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

Chapter 14

    I didn't know which smell bothered me more: Price's cigar or the musty sewer water. I'd imagined my nose would be immune to horrid smells by now, but tonight it was on high alert. The hunt for Makarov was tighter and more real than ever before; Sandman's intel was guaranteed to be on point, though I'd questioned it at first. 
    Soap was next to me, crouched on the edge of the cobblestone and glaring at the grimy water before us. Yuri and Roach were crouched on the other side of Price, who was to the left of myself. I poked the toe of my right boot out and then looked to Price.
    "Let's get this over with," he nodded once and, almost in sync, the five of us slipped into the water. 
    It soaked through my uniform and clung onto my skin like a coating of gloss over a car. I let out a grunt of annoyance and then followed Soap through the neck-deep water. We reached a broken-rebar-surrounded entrance to an open dock area, rain pouring down from the night sky.
    Soap gave a signal to stop. "Hold up." 
    I stopped behind him, allowing Price to push up next to him. Roach and Yuri brought up the rear. I gazed at the prisoners being taken by the Russians. 
    "They moving fast for already taking prisoners." 
    "We need to be faster," Price responded, the brim of his hat releasing droplets of rain. 
    Helicopters with large deliveries flew above, the searchlights moving around both in the sky and around the buildings. The Russian language flew to my ears almost as fluidly as the English language and I translated the things they spat into prisoner faces. Makarov had quite the ruthless kinfolk. I couldn't imagine his direct men; they were just as twisted and fucked up as he was. 
    I can't wait to get my hands on your throat. 
    When it came down to it, I questioned who would be the one to truly end his life. Makarov had taken something from all of us, whether it was a nationality to be proud of, a comrade, or an entire way of life. The bastard had to die tomorrow or else I honestly questioned if we'd ever be able to take him out. 
    You always complete your mission Sam. 
    Some missions just happened to be more difficult than others. 
    "Move under the docks," Price motioned with his jaw as we waded through the deep water. 
    I was shorter, so the wade was more of a half-swim, but I stayed on Soap's flank as we proceeded to enter the territory of the enemy. The water was mixed with the blood and filth of dead bodies. Above, Russian soldiers rushed around, looking in the water for escapees and hustling to off more hostages. 
    "Fuck," Roach hissed under his breath as we waded past a floating body. 
    "Easy..." Price held up a fist, watching an enemy come to the edge of an opening. 
    His light protruded the darkness of the water for a couple of feet. He was speaking in Russian as he looked around and then kicked one of the lifeless bodies next to him off the edge of the wooden dock. A few other Russians circled the square opening. One of them paused to shoot a struggling prisoner and continue on like nothing had ever happened. 
    "Okay...go." 
    Price trudged forward, keeping a keen eye on the movement of the edgy Russians above. Soap glanced over his shoulder to make sure we were all keeping up and then followed Price. I let out a breath and then bounced forward, the water seeping to my neck in a bone-chilling way. 
    We reached the edge of the docks and then pushed out into an open area. Lightning flickered in the sky, causing the area to light up and then darken multiple times. I avoided a shiver by narrowing my eyes at the incoming tunnel. Price entered it without hesitation, turning his attention over to the resistance awaiting our arrival. 
    "What took you so long?" a man questioned Price, helping him out of the water. 
    Soap hauled himself up and then turned to help me. Roach assisted Yuri as the five of us stood, drenched with cold and polluted water. I picked up one of the weapons waiting for use on my back as Soap addressed the soldier. Roach readily removed his rifle off his back, looking relieved to have it in his hands finally.
    "Your intel was off Kamarov...thought the area was supposed to be clear."
    "Nothing you couldn't handle," the smug man huffed, not entirely wrong. "Do you know what had to be done to get you this far?" 
    Kamarov headed into the sewer with a flare in his right hand. Price trailed him, pausing to face those of us who were supposed to split. "Best get on your way team. We'll meet you at the rally point." 
    I nodded. "See you there." 
    Soap took point, leading the remaining three of us to follow him through the winding tunnels. We first curved left, entering another sector, and then took a sharper right turn. I brought up the rear, keeping my senses as soft and open as possible. 
    "Is anyone else freezing their balls off?" Roach huffed, trying to lighten the mood as always. 
    I responded with a slight smirk. "If I had some, yes."
    "Enough chit-chat," Soap scolded and continued up a flight of stone steps.
    He slowed, coming to the entryway of the alley, and poked his head around the corner. "Got contacts. Twenty meters ahead." 
    Soap continued, crouching as he broke into the dark alley; the courtyard ahead boasted the figures of the contact Soap mentioned. Yuri and Roach pushed up behind him, sticking to the shadows, allowing me to slip out at last. 
    "Five guys on foot," Roach whispered. "Couple snipers on the roof." 
    I drew up my rifle, crouching to make a steadier shot. I held the head of one of the snipers in my crosshairs. Prepared to take the shot as soon as possible. 
    "They're splitting up. Must be our lucky day," Soap watched four men split from the remaining man and his dog. 
    "I have left," I mentioned to Yuri, who was drawn on a sniper. 
    "Dog and his friend are mine," Soap sounded enthusiastic over the chance to kill a dog. 
    Within moments, all of the remaining Russian were dropped where they stood. Soap got up and pushed ahead to the grand entryway of the secluded courtyard. I followed after Yuri and Roach brought up our rear. 
    "Hold up," Soap peeked around the right corner of the arch in caution before crossing the cobblestone street. "Patrol up ahead," he tucked into a nook of a building's pillar. "Sam and Roach...they're on you." 
    I drew on the one entering the premises first, releasing a breath. Roach took out the right one first and, not a breath after, I punctured the skull of the other. 
    "Nice," Soap praised and then pushed forward. "Watch the sniper on the rooftop." 
    "Chopper," I reported as soon as the sounds came closer than the others. 
    "Through here," Soap turned right and jogged into a building; Roach and Yuri followed after I did. "Wait here," Soap moved to the other side of a doorway, leaning against the frame. "Price, you copy?" 
    "Go ahead," came a fuzzy reply. 
    "Lot of movement on the street," Soap warned. "Keep your eyes high, there are snipers everywhere." 
    "We'll keep an eye out." 
    I pushed past Soap, coming to the end of the hallway, and then opened a creaky metal door. Soap brushed behind me, a hand coming to my left shoulder to let me know of his presence as he took point again. A part of me hated him up front, where a single bullet could take him out, but I also admired him for not allowing me to be in his position either. 
    "Do you hear that?" Roach wondered, looking ahead to a rumbling alley. 
    "Enemy convoy," Soap hissed out, sprinting to the closest door of a building directly in front of us. "Move it!" 
    I reached the safety of the door first, pausing against it. Soap poked his head around the edge of the building, sizing up the convoy and what it contained. Deciding it was too much, he gave me a nod. I crouched as I opened the door to the store, holding up a finger to signal the men to be quiet. 
    Laying down on the litter-tattered floor, I began to crawl forward; my arms lifted my body up just enough to not make noise through the debris. The others followed suite, silent as a puma stalking prey. 
    My heart was controlled as the face of a Russian appeared in the window we crawled under. His flashlight shined through the windows, missing our movement by inches. I continued to crawl, my ears picking up the sound of door. Ahead and to the right of the shelves I crawled behind two soldiers entered the store. 
    "They're in the building," I whispered to my comrades. 
    My muscles braced as more lights came through the crusty windows on my left and the two soldiers rummaged through the debris on my right. If spotted things were going to get hot very, very quickly. I braced even more and came to freeze when a dog jumped on the window, nails scratching.
    "Fuck," Soap grumbled so lowly I could barely make it out. 
    One of the Russians inside stormed toward the window, yelling at the handler in Russian: "Fucking dog, I almost shit myself! Get it the hell out of there!" 
    The one outside responded grimly, complimenting his good dog, but continued on. Inside, the soldier turned, not seeing my prone position, and then stormed back over to his comrade. They continued through the store. 
    Without realizing it, my hand had latched to my secondary at my upper thigh. My cold fingers released the pistol slowly as I slowly crawled forward. I heard Soap click the safety of his own pistol on behind me and continue to crawl as well. 
    That one had your heart beating, didn't it? 
    I ignored my bitter thought and paused when two more Russians walked through the exit not yards from me. They were casual as they paused, talking over on whether or not to kill a man slumped up against a booth. There was a single, suppressed shot, and then the two moved on, satisfied with themselves. 
    "Bastards," Roach's grumble came from behind me. 
    I moved forward slowly, not daring to come up from laying down, and hesitated at the door. There was a slim chance of slipping out unnoticed by the convoy, and it was going to have to happen within seconds. 
    "Sharpish," Soap murmured and I nodded. 
    On my signal, I moved out of the door—standing through it—and then crouched next to a car. Soap took point, drawing on the moving convoy, and then headed for a fenced alley. Once we were all four in it, Soap nodded once. 
    He turned and used the dumpster set up against the fence to climb over. I followed suite, listening to Roach and Yuri do the same. Soap padded forward, his steps quiet. At the same time, a Russian walked nonchalantly into the alley. 
    Reacting hastily, Soap fired two suppressed rounds from his secondary into the man and caught the body. He dragged him back, resting him next to my feet. I shot him a look and he dipped his head. 
    Ahead of us was the largest courtyard of all. Roads intertwined throughout, allowing the heavy group of Russian force to stay spread out. There were too many to sneak around or take them out silently and we were too outnumbered to take them on. 
    "Twenty plus on foot and they're bringing in armor," Roach reported under his breath. 
    "Soap," Price came into the comms. "What's your status?" 
    "In position, but there's a bloody army in front of us," Soap shot us all a look over his shoulder. 
    "We're coming in from the west," Price reported. "Watch your fire." 
    "Yuri," I mentioned the Russian's name and he perked up. "Scout on the rooftop." 
    The male followed the red laser descending on the busy area and found the scout. He drew in a breath, preparing to fire, but a second movement stopped him. I drew on the scene, ready to back him up if needed. Kamarov and Price both appeared from behind, the latter taking out the sniper with a well-positioned knife. 
    "Nice timing old man," Soap huffed, pausing and looking over the clustered courtyard from where we crouched. "Well, one's down...but we've only got seven of us and there are dozens of them." 
    "Don't worry," Price crouched on the rooftop, his smirk heard through the comms. "I've brought some friends." 
    And a whole, long row of armed soldiers proceeded to appear over the horizon of the rooftop. 

✧~✧~✧

12.07.2020

Hello readers. 

It has been a moment (if that's what we can call it) since I've updated this book...over three months actually. I truly apologize for the disappearance. Life threw some major curveballs, but the good news is that I handled them the best I could. 

I finally have been able to sit down and write for y'all. And that's what I'm going to continue to do. I've missed this. A lot. 

I'm ready to finish this sequel. Are you? 

Here's to next Monday!

~MS~