“Back in there!,” the team leader shouted at her.  The team lead of her personal security team deployed by Brom pushed her back in, and assumed a position in front of her, while the two other men crouched on either side of her.

Bette’s heart was racing as she followed the orders.  She slipped on the flak jacket that Brom’s team gave her, and donned the special helmet also.  They replaced the set that the man who had accompanied her on the helicopter ride to the base camp had given her.

The two team leads were conferring in short clipped phrases, apparently deciding whether and when to make a dash for the heavily armored vehicles they’d taken to get to the cave.

After a few minutes, the team lead of the personal security team, turned to Bette, and said crisply, “Okay, when I say "run" you follow me to the car you took out here.  I’ll be running in front of you, and these guys will be running alongside.  We won’t have far to run, and as soon as you get into the car, just keep your head down, ok?”

Bette nodded.  The man thought, boy, she’s surprisingly calm.  I hope she doesn’t fall to pieces later when we have to make a run for it.

She maintained her crouch, breathing deeply, maintaining her calm, and waited for their instructions.  They heard an exchange of gunfire outside, but not directed at them.  The two team leads looked at each other.   After a quick consultation, the team lead turned to Bette again, “it looks like the guys shooting at us where engaged by a patrol team that covers this area.  A good thing too, because those guys had the high ground on us.”

After a few minutes of silence outside, the Colonel’s team lead signaled to his guys that they would take a look around, and Bette’s security team would stay behind with her.

Five minutes later, the Colonel’s team radioed Bette’s security team to give them the all clear.  The sense of relief from the men surrounding her was apparent.

The team lead turned to Bette, standing up, and holding out his hand to pull her up from her crouch.

“All clear, we can go out now.”