Chapter 38
Bloody Good Time
Author's Note: Special announcement! One of my good friends has told me she is having twins. So pretty big deal for her and her husband, just wanted to give them a quick shout-out and congratulate them. Also, congrats to the Class of '15 for receiving The Ring. Finally, you may have noticed the different format for the title. I am only testing this out and seeing what the audience thinks of it. Sorry this chapter has taken so long to write. Schoolwork is piling up big time and Writer's Block took a hold of me again.
Sledge held his hand out for the team leader. "Let's go, man." Slash grabbed the heavy's hand and pulled himself off the tracks. He then offered his hand to Murphy, which the engineer took and allowed himself to be pulled up.
"C'mon, boys. We don't have a lot of time." Porter said as he headed for the exit. Slash watched as Mills pulled Howard off the tracks and onto the platform, causing the wounded operator to groan in pain. When she finally had Howard on the platform, Mills lifted the wounded operator and draped him across her back.
A voice came over the radios of the operators. "Icarus Actual, you have a Pelican in route with Texas Team and SEAL Team Eight." Slash and Porter ran out of the station to find a Pelican with its ramp lowered, hovering around fifty yards away. The four members of Texas dropped to the ground while the SEALs stayed behind in the Pelican. The other soldiers exited the station as Miller approached Slash.
"Collins thought you guys would need some help." Miller teased as he lowered his rifle and held his fist out. Slash bumped his fist and shouldered his rifle, laughing.
"Then why did he send you guys?" Slash retorted as he closely observed Mills handing Howard off to the SEALs. "I need you guys to move west and support whatever remains over there."
"Roger." One of the SEALs responded as the ramp closed and the Pelican lifted off. Slash then took a moment to observe his surroundings. The rain gave the area a dark and dreary feeling, a feeling which the gunfire only added to. Miller finally broke his trance.
"What's the plan, brother?" the team leader asked. Slash glance back at his teammates while contemplating a plan.
"Most of the fighting is to the south and the west." Slash explained, pointing with a knife hand in the intended direction. "We should head toward the A13 and then head west. Porter, are there any S.A.S. units near that area?" The S.A.S. lieutenant got on his radio and listened to the chatter.
"We have one team near the A13. Tell them to join us?" he asked Slash. The operator nodded in response as he readied his rifle.
"You guys ready to move?" Slash asked. Sledge quickly took the lead with Murphy following. The rest of the group fell into line as they moved for the bridge to join the heavier fighting. Slash watched through his visor as tracers filled the grey sky.
"I got movement to our right." Murphy informed the team as he aimed his shotgun in the direction of a group of houses. Slash could see what appeared to be a person moving between windows.
"Sledge, get the door." the team leader ordered as the heavy positioned himself in front of the wooden door as the rest stacked beside it, waiting for the door to be forcibly opened. When Sledge finally kicked, the door split in two and the pieces tumbled to the floor. Slash rounded the corner in to what he thought was the den, he found a family huddled close together. But he also found two Russians, one lying down on the sofa while the other was seated in a chair close by but was standing up. Slash quickly fired a round through the seated Russians neck, causing him to slump back into the chair. Miller came in behind Slash and fired a single round though the reclined Russian's head, ending his life abruptly. As the other operators entered, Miller turned his attention to the cowering family.
"Any others?" he asked, the father responded by shaking his head. Uncertain, Slash motioned his head to Murphy, ordering him to check upstairs. The engineer aimed his shotgun up the stairs and began to move slowly, Havoc trailing him. When Murphy reached the top of the stairs he found two doors, both of them closed. Murphy slowly opened the door closest to him and found it empty.
"Clear." he informed the others.
Havoc soon followed after checking the other door. "Upstairs clear." The two operators walked downstairs as Slash turned to Palmer.
"Are we going to have to clear every house?" he asked the British team leader, who answered by shaking his head.
"I think those two were just lazy. Most units have moved south." Palmer responded as the team exited the house.
"Think this is part of the group we ran into in the subway?" Slash continued.
"Had to be." The sounds of gunfire got louder as the team approached the A13. Slash stared at the sky as a squadron of Longswords flew overhead. He then saw the plumes of smoke rise from the city, meaning they were bombing targets in the city. "We can't be much further." Suddenly a call came from behind a hedgerow.
"Blue!" the voice shouted.
"Ridge." Palmer responded quickly, swinging his rifle around to the hedgerow. The hedges rattled as five figures appeared wearing Mark V armor and carrying their PDR. One of the figures glared at Miller for a second before talking.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't Miller. I haven't seen you in ages." the man said as he approached the team leader.
"There's a reason for that, Morrison." Miller retorted as the two operators embraced. Once the two finished, Morrison turned his attention toward Palmer.
"What's the plan, Palmer?" Morrison asked the lieutenant.
"We need to get across the river since the heavy fighting is over there. We plan to take the A13 until Royal Docks. Hopefully the ferry is still operational, if the Russians haven't completely hacked the mainframe."
Slash joined the conversation. "Murphy can get us back into the system. Right, Murph?" Murphy responded by shrugging his shoulders.
"It depends on how much the Russians have taken." Murphy explained. The team leaders looked at each other without speaking until Palmer broke the silence.
"Alright, we need to get moving." Palmer ordered, but the sounds of jet engines drowned out his voice as everyone glanced at the sky. Two explosions sent the group into the air and scattered them. Murphy's ears were ringing and his visor had been cracked. He watched as Havoc ran over toward him. Murphy felt the hands of the heavy grip his chest piece and pulled him to his feet.
"What the fuck was that?" Fox screamed as she regained her balance.
"Russians must have gained control of the CCTV. We have to move." Palmer interjected. The group recovered and began running for cover just in case the fighters took another pass. But when Palmer rounded a corner, he spotted a Russian platoon heading toward their original position. Palmer opened fire, watching one of the Russians fall dead while another one fell grabbing his torso. The other Russians returned fire at the two groups found cover.
Morrison leaned over to Miller while reloading. "Hope you're ready for a bloody good time!"
"I've been waiting all day for this!" Miller responded as he jumped out of cover to unleash hell.
Abbreviations:
CCTV: Closed Circuit Television