That’s not the way it works. Most soldiers who make a conscious decision to place themselves in harm’s way do it to protect their buddies. They do it because of the bonds of friendship—and it goes so much deeper than friendship. Eric Massa CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT SOMEONE RIPPED MY my helmet off and smacked me on the face, and I felt my suit coming free. I reached out for a weapon and grabbed the first thing I could. As I was pulled upright, the harmonic blade slid free. “Whoa there, Nelly,” came a voice, followed by ten tons of weight coming down on my wrist. I felt the blade being removed. I gasped and blinked, trying to see through the shower of stars that had filled my vision as my brain went snap, crackle and pop. How long had I been without oxygen? As I thought about it, I passed out again... ...and came to as I was being passed down the trench and into the arms of half a dozen grunts. They grabbed me, then ran down the gangway and past our squad bay. I struggled and wanted to tell them they were going the wrong way.
