Disclaimer: Yeah... still don't belong to me, be nice if they did, wouldn't have to take Automata now would I?
Ok! So because I love you all so much... well actually... to keep you all from ganging up on me and drawing and quartering me... :-P j/k Anyways, here's the chapter, yay rescue as promised! I managed to get it written at the cost of my homework, which would've probably lost out to Aggiecon anyways. Poor homework, it always gets the shaft. :-P But seriously, trust me when I say you didn't want me to continue writing on that last chapter. If I had I would've ended up writing incoherent gibberish which I don't think y'all really wanted to read, unless you like ramblings about computer science and Aggiecon... yeah, didn't think so.
But anyways, enough of that. Thanks to Beach chickJASSNL, EternalSleep, snugglebug, mjag, eridani, shirik, Disaster Child, minorcadence, Strawberrywine, jaggurl, zeilfanaat, froggy, Spookyjagfan, Brittany, Baileysmom, and anyone else I missed! And thanks for the well wishes about the Air Force, I know I'm excited. :-D Just gotta get through grad, only three more weeks! I'm thrilled that people are reading this and enjoying it so much, it really makes my day. Now, next update will be next week some time since Con starts in the morning and well, Aggiecon will be my life for a while. Oh yes, and chapter 17 has been revised to reflect a fact that Strawberrywine pointed out. I couldn't remember whether Gunny had been there so I decided to err on the side of caution. But that's been fixed now! Anyways, enough of my ramblings. Thanks again to everyone reading! So read, review, and enjoy!
80 Miles East of Base Camp
0300 ZULU
Mac had felt the knot in her stomach grow with every mile closer to their destination they drew. She knew that Harm was there, and she knew he was still alive. She didn't know what they'd have to do to get him back, however, and that worried her. She thought she might feel more comfortable if she could actually get images of him like she had before. But either her psychic senses didn't feel like working in that way at the moment or there was nothing to see. She was half hoping for the former, unsure of what the latter would mean.
The village was coming into view, gradually growing ahead of the humvees. Mac could feel herself tense. The building that held Harm and an unknown number of insurgents was on the other side of the village. Barely close enough to the village to be included in the outskirts. It meant the humvees would be rather exposed but there was no hope for it. Marines were already prepping their M16s, double checking that rounds were chambered and gun barrels clear. A few were balanced carefully on the backs of the humvees, rifles at the ready to provide cover fire.
It was a sketchy solution at best but it was the only one they had. Following suit Mac checked her pistol before replacing it in the holster. She felt a lot more comfortable armed and wearing a vest. The presence of the marines helped too though she couldn't help but feel a tingle of nervousness at going deliberately back to the people she'd escaped from in the first place. Sighing she tried to ignore the nerves, shooting a small smile at Gunny when she noticed him watching her.
All too soon they were in the village. Despite the still early hour even here there were people coming out to watch curiously. Mac looked at the children and other citizens as they passed, feeling her heart go out to them. She knew the agent, Mr. Smith, was somewhere in another humvee and hoped that whatever he'd been doing in this village benefited the people somehow. Mac heard the marines bracing themselves, slides racking back and the general low clatter of gear.
Then they were exiting the village proper. Mac could clearly see the building now. A single story it stood a decent distance away from the rest of the buildings. Three trucks were parked in front. All looked decidedly worse for wear but she suspected they were perfectly capable of running. There were a few men outside, all of whom spun to face the approaching humvees. She watched as their rifles snapped up to their shoulders. Something tells me they aren't the welcoming committee. Sure enough, they opened fired on the marines as soon as they were in range.
Mac pulled out her pistol, adding to the chaos and racket of gunfire as the two sides exchanged bullets. She could see more men appearing from inside the building. Most didn't make it to the trucks, mowed down as they came through the door. The humvees had split up and marines were hopping out, jogging towards the building. She could see a few injured marines but none looked terribly hurt. Apparently the insurgents' aim went all to hell when they were surprised. Not that she was complaining, it certainly made things easier for the Americans.
As promised she stayed in the vehicle, though she stood and leaned against the windshield frame, using it both as a brace for her body as well as her arms. The humvee was still at least a hundred feet away when the last insurgent dropped. The trucks all came to a stop. By this point they'd spread out into a perfect cordon, spaced exactly right to keep anyone from leaving. The drivers of the four humvees remained in place. One humvee also had an injured marine who had taken a shot to the leg and was unable to walk. The remaining eight marines were swiftly checking the trucks and the bodies.
Mac remained standing in the front of the humvee, leaning heavily against the windshield. She yearned to join the marines on the ground in entering but wouldn't break her word to Gunny. She watched in tense silence as the marines moved towards the entrance after securing the area. Without thought she ejected the spent clip from her pistol and slammed another in place, automatically racking back the slide to chamber a round.
Silently Gunny signaled his men forward, framing the door. The marines braced themselves and he nodded, giving the sign for them to enter. Immediately the door was slammed inward, the marines pouring through, rifles held steady to their shoulders. There was no one in immediate sight. Slowly they moved forward, stopping at each door to check rooms. Two doors in they encountered more resistance inside of a small room that appeared to be their command room. The first marine through the door collapsed heavily to the ground. The next two barreled in, rifles already firing as they took out the three men inside.
Swiftly a sergeant knelt next to the fallen man. Glancing up at Gunny he nodded slightly, the corporal was alive but just. Quietly Gunny ordered two other marines to get the wounded man out. Softly he ordered them to take the wounded marine still outside and head back to base in a humvee, getting the men to medical attention as quickly as possible. The remaining marines waited in silence until the one of the corporals returned. The medical helo had been contacted and was on it's way from where it'd been waiting.
With a nod the group continued forward. Briefly Gunny wondered how the Colonel was handling being stuck outside in the humvee. He was fully expecting an earful at a future date but if they managed to get the Commander out and in one piece, he was willing to listen to it. Sighing and dismissing the distracting thoughts from his mind he edged forward, carefully working his way through the building, his men close behind.
There were a few more skirmishes as the marines moved. Gunny estimated they'd taken out at least dozen men. The Colonel's report had indicated there were at least another half dozen involved. So far there was nothing to definitively indicate that the place was being used as a prison for a naval officer. Of course, there was nothing to indicate it wasn't either. Fortunately the building wasn't terribly large and it didn't take too long for the marines to secure most of it. The problem was, now there were only two rooms left and quite possibly as many insurgents as marines.
Gunny held up a hand, stopping the marines. He sighed softly, running through various scenarios in his mind. Too many of them resulted in a large number of marine deaths. Briefly he considered tossing grenades through the doors then swiftly banished it upon the realization that he could easily take out the Commander as well as the bad guys. He leaned his head back against the wall, overall things were going well but this endgame was not something he wanted to face. There was too great of a risk of losing everything. He studied the remaining two doors. Both were closed and looked virtually identical. Sighing again he concluded they had no real choice; they had to forge on as best they could.
Pointing at two of his men he motioned them to take up positions on the other side of the closest door. Two others crouched on the near side. Gunny took up position to kick in the door, motioning the remaining to marines to take up cover positions facing the second door. He didn't want them caught completely off guard should the men pop out of the further door instead of this one. When everyone was in position he glanced around, receiving nods and all set hand signals from his men.
Giving his men a sharp nod he waited for five seconds, allowing the marines to brace their rifles. Once ready he slammed his booted foot into the door. The first attempt was unsuccessful, the door shaking heavily on its hinges. Adjusting his aim slightly he slammed his foot into the door again, this time striking right near the lock. The door creaked and shook slightly in the frame. As the second kick resounded down the hallway the other door burst open. Two men leapt out, firing randomly down the hallway.
Smoothly the marines pressed themselves to the walls, crouching and forming as small of targets as possible. They returned fire, taking out one of the men immediately and wounding the other. More men appeared, these more cautious, using the doorway as cover. The marines on the far side were both at an advantage and disadvantage. They had a clearer line of fire towards the insurgents, but by the same token they were more exposed. One marine cried out, falling back as he was hit in the shoulder. One of the marines hanging back by the door leapt forward to cover him as the other grabbed the injured man and hauled him back.
The fire fight continued, the remaining insurgent in the hallway falling after a few more seconds. They saw one man fall from the doorway only to be replaced by another. Gunny snarled mentally, he couldn't even throw a grenade for fear that the Commander was in the other room with them. Setting himself he joined the fight, aiming as carefully as possible. Slowly the marines moved forward, two remaining behind to cover their rear and to watch the first door. Gunny sincerely hoped this was the right choice, because if anyone came out of that second room, their chances of survival decreased dramatically. His gut was telling him it was safe to bypass the first room for now but still he worried.
As the marines moved another was hit, slumping against the wall. Gunny spared him a glance but they couldn't afford to stop now. Moving as quickly as possible they continued, firing continuously. Another insurgent fell. Two left… I hope, Gunny thought. If there were more than just the half dozen left that they Colonel remembered things were going to get hairier. Another marine was hit, leaving three to continue forward versus two insurgents in the room.
Fortunately as they continued their line of fire got better. Suddenly the remaining insurgents came boiling out of the room. Instantly the marines froze, concentrating their fire, the marines still behind joining in. Within seconds it was over, leaving the Americans standing in a daze. As the smoke cleared it became obvious that the only people left standing were marines. Letting out a relieved sigh Gunny motioned his men forward; they had to check that room.
It was empty except for a couple bodies of insurgents that the marines had killed. Swiftly checking the bodies the marines moved back out. A private stopped to check the marine that had been hit during the drive forward. Glancing up at Gunny he shook his head, dead. Gunny dropped his head, feeling the weight of his mission falling heavily on his shoulders. "Take him outside." The private nodded and glanced at a fellow marine. Immediately they picked up their comrade and headed towards the front. Gunny pinched the bridge of his nose and moved back to the marines still stationed at the first door. The other that had been shot was merely wounded, unable to use his right arm but alive.
Reaching the first door again Gunny took a deep breath. The Commander had to be on the other side, Gunny only hoped he was still alive. Bracing himself he slammed the heel of his boot into the door again, smiling in satisfaction when the wood around the lock splintered. One more kick caused the door to spring inward. Light poured into the small room on the other side. The rectangle of light fell across a single still body curled up on the floor.
Allowing his M16 to drop to his side, Gunny hurried into the room. He crouched next to the figure, gently rolling him to his back. Despite the gaunt appearance and beard Gunny recognized Commander Rabb immediately. Carefully he felt for a pulse, holding his own breath until he saw the Commander's chest rise slightly. Beneath his fingers he could feel a weak pulse. Turning he ordered, "Help me get him up! Corporal, take Scotts outside and call the medical helo! And someone tell the Colonel we found him!"
The marines scattered to do their job, one jumping forward to help support Harm. The Commander's eyelashes fluttered briefly and Gunny felt him try weakly to struggle. As if the small effort had worn him out Harm slipped almost immediately into unconsciousness. Gunny frowned slightly, despite the fact that the Commander was dead weight it took hardly any effort for the two marines to support him. Glancing over Harm's bowed head Gunny nodded slightly and they began to move forward. He'd thought about carrying him across his shoulders like bodies usually were, but with the Commander's injuries he wasn't willing to risk it.
Outside Mac paced next to the humvee. Her ankle was beginning to throb but she barely noticed; all her thoughts focused on the man being rescued from the building. When she'd heard the gunfire earlier her heart had leapt into her throat. Despite the fact that the firing had stopped her heart hadn't dropped. Her gut was a huge knot that wouldn't relax and her mind raced. She still held her M9 in her right hand, reluctant to put it away until the marines inside had declared it all clear. The fact that previously a wounded marine had been sent out didn't help settle her nerves at all.
Her head jerked up as she heard a commotion from the doorway. The pistol was halfway up when she realized it was the marines. One was carrying another across his shoulders while another was speaking rapidly on the radio. She searched for Gunny or Harm but didn't see them. Her heart dropped and started racing. Worse case scenarios began vying for her attention. As rapidly as possible she moved towards the door, stopping a marine, "The Gunny?"
"On his way out, ma'am. He said to tell you that they found the Commander."
Mac let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding. Nodding she forced herself to respond with an even voice, "Thank you, private." The young man saluted, upon receiving a return salute he hurried off to the humvees. Mac continued to hover around the door, waiting anxiously. A few agonizing minutes later Gunny and the other marine appeared, Harm hanging limply between them. Mac fairly leapt forward, reaching towards Harm. "Is he…?"
Gunny nodded slightly, still moving forward, "Yes, ma'am. But barely, he needs medical attention immediately."
Mac felt the knot in her stomach ease slightly, he was alive and safe. She paced alongside Gunny, wishing she could help with Harm and knowing her ankle would probably collapse under her if she tried. She kept her gaze focused on her partner, fearing to look away. Though she'd known he was here, somehow she couldn't quite believe that they really had found him. It was his crash all over again, only this time so much worse. The week since her escape and his subsequent continuing capture had tortured her. Almost as much as the words she'd last said to him had run through her mind. She'd told him she loved him, but she hadn't let herself remain long enough to hear his answer. At the time she'd taken his hesitation as his answer, and left, protecting herself from the actual words.
Many times over the week she'd cursed herself for doing so. It had tormented her not knowing his answer. But at the moment she realized it didn't matter. All that mattered was that he was safe and here in front of her once more. She waited impatiently as the two men set Harm on the ground gently, in the shade of a truck. Immediately she sat next to him. Slowly she reached out and brushed the hair back from his forehead, her hand trembling. She didn't notice Gunny leave her side, murmuring intently into his radio. Briefly Harm stirred, seemingly warring with himself, part of him wanting to move into her hand and part of him trying to pull away. It broke her heart.
"Ma'am, the medical helo is about to land. They'll take the Commander back to base," Gunny spoke quietly nearby, causing her to jump. She blinked up at him, just then registering the increasing thump of a helicopter. Nodding she stood slowly, smiling gratefully at Gunny when he grabbed her elbow to help her up. She looked up as the helo landed, navy men jumping off and sprinting over, carrying a stretcher. They barely acknowledged hers or Gunny's presence, intent on reaching the Commander.
She listened, nonplussed, to the rapid fire exchange of medical orders and terminology. A few short minutes later they had Harm on the stretcher, an oxygen mask over his face. As soon as he was situated they hurried back to the helo, handing him aboard before leaping in also. Mac had started forward, meaning to go with Harm when the helo lifted off, heading back to base. She watched it go, her heart twisting. She couldn't lose him, not now after she'd finally gotten him back. Looking over at Gunny she snapped out, not really caring how she sounded at the moment, "Let's go, Gunny."
He nodded briskly, choosing not to take offense at her tone, understanding in a small part how she must be feeling. Turning he shouted out orders and the marines piled into the humvees. Mac pulled herself into the front seat of the nearest, barely settling into place before they started off. Her thoughts were with Harm, praying for all she was worth that he would live.