Sleep; It is one of the most basic things we do as humans. There is no lesson or class on it, and it will always remain that way till the end. Some of us can't get enough of it, and some have too much of it. I should know too; I used to be one of those people in the past until recently. Before that happened; I was plagued with nightmares, and I tried to play it off every day. Sometimes it was easy and the others I could be read like a book; I even went to alcohol to solve my problems and to cope with the PTSD. That only drove me down to the entropy of my sanity withering away and started to ignore my friends in the process. Now I have someone helping me recover from my downward spiral and bring me back to my feet.
That person is named Veronica Roberts, and she was currently sleeping on my chest. It all started after I joined the wrecking crew and KOS introduced me to her, and at first, she was annoying. Hell, she thought I was some asshole that the Renegades saw on the street, and they swept me up to mold me into one of their soldiers. Then we started to talk more, and we soon connected and spoke to each other whenever we were not busy. Then KOS told me she had a crush on me; at first, I ignored him and realized he was right. She would come up to me randomly and speak to me whenever I was bored, or she saw something wrong with me. She would always tell me to be careful on the missions we go on and will tell me how it would not be the same without me. Soon, those feelings came true, and we couldn't be happier.
" Attention Renegades. Any members going to the recon mission, please report to HQ and wait for further instructions. " Thief said over the loud speaker. I slowly opened my eyes to see her still asleep and was unfazed by the loudspeaker going off. Truthfully I didn't want to get up and leave her, but I have a mission to attend to. I managed to roll her off without waking her and started to get dressed. Since it was going to be a long night; I might as well wear something comfortable. I went to my dresser and opened the third drawer, and I pulled out my signature leather jacket. After putting on the coat; I couldn't help but notice a small hole on the right shoulder. It was a reminder of the bullet wound I have received from the convoy raid. This time I have to be careful.
After being dressed for the occasion; I went to my bed and grabbed the case that contained my weaponry. I pulled out a long black case and opened it to reveal my two rifles. I thought about the situation and decided to grab my M4 carbine just in case if anything goes south. I cycled through the action a couple of times and checked to see the barrel was cleared of any obstructions. After seeing everything was squared away and decided to equip a suppressor on the end of the barrel just in case. I took four mags and closed the case and tuck it back underneath my bed. I stood up and went to grabbed two things before I headed out to HQ to start the mission. One was a simple metal cross, and the other was the copper disc with an encouraging message inscribed on it. I put them on my neck and went to Veronica and gave her a kiss goodbye.
I exited my accommodations to see the colorful hues of red, yellow, orange litter the sky as a sign that night was approaching soon, and it will not be long. I made my way towards the HQ tent, and I couldn't help but wonder what Psycho said two weeks ago. He still has a point of this mission could be a trap to kill off any rebels, and the hard drive could be a bust. I still believe that the hard drive could still hold anything tangible and of value. For now, we are just scouting for anything that could be a possible threat and look for any entrances into the base. I snapped out of my train of thought to see the transport vehicle being loaded up with various equipment and tools for the mission. Upon further examination, you could see Price sitting on the hood of the truck and Devil packing the gear while Nails and Shadow discussing the possible positions. I went up to them to see what the plan was and they saw me coming, and Nails began to say something.
" Hello, lover boy. How did you sleep? " Nails teased.
" Please don't call me that Lee. To answer your question; I slept good, and I feel completely rejuvenated. " I said.
" What is the matter? I thought you liked being called that since you and Cardinal closed the gap. Unless you feel embarrassed. " Nails laughed out.
" Whatever you say Honey Bunches of Cuddle Muffins. " I retorted, and she stopped. In the background, you could hear Price laughing hard from the embarrassing pet name that I just called his girlfriend.
" What did you just call me, punk? " she spat, and I couldn't help but chuckle.
" You know what I said, and we will leave at that for now. " I stated. I stood there with a blank expression, but Nails was furious for a bit then she couldn't hold back her laughter. She started to burst out laughing, and she put her hand on my shoulder and began to catch her breath.
" You got me now Falcon, but mark my words. I would get you back, and I swear I will humiliate you in front of your girlfriend. " she warned and went back to laughing.
" I like to see what you got curly and try not to hold back. " I said.
" Be careful what you wish for Falcon. My girl will tease you and Cardinal till the end of time. Trust me, I should know from experience. " Price warned me, and he proceeded to jump off the truck to talk to us.
" Come on shorty, I was not that bad. " she teased her boyfriend.
" First off; you were that bad, and I'm taller than you. " Price said in an exasperated tone. Before Nails can let out a single word; Shadow towards us and was holding the map of the location we were heading to.
" Alright, that is enough of this nonsense. We need to get in the truck and head out to our destination. " Shadow commanded, and we all complied with his orders. I jumped on the tailgate of the vehicle with and took my seat next to Devil. Shadow and Nails soon joined us and took their seats across from us. Soon the engine came to life with a thunderous roar erupting from the tail pipe. Price soon changed the gear to drive, and behemoth started to move slowly through the camp. The rest of the Renegades gave us cheers and wished us good luck on the mission before we left the camp. I looked at them with a small smile on my face and waved them off before we left. Tonight was going to be one night that I will not rest, and Lord help us survive these next couples hours without being spotted.
Three hours later.
The night sky was a clear sight of the star and the ever present moon shining its illustrious glow on us. Thousands of fireflies were shining through the dark as we passed through the rough, uneven terrain of the dirt road we took. Every bump could be felt as we gone through the earth and it was uncomfortable, to say the least. I look around to see Nails and Devil trying to sleep through the ride, but that proved to be a challenge to both of them as we moved. Shadow was currently looking at the map with a small flashlight to see what possible position to scout. I looked up front to see the head lights were slightly dimmed so Price can see and so the UWPF won't be able to see us if they pass us. So far we had no encounters with them, and hopefully, we don't have to tonight.
" Everyone wake up! We are about to reach our destination. Estimated time will be one or two minutes so check your gear and get ready to get off. " Price shouted from the rear window and instantly grabbed everyone's attention. Nails and Devil jolted awake after Price screamed and did as he told them. They checked their gear one last time before we depart from the truck and head to the base by foot. I did the same and cycled through the rifle one last time and equip the suppressor on the end of the barrel. After I was satisfied with the action; I placed a fresh mag into the receiver and pulled back on the receiver. I grabbed my bag which contains the drone and slung it over my shoulder.
The truck eventually stopped and jumped from the sides of the vehicle. I brought my rifle to my shoulder and kept the area secured if anyone or anything was a threat to us. Price got out from the driver seat and did the same thing and took our positions as the team started to unload our gear. Over the mass of trees, you could see the UWPF base in the distance. The lights being emitted from the base will pose a problem for us if we want to get a closer look. We just need to watch along our way to stay hidden from the UWPF. Shadow let out a whistle to notify us that the equipment was unloaded and it was time to advance to the area which we will be staying till dawn approaches. Price and I went to them and grabbed any gear that hadn't taken, and we continued into the darkened forest.
" Okay, listen up. When we get to the base; don't say anything until we get to the area. From there we will assign shifts to one another. Any questions before we move on? " Shadow asked us.
" None at all. " Devil said, and the rest of us just nodded for confirmation.
" Alright, just watch your step as we move through the forest. If there are any guards outside the wall; do not engage unless your life depended on it. Without further interruption; Let's move out. " Shadow commanded. We walked a steady pace through the forest while watching our step. The only source of illumination is from the moon, and the thousands of fireflies are emitting a little glow. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough due to the trees blocking the rays of the moon. The dark surroundings made everything hard to see in any direction; it was like being inside a cave with no source of light at all. Hell, I couldn't see five feet in front of me, and the only thing I need to rely on is my hearing to determine what is around. It was only a matter of time till we reach the base up ahead.
We continued walking through the forest in the dark for about five minutes. The base was not too far away as it was previously when we started. Unfortunately we still a good way to go and we have to navigate through the dark even further. We took each step with caution until we heard the sound of rushing water in the distance. Shadow decided to guide us towards the stream to help mask the sound as we got closer to the base. When we got closer to the creek; the volume of the water passing through got louder, and the area had a clearing. Our visibility was no longer an issue and could see little clearer due to the moon. We kept walking; now in a faster pace since the creek will suppress the noise as we walked. In the distance, we could see the lights inside the base, and we began to advance to our location.
About fifteen minutes of jogging along the creek; we could see the light from the wall started to illuminate the forest. We slowed our pace and crouched down to avoid being spotted by the patrolling guards by the wall. For my three years of being part of the Renegades; I have never seen this base up close before. The reinforced concrete walls were at least fifteen feet high with razor wire on the top of it. Ther were six guard towers with four on each corner and two by the front gate of the base. If we wanted to perform a frontal assault on the base; it would be a massacre on our side. We kept moving towards our destination by crawling through the foliage under cover of darkness. As we were crawling, we heard chatter coming towards our direction. We stopped and laid there motionless as the group of men passed. When they moved, we kept on pursuing to the area until one of us snapped a twig. We froze.
" What was that? " the soldier asked as he pointed his rifle towards our direction.
" No clue. Let's go ahead and investigate the area. " the second replied and pointed his gun. From that moment on; I thought we were screwed and this would be it. They approached us slowly, and we tried to remain silent. With no other options at my disposal, I pulled my M1911 and prepared for the soldiers to come our way. My heart rate increased, and my breathing became rapid as they drew closer. This mission was about to turn south if we get caught. I put my finger over the trigger and disengaged the safety and rolled over quietly and aimed. They were only ten feet away, and I had a clear shot if I get spotted.
" It was probably a deer looking for food, and we most likely scared it off. " the second on said and let down his rifle.
" I can't argue with that. The amount of deer around here is insane. The Major should let us do some hunting down here if we are going to be here for another three months. " the first one replies and they head back to the wall and continue to patrol. We let off a collective sigh of relief. I re-engaged the safety and put my M1911 back into its holster. I flipped back onto my stomach and continued to crawl with the others. That was too close for comfort. Hopefully, we don't have another encounter with UWPF for the rest of the night. We eventually made it to our destination, which was a cliffside with a clear view of the base and out of site from any soldiers. We took off any equipment that we were carrying earlier and started to unpack. While we were doing this; Shadow came up and cleared his throat.
" Alright, since we are going to be here till dawn; let's go ahead and start by scouting the surrounding area and look for any possible entrances. In the meantime watch for any threats that could give our position away. " Shadow gave the order, and we set to work by unpacking the binoculars and the drone. I grabbed the drone and started to unfold the blades and turned it on. The drone came to life, and I hit the throttle a little to check to see the motors were running fine. Also, to my surprise; the drone was remarkably quiet, and everything was operating rather smoothly. While it was five feet off the ground; I turned on the camera and looked at the bottom display to see a sharp picture of myself and I gave off a small wave. Shadow and Price came up to me to see the drone first hand they impressed that Gizmo has created such a piece of tech that worked.
" Man for a hermit; Gizmo can create some interesting gadgets. " Price said.
" Indeed, his skills in tech are unparallel and can probably surpass me. " Shadow added.
" You got that right. Now let's see what we can find with this drone. " I said while messing with the drone.
" You do that. The others will spread out to find any vantage points along the walls. " Shadow said.
" Alright then, just be careful. The last thing we need is a fight on our hand anyways. " I warned them of the possibility, and they nodded. I was up here by myself using the drone to locate any possible threats that will jeopardize the future raid in a few days after we are done with this recon mission. So, I flew the drone to a proper elevation and zoomed down the base. The base itself was heavily fortified and took up ten acres of land. The first problem I noticed was the lights were going to be an issue when entered. The second dilemma was that the UWPF patrol covered almost every single square inch of the interior and combined with the lights; that will make it difficult in the first place. I kept flying the drone to find anything that could help us enter the base without being caught, and so far my attempts are fruitless at best.
After five minutes of flying this drone; I was unable to find anything towards the front and the rear of the base. The only thing I can see is the UWPF, and the light armor spread out throughout the base. They covered every nook and cranny along the walls. I hope the others found a way inside the base from the outside because this is becoming pointless. I kept scowling the fortress below me for the fourth time to see if I missed anything prior. So, I again flew the drone along the wall; this time at a slower pace. I still the result from earlier and I was about to give up until I noticed a glint coming outside the wall. I zoomed into the running water coming from a pipe that was attached underneath the wall. Upon closer examination, it was a discharge tube of some sort and alongside it was a hole that leads into the base. Apparently, the discharge pipe caused the earth around it to erode. Since this fortress was built in a rush; they didn't correctly set the foundation to the base, and the water is caused it to erode.
I flew the drone over the wall to see the hole was being covered up by asphalt and it was sinking in. The bright side of this entrance is that the UWPF barley patrol around this area. Now I just have to alert the others about the discovery I have found. So, I pressed the button on my earpiece and let them know immediately.
" Everyone if you can hear me I have found a possible entrance into the base by the east side of the base. From what I can tell there is a drain pipe right next to it and caused the soil around it to erode to make a hole. The good thing is that the area has the least activity in the base. " I finished my announcement. Not a minute later someone on the other end replied.
" Thanks for the heads up. I will head towards the area and investigate area further. " Devil replied on his headset.
" Price and I will head over there to meet with Devil. Nails, are coming along as well? " Shadow asked over his earpiece.
" Yea, I will be over there just trying not to get caught by any of those scumbags at the moment. " Nails chimed in.
" Alright, I will meet you guys down there after I bring in the drone. " I replied. I took control of the drone and brought it towards me. Once it landed on my hand; I folded up each arm and placed it in my bag. I slung the bag over my shoulder and quietly made my down the slope. The uneven terrain and the dense foliage were difficult, to say the least as I made my descent down the hill. Every step proved to be hazardous when descending; just one miss step could spell critical injury in that case alone. Eventually, I made it to the bottom of the hill, and I let out a sigh of relief and continued my way to the east wall to meet with the others. When I was walking towards the east side, I could hear some soldiers coming my way, and without sparing a thought, I went prone and laid there.
" You know, sometimes I think this job is a death wish if you ask me. " the first one said.
The second soldier looked puzzled at his partner's statement. " What do you mean? " he asked.
" I just think this war with the rebels across the world is pointless and I can't blame them for what they are doing. They probably fighting back because they lost something or someone that the UWPF has taken away from them. " the first one replied.
" Well, I can't necessary blame you for your thoughts on this current situation with them. The problem is they killed many soldiers in the past. Just two weeks ago they ambushed our supply convoy and killed everyone, plus they took our supplies. I don't care what their intentions are; I will kill any of them if they took a life of my fellow soldiers. " The second stated.
" Yeah, I guess you are right. Let's hurry up and go inside for a snack; I'm starving right now. " the first one mentioned and patted his stomach.
" Alright, let's get some chow, but we can't be in there for too long, or the major will have our skins. " the second one finished, and both walked off to the entrance. I looked up to see if the coast was clear and made my way towards the east wall. When I was walking; I couldn't help remember the conversation with the guards had earlier. When he said, the war was worthless and costing innocent lives in the process. I couldn't help but sympathize with the enemy when it came down to it. We are all fighting for a reason; mine was the death of my family after we tried to rebel. Some of us were fighting for a better future for family and the people around us. Others want to do it for the senseless killing of the enemy. Then you have people like Stiher who wants nothing but power over the people he ruled. If we continued to let him rule over the planet; our government will be a totalitarian despotic state which we have no say or power. Hopefully, that will never happen.
I reached the east wall to see Devil and Price standing on the side while Shadow and Nails observed the hole in the soil. I approached them and gave a whistle to let them know I was here and responded with theirs. I came out of the dense vegetation and made my way to them. Shadow came up to me with a smile of gratitude and placed his arm on my shoulder. I can tell this discovery was what they are looking for, to begin with.
" Great work on finding us a hidden entrance we can use for the raid. This should prove useful. " Shadow thanked me.
" Not a problem. Finding an entrance was next to nothing until I found the drain pipe. I thought it was a way in but it could lead somewhere we don't want to. When I zoomed on it, the ground was eroded. So, I thought I should report to you all and meet up to investigate it. " I stated.
" Well, good thing you did. Because we have another problem to solve. " Price gained our attention and went to see the problem.
" What is the problem, Price? " Nails called out. Price crawled out of the hole and dusted himself off.
" Well, the asphalt is blocking our way inside the base and without a means of destroying it without making any noise. " he replied.
" This going to be an issue indeed. The only way to open it is to use any tools, but for what price said is a factor we need to account for. " Devil added in.
" How weak is the asphalt? " I asked, and everyone looked at me to hear my suggestion.
" What do mean Falcon? " Price asked with a quizzical expression.
" When I flew the drone to see the other side; the asphalt was sinking in and starting to crack. It is possible to remove the asphalt without making too much noise that will attract any UWPF. " I answered his question.
" Give me a bit and check. " Price said and went inside the hole and began to chip away at the asphalt. He soon came out with a sizable chunk in his hands. " Alright, that will not be a problem for the entrance. " he finished and dropped the piece.
" Alright, since we found our opening let's continue to scout the base and study the troops moment throughout the base. Price and Nails split up and cover more ground. Devil, go back with Falcon and use the drone to spot any problems that we may face in the future. " Shadow commanded, and we went back to our positions. As Devil and I went back towards the cliff; we came across another patrol, and we could tell it was the one we have encountered from earlier of the night. We did the same procedure and waited for them to pass. These guys are driving my patience for once, and I wish I could take them out, but that will be a clear indicator that we were here and probably double the security. They finally passed us, and we made our way up to the top of the cliff and made our way to the edge and began to scout the area for the up tenth time. This was going to be a long agonizing night of recon.
Nine Hours later.
If there is one thing I hate about recon mission is that the lack of sleep you endure throughout the night. My eyelids were heavy, and it was hard enough to keep them open. I looked towards the evening sky lightening up with the presence of the sun coming over the horizon. Seeing this, I looked at my watch to see it was 0606 hrs in the morning. I gave a smile at this; the mission is finally over, and we could leave this hell, but we don't have much time to move. Since Devil and I were the final shift for the night and the others were asleep for the time being. I got up from my position and went towards the opposite side of the cliff to get Devil and tell everyone it was time to go. When I got to him, he was fully prone on the grass looking at the base and taking any mental notes of any troop positions. I went up to him and tapped on his shoulder, and he gave me a sleepy expression. I could tell he was ready to leave and go to bed on the truck.
" Get up; it is time to move. I'll wake the others, and they will help you pack up. Sounds right to you? " I asked him and offered my hand. He gladly accepted the gesture, and I pulled him to his feet.
" Good enough for me. Let's get this over with so I can sleep. " he agreed and went to pack up our equipment. I went towards the sleeping group to wake them up from their dreams so we can leave. Shadow, Price, and Nails were sleeping close together by a tree and using the bags we used for our equipment for an improvised pillow to rest on. I went up to them and crouched down to them and shaking to wake them up. They started to stir and began to open their eyes to see who woke them up from their blissful sleep. They looked and saw me, and they all gave me groggy expressions.
" What the fuck is wrong with you Falcon? Can you tell I was sleeping? " Nails said with a hint of anger.
" Well, I'm sorry, but we need to leave soon. Now all you get off your asses and pack up. We don't have much time. " I told them, and they began to stand on their feet, and they stretched. They went over to Devil and helped him pack up the remaining equipment we had out when we started earlier. I decided to help them out and pack anything that wasn't already. I went to my bag that contained the drone to see if anything was missing so Gizmo doesn't send KOS after me. I breathed a sigh of relief when everything is in the bag and not elsewhere. I zipped the bag up and went to the others to see if they need any assistance with the packing. Much to my surprise they finished and had everything ready to go. So, we made our way down the hill quietly and made down to the base. Since the morning sun was approaching; we had to rush through the vegetation, so we don't have an incident with the UWPF and any reinforcements in the area. So, we went fully prone and made our way down the path we took last night.
After about twenty minutes of crawling; we made it down to the stream we found last night. The water glistened with the early morning rays reflecting upon speeding water as we walked alongside the water. Truthfully, it was peaceful after a long night of watching thi=ose scumbags all night with barely any sleep. Then we made our way through the forest we went through last night. Even with the sun shining its rays upon the earth; the forest floor was still dark, and you could hardly see anything until later. Hell, I would rather walk through this than watch the UWPF for nine hours any day of the week. Still, the forest was oddly calming when the morning rays started to shine through the thick foliage above. The birds were singing their morning songs, and the woodland critters were out looking for their next meal. For once after a mission, everything was peaceful.
We finally got to our truck to see it was still in one piece. Price went up to the vehicle and entered it turned the key to bring the engine to life with a thunderous roar. His face showed that he was satisfied with the truck started up without a single hitch and that the mission was over and we can finally go home. We loaded our equipment and jumped onto the back and took our seats from there. I sat towards the back bench and laid on it so I can get some shut eye on the journey home. Soon I felt the truck lurch forward and began to speed off on the dirt trail ahead. I got up from my position and took off my jacket and placed it on the end of the bench. It acted as a buffer for my head while we sped through the rough terrain. I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep while moving down the road.
Three hours later.
" Rise and shine everyone! We are back at Homebase. " Price shouted from the window, and I arose from the bench. I looked to see everyone and including the medical team approaching the truck to hear the news. When the vehicle came to a full stop, I jumped off the side and started to unload the gear. While doing this, I felt something or someone come up from behind me and gripped me tightly. I looked down to see Cardinal hugging me, and she was happy to see me alive and well. I turned around and did the same for her. We were like this for a couple of seconds until I saw KOS, Psycho, and Gizmo with the prisoner in tow. I gave Cardinal a kiss and went to the group to see what is up with the inmate.
" Falcon, I'm happy to see you alive. Did you bring back my drone and is it in one piece? " Gizmo asked.
" Yes, the drone is in one piece. Now can you guys explain why the prisoner is with you? " I asked, and Psycho went up to me.
" He said that he wants to join the Renegades and fight against the UWPF and the NWO. He is willing to help decrypt anything that needs to be, and he will be working with Gizmo. " Psycho answered my question, and I went to the prisoner. I extended my hand and flinched for a second, and he gladly accepted it.
" They will notify Shadow of your request and let me be the first to welcome you to the Renegades. Now, what is your name? " I asked him.
" My name is Cody White and thank you for this opportunity. " Cody replied.
" The pleasure is mine, and we will like to thank you for considering joining the Renegades. " I said to him and his beamed with joy. " Now if you excuse me. I need some sleep after scouting all night. I will probably see guys later at noon. " I finished and went to my tent to finally to get some much-needed rest. I walked sluggishly to my tent and took me five minutes to get to it. It was probably longest five minutes of my life. None the less I entered my accommodations and sat on my cot. I took off my boots, and my jacket then placed my guns on top of the drawer after I unloaded them. I laid on the bed and took a deep breath and closed my eyes to get some decent rest finally. Everything went to black, and I started to dream.
AN: Sorry this took longer than usual, but work has been a hassle, and I barely had any free time. I will try to complete the next chapter soon.
