( Please Note: This is a work of science fiction with a mix of realistic fiction. If anything resembles real world places, people, or weaponry, it is NOT intentional. Thank you and I hope you enjoy this.)
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As the doors opened, bullets started peppering the craft. We were told it was going to be a hot landing but we didn't expect this. We fired back, the tracers showing where our shots went. A smile creeped onto Celes' face.
"Git sum!" She cried as she rushed out. The quick shots told us she was taking them down. The rest of us followed her out and joined the fray. I counted what I could before taking cover.
"Ten at three and five at nine. Four at twelve."
"Copy." The call came back. We diverted to different sides and took shots. Luckily none of us got hit. So far so good then.
"Nade!" The call came from Sylla who was taking the five. An explosion sounded and cries of pain. Those five were grouped together and had blown together. She moved to the three and laid down fire.
"Changing mag!" Everest called as he changed the mag on his LMG. Raptor and Everest had the bigger guns and were laying down suppressing fire for us. Mason is our sharpshooter, and he was picking them off when he could. The rest of us had our ARs.
After a small fifteen minute firefight, we came out on top. We got lucky this time and did not sustain any injuries. We cleared the area and then moved on. As we went, mag checks were done and counting how many grenades we had left. We had enough on us to be able to take on a force bigger then ours. We just hoped not too much bigger.
"Reminds me of Sabdul from the Eastern edge of the desert," Raptor mumbled. He wasn't far off. As we traversed the road while checking for enemies, it came to me. The thought of the Molecular Biologist.
"So that's why," I muttered.
"What you got Rakon?" Lag asked.
"He's a Molecular Biologist. He can further refine what we were injected with," I said, "In other words, this could become more effective and or more deadly. It all depends on what he does."
"I see where you're going with this," Lag said. The others nodded their heads.
"Contact. Twelve o'clock. Fifteen yards," Everest, on point, said. We took cover and watched as the lone guard moved down the street. Whatever the reason, he was alone and didn't notice us. Everest looked at me and I nodded. He passed his gun to Raptor and pulled his knife. The enemy moved down and slightly past Everest. Everest stepped out and quickly man handled the soldier and laid the knife on his throat.
"Where's the HQ?" Everest asked. Sylla translated the question.
"I won't tell you f*ckers anything!" The soldier said, translation coming from Sylla.
"Wrong answer," Everest said as he stabbed the man in the leg. Raptor's meaty hand covered the cry of the enemy while Everest pulled him back into the shadows and asked again.
"F*ck you!" Came the muffled response. Celes took her knife and jabbed it hard into the man's knee and started lifting his kneecap. The cries of pain came and Celes stopped. The knife was still lifted slightly.
"Where?" Everest.
"Just f*cking kill me!"
Everest tightened his arm up, cutting the man's airway off. The gasps from both pain and the airway told us he was fading. Everest let go enough for air to come back into him.
"Where!" Everest.
"F*ck you!" Came the gasping reply. Celes pulled her knife out and Everest's knife came out. The big man shoved the soldier away and my pistol fired off a single round, taking the man's brain and shredding it.
"Useless," I said as we continued up the road. A short while later we came upon a group soldiers. We counted six enemies.
"Take them. Leave one alive for Intel," I said. The synced shots fired out and all six dropped. The only one who didn't die had his leg blown out from beneath him. As we moved up, we could hear him groaning and dragging himself away. Everest went and grabbed him. He asked the man the same question from before. The wounded soldier pointed to the north and said it was there. Everest asked about the doc and the soldier, sobbing, said the captive was there. I nodded my head and turned towards the enemy HQ. As I started walking there, it became silent behind me. The man was put out of his misery.
"Should have asked him about enemy counts," Everest muttered as he caught up, "I will have to remember to do that." Light laughs sounded from all around the big man as he moved to point again.
Ten minutes later we were nearing the HQ and could see some patrols inside. They had it defended as best as they could with towers and walls. But that was only the front. We could see a small mountain rising up behind the wall and towers and the small house.
"Three to clear the house and four into the mountain if there is an entrance," I said.
"Yes Squad Leader," The others replied. We moved slowly after Mason added a silencer to his rifle. It muted the sound just enough but as everyone knows, it never completely mutes it. Two rapid shots fired out and two enemies dropped. The tower guards were done. We got to the wall's edge and Celes peaked in. She pulled a nade off her belt and pulled the pin. A second later, the nade was rolled under the only vehicle there. A small group of the enemy were on the other side and were blown away as the nade went off and caused the vehicle to explode. The rest of us rushed in and laid down fire, shooting anything that moved. Mason moved up to the wall and took potshots into the windows of the building, heads popping back as they were shot. The fight outside the building lasted for no more then five minutes. Mason, Everest, Raptor, and myself moved to the tunnel found behind the building. Lag, Celes, and Sylla moved into the building and cleared it. Shots were heard once in a while.
"All clear," The call came after a bit.
"We got a map of the tunnels Rak. We need the central chamber. I will take point and lead," Celes said over the comms.
"Copy. Come on out. Lag and Sylla, stay inside and guard the tunnel entrance," I ordered.
"Copy," Lag and Sylla replied. Shortly after, Celes joined us at the entrance. I looked at everyone and they nodded they were ready. Celes took point and guided us through.
The resistance had dropped considerably once we entered the tunnel. Apparently the main force had been in and around the building. It took us twenty minutes to get to the central chamber. Inside we saw fifteen soldiers around a man hunched over a table. The man fit the description of the doctor. I pulled a flashbang off my belt, popped the pin and tossed it in. We averted our eyes and heard the pop. Cries were heard and we went in. Enemies were lit up and taken out and soon, the scent of blood filled the chamber. The doctor was huddled on the ground, holding his eyes.
"Doctor Langthem?" I questioned.
"Who are you?" The doctor's voice squeaked out.
"I am Rakon from the Fanged Pack squad of the Army. We were dispatched here to get you out of here. We need to move before more show up," I said as I took his arm and pulled him up.
"The Army? Which country?" The doctor asked.
"The United States," I replied as Celes led us out.
"Did you kill Sha'eed?" Doctor.
"Who?" I asked.
"Sha'eed. The young man who was on my right when you fired upon us." Doctor.
"It's possible. You are our focus."
"I see." Doctor.
Celes led us out and soon Lag and Sylla joined us. Everest took point and started heading west northwest. The land was easily traversed and we made it to the extraction shortly after the sun rose up. Lag went on comms and contacted base. An evac-copter was dispatched to us from a nearby hold spot, green smoke to lock pick up.
"ETA is ten," Lag said as he ended the comms, "Once we see them on the horizon we are to pop smoke. It should be relatively soon we see them."
"Understood. Set up a perimeter and keep an eye out," I told my people.
No one answered but moved to their positions. A short minute later, we heard the whooshing sound as a copter was approaching. I popped the green smoke and moved away from it. Everything seemed to be going well for now.
"I got movement. I'm counting thirty five strong in seven humvees. 50s on top," Mason said from a higher point.
"Sh*t!" I swore, "Lag get on the comms with evac and tell them to light them up with their 50. Mason take shots on the drivers and 50 shooters. Raptor and Everest, take front and lay into them with your LMGs! I want to see them smoking!"
"Copy!" The calls came. Everyone else not mentioned moved around the doctor in a defensive formation. I watched the copter as someone moved to the 50 and heard the shots. Mason fired off a shot and Raptor reported a vehicle swerving into another. An explosion went off. Shortly after, 50s from the vehicles fired at an odd angle towards the copter. Another shot from Mason followed by both Everest and Raptor opening fire. I heard the explosions before I saw the smoke.
"We are taking too much fire! We gotta pull..." The comms went silent as the evac copter exploded.
"Light them up!" I ordered. Celes moved forward and fired off shots at the enemy. Both Lag and I stayed with the doctor.
"This ain't good man," Lag said.
"If we can take a vehicle, we can make it right?" Doctor.
"If we survive."
"Three down. Four to go," Raptor.
"Another 50 shooter down," Mason.
"Sh*t!" Everest yelled as he ducked and rolled backwards. The sand in front of him erupted in bullets. Those humvees were right on us. All of us grouped up around the doc and waited. A second later, the remaining four surrounded us as four 50 cal guns aimed into our midst. A single soldier opened a door and stood in front of us. He grinned and signaled his men.
"Who speaks for you?" His heavily accented English came to us.
"I do," I said as I stepped forward.
"Lower your weapons, please." Him.
"Once we know we are safe we will."
"Lower your weapons or we shoot," This man...
"Stand down," I told my people. I set my gun down and stepped back from it.
"Good. I feel better now. I am Abdullah. You are?" Abdullah.
"Rakon. Squad leader."
"And the doctor? Your business with him?" Abdullah.
"My people want him extracted from here."
"Ah.. that's no good. We need him for... Project? That is right word yes?" Abdullah. I nodded my head and waited, "Your people need him for..?"
"His science," I said. I saw movement at the edge of my vision. An enemy had pulled a young man forward.
"Sha'eed!" The doctor called out. The young man started talking rapidly before being hushed.
"We give young man for doctor. And let you live," Abdullah said, "Decide."
"If we say no?" I asked.
"You all die," Came the answer.
Well... sh*t.