The End

Operation Vengeance

Two days had passed since the events at the bar and Task force H.U.N.T had spent those days going through routine schedules of target practise, physical training and equipment maintenance. We had been put on high alert yesterday and were told to stand by for orders as high command was cooking something up, something big.

I hadn't seen Hannah or Geneis all of these past two days and I had to endure constant ribbing as the two were clearly avoiding me after the embarrassing night we had shared at the worlds end, the word having gotten out to the whole task force. "Doesn't anyone have ANYTHING better to talk about??" I growled exasperatedly as another pair of technicians passed Bull and I, sniggering obviously as we walked down the corridor towards the barracks and games room.

"Of course not" smiled Bull as we walked, "we don't do much else and gossip is one of the few other things that we can entertain ourselves with". "Oh please" I groaned rolling my eyes and Bull chuckled "well you may get away from it for a while" he said lightly as we turned onto the corridor with the barracks itself. "Why do you say that?" I asked, curious "well apparently Brass are gonna reveal the big thing they've been putting us on standby for" he continued. "When?" I pressed "today" countered Bull as we reached the barracks area and we found our squads area door and went through it.

The little common room we got to ourselves was a mess with the floor covered with loose equipment and clothing, boots, vests and shirts lying around in piles. Myles and Ray were slumped in one of the sofas in front of the TV playing a game on the game console, controllers in hand clicking away furiously as Anna and Kate sat on the other sofa chatting away. "Sup" grunted Ray without looking round and Bull and I grunted in response, "where's Geneis?" Asked Bull glancing at me with a smile. "Hiding from Jason" said Myles as I growled with frustration glaring at Bull, "as usual" added Kate looking round at us, "how was target practise?". "The usual" I said walking up to the sofa and collapsing onto it "mostly on point".

Kate nodded and turned back to Anna as I fumbled around on the coffee table in front of the sofa for another controller, thinking of joining Ray and Myles in the racing game they seemed to be playing. "Hear that they might be tellin us what's happening today?" Asked Bull and the others all indicated their agreement, "we're mostly just waiting for that right now" added Anna and Bull nodded. "I hope they tell us soon" husked Myles, "I'm getting bored outta my mind here and I really what to get back out there and take a shot at those UEFP bastards", Ray grunted his sympathy as he furiously clicked away on his controller.

I joined the game after a moment and the 6 of us spent the next hour lazing round on the sofas as Anna and Kate continued to chat and the guys sat playing the game. We cheered and jeered as we lost and won various games and I was actually having fun for a bit when suddenly a short klaxon sounded on the task force complex PA.

"That's the muster call" I said and the others groaned as they stretched and stood up before trying to get their uniform on properly. In a moment we joining the rest of the task force as we all jostled down the corridors to the briefing room, where we all wandered round before finding seats and sitting down talking among ourselves. After a minute the MP in the room was calling for quiet as the top brass, led by Manson, trooped on the stage.

They reached the front of the stage and for a moment Manson looked out over the task force before his booming voice filled the room. "Today, is the day we strike back" he said in a measured tone "today is the day when we take the fight to the enemy, we have gathered strength long enough, we have massively increased our capacity to fight." Manson paused as he gazed around the room, "we are ready".

Then he was swiftly turning around and with a wave of his hand the lights in the room went out and the holographic display on stage lit up for all to see. A section of London was shown on the image and we saw that among the derelict buildings were numerous cleared areas filled with vehicles, pre-fab buildings, spot lights and troops all in the hated olive drab of the UEFP.

"This is the new forward base the UEFP has established in our absence and the UEFP has gotten cocky as of late" continued Manson, "they have been harassing local settlements disrupting the locals trade routes and has continued to send large scale patrols near bastion." Again Manson let that sink in before he said "this is UNACCEPTABLE".

No one said anything, listening intently to Manson as we sat there waiting for our orders. "That is why as of now I am initiating operation vengeance, with the end goal of DESTROYING this forward base and BURNING what's left until NOTHING is left!!" Growled Manson accentuating each loud word with a smack of his fist hitting his hand. A loud cheer crashed from the soldiers in the room fists raised in the air at the thought of pounding the base to dust.

Manson smiled his appreciation before raising his hand for silence and once everyone had calmed down he continued on. "This will be a multi phase operation," he said the holographic display changing in a swirl of colour to display a wider view of the base and the area around it with several icons on the map. "We will have the 23rd battalion of the Death Troopers as our main force" Manson indicated the largest icon on the map and a murmur of appreciation sounded around the assembled soldiers.

"Who are 23rd?" I whispered to Bull who was sat next to me, "they're one of the hardest guys around" bull replied, "most of Charlie squad come from them" he paused smiling "it's also my home battalion" I also nodded in appreciation at that. Again Manson waited for the murmur to subside before continuing to outline the plan. "We will also have support from the 25th support division's 3rd Artillery brigade along with gunships and drones from the Air wing" Manson paused to highlight the units on the display. "That means you will have 105mm howitzers, a predator drone, a UAV and a wing of 2 little birds and an Apache at your disposal" he continued, Bull fist pumped silently next to me. "Air wing will also have additional units on standby in case anything goes pear shaped" he added before again highlighting units on the map.

"Now for your part in the operation" he said and everyone visibly straightened up paying more attention that before. "Bravo squad will take up position across the South wall of the compound" Manson went on and as he talked the symbols and images moved to illustrate his words. "Charlie will take up position North and Alpha on the west, Alpha will insert into the base covertly and take out the base communication equipment before eliminating any identified hard points and high value targets discreetly." Again as he talked the images moved to show the plan in action "This part of the operation will take place before dawn at around 0200 hours tomorrow, Alpha will hopefully complete its objectives before daybreak and extract themselves from the base discreetly before pulling back to their original position to resupply".

Lots of people had produced notepads and wrist computers and were tapping or scribbling away noting down the details of the mission. "Then Charlie and Bravo will use laser designators to find coordinates of key areas in the base which they will radio to the Artillery: code name Hades. Then the 23rd will assault the east side of the base with a frontal infantry attack, then task force HUNT will sweep in from all other sides to utterly CRUSH the base!" The holgram hoc display showed in a wash of colours the movements of the icon closing in on the base which disappeared in a flash. The display then dissipated as the lights came up and Manson stepped forward, "it's time to take back the city!" He rumbled

"now gear up and get rested operation vengeance is in affect immediately!!"