Chapter 10: Party Time

Weeks passed after the somewhat fateful training exercise. It seemed to had doomed the newcomer's career, as he was sent away post haste. Was he chastised or punished for his mistake, we didn't know, but we figured out as much. Considering how badly he failed, there was probably no other possible outcome. When you think about it, he was worthy enough to get assigned here, yet made such a rookie mistake almost as soon as he had the chance. Some manipulation surely had to be involved in his ascend to rank. That and many other theories circled around the squad in down time between training.

Meanwhile, Amina was quickly learning to fill the boots she had been so eager to jump in. Vliko passed leadership without ill will, as was to be expected from a man who willingly stepped down. He provided what support he could, advising on small matters here and there. All in all, Amina was doing great and probably already had visions of leading a mighty Brotherhood host to London, Paris or Washington. Who knows, maybe one day she will. But for now, she was just an acolyte leading a pack of mostly inexperienced brothers. For her and for us, future was pregnant with possibilities.

And destiny didn't take long to manifest itself. A day came when we were called into briefing and our seniors told us that we were to eliminate the boss of the gang that attacked us in the forest. We were a little surprised that people in this base cared about what happened to us way back when, but, apparently they did. They had ascertained that the gang would be throwing a party on a lake side villa in a few days and this was the time to strike!

The next few days – and there were only few, bandits weren't known to be the ones who plan far ahead – were spent poring over old, most likely outdated plans of the place and practicing with some bastard AK mongrels that fell somewhere between an SMG and a carbine. It was important to the mission since Raptor bullets found at the scene would betray that something bigger was involved in the assault. On the other hand, finding bodies and walls peppered with 7.62mm would lead whoever investigated the place to believe that it was either gang violence or some corrupt officials sending out a hit squad to deal with former customers that overstepped their bounds.

It was fine by us. While the AK was heavier than the Raptor and spare ammo weighted more, it was still manageable, especially since we weren't expected to be laden with much equipment. Recoil was a little unruly, but within the confines of the house that wouldn't be too much of a problem, and if some stray shots raked the walls, well, nobody really expected orderly firing drills from gangs out for vengeance. In addition to the new weapon, we also got some pretty common camouflage clothing to wear instead of our overalls.

Sitting in the trucks on our way there, we were as prepared for the mission as we could ever be. Sure, command would have preferred to use more experienced troops, but those were out in the field, dealing with more important businesses or too far to recall in time. So, having two squads of freshly trained brothers who may or may not have had prior combat experience (we certainly did) assisting a hastily cobbled element of veterans would have to do.

We arrived at our drop point and spilled out of the trucks. Sun was setting and we advanced into the forest, so as to arrive at the villa under the cover of darkness. The veterans were grouped into smaller units that will secure the perimeter once the light is gone and alcohol is out. We all hoped that the bandits would start partying sooner rather than later, so that their senses and limbs would be numbed from drink and drug. Also, each squad of rookies had a veteran attached to oversee us if need be.

Overall, the spirits were quite high as we hid there in the bushes, looking at the villa over a crooked fence. The leg through the forest was uneventful and aided by the last rays of light. Amina hadn't said anything out of order yet, so we thought that we were doing just fine, a belief reinforced by the silence of our veteran. Even Karlo held his mouth shut, which was a small blessing from Kane. So we sat there and waited.

There were quite a few cars near the villa when we arrived and we guessed that most of the guests were already there. A few came later on, but that wasn't a big issue. Horrible pop music blared from the house, and you could hear drunken revelers laugh and shout once they burst out of the house. Thankfully, the weather wasn't that warm yet, so they kept most of the party indoors. That way it would be easier to advance the house without being spotted. All was going according to the plan.

Finally, after listening to more pop trash than we could want, we received a short radio message that the vanguard veterans were in positions and would cover our approach. We rose from the bushes and jumped the fence, followed up by crouching and running towards the building in single file. Narrowly avoiding light shafts falling from the windows, we were almost there. Then some poor bandit decided to take a leak outside.

We dropped to the ground, carbines aimed at the walking complication. Fortunately, he didn't notice us and was merrily shambling into the darkness. Still, this put everyone on the edge, because if he spotted us, the whole mission might go sideways. Then I heard our veteran murmur something over coms and a shape pealed off from site where the other squad lay. It quickly advanced on the peeing bandit and took him down without a sound. We got the order to go ahead and approach the building.

Hugging the wall, we spent a few moments accustoming our eyes to the light. As the vanguard climbed the wall to enter the second floor over the balconies, we had to advance to the entrance area and, while there, quickly split the squad in two to prepare for the assault on two rooms. According to our plan, the other squad would use all of their people to take the main drinking/dining area while the second floor, consisting mostly of beds and bathrooms, would be secured by the veterans. Wasting no time, we took our positions at the door and...

That all went lightning fast. Flashbang through the door, followed by Avdo, then me. I burst in, moving to cover my sector, seeing movement and feeling the recoil of the AK as I perforate a man rising from behind the table. I move while he falls. Tracing a path with barrel of my rifle, I come up to a second bandit, let out a burst, see it hit home with a flash of crimson. Before I reach my corner, I shoulder check a girl in skimpy clothes and a layer of makeup. She hits a cupboard, violently so, and slides to the ground. I occupy my corner and check my sector. It's all over in a heartbeat.

The room – a typical wooden room with simple furniture, trophies and carpets hanging on the walls – was a mess. The flashbang landed on the table, between a bowl of salad and a few vodka bottles, shattering all of them, setting fire to the spill. A few "entertainer" girls sit there shocked, one bleeding from the cuts made by bottle shards. Another was dead, having the misfortune of having sat on a target's lap during our storm. Both of mine seem out for the count. We had six other bodies, with the veteran checking for vital signs and making sure none of them remain. The last part was a little sickening: it's just killing, not actual combat, and the sharp clicks of his suppressed pistol are very morbid. Still, that's what he had been sent to do: we didn't really want to take any of the gang prisoner and we'd already have trouble enough taking in all the "entertainers" that survived. We probably couldn't do it, for all our faith and training, so veteran were there to do it for us. Quietly, we were all thankful for that.

Once room had been declared clear and the girls cuffed, we filled back into the lobby. Andrea was covered in blood, but didn't look shaken.

"So, I open the door," she said, "and go in, and straight into some fool. Didn't even have time to react, just pulled the trigger. I'm a little ashamed of that, had to clean the rest of the room with pistol. And I think the shock of it will set in soon. But for now, I'm comfy".

The veterans upstairs, predictably, didn't face much resistance. If anyone was to be found there, it's because they were having a hard time keeping awake from all the drinks, or sneaked there to go for a tumble with one of the girls. Neither is good for defensive posture. Overall, occupying the house went swimmingly and we were pretty happy about ourselves, not to mention the adrenalin surge that we had from the room breaching. However, the evening wasn't done. The vets tied down and gagged the surviving girls, instructing them to stay put, and we all went outside.

This was the trickier part of the plan. Assuming that nobody heard the gunshots and alerted authorities (gun discharge was common in parties here, especially criminal parties), the convoy with the gang leader was supposed to arrive here, to partake in the merriment and to improve morale. We aimed to ambush it once they entered the villa grounds and wipe everyone out. This was to be something we were well prepared for by now, or so we hoped.

The plan wasn't too complicated, either. A forward position would have to be set up in the bushes outside the territory, to watch for approaching cars and to stop anyone trying to escape. Everyone else hid in a small grove of apple trees with a nice view – and field of fire – of the road and the gate. Sonja expressed her displeasure for lurking in the bushes like the rest of us. "Hopefully, I'll see night vision devices and IR scopes once I climb ranks". I chortled. "Well, indiscriminate fire has its benefits. That's why Marko is back there with the girls and I'm, well, with you". As far as I'm concerned, getting punched in the shoulder was totally worth it.

And so we waited, us in the bushes, Marko up the in the balcony, waiting for the other guests to show up, listening to the sounds nature and horrible pop still blaring from the villa as we had to maintain appearances. On one hand, these ambushes were becoming a little stale, recent adrenalin rushes or not. Sure, with the opposition we were facing, they were quite safe and would probably remain relatively safe while fighting GDI (as long as they don't spot us or sic gunships on us). But there was still yearning to do something more, something more exciting and grand, something that would show our service to Kane with gun in hand. And, speaking of hand, here was an "on the other": we really didn't have the skill to rush in on sides of buggies and hit the ground running and gunning. Of course, we'd reach that level one day: I doubt all those guys who rescued the village or us in the clearing were Tiberium war vets, and even then, they had to have started as rookies at some point. Well, here's hoping that one day I'll be able to descend on our enemy that way, to take them unaware and bring glory to the Brotherhood.

But for now, car lights appeared in the forest which most likely meant our convoy approaching. I poked Sonja with my elbow and went over my AK for the last time. The magazine was full, the lock slid fluidly, the safety was off... And, after forward positions identified this being the convoy we were waiting for, I trained my sights on the gate. The lights, hopping around trees like wisps and I followed their path, framing their dance with the green tritium lines of my iron sights. They were getting closer. "Hold fire till they pop the flare," Amina's calm voice flashed through the radio. Marko was probably laying on the balcony, watching the convoy as we did, waiting and hoping he'll do well. So I said a little prayer...

And the first car, a new-ish BMW, tripped the flare mine and, in a second, a real mine. Marko didn't shame himself: the sound of the machinegun (technically a squad automatic weapon) firing reached us before we saw the flash of the second mine. We did our part, too, targeting doors and windows, little by little shattering the cars trapped in a circle of slightly pulsing light. One tried charge past the mangled lead car, but Marko poured enough bullets into it to make it stop dead. The first one that tried to back away, a jeep, got stopped near the gate, and a second one crashed into it while trying to do the same. It didn't move again, either. A bigger car, what appeared to be a Lexus, was probably armored, managed to turn around. But it didn't go very far, the volume of fire likely overwhelming the armored glass.

"Cease fire, cease fire," the command rolled over the coms, followed by "check your ammo, reload, and move to the cars. Careful now, don't take your eyes off, watch for movement". Amina led us to check the wrecks while the other squad stayed back. A few veterans followed, likely to do their butcher's work.

Crouching and with our sights trained on the convoy, we moved as fast as Amina thought it was safe. And their cars were ahead, laid out in a desolate scene of destruction. As we got nearer, we could make out more and more details under the ghastly light of the flare. The car that Marko stopped, crudely angled at the side of the road. The mine mangled remains of the BMW. The armored limo, cracked armored glass so white against the black of the paintjob. Two cars at the gate, caught in the embrace of the crash, not a single intact window between them. Horrible music from the building, no longer drowned out by shooting, floated around us.

Cautiously, we started checking the vehicles. One already had its door open a trail of blood leading to the grass. We called out and two veterans came to check it out. One bandit, badly wounded like he was, still managed to get out of the car and drag himself to side of the road. His efforts were for naught as we heard the click of the suppressed pistol.

We were to resume checking when the door of the limo swung open. I turned and crouched, everyone were also drawing a bead. Head and shoulders of a massive man slumped outside and a cheap SMG came down, spraying bullets around. We reacted maybe a heartbeat too late, but the torso and the door were shed apart even before the magazine in the automatic ran out. Quick as it started, it was over.

And someone fell.

And someone screamed.

"Karlo!"