A lone female soldier was buried alive in the frozen mountains blindfolded left to freeze her enemies were setting up their cameras to film her execution but they made one mistake they didn’t count on the one man who heard the call a lone Navy SEAL operating against all orders and he wasn’t alone he had his loyal K9 partner and together they would tear the mountain apart to bring her home Before we begin tell us where you are watching from and if this story touches your heart please subscribe for more Bagram Air Base was a memory

a noisy temporary city of steel dust and diesel fumes already two days behind them out here the world was silent Jake Smith known only as Reaper to his contemporaries lay prone on a ridge of frozen shale Jake is a man of 40 though the Afghan sun and a life of hard choices had carved deeper lines into his face his eyes the color of a winter sky missed nothing beside him unmoving was Max Max is a six year old German Shepherd 90 pounds of disciplined muscle and loyalty covered in sleek black and tan fur

his ears were radar dishes constantly swiveling they were alone that was how Jake preferred it the mission was simple reconnaissance find the high value target suspected route observe report do not engage the air in the Hindu Kush was thin and bit the lungs below them a valley wound through the peaks like a grey snake nothing moved Jake shifted his weight a micro movement Max’s head turned instantly his dark eyes questioning Jake gave a slow single tap to his own chest stay Max exhaled a small puff of steam and settled

but his focus never wavered this was their language a silent liturgy developed over four years together Jake was the mind Max the senses Jake pulled a high protein ration bar from his vest he broke off a piece and held it out Max took it gently the brief warmth of the dog’s mouth against his frozen glove a small comfort the cold was a physical weight it was negative 15 degrees Celsius and dropping the sky was a pale sickly yellow a storm was coming the stillness wasn’t peace it was anticipation it hit them not like a storm

but like an ambush the wind came first a low moan that escalated into a physical shriek in minutes then the snow not flakes but a horizontal wall of white ice visibility dropped from 10 miles to 10 feet Jake spoke a harsh word his voice stolen by the gale Max to me they scrambled down the ridge seeking shelter Max found it a shallow overhang barely a cave more just a scoop in the rock face they pressed into it the world beyond their small shelter was a chaotic white void Jake deployed a small Thermal blanket

pulling it over both of them Max pressed his body hard against Jake’s side the dog was a living furnace and Jake huddled against him the two of them a single island against the elements in this forced isolation the past always found him the biting cold reminded him of the sterile chill of the hospital room he closed his eyes he didn’t see the blizzard he saw Anna Anna his wife was the opposite of this world she was warm sunlight loud laughter and the smell of coffee on a Sunday morning she had hated his job hated the silences

the long absences the man who left and the ghost who sometimes returned but she had understood the part of him that needed the void the challenge then came the illness it was a slow cruel insurgent that no amount of seal training could fight he had sat by her bed useless his large hands so capable of violence and precision unable to fix the one thing that mattered he remembered her hand thin and pale in his promise me Jake she had whispered her voice rough just promise me you’ll come back she wasn’t asking him to quit she was asking him to live he had promised I always come back Anna

she had tried to smile good because this one she had patted Max who had laid his head on her bed for weeks he can’t live without you Anna died three years ago since then Jake had volunteered for every solo recon mission he had become Reaper not because he was reckless but because he was ruthlessly efficient a ghost who completed objectives and disappeared he kept his promise to Anna by eliminating all risks and the biggest risk he felt was other people he couldn’t lose anyone else and he couldn’t let anyone else lose him Max was different Max was not a risk

Max was an extension of himself the dog was his anchor the only living thing that kept him tied to Anna’s memory the radio crackled the static cutting through the wind’s howl it was buried in his vest but he felt the vibration he pulled the coms unit free shielding it from the snow reaper this is command sit rep the voice from command was male professional and tinny we will call him the commander solid copy command Jake said his own voice low rough from disuse visibility zero wind severe holding position standby reaper we have a priority one

the line went silent for a long moment filled only with atmospheric hiss then another voice cut in it was chaos garbled shouting the distinct sound of gunfire and then a signal fighting for its life Bravo ambushed Valley Valkyrie they got Valkyrie she’s captured the signal died swallowed by the storm Jake’s blood turned to ice he knew Bravo Team he knew their comms specialist sergeant Sarah Chen Valkyrie a tough smart soldier he’d shared a brief nodded in the mess hall the commander’s voice returned sharp and clear

reaper confirm you are the closest asset to Bravo’s last known coordinates grid 0 4 Niner Jake checked his digital map already knowing the answer that’s affirmative command I am closest but I am 2 hours out in this storm minimum acknowledged the situation is non viable reaper the storm has blacked out all air support we have no ISR no fast movers repeat we have zero support the mission to recover Valkyrie is a scratch Jake felt his jaw tighten a scratch that is an order reaper the commander’s voice was inflexible

the mission is impossible you will not engage you will retreat to primary rally point Echo for extraction when the storm breaks do you acknowledge this was the moment the moral climax his promise to Anna echoed in his ears promise me you’ll come back retreat was survival retreat was keeping his promise going after Valkyrie was suicide he would die and Max would die with him he would be breaking his promise to his dead wife but then he saw Sarah Chen’s face in his mind he saw her in the snow captured alone

Jake looked down at Max the dog had lifted his head sensing the adrenaline the change in his handler Max’s dark eyes were fixed on Jake’s there was no fear in them only trust only readiness the dog didn’t know about promises to the dead he only knew the code they lived by Jake keyed the microphone his voice was calm steady solid copy command retreating to rally point Echo Reaper out he switched the radio off he looked at Max for a long silent moment the wind howled angry and violent Jake pulled his Thermal mask up he checked the magazine in his rifle

he adjusted the straps on his pack Max stood up shaking the snow from his coat already eager they think they know what impossible is Jake whispered more to himself than to the dog he put a gloved hand on Max’s head we don’t leave anyone behind Jake Smith the man who only wanted to be alone stepped out of the shelter he and his dog turned their faces away from the safety of Rally Point Echo and walked directly into the heart of the storm pushing against the storm was like walking through a solid wall the wind didn’t just blow

it clawed and shoved trying to tear Jake from the mountainside every step was a calculation every breath was a fight against the thin icy air Max moved in front his head low a dark shadow in the swirling white his paws protected by insulated booties were more certain than Jake’s boots they were two hours into the trek two hours of violating a direct order two hours of chasing a ghost Jake’s mind was a fortress he locked away the image of Anna the doubt the commander’s angry voice all that existed was the mission he focused on the tiny glowing dot on his GPS

the last known coordinates of Bravo team he and Max communicated in their silent language a raised hand from Jake and Max would freeze scanning the terrain a low whine from Max and Jake would halt listening the storm that was their enemy was also their cover no one could see them no one could hear them they found the valley by nearly falling into it the ground simply dropped away and they were sliding down a steep incline of snow and loose rock they landed in a drift at the bottom the wind was quieter here muffled by the high rock walls and it was here that the silence was truly terrifying

the coordinates were precise in the gray diffused light of the storm the scene looked like a frozen photograph two Humvees blackened and twisted they were overturned their armor scarred by heavy caliber rounds the battle had been fierce and one sided Max watch Jake whispered the dog took a position slightly elevated his eyes scanning the ridges above them for any remaining threat Jake moved forward rifle up sweeping the area in a tight circle he moved from the wreckage to the surrounding rocks he was a professional first clear the threat second assess the survivors there were none

the snow was disturbed churned by boots and bodies but the storm was already smoothing the sharp edges covering the dark stains Jake did a quick grim count bravo was a six man team he found four he didn’t let himself feel feeling was a luxury for later he was reaper and his job was to harvest information he began the search for Sarah he looked for tracks leading away from the ambush site he found several sets all jumbled together the tracks of the attackers heavy boots moving with purpose he was looking for something else

a lighter track signs of a struggle a drag Mark the wind was a cruel eraser every minute that passed the blizzard worked to bury the past he found a spot where it looked like a group had gathered then moved east but the tracks were indistinct fading he followed them for 20 yards until the snow became a blank uniform sheet the trail was gone he knelt the cold seeping through his knee pads failure felt like a physical weight in his stomach he had come all this way defied orders risked Max for nothing the trail was cold

just then the world shifted we are no longer in the valley with Jake we are moments in the past in the chaos of the ambush sergeant Sarah Chen 30 years old is a woman whose sharp intelligence is her primary weapon she is pinned behind the engine block of the burning Humvee her rifle is hot her ears are ringing bravo 3 cover me she yells into her coms static bravo 2 report nothing the air explodes beside her she is alone she fires her last three rounds the metallic click of an empty chamber is the loudest sound in the world

a shadow falls over her a man large and imposing stands above her but it is not this man she notices it is the one beside him this new man is not a brute he is the interrogator a figure spoken of in whispers at Bagram he is of medium height dressed in clean functional gear and his eyes are the colour of cold steel he looks at her not with rage but with academic curiosity he gives a short sharp order in a language she doesn’t understand rough hands grab her yanking her to her feet they bind her wrists she refuses to cry out

she locks her eyes on the interrogator who smiles a thin cruel expression Valkyrie he says his English perfect the one who sings you will sing for me they begin to drag her away she knows what capture means she knows she will not survive it but she is a soldier her mind races looking for one last move one final act of Defiance as they pull her past the body of her team leader she stumbles a deliberate move her right hand though bound manages to slip into her tactical vest pocket her fingers close around a small heavy metal disc it is her unit’s challenge coin

a symbol of brotherhood of belonging no one left behind with a sudden twist as if falling again she lets her hand fall open the coin drops it makes no sound as it hits the soft fresh snow she kicks a small spray of white over it one of the guards shoves her hard she falls to her knees then is hauled up again the interrogator watches her his eyes narrowed suspicious but he sees nothing they drag her away up the valley into the storm the world snaps back to Jake he is still kneeling in the snow the feeling of defeat settling on him he had failed them he had failed Anna

he was about to key his radio to report the trail as dead when Max who had been casting back and forth suddenly went rigid the dog stood perfectly still his head lowered his nose sampling the air just above the snow he was 20 feet from Jake he let out a low quiet whuff of air it was not a bark not a growl it was a sound of discovery what is it Max Jake said moving slowly Max didn’t look at him he sniffed one precise spot he pawed at the snow once twice then looked at Jake his tail giving a single tight wag

here Jake crawled over the snow looked undisturbed exactly like the rest of the valley show me Max nudged the spot with his nose Jake plunged his gloved hand into the snow he felt nothing but ice he dug deeper his fingers brushed something small flat and hard it was not a rock he pulled it free it was a small round disc of metal coated in ice he held it in the palm of his hand he used his thumb to rub the ice away the grey light of the storm caught the raised metal it was an eagle an anchor and a trident the insignia of her unit

Jake stared at it this was not a shell casing this was not random debris this was a challenge coin you don’t drop a challenge coin by accident you earn it you protect it it wasn’t dropped it was left it was a bread crumb a sign a final defiant message from the dark Jake closed his fist around the cold metal he stood up the weight of failure lifted replaced by a cold sharp focus the wind howled but he no longer heard it he looked in the direction the tracks had faded she was alive she was smart and she was a fighter

this was no longer a rescue mission for a generic Valkyrie this was for sergeant Sarah Chen good boy he whispered to Max who was already sniffing the ground sensing the new direction find her Max find her the challenge coin was a cold heavy weight in Jake’s hand it was a piece of metal but it felt like a living thing a transfer of will Max was already moving his nose skimming the surface of the snow no longer casting but tracking a direct line the scent was faint diluted by the storm but the coin had anchored it Max was following the ghost of Sarah’s trail

Jake fell in behind him they moved in a tactical rhythm Max would advance 30 yards then pause testing the air Jake would cover him his rifle sweeping the gray emptiness before moving up to join him the storm was their cloak but it was also a labyrinth it muffled sound distorted distances and played tricks on the eyes every rock looked like a man every gust of wind sounded like a shout they climbed out of the valley ascending a narrow ice slicked game trail Max was relentless he was working in his element his entire being focused on the single

complex task Jake had given him find after another hour the terrain changed they crested a ridge and the wind lessened blocked by a massive wall of black rock Max slowed he dropped into a low crawl his belly brushing the snow Jake mirrored him instantly he unslung his rifle clicking the optic cover open Max LED him to a cluster of boulders at the edge of a small sunken depression almost a natural amphitheater it was sheltered from the worst of the wind and it was occupied Jake settled behind the largest boulder pulling his binoculars from his vest he adjusted the focus

his breath caught sharp and painful in his chest there were five of them five men dressed in mismatched cold weather gear and armed with Kalashnikovs three of them were huddled around a small smoky fire let’s call them the fighters they were indistinct just shapes trying to stay warm a fourth man the cameraman was setting up a small video camera on a tripod his movements fussy and impatient the fifth man the brute leader was large and imposing his beard was frosted with ice and he paced back and forth shouting orders but it wasn’t the men that held Jake’s attention

it was the figure in the center of the hollow at first he couldn’t understand what he was seeing it looked like a head detached resting on the snow he adjusted the focus again his heart hammering it was Sarah sergeant Sarah Chen she was buried they had buried her in the snow up to her neck packing the ice around her to hold her fast her head was exposed to the elements her face was a deathly pale tinged with blue at the lips a strip of black cloth was tied tightly around her eyes blinding her Jake switched from binoculars to his rifle scope

the magnification bringing her closer he saw her shiver a violent uncontrollable tremor that shook her whole head she was dying of exposure the world went silent for Jake there was no wind no mission no promise to Anna there was only a cold pure rage this was not warfare this was monstrous then he switched his focus we are inside Sarah’s mind the world is blackness and it is cold the cold is an animal chewing on her she can no longer feel her legs her arms her body there is only a numb heavy weight below her neck

her fear is a physical thing a ball of ice in her throat but she is a soldier she pushes the fear down she focuses on her training control your breathing slow your heart don’t panic the brute leader shouted something nearby she flinched she didn’t know what they wanted they had dragged her here and the interrogator the one with the cold eyes had left her with these men saying the world must see she was terrified but she would not give them the satisfaction of her tears she would not beg she had one thing left

one thing they could not take her dignity she held her head high her chin up facing the unseen enemy and in the freezing darkness of her mind she began to speak Mike Bravo 2 dead Jason Bravo 3 dead Chris Bravo 4 dead she recited the names of her fallen team a silent eulogy a mantra to keep the madness at bay from his perch Jake watched her he saw the shivers but he also saw the Defiance he saw the way she held her chin up he saw the set of her jaw she was not a victim waiting for death she was a soldier facing it the respect he had felt when he found the coin now solidified into a powerful

unshakable admiration she was one of them she was one of his the brute leader kicked the snow near her head he barked an order at the cameraman who fumbled with the lens the brute leader stepped in front of the tripod puffing out his chest the cameraman gave a thumbs up a small red light on the camera blinked on they were recording people of the west the brute leader began his voice a guttural roar his English thick with hatred you send your soldiers to our land you send your women he gestured dramatically at Sarah

we send you a message he pulled a long curved knife from a sheath on his belt the steel flashed in the gray light this one he pointed the knife at Sarah is a warrior of your corrupt nation she will not see another sunrise we will execute this female invader at the first light of dawn the video will be a warning to you all this is our justice he finished his speech and spat in the snow he stalked back to the fire leaving the camera recording Sarah’s slow shivering demise Jake’s mind snapped into focus

the ticking clock was no longer just the cold it was the dawn dawn was perhaps three maybe four hours away but Sarah wouldn’t last that long the cold would take her first he couldn’t wait he analyzed the problem five targets one prisoner he was one man with one dog the fighters by the fire were clustered together the cameraman was fiddling with his gear the brute leader was arrogant his back to the high ground Jake lowered his rifle and looked at Max the dog was trembling not from cold but from controlled energy he sensed his handler’s tension

he was a loaded spring waiting for the release Jake gave a slow deliberate hand signal stay watch Max locked his gaze on the man in the hollow Jake pulled the challenge coin from his pocket he looked at the metal then at the shivering blindfolded woman in the snow she had done her part she had left him the trail she was still fighting now it was his turn the world had narrowed to the 10 meter depression and the five men who occupied it Jake’s mind was a cold engine processing variables wind speed target distance predictable motion the brute leader and his two fighters

were huddled by the fire their backs to him distracted by the warmth the cameraman was kneeling by his tripod packing gear and the fifth man the lookout was pacing a short 30 foot line right between Jake’s position and Sarah the lookout was the key he was the only one alert but he was also the most dangerous a suppressed shot might miss in the wind and the sound of a body dropping on the crusty snow would be loud a knife was impossible at this distance this was Max’s job Jake lay flat his breath pluming in front of his face

he pulled Max close the dog’s warmth a solid presence he put his hand on Max’s back feeling the readiness the coiled power Max he whispered his voice barely audible the dog’s ears twitched Jake gave the hand signals a precise silent language first the flat palm moving low crawl then he pointed two fingers at his own eyes and then at the lookout watch him finally he made a soft closing motion with his hand silent take Max understood the dog separated from Jake’s side a seamless shadow detaching from a larger one

he lowered himself until his belly brushed the snow and began to move he did not look like a dog he looked like a predator using every shallow dip every patch of shadow moving only when the wind gusted his discipline was absolute a testament to years of training he was a living weapon aimed and fired by Jake’s will Jake shifted his own position sliding down the embankment to get a clearer angle he lined up his rifle scope the lookout was Max’s the cameraman was his the 3 by the fire would be last he waited Max was now a dark patch of black 20 feet behind the lookout perfectly still waiting for the signal

the lookout stopped he turned his back to Max looking out into the storm it was the moment Jake let out a short sharp kiss sound a signal lost to the wind for everyone but Max the dog exploded he covered the 20 feet in less than a second a blur of black fur there was no bark no growl he launched himself at the lookout’s back his jaws locked on the base of the man’s neck the man’s rifle clattered onto the ice he made a single choked sound a gurgle and Max used his weight to pull him backward disappearing with him behind a snowdrift it was over in three seconds

simultaneously as Max launched Jake’s fingers squeezed the trigger the suppressed rifle made a dull thwip the cameraman kneeling by his tripod stiffened then slumped forward over his gear without a sound two down the three men at the fire were oblivious one of them laughed a harsh sound Jake was already moving he didn’t run he moved in a low fast crouch rifle up closing the 50 yards to Sarah Max reappeared at his side his muzzle clean his eyes bright and focused ready for the next command good boy Jake breathed he reached Sarah she flinched hearing the crunch of his boots

she had no idea what was happening she was blindfolded buried and had just heard her executioner speak she was braced for the end Jake dropped to one knee beside her steady he said his voice low and calm he slid his knife from his vest he didn’t dig he went for the blindfold first with one quick upward slice he cut the black cloth Sarah’s eyes flew open they were wide unfocused and stunningly blue ringed with the terror of a person facing death in the dark they darted wildly before locking on his face inches from hers she saw the snow caked goggles

the frost on his mask but she saw his eyes steady focused alive he saw her he saw the ice in her eyelashes he saw the fear but underneath it he saw a spark of something else pure unadulterated shock warring with a flicker of defiant will Sergeant Chen he said his voice stripped of all emotion but intent I’m Jake I’m taking you home for a second she just stared as if he were a hallucination then her chapped blue tinted lips parted she tried to speak but only a choked gasp came out hang on he said he didn’t have time for sentiment he jammed the tip of his combat knife into the hard packed ice and snow around her shoulder

he began to lever it out in large chunks it was packed as hard as concrete this was going to take time he didn’t have he worked with frantic focused energy stabbing twisting pulling he was so focused on her on the ice that he didn’t hear the slight shift from the fire but Max did Max let out a low rumbling growl a sound that vibrated in Jake’s chest Jake dropped the knife and spun bringing his rifle up all in one motion the brute leader was standing his head turned his eyes narrowed he had heard the growl he shouted

a questioning angry sound he saw the bodies of the lookout and the cameraman he saw Jake kneeling over Sarah the leader roared a sound of pure rage he lifted his AK forty seven time slowed Jake knew he couldn’t fire he was too close to Sarah the muzzle blast alone would harm her he had to move but the brute leader was faster he opened fire the world exploded in noise the full deafening crack crack crack of unsuppressed automatic fire echoed off the rock walls bullets snapped over Jake’s head spraying chips of ice and snow into his face

the element of surprise was gone the silent extraction had failed Jake threw himself forward covering Sarah’s exposed head and shoulders with his own body his armor taking the brunt of the ice shrapnel Max engage he roared Max launched himself at the three men by the fire Jake shielding Sarah with his left side twisted and raised his rifle aiming at the brute leader the hollow erupted into a chaos of gunfire the world erupted in a storm of noise and ice the brute leader’s automatic fire was deafening

ripping through the air where Jake’s head had been Jake rolled covering Sarah’s exposed face with his armored chest chips of ice kicked up by the bullets stung his neck he couldn’t stay here he was a shield but a stationary one Max engage he had roared Max was a black and tan streak of loyalty he did not attack the leader who was firing he attacked the support he launched himself at the two fighters who were scrambling for their rifles by the fire the dog moved with a predatory Grace a silent blur that transformed into a 90 pound missile

he hit the first man low at the knees sending him sprawling into the embers the second man raised his rifle but Max was already on him jaws locking onto the man’s weapon arm shaking his head with a ferocity that snapped the man’s aim skyward this was the opening Jake needed he rolled off Sarah twisting and fired three controlled shots from his suppressed rifle thwip thwip thwip the brute leader surprised by the lack of muzzle flash grunted as rounds impacted the rock near his head he ducked back silenced for a moment

Sarah Jake yelled grabbing the front of her vest he was back to the ice stabbing and prying can you move your legs she was conscious her eyes wide with adrenaline she tried nothing no I can’t I can’t feel them she gasped panic rising in her voice there was no time to dig the leader was reloading the other fighter was struggling with Max this is going to hurt Jake stated he jammed his knife into the ice for leverage grabbed her vest with both hands and pulled he roared with the effort his muscles straining Sarah screamed it was a sharp terrible sound as the frozen snow

hard as plaster tore free her body was ripped from the ground she was free but she collapsed onto the snow a dead weight up we have to move Jake hauled her to her feet her legs buckled instantly they were frozen blocks useless the brute leader leaned out and fired again Jake grabbed her around the waist pulling her entire body against his side half carrying half dragging her Max to me heel Max disengaged from the man he was fighting leaving him clutching a broken arm and sprinted back planting himself at Jake’s left side

the three of them began a desperate stumbling retreat toward the high ground you won’t escape the brute leader bellowed stepping out from cover Jake didn’t look back he fired behind him blindly forcing the leader to pause he dragged Sarah behind a large boulder the first piece of real cover they collapsed behind it breathing in ragged painful gasps the air burned Sarah was shivering violently her body consumed by tremors but her eyes were clear she was fighting the shock she grabbed Jake’s arm her voice was a broken whisper the leader the big one

he she was fighting for breath he has a radio I saw it on his vest a sat phone he will call for help Jake froze he looked down at her she was in agony freezing to death and her first instinct was to provide tactical intelligence she wasn’t a victim she wasn’t baggage she was a soldier copy Jake said the single word was filled with a respect he rarely gave he looked at Max watch our back Max stood at the edge of the rock growling low his eyes fixed on the hollow we go up the ridge the way I came it’s our only chance Jake said

he pulled her up again the movement was agonizing they were slow too slow they moved from rock to rock Jake would pull Sarah place her then provide covering fire while Max guarded their flank behind them they heard the brute leader shouting he was coming and he had one man with him the fighter Max had knocked into the fire now recovered they reached a narrow cut in the rock a shortcut to the ridge it was barely wide enough for one person Jake pushed Sarah through first crawl if you have to he turned to cover their retreat

he saw the brute leader raise his rifle Jake fired and the leader ducked it happened from the side the fighter Max had attacked the one with the broken arm wasn’t as injured as he seemed he had been silent flanking them waiting he lunged from the shadows not at Jake who was armored and facing the other way but at Sarah he had a knife and his good arm was raised the blade pointed down at her back Jake saw the movement too late he yelled a wordless sound of horror he wasn’t fast enough but Max was Max had been guarding their rear he saw the threat at the same instant as Jake he didn’t hesitate he launched his body

a 90 pound projectile directly into the path of the knife he wasn’t trying to attack the man he was trying to shield Sarah the knife intended for Sarah’s spine plunged deep into the heavy muscle of Max’s left shoulder Max gave a sharp cry of pain a sound that tore through Jake’s soul but the dog did not retreat the pain triggered a deeper primal fury Max ignored the blade buried in his shoulder and twisted in midair his jaws locking onto the attacker’s throat he bore the man backward and they fell to the snow in a violent tangle Jake was already turning one shot precise

the fight was over there was a moment of ringing silence the storm seemed to hold its breath Jake Sarah whispered Jake rushed to her are you hit are you okay but she wasn’t looking at him her eyes were wide fixed on Max the dog had pulled himself free he was standing on three legs his fourth held off the ground blood pouring from a deep ugly wound in his shoulder staining the snow a dark crimson he looked at Jake gave a small whimper but stayed upright Max Jake breathed his heart cracking he’s hurt Sarah screamed it was not a whisper

it was a raw terrified sound he’s bleeding Jake he’s bleeding she forgot her own pain her own frozen legs she began to drag herself across the snow crawling trying to reach the wounded dog he saved me he saved me Jake stared stunned she was dying and her only thought was for his dog the sound of shouting from the hollow broke the spell the brute leader was still coming Jake grabbed Sarah pulling her back he’s OK he’s a warrior he scooped her up this time in a full fireman’s carry ignoring the pain in his own back adrenaline surged Max with me

the dog limped but he moved falling into position at Jake’s heels Jake didn’t look back he plunged into the whiteout of the storm hauling Sarah his wounded dog at his side they were all injured they were all freezing but they were together he ran there was no tactic no finesse there was only a burning in his lungs and the dead weight of Sarah across his shoulders the fireman’s carry was efficient but brutal every step was a jarring impact behind him he heard the limping crunch thump crunch of Max forcing himself to keep up

the dog’s breathing was a pained rasp but he never fell behind the storm was a wall of white it was their enemy but it was also their salvation it swallowed the sounds of their escape it blinded the brute leader whose furious shouts were growing fainter lost in the howl of the wind Jake pushed up the ridge his thighs screaming he was operating on a level beyond exhaustion fueled by pure cold adrenaline he didn’t know where he was going he was just moving up away from the threat he stumbled his knee hitting a sharp rock and nearly dropped Sarah

he grunted shifting her weight Jake she whispered her voice faint against his back he’s Max he’s with us Jake bit out we’re OK it was a lie they were not okay Max was bleeding Sarah was freezing to death and he was lost just as he felt his strength begin to fail Max pushed past him the dog despite his wounded shoulder surged forward a few yards and stopped sniffing at a sheer wall of ice and snow he whined a high insistent sound and began to paw at a drift looking back at Jake what is it boy Max pawed again more urgently Jake shifted Sarah letting her slide down his back until she was standing

leaning against him she couldn’t support her own weight but she was upright he moved to max rifle ready behind the snowdrift was a fissure a dark crack in the rock no wider than a man’s shoulders it was a cave or a den it was shelter get in he said to Sarah he half pushed half lowered her into the darkness she tumbled inside Max scrambled in after her Jake slid in last his rifle pointed backward until the last possible second he slid down a short icy slope and landed in a space of absolute blackness and sudden

shocking silence the wind was gone its roar muffled to a distant moan the cave was tiny barely big enough for the three of them it smelled of damp rock and earth but it was out of the storm for a moment they just breathed the only sounds were three sets of ragged gasping breaths Jake’s training took over triage he fumbled for his headlamp clicking it on the narrow beam cut through the dark illuminating their tiny sanctuary he turned to Max first let me see boy the dog was already lying on his side his wounded shoulder up the front of his fur was dark and matted Jake gently parted the hair

the knife wound was clean but deep still oozing blood you’re lucky Max Jake murmured it missed the artery his hands though numb with cold were steady he pulled his medical kit he cleaned the wound with an antiseptic wipe Max only flinching once he packed the gash with a hemostatic agent to stop the bleeding then applied a heavy pressure bandage wrapping it tight around the dog’s shoulder and chest Max licked his hand a rough warm tongue against his frozen skin good boy you’re done he clicked off the headlamp to save battery

and turned his attention to Sarah in the pitch black he could hear her her teeth were chattering a rapid desperate clack clack clack that was terrifyingly loud in the small space Sarah he said his voice calm clinical I’m so cold she stuttered I know you’re in severe hypothermia the clock is ticking he took a breath I have to get you out of your wet clothes right now it’s the only way you’ll survive there was a pause he heard her try to take a breath okay he clicked the headlamp back on but he pointed the beam at the roof of the cave illuminating the space in a dim indirect light

he moved to her his movements all business this will be fast don’t think about it he was a professional he was a medic he was not a man he was a machine focused on a task he used his knife to cut her ruined frozen tactical vest away he unclipped her gear then he got to her base layers they were soaked with melted snow and sweat this is the killer he said he kept his eyes on his hands he cut the Thermal shirt up the middle and pulled it off her shoulders he cut her pants away he worked with a detached efficiency his mind focused on seams and fabric

he never looked at her he was saving a life not invading a privacy he pulled his own spare set of dry thermals from his pack they were his last dry thing lift your arms she tried but they were shaking too hard he gently guided her arms into the sleeves like dressing a child he pulled the dry pants on his touch quick and impersonal okay done he pulled his single sleeping bag from his pack get in he helped her slide into the high tech bag and he zipped it up to her chin he sat back on his heels the chattering of her teeth slowed

but it didn’t stop he watched her for a full minute she was still shivering violently the dry clothes and bag were not enough her core temperature was too low she was losing the fight her eyes visible in the dim light were half closed Jake she whispered her voice a thin thread it’s still cold he knew what was happening her body was shutting down he looked at Max the dog was watching him head up despite his injury Jake’s mind flashed to his promise to Anna come back this was a new test he was cold he was wet but he was a furnace compared to her

he could get in the bag it was the standard procedure skin to skin contact but in the darkness in this tiny space after what she had been through he hesitated it felt wrong it felt like a violation then he looked at Max again the dog was 90 pounds of fur and muscle a living heater he made his decision he unzipped the sleeping bag Sarah looked at him confused Max Jake said his voice firm the dog’s ears perked here get in Max looked at him confused he whined it’s an order Jake said his voice dropping into the command tone he rarely used he pointed at the space beside Sarah warm

the dog understood the word it was part of his Arctic training he carefully painfully stood on his three good legs he stepped into the open bag and crawled nosing his way in until he was pressed against Sara’s entire body he turned around once a tight circle and settled his back pressed against her front he let out a long low groan Sarah gasped a sharp intake of breath as the sudden intense animal warmth hit her she was so cold her instincts took over she didn’t question it she turned curling her body against the dogs burying her cold face into the thick fur of his neck

she wrapped her arms around him Jake pulled the zipper up enclosing them both the chattering of her teeth stopped after a long minute a small muffled voice came from the bag thank you Max Jake clicked off the headlamp the cave was plunged back into darkness he took his position at the entrance his back to them his rifle across his lap he was the Sentinel he was wet he was freezing he would not sleep but behind him in the dark he heard the sound of Sarah’s breathing deepen becoming regular and beneath it

the low steady thump thump of his dog’s heart he had made his choice they were his team and they were alive Jake did not sleep he sat Sentinel at the mouth of the cave a block of ice himself his rifle a heavier block of steel across his lap he was cold a deep penetrating cold that settled into his bones but behind him there was warmth the steady slow breathing of Sarah intertwined with the deeper rhythmic breath of Max the chattering of her teeth had stopped that was all that mattered hours passed in the darkness finally the relentless howl of the wind began to subside

fading from a shriek to a low weary moan a pale grey light began to seep into the cave entrance dawn he turned Sarah her voice was thick muffled by Max’s fur I’m awake we have to move the storm is breaking that means our enemy can move too he clicked on his headlamp the light illuminated a small exhausted family Sarah slowly untangled herself from Max the dog stood up painfully shaking snow and fur he looked at Jake his tail giving a single weak thump how are you boy Jake said running his hand over the dog’s bandaged shoulder the bandage was holding the bleeding had stopped

and you sergeant he asked his tone all business though his eyes were checking her for signs of frostbite Sarah sat up her face pale but her eyes clear I can feel my legs she said her voice raw she wiggled her toes in the boots he had put back on her it hurts like pins and needles but I can feel them good that was a miracle pain is good it means they’re alive he pulled the last of his supplies from his pack one protein bar half a canteen of water he broke the bar in three pieces giving the largest to Sarah a piece to Max and the smallest to himself

he gave Sarah the water drink all of it she hesitated looking at him Jake that’s an order sergeant he said leaving no room for argument she drank they crawled out of the cave into a new world the storm had passed leaving behind a landscape of impossible blinding white under a sharp blue sky the beauty was dangerous offering no cover their extraction point was on his map two clicks north the journey was a brutal slow motion agony Sarah could walk but barely her legs were shaky her balance gone Jake put her arm over his shoulder and they moved as one half walking

half stumbling Max limping heavily took the lead his nose sniffing his head constantly turning guarding them even in his own pain after an hour they reached the coordinates Jake stopped his heart sinking the map was correct this was the location but it was on the other side of a chasm a massive sheer walled Canyon split the mountain in two it was at least 200 feet across and the bottom was lost in shadow thousands of feet below the only way across was a bridge it was not a bridge it was a joke a few rotting wooden slats some missing entirely connected by two frayed looking ropes

swaying and groaning in the Asia high altitude wind Sarah made a small choked sound she took one look at the drop and stepped back her entire body rigid no I I can’t Jake looked at her her face which had been so resolute was now pale with a different kind of terror I can’t Jake she whispered her eyes locked on the drop I’m afraid of heights I can’t do it Jake held up his hand okay it’s okay he was firm but calm he didn’t push he waited for her to meet his eyes Sarah look at me she tore her gaze from the chasm and locked it on his

do not look down he said his voice quiet a command that was also a promise the bridge will hold us it’s built for yaks it can hold you he pointed to Max the dog sensing her fear had already limped under the first few planks he looked back whining softly you have two choices Jake said you can look at my pack right in the center or you can look at Max that’s it trust me trust Max we go one step at a time we don’t stop until we’re on the other side she was breathing fast Jake one step at a time he turned and stepped onto the bridge

it swayed violently I’m in front you’re in the middle Max watches our back she swallowed nodded and put her hands on his backpack okay okay Max fell in behind her they moved step slap creak sway the wind whistled through the Canyon a mournful hollow sound the bridge was a living groaning monster beneath their feet Jake kept up a low steady monologue good that’s it one more good don’t look down Max is right behind you you’re doing great Sarah they were halfway across the center the swaying was at its worst a shout Jake froze the voice came from the far side

the side they were walking toward the brute leader he was standing 20 yards from the end of the bridge rifle raised he was alone his face a mask of fury Jake Sarah screamed another shout from behind them Jake looked back on the side they had just left the other fighter the one Max had fought by the fire was standing rifle also raised they were trapped in the middle of a rickety bridge suspended thousands of feet in the air with an enemy at both ends the leader on the far side grinned a terrible victorious expression he raised his rifle taking careful aim there was no time no cover

no escape Jake’s mind went cold he made the calculation this was the end of the line get down he roared he shoved Sarah pushing her flat onto the swaying planks Max down he ripped his last block of C4 from his vest one charge one detonator his promise to Anna flashed in his mind I always come back it was a promise he had to break he slammed the C4 against the main suspension cable his frozen fingers fumbling with the detonator cap the leader in front was advancing onto the bridge firing crack crack bullets splintered the wood planks

whining past Jake’s head Sarah Crawl go go he yelled but she was frozen pinned down by the fire he was out of time he was trying to seat the detonator the leader was 10 yards away raising his rifle for the kill shot Max Jake yelled but Max had already seen it he saw the leader he saw the rifle he saw his handler exposed with a roar that was pure wounded fury Max launched himself he ignored his injured shoulder and sprinted across the swaying planks a black and tan missile he didn’t go for the throat he slammed his 90 pound body directly into the leader’s rifle and chest the leader roared in surprise

his shot going wild he was knocked off balance struggling to fight off the dog and aim at the same time it was the opening it was the two seconds Jake needed the detonator clicked into place armed Max heal Jake screamed his voice raw Max tore himself free from the leader and scrambled back limping bleeding Jake looked at Sarah who was staring in horror there was no time to run jump he bellowed he didn’t wait he grabbed the front of Sarah’s vest hauling her up he grabbed Max’s harness with his other hand and with a final desperate roar

he pulled them both with him launching all three of them off the side of the bridge he hit the detonator button in midair for one silent stretched out second they were falling then the world exploded the C4 detonated with a deafening concussion the bridge cables snapped the entire structure planks ropes and the two fighters vaporized in a cloud of splinters and fire they hit the snowdrift on a ledge just below the far cliff the impact was brutal knocking the air from Jake’s lungs his ears were ringing the sky was full of falling debris he lay stunned his vision blurry

he was on top of Sarah Max on top of him he pushed himself up he was alive he looked at Sarah she was coughing but her eyes were open he looked at Max the dog was shaking but he was on his feet they were alive they were on the right side of the chasm they had survived the silence that followed the explosion was deafening a fine powder of snow and pulverized rock rained down on them Jake’s ears rang with a high metallic whine he was lying in a deep snowdrift on a narrow ledge Sarah’s body beneath his

Max’s heavy form pinning them both down he pushed the dog off gently Max you good the dog shook his entire body sending a spray of snow and let out a single sharp bark he was alive Sarah Jake rolled off her his every muscle screaming in protest she was coughing her eyes wide with shock but she was in one piece the snowdrift had saved them he looked up the chasm was a clear open wound the bridge was gone the enemy was gone we’re alive she whispered her voice full of disbelief we are Jake said his voice flat but they were not safe

they were still exposed he looked at the ledge it was a dead end the extraction point was still above them on the main ridge we have to climb that last climb was the worst it was only 40 feet but it was a sheer wall of rock and ice it took them nearly an hour Jake climbed first finding handholds then he looped a small length of rope under Sarah’s arms and hauled her up his muscles burning with the last of his strength he pulled Max up last the dog scrambling his injured leg useless they collapsed on the top of the ridge the extraction point it was a wide

flat expanse of rock scoured clean by the wind and before them the world opened up the storm was gone the sky was a deep impossible blue shading to purple and fiery orange at the eastern horizon the sun was rising it crested the jagged peaks of the Hindu Kush spilling golden liquid light across a sea of white mountains it was the most beautiful and most terrible thing Jake had ever seen it was a beauty that didn’t care it illuminated their blood their pain their survival they stood the three of them

shadows against the dawn they were broken Jake was running on empty his promise to Anna a thin fraying thread Max was standing on three legs his head low exhausted and Sarah the adrenaline was gone the fight for survival was over the cold the pain and the memory returned all at once she looked at the sunrise and her face pale and frost nipped crumpled they should have seen this she whispered her voice broke she was not talking about the enemy she was talking about Bravo Team Mike Jason Chris she sank to her knees the tough defiant soldier who had faced down her executioners

who had crossed a chasm finally broke she covered her face with her gloved hands and began to cry it was not a loud sound it was a silent racking series of sobs that shook her entire body she was not crying from fear or from pain she was crying for the men who were not there for the guilt of being the only one to see this dawn Jake stood helpless this was an enemy he could not fight this was a wound he could not bandage he was a reaper a man of action of silent movement and hard choices he did not know how to fix this

his instinct was to give her space to turn away and scan the perimeter he thought of Anna in the hospital he had been just as useless then a large quiet man in a room full of pain he could not touch but he didn’t turn away not this time he looked at Max the dog despite his own pain limped forward he pushed his great furry head under Sarah’s elbow forcing her hand away from her face he nudged her a gentle insistent pressure and whined low in his throat I am here Sarah’s hand dropped from her face and clutched the dog’s fur

grounding herself in the simple loyal warmth Max had done his part now it was Jake’s he moved his movements stiff and awkward he sat down on the frozen rock not too close but near enough to be a presence he didn’t speak he had no words of comfort the words would be a lie instead he did the only thing he could he reached out his gloved hand and placed it on her shoulder he just left it there a solid unmoving weight a simple physical statement you are not alone she leaned into the touch just slightly and in the silence of the new morning

the three of them sat together the grieving soldier the wounded dog and the man who had kept his promise a new sound joined the wind it was quiet at first a rhythmic pulse a beat felt more in the chest than heard with the ears thump thump thump Jake’s head snapped up his hand tightened on Sarah’s shoulder Max’s ears went flat then perked do you hear that Jake whispered Sarah looked up her face stained with frozen tears she listened the sound grew gaining volume echoing off the Canyon walls thump thump thump a black shape appeared against the rising sun a Black Hawk helicopter Jake fumbled for his radio

his hands shaking for the first time he didn’t need to the radio in his vest crackled to life reaper this is Angel 1 you’re a sight for sore eyes we’ve got you the helicopter flared its rotor wash a violent beautiful wind blasting them with snow the side door was open a PJ a pararescue jumper was at the door his face masked his eyes professional and kind let’s call him Tex he gave a sharp downward signal the hoist cable began to lower heard you were in trouble Reaper Tex’s voice boomed over the coms looks like you made a friend

they were hoisted up one by one Max first in a special harness then Sarah secured to the medic then Jake he collapsed onto the floor of the helicopter the noise was overwhelming the side door slid shut and the world outside disappeared a medic a young man with focused eyes was already at work he cut away Sarah’s clothes yelling hypothermia get me warm fluids he wrapped her in Thermal blankets he turned to Max checking the bandage preparing a new one Jake pulled off his helmet the weight of it suddenly unbearable he leaned his head against the cold metal bulkhead

and for the first time in three years he closed his eyes he felt a touch he opened them Sarah was strapped to a litter but she was looking at him she was pale her lips were cracked but her eyes were clear she didn’t speak she didn’t need to she just looked at him he gave a single small nod Max his shoulder freshly bandaged limped over he was too tired to stand he collapsed on the floor his body wedged between Jake’s boots and Sarah’s litter the dog let out a long deep sigh the sound of a job completed he rested his head on Jake’s knee

then as if for good measure he lifted one heavy paw and placed it on Sarah’s arm the Black Hawk banked hard turning its nose toward the sun they were going home if this story of courage and loyalty touched your heart please subscribe to our channel for more stories that honor this incredible bond and please share this video with someone you know who might be facing their own storm remind them that they are not alone and that dawn is coming we pray that God blesses every single person watching this today may He bring you comfort in your struggles

may He send you a Jake or a Max when you need them most and may He bless and protect all the brave men women and service animals who stand in the gap for us every day if you believe that God sends angels to rescue us and that sometimes those angels have four legs and a tail please comment with a heartfelt Amen below let’s fill this space with our shared faith and gratitude