Midnight Sun (102 page)

“
Well
then,
I
suppose
you
will
know
what
to
do
with
this
.
”
Kharzai
looked
across
the
rest
of
them.
“
For
the
rest
of
you
,
pay
attention
as you learn how to use this weapon
,
or
you
may
not
live
to
collect
your
payoff.
These
little
babies
are
not
forgiving
toward
the
stupid.
”

The
group
circled
around
the
mortar tube
,
and
Kharzai
led
them
over
its
features
and
capabilities.
He
assigned
them
to
two
two-man
teams
and
gave
them
the
basic
information
they
needed
to
fire
the
weapon.
They
ran
through
setting
up
and
tearing
down
the
equipment.
Once
he
felt
comfortable
with
their
skill
level
at that task
,
they
practiced
getting range and elevation
,
and
ran
dry
-
fire
drills.

“
When
do
we
get
to
do
some
live
rounds?
”
asked
one
of
the
men
after
three
hours
of
training
and
practice.
The
entire
length
of
his
arm
displayed
a
tattoo
of
a
naked
woman
with
a
huge
snake
coiled
from
her
legs
up
and
around
her
torso.
Its
head
jutted
between
her
breasts
,
where
it
flicked
out
its
forked
tongue
to
touch
her
puckered
lips.

“
We
can
only
practice
dry
fire
here
for
obvious
reasons,
”
Kharzai
said.
“
There
’
s
not
exactly
a
place
we
can
set
these
off
without
drawing
attention.
You
only
have
to
put
two
rounds
on
target.
So
just
be
ready
to
not
be
surprised
by
the
noise
when
they
take
off.
It
’
s
louder
than
a
shotgun
when
it
fires.
Once
you
’
ve
fired
two
rounds
,
pack
it
up
and
boogie
out
of
there.
”

“
What
about
the
money?
”
Blue
questioned.

“
How
’
d
I
know
you
’
d
ask
?
You
’
ll
each
get
two
of
those
nice
little
stacks
tonight.
The
day
of
the
event,
after
I
hear
all
four
pops,
I
will
text
message
each
of
you
the
location
of
the
other
half
of
the
money.
”

“
Wait
a
minute.
You
’
ll
do
what?
”
said
the
tattooed
ex-Marine.
“
We
need
to
get
paid
up
front.
I
ain
’
t
going
to
be
running
around
trying
to
collect
afterwards.
”

“
You
don
’
t
have
a
choice
really,
”
Kharzai
said
.
“
You
’
ve
already
agreed
to
be
here,
and
therefore
you
will
do
as
you
’
re
told.
Otherwise
,
you
can
choose
to
walk
away
now.
If
you
are
fast
enough
,
you
might
actually
get
away.
”

“
What,
are
you
going
cut
me
like
you
…”