Rainbow Six Siege: Shattered Skies

Chapter 5

Grim Skies Block the Rainbow

The radio waves were filled with panic chatter as word spread of the friendly fire incident.

"Grim Sky this is Six do you copy?" Six tried.

"Grim Sky this is Six do you copy?" She tried again.

Six lowered her head when she realized she wasn't going to receive an answer.

"God damn it." She muttered to herself.

The soldiers in the command tent bustled around trying to sort what happened. Six had never felt so horrible in her entire life. She was beginning to realize that maybe rushing the artillery teams to readjust back to Grim Sky's location was a mistake.

The five Russian Spetsnaz operatives of Team Rainbow barged into the tent with looks of horror on their faces.

"Are the rumors true?" Shurat blurted out.

Six didn't speak. She stood over her desk staring blankly at the maps and notes spread out everywhere.

"Six?" Shurat tried again.

"What?" She snapped.

"Did we just hit our own operators with our own guns?"

Six took a long pause before answering thinking carefully how she was going to deliver the tragic news. The Russians waited impatiently for an answer.

"Yes. All airstrikes and artillery barrages taking place in that area have been halted." She said coldly.

The Russians operators felt a wave of mixed emotions. They began to mutter to each other in Russian. They cursed the British and Six for not sending them in. They felt the situation could've been avoided.

"Do we have any indication that anyone survived the blast?" Maxim asked.

Six winced at the question.

"No."

Maxim cursed loudly in Russian. Shurat threw his hands in the air in anger. Glaz stood in silence in the back of the tent with his head low.

"Easy Maxim. Relax." Alexandr said placing an arm on Maxim's shoulder.

"Do we have a rescue mission in the works? Please tell me we have some sort of plan to help them?" Maxim asked theatrically.

Six shook her head.

"There is no rescue plan Max! Think about the situation! From the information we gathered while Grim Sky was doing recon, we confirmed that our intel was correct. We were able to confirm that the north western section of the city is most likely where the hive is located. I'm not sending anyone into the heart of a dark zone on a recovery mission. It's a waste of life." Six said with a frustrated tone.

"But how do you know it's a recovery? I mean you're only guessing. We have to at least try and confirm things ourselves. What if someone is still alive down there? They're probably alone, scared, and slowly dying. And we're just sitting here on our asses giving up on them when we could've been saving them." Maxim tried to reason with her.

Six raised her voice now in anger.

"DO YOU NOT USE YOUR HEAD MAXIM? THAT WAS A 155MM HIGH EXPLOSIVE ARTILLERY SHELL LANDING RIGHT ON TOP OF THEM! NOBODY COULD HAVE SURVIVED THAT! NOBODY!"

Maxim walked briskly up to Six so he was inches away from pointing a finger in her face.

"AND YOU'RE JUST GONNA GIVE UP ON THEM? HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON A BATTLEFIELD BEFORE? I'VE WITNESSED MIRACLES IN COMBAT SIX! IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME! WE HAVE TO GIVE THEM CHANCE! THEY'D DO THE SAME FOR US!"

Alexandr tried to pull Maxim away but Maxim shoved him back. Timur continued to stand in the back of the room with his head down not saying a word. He listened carefully to what was unfolding before him.

"Six, send my squad down there. Please. We'll make it quick. I promise." Maxim said almost begging.

"Six, don't forget that one of those operators that was just hit by British artillery fire is a member of the Russian Spetsnaz. If you're not going to send us in to retrieve the body, then it'll be our government that does and there will be repercussions for both of us if it comes to that. You and I both know that leaving someone behind, especially a fellow Spetsnaz operative, is not an option for us. Sitting here delaying the inevitable is only making matters worse." Shurat added.

Six looked at the four Russian operative's dead in the eyes.

"For the last time; no. Your government's threats to me are the least of my worries right now. Now stand down and get back on the perimeter." Six demanded.

Maxim stood before his superior defeated. Two British soldiers walked up to Maxim.

"Sir, please don't make us forcefully remove you." The one soldier said respectfully.

Maxim stood his ground in a staring match with Six.

As fast a lightning, Maxim threw punches at both the guards knocking them out. He drew his PMM pistol aiming it at Six's head.

Shurat reacted to Maxim's actions and joined in taking down two other guards in the room. He pointed his rifle at anybody else who wanted to mess with the Russians. Glaz continued to stand in the back of the tent unenthused by what was happening before him. Alexandr discretely closed the entrance to the tent and drew his SMG aiming it at the British.

The British and Russians stood in an epic standoff. Waiting for someone to make the first move. Six stared down the barrel of Maxim's pistol feeling butterflies in her stomach. Maxim's eyes looked full of pure anger.

"Do you have any idea what you think you're doing?" Six asked.

"To be honest, no. I never thought things would have to come to this."

"Go ahead Maxim. Pull the trigger. Put your money where your mouth is and do it." Six dared.

Maxim pulled back the hammer on his side arm pressing the weapon into Six's temple.

Shurat and Alexandr calmly held their ground moving their weapons back and forth to each guard in the tent.

"No. Six, you're going to listen to me very carefully. The storm is beginning to settle. My team and I are going to board a helicopter. That helicopter is going to fly us to Grim Sky's last known location. We will do an investigation, make sure there are no survivors, and then we're flying back. If the Brits try anything that affects us, stall them. Are we clear?" Maxim demanded.

Maxim heard footsteps walking behind him. He then felt the tap of a gun barrel behind his head.

"Maxim stand down before somebody makes a fatal mistake."

Timur, the voice of reason on team Rainbow stood behind Maxim, the leader of the Russians, with his pistol aimed at the back of Maxim's head.

"God damnit Timur." Shurat whispered as he adjusted his aim, now pointing his rifle at Timur in an attempt to defend Maxim.

Timur stood his ground unphased by Shurat's actions. Shurat cursed Timur's name under his breath in Russian and silently prayed he wouldn't have to shoot his fellow comrade. Alexandr continued to keep the British in check with his SMG.

"Glazkov? What the hell are you doing?" Maxim murmured to Timur in Russian not breaking eye contact with Six.

"One mistake made by either side in this tent could start another World War. That's not happening on my watch." Timur responded in Russian.

Maxim gnashed his teeth in anger.

"World War?! Timur I'm doing this to save our friends! Six is willing to let our friends die out there without us at least trying to save them."

"But it didn't have to come to this. You and I both know damn well they wouldn't want things to come to this for their namesake." Timur said but in English this time.

Six interrupted their conversation.

"Timur. Stand down. I'll yield to Maxim's demands. But understand that because there's no more known friendlies operating near the hive currently, the British government has ordered the air force to level that section of the city in an attempt to destroy the hive, so you won't have much time to play down there. I don't know how much stalling I can do. Also know if you get yourself into any sort of trouble while operating down there, nobody is coming to save you. When you return, don't bother coming back to me. Your team is expelled from Rainbow. No questions asked. I'll let your country handle the charges that will be pressed against all of you." Six said spitefully.

The Russians cautiously lowered their weapons except for the British guards.

"Fair enough. When are the British resuming bombardment?" Maxim asked.

"Tomorrow."

"So, we have a day?"

"That's correct. I'll try and stall the strikes, but I can't guarantee anything."

"Then it appears we're wasting valuable time now." Maxim turned to his teammates. "Get your kit. We have a job to do." He ordered.

The British kept their guns aimed at the Russians as they filed out of the tent.

Once Timur exited the tent, Maxim grabbed Six by the collar of her jacket and pulled her in close to their faces were inches away from each other. The British held their fire.

"You will uphold your part in this. If not, things are gonna get bloody between the two of us. Understand?" Maxim said in a sinister tone.

Six stared at him dead in the eyes not answering.

Maxim shoved Six back and left the tent catching up with the rest of his group.

"Are you okay ma'am?" One of the guards asked once the Russians were gone.

"Yes, I'm fine." Six said breathing a sigh of relief.

"Shall I inform the crown of Russia's mutiny against us?"

Six turned to her desk looking at the coordinates of Grim Sky's last known location.

"No. I'll inform them myself."

"Yes ma'am."

The Russians filed out of the tent leaving Six and the British alone. Once they were out of sight, Timur, who was finally a little more comfortable voicing his opinion from the reduction in crowd size, trudged over the muddy terrain and got in Maxim's face.

"Maxim, what just happened back there?" He hissed.

"That was me improvising. What the hell were you doing getting in my way like that?" He said continuing to walk to their tent.

"Improvising?! You call holding Six at gun point improvising? You almost started World War III in there!" Timur hissed.

"What was I supposed to do? Huh? Enlighten me please. I'm listening." Maxim demanded.

Timur fell silent. He hated being put on the spot.

"We got what we wanted didn't we?" Maxim said trying to reason with him.

The Russians reached their tent but paused outside of the entrance.

"Maxim, your anger blinds you. You may have gotten what you wanted but I don't think you understand how much trouble we are truly in."

Maxim shook his head in frustration.
"Listen Timur, I don't have time to argue about this. If you don't want to go, then stay here. Now if you excuse me, I have friends to rescue."

"And remember before you go defending those assholes that those were British artillery guns that hit Finka, a fellow Russian. And now the Brits are treating her like cannon fodder to cover up their mistake? If that's the case, then a few dead Brits don't mean shit to me. You're lucky I didn't pull the trigger back in that tent." Shurat said fiercely.

And with that final statement, Maxim pushed Timur out of the way. Timur tripped and fell into the mud. Shurat and Alexandr stepped over Timur following Maxim into the tent. Timur sat in the mud contemplating his thoughts.

"Maxim has no patience and neither does Shurat. Alexandr was somewhat level headed. But now because of them we're stuck in a quagmire. We're so screwed."

Timur looked toward the Spetsnaz tent before him. He took a deep breath of fresh air.

"But Rainbow doesn't leave people behind. Grim Sky needs us. Maybe, by some stroke of luck, somebody is still alive. Everybody deserves the chance to live, no matter what the cost may be in saving them."

Timur struggled to his feet and walked into the tent. The four Russian operators prepared their kits in silence. The tension between the operators electrified the air.

Once their kit was ready to go, the Russians looked at maps of the region before launch and made an impromptu game plan. The helicopter would drop the team a half mile away from Grim Sky's last reported position. Maxim, Alexandr, and Shurat would proceed by foot down the streets toward the bombing site while Timur provided overwatch from the rooftops. Once their investigation was complete, they would fall back to where the helicopter had dropped them off and vacate the area. Hopefully with survivors.

The four men walked through the light drizzle of rain in their hazmat suits toward a helicopter waiting for them. The pilots sat in the front of the helicopter waiting. Maxim approached the pilot's seat.

"Marius. How are you?"

Marius opened the door to the chopper and shook hands with the Russian.

"Maxim! I am good! Is your team all set?" Marius asked.

"Yes, we're all set."

"Good."

Maxim noticed Marius's copilot, he looked young and scared as hell.

"And who is this Marius?" Maxim asked motioning toward the copilot.

"Oh, how rude of me, this is my copilot Lt. Edwards. He's a pilot of the Royal Airforce."

"Hello." The lieutenant said with a discrete wave.

Maxim gave Marius a worried look.

"He's new. It's all the British could spare at the moment." Marius whispered with a shrug.

"Don't crash again please." Maxim said patting Marius's shoulder and walking to the back of the aircraft.

"You guys just won't let that go." Marius grumbled to himself as he began to start up the helicopter.

The blades began to pick up speed slicing through the moist air. Soon the Russians were in the air looking out the doors toward the city of London, the rain lightly tapping the aircrafts fuselage. Nobody in the helicopter spoke a word to each other. Tension between everyone was still high. It was now dusk. The lights of the city shined brightly through the fog as it did for Grim Sky when they had deployed. Marius flew the chopper just above the buildings to avoid the turbulent air above. Fires raged within the buildings and in the streets below as the British army battled block for block, intersection by intersection with the parasite trying to keep it contained.

As Marius piloted his vessel, he thought about the mission and his friends. He was worried about what the Russians were going to find at the bombing site.

"Marius." A voice said from behind him.

Marius glanced behind him to see his old friend Dominic sitting in the jump seat. He couldn't help but smile seeing his old friend again.

"Dominic! What brings you out here?"

Dominic remained silent watching his friend pilot the helicopter. Within minutes they were approaching their landing zone.

"One minute till touchdown. Get ready." Marius said over comms.

The Russians checked their magazines, hazmat suits, and kit. Maxim and Timur met eyes for a second before turning their attention elsewhere. Shurat let his feet hang freely out of the open side door of the chopper. Alexandr sat in his seat tapping his foot as Finka usually did before an op. It was habit he had picked up after being together with her for so long and she was all he could think about since she went M.I.A.

Marius put the helicopter into a slow decent toward the illuminated city streets kicking up dust and debris. The section of the city they were landing in was beginning to turn to a pile of rubble from the amount artillery and air strikes that had been relentlessly pounding the area to keep Grim Sky operational.

Now, after the friendly fire incident, the artillery guns and planes were silent.

Marius put the helicopter into a slow hover just above the ground allowing the Russians to jump out. Once their boots touched the ground, they began to secure the landing site. Marius watched from the safety of the chopper keeping a look out for roaches. It appeared they were alone.

Maxim turned to Marius and gave him thumbs up that it was okay for him to leave.

"Marius what are you doing?" Dominic asked with a serious tone.

"Flying this helicopter." He stated.

"Your ass should be on the ground with the Russians not sitting cushy in here."

"But somebody has to fly this thing." Marius argued.
"Marius…"

Marius turned to look at his friend. Dominic was in the kit he usual wore for operations.

"Get down there. Save your friends like they did for you back in New Mexico." He said intently.

Marius thought about the Dominic's orders. Flying the helicopter was his job. But also, Ash, Finka, and Lion went out of their way and risked their lives to save his. Now it was his turn to return the favor.

Marius caved into this dead friend's reasoning.

"Okay."

He let the chopper's landing gear touch the ground. His copilot looked at him confused as watched Marius swiftly unbuckle his seatbelt. He reached behind his seat grabbing his kit.

"What are you doing?" Lt. Edwards asked nervously.

Marius grabbed the lieutenant by the shoulders and lifted the blacked-out visor on his own helmet, so Lt. Edwards could see his eyes.

"Lieutenant, this is your ship now. Fly a perimeter around our position. Gauges look good. Weather should hold up for you. Stay in touch." He said and gave him a slap on the back.

"Wait what…"

Marius lowered his helmet visor and jumped out of the helicopter before his copilot could ask any more questions. Rotor wash drenched his green hoodie and jeans in mist as he exited. Marius began to sprint down the street toward the Russians who had already covered some distance from their landing zone. He turned around one last time toward his copilot who still had the chopper on the ground looking dumbfounded.

"You forget how to fly?! Go! Get out of here!" Marius shoed.

"Jesus why am I taking advice from a dead guy. Either I'm going to die here or Six is going to kill me when I get back for pulling a stunt like this." He thought to himself as he waved off his copilot.

The copilot snapped out of his trance and lifted the helicopter into the air. He flew away leaving Marius alone in the street. The city streets were quiet enough to hear a pin drop giving the air an eerie vibe. Once the helicopter was out of sight Marius turned and continued running after the Russians who were now a ways down the street. As he ran, he heard footsteps behind him. He glanced to see his friend Dominic running right behind him. Dominic winked at him. Marius smiled beneath his balaclava. It felt like old times.

Jager, being one of the fastest operators in Rainbow quickly caught up to the Russians. Kapkan halted his squad and turned around surprised to see Jager.

"Jager? What are you doing?" Kapkan hissed.

"Helping you." Jager said bending over to catch his breath.

"Who's flying the chopper?"

"My copilot."

"Jesus Christ…" Kapkan said facepalming.

"Hey, the kid will do fine. You guys need me down here more then you need me up there." Jager said pointing toward the sky.

Kapkan looked down at his boots shaking his head.

"Well, looks like I have no choice then. Fall in line. We have our own people to save." He commanded.

"Lets just hope there's someone left to save." Tachanka said with a depressing tone.

Jager fell in line with the other three Russian Spetsnaz operatives. He couldn't see the operators faces beneath their masks and helmets, but he knew each of them were dealing with their own mix of emotions. Jager looked to his side to see Bandit walking alongside him. It wasn't like him to be so quiet. He could tell something was bothering him.

"You good?" Jager whispered to Bandit.

"Something is wrong. I feel a disturbance." He said sternly.

"A disturbance? What do you mean?"

"It's the other operators. Somethings wrong with them."

"Which operators?"

Bandit turned his head meeting Jager's eyes.

"The dead ones… somethings wrong with them."

Jager took a nervous gulp. He tightened his grip around his 416 as he turned his attention back to the road ahead with the light rain beating at his masked face. He could feel something too. A coldness from within.

Author's Note:

I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. This one is very personal to me. It's metaphor of a situation I experienced at work this year. Sorry it took so long to publish.