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

Chapter 29

    "There!" I noticed the President and group of Russians going deeper into the mine on the bottom level we reached.
    "Look out," Soap warned, diving to cover as RPG-wielders shot from high points in the area.
    I threw a grenade up and out toward a thicker group, hearing shouts as the frag went off, rocking the structures around it. My fingers expertly reverted to reloading my empty weapon with another mag; my vest was starting to feel lighter with every level we went down in the mine.
    "He's right there! Right there!" Truck shouted, spotting the cowering head of the Russian President and the entourage of enemies dragging him deeper into the mine. 
    "Bastards," I grumbled and tossed another grenade more to the right of us. 
    "They're closing the damn doors," Soap's voice rang out as he kicked a Russian he pressed down and shot his face. 
    I tucked my weapon back as another Russian charged my direction. In a swift motion, I disarmed him and twisted his arm with the momentum, causing it to crack in a sickening dislocation. I brought him to the ground as my knife slit his jugular and blood spurted out. 
    Righting myself, I regained control of my gun and continued toward the thick doors of the bunker. Soap hopped down from where he'd taken an alternative route and took point. The others were confirming a clear area and bringing up our rear with weapons drawn. 
    "We need to get through," I examined my gun and then glared at the thick sealed doors.
    Price backed away from inspecting it, shaking his head once in annoyance. "It's reinforced steel! We can't get through this...."
    My eyes flickered over to the stairs leading up to the top of the bunker. It was a floor of one level yet the roof of another....likely thinner. 
    "Any bright ideas?" Grinch huffed. 
    "Yes, one," I didn't wait for the others to follow as I sped up the metal stairs to the top of the bunker. 
    Price was there first and recognized my idea immediately. "Alright. We need charges. Here, here," he pointed in a triangular shape at a slight distance, "and here." 
    Yuri was kneeling placing what he had down as Soap copied. One of Sandman's men, Grinch, assisted with the third charge. Once placed, we all stacked up, drawing closer together to breach the room from above. 
    "We only have one chance at this," I reminded and Price glanced to me. 
    "It's all we need." 
    The charges let loose at that point. In seconds the structure went from solid to crumbling. The seven of us were steady as gravity yanked us down into the locked and sealed bunker, startling the hell out of the Russians holding an invaluable target beneath. 
    My rifle was quick to lock onto the Russian holding the President at gun point, an arm tight around his throat. One breath and a slightly squeeze of the trigger let a dangerously close bullet loose. The Russian crumpled to the ground, leaving the President free from death.
    The room was cleared in twenty seconds, only the smell of gunpowder, musty cement, and blood filling the area. Yuri let out a quick 'clear' as Sandman moved toward the President. 
    "Overlord, jackpot. The President is secure."
    The Russian President was older, his face showing wrinkles and signs of severe stress over the years. His silver hair was rustled around, his expensive tux stained and ripped from his adventures. He took the help from Price to stand. 
    "My daughter..."
    "She's alright," I spoke up, reluctantly moving toward the man to assist. "She's alive and safe." 
    The ground suddenly shook violently twice, the sound of rock toppling off walls. I spun around, glaring around at the ceiling, walls, everything. Soap narrowed his blue eyes, growing tense next to a silent Yuri. 
    "What the hell," Truck didn't sound surprised. 
    I watched a bit of debris fall through the hole in the ceiling and looked to the others. "We need to move now."
    "Overlord, the place is gonna collapse any minute. The birds need to come to us!" 
    Price was ushering the President forward, patting his shoulder twice as if to reassure him; the eyes of the civilian didn't show anything close to reassured. I checked my ammo, seeing it running dangerously low, and let out a low curse.
    "Copy that. Hammer 1 is now en route," Overlord reported. "ETA: thirty seconds. Standby."
    "Seems like a long time," Yuri commented and I didn't spare him a glance as I drifted by. 
    "Incoming bad guys," Truck announced, firing at Russian reinforcements. 
    They were giving their all this time. More men and heavier equipment. It was eerie being close to getting buried alive in the snowy mine. I could've wished for death in much better places. 
    "Watch the left flank," Grinch warned, firing suppressive bullets into the thick group of Russians using the weak spot to try and get an advantage. 
    The Russian President cowered in cover, his eyes darting frantically around in an effort to stay safe. I noticed the loose debris above him before anyone else and quickly lunged into him. The butt of my rifle pushed into my gut as I got the President to safety in time for the cement to crash to the ground. 
    "Thank you," he gasped, exasperated at the commotion. 
    "Keep your head down sir," I managed, distaste in my mouth despite the situation. 
    Sandman was speaking into the comms with haste, a hint of worry in his voice. "....are you gonna bail us out of this or what?"
    It was seconds later that two choppers broke through the entrance to the deep mine, a Little Bird and a Black Hawk. The two started supplying suppressive fire to cover our asses with the President. Yuri helped the man get to his feet as Grinch went for the President. 
    "RPG! Move, move it!" 
    The rapid words from the pilot of the Little Bird came into the comms too late. The projectile made contact with the support, launching the bird into a circling fit of doom. There was little time to prepare for the shell-shock as the helicopter crashed nearby. 
    I was blown backward, my back and head hitting concrete debris. My vision spotted as I let out a moan of pain. A piece of shrapnel had hooked onto my shoulder, just missing my body and instead pinning my clothing. I carefully ripped it from the area and looked around, ears ringing so loudly my own thoughts couldn't be heard. 
    Yuri was splayed out on his stomach, knocked out from pushing for security for the President. The others were coming out of a temporary daze, yet still continuing to shoot rapidly at forceful enemies. Soap managed to find cover and shifted his eyes wildly over to meet mine; for a moment they softened in concern but I shot him a solid nod. 
    "Yuri," my voice betrayed the constant attempt of acting like I didn't care. 
    Groggy and a little lost with surroundings I pushed to stand. My pistol was off my thigh and in my hands in seconds, ready to defend as necessary. Afterall Grinch was just getting the President to the chopper in a hassle with the heat of war and a collapsing mine all around. 
    "Yuri," I managed to reach the conscious, dazed soldier. "I got you." 
    He was too stunned and out of it to say anything, instead releasing a grunt of agreement. The rest of the group were condensing closer to the chopper behind us, providing cover fire. I handed my sidearm to Yuri, gripping his shoulders as I began to drag his dead weight back to the chopper. 
    My heart let me down emotionally as I noticed the deep trail of blood from Yuri. He was attempting to fire, popping a few faces of the offensive enemies but missing most.
    "Price! You got to go," Sandman was losing ammo in his rifle, shaking it annoyedly and switching to his sidearm. "Make sure the president gets out!"
    "No!" I shouted. 
    "Don't even think about it, mate! We're in this together," Price was close to out with his own set up yet still determined. 
    "Get him on the bird," Sandman spoke as he noticed me inching along.
    "Sandman," I faced the soldier as I took my pistol back from Yuri. "No. We're getting out together." 
    We had to. There were two too many soldiers I'd already lost that meant so much. While Sandman and his crew didn't have the same relationship with us I knew the potential was there. We were the two best crews with the best chances to get to Makarov....together. 
    Sandman didn't respond to me, instead directing his attention to Truck. "Truck, cover that right side!" 
    "You better be right behind us," Price snapped at Sandman as he came over to take over for me, handing Yuri his weapon. 
    It was as if everything continued in a slow-motion burn of dread. I raised my pistol to cover the best I could, my head spinning. Yuri started firing at the hostiles the best he could. Soap was on our left, trying his best to conserve yet take them all down. 
    Grinch rolled over to dodge an RPG round. Sandman tossed Truck a mag and the soldier reloaded and resumed firing. One hostile started toward Truck, but he quickly reacted, throwing him over his shoulder to shoot him. Grinch, now empty, dropped his rifle and pulled out dual Desert Eagle pistols. He continued to fire them at different directions as if nothing ever changed.
    An RPG round nearly hit Sandman as he continued to fire, unwavering and brave. Another Russian charged Sandman, who expertly responded with taking his knife and stabbing him, throwing it at another incoming, idiotic enemy. A second after, a shot richoeted into his right arm. Drawing out his pistol with his free left hand, the stubborn bastard continued firing.
    Price reached the chopper with Yuri in tow, President Vorshevsky helping him up. Soap backed up and into the chopper as well, reluctance and pain twisting his face. Price joined him, taking his sidearm and firing the best he could. 
    "Sandman! It's time to go! C'mon," Price ordered, shouting over the commotion of war. 
    I reached the chopper, the deck at my hip, but my eyes stayed on the other three Delta Force men. "Move it!"
    "Just go and get out of here!"
    "Oh hell n—"
    The higher-ranked soldier didn't hesitate as I went to grab one of his men by the back of the vest. His strength outmatched mine as he picked me up and placed me onto the chopper. Before I could step off to fight for them again strong arms engulfed me. 
    "Let me go Soap!" 
    There was no response, but I could sense the utter regret. 
    "We can't just leave them!" 
    An RPG merely missed the Black Hawk, urging the pilot to begin to take off. I wiggled in Soap's grasp, hating the fact I was being held. 
    "We can't stay here! We gotta leave," the pilot shouted into the comms for all to hear. 
    "Go!" Sandman shouted.
    As the chopper lifted Price moved to the pilot. "No, we have to get back down there!" 
    "It's too hot. We go back, we all die!" 
    Price opened his mouth to say something and then closed it, looking to the valuable presence of the Russian President. He let out a frustrated, grief-filled grunt and punched a solid part of the Black Hawk. 
    "Fuck!"
    "No!" I shouted, watching the three Delta Force men get smaller and smaller.
    We breached the surface of the mine just in time for more debris to crumble. It caused dust and more commotion, making it impossible to tell what was truly going on. 
    "Sandman, do you read me?" Price shouted. "Sandman, come in! Sandman, do you copy?" His voice was growing more frantic and pissed off as he spoke into the comms. "Sandman, are you still there?" 
    Yuri let out a moan of pain as the Russian President shifted in his seat and tried to help him. Soap finally released me, letting out a curse and reluctantly looking away from the scene to help our wounded.
    "Delta Force please respond!" I leaned out of the side, trying to peer down in hopes of something...anything. Of course, with receiving nothing I sat back on my haunches and closed my eyes in a whisper. "No....I'm so sorry."