The Bullet's Mark (Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Fanfiction)

Chapter 32

   I wasn't one to be bothered by small spaces nor gunfire, not through all the shit I'd endured. The sound of the bullets and shouting Russians outside, however, were getting to me. There was a knot in my gut and a jumble of nerves squeezing my throat. 
   I felt threatened. 
   Yet I'd never felt hungrier for blood. 
   The tiny space around me was holding back a monster, someone whom I barely recognized. There was no reflection to see but I know no one of my past, besides those next to me, would be able to tell who I was or what I'd been through. No one truly knew how much this exact moment meant to me down to my core. 
   "Looks like they know we're here," Yuri reacted to the beginning of the gunfire. 
   "I've tapped into their security feed," Nikolai came into all of our comms. "Makarov's in the atrium on the top floor."
    Price looked satisfied as he prepared his light machine gun and shifted to stand. "This is it. Makarov doesn't leave here alive."
    Soap grunted beside me and tightened the velcro along one of his armor plates. We were both lighter in armor, leaving Yuri and Price to the good shit; they were so armored they were close to Juggernaut standards. 
    I preferred to be light and quick. 
    Yuri burst out of the back of the van first, starting to fire on the Russians without remorse. Price joined up next to him as they worked closer to the grand doors of Hotel Oasis. I exited before Soap did, the two of us bringing up the rear and being quicker to watch the flanks of our armor. 
    "We've got their attention. Second wave will be coming any moment," Price announced, continuing to tread closer to the main glass entryway.
    "Right on schedule," Soap shook his head as two vehicles drove up and screeched to a stop. "Shoot the cars!"
    Yuri and Price let loose with their machine guns on the vehicles until they burst into flames. Soap flanked up to the right, using the SUV as temporary cover to reload and then continue infilitration. I hung back, pausing to glance up and then back down to the ground level; the hotel was marvelous and it was going to be a shame when we destroyed it.
    "Makarov's got a small army in there," Nikolai reported from where he supported us on the back end of things. 
    "That's not going to save him this time," I narrowed my eyes and pushed up. 
    "Take control of the lifts so he can't escape," Price ordered, his mind strictly on finishing the mission and finding the rat bastard. 
    As Price and Yuri hit the end of the two-lane road two more vehicles drove up with reinforcements. Their suits deflected the puny weaponry of the guards and they continued to mow through the Russians, their shots making hefy plunk sounds into the backdrop of other objects. 
    "Civilians coming out, watch your fire!" Yuri shouted into the comms—it was too loud to hear anything else—as he reached the entry of the hotel. 
    "Nikolai, where's Makarov? Tell me that bastard is still in there," I reloaded and jogged through the entry of the hotel to cover behind a statue.
    "Still in the atrium, but he's on the move."
    The escalators split on both sides of the lobby and Russian guards came down either side, determined to either stop or stall us for their leader. They held no chance against the two brutes pushing through with their armor. The fact that Soap and I were able to pick them off too was a big assist.
    Price and Yuri went up one side of the escalators, ignoring the fleeing and screaming civilians like they were mere flies on a wall; there were bigger focuses. I jogged up the right side of the escalators, Soap on my tail, so that we could provide counter support.
    "Nikolai, we need control of those lifts," Price spoke plainly.
    "Working on it!" came a curt reply as we pushed deeper into the hotel. "Okay, I've got control of the elevators. Sending them down to your floor."
    I was firing at a Russian when my gun clicked. With no hesitation, I let my gun fall to my waist and then plucked a knife off my chest. The second, more prepared Russian recieved the sharp blade to the chest. It knocked him back and stunned him, giving me enough time to reload and plant a bullet through his head. 
    Walking over to the falling body I grasped my knife and ripped it out of his cavity. Wiping it once on my pants, I stuck the weapon back into it's holster.
    "Here, the lift!" Soap entered first, avoiding the rush of multiple civilians exiting. 
    Their Russian cries were ones I could understand but didn't bother to fully listen to. I joined the men in the right lift, checking my rifle for jamming or anything out of the ordinary. The all-glass walls gave a new view, despite the circumstances.
    "Makarov's moved to the restaurant, same floor," Nikolai reported. "He's got a large security detail with him."
    I met gazes with Soap. "What kind of security detail?"
    "Forty-plus foot mobiles! SMGs and Assault Rifles."
    Easy. 
    The thundering beats of helicopters closing in broke through my ears. I turned to see two of them, one breaking off toward the roof, and the other ascending on us. 
     "One is heading for the roof, probably going for Makarov," Soap spat.
    The other began to hover upward, coming level with our moving lift. Immediately, the bird started shooting at our lift. I ducked, though there was no cover, as Price and Yuri raised their weapons to return heavier fire. 
    "Shoot it down!" Price commanded.
    The glass shattered around us, leaving a cool breeze to seep through the thinner parts of my uniform as we continued to climb the hotel. Soap used Price and Yuri as a bit of cover, firing on the bird as well. 
    It was Price who got the money shot in the rotor. 
    "Good shot," Yuri complimented, merely turning to look at him.
    "Look out!" I shouted as the bird crashed right above us. 
    The entire lift froze, shuddering violently as flames took over the lift and traveled onto Price and Yuri's heavy armor. Yuri grunted as he stripped off as much as he could, Soap going to help him. Price, being stunned by the blast, was laying on the floor with flames also beginning to engulf. I rushed over to strip as much armor as I could off. 
    "Nikolai," Soap touched his ear with the communication piece, "we need another lift."
    "On its way," Nikolai reported, sounding fuzzy. 
    I helped Price up and then faced the other two as the lift groaned and shifted downward. "This won't hold all of us for much longer."
    About that time, the other lift came to meet us. Soap and Yuri shot at the glass and then leapt the distance. I ushered Price along and made sure he made it before copying. As I did, the lift beneath me began to fall, throwing off my landing. 
    "Shit! Sam!" Soap reached out and caught my outstretched hand. "Got you."
    I let out a breath, the feeling of my stomach in my throat still present. "Thank you....fuck."
    "Makarov's chopper just touched down! He's heading there now," Nikolai was still supporting on the back end. 
    "How long do we have?" I cursed. 
    "Four minutes." 
    "He's not getting away this time," Soap gritted out, righting his shoulders.
    As the lift came to a stop on level T, Yuri threw a frag as the doors slid open. Soap breached right next to him beginning to fire. A barreling Russian charged from the left of them and before anyone could react I threw my knife again. 
    It made contact between his eyes and I ran over to yank it out again, wiping it on his chest. I drew my rifle as I tossed a frag myself. My heart was in my ears as I pushed in front of the group. 
    "Watch yourself Sam, we don't have the armor anymore," Price warned over the havoc. 
    "He can't get away," was my only quick response over my shoulder. 
    There were still a few civilians as we pushed down the hall and split. One side went through a couple of rooms while the other stayed along a path next to a glass balcony overlooking floors below. 
    With no room for chatter, the four of us worked through the area. Grenades and mags were thrown all around. I couldn't feel fatigue, just adrenaline, as we got closer to the end. 
    We all met back up in a restaurant with a nice bar. Russians were thinning out as we pushed toward a curved hall with glass on either side for walls.
    "Care for a drink when we finish this bastard?" Soap spouted. 
    "You can count on it," I winked at him, passing by the expensive hard liquor and wines.
    "He's still there!" Nikolai was keeping close tabs. "You've almost got him."
    We finished the hallway and rounded into another main part of the restaurant. I pushed up next to Yuri, rounding to the straight stretch of tables. 
    At the end of it was Makarov himself.
    Rage billowed up even more inside me upon seeing the one who'd caused so much. I felt every muscle in my legs tense to spring into a sprint but held back. 
    "Look out for the chopper!" Soap shouted. 
    Two seconds later the bright smoke and light of a missile hit the walls of the restaurant behind us. The entire floor started to collapse with the ambush. Another shot hit a structural pillar and caused everything to really lean. 
    "Shit!" I shouted. 
    Price started sliding off to the side, close to tumbling to his death. Soap gripped a piece of lodged debris and held on for dear life while I lost footing too. I looked up to see debris losing grip as well and tried to scramble away. 
    "Move," Yuri shoved me as he came tumbling for me too. 
    In one motion, I gained more momentum and went sliding to the end of the floor. I let out a grunt and gripped onto a slab of cement only for it to release. In a slight panic I reached for a stiff rebar pole. It held. 
    "Ah, fuck," Yuri cursed in Russian as the debris finished falling around him. 
    I looked up to see him sliding my direction, a piece of rebar stuck in his midsection. My body, oddly considering my distaste for him, shuddered in horror and a frown found my lips. I instinctively grabbed onto him as he slid just to the edge, holding him while holding myself. 
    "Yuri..." I pleaded. 
    "Go!" he looked toward Soap and Price. "Don't let him get away." 
    "I-I can pull you up," I stammered and grunted as I tried to keep us both from falling.
    His hand, bloody from his life-threatening wound, clasped over my arm. "Leave me, Samantha. Kill that ubludoc."
    "Yuri—"
    "Go Sam," he was struggling to hold himself. 
    I could've said a bunch of extra words, but there was no time. Price and Soap were on the chase and I needed to join them. Yuri was going to die no matter we did. It was clear he knew it too. 
    His dark eyes met mine for a moment longer before he gave a firm nod.
    "Goodbye Yuri."
    "I-It's been an honor, Samantha."
    With an immense amount of reluctance, I let him go.