But the guards did not advance, unsure of their approach and none brave enough to make the first move. Their quarry lay with his face to the stone floor. He was not moving. A pool of blood slowly grew around him.

Blood rolled into the mortar gullies between rocks, turning dark gray into dark red.

Finally one man stepped forward. Even this startled some of the men who had just witnessed one of their own unloading his magazine into the backs of his fellow soldiers.

Then Randal stirred and guns were immediately at the ready, fingers resting on the triggers.