So basically, there are characters in this chapter that none of you know, but you WILL know. See, I'm working on a triple project (which is why it takes forever to update, and I deeply apologize). The first project is this book. The second is something you will see in the near future, I will promise that (because I'm nice Lovesme). The third, however, is that I am rewriting Task Force. Editing is grueling. So I added a new chapter, but I'm not releasing it until I am finished (S-O-R-R-Y). There is a character that Sloane knows and was best friends with Sloane before she got moved to the 'elite' group (aka Task Force 3412). I'm very sure you can identify the character. If you cant... wow.
Chapter 12
“Alright!” Aaron shouted, causing all of us to lurch out of bed. Cold filled my joints and the pain from the too-soon healed headache reminded me that I had to take it easy. I threw on my jacket and ran into the living room.
As the crew filled the room, Aaron carried in a massive armored box, a grim smile covering his face. Liam grabbed the second handle and helped him set it down. His eyes caught mine and I rolled my eyes. Suck up.
“So it seems we've been a bit lazy the past week,” Aaron started. So many retorts filled my head, but I figured I was in deep enough water. Everyone remained silent, so he continued. “Now that we're all healed up and Command has their shit together, we've got a proper mission. Last night, a majority of the Casove military base near Moscow was attacked and many of their men were kidnapped or killed.”
His gaze fell on me, but I managed to hold my tongue. “We're going their to meet Commander Paulsen and kick some Russian ass.” Aaron nodded to Liam and Blake. Both eagerly opened the box, and I caught a glimpse of my Vector. Even though I managed my straight face, I was doing a jig inside.
@!@
The motorcycle's engines roared to life. Hell to the freaking Y-E-S! I thought, kicking the brake from underneath and speeding into the traffic. I heard Gunner and Blake's bikes starting up, plus the HumVee the others were riding in.
My inner speed demon was trying to keep away from another concussion as we rode to Casove, but I was just exploding in happiness with the thought that I'd get down and dirty and killing some of the H-I's. I felt the smile on my face. It wouldn't go away.
“Aaron,” Gunner yelled through the new microphone's we'd been given. “What exactly is the plan?”
Gunner. I thought, rolling my eyes. “You, Sloane, Liam, and Blake are going to flood the base as we cause a distraction. Get the captives out alive best you can, then we're going to Harrier the place to the ground.” Aaron explained.
I frowned. “Command's actually going to let us do that?” I asked, slowing down. Gunner passed me, but I was focused on what Aaron had to say.
“Last night Tyson asked if we could go to war with Russia. He didn't get the news of Casove, so technically Russia attacked first.” Aaron claimed. “So if we bomb them to the ground, the war will start and we'll all be happy.”
His sarcasm was so thick you couldn't have cut through it with a knife. Blake snorted through the microphone and the conversation ended.
Finally, I saw the Casove mile marker and turned abruptly. The base popped into view rather quickly. A sudden burst of cold shot through my veins and my stomach flopped. Something was about to go down. Even I could feel it in my body.
I parked my motorcycle as I entered the base. Gunner had already parked and two young boys were holding their hands out for his keys. Suddenly, another pair of boys ran up to me and held their hands out. “We'll take care of it.” The taller one said, smiling softly.
Hesitating, I handed him them and gave the little one my helmet, before pulling out my military helmet and strapping it on.
“Hey Sloane!” Blake said, running over. I hadn't seen him park, but it didn't matter. He was already by my side.
“What?”
“Liam said that I'm your partner today.” He explained, cracking his knuckles.
I frowned, but gave a small nod. “In that case, go get my Vector and extra mags. I need it.” Blake rolled his eyes, but did as told. Good dog.
Gunner laughed from across the lot and I couldn't help but be curious. He stood beside a fighter jet, shaking hands with someone hidden by the cockpit. With Blake occupied, I took it as a chance and jogged over. “Gunner!” I shouted. He glanced up over the nose of the plane, eyebrows raised. “Where's Liam?”
“He's talking to Nova.” Gunner said, motioning me over. I smiled slightly to myself and walked to him, ducking under the plane.
When I looked up, I spotted a very familiar face, eyes cerulean like the Atlantic, hair as black as night. My mouth fell open in shock. He looked none too surprised, but those blue eyes flickered with amusement, the only emotion he showed. I crossed my arms, hiding a smile of my own.
“Sloane, this is--”
“Fitz.” The man interrupted, holding his hand out to me. I glanced at it for a second, raising my eyes. “What is it, Sloane Hunter? The fact that I am here and well? The fact that you can't, for the life of you, remember my name?”
I rolled my eyes. “I know your name.”
He grinned. “James Fitzergerald at your service.”
“James.” I threw my arms around his neck at the breath of his name. He laughed, patting my back like I was some little child.
Gunner cleared his throat. “Uh...”
I let go fast and glanced at Fitz, or James, or whatever he cared to be called now. “Sorry Gunner.” I smiled at him, trying not to scream in joy.
“Yeah, sorry. Sloane and I go way back to the early days.” He stuck his hand out like a civil person, and I shook it. “She was my best friend, and the elite shooter.”
“Davy taught me.” I proudly explained.
Gunner looked suspicious.
“I'm Gunner's partner. Not today, because I'm part of the Harrier. But next time. Seems I'm part of your group now.” James explained, rubbing his wrists. It was his habit that I had adopted. “And I get to teach some of your lot how to fly.”
James, my mind screamed.
“Sloane! Gunner!” Aaron shouted in the mic. Gunner and I both winced in the pain that our eardrums possibly snapped into pieces. “Get your asses to the war room!”
I glanced at James, who no doubted heard the whole thing. He nodded, waving his hand at Gunner. “You ready?”
“We're about to die.” Gunner muttered. I smiled softly at James's confusion. “Aaron is gonna kill us before we can get near any battle.”
@!@
“The first thing is, there's going to be guards inside and out of the holding center. Sloane, if it's anything like the one you were in, the actual holding cell will be in the middle.” Aaron said, pointing out the middle room on the blueprint and marking in with a black sharpie.
“Though, when you found me and Gunner, we were half dead and being tortured to death.” I corrected. He nodded, marking the rooms around the center as well.
James twisted behind me. “You were kidnapped?” He whispered. I gave one nod, trying to keep it subtle. Yet, at the same time, I wanted to tell him everything ranging to the mortar attack to killing Salazar head on, to finding Rudd and saving his life.
Nova crossed his arms, shifting uncomfortably. “What about this airstrike? Aaron, you know the dangers of a Harrier.”
“The Harrier will kill many, Mr. Nova.” Commander Paulsen spoke up for the first time in a while. “But if we time it correct, none of my men nor yours should die.” He dipped his head at Aaron, who took over again.
Again, James shifted behind me. “You have nothing to worry about, Nova. I'm a good pilot. I'll make sure no one of our crew is killed. I promise you that.”
The tension in the room was high, mostly because of the new groupings. “Sloane, you need to get everyone out in a hurry.” Aaron ordered. I gave a small nod, reloading my Vector. “And if anyone is injured, let us know. And if you're not going to make it out in time, let us know then too.”
“You can count on me.” I said, even if I wasn't sure of this plan. Aaron nodded, before turning to Commander Paulsen and Nova. James touched my shoulder and motioned for the door.
I wandered outside with him, knowing that I still had to get in an H-I suit before we left. Yet time slowed when I was with James, and it was weird. He led me to his plane, grabbing the helmet he'd left below the ladder.
“Hey Sloane.” He said, sliding the microphone into his ear and tooth, connecting our transmitters. His voice echoed in my head and I couldn't help but smile. “Can you hear me now? Now? Now?” I laughed, gently nudging his shoulder. His smile faded fast and he inhaled. “You need to stop the airstrike, you let me know.”
I smiled unsure, running a hand threw my hair. James's eyes danced. “I remember when they cut it the first time. You know? You panicked that they were cutting off your auburn locks.”
I frowned playfully that he remembered each detail of the first conversation we'd had together. “I like it better short anyways.” He continued, checking his pilot's helmet. “Makes you look sassier.” His cerulean eyes met mine. They were so serious, I couldn't even help but stare into them. None of me even felt like pulling away. “What do you think about catching up later?” He asked softly. “There's a lot to ask about your 'elite life'.”
“Sure.” I said, hiding a smile.
“Yo! Fitz!” James's friend called from the jet. I ran another hand through my hair as James slide on his helmet and grabbed a ladder wrung. But before he climbed up, he glanced back at me and grinned. “Don't die.”
I couldn't help but laugh.
@!@
The room was ice cold. I glanced at the roof, coughing. “Show yourself!” A tall man entered the room, with eyes like the winter sky and skin kissed by the sun. “What the hell do you want now, Salazar?” I shouted, but everything faded.
@!@
My head ached on the way to the camp. One, I wasn't allowed to drive my motorcycle. It could 'alert; the H-I's of a coming attack because they didn't drive bikes. But I was pretty sure a big explosion would alert them more than a motorcycle.
Two, all I could think of was the different types of torture they used on me and Gunner. For Gunner, it was the cold treatment. That all but killed him.
The HumVee stopped and my head lurched forward. An awkward pop came from my neck. Shaking my head, I climbed out of the truck and walked towards the front. Blake stood beside me as we waited for the Russian convoy. He'd been practicing his Russian accent all morning, waiting for his time to shine.
“Sloane, we have your position.” Gunner whispered through the mic. “Liam and I are in the convoy. We're turning down your street now.”
“Look busy Blake.” I ordered, tightening my helmet strap. God, for once I hoped I appeared man-ish.
Blake opened the hood and peered into the car's organs and all that crap. Suddenly, the convoy turned down the road, and violent cheers came from the first truck. Blake glared behind him and started shouting at them for help. It was Gunner who turned to help us.
“The base is only a few minutes away,” Liam whispered. “This is really risky.”
“Just do it Liam.” Aaron's voice suddenly came over the mic. Liam frowned but climbed back into the convoy truck. Gunner chuckled under his breath, following Liam.
Blake and I climbed into the truck, silence taking over. I'm pretty sure we were all holding our breath to see what would happen. Whether we got inside or not, the trip was extremely risky.
As we pulled into the camp, that same icy flow of blood slammed into my body as I stared at the ground. This is too risky. We could die...or...worse....
Memories filled my mind, of Gunner shivering so hard that he left bite marks in his hand, of my choking on water, of being strangled, of having poison enter my body and fill my veins. The day they sheared my head to close to bald, to having threats and guns held at my head each and every day. I shivered. “You okay?” Blake uttered under his breath as we climbed out of the car.
I nodded and took a deep breath, clearing my mind. Blake nodded, holding his head high as we met back up with Gunner and Liam. Suddenly, there was a massive explosion. Gunner and Liam's HumVee exploded into flames.
“What the fu-” Gunner slapped his hand across my mouth and grabbed my hand, pulling me inside of the base while many of the H-I's ran to investigate.
“That was the distraction?” Blake asked, rubbing his eyes. Two alarms went off and a team that looked like firemen ran past us.
“That'll keep them busy for a while.” Liam muttered as we sped walk towards the center. “Split up.” I grabbed Blake's hand to drag him away.
“Sloane Hunter.” Salazar's voice echoed through my brain, but I pushed it away.
“This way.” Blake muttered as the alarm flickered on and off again. I suspected our truck must have 'spontaneously' combusted as well.
“Sloane.” Gunner's voice flickered through my mic. “There's a room here, and a ton of guards.”
I thought for a moment. “I don't think that's it...”
“What?!” Gunner and Aaron said at the same time.
“It wouldn't be that easy to find... would it?” I pondered aloud. Blake shook his head, even though he was right beside me.
“So...we keep looking?” Liam asked. Everything was quiet for a moment. I stopped walking as the millions of thoughts ran through my head.
“Keep looking.”
“Sloane Hunter...” Salazar whispered again. I gulped, trying to ignore him again. “You can't ignore me.”
I fingered the trigger on my Vector, before sprinting down the hall. “Come on Blake! We're not letting this happen.” I shouted, running towards the center.
“Hey guys,” James's voice came across the radio. “Airstrike in ten minutes. We're taking off now.”
I took a deep breath. “Got it Fitz!”
He chuckled and became silent again. Suddenly, the hallway began shrinking and tightening. “Uh... Sloane, you seeing this?” Nlake asked, panting slightly.
“Is it getting smaller for you guys too?” Liam asked.
“We're getting close.” I muttered. “It's ringing a bell for me.”
Gunner cleared his throat. “You mean...?”
“I mean that this is basically the same floor plan as the one in Cuba. Aaron, I think we've found it.” I shouted through the mic. There was no answer. “Aaron?”
“He's busy, Sloane. Come on!” Black hissed as we raced past a door and into a room.
“Welcome back Sloane.” Salazar whispered as I stared into the eyes of Death.
@!@
“Gunner!” Blake cried through the mic. I coughed, blinking away water. “Okay, she's awake. Come save us!”
Water was pouring from Death, like no other. Salazar sat on the platform with a knife stuck in his chest. I didn't scream. How could I? Death was choking me. “Why?” Salazar cocked an eyebrow, before he pulled the knife from his own check and licked the blood of of it. I choked in disgust.
“Sloane, you will look at me when I'm talking to you.” He snarled, throwing the knife at me. It hit me square in the chest and this time I screamed. Heat poured from the colorful stream of my blood mixed with his.
“Sloane!” Gunner picked me up and slapped me hard across the face, as Salazar disappeared. He wrapped his arms around me and squeezed tightly.
“She's okay. Sloane, we found it.” Liam told me. I blinked as Death stopped pouring the water and the heat stopped radiating.
“Right.” I sniffed. “How many minutes until the strike?”
“There was a complication in the lift off. The new time is about fourteen minutes.” Liam patted me on the back before the thump of reality hit me.
“Let's get the charges set.” I ordered, pulling three from my backpack. “Gunner, pick the wall. We've only got a little time to get out of here.”
Gunner grabbed two charges and placed them along the wall of Death, his eyes dark and angry. I took another three charges from my backpacked and put them beside Gunner's.
“Ready?”I asked, punching the button. They exploded, breaching the room easily. Us four poured into the room, where men were tied to chairs. A few H-I's started shooting, but as experienced as the three of us were, we took them out. Blake didn't look too sure of himself, but managed to take down a few.
“Gunner and Blake, get them untied.” I growled, reloading. “Liam, come with me.”
“Where are you going?” Gunner asked, as he untired the prisoners.
“I-I need to kill some more men.” I snarled. Liam my shoulder, twisting me around. “What?”
“Calm down.” He whispered. “Salazar's not here. We don't have time to go after any more people.” He pulled out his knife and began untying the others.
I took a deep breath. “James?”
“Airstrike in nine minutes.” He answered.
“Thanks.” I said, slamming my knife through the rope that held a captive. One ripped the duck tape off of his mouth, wincing in pain. “The armory isn't far from here.” He claimed, rubbing his arms. I dipped my head. “I can lead you there.”
I recognized Tucker Jones, another man who had started to be drafted to the task force before he realized he couldn't do it. Tucker gave me his own nod of remembrance, before he started away.
“Wait!” I shouted, racing after him. The others poured from behind me, running towards the armory/exit.
“Sloane, I spotted a hangar on the way here.” Blake said through the radio. “I think it's our only escape.”
“Thanks Blake.” I shouted, turning a corner after Tucker. He threw a door open and every gun known to man, plus prototypes and 'extinct' guns. Tucker grabbed his preferred, as did the others.
Gunner coughed. “Eight minutes.” He hissed, reloading. “It's time to split up and get our of here. Sloane and Blake, me and Liam. You take eight, we'll take ten.”
I nodded. “Come on!” Liam shouted, before running down the hall with Gunner close.
I grabbed Tucker and his gang. “Doesn't matter which gun you pick. As long as you can pull the trigger, youre good!” I pulled Blake to my side. “They have to get out first. Then us-”
“Sloane, there's heavy resistance up here. The hangar is to the left, right? It's all...Russian—”
“Liam?!” I shouted, running. “Anyone? Aaron? James?”
“W--”
The mic went dead. “Aw shit!” I shouted, kicking a door open and clearing the room.
“That's not good.” Blake wheezed, dragging his gun along. We burst into a hall filled with gunfire and H-I's. I started my rampage, shooting them from the back.
I caught sight of Liam and Gunner and their lot disappearing past the hangar door. “Hey!” I shouted, before I was cut off by screaming and Blake falling to the ground.
“Tucker! Go that way! Through the hangar door and out!” I shouted, reaching down to Blake. He was already screaming in pain, his breathing rapid.
The microphone flicked back on. “We're out!” Gunner shouted. “All eighteen are out, Aaron!”
“Even Sloane and--” The clip went short when Blake groaned loudly.
“Oh Blake,” I cursed under my breath, wrapping my arm around his waist. He screamed as I sat him up, and my hopes fell. “Come on, I know it hurts.”
Tears poured down his face as he bit his hand. I was trying my best to be gentle, but I wasn't doing a very good job.
“No Gunner, you cannot go back in!” Liam shouted.
“Gunner!” I shouted. “Blake's hurt! How long until the airstrike?!” I wheezed.
“T-Thirty seconds!” Gunner shouted back. “Sloane, where are you?!”
“Call it off! Call it off now! James! Do not attack! I'm still inside! Do not attack!!” I screamed, holding Blake to my chest.
“Sloane?!” James hissed. “No!!”
The hangar was hit by the first harrier. I heaved Blake to his feet, causing him to scream Bloody Mary. “Come on Blake! Bite my arm if you have to!”
He didn't resist, biting my arm as hard as he could. “Call it off! James!! CALL IT OFF NOW!”
The second harrier slammed the Eastern Wing. I threw our backpacks off and the guns down, and pulled Blake onto my back. The Northern Wing was destroyed in seconds as I carried Blake down hall after hall. His blood began to seep through the clothes on my back. “James! Please! Call the fucking thing off!!”
I hit the ground hard as the Eastern Wing was smashed again. Blake lay unconscious on top of me; whether it was from blood loss or being hit by debris when we fell. I heaved myself onto my feet, running as fast as I could with Blake on my back.
“James!” I cried, throwing a door open and lunging inside.
“Sloane!”
Then, as the Western Wing was hit full force, I threw myself on top of Blake and covered his helpless body with mine.
@!@
James landed the plane in the ruined camp of the H-I's. Gunner ran up to him, fuming. “Why the fuck couldn't you call it off?!” He snarled.
James was barely breathing, his eyes wide. “I-Is she... Is she dead?”
“You fucking destroyed it while she was inside!” Gunner was shouting at the top of his lungs, and it was drawing massive attention. “If she is dead, Goddammit, I will snap every bone in your body and strangle you underwater!”
“She's alive!” Liam shouted.
Gunner and James turned to see Sloane hobbling out with Blake on her back. Her face was covered in cuts and dirt, but she looked like the better of the two.
James abandoned his helmet and sprinted over to her as she collapsed. He held her close to his chest, shock causing him to freeze up, as the medics heaved Blake away.
She opened her hazel eyes, red from the irritating dust. He moved the hair away from her eyes, and slid her helmet off. Gunner fell to his knees and sat down beside her, his face drained of color.
“Water.” She whispered, her voice scratchy. She moaned, reaching up to touch her injured cheek. Gunner hesitated, before he got back up and ran off.
James couldn't think of anything to say. He wanted to explained and apologize, but she just didn't look in the mood for it. He closed his eyes and held her to his chest, tears racing each other down his cheeks, and falling on her muddy face.
@!@
Btw (HI AGAIIINNN) I wrote this while I was on vacation. My laptop died like eighty times, I couldn't even think of how to start the story.... it was getting tough. Turns out salty sea air really helps your writing spirit. I love it here, and it's only been a day. I just spoiled your day. Good luck Champs and Champettes (another reference that is not mine. If you know who it is, you get cookie (::) ((it's chocolate chip cookie...)))