"First time in country?" Loop nodded at the black cat and stared out into the city. "Second day in." "OK, well listen good then. Welcome to post one. Your sectors of fire are from the mosque to the river." "What is the fencing for?" The fox pointed at the fence that wrapped around the post. "For when the hajies fire rockets at you. The rocket has a detonation button on the tip that don't go off when it gets wrapped in the fence." The cat looked up at the lightly armored vehicles that traveled on the road just above them. "Two more days left in this hell hole and we is out! Any more questions boot?" Loop shook his head thinking about when he would only have two days left. The cat climbed down the post latter and went into the mud house. Loop stared at the LAV's on the road in front of his sector of fire, admiring the ferocity of the vehicles. He saw a cloud of smoke wrap around the lead LAV and his eyes widened in shock. The boom came shortly after the sight. Loop gripped the .240 and started to scan his area knowing there was at least seven marines in the LAV. After no ambush was sighted he picked up the binoculars beside him and watched the scene before him. The vehicle was now engulfed in flames. The gunner and vehicle commander hopped out of the turret followed by the driver from the front. There was four scouts in the back and Loop waited for them to escape. There could be no death. Loop had never witnessed it before and never believed he would ever see it. The fox stared at the back scout hatches waiting for everyone to escape, but the doors did not budge. Finally one of the handles twisted. Looped watched in horror as one of the scouts jumped out of the back and fell on his knees, crawling and engulfed in flames. The gunner, and driver tried to get to their brother but the flames were too hot. The scout was a young grey wolf. The goggles on his helmet and the scarf he used to keep the dust out of his muzzle were melting to his face. He was screaming as he crawled to his brothers who were helplessly trying to move into the angry flames. Eventually the scout petered out in crumpled ash, lying on his stomach with his arm reached out towards his friends. The cat and a few other marines ran up to the roof top after hearing the explosion. The cat watched in horror as he saw his brothers struggling to put out the flames of the downed LAV. Two more days. Loop contemplated the comment of the cat. The fox stared at the smoldered corpse of his fellow marine. He had the same boots on. The same uniform and gear as Loop. The fox had a disturbing thought enter his mind. Seven more months to go.