Sgt. Tommy Boyles and I are making our way through the brush at approximately 0815 when something big hits just off to our right. We hit the deck as it sprays a mess of red all around. Three of our guys are just done, but Tommy and myself, we’re completely untouched.

Sarge estimates the source of the projectile to be the tower located approximately sixty yards east. We don’t have to guess long, because we start taking heavy fire from hostiles holed up inside.

Tommy sneaks off to the north with Martinez, Sagebrush, and Crazy Eyes, trying to flank the tower, while I draw fire with Patch and Churilla. My squad starts darting between what cover we can find, screaming as we peek out to take shots at that damn tower. Patch doesn’t make it long holed up behind a giant tire.

I roll to Churilla, huddled behind the husk of a car that’s seen this type of action too many times. I count down on my fingers from three, and we pop up and light up the general direction of the tower. Good timing, because six hostiles are making their way to us at that exact moment, and we eliminate half. Bad timing, because Churilla takes one to the face.

Now it’s just me, and it’s obviously time for a change in tactics. I put belly to dirt and start crawling around the side of the truck, just as the three hostiles arrive to inspect their targets. I drop all three and take up position behind a tree. Stalking my way forward to the tower, I finally take that shot that quiets all the gunfire from inside.

Inside I step past four hostiles and Martinez, Sagebrush, and Crazy Eyes. At the top of the tower, I confirm my fears, seeing Tommy sprayed with that same red that covered the rest. He wipes the paint from his face and yells: “Dammit, Kowalski, you shot me in the head. I was the one shooting at you at the end, because I thought you were one of them. I’ve never seen you that quiet.”

I remind him that we’re playing Last Man Standing. We won.