
The fight became intense. The enemy fired RPG rounds at all the surrounding
buildings. The Team was mobile. A few rounds were fired before the men moved to
a new position. The battle was going on too long. We were in danger of losing. The
enemy was not surrendering and were working their way behind us. I ordered
mortar and grenade fire. I hated to destroy the buildings, but things were
getting out of hand.
Mabior had gone to the back of our building to ward off the combatants climbing
up the stairways on our rear. We were in real danger of losing.
I ordered everyone to pull back as the opportunity arose to a secondary and
easier-to-defend area. I knew we had several wounded. In the end, the entire
Team managed the withdrawal. The wounds were not life-threatening but took two
men out of combat, Alier and Jok by an RPG nearby hit.
We had two top-notch doctors who insisted on staying with us during the battle.
Those two saved several lives that day. Our wounded were adding up.
I began crawling through the old destroyed building that gave us good
protection while tallying the men about our options. Nobody would agree to the
option of surrender or running.
Crawling up to Mabior, I took a deep breath, telling him, "They're gonna
wish they'd never come here. I told everyone to load a grenade round in their
Scars rifles. We'll tighten up shortly to really pack a punch. The severely
wounded are refusing to leave - along with the doctors. I gave the Docs
pistols. Anything you want to add?"
Mabior smiled and patted me on the back, "Chief, these terrorists are
going to regret doing this by the time The Team finishes with them! I can't
think of a better way to die than with all these fine men and you. What is Samuel's
take on all this?"
"Come to think of it, I haven't seen him since we fell back here. I'm
calling him."
Samuel answered my call with not a hello, but a command, "Chief, under no
circumstance do you surrender or go into last-stand mode. I'm coming for The
Team! Hold on, and pray!"
I looked at Mabior who said, "Samuel told you he's on the way?"
"Yeah, said not to go into last stand mode. What's he up to?"
Mabior and I crawled to every man rescinding my previous orders. No time for
explanations at this time. All I said was, "Samuel's coming." And
that's all I needed to say.
The incoming RPG and small arms fire was fierce. The leaves on the few trees
came down like fall at home or one of the frequent hail storms. The dust
stirred up by the bullets and explosions made breathing difficult.
Conversations were few, but hard to make out except by lip reading. We returned
fire when safe, but seldom was it so. Others, me included, were cut by bullets
ricocheting off the rubble. I tried to get a look at The Team when the
opportunity arose. Never did I get sight of anyone sequestered in the ruins. I
just wanted to get a sense of their mental state. It was impossible to lift my
head high enough. I had been with men who buckled under such incoming fire. The
bravest among men have lost the fight for their sanity under such conditions.
Though they were unseen, I could hear the men praying out loud and unashamedly
to our God who always has time to talk and to give comfort. Our God is mighty.
Mabior glanced over at me through the dust-filled air with this remark that he
had to literally yell at the top of his voice, "Chief, the first time I
was introduced to General Patton it was through a book you were reading about him. When
you left the room, I picked it up and it was open to this quote by him, it made
me fall in love with the General, this isn't his exact words, but, 'You don't
win a war by dying for your country. You win a war by making the enemy die for
his country.' Next to the Bible, it was one of the greatest and truest words I
have ever heard. You and I will not let The Team die on this particular day.
We're gonna make the other poor souls die for their false beliefs."
Looking through squinted eyes surrounded by skin caked in dirt, all I could do
was smile and give a very assertive thumbs up. I prayed silently, "Dear
Lord, take me, but keep these brave men safe to carry out your toughest
missions faithfully without considering their life and safety, amen."
My memory is foggy on time, but to the best of my efforts, It was
two minutes later that we began to make out sounds of small arms fire coming
from what we could make out to be from behind the Shabaab units. The sounds
gradually picked up in intensity. Added to that came the distinct
chest-penetrating sound of military choppers combined with their 7.62
Mini-Guns. All of a sudden began the sound of familiar to my ears Hydra 70
Rocket Pods firing with their whoosh sound and the following explosions. The
small arms and RPG fire previously aimed our way, quickly slackened, then died
altogether.
Mabior climbed carefully to the formerly untenable high point of rubble and
stood up with his binoculars to his eyes. "Chief! Three Blackhawks are
landing soldiers then lifting off and pouring rockets and mini-guns into the
Shabaabites who are attempting to flee eastward. I can see American markings on
the choppers, but the troops look like...I can't tell, but they are tearing up
the enemy. Those boys know what they're doing."
Now, every able-bodied Team member was at the top with Mabior begging for a
look. Mabior graciously shared. All were smiling and cheering. Alek called some
coordinates out to Diemba over the phone. Soon there were multiple deep whoomps
from our mortars.
I yelled to Alek, "What are you zeroed in on?"
"The enemy are all in a panic trying to go through a narrow passageway
between two buildings. We're putting a constant line of mortar bombs across it
till the soldiers catch up to them."
"Good job Alek!
Mabior brought the men together. He assessed all of them with the doctor's
help, putting the able-bodied men in strategic firing locations in case some of
the enemy escaped back in our direction.
The firing went on well into the night. General Iverson had not been available
through the entire battle, however his assistant, Captain Winchell, kept in
constant communication with me, though very tight-lipped about details. He kept
telling me he wasn't sure about the reinforcement unit coming in. Truthfully,
he sounded surprised when I told him about the Blackhawks and the soldiers they
brought in.
We kept a man at the pinnacle of the rubble's high point. Late in the night, he
sent word down to us that two figures were making their way through the debris
carrying white flags. Shermake kept calling out distance and progress as the
two neared. The darkness, even with night goggles made recognition difficult.
Finally, Mabior and I went out to meet the two strangers. We were dumbfounded
to discover it was Samuel and Colonel Petrov. All four of us gave a sincere
brotherly hug.
Colonel Petrov asked, "I'm sorry we couldn't get here sooner, my brother.
We had to locate Transport. While waiting for our contact to bring up the buses
after the Somali mission, some of the men went into the small town to gather
some supplies for the trip home. On their way back, the men noticed a large
group of what looked to be Somali men gathered in an open area boarding buses
with AKs slung over their shoulders. Two men stayed as observers while the
others came for me. We talked to one of the Kenyan officers about this. He
bravely borrowed a kaftan from a local and proceeded to the buses. With the
information acquired, he was able to tell us that the Somalis were Al Shabaab
and headed for Yei, South Sudan, for The Team. My men wouldn't hear of our
deserting our brothers in Christ. God was with us. General Iverson's chopper
scheduled to take him home was delayed in taking off from the LPD Navy Transport.
He pulled some strings, and to all our surprise, six hours later, three fully
armed American Marine Blackhawks were landing at our doorstep. And that's it,
my friend. These terrorists that use their religion as an excuse to make war are
covering up their desire for power, for control."
Colonel Petrov took in a deep breath before telling us this, "We're letting
the South Sudanese Army wrap the prisoners up for detention. Then, they'll be
interrogated for intel. I fear they will be met with utter brutality at the
hands of the Army."
"You cannot feel guilty about that Colonel." I put my arm around his
shoulder, "It is beyond your reach. We have tried mostly unsuccessfully in
the past to save prisoners from the army. Any compassion and empathy we display
toward prisoners is dissolved by the reprehensible actions of the Army. As
Christians, we still deal with them compassionately and lovingly as is our
command."
Samuel had been on the phone during the entire conversation. He returned,
walking up to the Colonel, he put on his oversized smile accompanied by a
verbal invitation, "Colonel, My wife, Leah, and the other wives of The
Team and Mrs. Akech have extended an invitation for a lavish meal and quarters
for the night for you and your men. They will not be rejected, sir."
As we all turned to make our way through the rubble toward a half-destroyed
Compound, our homes, Mabior confided in me, "Chief, I told you so."
He put on a devilish grin.
I asked, "Told me what?"
"Why, I told you just yesterday that we'd get together with these Russians
again, soon."
"Mabior, admit it! You had no idea it would be this soon. And don't try to
tell me you can foresee the future like Samuel."
"Chief, I just proved it. You can't deny what just happened. I have the
spiritual gift of seeing the future. And don't go trying to pull rank on me
like you did about our women."
"See! You said it, 'our women,' now you've proved my point about you two.
I bet you and Maya are secretly planning your wedding."
"No way, Chief! You used the term 'our women' when Amira and Maya were
coming for the weekend last month."
The Colonel looked back at us with concern.
Samuel nudged the Colonel, "Colonel, those two only think they control
those two women and their own lives."
Colonel
Petrov let out a hearty laugh, remarking, "I am married eight years. I understand
exactly what is going on now, my brother. Those poor deluded men."
