Chapter 3: The Morning Of
"Jesus Christ…you're a Marine! Are you really in here about this?"
"C'mon, doc, it…it really hurts."
"Bullshit," the doctor growled, though a dimpled smile shone through the mock attitude. Reaching into a drawer a bright pink band-aid with flowers was produced and put over the paper cut on the large soldier's finger. "Better now?"
"Could you kiss it for me?"
"Get out of my tent!"
Michael passed the snickering young man as he evacuated the medical tent, the flap open behind him.
"Doc?"
He wasn't entirely prepared for the brunette young woman to peek around a large container, her eyes rolling as she called him over. "What now? Need a shoulder rub; pull a hamstring and need your leg stretched?"
Vaughn laughed and suddenly the nearly steady stream of young men entering and leaving the tent with usually nothing more than a band-aid or a little square of antibacterial ointment made sense – every single Marine was making a move on the 'hot doc'.
"I just wanted to chat since you're the medic on-call. Vaughn; Alpha Recon. We're heading up to Shaykh for a four-day op and the Commander wanted me to check in with the medic team periodically – and that would be you."
"Oh…" she blushed, stripping the latex gloves from her hands and stepping out from her corner to shake his hand. "Lieutenant Bristow – good to meet you. I'm the doc on-call and we have a rotation of 24 hours. From here to Shaykh it'll probably take three minutes to ready the chopper, or choppers depending on the emergency, and another five minutes to get there. Keep that in mind if you need to call in. Our radios here are on the same frequency as those in the command tent."
"So…eight minutes if we get into the shit?"
"Eight minutes, six if I can get their asses in gear."
"We're not planning on any problems, so here's hoping you don't hear from me."
A final handshake and Vaughn left the tent. Heading back over to where his men still slept he poked his head in. "Ladies, rise and shine! Only the Army needs beauty sleep!"
Grumbles and groans ensued, though most of the men were rolling out of their bunks and reaching for their camo pants. After rousing, shaving, and brushing their teeth Vaughn got them together for a run. A few of the guys from Bravo joined, though most of the other recon unit had decided that the mess tent was far more important. After three laps around the camp Bravo team had dropped out, Alpha continuing for another three before calling it and catching their breath.
"Go get food; we meet at the Humvees with our packs packed and our gear ready at 0800."
Breakfast was quiet, mostly, until Espinoza waltzed in. "I heard that Sarge-Mage met the medic on-call."
"So?" Steinbauer asked with a mouth full of hash browns.
"Dude…the doc is HOT! Like…smokin'!"
"Down, boy," Gunny chuckled as he slid in beside Vaughn with his metal tray of eggs, bacon, sausage, and hash browns.
The young man laughed and shrugged the comment off, reaching over and snagging one of Gunny's sausage patties. "Watch it, Taco, you'll pull back a stub if I catch you stealin' my food again."
Faking a tremble he stuffed the ill-gotten meat into his mouth and munched it while groaning and rubbing his stomach over how good it tasted.
Gunny pointed over with his fork at Taco, his words directed at Vaughn; "I'm might have to kill him,"
"That's why you're in separate cars," Michael mumbled through a mouthful of eggs. "But I'll let you know if you can."
Espinoza faked a pout, "and here I thought I was your favorite."
Breakfast ended quickly as Alpha and Bravo got their gear together and began restocking their Humvees for the operation. Water and ammunition were first priority for both the vehicle and reserves for the soldiers. Boxes of .50 caliber rounds were loaded up in the back seat of all four cars within easy reach of the heavy gunners. Smaller cases of 5.56mm and 7.60mm rounds were loaded up as Steinbauer and Jones checked the weapons, the two M249 light machine guns getting loaded and prepped.
Aside from the mounted gun on the top of the vehicles the backseat LMG soldiers were the fire-power barrage if the group was ambushed, each able to hold between 60 and 80 rounds of ammunition – 120 if they loaded up the large drum.
Bravo milled about as Alpha checked their weapons, Espinoza leaning in as Frogger tossed his medic supply case and pack into the second car, "looks like Bravo got the busted-ass Humvee with the windows stuck up."
While Alpha team had lucked out and had a group of soldiers that had all previously been to either Iraq or Afghanistan, Bravo wasn't so lucky. Out of their whole team four of the nine guys were FNG's and they looked the part. Hair tousled as if they'd just rolled out of the bunk, weapons hanging from their sides rather than in front of them, barrels pointed into the sand, the four of them stood together off to the side as Sergeant-Major Hammer and Vaughn gathered together.
"You lucked out Vaughn, not getting the noobs."
"Well, what can I say – sometimes you get it easy. You givin' the pre-mission rally talk?"
"Not if I don't have to," Hammer muttered and held his hand up in a fist in the classic pose that said 'we'll decide this by a friendly round of rock, paper, scissors'.
Michael grumbled and lifted his hand up, each man counting to three and throwing out an option. Losing scissors to rock Hammer chuckled and patted Vaughn on the shoulder.
"Best two out of three?" Michael begged.
"Hell no."
"Hey…no offense or anything but I'm gonna have Alpha lead the convoy over,"
"No problem. I've got FNG's. That puts me low on the totem pole."
The commanding officer and his lieutenant walked over, the lower ranking man throwing out orders that Bravo's new guys desperately hurried to follow.
"Boy you'd better get a haircut when you get back, this ain't a hippy commune!"
"Yessir!" Confusion passed his face, the name on his uniform reading 'McKinley', as he reached a hand up to his short buzz-cut hair style.
"And you…you fuckin' new guy. You don't have your safety on! That is a hot weapon soldier! You think you're exempt from the rules?"
The commander sighed and rubbed his hand over his eyes the other squeezing the shoulder of his pit-bull of a lieutenant before interrupting.
"Your two recon teams are heading north to Shaykh. Observation only. You'll be splitting up, Bravo using an east entrance and Alpha using the south entrance. Up until you split up Alpha has operational control. This is recon only, understand? We need information about this city not a bloodbath because one of you hot-headed FNG's decides that he thinks a gourd in a civi's hand is a grenade, hoo-rah?"
"Hoo-rah!"
"Sergent-Major?"
Vaughn stepped up and adjusted his gear, heaving a sigh as he faced the men in both units. "We're all Recon Marines; we know what we're supposed to do. Do not fire unless fired upon, understand? If you misfire…Marines die. Do not break our cover by dicking around. If you break our cover…Marines die. No dead Marines."
"Alright. Alpha and Bravo, we're oscar mike."
Hoots and hollers from the veterans filled the air as the four vehicles loaded up and the engines revved, Alpha and Bravo exiting the compound and heading out on the lonely, long road north.
"'On the road again; just can't wait to get on the road again'; c'mon guys, you know the words."
"Shut up, Taco."
"'The life I love is makin' music with my friends, and I just can't wait to get on the road again'!"
The singing continued with Vaughn and Steinbauer joining in, Jacobsen rolling his eyes and watching the desert fly by. Singing loudly in his ear was their .50 cal operator, Corporal Dawson, his own southern accent filling the rig and making the others laugh. This accent and his love for country music had earned him the unoriginal nickname of Cowboy.
A half hour later the city of Shaykh rose before them, the road leading up the last quarter mile toward the main southern entrance littered with bombed, broken, and charred vehicles.
Vaughn ordered the convoy stopped and lifted the radio to talk with Bravo team. "Echo 2-2 this is Echo 1-1, copy?"
"Go ahead Echo 1-1."
"We've got a shit ton of blown up vehicles here on the road about fifty meters ahead of us. They're not blocking the path but I don't think it's a good idea to continue on this road toward the city. I'm gonna get in touch with base camp to get an update. Sit tight."
"Copy that Echo 1-1."
"Home Base this is Echo 1-1, how copy?"
"This is Home Base Echo 1-1, go ahead."
"Sir we've got vehicles on the side of the road approaching the city showing signs of possibly mortar fire, RPG's, IED's, maybe all of the above. I've ordered the vehicles stopped about fifty meters from action, how should we proceed?"
"What's your honest opinion, Vaughn?"
"Honest? I wouldn't approach via the south road. We could off-road it up to the entrance but if the cause of all this isn't IED's we'll be sitting ducks trying to turn around while getting hit with RPG's and small arms fire."
"Do you see any hostiles on rooftops?"
"Hang on, we'll scope." Pulling the radio-phone away from his ear he leaned his head into the backseat. "Jacobsen, scope up and jump out the hole. Check the rooftops of any visible building and let me know if you see hostiles."
"Yes sir," he was quick to follow orders, reaching behind Cowboy in the tight space and pulling out his sniper rifle, trading his M16 for the long-range weapon. Sticking the barrel out the open top of the Humvee first he set it up while sliding around his teammates. Poking on his upper body out, using his arm and the roof of the car as a prop, he flipped open the lid on the scope and peered through.
"No visible targets on the roof, Sarge-Mage, and I don't see anyone milling around at the entrance or standing guard. IED's?"
"Hell if I know," he growled, something settling low in his stomach, picking the radio back up and continuing. "Home Base we've got no visible targets on the rooftops, nor does anyone appear to be watching the road from the southern entrance. How should we proceed?"
"Follow the operation as ordered, Echo 1-1. Rather than splitting up to recon the east entrance keep Bravo with you. We don't need the shit to hit the fan and have you alone in it."
Michael sighed, shaking his head. Second guessing his commanding officers wasn't usually his thing, but when it could be the lives of him men he couldn't keep the words from leaving his mouth. "Are you sure sir? I'd much rather recon the east entrance before continuing."
"You've got your orders, Echo 1-1. Army Rangers are gonna be heading into the south entrance, it needs recon."
"Copy that, Echo 1-1 out."
They sat in silence for a moment, Michael pulling Jacobsen back into the vehicle and trying to come up with a plan. "Jacobsen, did you bring a ghillie?"
"Yes sir."
Nodding, he began putting his plan into action. "You see that knoll about 100 meters east of the road? These trenches and blown up cars should give you enough cover to get there if you ghillie up. You need a spotter?"
"I could use one. What about Paul?"
"That'll work. Echo 2-2 this is Echo 1-1, copy?"
"Go ahead, Vaughn."
"Command has reissued orders; you're to accompany Alpha into the town via the south entrance. I'm sending Jacobsen out with his rifle to this knoll east of here can Paul join him?"
"Ghillie up?"
"You got it. They'll be able to give us at least some kind of warning if they pull out mortars or set up RPG's through windows of the outer buildings."
"Copy that." Michael watched in the side mirror as the radio went silent, Jacobsen jumping out of the vehicle and moving to the back to provide cover while yanking the ghillie suit from his pack and putting it on. Shouldering his rifle he crouched low and jumping into the trench beside the road, a skittering of rocks and another covered soldier sliding in beside him announcing the arrival of Paul, his spotter. They slunk off through the trenches, the vehicles moving forward slowly.
"Sarge-Mage?" Taco muttered, his hand gripping the wheel with white knuckles. "Don't you think we'll need J-man if we get ambushed? Five guys are better than four, right?"
"You second guessing me, Taco?"
"Merely asking for help with a math problem, sir."
"Trust me; you'd rather have him out there."
Moving at a crawling pace Vaughn clicked the safety off of his rifle and ordered both teams to go hot. With a hoot Dawson readjusted his helmet and made sure his vest was secure, the metal plate over his chest heavy and pulling at his shoulders as he stood and took his position behind the massive mounted gun. Cocking it and hoping that it didn't jam he slid the tactical goggles over his eyes and put his hands on the gun ready to fire it if necessary.
Michael saw Gunny repeat the action in the vehicle behind them, the two Bravo cars getting into gear as well.
Despite the noise from the engines it was eerily quiet. On a windless morning, the first in days, the clear blue sky shone over Shaykh, the only thing missing from the scene being civilians as they went about their daily routines. There didn't seem to be anyone near the road or where it entered the city.
"Jacobsen, copy?"
"Copy sir, Paul and I are crawling up the knoll we'll be in position soon."
"How soon is soon? Soon isn't a military term,"
"Approximately 13.7 seconds, Sarge-Mage."
Vaughn grinned, sobering up as they passed by the first charred car. Then the second. Still silent…still eerie, they continued until they were approximately twenty yards away from the entrance. Shouting over the radio broke the silence, Jacobson's voice yelling almost incoherently.
"RPG's! RPG's!"
The crack of a fired rifle pierced the air as Jacobson took shots into the city, a cloud of smoke and a rocket propelled grenade flying over the top of Vaughn's vehicle. Plowing into the road to the right of the rear Bravo Humvee the car was tossed on its side as the ground shook from the explosion.
Gunny and Cowboy didn't wait for orders. Turning the guns on the building where the window filled with smoke from the firing of the RPG they began shooting.
"Everybody out of the vehicles!" Vaughn shouted over the sudden explosions of the loud mounted guns, the doors opening and men pouring out as they took cover beside the vehicle.
Small arms fire erupted from the entrance, the short nearly blown out and bullet ridden walls providing perfect enemy cover as the Humvee's took most of the damage. The Marines returned fire, their weapons blending in with the .50 caliber guns as they shot blindly at the openings in the cement, aiming anywhere that a muzzle flash could be seen.
Michael attached his communication device over his ear and flipped it on.
"Home Base this is Echo 1-1, we've been compromised just outside the city. RPG's disabled our rear Bravo vehicle and with the cars on the side of the road we can't turn around. Get the medic team in a chopper and get us Black Hawks for extraction!"
"Copy that, Echo 1-1. ETA: eleven minutes for reinforcements, eight minutes for medical support."
Throwing himself down as another explosion tossed sand and chunks of asphalt up into his faces, Michael pushed back to the second Alpha car. "Frogger! Get back to Bravo two and see if they have wounded!"
Obeying he ducked and scampered off, the medic bag bouncing on his back.
"Seven minutes," Vaughn whispered to himself, lifting his gun and readying the under mounted grenade launcher. Loading it and cocking it he stood and fired at the entrance. Screams broke the gunfire but it continued a moment later.
"Alpha, on me!" Yelling into his communications link while making wide gestures his men gathered up as best as they could while trying to keep their cover by the Humvees. "Spread out into the debris on the side of the road! Choose your cover! Help will be here in seven minutes!"
He grabbed Espinoza's vest as the young man turned and began to move off, "not you, you stay with me."
Static crackled over his ear piece, the Commander's voice invading his head. "Alpha, we have a problem. We've got one Black Hawk down with engine problems and we're gonna need the time to refuel the other. The medical chopper is on its way, ETA 5 minutes. Reinforcements ETA about 17 minutes."
"Fuck!"
Relaying information Vaughn stayed close to the front vehicle. "Taco, you take up position at the rear of Alpha two, copy? You keep Gunny firing that beast, help him reload if he needs."
Blood rushed in his ears and the deafening sound of the mounted gun directly above him wasn't helping.
"Six minutes."
...
A/N: Alrighty, the terms are below! Feel free to google them all (I did when I needed to learn the definitions of some of them).
ETA: Estimated Time of Arrival
IED: Improvised Explosive Device
Oscar mike: On the move
RPG: Rocket propelled grenade
Echo 1-1: Vaughn's Humvee
Echo 1-2: 2nd Alpha Humvee
Echo 2-2: 1st Bravo Humvee
Echo 2-3: 2nd Bravo Humvee
Home Base: Command center
Ghillie Suit: Used by snipers as cover in desert or jungle environments. This suit makes them look like shaggy dogs (in my opinion). Google it for pics.
.50 Caliber: The massive bullets used by the mounted Humvee guns and occasionally sniper rifles (anti-vehicle sniper rifles like the M107 Barrett).
7.60mm: The ammunition used for sniper rifles and some assault rifles.
5.56mm: The ammunition used for most assault rifles, e.g. the M16.
Black Hawk: Helicopter used mostly to drop off additional soldiers. They are usually open on both sides and equipped with a mounted .50 caliber machine gun or chain gun.
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