HEY. Yeah that's right guys I'm not dead yet. lol
This is the long awaited Story 'Solo Forever'. Its yet another Ace Combat Tale that takes place in our universe (no Flames plz). Its just a PROLOGUE so the main characters haven't been introduced fully yet. Yes this is another US vs Russia story. I have no bad intentions towards anything Russian (people, planes, ideas, etc.) they just make a good villain in my stories. :) This is kinda our universe just the cold war never ended so bear with me.
Any ideas or OCs you want to add just let me know. I will most likely add it to my story (and give you rights to the OCs)
AND REMEMBER! R&R! LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!
Solo Forever
Prologue: A Hero Lost, A Hero Born
1990 Invasion of Seattle
"Echo two nine! Change vector to one niner and head northeast!
Friendly evac choppers are taking fire!"
"Copy that command."
Lt. Col. Dylan 'Rooster' Mitchell banked his powerful F/A-18 Super
hornet into a 7 G turn, his wingmen close behind him. Small puffs of
water vapor were forming over his wings as he leveled out the Super
Hornet and began to descend lower into the clouds.
"Hey Rooster, You think Sarah made it out ok? You know with the baby
and all...?"
Mitchell looked over his right shoulder at his wingmen Major Greg 'Dog
Meat' Thomason. "I think she'll be fine. Let's focus on the
mission.... This is Echo two nine. In position and awaiting orders."
"Echo two nine this is command! Squawk to three five and provide air
support!"
"Roger that command." Mitchell changed channels and listened. The
hiss of static was all that could be heard for the moment. But then a
jumbled voice came to life over the com.
"...this...-we need.... Fire....! I... -peat! We are taking fire...!"
The soldier's voice on the com became clearer as they neared Seattle.
"...where!...we ne-... Support! Is anyone fucking there! We need air
support now gods damn it! We're talking heavy fire!"
"This is echo two nine. We are in route to your position. ETA
momentarily..."
"About time! It's a shit storm down here! Targets will be marked on
your way in!"
"Roger that. Were inbound." the two Super Hornets both rolled right
and dived for the earth. At about 2,000 feet they began to level out
in the direction of the city. The clouds around them were thick and
hard to see through making visibility very poor for the two pilots.
But soon the heavy clouds started to lighten and the city of Seattle
came into view.
Mitchell gasped at the sight in front of him sending a chill down his
spine. The city of Seattle was in ruins. Thick clouds off smoke rising
from the ground filled the air. Anti aircraft guns were filling the
sky with lead trying to shoot down the planes in the sky. Tiny
explosions were going off everywhere. It was a warzone...
"Jesus Christ... Look at that..." Mitchell's wingmen said over the
radio. The two F/A-18s slowly descended through the black clouds towards
their target.
"Targets are painted! Take them out!"
Mitchell looked on his HUD to see five squares pop up. "Weapons hot
Dog Meat." He flipped his master arms switch on and lined the F/A-18
on the target. Four laser guided bombs were armed and ready, waiting
to 'beam ride' their way down to the target.
Mitchell heard Thomason confirm the order over the radio. "Weapons hot
and ready to rock Rooster."
The city was close now. Destroyed buildings could be see in more
detail from their cockpits. As the two Super Hornets streaked over
downtown Seattle Mitchell released all four of his smart bombs.
"Weapons released!" he called out over the com as he banked hard to
the left. Under the strain of 7 Gs Mitchell looked over his shoulder
to see his wingmen Dog Meat close behind him.
"Targets destroyed! Great job Echo two nine! Evac choppers are loading
the civilians now! Keep the Skies clear!"
"Copy that." Mitchell replied as he leveled out his Super Hornet.
"Ok Mrs. Mitchell. Control your breathing. Big deep breaths..."
Sarah Mitchell was in extreme pain. She had no idea child birth would
be so difficult. She continued to take deep breaths squeezing the
nurse's hand standing next to her. The lights in her hospital bed room
were dimming every five seconds as the sound of explosions boomed in
the distance. She was being closely monitored by a heart rate monitor
that sounded off every few seconds.
Suddenly a series of loud explosion shook the whole room. Medical
supplies on the shelf fell to the floor in a mess as the echo gunfire
was heard outside the door. The nurse looked at the door then back at
Mrs. Mitchell. "Wait here..." The male nurse walked over to door and
slowly opened it.
In an instant the nurse was pushed back by a solider holding an M-16
in one hand. He looked over at Mrs. Mitchell then back at the nurse.
"Get her ready to move now! The last group of choppers are about to
leave!" the soldier then ran back out to the hall leaving the Nurse
and Mrs. Mitchell alone in the room. The nurse walked over to her bed
and started unlatching the heart rate monitor from her arm. The nurse
released the breaks on the beds wheels and they were out the door in
seconds.
When they got out in the hall some of the hospitals occupants were
leaving as well. Some in beds just like hers, others being helped by
doctors and soldiers. As Mrs. Mitchell was quickly wheeled down the
hall sounds of muffled explosions and gunfire could be heard from
outside. Nearing the elevator at the end of the hall a soldier was
helping people on with his rifle slung behind his back.
"Lose the beds people! We don't have room!" the soldier said.
Anyone that could still walk began helping people get off the rolling
beds and into the elevator. But before Mrs. Mitchell could get to the
door the elevator was full. The soldier stepped out as the huge steel
doors closed.
"No! Wait! She has to get to that chopper!" Sarah's nurse said trying
to stop the doors from closing.
"It's too late! We'll have to wait! Just get back!" the soldier said
stopping him in his tracks. "They'll send the elevator back down! Now
just wait-..."
The soldier was cut off as a large explosion shook the whole
building killing all the lights in the hall. When the hall was
completely dark a new sound started to form. The sound of terrified
screams rushed by them... coming from the elevator doors. The screams
slowly faded away but were cut off short when yet another rumble shook
the building. Seconds later the emergency lights kicked in...
Both the soldier and the nurse were paralyzed in shock. "...h-holy.
Shit... No..." the soldier said under his breath. After a moment of
silence he quickly looked over the Sarah then up to the nurse. "can
she walk!?" he said with a frantic expression.
The nurse still frozen in fear after what he just witnesses could only
stutter. "uh. She... She's pregnant... Yes. She can."
The soldier without hesitation began to help Sarah out of the bed.
"Come on! We need to get her up those stairs! Give me a hand!" The
nurse, still a little dazed, didn't reply at first but shook the
feeling from his head. He ran over to the soldier and helped support
Sarah by putting her arm over his shoulder. They both began to help
Mrs. Mitchell walk to the stairs and up more than 15 flights.
After a long climb up the many stairs they finally reached the door to
the roof. Gunfire and more explosions could be heard just outside the
door along with the low beat of a helicopter. The soldier
reached for the door handle and pulled but to his luck it was locked.
"Damn it! Hold on..." he removed Sarah's arm from his shoulder and took
a step back. The nurse and Sarah got out of the way as the soldier
kicked the door with a loud bang!
An explosion of sound and wind filled inside the stairway. Sarah
looked out side to see a mass of destruction and chaos. The soldier
took one step outside and then turned back to Sarah and the nurse.
"Come on!" he yelled waving them towards the outside.
Sarah's breathing increased rapidly as the loud noise overwhelmed her.
She looked to her left and her right to see more soldiers taking shots
over the sides of the roof. A long cement pathway ran from the
stairway to the helicopter platform. On top of the platform sat a
UH-60 Blackhawk transport helicopter ready to take off.
The soldier that had been helping Sarah pulled a radio out from his
front chest pocket. "Charlie zero five this sergeant Simmons! Hold
that evac sir! We got one more civilian coming up!" he yelled into the
radio.
Sarah heard the pilot reply back but soon a new sound started to drown
out the radio. The beating of yet another helicopters blade, but this
time it wasn't friendly...
"Enemy Chopper!" one of the soldiers nearby shouted. Sergeant Simmons
looked up in horror as a Russian attack chopper rose up from the
streets below. The troops on top of the roof quickly ran for cover as
the Russian helicopter began cutting them down with its machinegun
turret. Sarah watched as they were blown to pieces right in front of her
eyes, limbs flying off of their bodies. After the enemy helicopter
made its pass only a few of the men on the roof were still alive.
Some of them screaming in agony, with body parts missing, praying that
god would put them out of their misery. This sight only worsened
Sarah's pain as she could feel the baby coming.
Simmons quickly ran over to the nurse and Mrs. Mitchell as the
helicopter came around for another pass. He grabbed both of them and
dived for cover as bullets streamed over his head. Once under the
cover of a large cooling fan Simmons pulled out his radio again. "echo
two nine where the hell are you?!? Take out that fucking helicopter!!"
Just a second after saying this, the helicopter was struck by a missile.
The Russian chopper began to fire madly in a circle as it spun out of
control sending bullets in every direction. The sound of jet engines
screamed overhead as two f/A-18s flew over the top of the hospital.
The surviving soldier's cheered as the chopper slammed into a building
next to the hospital and fell to the earth. The radio sounded to life
as the pilots voice spook. "This is echo two nine. Were doing the best
we can. What's the sit-rep on those evac choppers?"
"Two nine we are just about done! Thanks for saving our asses back
there!"
Simmons smiled to himself knowing those flyboys were going to help
them get out of here. But that smile soon faded as he looked over to
Sarah. The woman was clutching her shoulder in pain as blood began
flowing through her fingers. The nurse looked up at Sergeant Simmons.
"Sergeant she's been shot!"
Sergeant Simmons quickly pulled battle dressing from his leg pocket and
began helping the nurse apply it to her shoulder. "Shit... Is the baby
ok?" the nurse gave him a worried look. "I-... I hope not. I don't see
any wounds other than her shoulder..."
Sarah could feel herself slowly fading from reality. She was just
about to pass out when a sharp pain hit her lower area. The baby was
coming... Sarah let out a low moan as the pain overwhelmed her.
"Mrs. Mitchell... How are you holding up?" the Sergeant asked finishing
up with the battle dressing.
Sarah let out another moan as she said "...the baby! .... The baby!
It's coming! ...ohhhh!!"
The Sergeant looked up to the nurse. "we got to get her on the chopper!
No way is she having the baby here!" The nurse nodded in agreement.
"Right..."
Both the Sergeant and the nurse carried the crying woman up the ramp to
the helicopter pad. When they reached the helicopter two door gunners
help the three on bored. Sergeant Simmons grabbed his radio and yelled
into the receiver. "Echo two nine last helicopters are taking off now! We
need exit cover into the mountains! Copy?"
Lt. Col. Dylan Mitchell heard the request but was distracted by his
on bored computer. "Warning! Bingo! Bingo!" it wailed into his headset.
The words 'low fuel' flashed in green letters on his HUD. "Shit..."
Rooster muttered under his breath.
"Dog meat what's your fuel status?"
"Not good sir. Only got a couple hundred pounds left... We should
consider heading back to the ship... Or see if we could suck some gas
from a tanker. But whatever we do I better be quick..."
Mitchell looked back to his HUD at the green flashing letters. They
needed gas, and there was no use in risking two perfectly good fighter
planes... As much as he hated to say it... The helicopters were going
to have to make it on their own.
"That's a negative Sergeant. We are bingo in fuel. I'll try and see if
air boss has any other flights on station but that's all I can do...
I'm sorry."
A long silence filled the com as Mitchell waited for a reply. Suddenly
he heard static as the sergeant pressed down the transmit button. The
Sergeant was at a loss of words. Mitchell could hear voices in the
background... "...come on Mrs. Mitchell... Breathe... Good..."
A light flicked on in Mitchells head. 'Did he just say Mrs.
Mitchell? ...God no... Please don't let it be...'
"listens Lt...." the Sergeant started to say with great sorrow in his
voice. "I have civilian's on bored... One is about to give birth to a
baby for Christ's sake!... There has to be something you can do!"
'No... It was Sarah...'
Mitchell remained silent... The thought sent a chill down his spine.
He was faced with a very hard decision. One he wasn't sure he could
make. The helicopter had a very slim chance at making it out of
Seattle without air cover. If he fallowed orders it could mean the
death of his wife and soon to be child. But if he stayed... He would
be risking his life as well as his wingman's life and two United States
Navy fighter planes...
"please... I beg you sir... We can't make it out alive without you!"
the soldier pleaded once more.
"Rooster what are we doing...?" dog meat asked.
Mitchell was in a brain lock. His mind tried to figure out some way to
save both himself and his wife and child. But no matter how many times
he went over it only one possibility came through... His life... Or his
families...
A woman's scream was heard in the background over the radio... Making
Mitchell realize what he had to do...
"dog meat... I'm ordering you to break formation and egress from the
battle. Head back to the ship, rearm and refuel... You copy?"
"No sir. I'm not leaving-"
"that's an order Greg!!"
Dog meat stayed quiet for a moment... Rarely did Mitchell call people
by their first name, especially in combat. He meant what he said. Greg
let out a small sigh before saying his final Farwell to his commanding
officer.
"Yes sir. Dog meat is to RTB. Good luck sir..."
Mitchell watched as his wingman gave him one final salute before he
detached formation. After saluting him back Mitchell watched dog meats
F/A-18 bank away, slowly disappearing.
When the F/A-18 was no longer in sight Mitchell turned back to his
HUD. The flashing green letters still blinking in front of him...
'have to do this...'
"echo two nine is on station... Awaiting orders..."
Sergeant Simmons could feel himself calming down as he heard Mitchells
reply over the radio. But they weren't out of the fight yet. The
Sergeant flipped to his squad channel and ordered all troops to fall
back on the chopper. Once the surviving soldiers got on bored the
Blackhawk lifted off the ground and slowly began its trip towards the
hills.
Mitchell's heart beat slowly started to rise... The sound of air
rushing by him slowly began to deafen.... The alerts buzzing in his headset telling him he was almost out of fuel had faded…
I am alone...
The lone F/A-18 flew above the skies of Seattle. The group of evac
choppers were now forming up and slowly moving together into the
hills. In one of the slow moving choppers Mrs. Mitchell was screaming
in pain. The baby was slowly poking its head out... Suddenly three Russian
helicopters emerged from the building of Seattle, chasing the group of
evac choppers.
Mitchell pushed the throttle into full military power, accelerating his F/
A-18 towards the enemy helicopters. Gaining a lock on the closest
helicopter to the evac group he fired. Mitchell's last missile streaked
across the sky slamming into the enemy helicopter, destroying it
instantly in a fiery explosion. Flipping to guns he lined up his
crosshairs on the last two helicopters. Mitchell squeezed the trigger
sending hot lead streaming out of his gun barrel. Seconds after firing the two helicopters exploded into flames falling to the ground.
I am unarmed...
Mitchells ammo counter read zero. He had no more missiles left... He
had no way to protect the evac group... Suddenly his radar picked up a
new contact. A lone MiG-29 was making its way closer to the evac
group. Mitchell watched in horror as it fired two missiles at the evac
group taking out two helicopters... Helicopters filled with innocent
people...
I am unafraid...
Mitchell turned the nose of his plane towards the MiG toughing the
throttle into full after burn. The MiG saw him as a possible threat and
tuned into him as well. They were both on a collision course with
each other. The MiG fired a missile at Mitchells F/A-18 as they got
closer and closer. Mitchell popped flairs and changed his vector
quickly. His number two engine flamed out as he corrected his coarse
back on the enemy MiG. The distance between the two air craft was
decreasing rapidly. Suddenly Mitchell's number one engine was out as
well. He was flying purely on hydraulics; the momentum carrying his
fighter planes closer to the MiG. The MiG-29 started to pull up away
from F/A-18 trying to avoid a midair collision, but Mitchell pulled up
as well putting him back on a collision coarse... Mitchell filled his
lungs and screamed... The last thing he saw was the Russian MiG as it slammed into the nose of his fighter…
Sarah let out one final cry as the baby exited her body. Her head fell
back as drowsiness filled her body. Off in the distance she saw an
explosion... An explosion that seemed to cause her heart to fill with
pain...
A hero lost.
She lay back on the floor of the helicopter bay, still clutching the
nurse's hand. Her vision slowly began to fade as the cry of a baby
filled her ears. Her head started to feel dizzy as she looked up at
the nurse holding her baby. A single word escaped her mouth that caused
the nurse to lean closer.
"James..."
At first the nurse was confused. He couldn't understand what she had
just said, but then it hit him. He looked down at the wet baby in his
hands. Sarah's hand fall limp as her eyes lay still. The nurse put his hand up to her neck to check her pulse. A sad expression fell over his face when no pulse was felt. "She's gone…" Sergeant Simmons looked over at the nurse with a sad yet questioning look. "what did
she say?"
The nurse looked up at the solider and said "James... She wants the
babies name to be James... James..." the nurse looked back down to the
baby and smiled.
A hero born...
A/N: More to come... Ideas and reviews please!