From Soldiers Rifle To Dragons Wings: Resistance (BOOK 4)

The Harbor

TIME: 03:27

LOCATION: Harbor in coast of Somalia.

OBJECTIVE: Gather intel on shipping patterns and cargo.

Lightning crashed over the still waters as the rain began to come down. Thunder, lightning, both of which created a light show in the sky for all to see. Two Somalian men were standing at the shore line of a busy harbor. Both had been hired to guard the coast from any and all threats. Although the climate was normally warm, it was chilly and windy in the early morning hours. Because of this, both men had started a small fire in a 500 gallon drum and were huddled around it for warmth.

The harbor was busy as normal. Ships coming, leaving there cargo, getting new cargo, and leaving to begin there journey back to where they came from. Although many ships were passing by, all were quiet.

The cool water surrounded the scales of a pair of dragons. They had been trained in this kind of combat multiple times. This was nothing new to the pair. Once they felt the sea floor below them, they stopped themselves, resting on the floor. Suddenly, a white dragon head appeared from the water, slowly as to not attract attention. He looked around the immediate area, only spotting the two men huddled around the fire.

A few seconds later, a black dragon head appeared from the water. The water running off her scales as she slowly lifted her snout above the water. The white dragon made a quick move with his ear and slowly lowered under the surface, followed by the other. They began making there way to the shore and were soon creeping toward the men. With another quick ear movement, both men collapsed. There deaths were silent, and quick.

"Tangoes down." Nina whispered taking the barrel and rolling it into the water, causing the area to go dark. Perfect cover for her scales.

"Flawless." Shadow whispered back as he began scanning the area. A few feet in front of them was a staircase. That quickly led to checkpoint to enter the harbor. The gate lowered to keep any trespassers from entering. A singular man stood post in the booth beside the gate.

"All I see is that one man." Nina said peaking over the top of the staircase. Shadow peaked over as well. The area was surrounded by large cargo crates. Stacked upwards of ten to fifteen stories up. Suddenly a large cargo truck approached the gate. The driver slowly came to a stop at the gate. The guard posted grabbed a clipboard, and walked to meet with the driver.

"This is our chance." Shadow quickly stated as he made a quick dash to the guard booth. Nina quickly followed and both quickly hunkered down around the back side of the booth, away from prying eyes.

"Nina, set the C4 on the back of the truck. Well wait for it to move on before setting the distraction." Shadow whispered. Nina nodded her reply and slowly creeped to the back of the cargo truck. Staying as low to the ground as she could. She reached into a pouch on her weapons vest and pulled out a large block of C4. As she placed and armed it, the truck started its engine. Her eyes got wide as it began to pull away. Thinking quickly, she dove for a dark spot between two crates on the opposite side of the road. Neither the guard or the driver noticed her.

"Blow it in ten." Shadow stated slowly peaking over the booth at the guard who had his back turned. With one quick movement, he lunged at the man, bringing him out of the booth and silencing him with a twist of his paws.

" 3.......2......1...... Firing." Nina said as she squeezed on the detonator. A large explosion went off. The shockwave could be felt from yards away. Screaming began to ring out and whomever was at the second checkpoint seemed to be panicking.

"Good, lets go." Shadow said as he and Nina got onto the main road into the harbor. Seconds after the truck went, another, much larger explosion filled the air.

"The hell?" Nina whispered as cargo crates on either side of the road began exploding in enormous balls of flame. The explosions so powerful, they launched the cargo boxes into the air, causing those on the highest levels to fall from there perches.

"Whats going on!!!" Shadow yelped as he began looking around.

"Just run!!" Nina replied quickly as the pair began running down the road and into the harbor. Sirens began to wale as the explosions continued. Each one causing the one next one to explode and the next after that.

"Base this is Talon!!!! We need extract now! The mission has been compromised!" Shadow called through his headset. There was no reply

"Base!!" Nina stated as they ran. Multiple cargo boxes falling around them.

"Shit nothing. Looks like were getting our own asses out!" Shadow called as another explosion went off, rocking the pair as they ran.

"Lets just get to the extraction point!" Nina called as they ran. The pair ran and dodged as the explosions reverberated off them. As they reached there extraction point, a gunshot rang out.

"Enemy fire!" Shadow yelled as both him and nina dove into a nearby alley.

"Backup arrived, our extraction is too hot!" Nina called as they ran between the flaming crates.

"Just get to water!" Shadow yelped as a part of a burning crate blew itself at them. The fire quickly encasing them and dispersing. Both dragons ran through a maze of burning cargo boxes. The maze seemed to go on for hours as they ran. As if there was no end to it. Just as the pair began to lose hope, the maze broke. 500 yards ahead of them was the water, and safety. Once they hit the water, they would be safe.

"Nina!" Shadow panted

"I see it!" Nina replied. Both were nearly out of breath as they ran. Escaping the terror of fire and explosions. Suddenly, gunfire began to ring through the air. One gun, two, seven, twenty-nine. The numbers of weapons being fired increased. The sound of bullets flying toward them became more like a tornado of metal. Whizzing and popping as they nearly struck the pair. The waterline was in sight. A boat ramp ran out into the water about 50 yards before dropping off.

"Almost!" Nina panted as they hit the wooden boat ramp. They were almost there. Suddenly Shadow yelped with pain and collapsed. The momentum of there speed caused him to slide across the ramp and fall into the water. Nina quickly dove in beside them and both quickly sank down as far as they could. They could hear shouts and gunfire as the men firing at them reached the boat ramp. But there was another sound along with this one. A low burr approaching them quickly.

Without warning the burr was quickly replaced by a loud hum and loud pops in the water. Shadow opened his eyes to see hundreds of bullet shells falling slowly around him and Nina. He tapped her with his tail and both swam upward toward the large dark figure on the water. They broke the surface with a gasp as they both were nearly out of breath. A gunboat stood firing toward the men whom had been after them.

"There you are!" Cloud called as he leaned forward to help the pair out of the water. His blue scales shone against the moon, giving him a white appearance. He quickly pulled both Shadow and Nina into the boat. Both of which collapsed. Exhausted from the running. Blood slowly began to seep from Shadows leg. A single bullet had pierced the back of his shin, in the middle of his leg.

"Medic!" He panted as a man appeared over him. He pointed the man to his leg and he quickly began wrapping it.

"You guys made a nice little fireworks show." Cloud laughed as the gunboat pulled off and began heading toward the ocean. Toward there base, a carrier recently built named, USS, Draco.

"Don't say a damn thing until we get home." Nina panted.

"Alright." Cloud laughed.

"Take us home boys!" He yelled going to the front of the boat. Nina lay with shadow on the floor of the boat both panting loudly. The man tending to Shadows leg finished his job and began cleaning the blood off him, and the boat floor.

"Nina." Shadow panted.

"Yeah?" She replied looking at him.

"What the hell just happened?" He stated as the explosions became nothing but quite sounds of the night.