"We're getting on that chopper." Charlie brushed past Max, speaking in a hushed tone.
"I literally just got out of the hospital." Max stalked to catch up with his twin, speaking in a low, menacing tone. Charlie knew better than to fear Max's threatening voice.
"Get us on the front lines," Charlie said, as money exchanged hands through a seemingly simple handshake. Charlie, using the powers of observation, tracked down the two weakest links and offered to fill their spots only moments before.
The nameless soldier nodded, accepting the money, slapping two badges in Charlie's now open hand.
"Charlie, hey, hold on!" Max jogs after his brother already walking down the hall. "Hold on, man!" Max grabbed his arm.
"We don't have time for this! They're leaving now!"
"We're not doing this." Max says seriously. "There are plenty of people on that mission that are more than capable of handling the situation." Max pauses to accentuate his next words. "Without us."
Charlie didn't even take a second to think about what Max had said. He had already made up his mind.
"She's not going without me." He spoke quietly, clenching the unit's uniform he had in his fist.
* * *
The choppers propellers were deafening, as Charlie clicked his elaborate belt into place only feeling the clicks as their noise was less than that of the helicopter. Unable to sit still, he kept fidgeting with the belts straps. Tugging them tighter and tighter till Charlie thought the seams might give out. Knowing where he was going, knowing what he was about to do, alone...
He looked at the empty window seat next to him, then his eyes focused just beyond the window seat at their Unit Leader. He shouted something inaudible to the soldiers already on the chopper. Just then a dull shift in weight and someone filled the empty space next to Charlie.
Charlie thought nothing of it. With a gloved hand, the soldier grabbed Charlie's forearm tightly, turning his cloaked face towards him. The uniforms resembled the ones they'd had back at the Monroe Hudson. Every inch of them was covered, there was no skin showing. The face had a black ski mask that came up over their noses, and a large cut out for the bridge of their nose up to their foreheads. Sunglasses covered their eyes, with black goggles over the top.
The soldier, pulled his goggles up, resting them on his black helmet, then pulled off his sunglasses, and finally pulled down the ski mask just to under his chin, revealing his brother. Charlie pulled down his mask to just under his chin to give him a grateful smile. Max shook his head and grabbed his brother, pulling him into a bear hug protectively.
Staying silent, Charlie hugged back fiercely, a tear slipping his eye. He was grateful for the glasses.
"I love you, man." Max mouthed to his brother, pulling away.
"You too." Charlie mouthed.
* * *
"GO, GO, GO!" Soldiers piled out of the chopper, to the commands of the Unit Leaders swinging their arms wildly out the door. We had two single-file lines approaching the main doors. The leaders at the head of the line packed with explosives. It was explained we wanted minimal damage possible so we could reuse the facility. In other words, only blow up what you need to.
We flattened ourselves around the corners of the facility walls to protect from the open blast. The second it blew, everyone charged in, coming from both directions.
Our army was split into two halves. Max and I's half, were to clear out and neutralize all potential threats. We were making a path for Scarlett's half. They were going after the big guns and didn't need any unnecessary distractions.
Our half of the mission didn't take long to detain. Most of the people we removed were unarmed, not considered an imminent threat. They were isolated outside the facility. That way, anybody we shot inside, deserved it.
* * *
Our Unit of six, including the Unit Leader, headed down an empty hallway. We were helping to flush out hall by hall, clearing them as we went and sealing the entrances and exits. We hoped to get all targets in a specific area of the facility, take them all out at once, instead of chasing them all around the five stories of building that lay underfoot.
We cleared the hallway on the second floor, marking large white X's on the entrance and exit of the hall, from where the doors were sealed shut. This was the last hallway on the second floor, now we were onto clearing the staircase to the third floor.
Our Unit Leader opened the left side of the double doors, holding it open with his back against the inside, gun pointing into the stairway. Single file, our quiet marching feet followed the nose of our UL's Mk 18 assault rifle. Max held up the tail end of our line, I staying directly in front of him, letting the other three soldiers in our unit go first.
Ever wonder why the Unit Leader is always in the back? That's the last place to get shot at. Gives you enough time to escape enemy fire when they are focused on who's leading the group. Max and I knew our importance to the mission, why we were really here, so we let the others take the lead, following suit of our UL. I wasn't about to let Max take the lead either, he's my little brother.
The head of our group made their way down the short flight of stairs to the door we had previously sealed, a few moments past and they came back up, Mk 18's pointed up the stairs next. The only sounds in the stairwell were our booted feet. Gave it a sort of eery echo, bouncing off the white brick walls and directly into our very souls.
That's when the gunfire began.
