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Prologue

AK

Plano, Texas

Eleven years ago

“I’onna be a Marine!”

I raced into the kitchen Devin was sitting by the table, working on the engine of his bike He looked up His face was pitted with grease “What?” he exclaimed, brow furrowed

I stood, catching the breath I’d lost running home I threw off my leather jacket and tossed it on the back of a chair “I’ve just enlisted” I s the excitement from my voice “Just like you I’ve joined the Corps”

Devin blinked at an to wane “Dev—” He dropped the engine onto the tabletop with a resounding thud

He got to his feet and ran his hand down his face “X, what the fuck have you done?”

I shook ?”

My brother sighed and looked out the kitchen“What’s wrong? What’s wrong?” He took in a deep breath, releasing it slowly as if trying to calm himself down “This ain’t the life I wanted for you You’re ot more brains in that stupid head of yours than I ever had I was banking on you going to college or so Corps”

“I don’t wanna go to college, Dev I wanna be over there, fighting, too I wanna fight beside you”

Dev was still facing the , but I caught his wince “Dev” I tried again, but I couldn’t think of what else to say My brother was acting weird

“You got no idea what it’s like out there, X” Finally he turned tohaunted look on his face, each word pronounced like a gunshot “You got no fucking idea”

Unable to take hi so damn lost, I walked over and put hed, knowing I was about to sound real pathetic “I wanna fight for our country, like you II fucking wanna be like you, Dev Always have”

Devin’s eyes shone Sighing, he grabbedchest I struggled to breathe as he hugged h and raw, as if he could barely force the words from his mouth

“In eight weeks”

“Fuck, kid,” he said “What MOS?”

“Scout Sniper” I shrugged “You know I can shoot real good”

Devin tensed, then forced himself to relax It o I was eighteen; Dev enty-six He’d joined the Corps when he was otten us the fuck out of our shithole existence with our drunk parents and had given us a better life

He’d saved us Pulled us outta the dautter

He washero

Devin pulled back and kissed my forehead I was an inch or two taller than hi, but I always felt ser-than-life attitude, or at least he used to After the last two tours he’d changed so the worst I kneas ’cause he missed home But if I ended up stationed near him, he wouldn’t have to be alone no more True brothers in arms

“I wanted better for you, kid,” he announced I looked hiht in the eye

“Fighting alongside you, for our country and freedoets,” I said quietly