Smoke coming out of the barrel of my gun, twisted in the air. Did I do the right thing? Was it worth it? I froze, I couldn't move a muscle. I was trained, to do such things, but I failed, I couldn't keep my calm.
When my vision cleared, I rushed to Ela. She fell with her kidnaper. A blood trail, was coming down on her forehead. I took her in my arms.
Marco: "Ela, can you hear me? Ela, say something!" –She hit her head hard in the old concrete floor. Then her eyelids started to move up.
Ela: "Marco, is that you?" –She said it very weakly
Marco: "Yeah, it's me."
Ela: "Am, I going to die?"
Marco: "What? No, you just hit your head a little. It's just a scratch."
Ela: "You sure?"
Marco: "I'm a medic remember?" –She has a little concussion, that's for sure
Marco: "Come, we have to move! The other masks are probably searching for us already
Ela: "Everything is so blurry, I don't think I can walk"
Marco: "Then I'll help you." –I put Ela over my shoulder and start searching for an exit.
The lights, are a blessing and a curse at the same time. I can see better, but that means that the terrorists can too. I go out on the door which I came in earlier. I look around to see if it is safe to cross this hallway. I start moving forward, I slowly walked, tried to muffle every step of mine. Then two masks walked out from one of the rooms. I grabbed my pistol with one hand, so I could hold Ela on my back with the other. I could shot them down, but unfortunately they radioed to the others. Now they all know where we are. Suddenly I could hear a lot of footsteps echoing through the old building, and the sound came closer.
Holding Ela so she doesn't fall off, I ran as fast as I could. I made a choice so I could save her life, I won't throw it away so easily. I followed the same path, on what we came in. Bullets flying, next to my head, hitting the old, rusty iron supporting pillars. The old debris on the ground didn't make my job easier. Nails, bricks, and other wastes. I took sharp turns in order to avoid some bullets. Then, I finally saw it. The exit out of this hellhole. I kept running towards the door, which luckily was open. I kept running towards it, but what happens after that? They'll probably come after me. I have to try it, that's my only option.
Suddenly somebody in a yellow hazmat suit, appears in the door. It's Lion.
Lion: "JUMP AWAY!" –He shouted, and I followed his command. I doge left and hid behind some stocked pallets.
Lion, starts shooting at the hostiles. He mowed them down. I couldn't even count them. All of them fell, face forward on each other. It was horrifying, seeing something like this. This was a massacre, but in order for people to live their lives in peace, we have to do the dirty job.
When, bullet cases stopped dropping, I raised my head and peeked, if it was safe or not. I saw Lion observing the area for any remaining hostiles, but fortunately he didn't found any. He waved to me, I grabbed Ela and moved towards him. We got out on the door. I saw the other half of our team, sitting next to the wall, exhausted and disappointed. They, couldn't save the girl, and that is because of me. Lion put his V308, down, on the ground.
Lion: "What the hell happened?"
I put down Ela, and Ying immediately rushed to her, she was standing right in front of the door. And in that moment, a loud bang could be heard, a mask, with his last dying breath, pulled the trigger on his pistol and shot Ying in the leg. Lion reacted quickly and put a bullet into the terrorist.
Ying was lying on the ground, holding her leg, the bullet went right into her thigh. I have to help her, I won't lose another teammate like Buck. I pulled the backpack down from my shoulders. I shot her with the stim pistol, to ease her pain. But unfortunately, Lion wasn't helping.
Lion: "What, the hell happened there?!"
Marco: "Can't you see I'm busy? Instead of barking, cover my ass!" –I rushed as I could, I can't do a miracle on the field.
Lion: "TELL ME NOW, A GIRL JUST DIED UP THERE!"
Marco: "AND IF YOU DON'T SHUT UP? AND COVER ME, ANOTHER ONE WILL DIE. The bullet hit an artery in her thigh, if I don't stabilize her, she could bleed out and die!" –Lion grunted and stood in the door, watching out for any other White Masks.
The stim pistol, slowed down the bleeding, but not enough. I grabbed a tourniquet out of my backpack, and fastened it, above the wound. I grabbed some gauze too, and put it around her leg. That should do it for the moment, but she needs professional medical attention, right now.
Marco: "We need extraction right now!"
Lion: "Our comms are jammed, we can't get a single message through!"
Marco: "Then we have to cut the power, to disable the jammers! I need to stay here with her!"
Blitz: "I'll go, Lion stay here and cover them, I will search for the switch-box. If you see the lights go out, then you will know that power went out."
Marco: "You are planning on coming back right?"
Blitz: "I hope so. Again watch the lights." –He grabbed his shield and disappeared in the darkness.
Long stressful minutes passed, as Ying was bearing with the pain, and Ela, just sat in complete silence.
Lion: "Why is taking so long? Come on get back here old German freund." –He said it quietly thinking nobody will hear it.
Then suddenly, gun shots could be heard in the distance, and lights went out. Lion immediately reached for his radio, and tried to contact HQ. After seconds of trying, finally, connection was established.
Lion: "Thatcher, we need immediate extraction, Ying is bleeding, and Ela has concussion, I will inform you on the details later. WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT YOU CAN'T BRING A HELICOPTER HERE?! YING IS DYING! WE CAN'T MOVE HER! I DON'T CARE IF YOU BREAK THE RULES! BRING THE HELICOPTER HERE WITH A RESCUE BASKET! WE ARE AT THE ENTRY POINT, HURRY UP!" –He shouted with Thatcher, I didn't think, that he can care for somebody's life this much, now, I think completely else of him. War can change everyone, or was he always like this?
Lion: "Blitz, come in! Blitz! ELIAS FOR THE LOVE OF GOD? ANSWER! COME ON, ANSWER!"
???: "He's dead, and in a few minutes, you will be too!"
Lion: "NO! Those bastards killed him! I'M GOING TO KILL EVERY ONE OF THEM!"
I quickly get up, in an attempt to hold him back. I stand in front of him, and put my two hands on his shoulders
Marco: "We need you here, we got two injured, I need to stabilize Ying as good as I can! Extraction will be here soon, and you heard what he said, they know we are still here, they can show up in any minute!"
Lion: "We can't leave him there!"
Marco: "Lion, he's gone!"
Lion: "What if they just lied?! WHAT IF THEY CAPTURED HIM!"
Marco: "Even if they did capture him, it's too risky, we need you here, I need you here!"
Lion: "I WONT SIT ON MY ASS, UNTIL THESE FUCKERS COME FOR US!"
Marco: "I already made a though decision today." –I looked at Ela, the light of the Moon, reflecting back on her cute face."
Lion: "What are you talking about?"
Marco: "Remember the explosion? And the death of the girl? That was my fault, I had to choose between her and Ela."
Lion: "You did what?! YOU FAILED THE ENTIRE MISSION! You failed, Rainbow, you failed us.."
Marco: "I can explain, I.."
Lion: "You don't need to, just.., just, treat Ying." –He turned his back and went back to his makeshift guard post, form old tires and debris.
Did I really make the bad decision? Did I really fail them? What will happen now? Why do we have to make these decisions? Why me? I wasn't prepared?
The sound of a helicopter, broke the silence. They flew over to us, and hovered, until they lowered a rescue basket for Ying. Then a ladder came down, and the three of us started climbing. But then the remaining White Masks showed up, and started shooting at us. The bullets flew really close to our heads. Ela successfully made it inside, but Lion and I weren't so lucky. One of the terrorist's bullet hit the ladder perfectly, which made it to fall out of the chopper, and we fell with it. It wasn't a big fall, but shit it hurt.
Lion: "It's not safe here, leave us we will find our way back!"
Pilot: "Copy that, returning to base."
We were lying on the other side of the road, opposite to the warehouse. The terrorists were searching after us with flashlights, and headlamps. The tall grass covered most of our body, but we knew that we couldn't stay here forever.
Marco: "What do we do?"
Lion: "You? Nothing."
Marco: "Lion, please." –He turns his head in my direction and sighs
Lion: "Follow me."
We started to crawl in the tall grass. Sometimes Lion would peek, just in case if somebody spotted us yet. Luckily, it was nighttime, so the visibility was decreased, and with that, the chance of being spotted.
After some crawling, we finally made it far enough, that it was safe to go on the road.
Lion: "It would be safer if we'd went down into the sewers."
I nod, and follow him to a sewer cap. Together we lift it up, and make our way down the, slippery iron ladder. The smell didn't got better. On the whole way back we didn't even say a single word to each other. We found the way on which we came in the first place. We exited near the police station. Lion started walking towards the building. But I stopped him.
Marco: "Hey don't you remember? Somebody is working for the White Masks in there."
Lion: "You and your brilliant ideas again. I will not listen to you anymore, I'm going inside anyways, you come or not, not my business." –He was right, I screw up the mission, but I didn't have a choice.
I followed him inside, where we requested a helicopter transport back to Hereford.
The trip was as silent, when we arrived here. The sun started to come up, and entire London was buried in fog and grief.
We arrived back at Hereford base. The helicopter landed and both of us exited the vehicle and headed inside. We need to go to debriefing. We entered the large complex, from the garage, in the armory. Lion took off his mask, and he put it in the workshop. Both of us were very tired, and disappointed. We took our time, didn't rush it to the office. We went to the elevator and pressed the button which made the lift go up to the floor where Six's office was located. We exited, on the designated floor. A long hallway, which lead to a single, wooden door. On the door, there was a name tag. "Six". I went ahead and knocked. A very silent, stressful voice sounded through the door.
Six: "Come in!"
I did as she ordered it. I slowly opened the door, and moved inside with Lion. A big desk appeared in front of me. Thatcher was sitting on it, arms crossed, and Six was sitting in her chair, wearing the same clothes, what she wore when they recruited me here, the only thing that was new, the black scarf, which she wore around her neck. They looked really tired as well. A TV that was attached to the wall, showed the news. The whole world was talking about the death of British Prime Ministers daughter. And this is all, because of me.
Six: "Gentleman, tell me everything."
I stood up in front of her, and her second in command, Mike. I told them everything, every little detail, even if I knew that it's going to cost me. While I briefed them about what happened, in London, I saw the disappointment in their eyes. The truth sometimes hurt, but now it's just killing us.
Thatcher: "What were you thinking?! The mission is always the first! Your personal feelings can't get ahead of that! We are soldiers, we can die in any minute, and all of us know that, we die so the innocent people can live, like that girl. You made a huge mistake and now because of your action, we have to try everything, so they don't shut down Rainbow once again."
Marco: "Then why the hell send me?! I'm unexperienced, and still learning, I don't even have a gadget!"
Thatcher: "Because we needed a medic on the team!" –He raises his voice
Marco: "And I did my job I saved a life." –He comes closer to me and leans over to me
Thatcher: "But you saved the wrong one." –He said it silently
Mike leaves the room.
Six: "I'm sorry Mr. Green, you will rejoin your old CTU, start packing, your plane is leaving afternoon. Dismissed."
So this was it, funny I didn't even arrive, and I'm already leaving, I never should have taken the offer. I salute and exit the room. Mike already left, so nobody's on the hallway, just me and echo of my footsteps. I go to the elevator, and head down to the dorm section. I got to my room and take out all of my clothes from the closet and pack it in my case. I go to the armory to put down my gear. I go to the big weapon rack and put the carbine in its place. This gun doesn't deserve to be in my hands.
Putting everything back in its place, I hear the door open and somebody walking in.
Jordan: "Leaving already?" –He asks it, as he is leaning next to a wall, arms crossed and smiling
Marco: "Yeah, this job isn't for me, it will better for everyone."
Jordan: "I heard what happened, you alright?"
Marco: "I could be better, but I'll manage it, thanks." –I walk up to him and hug him
Marco: "Thank you, for everything."
Jordan: "Don't be a dumbass, I should be the one to thank you, for saving my life, I almost killed myself that day. The pain knowing that I've forsaken Sébastien, was just too much. You really think it will be better for you?"
Marco: "Not just for me, for everyone. Goodbye Jordan, take care!" –We shook hands and I leave the armory
I head down on the hallway, to the room where I would find Ela, the infirmary. I enter, and see that both Ying and Ela, are lying on medical beds unconsciously. I step next to Ela, and stroke her face lightly. I crouch beside her.
Marco: "I'm sorry." –These were the words that came out on my mouth, nothing else. Just the pure fact, that I failed her.
A small tear runs down on my cheek, as I almost start sobbing, but Doc enters the room.
Doc: "Oh."
Marco: "How is she?"
Doc: "She's going to be alright, we will keep her in artificial coma for two days, to monitor her, and that she doesn't have any brain damage."
Marco: "Thank you." –I say it silently and leave the room. I peek in on the door, for the last time, just to take final glimpse at Ela.
I'm sorry that I couldn't tell you, that I love you.
And now for the last stop before I go to bed. Hereford base has a small chapel, that's my destination. I went there and entered. A small altar was at the other end of the room. But I saw something, somebody. It was Olivier. I went there and sat next to him. We just sat there, quietly, praying, and thinking. I wanted to ask God:
Is there a "wrong" life? A life that should be taken? Or does everyone have the right to live? What was I supposed to do? I'm no God, I don't have the right to decide who will live or who will not. Or do I? I was waiting for an answer. But instead Olivier started speaking.
Olivier: "You know, what's the best thing about God? That he forgives to everyone. He will forgive you. Me? I don't know it yet. I have to think about it, but until then, take care."
Marco: "Thank you." –He nods, as I stand up and leave the chapel, leaving Olivier there, praying alone.
I walked back to my dorm and lied down on my bed. It was 6:00 am.
I woke up to my alarm, that noticed me that the car which will take me to the airport is going to be here soon. So I packed my remaining stuff, and went outside, to wait for the car. Waiting, somebody walked up to me. It was Jordan.
Jordan: "I hope we will see each other again one day."
Marco: "Yeah me too."
Jordan: "Can I give you something?" –He grabs something out form his pocket.
Jordan: "This is my favorite bottle opener, don't lose it!"
Marco: "Really? Couldn't come up with any better?" –I say it jokingly.
Jordan: "Well if you want, I could give you one of antidepressant pills."
Marco: "Thanks, I'll pass, wait you need those pills?"
Jordan: "Yeah Doc wrote it up for me."
Marco: "I hope you get better soon."
We talked some more, laughed some more, until the black car showed up. I got in. I took a last glimpse at Hereford base. My dream, and it shattered before my eyes...
Author here! What a chapter, I hope you liked it, thanks to AsmodaiVII for helping me and giving me courage!