Excerpt: Paragon

Custer awoke with a start. “Chaff!” Payton yelled over the noise of the engines. “It’s just chaff. They always do it when they start descending. Its no big deal.”
Custer glanced at his watch. He’d manage to doze most of the flight. Many of the Soldiers around him were still asleep, contorted in the tiny jump seats.
He watched as two Air Force crew members struggled to climb into position near the rear of the plane, peering out small side windows. He wondered what exactly they were looking for. Other aircraft? The airfield? He had no idea, and soon was distracted by his stomach pressing insistently upwards as the plane banked hard to the left and began a steep descent.
Grinning at Peyton, he yelled, “Are we landing, or crashing?”
Custer was amazed at the speed and angle of descent. It seemed unfathomable that the pilots would ever land the plane safely. He realized, with a sudden twinge, that they were OVER Iraq. Over the combat zone. The thought echoed through his mind until suddenly, a bag tumbled from its stowage strap. Several soldiers moved to stop the bag’s descent, knocking helmets together in the process.
Aloud, to no one in particular, Custer muttered, “Oh great, I’m going to war with the Keystone Kops.” Across the aisle, Stone wore a Cheshire grin. “You ever get to ride a roller coaster to work before, Sarge?”