Red Panther: Prepare Yourself He is Coming

By Lester Mingo

Coahoma was a Native American raised by his mother with Choctaw laws and customs. Racial and cultural conflict would have shaped his life. Then he met Charlotte. Their love for each other could not be denied. But love can be lost when the world finds war as it’s pastime.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: May 14, 2013
• ISBN: 9781626759213

Book preview

Scene

Chapter 1 Fallujah,Iraq

It was a cold day in April when the order came down. Platoon Leader to Bravo Company, get to sector 7 now we’re being overrun! Bravo to Platoon Leader, we’ll be there at 14:30.

The attack on sector 7 was an ambush. The intelligence report stated that the population had been pacified. Unknown to the Platoon, enemy reinforcements had been gathering outside the village for two days.

Joe Winn was the Platoon Leader, they were on a search and destroy assignment. Bravo Company arrived just in time to get involved in a full fledge fire fight.

Charles Holder was a Corporal who was in his second campaign. He was a practical soldier. Do whatever you need to get the job done, stay alive and live to see another day.

The enemy was laying down a suppressing fire. It kept the Joe’s Platoon pinned down without any possibility of moving forward.

Platoon Leader to Bravo Company we can’t hold them off much longer. Bravo Company to Platoon Leader we’ll be there in five minutes, over! Platoon Leader to Bravo Company, we don’t have five minutes, we’re about to be overrun!

Charles, take two men and take out those snipers. That will buy us a couple of minutes. If things don’t go right you’ll find us in sector 5. Yes sir.

Charles picked the two best marksmen in the Platoon. The shots were coming from within fifty yards.

We can’t order a mortar strike! The snipers are too close to us. What are we going to do?

Charles gave the two privates a half grin.

They’re on the second floor aren’t they? Yes sir. Well they might require room service. Room service sir? You have a few Grenades don’t you? Yes sir. Well just serve them up. Use room service as your handle.

They moved quickly to keep an element of surprise. Within a minute they were at the building.

This is room service, we’re in position. I’m going to expose myself for a split second. As soon as you see them make a move, lightem up with up both RPG’s. Yes sir.

Charles sprinted across the road, before he got half way two shots rang out. The bullets hit the ground a foot away from him. He kept running . Then he heard the words that saved his life. Room service! Immediately followed by two ear piercing explosions. They regrouped before heading back to the rest of the Platoon.

That was a text book job guys. I thought it was New Year’s Eve In Times Square. You must have taken out a gas line the way that floor went up. Let’s get back to the Platoon and take care of some business.

Rapid gunfire suddenly broke a short lived silence.

We’re needed. We better get back right now! Let’s get into this fight. Charles I think you’re right. Look to your left.

The men stopped running when they saw what no soldier ever wants to see. Their friends were being overrun by the enemy. A since of shock and horror

came over them so quickly that they’re anger and rage took a back seat.Move you asses now!

As they ran down the empty street Charles yelled out. Stop, something’s not right. What’s going on? The bad guys are running the wrong way. They’re coming straight at us. What happened? We must have gotten reinforcements. We’re at the wrong place, at the wrong time. You two guys take the left flank and I’ll go right. We’ll meet up at sector 4.

Charles headed for the nearest cover. He thought they wouldn’t notice he was lying on the ground behind an old Opel. He saw their faces as they ran by. He couldn’t believe his eyes. There was a look of terror that he had never seen before. Suddenly he heard the sound of running boots hitting a dirt road, and someone speaking in Arabic run by. Charles took advantage of this opportunity to get out of harm’s way and meet the soldiers responsible for putting the fear of God in the enemy who just ran past. The first person he met was Private Coahoma Baker. Coahoma in the Choctaw language meant Red Panther. Charles would soon find out that this was a most appropriate name.

Private my name is Corporal Charles Holder. What just happened here? Sir, shouldn’t the Lieutenant fill you in on that? I’m asking you Mr. I’ll get a report from the Lieutenant later. I’m going to as you again, what happened here? Yes sir, we ran into ten bad guys, five are dead or wounded and the others took off. We’re still in the early stages of the mop up operation so I can’t tell you anything more."

Charles left Private Baker in search of Lieutenant Winn. He would then be able to get a full report on what just happened. He found Lieutenant questioning a wounded enemy soldier. As he approached the Lieutenant he heard the wounded soldier repeat over and over again. Where is the Panther? The wounds appeared to be precise, cut to immobilize, not to kill. Both Achilles tendons were severed and arms were cut just above the elbow.

Lieutenant it looks like you have things under control. It looks that way now, but for a while there we were making our last stand. I meant to ask you about that. A few minutes ago the bad guys were running like they had seen a ghost. They saw a ghost alright. A red ghost, I’ve never seen anything like it. One minute were about to be overrun and the next those guys are high tailing it out of Dodge.

What happened? Three scouts were checking the forward perimeter. One of the three was Coahoma Baker. That’s the new guy? Right he’s just been here about a week. All of a sudden we heard rapid gun fire about two clicks to the north. Before I say anything else, I need to ask you a question. Yes sir, what’s the question? How long have I known you? About a year. Have I ever exaggerated the facts of any conflict we were involved in? No sir. "Well I’m not going to start now. It took us about 15 minutes to reach the scouts.

When we arrived bodies were everywhere. I counted 10 including one of our men. The last men standing were a private and Coahoma Baker. The Private was sitting on the ground clinging to his rifle with a case of the shakes. Coahoma was standing over an enemy body. It was almost as though he had a look of concern. A look of concern? It was kind of creepy, I thought he might try to take a trophy, instead he just walked away. Don’t quote me on this but I swear he’s had hand to hand combat like this or worst. I think I going give that guy a new name. What do you think of SS? Are you calling him a Nazi? No! SS stands for The Savage Surgeon.

I have never seen a man use a knife like that. Half of the casualties were caused by his blade. When he ran out of ammunition he used two serrated knives. I guess the guys you saw run past you had seen enough of Coahoma. Sir, there something that‘s a little off about all this. What’s that ? There should be a lot more blood considering what just happened. Now you’re getting the picture Charles. That’s why I call him the Savage Surgeon."

"That sounds too much like a Horror movie, what happened here is more like a special effect. You know I think I like that better. From now on I’m