In the outskirts of the Village Aliabad, Afghanistan the star and stripes flag is ruffling in the evening winds inside an American camp. The winds were a relief from the scorching noon sun but they blew a lot of sand, everywhere- in your eyes, shoes and clothes too. Aaron was resting in his bunker with his mates, when the commotion started. Sirens began to blare, vehicles started to rush out of the camp. Lieutenant Mike brisked in the bunker. Aaron and his mates stood up in attention in no time. "A political meeting of the ruling party was attacked by a group of terrorists. They are still in the village and we are not going to let them escape. Get ready boys we are going on a hunt," ordered the lieutenant.
Aaron stands with his gun on an empty road, which goes from the town to the desert. He looks handsome in the uniform, silver moon shining on the metal of his gun and in his eyes. Aaron looks through his night vision binoculars and scans the area once again. An empty road, few trees and an abandoned mud house, but no movement no terrorist in sight. His team is in the car, saving themselves from the chilly desert wind. But Aaron is out, hyper vigilant. It's been seven days since the attack, his team has given upon the idea that the terrorists could still be in the village. "Either they crossed the desert or the desert ate them up, come back in Aaron, there's no one outside," shouted Sam.
Sam and Aaron had gone to high school together. They were together in the academy too. Aaron had ranked number one in all the tests and exams. Whereas, Sam had done just enough to not be sent back home. Both of their fathers were in service and had now retired. Aaron wanted to take the legacy further and make his family proud but Sam was okay with just doing enough to be not called a failure. "You take a rest pal, I still have 10 minutes of duty left before, another party takes our place and we go to base," replied Aaron checking his digital wrist watch. "For god's sake Aaron, the sun is almost on the horizon, If the terrorists did not cross the road in the night, what makes you think, they will do so in the morning?" shouted Sam.
 "Thinking is not part of the job Sam, following orders is and I'm not moving until the next party, relieves us," replied Aaron picking up the binoculars again. Sam was right, the darkness was fading and blue rays started to shine from the horizon. The sun will be up soon. But Aaron kept scanning, the same mounds of sand, a few trees and the abandoned mud house. Aaron stopped moving, he had spotted something. Sam yelled from behind, "We can meet the other party on the way, come on in…" Aaron cut him and yelled, "Get your ass here Sam, I see some movement".
 Sam came out sprinting, he was lazy but he was efficient. He snatched the binoculars from Aaron, "Where?" asked Sam. "The house, I think there is someone there," cautioned Aaron pulling the lock of his automatic. "Not one, but two and they are getting away," he ran to their Humvee. Sam brought the vehicle and Aaron climbed on. It was easy to chase two men in a desert with their monster of a vehicle. Soon the terrorists were within the firing range and that meant Sam and Aaron were within firing range too. In no time the thick metal of the Humvee started buzzing with non-stop bullet burst from the terrorists.
 It was like a nonstop rain of tin cans. The Humvee was bullet proof, Aaron and Sam were protected by their gears but they still stopped the car, crawled to the other side and took cover behind the Humvee. Sam and Aaron kept themselves in cover, Sam took the radio from the vehicle and contacted base- "Team 6 reporting to the base, we are engaged, send backup". A static male voice replied- Team 6 this is base, backup arriving in 15 minutes." Sam and Aaron looked at each other, two friends, they needed just one moment to finish this brawl. And then the next moment there was it, the bullet spray stopped.
Sam peeked and saw the guys reloading, he went ahead and started to shot, the terrorist had no armour, they gave in quick. Sam turned to Aaron, giving his victory smiled, but the smiled faded in a moment. Aaron has spotted a glint in the abandoned house. Before, Aaron could say anything, the chinking sound of metal biting metal erupted again. They were exposed. Both of them rolled under the vehicle. But the bullets did not stop. Sparks were flying from the doors of the Humvee that were continuously being shot. Aaron looked through his binoculars, the man wore a faded black kurta and brand-new jacket on it, something was off.
 The backup arrived one Humvee stopped at a distance from the mud house and another came towards Aaron. Aaron was still looking through his binoculars. The man threw down his gun from the roof and raised his hand like he wanted to surrender. Two soldiers got down from the Humvee and pointed their guns at the man. Aaron had a feeling something is wrong, he quickly rolled out and took the radio in his hands. "Backup this team 6 do not go near the house, I repeat do not go near the house," shouted Aaron. Backup team responded, "We hear you Team 6, nobody gets close to the house." Aaron could hear the man from the terrace yelling surrender-surrender.
 Aaron and Sam got in their Humvee and rushed towards the house. In no time they reached the house and pointed the gun at the terrorist on the roof. A local stood with the Backup team. Aaron looked at him and said, "tell him, he can surrender after he removes his jacket and if he doesn't, he dies." The local translated this quickly to the terrorist. "Ten" shouted Aaron. "Surrender" yelled the terrorist. "Nine" shouted Aaron. "Surrender" yelled the terrorist. "Eight-Surrender". "Seven-Surender". A news crew arrived on spot and started to record. "Dude let him surrender, you are getting filmed," said Sam. "Ask them to get back Sam!" yelled Aaron. "Six-Surender". Sam yelled at the camera crew, "Get back! Get back!" "Five-Surender" The terrorist started to lower his hand down. "Don't do it," Aaron shouted at the Terrorist. The terrorist looked in the sky and whispered "surrender". He pressed a switch in his pocket and boom, ear splitting thunder and flying rubble all around. After a minute of losing all senses, Aaron picked himself from the ground and looked where the house existed, now lay a dump of sand and wood on fire, throwing up black smoke.
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