Summary

Xavier's first person narration returns in this chapter as he awakens beside the fire. He knows that Niska has been telling him the story of his childhood and the days before Elijah. Xavier knows that he can no longer escape Elijah and he slips back into the memory of their last day together.

Orders have been given for the soldiers to advance across an open field but the enemy has machine guns and enough whiz-bangs to take out any soldier that tries to cross the field. The commanding officer decides to have the soldiers go as a group and this order makes Xavier start swearing. The other soldiers are surprised by his outburst. Xavier rips off his military ID and throw it into the field, leaving only the medicine bag hanging around his neck. The lieutenant comes up and tells them that it...