SAS: Duty Calls

Chapter 5

Hereford (Credenhill) UK
22nd SAS Regiment
00:21

Automatic fire echoed through the tunnel. Dust filling the surroundings causing near zero visibility. MacDaniels could hear men screaming in his ear piece, making his ears ring. Suddenly a tremendous explosion erupted to his left, throwing him back against the tunnel wall and onto the floor. He tried shaking his head clear, as someone grabbed him and started shaking him-
MacDaniels jerked awake. Sweat was rolling down his face. Blinking, he wiped the sweat away with back of his hand and looked around. He was in his new room at Credenhill, and it was almost twelve-thirty.
Getting out of bed he moved into the small bathroom and turned on the shower. He might as well get a move on, couldn't sleep anymore if he tried. He was having those dreams of the tunnel and cave fire fight he'd had in Afghanistan more and more.

******

MacDaneils, Baker, Langston and Thompson were all seated at a circular table in Op-Ready Hanger-1 for pre-mission debriefing. Outside a Sea King 846 NAS was waiting with it's flight crew makiong pre-mission checks to insure they would be ready by 0200.
Lieutenant Edwards walked into the Hanger followed by Captain Pierce. Edwards moved around the table handing out operational packets to each team member. Each packet was labeled TOP SECRET-British Intelligence.
Clicking on the projector, the first slid came up on the screen with what appeared to be a large ship yard with decommissioned war-ships and submarines. Scattered among them were several cargo-ships docked along side some of the Naval vessels.
Pierce continued. "The target package is on the Estonian cargo-ship 'The Servmorput'. Two nuclear devices of some kind. With enough material to make two AN-60Z Tsar-Bombs (Satan2 Nuclear Weapon Systems). Along with a German physicist Dr Johann Dieterich. Dieterich turned up missing from US's Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) in New Mexico three months ago. We have imformation that suggests he is working with the Russians, or a political Russian nationalist group. We've had problems in the past with a group like this. Myself and former Commander wereset on mission to Chernobyl in '96 in order to try and plug up that particular pipe-line. It seems as though we were unsuccessful, and just now finding out how unsuccessful we were."
Pierce turned to Edwards, motioning for him to take over.
"We will take the cargo-ship by a Sea King chopper. Our six man Bravo team will repel onto the deck taking out any crew and security details on board. We will set charges through out the ship, putting those nuclear weapons out of commission. But gentlemen, we want the good doctor alive and safe." Hitting the slid reel to the next photograph, which was of a balding man with glasses who looked to be in his later fifties. "This is Dieterich last year while working with the US.
Captain Pierce moved back to the front of the table. "Gentleman, we have a three hour flight with a stop off in Quatar for refueling. Saddle up."
Bravo team stood, shouldering their load-outs and making their way outside to the Sea King. The choppers rotors were already picking up speed. It's red and blue running lights already lighting up the night.

******

Bering Strait
06:25

The refueling stop took thirty minutes, and now Bravo team was flying out over the freezing waters of the Bearing Strait. Not very far to the east was the state of Alaska, which was literally a little over eighty miles between the US and Russia.
Below all they could see was black, but they knew it was just the icy waters of the Strait.
Inside the Sea King a red light lit up the dark around Bravo team, then the pilots voice broke the sound of the engine. "Caro ship ETA two-minutes."
"Copy that Viper-99. Getting in position, over." Pierce said into his Comm-mic.
Pierce flashed a series of hand signals to get the team into position. "Ok gentlemen, cargo-ship ETA in sixty seconds. Crew Expendable."
MacDaniels was on his feet and hooked into the repel line in less than ten seconds followed closely by Langston. Baker, Edwards and Thompson were hooked up on the other side. The team would hit the deck of the ship from the stern, working their way forward in a two by two cover formation. Captain Pierce and Lieutenant Edwards would bring up the rear just like a football play.
"Go on green gentlemen. And nobody gets bloody dead! Hear me!?" Pierce yelled into his Comm.
The team sounded off at once. "Yes Sir!"
Two hundred fifty feet below the lights of the cargo ship Sevmorput could be seen through the thick fog. The lights in the bay of the chopper went dark for a few seconds. Then was replaced with a flashing green strobe light.
"Go, go, go!!!"
MacDaniels turned with his feet against the edge of the bay door. Leaned out holding the line and let himself fall twenty feet at a time. The team looked like ghostly spirits coming down out of the fog until their boots hit the deck at the ships stern.
MacDaniels and Langston silently moved forward and crouched behind what looked like fifty gallon fuel drums waiting for the rest of team to be in position. Waiting for the order to move forward.
The ships deck was seemingly empty and all was quiet except for the rumbling of the ships Diesel engine.
MacDaniels was looking forward toward the ships cabin area. Lights shown from the decks below, but all was dark up top. He only guessed the crew was below and the ship was set up on auto-pilot for the night. No sign of the security detail anywhere.
Captain Pierce and Lieutenant Edwards hit the deck behind the rest of team. Pierce taking up position to the rear of MacDaniels and Langston. Edwards taking position behind Baker and Thompson.
"Ok Bravo team, we need to clear the top deck. Move out, stay sharp." With that the team moved like spirits in the night, no sound.
MacDaniels and Langston were halfway to the bridge when suddenly a lighter flicked into life just inside the first door.
"Bravo-Lead... This is Mohawk. We have one target just inside the bridge. Looks like one of the security detail. He's alone... I'm taking him out, over" MacDaniels called over the Comm.
Copy that. No sound." Pierce looked over at Baker and Thompson who were crouched down in front of him. "As soon as MacDaniels takes down that target I need this Bridge cleared." They both nodded in understanding, and shifted their positions to be ready.
MacDaniels crept forward toward the door with Langston covering him. He had slung his G36C to his back and pulled outhis Sykes blade. It's blade and handle painted a flat black for no glare. He was practically breathing on the guys neck before reaching around and simultaniously covering the man's mouth with his right hand, and driving his blade into his sternum with the other.
Lowering the body to the floor, he gave the signal that the bridge was clear. Then set up in front of the stairs that lead down into the depths of the ship.
When Captain Pierce and the rest of Bravo team made it onto the bridge, he signaled for MacDaniels, Langston and Edwards to continue down through the ship. While himself, Baker and Thompson cleared the rest of the top deck.
As MacDaniels maade their way down a narrow passageway toward the crew quarters, automatic fire erupted from above. The crew members below came spilling out of the doorway near the end. Not bothering to look in their direction and moving toward the stairs at the far end.
MacDaniels keyed his Comm. "Bravo-Lead. The crew heard the shots. You guys are about to have company."
"Copy, we got three pinned down up here. We're running out of time, one of the bastards hit the distress signal. We are about to have some major company. Try and secure the package, out!" Pierce answered.
MacDaniels looked over at Langston. "Shit just hit the bloody fan, mate. Let's move."
The pair of them moved into the room the three crew members exited from. It was the crews sleeping quarters. Two men were in the first room trying in vein to pull on boots, and grab weapons. MacDaniels shot one in the chest while he was bringing up his AK-47, sending the man crashing into his bunk. Langston double tapped the second with rounds to the head spraying brain matter all over the wall behind.
MacDaniels went barrelsing into the next room as an enemy fighter entered from other side. With the reflexes of a mountain lion, MacDaniels kicked the man square in the chest. Sending the guy back flipping back out into the narrow corridor as Edwards put a round in his head from a crouched position.
"Cargo bay is just beyond that door. Let's move!" Edwards said positioning himself next to the door. "Bravo lead... Securing package, over."
Copy, Reaper." Came the Captains voice with bursts of gun firein the back ground. "Top deck secure. Retrieving the ship manifest now!"
With a series of hand signals Edwards motioned for MacDaniels to take lead and move into the cargo bay.
Just as he opened the door a few inches rounds richoceted off the metal door making him duck back around the corner. "Shit... Two. Repeat twoguards inside in front of a lone shipping container." MacDaniels said in a stage whisper. Langston nodded. "I got something for his ass." And he pulled a frag grenade from his vest, pulling the pin, letting it cook a few seconds. Then tossing it through the door around the corner and ducking back into the corridor.
BOOM!!!
Shrapnel could be heard pinging of metal surfaces. Then the screams and thumps of the two guards hitting the floor of the cargo hold.
MacDaniels stole a look around the door. Both men were down and not moving. The frag had torn their bodies to shreds and put a large dent in the side of the container they had been guarding. Moving into the room slowly, he rotated in a 360 degrees rotation.
"Cargo hold clear." He called into his Comm.
Edwards came in behind Langston pulling a pair of heavy bolt-cutters from his pack. "We need comfirmation on the package." He said, cutting the lock on the container. "Cover me." And he pulled open the doors.
Inside huddled in a corner, was a balding man with glasses.  This had to be Dr Dieterich.
MacDaniels reached the end of the container were two long cylindrical tubes.  Edwards came up next to MacDaniels and began running his hands along one of the tubes smooth surfaces until he found what he was looking for.  Reaching into his right hip pocket, he pulled out a small power screwdriver.  "We need to remove the panels to confirm the package."  He told MacDaniels as he began removing the panel screws.  "Sergeant... check on the Doc.  Langston, you take the other tube and remove the panel."
MacDaniels moved around the tubes toward the doctor.  When he reached the corner where the man was still crouched, and covering his head with both hands, muttering under his breath.  "Doc... we gotta get you outta here.  Doc!"  He reached down grabbing the man on the shoulder.  Dieterich started screaming.  Then without warning he jerked away, then stabbed himself in the neck with a screwdriver.  Blood squirting into MacDaniels face momentarily blinding him.
Edwards turned and rushed over to where the doctor had fallen.  Blood already spreading out from the body in a dark glistening pool.  "Too late... he's gone.  Damn!"  The Lieutenant keyed his Comm just as an explosion rocked the ship from somewhere above. 
Before any of them could get on their Comm's and find out what was going on.  The Captain came over the radio.  "We got company lads!.. No time to secure the package.  Let's move!  The chopper is waiting off the stern!"
Edwards, MacDaniels and Langston bolted from the cargo hold.  As they made their way down the narrow corridor for the stairs, two more of the security detail came rushing at them from behind.  MacDaniels took a round in the calf, causing him to stumble forward and fall to him knees.  Edwards turned and fired a three round burst down the corridor hitting the man in front in the chest.  A half second behind Langston brought the last man down with a burst of his own from his C8 carbine.  Sending the man spinning to the floor on top of his buddy.
Edwards reached down and pulled MacDaniels to his feet.  "Can you move lad!?"  He asked him.
MacDaniels nodded, allowing himself to be dragged to his feet.
They reached the top of the stairscoming out on to the bridge.  Ak-47 rounds zinged past their heads as they ran on to the deck.  There was no time to return fire.  They could see the rope ladder dangling with Captain Pierce nearly to the bay of the chooper, which was hovering some hundred or so meters above. 
The Sevmorput was rocked by another explosion, knocking MacDaniels once more to the deck.  "I need some cover fire!"  He yelled, glancing back and seeing at least four more of the ships security detail coming from the front of the bridge.
The door gunner of the Sea King layed down a barage of heavy sixty fire on the men rushing MacDaniels position.  The ship listed to the left suddenly, sending him rolling to hit the railing of the deck.  In his ear Pierce was screaming.  "Get up lad!!  Move, move!"
Picking himself up trying to maintain balance on the rolling deck, MacDaniels stumbled forward toward the dangling ladder.  Edwards and Langston had already made it safely into the chooper with the rest of the team.
When he hit the back of the cargo-ship, MacDaniels threw himself off the stern at the ladder.  Momentarily hanging in mid-air, with only the black waters of the Bering below.  For that split second he thought he had misjudged the distance to the ladder.  But then his hand hit the last rung.  Dangling, he watched the deck of the frieghter fall away as the unknown attacker fired another missle.  A great wave of heat washed up toward him as the deck exploded in a ball of flames.
MacDaniels halled himself up the ladder and was helped into the choppers bay by Edwards and Langston.  With his calf on fire, blood seeping through the fabric of his pants, he leaned himself up against the bulkhead.  Baker pulled out a med-kit and bandages, and went to work cutting MacDaniels pants away from the wound. 
The Sea King banked southeast back toward Quatar.  The mission hadn't been a total loss.  Captain Pierce had retrieved the Sevmorput's manifests.  Hopefully they'd get a break on who exactly was the buyer, maybe even the seller was.