Chapter 14
CHAPTER NOTE: Reminder of who is who in regards to codenames and their position on the battlefield. All positions are that of facing North.
Alpha 1 – Gibbs – Behind pair of Humvees on left side.
Whipped 1 – Tony – Behind pair of Humvees on left side.
Bravo 1 – Warrant Officer Miller – Manned the 50 Cal on the Humvee at the left side.
Romeo 3 – Gunnery Sergeant Kipper – Fallen Man on left side.
Delta 2 – Ziva – Status: Unconfirmed.
Echo 2 – McGee – Status: Unconfirmed.
Charlie 2 – Sergeant Percy – Dead.
Oscar 3 – Sergeant Thompson – Dead.
Tango 4 – Gunnery Sergeant Nelson – Dead.
Chapter 14
As the situation has become increasingly hostile, the enemy continues pursuing their invasion of the village. The exchange of gun fire continues. Romeo 3 still lies helplessly on the ground reaching for Alpha 1 to come get him. Alpha 1's heart beats rapidly as he clinches his gun. He sees the look on Romeo 3's face and realizes what he must do. He quickly turns to Whipped 1.
"I'm going in… Cover me." Alpha 1 stated.
"Gibbs… You can't be serious." Whipped 1 said.
Alpha 1 begins to move away and Whipped 1 quickly grabs him by the shoulder. Alpha 1 turns to face him.
"It's suicide." Whipped 1 stated.
"I can't leave a man behind!" Alpha 1 exclaimed. "I just can't."
Whipped 1 looks into the eyes of his boss… His mentor… His friend… His future father-in-law… As much as Whipped 1 didn't want to let him go, he finally opens his hand to free Alpha 1 from his grasp. Whipped 1 turns back to the battle and keeps firing.
Alpha 1 grabs a Molotov Cocktail and moves along the Humvees until he gets to the back end of the Humvee closest to the two-story building. A gap was left between the two. He lights the cloth of the Molotov Cocktail and takes a deep breath. He then throws the Molotov Cocktail and begins his run toward the fallen man, Romeo 3.
While making his run, Alpha 1 continues shooting at the enemy as best he can. Whipped 1 and Bravo 1 provide cover fire. As Alpha 1 is running out to the fallen man, Whipped 1 can't help but glance over in his direction every once in a while. Alpha 1 finally reaches the fallen man. But as he gets there, he notices a jeep rolls over the hill.
Alpha 1 makes a quick dash to the middle rock, just a couple feet away, where Romeo 3 left the AT4 with one final rocket. As the jeep advances more, Alpha 1 grabs the AT4 and aims it at the jeep. He presses the button in order to fire. The rocket races through the air toward the jeep. As the jeep explodes, Alpha 1 runs back to the fallen man.
"Come on Gibbs, hurry." Whipped 1 says softly to himself.
Alpha 1 grabs Romeo 3 and lifts him up a bit. He places the fallen man over his shoulders and stands up. With trying to not feel the pain of having Romeo 3's body pressing up against his shrapnel wound, he starts running back toward the Humvees, to get to safety.
Suddenly, a bullet goes racing through the air in Alpha 1's direction. The bullet penetrates into Alpha 1's lower, left side, forcing him to fall. Both Alpha 1 and the fallen man, Romeo 3, hit the ground. In pain, Alpha 1 lies on his right side, holding the new wound on his lower, left side.
Whipped 1 can only, helplessly, look over at the two of them lying on the ground as he keeps firing at the enemy from behind the Humvees. He sees a couple enemies advancing in Alpha 1's direction. He aims and fires at them. A grenade is launched from the right side. It lands close to the enemies and blows them up.
"Get your ass up Gibbs!" Delta 2 exclaimed.
Whipped 1 quickly glances over toward the Humvee on the right side, by the three-story building. He then looks back to the Northern entrance and keeps firing.
"Good to have you back Ziva." Whipped 1 stated. "How's McGee?!"
"His leg is injured, but I'm standing him up now." Delta 2 stated.
Delta 2 helps Echo 2 to stand. She leans Echo 2 up against the Humvee to support him. Echo 2 and Delta 2 are now providing more cover fire.
"Gibbs, look at me!" Whipped 1 exclaimed.
While on the ground, Alpha 1 moves his head to look back at Whipped 1.
"Don't give up. There's no time for pain in combat." Whipped 1 said. "Jamie needs you."
For Jamie, Alpha 1 forces himself to stand. With his hands, he grabs Romeo 3 by the shoulders and begins dragging him in the direction of the Humvees. Alpha 1 tries so hard to not feel the pain of his wounds. Cover fire is provided for Alpha 1 and the fallen man, Romeo 3.
Alpha 1 is finally able to drag the fallen man, Romeo 3, behind the cover of the Humvees. Both of them are now sitting up against the Humvee. Alpha 1, in more pain then he expected, looks to Whipped 1, who is reloading his weapon.
"Stand me up!" Alpha 1 exclaimed.
Whipped 1 reloads Alpha 1's weapons as well. He takes hold of Alpha 1 and helps him stand. Alpha 1 leans against the Humvee. Whipped 1 grabs his M16 and the two of them commence firing at the enemy.
Suddenly, an enemy aims his sniper rifle at Bravo 1. With Bravo 1's head in the crosshairs, he pulls the trigger. The bullet goes racing through the air and eventually penetrates into Bravo 1's head. Bravo 1's dead body falls into the Humvee. Now, it's only the NCIS team left to hold off the enemy force until their reinforcements arrive.
The enemy now tosses a bunch of grenades toward the Humvees. Each of the NCIS team members ducks behind their Humvee for cover. As the grenades explode in front or slightly on top of the Humvees, they all reload their weapons. After they reload their weapons, both Gibbs and Tony light Molotov Cocktails. Tony gets up slightly and tosses his. He then grabs Gibbs' Molotov Cocktail and tosses it as well. He then ducks behind the Humvee as more grenades coming raining down.
As the grenades are exploding, Tony looks off toward the Southeast, toward the unmovable US truck. Tony eyes widen as he sees Kid walk out from behind the truck and begin walking in his direction. Kid is walking into a wide open space. Even further to the South, Arthur, who has been watching the battle the entire time is running to go get Kid.
"Kid… Go back!" Tony exclaimed.
With the amount of explosions and the exchange of gun fire, Kid is unable to hear even Arthur who has been yelling for him to stop. Without hesitation, Tony stands up and bolts into the wide open space, in the Southeastern direction where Kid is coming from. Ziva and McGee are already shooting at the enemy. Gibbs pulls himself up to provide more cover fire.
Kid finally stops in the wide open space after a couple stray bullets hit the ground in front of him. He's frightened by it and just stands there, not knowing what to do because of how scared he is now. Kid's face is that of pure fear as he begins to cry.
Tony runs as fast as he possibly can. Kid throws his arms up into the air as Tony gets close. Tony quickly grabs and lifts Kid into his arms. Kid wraps his arms around Tony's neck. With Kid holding onto him, Tony runs behind the truck. He sits down, leans against the truck and holds onto Kid tightly.
Arthur finally reaches the truck. He positions himself behind the hood of the truck, aims the gun he was given, and starts shooting at the enemy. Four other villagers who were given guns run to the Humvees. One villager positions himself over with Ziva and McGee. The other three villagers position themselves over with Gibbs and the fallen man, Romeo 3.
Gibbs finally falls behind the Humvee, due to the amount of pain. He sits up against the Humvee, next to Romeo 3. Gibbs starts trying to patch himself up. A little further to the Southeast, behind the unmovable US truck, Tony stays sitting against the truck holding onto Kid. Ziva, McGee, Arthur and the four villagers exchange gun fire with the enemy force.
After a couple more minutes of gun fire exchange, to the South, a couple 50 Cals begin to fire as US vehicles enter into an area of the village that gives them a clear shot at the enemy. The US reinforcements have finally arrived. The NCIS team and Nigerian people all duck behind the cover they have. The US vehicles drive passed the Humvee barricades the defenders are using as cover. The US reinforcements continue to eliminate the last of the enemy threat.