Chereads / Ghost: Countdown / Chapter 7 - Close Quaters

Chapter 7 - Close Quaters

The ride to the AO was uneventful. Once he and his team got out from the chopper, they grouped up with Alpha and Charlie that were securing the area.

"Hey, what's the situation?" Daniel asked the Alpha's team leader once he ordered his team to help out others before approaching the man. He was slightly nervous. And who wouldn't? He was talking to man that worked in one of the well known and legendary PMC.

"We got all of them mercs that were stationed outside. No casualties on our side. Now we just have to get in the building. We have access to the main one, and it's cleared out. But we don't have access to the right and left wing of the buildings from their main entrance so we will have to go there via the main building."

"I take it that the right and left's building entrance was locked from the inside?" Daniel asked.

"No, it's because we don't know how to open it. Of course it's locked from the inside. And it was barricaded."

Sarcasm, everyone's favorite tone after a gunfight. "Heh" Daniel awkwardly responded.

The squad leader grumbled as he turned around, gesturing Daniel to follow him. "Now, there's a change of plans. Once we are done here, we ain't destroying this place, at least not immediately."

Daniel raised his eyebrows, "Why?"

"What do you mean wh-oh right, you and your PMC are goody two shoes."

For some reason, he felt insulted by that. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"It means exactly that. And since you ain't figuring that out yet, my men will be taking everything that's valuable here and sell it to the blackmarket."

It took a second for Daniel to process what the squad leader said, "That's illegal." He pointed out, "WPTO will not tolera-"

"WPTO don't give a shit" The squad leader cut him off.

"I... what?"

"You heard me kid, they don't give a shit. Well they do if we make it obvious, but if we do it hush hush and give them some of the cut, they don't care."

He don't believe it, there's no way WPTO are allowing that. Right? "You are lying"

"If that makes you feel happy, sure. Now let's go, we got buildings to clear and a weapon to find" The squad leader said. Daniel reluctantly nodded and followed the man behind.

They regrouped with their squad by the door of the main building. Daniel was approached by Lena. "You alright there? You looking gloomy" She asked, a little bit concerned.

"I'm fine," He smiled as he appreciated the concern, "I will talk about it later."

"Alright"

The squad leader cleared his throat to get everyone's attention , "Alright listen up. We will be going into CQB territory, so watch those corners, and act fast. Because these mercs won't be. Daniel, you and your squad will be taking the right wing of the building. Radio in when you reached the secondary door and after you clear the area. Understood?"

"Got it." Daniel answered.

"Good, let's not waste anymore time. let's go" One by one, everyone carefully walked into the building pointing their guns at every direction. In case there were mercs that hid from the Spades earlier. Both PMCs split up and went to their separate ways.

The Ghosts walked up the stairs, led by Lena as she was the one that studied the layout. As they reached up, they were met with a door. "Behind that door is a hallway leading to to the other building."

Daniel nodded, "Alright, I will take point. Speed watch our rear, the rest. Be on guard"

They slowly walked through the hallway, silence with the exception of the sound of their helicopter roaming around the area. Soon, they reach at the end of the hallway, being met with another door.

"Alpha Actual, this is Bravo Actual. We have reached the entrance to the right wing building, over." Daniel reported.

"Roger that, clear out the area and find the weapon." The leader responded, "And remember not to destroy anything valuable goody two shoes." He added.

Daniel sighed internally, "Roger that." He readied his weapons and slowly turn the door knob, which surprised him since he thought the mercs will lock it. He opened it slowly and heard a snoring to the left. He looked towards there and saw a merc sleeping as he laid against the wall. Daniel shook his head and was about to close the door when he heard chatters.

"How long are we gonna be here? Where's our backup?" He heard one of the mercs asked in a frustrated tone.

"In 10 minutes or so." He heard another answered, must be the leader.

Daniel slowly close the door, "Nomad I have intel. Hostile reinforcement inbound, ETA 10 minutes. Prepare your team" He whispered to Nomad via radio.

"Roger that boss," The young leader answered, "I won't let you down this time." He added before going silent.

Daniel looked at his squadmates, "Alright, the mercs in there didn't know we are right by their doorstep. So let's maintain stealth as long as we can. Now, Speed, you will go in first and deal the guy on the left, he's sleeping."

Speed nodded and went to deal with the man.

"The two of you, follow my lead" Daniel ordered his partner and Doc and entered the room. He was greeted by Speed who gestured at the sleeping guard, now completely knocked out. Daniel gave him a thumbs up before gestured to follow him.

They got into cover behind boxes, and one of them peeked.

"Lena, how many?" Daniel quietly asked his partner.

"We got 7, two by barricades at the front door, 3 in the open and another two by the stairs." She answered as she peeked above her cover.

He nodded at the answer and thought for a second. "Alright, we will sync up with our shots. Speed, Doc, take out the ones at the stairs. Lena, we will take out the ones by door. Then, Speed, you will take out the left of the three. Lena you take the right and I will take the middle. Everyone understood?"

They nodded, "Good, fire on my mark." He said before pointing his rifle at the the mercs by the door. "Lena, take left."

"Roger"

They pointed their guns, which were suppressed, at their designated targets. "Take them out" The first 4 mercs were dead instantly. The remaining 3 heard the muffled gunshots and saw their fellow mercs fell to the ground. They were about to raise the alarm but before they can do anything, their heads were met with a bullet.

"Good job guys," Daniel proudly said, because of the excellent teamwork. "Speed, Lena. You both go and check their bodies for in-" A voice interrupted him.

"Hey Mikey, we heard some noises. What's-" The voice stopped and everyone looked where it came from. They saw two mercs standing by the stairs, both shocked but what they saw. "Oh fuck. ALARM!" One of them shouted but was quickly shot dead by Lena.

The other quickly ran upstairs.

"Well, there goes our element of surprise." Daniel heard Doc sarcastically said.

"You can complain later, now move!" He ordered as he rushed towards the stairs with his team following behind. He walked up the stairs and was met with a bunch of mercs pointing their guns at him. He narrowly got killed as he quickly jumped back. "Goddamn... Someone get a flash in there!"

Lena bravely went up the stairs and threw in a flashbang before quickly going back down.

"Shit flashbang!" Daniel heard one of the mercs shouted before a loud high pitch bang went off. And then a second one, and third, and so on.

He quickly looked to his partner, "How many did you throw in there?"

"Just one.... a nine banger"

A little bit overkill, Daniel thought. But at least it helped.

He didn't hear anymore bang, and readied his rifle. "Time to move in. You know what to do, leave the incapacitated ones unless they started to attack."

They went up and took out the mercs that wasn't affected by the nine banger, at least visually. A minute later, the last merc that fought back was shot dead, and the firefight ended.

"Speed, Doc, secure those guys" Daniel said as he gestured to the incapacitated mercs. He then contracted the Red Spades. "Alpha, we cleared the area. Searching for the weapon now. Over."

"Good, update when you have something. Over and out."

Daniel looked to Lena, "Cmon partner, it's time to find the weapon."

The two went to search the boxes and caches in the room they were in. However, they found nothing. "Alpha, this is Bravo. We got nothing here. How are you on your end? Over" Daniel radioed over.

"We got nothing here." The team leader answered. "Have you checked the third floor? Over"

"Not yet. Over"

"Go check there then. Out"

Daniel looked at Lena and gestured at her to follow. He walked up first and the first thing he saw was a turret pointing at him. "Oh shit turret!" He and Lena quickly backed down and waited for the turret to go off. But it didn't. He slowly peeked, and then facepalmed when he realized the thing wasn't activated.

"It's alright Daniel, we all make mistakes" He heard Lena said with a cheeky tone. He rolled his eyes before gesturing her to move.

The room was filled with a bunch of boxes and cache. Even some weapons too, including the deactivated turret. They must've been storing their stuffs here. "Let's hope it's here." Daniel said out loud.

They started checking the boxes and the cache one by one. And before they know it, they found a container. A round sized container, that was meant for the weapon they were looking for. He opened it and immediately his and Lena's face went pale. It was empty.

"Alpha, the weapon is not here. I repeat, the weapon is not here." Daniel quickly announced over the radio.

"What?! Alright, fuck... uh, ok. Let's secure this area first and the- zzzzt"

"Alpha?"

Boom.

That sound took him and Lena by surprised. He realized that sound was from the left wing building. Where Alpha Team were in.

"Boss, we saw an explosion on the left wing building. And we can't contact Alpha. What happened?" Nomad quickly asked via radio.

"Bombs...." Daniel answered before switching to every to main frequency. "Everyone get ready to move. We are getting out of here!"

Both of them quickly ran down the stairs, and the third floor blew up, causing him and Lena to tripped and fell down the stairs. They were helped up by Speed and Doc. "What the hell happened?" Speed asked with a panicked tone.

"This place is booby trapped." Daniel answered as he shook his head to clear his head. "We have to go! Now!"

"What about the mercs?!"

He can't believe what he about to say, "Leave them!" He regretted saying that but it was either his team or those criminals.

The team made their way down. And another explosion went off, causing the building to now rumble. They hurried to the front door, and found out it was locked shut.

"This thing is tight shut!" Speed stated it.

"Then get it open! Lena, help him!" Daniel shouted.

"Boss! The reinforcements have arrived and are overwhelming us! We have to retreat soon!" Nomad shouted over the radio.

"Overwhelming wha- what about the minigun support?!"

"They had to leave! Anti airs are harassing them. And we can't do much!"

Daniel frantically looked left and right trying to think of a plan. "Alright alright! Give us a minute!"

"Ok!"

He looked to his teammates still struggling to get the door open. "What's taking so long?!"

"Door's too tough boss! Shotguns and kicking won't work!" Speed answered. He suddenly grinned when he pulled out a device out from one of his pouch from his vest. "But it definitely won't tank a breaching charge or two!"

"30 seconds boss!" Nomad reminded.

"Just do it quick!" Daniel ordered.

"20 seconds!"

Speed finished the set up by connecting both breach charge and then set the device's timer on 5 seconds. "It's done! Get ready!" He shouted.

"Nomad! We are getting out! 5 seconds! Get ready!"

"Roger!"

The team quickly backed off and the breaching charge went off. The door was now gone. "Go go!" Daniel shouted.

His team ran ahead, with doc on the front and him on the back. Finally, sweet freedom. But then, another explosion went off. He saw Lena loses her step and fell down. Panicked, he ran even quicker and rushed towards Lena. As he was about to help her out, he felt something big fell onto his head. And then, his vision went dark.

(End of Part 1)