Three years earlier
Extraction Point
Amazon Jungle, Ecuador
"Come in XT1, this is CAT1. We are approaching the extraction point and looking for an all clear, over." Angel spoke quietly into her throat mike after selecting the frequency that had been set for communications with the extraction team at the mission briefing. XT1 was code for Extraction Team One and CAT1 short for Covert Assault Team One.
Kaz and Angel were only a few minutes out from the designated extraction point. They were exhausted, hungry and filthy after trudging through the thick jungle undergrowth for the past two and a half days. They had reached their destination with approximately five hours to spare, and waited patiently for a response from the extraction team.
After five minutes of silence, Angel repeated the call but still received no response.
"Bloody good for nothing pilots." Kaz swore under her breath. "They've either gotten lost, crashed or are having a nice little nap. Never depend on Flyboys, Angel."
"I don't like this Kaz." Angel threw her a worried look. "Something doesn't feel right."
She pulled a small pair of binoculars off her belt and climbed into a nearby tree to get a better view of the clearing that had been designated for the extraction. What she saw made her blood run cold.
The two helo gunners were lying face down with pools of blood staining the ground around them. They had obviously been shot execution style in the back of the head. The pilot and co-pilot had their hands bound behind their backs and were kneeling next to the cockpit of the chopper. An armed guard was training a rifle on them as the other hostiles were searching the bird, removing anything that wasn't bolted down.
"Shit." Angel swore as she climbed back down the tree to where Kaz was waiting for her.
"What's going on?" Kaz asked tensely.
"Extraction's been compromised. They look like guerilla soldiers judging by the variety of uniforms and weapons. Gunners are dead and I'd say the pilots are going to follow soon if we don't do something." Angel told her flatly.
"Damn it, what I wouldn't give to have my rifle right now. I could take care of this little problem long range and we'd be on our way home." Kaz grumbled.
"I'm afraid you're going to have to get up close and personal on this one." Angel gave her a wry smile. 'Right, The first thing we need to do is create some sort of diversion so we can take out that guard and get our hands on his weapon. We can't win this fight without at least some fire power."
Angel was thoughtful for a moment, then her lips twitched with a small smile.
She unhooked a tool from her belt as Kaz looked on with curiosity.
"Have you ever wanted to play Tarzan, Kaz?" She grinned at the confused expression on her partners face. "Maghook, thought this might come in handy one day." She explained, indicating the tool, a gas propelled magnetic grappling hook attached to a retractable rope that was standard Marine Corp issue. "If you can get to a tree close to the chopper, you could fire this off and attach it to the rotor blades. That way, you could swing right past them and off into the trees on the other side." Kaz almost laughed out loud at the suggestion. "While they're off chasing the swinging ape girl, I'll neutralize the guard, secure his weapon and free the pilots. With a bit of luck, they'll leave the bird unattended and we'll be able to get to the guns and take out the rest of them. Just make sure you keep your head down when you hear the guns fire up."
"You know, that is just crazy enough that it might even work." Kaz took the Maghook from Angel and scouted her way to a tree close to the clearing that put her in perfect position to take a shot.
"Angel, come in." She whispered into the throat mike. "I'm in position and about to take the shot, get ready to go. God I hope this works. Over."
"Roger Kaz, I'm positioned directly behind the guard. Over." Angel answered her.
"Roger that, firing now. Listen for the Tarzan call. Over." Kaz fired the Maghook, praying that it would find it's target the first time because she knew she wouldn't get another shot at this. The rope wound itself around the top rotor blades a couple of time and the magnet stuck fast.
"Here goes nothing." Kaz whispered and let out a blood curdling yell as she swung free of the trees, clear across the front of the cockpit. Her sudden appearance had the desired effect as the four guerilla soldiers inside piled quickly out of the bird and ran in the direction Kaz had disappeared in, yelling at the guard to watch the chopper while they investigated.
Angel crept silently up behind the guard, her hunting knife in hand. She clamped a hand over his mouth and quickly snapped his head sideways with her other arm, breaking his neck and killing him instantly. She quietly lowered his body to the ground and crawled over where the pilots were still kneeling.
"Anyone call for an Angel?" She whispered quietly to them as she cut their ropes with her knife. "Right, we need to get to those guns asap, my partner and I are unarmed apart from this." She indicated the AK47 that she had liberated from the now dead guard.
"Am I glad to see you, Lieutenant Harris." Angel looked up in surprise at the mention of her name and found herself staring into a familiar pair of blue eyes.
"Well you two just manage to turn up in the strangest places now, don't you?" Angel grinned at the two pilots. "Good to see you Maverick, you too Lee. Are you guy's injured?" She asked them as they clambered on board the chopper.
"Nothing serious."
Maverick answered her.
"Any time now would be good Angel. Over."
Kaz's tense voice came over the earpiece.
"Alright Kaz, keep your head down. Over." Angel commandeered one of the helo guns, Lee took the other and Maverick started firing the AK47. The guerilla soldiers, realizing that they had been tricked, burst clear of the tree line and ran towards the chopper, only to be cut to shreds by the machine gun fire. It was all over in seconds.
"Kaz, do you copy? Over." Angel spoke into her throat mike.
"Jesus Christ Angel, now I know why I'm a sniper. Some of those rounds were a bit too close for comfort. Am I clear to approach? Over" Came the reply.
"All clear Kaz, let's go home. Over." Angel kept the gun trained on the guerillas on the ground, looking for any movement. She watched as Kaz appeared from the trees and gave each of the hostiles a nudge with her boot before giving the thumbs up signal.
