Author's Note: I had been debating about cutting this chapter into two pieces, but decided that I would rather keep it as one piece. I would just put a scene break into it to cover the lapse in time between take off and arrival. And so this chapter ends roughly about the first third of my planned story thus far, so it's kind of a happy occasion for me. Next chapter we're switching back to Hawk and Flagg for the aftermath, so look out for it sometime in the next week.
Chapter Nine:
Location: En Route to Springfield
Snake glanced out the window, watching silently as the three of them left the cabin behind. It had been some time since he and Stalker shared a mission together, though last time they served together it had landed his commanding officer in prison. He'd lost contact with the other men from their unit, particularly Wade Collins a very close friend of Stalkers. The other missing man, his own friend Tommy remained in Japan. After Stalker's arrest, he had told both men to escape while they could and try to track down a lead on who really killed Eugene DeCobray. For some time both men had followed every trail they could in the Middle East but could find nothing. That was when they left for Japan.
Tommy had been anxious to return to his training, particularly to study under his uncle on a more one to one basis. Snake followed along because there was nowhere else for him to go. His family was killed in a car accident while he was at war, the only other person he would have ever called friend was locked up by the very government they served and he had never had luck with women. Not even with Tommy's cousin, Kimi. Snake had trained with Tommy and the Hard Master for several years prior to their involvement in the War on Terror, and intended to continue it after. That training had been the only thing that kept him from a complete breakdown when he learned of the death of his family.
He heard Stalker and Scarlett talking in the front seat, though he tuned them out mostly. They were sharing some of their past experiences in the Army, and from what he did pick up on Scarlett hadn't seen much front line action from behind her desk at the Pentagon. Perhaps this mission would teach her a couple things about being a soldier, perhaps not. He did notice that she exhibited a certain admiration for Stalker, the man's experience and leadership. He also noticed that she seemed to pay him a lot of attention too, though he never said a word to her; nor did he have anything that he wanted to say.
"How long have you and Snake known each other?" Scarlett asked, her southern tone tickled Snake's ears slightly. It was a sound he hadn't heard in quite some time.
"Nearly as long as I've been in the Army. After my first couple of years in the service, I wound up being promoted and transferred to a new unit. It was a rag tag group more like the Dirty Dozen than a group of stereotypical soldiers. Each man was very unique in his views and actions, particularly Snake and his friend Thomas Arashikage, and one other man in our team named Wade Collins." Stalker took a glance back at Snake.
"Wade was our communications expert and information gatherer, he could also do a decent bit of undercover work when needed. He had this way of mimicking people, kinda odd but I supposed it helped in the intelligence field. However, he paled in comparison to Tommy didn't he Snake?"
The silent passenger simply nodded in agreement.
"Who is Tommy?"
"He was a friend of Snake's before we got caught up in the war. The two of them would make trips to Japan where they'd train in martial arts under Tommy's uncle, the Hard Master. He was a bit of a wise cracker, but definitely a good man to have at your back in the thick of a firefight. More than once he saved both our lives and the lives of the rest of our unit. Like Snake he mostly kept to himself though."
"Where is he now?"
"Presumably still in Japan. When Snake returned to the States, he told me Tommy wasn't ready to come back yet. He was having some trouble dealing with the dishonorable way I'd been thrown under the bus. Something else about Tommy; you get him worked up enough he's likely to come after you with whatever weapon is at hand. We were all afraid he'd take some matters into his own hands, so he decided to remove himself from the equation for now."
Scarlett turned in her seat to stare back at Snake, a puzzled look on her face. "Why haven't you said anything? I can understand some silence meeting new people, but it's as though you can't speak at all."
"That's because he hasn't uttered a word in at least two years." Stalker supplied. "Hasn't said a word since his family died while we were stuck in the Middle East the first time."
"What happened?"
"I don't know exactly, other than the fact that there was a car accident. A drunk driver swerved in the road, losing control and crashed into the car carrying his parents and teenaged sister. They say their deaths were instantaneous, but I have my doubts." Stalker said. "But now's not the time for that, we've reached the airfield."
Stalker pulled the vehicle off to the side and shut it down. Snake got out, taking his bag with him and Scarlett followed after. The Sergeant pulled open the gate reading Authorized Personnel Only. Sitting outside one of the hangars was a UH60 Blackhawk helicopter ready for takeoff, rotors still spinning. The pilot jumped down from the cockpit and shielded his eyes from the turbulent air while waving them forward.
In between gusts of air Stalker caught a glimpse of the man's face and recognized him instantly. It was Brad Armbuster, the combat pilot who provided Snake, Tommy and himself an escape back in the Middle East. Stalker grinned and rushed to shake the man's hand.
"Armbuster? Is it really you?"
"Long time no see Stalker, glad to see you up and mobile again. Though, it's not Armbuster anymore. On this operation, Flagg says start calling me Ace." he shrugged. "Does the General think I've got a superiority complex or something? The only thing I ace is people's money out of their wallets in a poker game."
"Damn it's good to see you."
"That might be so Stalker, but we gotta move. I've got enough fuel to get you half way to Springfield before I have to get more. Let's try and get there quickly as possible, I don't want you losing the cover of darkness to get in unnoticed." Ace pulled the side door open for Stalker and company to climb inside before climbing back in behind the controls. "Please keep your arms and legs inside the chopper at all times, and definitely do not open the doors unless your pilot asks you to."
Stalker leaned back in his seat, watching as Ace continued piloting the Blackhawk. Two hours ago they had refueled, during which time Scarlet fell asleep, leaning up against Snake's shoulder. She seemed like a good kid, he just hoped that his record for mission SNAFUs didn't affect this one. He glanced out the window as the sun finally vanished beyond the horizon providing the much needed darkness. Ace informed him via headset that the drop off zone was only twenty minutes ahead of them, he glanced over at Snake who gently stroked Scarlett's hair while she slept. Stalker remembered that Snake's sister had red hair once...
"Wait a second," Ace said.
"What is it?" Stalker asked, leaning forward to stare out of the cockpit.
"The lights. There aren't any. A big city like Springfield should be lit up like the fourth of July right now. I'll switch to night vision to set you down, but something doesn't feel right about this." Ace flipped down a pair of goggles over his face and powered them on. Through them he could make out building shapes and empty streets. The city looked deserted, ghost town deserted. He was about to say something to that effect when he glanced off to his left and saw a rapidly approaching Surface to Air Missile coming right at them just as the chopper warning system caught on.
"Hold on!" Ace snapped, pulling back on the yoke. The missile barely missed the Blackhawk, one of the fins struck the side of the chopper. "This zone just got hot Stalker, you're gonna have to jump now. I don't know how much longer I can hold off against that kind of fire power."
Ace glanced back at the city and saw another SAM preparing to launch off of a roof top. "Go!"
Scarlett was startled from her sleep as Snake quickly rose from his seat and threw open the door, tied his duffel on the opposite end of a rappeling line and threw it down to the ground. He grabbed Stalker and pointed to the door. The Sergeant tried to argue, but the second SAM proved much more persuasive than Stalker could have thought. He grabbed the line and slid to the ground, grabbing his weapon along the way.
Scarlett fumbled with her restraints, they wouldn't release no matter how hard she tried. The second SAM struck the Blackhawk, taking out the tail section. Ace struggled with the controls to make the bird steady, but was not successful. Snake turned back before he could jump and saw that Scarlett couldn't get free. He drew his knife, slashed at the restraints and pushed her toward the door where she barely had a moment to grab the line and guide herself to the ground below. Snake turned back for Ace just in time to see a third and final SAM struck the chopper fuselage. Snake's world was filled with blurred images and swirling scenery as he fought to reach the cockpit just feet in front of him. He grabbed Ace and jumped from the Blackhawk moments before it hit the ground.
Snake could feel severe burning on the side of his face that wouldn't cease no matter how he tried to stop it. He fought not to cry out in agonizing pain and reveal their position to any troops that were on their way to investigate the downed chopper. He could see Scarlett running toward them, Stalker coming up behind with Snake's bag slung over his shoulder. As they drew near, Scarlett's face was filled with horror. She ran to his side repeating "Oh my God your face!" as she fumbled around in her pack. Stalker instead moved to check on Ace and appeared relieved to find a pulse.
Scarlett pulled a cloth sling out of her pack, presumably from a med kit, and started to wrap it around Snake's head, partially obscuring his vision on the burning side of his face. "We have to get him out of here to the hospital!" Scarlett said.
"I'm afraid we can't do that," Stalker said while lowering Snake's bag. "I don't think we have much of a choice at all in fact."
Scarlett turned around to find groups of men in red uniforms and blue SWAT gear standing around them with automatic rifles aimed at them all.