A/N: I noticed that the chapter layout is very similar to JohnnyFrost's Ace Combat: The Black Ivory Tower and I would like to say I didn't steal it. I did this type of layout to make it more like the games where they give you the date, time, and place and I did not steal it or anything like that it was just an accident.

Chapter 3: Counter Attack Part I

July 16, 2018

Amia, Clavis

0900 hrs.

Aden and the others safely landed in the city of Berne and quickly made their way to the capital city. Once they got to Amia they informed the president of what Storm One had said. President Truax sent military forces to try and protect the three cities, Butlar, Gainsbrow, and Blair, but the troops didn't get there fast enough and so everything Storm One had said came true.

"I can't believe that it actually happened. All of those un suspecting people killed in those bombs. All the people in those cities had next to no military protection."

"I know, it is just wrong Zach but don't worry, we will reclaim those cities and avenge all of those killed by the Verusan's." Aden said trying to stay calm. "Pretty soon we will leave for Berne, it has been turned into our frontline base against the Verusan's, from there we will lead a counter attack against them."

"And do what, kill more people, what if one of the jets we bring down lands on a house, crashes into a building, falls on a busy street and kills more inset people?"

"We have no choice Sandra! You saw the damage those bombs did, do you honestly think that we can negotiate peace with these people? I hate it to, I have hated it since I first started flying, and I will hate it until I retire or die but there is no getting around it. This will be the fourth war I have fought in against the Verusan's and hopefully my last but in those wars I have learned one thing, Verusan's are blood thirsty monsters and it's use to stop them." Aden sat down on one of the benches in the airport and stared at the ground. "Sorry I yelled, it's just every time I think of what the Verusan's have done it makes me so angry and I shouldn't take it out on you."

"It's alright, I understand, if I fought them three times before this I would probably get mad every time I think about them two."

"Aden, I have question for you. How could who have four three wars against them when there have only been two others in our lifetime?" Zach asked him.

"You remember all of those terrorist we shot down? Those where Verusan pilots, you could tell by the way they flew."

"I always thought those guys where from Romny though."

"That's where they had set up their base but they were ex-Verusan's.

"I guess they did fight a lot like Verusan's… I never really figured where they were from but yeah, that certainly was a war."

"I first figured it out when Verusa refused to fight them and they constantly attacked us and Romny but never Verusa."

"Flight 207 to Berne now loading at gate 7, flight 207 to Berne at gate 7."

"That's us." Leo said. He got up grabbed most of the luggage and headed for gate 7. Aden and Zach took the carry on stuff and followed after Leo, Theresa and Sandra followed with out carrying any bags. Leo got all the luggage checked in and on the plane as the other four were still going through security.

"You know I have never seen a passenger help load luggage onto the plane before." One of the security guards said indicating towards Leo.

"Oh, it's on his list of things to do before he's forty." Aden said trying to keep a straight face as Leo picked up a bag with blew open and clothes fell everywhere. The four got onto the plane and after about twenty minutes Leo showed up.

"They told me to get on the plane and stop helping."

"Why, it wasn't that big of a mess." Aden said and the four of them laughed as Leo sat down and buckled up.

"Oh shut up, it could have happened to you guys too!"

"Yeah, but it didn't." Theresa said to him, "Oh cheer up Leo, at least you didn't drop something extremely valuable and break it."

"Yeah, I guess your right, and it must have looked pretty funny." Leo imagined what it must have looked like and started to laugh with the rest of them.

Berne, Clavis

1300 hrs.

Aden and the squad got off at Berne and took jeeps provided by the military to the air base, which was a section of the airport they could have walked to but the jeeps made it a lot easier then carrying all there stuff. They didn't get private rooms like they had at Britasa but they didn't have to sleep in the main barracks. Instead they had two separate rooms added on to their hanger, one for the girls the other for the guys, and they had separate beds and not bunk beds.

"So, it will be like the good old days huh, sleep with the guys."

"It sounds so wrong when you say it like that Leo" Zach said as he put his suitcase under his bed.

"If I wake up in the middle of the night because of something stupid you did, Leo, I will kill you." Aden said sarcastically and laughed at the confused look on Leo's face.

"Seriously?" Leo said very quietly and Zach burst out laughing.

"When have you ever known me to threaten a friend?" Aden said once he was done laughing. They continued to "unpack" which was basically put their suitcases under their beds and make the beds. After a couple of minutes there was a knock on the door, "It's open!" The door opened and a young soldier stepped in and saluted them.

"Sir, colonel Johnson would like to see you sir."

"Okay, you can go know." Aden answered and when the soldier closed the door Aden looked at Zack, "You remember what happened last time we served for a Johnson?"

"Wasn't he they idiot who had us attack the wrong base and almost got us court-martialed?"

"Yeah, let's hope this guy is smarter then him."

"Man, I hate it, you two have all these memories and will talk about them while I stand here with a dumb look on my face."

"But your face always look like that." Zach joked and then ducked a pillow Leo threw at him.

"Alright you two, we shouldn't keep the colonel waiting." Aden said as he grabbed a pillow out of Zach's hand. Aden led them out of the room and once into the hanger he saw that soldier standing outside the girls room, "What are you doing?"

"Oh, sir! They said to wait a minute sir."

"Have been standing there for the past few minutes?"

"Yes sir, I…uh…I wasn't sure what to do." Aden sighed and shook his head.

"I'll get them." Aden walked over to the girls door and knocked.

"Just a minute!" This was Theresa.

"You got ten seconds to get out of here or I'm sending you two up in F-16's!" Aden threatened and backed away from the door as it burst open and the two of them came out. "Okay, lets go." Aden turned and saw the soldier standing sat attention, "Oh, at ease kid." He said and patted him on the head as he walked past him.

Once they arrived in the colonel's office and where met by a large group of inpatient pilots.

"What the hell took you so long!"

"Well sir, you see we had to walk here and we are still getting used to the base, also we just flew in about ten minutes ago and you probably didn't want us to bring our luggage in here. You see we were just trying to--"

"Shut up now! I don't give a damn. You ace's are all the same, you are so full of your selves you think you can do whatever you want."

"Ah, spot on sir, that is so true, I'm stuck-up-jack-ass one, but you can call me Aden."

"I don't like you attitude soldier, now you and you men can stand while the rest of us get to sit on these nice comfortable chairs during the briefing."

"Well ain't that just great, at least you two get to sit seeing as how you aren't men."

"Good point Aden." Theresa walked to a chair and was about to sit down when the colonel stood up.

"Don't you dare sit down, I will have you court-martialed!" Theresa stood up straight and the colonel turned to face another man. "This is the base commander Fredrickson, he will be the one briefing us."

"Thank you Johnson. Now today you guys will be leading a counter attack against the Verusan's. You will be providing air support for the ground troops as they retake Blair. When you succeed you will then fly over to Gainsbrow and help the fighters over there. If you are out of missiles after Blair you report back here, is that understood?"

"Uh, sir, I have one question. What if we don't succeed?" This was one of the nuggets.

"Trust me man, we'll succeed." Zach said to him.

"How do you know that, what if they drop one of those bombs on the city, then what?"

"Then we get the hell out of there as fast as we can." Aden said.

"HEY! Pull your selves together, you will fly out there and shot down any son of a bitch that gets in your way is that clear?"

"SIR YES SIR!" All but Aden and them yelled out. They all left the office and the nuggets and veteran pilots ran to their hangers. Aden and the others walked to theirs and once their they changed into their flight suits.

"That colonel was an ass." Sandra said.

"Yeah, let's just hope he isn't flying up there with us." Leo said.

"Hope who isn't flying up with you?" They all recognized that voice and they had only known it for a few minutes.

"Leo's evil twin." Aden joked and Zach sniggered but managed not to laugh.

"Was that supposed to be funny?"

"Apparently not." Aden said as he climbed into his SU-47.

"Well, I will be up there with you and watch every move you make. You may be tuck up on the ground but since you guys are supposed to be the best I'll watch you from up there." The Colonel said as he climbed into a X-02 outside the hanger.

"He means he's going to let us do all the work and keep his ass safe." Aden said over the radio. He rolled his SU-47 out of the hanger and waited at the marker for a runway to take off at. After a minute he got clearance and he shpt off down the runway and was soon joined by his fellow wingman and the colonel. They led the group of jets to Blair…