DISCLAIMER: So this is my first Expendables story. I saw the movie a few days ago and fell in love with it. Its rated M for violence, language and sexuality. So if that's not your cup of tea, hit the back button! Also I don't own The Expendables, though if anyone knows where I can get Jason Statham or Rand Couture, please tell me J.
This must be what hell looks like. That thought must've flew through my head a hundred times. Fiery explosions echoed around me, sending debris shooting into the air. Guns fired, bullets whizzing around us, tearing into crates, cars, and people with vicious force. Someone flew over the crate I was hiding behind and landed in a crouch next to me. My Beretta flew up, finger on the trigger, ready to eliminate the mystery person until I recognized the balding head. Lee's eyebrows raised as he looked down the barrel of my gun, then our eyes met. I quickly lowered it, while he reloaded his gun.
"I almost just shot you," I grumbled at him. He shrugged nonchalantly. That was the one thing that I had quickly begun to admire about him, even though I had only known him for a few hours. Lee seemed to stay cool, even though I had just had a gun in his face and was prepared to fire. Suddenly, someone else dove around the crate and landed on my other side. Reflexively, my gun shot up again, and Lee's quickly followed.
"You know, I would really appreciate it if you guys didn't shoot me," Ross chuckled. Lowering our guns, I tentatively peeked around the crate and up the street. The group of soldiers was paused at a crossroads, checking behind cars and stands, presumably looking for us. Chaos reined around us, as people screamed and fled from the bullets that echoed from the soldiers guns. The natives left their stands of fruit and goods, and ran for shelter inside dilapidated houses.
"Remind me to smack you later," I growled at Lee. His jaw dropped and his face morphed into a look of complete innocence.
"You've only known me a few hours and jeez, you're already getting violent towards me?. Besides that, I didn't do anything!" Upon hearing this, I shot him a disbelieving look.
"Are you serious right now? You killed that guard right in front of the other three, then let one of them get away and sound the alarm. Now they're on our asses, firing semi-automatic weapons and are determined to kill us!" At that, Lee shrugged again.
"Hey I, uh, hate to interrupt the love fest, but those soldiers are getting closer, their aim is getting a lot better, and I'm running out of bullets." As if to emphasize his point, bullets screamed over our heads, almost hitting Ross. "We gotta move!"
At the count of three, we stood up as one, and fired on the soldiers. The next few moments seemed to be in slow motion. My Berettas felt as light as air as I fired two shots from each. The sounds the guns made as they fired seemed dulled as adrenaline pounded through my veins, dulling everything but my reflexes. I let my training take over, and I easily took out four soldiers, while Ross and Lee took out the other seven. As soon as it had started, it was over. Gunfire ceased, leaving the sounds of people screaming, and general panic. Wispy trails of smoke drifted off of the ends of Ross' colts, and I quickly holstered mine.
"What now? I vote we get the fuck out of here before more of them show up," I suggested. They nodded, and we took off down the dirt road, heading for the harbor and Ross' plane. My feet pounded against the dirt, and I focused on not tripping over any rocks. It had gotten hotter since we had first landed this morning, and now the South American sun beat down, raising the temperature to a sweltering 98 degrees. Sweat poured off me as I ran. As we dodged around people, I caught a flash of metal out of the corner of my eye. Turning my head as I ran past a side street, I noticed a group of soldiers headed towards us, guns at the ready.
"We've got company!" I yelled at Ross and Lee, who were about 10 paces ahead of me. The soldiers quickly rounded the corner behind us and fired, not caring if they hit any civilians. Ross turned right down a street, and me and Lee followed him, bullets kicking up gravel behind us. A single scream echoed, and I felt it rip through me. Even though every fiber of me screamed for me to keep running, I couldn't help myself. I had to see what kind of creature could have possibly made such a heart-wrenching sound. I spun around, and took in the impossible scene before me.
A woman in what looked like her mid-twenties had collapsed in the middle of the street. In her arms, she held a child, a boy about eight years old. At first, it seemed as if nothing was wrong, but then I noticed the front of the child's shirt was soaked in blood. The woman screamed again, a sound that threatened to rip my soul from my body. I could almost feel her pain, the raw agony that she was feeling as she held the dying child in her arms.
As quickly as the pain ran through me, it was gone, leaving only anger behind. I wanted the person responsible for that heinous crime dead. I pulled out my guns, and was just about to sprint for the soldiers when a hand wrapped around my arm and pulled me down the side street.
"Put them away, there's nothing we can do," a soothing voice said in my ear. I put my guns away, and let Ross pull me down the street, away from the woman. We were only about sixty feet from the dock when the soldiers came around the corner. I dropped behind a barrel, out of breath. A stitch had quickly formed in my side, and when combined with the almost unbearable heat, I was exhausted.
"God damn, these guys just don't quit, do they?" I gasped, struggling to get rid of the stitch.
"They want to know how such a good-looking woman managed to kill so many of them," Lee winked roguishly at me, an act that seemed so out of place considering the situation we were in, but managed to make me giggle.
"Ava, Lee, cover me. I'm going to start the plane and get us the hell outta here," Ross ordered. The orders focused me, dragging me away from the nagging pain in my side. I dropped to my knees, and pushed the barrel a few inches to the right, creating just enough space to shoot out of. Lee raced into position to my right.
"I'll take the left half, you take the right," I challenged, and we quickly opened fire. Once we had dropped a few of the soldiers, Ross made a run for it. I couldn't take a few seconds to check if he had made it, I was too busy protecting his ass, but the roar of the engine soon quelled my worries.
"Ava, lets go!" Me and Lee jumped to our feet and hurtled for the plane, still firing at the soldiers. I dove into the plane, landing hard on my side on the warm floor. It tore another gasp from me, and pain blossomed up my side, but it quickly faded. Lee followed, diving in behind me. He barely got the door shut in time before the plane was in motion. I felt the familiar drop in my stomach that signaled we were in the air, and I let myself take a deep calming breath.
"You ok there baby girl?" I heard the gruff voice of Ross ask. I nodded, then let him pull me to my feet. I took a seat on the cot, then let him press a cold bottle into my hand. I snapped off the top and took a deep swig of the beer. I took a quick look around, checking that neither of the men was hurt. Lee was up in the cockpit, feet up on the dash. Ross was next to me on the cot. Thank God he hadn't noticed where Lee's feet were, otherwise I'm sure Ross would be up there kicking Lee's ass for dirtying up his baby.
Digging around in my bag that was under the olive green cot, I pulled out a small picture. It had white lines in it from where it had been folded so many times, and the edges were shredded. The picture was of a man in his forties, and he had a small girl sitting on his shoulders. The picture had been taken when they were in mid laugh, and the girl was holding a stuffed purple penguin in her right hand. I couldn't help but smile. It brought back memories, and it brought back the reason of why I do what I do.
"I still can't believe he's gone," Ross murmured, "he was a good man."
"Yeah, well, life sure as fuck ain't fair. But I would do anything to bring him back," I whispered sadly. Ross' muscled arms wrapped around me, and I rested my head on his shoulder, as the memory of that day came back to me.
*Flashback*
It was Tuesday, July 8th. I could remember every detail about that day, right down to the very minute that the phone rang. I remember picking it up, hoping to hear his voice telling me that he was safe, and that he was headed home. But instead, it was Ross.
"I'm sorry Ava, but the mission went bad." I could hear sadness in his voice, which was strange and alien to me because it was an emotion that Ross rarely let surface. "He's gone."
*End Flashback*
Shaking my head, I snapped back to reality. Taking another swallow of beer to try and get rid of the lump that had formed in my throat, I turned to Ross.
"How long till we're home?"