Shadows. It's what he first saw when he slowly opened his eyes rising out of bed. He looked down at his watch, which read 04:15. He yawned noticing that he was up fifteen minutes early again. Shrugging off the wariness, he slowly got up off his cot. Shuffling through the hallways, he made his way to the cafeteria where he got his early breakfast and began to eat silently enjoying the morning. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed more men walking out of the sleeping quarters and heading his way. One of them dipped his head, "Morning chief."

Chief Warrant Officer Grade 4 William McCord waved to his co-pilot, Warrant Officer Grade 2 John Davis and the rest of his crew replying, "Morning John, Alex, Wade." Alex Silvers and Wade McCoy were the rest of the Chief's crew as they called him. Silvers was the Crew Chief and the fix it guy. McCoy was the primary gunner for the crew as the four flew the UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter as an airborne detachment for the 75th Ranger Battalion. His air group he was a part of was known as Reaper. There were only four sections of the group, which were elite. His group was Reaper Four, tasked with CASEVAC, which no one wanted as Reaper Four was a group that had high amount of casualties due to the unique role in the Task Force as people would call it.

As they were slowly departing, the early morning getting to the crew, William turned around and spoke to Davis, "Flight line. 5:30. Shepard wants us to move to the North. I hear that we'll move into the Red Zone today…"

The rest of the crew stopped and turned around grinning and Silvers stepped forward. "What the call sign?" He asked anticipating the excitement.

"Dagger Two-One."

An hour and fifteen minutes later, McCord was starting to flip and raise switches while going through his checklist while Davis was confirming the list and both of them slowly began to accelerate the engine as the crew began to take positions for take-off. The rotors began to move in music like rhythm that would put someone to sleep if it wasn't for the loud noise from the engine. Slowly the Blackhawk began to flirt with the idea of taking off and the co-pilot looked at McCord and gave him a thumbs up. McCord smiled and slowly began to lift the helicopter into the air. As the helicopter rose to two hundred feet, a busy day began. McCord looked at his watch: 9:47. He looked back up focusing on the navigational panel which would show the route Command was choosing for the pilots.

"Dagger Two-One, this is Overlord, standby for new orders."

He could hear Silvers groan silently, and everyone felt his misery. McCord adjusted the mic, "Overlord, standing by to receive orders."

"Adjust course to Fire base Phoenix. Shepard has requested you. We'll be moving back into the Red Zone."

"Roger Overlord. Adjusting course grid Charlie Alpha 315992"

"Give them hell. Overlord out."

Those words were like a punch to McCord's gut. Everyone instantly felt the grim feeling as McCord was trying to adjust in his seat. Everyone looked at each other with unsaid words about this mission until Silvers spoke up; "This mission will be hell…"

After landing at the fire base, McCord went to the command building while everyone else was checking the helicopter. As he walked in, he saw two pilots from his unit and his wing-men. Jack Byrd Dagger Two-Two's pilot, and Mark Wilhmer Dagger Two-Three's pilot. They didn't fly the normal UH-60 that McCord had flown, but they flew the MH-6 Little birds, touch and go helicopters. All of them greeted and waited for Shepard to brief them as it was Shepard. He had requested them after all. Finally the three stared general walked into the room as other helicopter pilots made their way into the room. Shepard looked around and spotted McCord and nodded to him as McCord replied with the same gesture. Shepard eyed the entire room and spoke up, "Gather around."

Everyone gathered around the map of the city that they were to attack today.

"Today will be the day where we move in. After our recent patrol that returned was ambushed from a sizable enemy force within the city, we'll move into the city and liberate it." He paused to collect his thoughts and breath. "We have multiple units here today. Units such as Reaper Two and Four, Viper One, Five, and Seven with Fox Four and Six. That means we'll have AH-6s, MH-6s, UH-60s, AH-1s, and AH-64's… We also have the Airforce's cooperation. They're supplying us A-10s and F15s. Expect those also." He paused for a bit to see everyone digesting the information given. "Now, Viper One will conduct CAS along the river here and here." He said as he pointed to the map. "Reaper Two will be on EVAC in case of casualties. You'll hold back here at the beginning of the highway. Viper Five and Fox Four, you will move along this highway that leads to the school. We expect intense resistance. Viper Seven, you will patrol to the north here blocking off any escape for the enemy. Reaper Four and Fox Six, you will stick close to the Rangers providing serious CAS and CASEVAC. Dismissed men, make us all proud."

Everyone saluted and left the room silently. Not everyone would make it back alive. Jack and Mark decided to walk to McCord's Blackhawk where they'd converse until launch time. "This plan has too many moving parts. Something will go wrong."

"This is Afghanistan Mark; of course something will go wrong. Nothing ever goes right here."

"Guys, let's focus here. Your Little birds are fine. You guys are so tiny when going against these towel-heads. They can't even aim at a rock without missing."

All chuckled until Jack spoke up, "You will be exposed though. You're the one we're concerned about. You've been different since Pelayo's death."

Pelayo was a name he remembered deeply. He had been sixteen when he had met them both. One wanted to join as a Marine Pilot, and the other wasn't sure what she wanted to do. Anna and Vanessa were the names of the girls who had instantly became his best friends. Anna always watched over the two as the older sister even when Vanessa and McCord began to date. Soon after, all three had enlisted. Vanessa became an AH-64 pilot while Anna became an AH-1 pilot who was killed after the nuclear blast in 2011 with thirty thousand others while trying to bring peace and stabilization to the Middle East when a regime took over. That changed them both forever as Vanessa and McCord lost a sister. Five years after, McCord was sent over to the desert. He planned to marry Vanessa when he was finished on this tour.

"It changed us both. Vanessa lost her sister and I lost a best friend and what others could say was a s-"

"Oh stop the lies." Mark groaned. "We know something ELSE was going between you and her."

McCord only just rolled his eyes. "Nothing happened between Anna and me." He looked up and confessed, "I just walked in on her and quickly turned around. We never spoke of it."

The other two began to grin slowly when McCord interjected, "The only girl I've had something with was Vanessa. Multiple times actually."

The looks were asking for more, but the alarm went off as the others began to head to their helicopters as the entire fleet began to turn on their engines as the convoys of the Rangers left the Fire base. Hell was soon to be unleashed.