"Robin, what's the update?"
Picking up his rifle, Reece asked, in a low and urgent tone.
"Unusual movement at the basket zone. Can't pinpoint the number, but I assume hundreds."
He answered while tying the laces of his shoes.
"These bustards got no chill, attacking on the New Year's Eve!"
Joe snorted from beside, "Reece, you've got a close competitor. They're exactly like you — don't know how to have fun."
Reece sighed. "Focus, Joe!"
Even in this serious moment, this boy didn't stop joking!
"Take your positions, faster!"
The announcement came in their comms device. Everyone rushed towards the gate.
Reece's mind was racing with possibilities. Were they going to deal with a group of insurgents or a full-blown enemy battalion?
He glanced at the team; Jenkins was adjusting his helmet, Joe was checking his rifle, and all the other teammates stood seriously, mentally prepared for the upcoming battle.
Before them stood Captain Michael Collins, the in-charge of the Northern Frontier's base camp.
"Movement at the basket region. Be ready for anything."
The Northern frontier was divided into four different zones; among them, the most difficult one was the basket zone. It was basically a comparatively smaller area than the other zones, but the terrain here was very difficult for battle. The total area looked like an empty basket from afar.
The forest here was the densest; the whole area was snow-covered, hiding the deep creeks and chasms. One wrong step — you'll be doomed to death. It had a pretty good place for enemies to hide, making it the toughest region to control.
"Basket region!" Someone from the troop exclaimed.
"Well, what else would be the perfect place for them to hide!" Reece grinned.
"Looks like someone has finally decided to crash the party." His voice was dripping with sarcasm.
Captain Michael Collins looked at him. Reece Vaughn, since his training, claimed a special place in his heart. A dedicated, calm, and ruthless soldier like him — he rarely saw.
"Let's go! Let them taste the afterparty then."
Jenkins chuckled beside him.
....
Present time:
"Liam reporting. Sixteen finished. Over!"
"Hold the place, keep an eye. Over!"
Reece looked around.
Just some time ago, they took down a group of soldiers; their bodies were scattered throughout the territory. There was pin-drop silence on the horizon.
But Reece's eyes were frowned. His sixth sense was sending alarms continuously — the battle was not over yet.
The troop was scattered throughout the territory in small groups, hiding behind the icy boulders and trees. They were using a guerilla technique to spot and take down the enemies.
"Any movement?"
Reece spoke on his comms device.
"Negative Reece. Should we fall back?"
"No! Hold on."
They trudged through the terrain. Sometimes, their feet were sinking in the knee-deep snow. The frozen crust was being crushed under their boots.
"Reece, we've got movement," Jenkins yelled.
Reece spun around. His rifle was ready. Through his scope, he spotted a fresh cluster huddling behind a snowbank very slowly.
"Incoming!" He yelled, "Jenkins, Joe, Robin, take cover!"
The enemy opened fire, their bullets whizzed past Reece's head. He jumped behind a boulder, returning fire with precise, controlled bursts.
The snow-covered ground quickly became a churned mess.
"Reece, they're outnumbered. We need to take the chance before another cluster appears."
Joe whispered.
Reece nodded. "Forward. We're taking over." He signaled.
"Sure, Reece!"
Together, they all launched a flanking maneuver, catching the enemy off guard.
The enemy lines wavered, and Reece's team surged forward, their guns firing steadily.
"Bloody swine..."
Jenkins murmured while his rifle's muzzle flashed continuously.
The enemy troops started retreating, and finally, their team held the ground. The dead bodies of both their and the opponent team had piled up on the ground.
"Ahhh!"
A scream was heard amidst the sound of cross-firing.
"Fucking bastards!" Jenkins grunted.
The enemy troops killed one of their team again, for the seventh time.
"Reece! Look there!"
Robin shouted pointing in front of them. His eyes were wide open.
All of them looked forward and realized the situation! They were standing at the core of the basket zone — sunk in the knee-deep snow, surrounded by a couple of dozen enemies!
"What the fuck!" Joe gritted his teeth.
"It was a trap!" Jenkins answered from behind.
Reece stood still, scanning the surroundings calmly to calculate the situation. The enemy troops actually never retreated. It was their trap, to place them inside the basket, where it was even more difficult to move.
And they just stepped into their trap like a fool!
"Robin, how many of us?"
"Twelve."
"And they're about fifty. Good!"
He turned around. "Four per person, what you say!"
Joe chuckled. "Sure!"
Reece whispered. "Take positions."
""Ready!"
"Fire!" He shouted, and all the rifles roared together.
The battle became fierce now. There was no place to hide, no cover. The sound of cross-firing was deafening. The muzzles of their rifles flushed continuously, and most of the soldiers of enemy troops were taken down.
Soon, the battle finished. There were no more enemies; they lost three of them, and several were injured.
"Reece! We need to return now."
Jenkins said, panting.
He nodded, glancing at his teammates' deceased bodies. They were brave; they sacrificed their lives to save the land.
The wind has started to blow quite strongly, it might start snowing in a while; before that, they have to return to the camp.
"Retreat." He instructed. All the soldiers started moving towards the base camp. Reece was behind of all.
Suddenly, his ears caught a sound. Behind all of them, there was someone! The sound was of the cracking of an ice plate under his boot.
An enemy was still there!
Reece turned around slowly, then, without making a sound, trudged forward. His eyes were fixed on the trunk of a tree in front of him.
The team had gone a long way by then. Suddenly, Joe looked around. He couldn't spot him around with the team.
"Where's Reece!" He asked.
Everyone shook their head. No one saw him going.
"Reece! Reece!" They shouted. But there was no answer.
He spoke in his comms device.
"Reece! Can you hear me? Reece!"
No response! The comms device wasn't working!
"Joe, none of our comms device is working!"
Someone screamed in surprise.
"What the fuck!"
By that time the wind speed had increased tremendously. Snow began to fall, quickly covering their clothes with white snow.
"Joe, we need to return. Now!"
Robin shouted. At this rate, they all will die in the middle of the snow-covered plane.
"Without Reece!"
Jenkins said, pulling him forward.
"If he is alive, he'll come back, he's way more experienced. But if we don't return to the base camp now, all of us will be dead."
He shook his head without seeing any other way. The team quickly moved towards the camp.
....
Reece looked around very carefully but found no one.
"Must be in camouflage" he muttered.
The snowfall had started already, and there was no sign of the enemy.
Even if one is still there, he couldn't stay more. Otherwise, death by freezing will be the only option. Thinking carefully, he decided to go back.
But...
As soon as he turned around, he felt something pierce his skin, and in a fraction of a second, his whole body ached in pain!
He was shot! The bullet pierced his body, passed touching his heart!
"Ahh!" He screamed in pain.
The second bullet struck his heart. He gasped in agony!
That tango! He was waiting to attack from behind!
"Bloody rascal, not gonna let you off."
He gritted his teeth, and despite the unimaginable pain, he went ahead. He was going to die, but he wouldn't let him slide.
He pointed his rifle to the bushes before him.
"Hiding, huh!"
He started firing. The man sprang out of the bushes and... Was shot in his head.
One bullet, and it was over! He crumpled to the ground.
The battle was now finally over. All the enemies were swept away. Troop twenty-one of Northern Frontier emerged victorious.
Reece couldn't stand it anymore. He fell on the ground, his body started rolling and he got stuck in the groove of a snow-covered ditch, blood bathed.
He had no more strength left, his breath was stopping, and his vision blurred. Unable to keep his eyes open, he closed them. "Happy New Year, Reece."
He couldn't know, the solar storm had already begun, and with it, a thin golden line appeared in the eastern sky!