Summary

Back in Iraq the platoon begins the battle for the orchard. The lieutenant silently gestures to the men that it’s time to start the ambush. Inside they find dead birds and broken trees from the mortar attack that preceded the ground attack.

Suddenly, someone begins shooting at the platoon and the men fire back. Someone pulls Bartle to the ground and he crawls forward on his elbows before the fire fight begins again, broken by moments of silence. They continue advancing through the trees and finally come across the enemy: two teenage boys who are now dead. A private from another platoon is dying on the ground, medics working to try to save him, but they are unsuccessful.

Bartle thinks for a moment that the dying man is going to speak, but he doesn’t. Sterling says he has only once witnessed a...