Sergeant John 'Soap' MacTavish

22nd SAS Regiment

April 23, 2011 - 01:23:36

Somewhere in the Bering Strait

The seven of us were in a Black Hawk somewhere over the Bering Strait. It was Walcroft, Anderson and myself on the one side, and Price, Gaz and Griffen on the other with Clark sitting on the ledge ready to throw the ropes down.

"Bravo Team." Price's voice came through the earpieces we were wearing. "The intel on this op comes from our informant in Russia. The package is aboard a medium freighter. Estonian registration number 52775. There's a small crew and security detail on board."

"Rules of engagement, sir?" Gaz asked.

"Crew Expendable."

Looking out in the distance, I could see the ship. It's lights illuminating the sky and sea near it. Price was smoking a fat cigar, Anderson was inspecting her MP5, Gaz was looking at a photo, and I was reading the engraving on my knife. My dad got it for me last year, I took it on every op. After putting it away, I nudged Anderson with my shoulder. She nudged me back with a smile. The pilot was saying something, but I only caught the last part.

"E.T.A. sixty seconds." The pilot called.

I look at Anderson, the black uniform suited her.

"First op, ready?" I asked.

"I could ask you the same thing." She responded.

I saw the beginnings of a smile forming on Price's face.

"Thirty seconds." the pilot said.

He then threw his cigar out the side and took a look outside. "Masks on." He said coolly.

I pulled my mask on over my face and ran my hand over my hair. It had grown out a bit since my last visit to the barber. I need to visit the barber when we get back. I looked at Anderson and saw her threading her ponytail through the straps on the back of her mask. I was excited, my first mission with the SAS. It had been my dream since I was a lad. I also realized that this was Anderson's first mission too, and I felt something nagging at me to protect her. But she made it into the SAS, did she need protecting? Probably not, I need to focus out there.

"Ten seconds, go to secure channel." The pilot said.

"Lock and load." Price ordered.

I pulled my MP5 up from between my legs and got ready to hit the deck.

"Green light. Go! Go! Go!" The pilot said.

Clark threw down the rope and quickly slid down, Price was right behind him. I roped down behind them with Anderson right behind me. I took up position near one of the windows and felt Anderson touch my right shoulder as she went to the window next to me.

"Weapons free." Price said.

Our bullets tore through them in seconds. Bloody hell, hey didn't stand a chance.

"Bridge secure." She said.

"Hold your fire." The Captain said. "Gaz - stay in the bird til we secure the deck, over."

"Roger that." He said.

Price moved quickly and kicked the door down. How weak are these doors? Shite, the old man kicked one down.

"Squad on me!" He called while leading us down a flight of stairs. "Stairs clear."

We entered a hallway and a drunk Russian stumbled out. I quickly put two bullets in him before anyone else could react.

"Last call." Price said gruffly.

Normally I'd laugh, but we were on the clock. Anderson moved past me and headed in the door to the right. There were two of them asleep in bunks, she disposed of them quickly.

"Sleep tight." She whispered while I smiled.

"Crew quarters clear." Price called. "Move up."

Back outside and it was still pouring. Gaz, Walcroft, and Griffen roped down to the deck.

"Ready Sir." Gaz said.

"Fan out. Three metre spread." Price ordered.

We moved up, taking our time as not to be surprised.

"Got two on the platform." Gaz said.

"I see 'em." Price said.

"Weapons free."

Before anyone else could take a shot, both were taken down.

"Targets neutralized." Anderson said.

Damn, she's good. While we moved up, I was focusing more on keeping an eye on Anderson than in front of me.

"We got company." Gaz said calmly.

Then the bullets started flying. I was taking cover in a cargo, trying to get a few shots off. Shite, their bullets were piercing the container.

"Hammer Two-Four, we got targets on the second floor." Price said.

"Copy, engaging." They responded.

I thought they had a quite a few bullets. The minigun on Hammer had more, way more. I guess they had some explosives up there because something exploded. And I guess they were nearly out of fuel. Doesn't matter, we were going below deck anyway.

"Walcroft, Griffen, cover our six. The rest of you, on me." Price ordered.

"Roger that." Gaz responded.

We moved up to the door. Gaz pulled the shotgun off his back.

"I like to keep this for close encounters." He said.

"Too right mate." Clark said.

While Price was messing with opening the door, Anderson was wringing water out of her hair.

"It just had to be raining, didn't it?" She asked.

"Hey, I feel like a wet sponge." I said while pointing at my head.

We both chuckled before Price spoke up. "On my mark-" He swung the door open with ease. "Go."

Gaz and his shotgun entered first, followed by Clark, Price, Anderson, then me.

"Check those corners."

We moved up, missing the occasional corner.

"Check those corners." He barked.

"Clear left." Clark said.

"Clear right." Gaz called.

"Hallway clear. Move up!" Price ordered.

"Stairs clear." Price announced. The voices were back and forth between the three of them. I was glad that Anderson was back here and less likely to get shot at. We ran down a flight of steps, and then someone saw someone and next thing I know, my body was reacting for me. I had learned years ago that when in combat, let your body take over rather than fight it. I pushed up past everyone and took point with Anderson right behind me. When we reached a door, we paused, and Price came up and took a peek. A burst of bullets nearly took his head off. He backed up and prepped a flashbang.

"Flashbang out. Go!" He ordered.

We entered the first of the cargo areas, the few that were blind had not a chance of winning. Their comrades that were left didn't stand much chance either. Price was barking orders like a madman. We cleared the room quickly and efficiently.

"Stack up."

Price was on the right, Gaz on the left, Clark, Anderson, and myself waiting in front of the door.

"Ready sir." Gaz said.

Price kicked the door down and started barking more orders. "Go."

We moved up onto a catwalk, there were tangos on the opposite one. Anderson and I fired on them while Price, Gaz, and Clark kept moving. We went down a set of stairs and took out a couple more.

"Forward area clear." Gaz stated.

"Stack up." Price ordered.

We moved up and got into position.

"One ready." Gaz said.

"Two ready." Anderson announced.

Price threw a flashbang in. "On my mark- go."

We moved in taking down tangos left and right, the majority must've been down here. Didn't matter, walking past a crate, one of them tried to rush me. Instinctively, I pulled my knife off my belt and sank it into his neck. He slumped to the ground, and a large pool of crimson formed at my feet. Gaz moved ahead with Anderson behind him. She tapped me on the shoulder as she passed by, it was a quick gesture but one I understood. Moving forward, there was about five more ahead. They were disposed of quickly.

"All clear?" Price asked.

All clear, sir." Gaz responded.

He pulled out a Geiger counter and started walking around before stopping in front of one of the containers.

"I'm getting a strong reading sir. You may want to take a look at this."

I walked over as Gaz pulled the doors open.

"Hmm... it's in Arabic." Price said. "Baseplate, this is Bravo Six. We've found it. Ready to secure package for transport."

Anderson and I walked inside the container.

"I can't read Arabic, but I do know what this means." She said while running her fingers over the bright yellow markings on the front.

"No time to remove the package, Bravo Six. Two bogies headed your way fast. Grab whatever you can and get the hell outta there."

I looked over at Price and Gaz.

"Fast movers. Probably MiGs. We'd better go." Gaz said

"Soap, grab the manifest. Move." Price barked.

I grabbed the clipboard that was sitting on top and shoved it anywhere where I had room. Moving out of the container quickly, I stood next to the Captain.

"Alright- Everyone topside! Double time!" Price shouted.

That was an order I will do gladly. MiGs were bad news, and I don't want to die on this ship.

"Walcroft, Griffen, what's your status?"

"Already in the helicopter, sir. Enemy aircraft inbound... SHIT! They've opened fire. Get out of there now."

We ran into the next cargo bay. Not a second later the whole ship shook, and the room was bathed in orange light from the fire. I fell onto my back and felt ice cold water run under my back. My vision was blurry, I tried to get up, but I couldn't move.

"Bravo Six. Come in! Bravo Six, what's your status?" The pilot asked.

"What the bloody hell happened?" Anderson screamed.

I looked left and saw Gaz and Anderson moving to their feet. I willed myself to move but I couldn't.

"The ship's sinking! We got to go, now!" Gaz yelled.

"Bravo Six, come in, damn it!"

"Big Bird, this is Bravo Six. We're on our way out." I felt a hand around grab mine, I knew it was Price. He hauled me up and yelled. "On your feet soldier! We are leaving!"

Anderson looked at me, she looked worried. I knew I had to talk with her later without the lads around, but we had to go.

"Get to the catwalks! Move, move, move!" Price yelled.

As we were running, the hull above our heads was bursting apart. Just then, it exploded above my head, and I stumbled. As I did, I felt a small hand wrap itself around my wrist and pull me along.

"C'mon, we have to GO!" She screamed.

The hull kept bursting open, and we were all stumbling some, but her hand never left my wrist.

"It's breakin' away!" Gaz yelled.

The catwalk nearly did break away, but we all had made it. Now we were in the corridors and Clark, who was in the front, was yelling for directions, and Gaz was calling obstacles from his position right behind Clark.

"Which way?!" Clark screamed.

"To the right, to the right." Price yelled back.

It was then that we came to the door that brought us outside. It was still pouring, and the ship had a horrible list, it was only a matter of moments before it capsized.

"Keep moving!" Price barked.

"Where the hell is it?" Anderson yelled.

As she finished saying that, the helicopter came around the side. Clark jumped on, Gaz right behind him.

"You're right behind me, right?" She asked.

"Just go!" I yelled over the helicopter, giving her a small nudge.

Price hopped in, and so did she. Now, however, the list was so bad that the helicopter couldn't stay next to it. So I had to jump.

"Jump for it!" Walcroft yelled.

I jumped, but as I did, my feet slid out from the edge, so the lower half of my body was dangling over the edge. Walcroft pointed, and Anderson tried to make a reach for me, but Captain Price was quicker, throwing down his MP5 and grabbing both my arms.

"Gotcha." He stated and set me down on the floor. "We're all aboard, go."

"Roger that! We're outta here. Baseplate, this is Big Bird. Package secure, returning to base. Out."

I looked back to the ship as it finally capsized and sank into the dark water below. Taking a seat, I felt someone sit down next to me. I knew that it is Anderson, but I looked at her anyway. She didn't seem worried at all, just relieved.

"Thanks for being my guardian angel, lass."

"Excuse me?" She asked.

"You were practically dragging me down those corridors, I think it's a fair name."

She laughed which I guess caused Price to turn around. He looked bemused.

"What's the muppet on about?" He asked gruffly.

"He's calling me his guardian angel." She laughed.

"Angel, eh? I kind of like it. Gaz." Price smiled.

"Yes, sir?" Gaz answered.

"What do you think about calling Anderson Angel?" Price asked.

"I kind of like it." Gaz responded.

"I do as well. Soap, good work." Price stated matter-of-factly
I looked over at Ander… Angel and was expecting her to be mad at me. Instead, she looked pretty happy about the ordeal. She smiled at me brightly, and I smiled back.

A/N: So they raided a cargo ship, and killed some Russians. Just like old times. Taylor 'Angel' Anderson is already saving lives, who's next? Hopefully, the Russians don't do anything stupid soon so the lads and lasses in the SAS can have a bit of downtime. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed. Rates, Reviews, and the like are appreciated. So until next time… Peace!