I slept for most of the twelve hour fly back to Charlie. Combat had a way of sucking the energy right out of you and I don't give a damn how tough you are,you go into combat your gonna feel it after words. I was stirred from my fit full sleep as the Blackhawk lurched,telling me we had landed. I yawned as I stood and gathered up my gear. Hudson woke Jackson and slid the door open where there soldiers and a few doctors for David were waiting for us.
"Good job Major",Holland said waking up to me.
"Thank you sir",I replied.
"Get to the mess hall and get some chow in you and then report to the command tent."
"Yes General sir."
I walked to my room in the infirmary and set my rifle and handgun on the table. I stripped off my sweat soaked gear and showered off. I slipped into a pair of desert digital ACU pants and a combat shirt in the same print with a Texas patch on the shoulder. I rolled up the sleeves and strapped my hand gun to my leg before walking from my room to the mess hall. Inside was packed tight as always. I walked to the serving counter and took two slices of sausage pizza as well as two pepperonis and a cheese. I glanced around a bot before locating Hudson and the others at our usual table. As I sat down,Issac spoke up.
"Only thing I can't figure out was how the op went south so damn quick",Issac said.
"What ya mean brother?",Jackson asked.
"Think about it a minute,Issac said,"we used silencers and knives,and we hid the bodies very well,some of them so well they may not be found for a while,and out of the blue the alarm rings?"
"David shot the Cuban dude",I replied,"someone probably heard the gunshot."
"It's possible",Issac replied,"but everything was going by the numbers and just like that it goes sideways?"
"Shit happens brother",Frank replied,"we were in the wrong place at the wrong time and it's as simple as that."
Issac took a bite of his chicken. "Possibly."
"Let's not worry about it Issac",I replied,"we all got out safe,so it don't matter to me."
Issac just smiled and bit into his chicken again.
"Oh and by the way guys",I said finishing one of my pieces of pizza,"Holland wants to see us after we eat."
Jackson moaned,"When is that man going to stop? It's been one kick in the nuts mission after another."
"Yeah",I replied,"I'm tired to,but were Marines,Marines don't quit."
"Amen brother",Wyatt replied.
We ate quickly before tossing our trays and walking across the compound to the command tent. As we entered Holland looked up from his papers.
"Have a seat",Holland said.
We sat down in the front row of metal chairs as Holland sat on his desk.
"Five days ago",Holland said,"a drone over an Afghan mountain range picked up this."
Holland produced a folder of pictures and handed it too me. Inside were pictures of a cave entrance with men dressed from head to toe in black gear armed with American M4's. Other pictures showed
multiple men in the same uniform unloading boxes from a deuce while a man in tan fatigue's and body armor,armed only with a handgun,seemed to be coordinating their efforts.
"We have reason to believe that the man dressed I the tan uniform is SSGT Bradly Piers",Holland began,"he has sold US military secrets to the Taliban and we have been tracking him for years. I'm sending you to this cave system to execute a kill capture order on him."
"Sir yes sir",I replied,"when do we go?"
"Now",Holland replied,"grab your gear and get to the chopper."
We all sighed.
"Sir",I said,"with all due respect we are exhausted,unless you want us falling dead from fatigue,I highly suggest you send a fully combat capable team."
My team and I were exhausted. It had been mission after mission for the past month and we'd been going on what sleep we could get on the flys between the operation zones and Charlie. Our condition worsened after each mission.
"I now it's been one hard mission after another for you and your team Major",Holland replied,"but you guys get shit done and get it done well,Ineed you in the field at the present moment,dismissed."
We stood and walked out of the command tent,went to our rooms and my friends grabbed their gear while I reconfigured my vest to hold my Mk-48 ammo. With that done I puled a desert digital jacket on over my combat shirt and set my vest over it before grabbing my 48 and walking to the waiting chopper. I climbed in and took a seat as it lifted off.
"How long till we make our AO?",I asked the pilot.
"Bout six hours",the pilot replied,",I'd get some sleep."
"Don't need to tell me twice",I said closing my eyes and quickly falling off.
Hours later,the chopper touched down,stirring me from my sleep.
"Were here",the pilot said.
We quickly piled out and the chopper took off.
"Everyone gather around",I said pulling out my map,"were right above the compound. From what I saw in the pictures at base,the area is crawling with hostiles,which is a good indication that our traitor is still here."
"How we going in?",Frank asked.
"Quietly",I replied.
Frank smirked,"my specialty."
I was folding my map back up when I noticed we were missing someone.
"Wait",I said,"where the fuck is Hudson?"
"Up there",Wyatt said motioning to a tall cliff,"he's running a scout on a few possible insertion points to make sure we aren't ambushed."
I nodded and tucked my map back in my vest before sitting on an old crate and starring out at the barren landscape. It was like something out of Mad Max,a bonified desert wasteland,empty of life and full of death. There was a soft thump as a coil of rope landed on the sand and Hudson began repelling down the side of the cliff.
"It's show time",he said landing.
"What ya see brother?",I asked.
"Sand,sand more sand and some more fucking sand",Hudson snuffed,red in the face from the heat.
"Were in the middle of the Afghan desert",I replied sarcastically,"did ya expect roses?"
"Can it John",Hudson snuffed,"let's get this traitor."
I cocked my 48,"I vote kill."
"I vote kill",Hudson said,"I read the books and seen the movies,take the guy alive and it blows up in your face."
"Guy's about to be in a shit load of hurt",Issac said.
Wyatt charged his SCAR and checked his pistol before nodding that he was ready. Jackson and Frank did the same and we began to walk towards the road that ran above the cave. There was an intact guard rail that we could reppel from and take anyone on guard duty by surprise. As we were walking out onto the road,I stopped as something had caught my eye with a dim glimmer. Stuck in a decayed body between two boulders,was an Egyptian sword. The sheath was laying on the ground next to it,all three like they hadn't been touched in decades.
"That's coming with me",I said aloud.
I dropped the bi pod on my rifle and wedged the crowbar from the technical kit on the back of my vest between the rocks and forced the sword loose. I then stuck the crowbar back in my kit and pulled the sword free. It was in great shape. The blade was Damascus's steel and the handle was silk wrapped with a copper knob on the end. The blade had a nasty curve to it and was still extremely sharp. I was admiring my new blade as Hudson walked over to me.
"Damn bro",He said,"the hell ya gonna do with that?"
"Ah ya never know",I said swinging it a few times and putting it in it's sheath and setting it on my vest. I picked up my rifle and walked with Hudson back to the guard rail.
"Were gonna have to do this two at a time",I said taking my repel gear from my pack,"Hudson and I will go down first,"Issac,you and Wyatt will follow us and Jackson and Frank will bring up the rear."
"Hook up here John",Hudson said,"least rusty bit."
Hudson and I placed the two repel ropes on the guard rail and began a frontal walk descent,like what you may see a really good military movie. We were followed by the others who were in close pursuit. As we came on an overhang,I spotted two tangos dressed all in black with MP-5ks.
"Two tango's",I whispered to Hudson,"let's do this quiet."
We drew our knives and walked the rest of the way down,getting in very close.
"Do it",I whispered.
Hudson and I grabbed the men by their necks and held our gloved hands over their mouths to keep them from screaming. We plunged our knives into their chests and they began to struggle against us,but died very quickly. I released my grip on the man and he fell limp.
"Damn traitor",I snuffed in a quiet anger.
We were now joined by the rest of the team,Issac disposed of the bodiesweapons by throwing them over the cliff.
"Let's go,I said,sound suppressed weapons only."
We pushed into the cave,about a hundred feet in,I caught sight of a guard taking a smoke and watching the news.
"Left now,I whispered,there's a guard."
We flanked left and as we did,your radios chirped.
"Whiskey Four we lost contact with Whiskey Three",I turned mine up and set it to record,"Probably just a com jam,but we'll check it any way."
An entire team of men,carrying American weapons and well uniformed passed through the hall way.
"John did you just see that shit?",Hudson asked in a shaky tone.
"Yeah",I replied,"I did but we can't turn back now,let's keep going."
I motioned to the guard,"Frank put him down".
Frank unsheathed one of his knives and tossed it at the guard. It landed in the base of his neck,severing his spine and killing him before he hit the ground.
"Clean kill",I whispered,"let's move up,Hudson your on point."
Hudson nodded and we began to push through the cave. We crept by a main room and into a long hallway that was dimly lit. I could see flashing lights and smell beer and smoke,so I assumed some of the guards were on brake. As we neared the room,Hudson gave us the order to halt.
"Room full of guards armed with SAW machine guns",he said in a loud whisper,"they'll tear us apart if they catch us,so keep low,nobody do anything stupid."
We lowered our selves as far as we could go with out laying prone and still walk as we crept by the room. Hudson had not lied,the room held ten guards,all of them with SAWs on their backs. We managed to clear the room without being shredded and soon we were coming on another room that was lit with electric lights. Crates were stacked ceiling high.
I motioned to one of the boxes,"open it."
Hudson,being the super human he is,slung his FAL over his shoulder and gripped the crate like a clamp. He let off a savage grunt and pulled the crate open. Piles of American M4 assault rifles spilled out,loaded and all.
"What the hell are these guys doing with M4's?"
Jackson asked picking one up and taking ammo from some others.
"Hey John",Hudson called,"come look at this ammo."
I went over to Hudson. He had pried open another box and belts of .30-06 ammo had spilled out. The ammo was different though. The actual projectile ended in a very sharp needle that made me bleed just by touching it.
"What the hell kinda shit is this?",Frank asked.
"No clue",I replied,"take thirty rounds each and get pictures of the M4's,Holland will want to hear of this."
We took pictures and recovered the boxes before pushing back to the end of the cave where we encountered a door. I could hear movement behind it.
"Prepare for entry",I said motioning to the door.
My team stacked up as I stood beside Hudson on the left side of the door.
"Gas and clear",I said puling on my gas mask.
"Gas and clear',Issac said cracking pen the door and dropping two tear gas canisters inside.
We waited for the hiss and the gagging before going through the door and quickly dispatching the guards. Guards yes,but guess what No damned spy. In the middle of the room however,was a desk. It was covered in files,as I began sifting through them,my radio buzzed.
"Raven 2-2",Holland's voice came,"abort mission,repeat,abort mission."
"Why sir?",I asked in return.
"We have received Intel that Al-Qudea are going to attack a traveling circus in Iraq and kill all attending,I'm patching you to secure and defend the people there if need be,there's a bird coming in to extract you and is ten clicks out,get topside and pop purple smoke to mark LZ,how copy?"
\"Rodger that Overlord",I replied,"Raven 2-2 copies all."
With out the time to look through the files,we grabbed them and stuffed them in our packs before beginning the walk out of the cave. Near the entrance,our radio's buzzed again.
"Raven 2-2 this is Blackflag 4-2,I'm inbound from the west but I have no idea where to land,how copy?"
"Copy all Blackflag",I replied,"watch for purple smoke to mark the LZ."
"Blackflag 4-2 copies all",the pilot replied,"ten minutes out."
"Rodger that,out."
We crept out of the cave and ascended the hill and back up to the road. We retrieved our rappelling equipment and walked back up to where we had infilled. I pulled a M18 smoke grenade from my kit,pulled the clip and tossed it. There was a loud pop as the canister blew out a smoke began to fill the air.
"Raven 2-2 this is Overlord",Holland's voice chirped,"our SR-71 Blackbird detects a large enemey force in your vicinity,recomend you get dug in,chopping a predator drone with full AGM load to your location ETA in 20 seconds,use laser weapon sights to mark targets,how copy?"
"Raven copies all command",I replied,"out."
"Okay guys",I said turning to my team,"it looks like we need to hold this position for a bit."
"Hudson,I want you by that old sand wall,watch the ridge and the path way,Issac I want you with me,you'll aim for close and I'll put down surpressive as needed. Jackson and Wyatt,pick off any your can and Frank you cover them."
With that my team dispersed. Issac and I took cover in a large bomb crater. Soon the first gunshot rang out.
"You are weapons free!",I shouted as I set up my MK-48 on the edge of the crater and began fireing at a mass of enemies. Bullets were falling like a rain from hell as the mercs traded fire with us.
"AGM missile is online",Holland called.
I flipped on the laser of my MK-48 and pointed it dead center of the tangos hiding in the crack in the mountain. There was a sound like distant thunder and the AGM Hell fire missile landed right in the center of the canyon,collapsing it .
"Good hit",Holland replied,"twenty plus KIA's."
I now turned my attention to the top of the hill that were covered in snipers.
"Jackson,Wyatt!",I shouted,"put some fire on those snipers!"
"Copy!",Jackson shouted.
Jackson and Wyatt turned their rifles on the cliff and began dropping the snipers as fast as they could.
"AGM missile is online",Holland called,"John your exfill is two minutes out."
"Copy all!",I called back.
I pulled another smoke grenade from my kit and popped it in the clearing,soon,the sound of whirling rotor blades began to fill the air.
"This is Blackflag four two",the pilot called as his undermounted twin fiftes began to tear into the enemy on the hill,"I got your back."
"Thank's for the assist",I called as we cleaned up the rest of the enemy.
The helo landed and we piled. The pilot quickly lifted off and soon we were outside the danger zone. I looked at myself in the reflective mirror. My face was a mess of sand and sweat as well as my gear,which was covered in sand and dust.
"All contacts in Raven 2-2",Holland called,"I have a priority mission directive,possible combat,over."
"Yes sir",I replied,"give us the details."
"We have received word of a possible terrorist attack and I'm sending you to Baghdad to defend a traveling circus from this attack and restrain a high ranking Al-Qaeda commander."
"Yes sir",I replied,"whose the commander?"
"Abu Musab al-Zarquai",Holland replied,"we believe he will be leading the attack."
"Yes sir",I replied,"Raven 2-2 copies all,out."
I don't know why,but I felt sick,like I was gonna throw up. Something bad was about to happen.