The units are all prepared to receive their assignments. The acres of floor space in City Hall of Philadelphia measures fourteen and half thousand feet long. The gothic-like building sits alone on an island in the middle of center city Philadelphia.The building's style is based on the second empire of Europe.
Squadron leader Silver coordinated an operation. The north,west,south and east sides that surround city hall are completely empty. A three block radius in all four areas have cleared out everyone.
Thanks to Philadelphia PD, the state police,the sheriff's department, first responders and about three hundred the national guard members. Anyone needing medical attention has received it. All civilians, media, and employees are now at a safe distance. People waiting to hear the fate of their loved ones have been provided a safe haven. Essential buildings that are safely operating providing housing for everyone until further notice. Police and military personnel provide food and protection inside the buildings.Nobody can leave until further notice. Snipers guard the areas. Their orders are to kill anyone who is outside within two blocks of city hall.
Silver has everything under control for Keyes.
The entire CRM personnel will be arriving within the next six hours.CRM members will begin carrying out their mission parameters. Colonel Trautman sat anxiously as Keyes gave out his directions.
Trautman pov
"Now I want this to go quickly and smoothly. I want to take this by the numbers. I need everyone ready and to be alert. Watch each other's backs in there. We will also guide you all. The transmission feed running through your body camera comes directly to our monitors. We will direct you through." Keyes explained.
"I know you were all concerned about the badlands operation. I did tell you the original orders of the operation. But after expressing the concerns you all had with CRM representative Elizabeth Kublek.She has reassured me they will save as many civilians as possible. All non-infected civilians who are not drug dealers,gang members, or violent offenders in need of drug treatment or housing shall receive it. So many people and families will owe you all a great deal of gratitude. Remember though for all that to happen smoothly and thoroughly. We need City Hall retrieved. Our time frame is three hours. That time frame is cutting it close. The faster we succeed here. The more time the CRM will have to evaluate the situation.So if you want to ensure people's safety. Then we need to get moving. Joker has said he laced over five thousand tons of pure fentanyl with Joker toxin. He also has added Joker toxin to other opiates. Meth, cocaine,and other prescription pills like oxycodone and xanax he has also laced. The five most purchased drugs on the streets." Keyes pauses for a moment. taking a sip of water and then a deep breath. Only because he is horrified to say what he has to say next.
"Intel has no leads as to where the drugs will be coming from. More than luckily everybody's supply will be laced to some extent. If that much is truly laced. Judging by the normal rate of overdoses per day.
Some are predicting possibly a thousand per day. Ten thousand overdoses within four days. Plus the wildfire disease is spreading around faster in that area. More sightings and reports have been made. With no vaccine or cure many more people will get infected. The more people that get infected, the more will die. The reanimation rate will get out of control. And lastly if there really are bombs set to go off across the city. Then that pretty much kills damn near everyone. I do not have a say anymore. It's extremely important you capture a hostile and find out exactly were the bombs are located. As well as where in Kensington is the main source of the laced drugs located.That way CRM can break down similar to the way we did. They can send in units to take out the people harboring those drugs. They also can assign people to help find people needing help.
They won't have the proper time if we do not supply that information. Ok gentlemen, stand by for your assignments. Squadron leader Hicks,do you copy?" Keyes informs. Calling out to Hicks.
"Squadron leader Hicks is ready for instructions sir," Hicks responded.
" Take your unit into the Southside stairwell. I want you to patrol between floors three and six. Keep four men in the stairwell and use four men to sweep each floor quickly. Keep a defensive stand in the stairwell. Make sure nobody escapes using the stairwell. Make sure the enemy doesn't try to ambush us. Take out all hostiles and reanimated victims. Any rogue non- infected civilians station them in a safe location. Report in after sweeping the third floor. We will go over an evacuation plan." Keyes orders.
"Ten-four sir," Hicks responded.
"Squadron leader Savage come in," Keyes calls in.
"Savage,I want your unit to go in on the Northside of the building. Do a clean sweep of the entire second floor. Use a three man,followed by two man pattern. Form a three man scrimmage line defending the unit's back. Sweep each room with the three man, two man pattern. Guard the entrance with the three remaining men. Use a grenade and blow up all the big rooms. Try to find any non-infected civilians. After the floor is swept, stand by for further instructions." Keyes ordered.
Keyes next calls into Rambo's group. Originally Keye's called Rambo first. He caught himself midway and radioed into Lieutenant Morgan instead.
" Squadron leader Ram-," Keyes begins coughing out loud. Keyes coughing.
I apologize. "Squadron leader Lieutenant Morgan. Come in. This time of year I always catch some kinda cold." Keyes looks over at Truatman and smirks.
Truatman doesn't believe Keyes. He feels Keyes did it intentionally to bother Rambo. Keyes calls in again. Morgan responds awaiting his orders.
"I need you to take your unit down into the sublevel basement. Intel has reported after the Joker gained control over the building. Officials received a distress call after nine am today. Some people managed to make it down into the sub level basement. They are trapped down there. A few people were also infected. With no further contact since then. There is no telling how many people are infected or fully went through the reanimation process." Keyes explains.
Morgan accepts his orders. Rambo keeps a strict eye on Morgan and his men that he remembers from Hope Washington.
"Deakins come in" Keyes calls in.
"You rang sir?" jokingly answered while laughing with Kelly.
"Deakins, I need you to enter that building covertly. We have just received intel that the Joker is hiding on the eighth floor. That's the hidden floor.Only one of two freight elevators go to that floor. You will find a freight elevator at the end of the hallway. Use a two man split. Defensive pattern until you get the elevator's entrance. Followed by a four man scrimmage line defending the back. Once the entire unit is safely aboard the elevator. Prepare an audacity method form of attack. We will go over the exact details once your unit is safely aboard the elevator. Ok fallout!"
Keyes ordered.
Trautman is concerned over Keyes' plan. Recalling all the things Detective John McClain warned them about. Trautman can't help but think the Joker would anticipate an aggressive move like that. Trautman again tries to intervene, warning Keyes. Keyes notes his concern but brushes him off.
Deakins and his unit enter city hall.
A distance away echoes of screams and laughs can be heard from a distance. The horrifying sounds come through the air vents a distance away. A very large muscular soldier and a young national guardsman walk slowly. Deakins and Kelly follow closely behind. Every seven feet the two man combinations surpass each other. Crockett,Nash,Ford and the last national guardsman form a scrimmage line protecting the back end. Deakins and Kelly approach the freight elevator first. A sign hangs on the keypad. It reads out of order.
"Oh shit Deek. Can you believe this shit.I just don't believe it." Kelly refers to Deakins by his nickname. Kelly aggressively rips the sign off and throws it to Deakins. Deakins laughs when seeing the sign.
"Come in fearless leader Keyes. Did you see this crap?" Deakins flashes the sign on camera.
"It figures you would send us in and the damn elevator is out of order. I hope you got the check books out. Cause this is gonna cost you overtime.''' Deakins jokes.
"Yo , do you ever shut up?" Crockett's temper begins to show. Deakins looks over grinning but annoyed.
"All you do is talk shit. And talk about how great you are and what you're worth. Best part is you haven't shown us anything since you got here." Crockett states.
"You wanna find out first hand what I am worth Sonny boy?" Deakin's threatened. Crockett puts his weapon down. He forcefully walks up into Deakin's face.
"Got something you like to say Sonny boy?" Deakin's asked.
"Yes, Pay you overtime? What makes you think you're worth anything?Besides you are part of the United States military. We do this to protect the lives of the innocent. Money's the last thing on your minds" Crockett's passion begins to rise.
Deakins begins to laugh at Crockett. Kelly stands alongside Deakin's. Trying to calm Deakins down.
"Well take a look at that Sergeant Kelly. An all American boy from Miami. Just for you sergeant to recruit! You were just saying how hard it is to find good men. Well there you go. Sonny boy would work for free as long as his name goes along with saving someone. That guilt must weigh down on him. Being forced to join a covert tactical unit to avoid jail time. Because you killed criminals instead of arresting them." Deakins laughing at Crockett. Bringing up his past mistakes. Crockett rushes up to Deakins. Kelly stands between the two.
"Oh come on now Sergeant Kelly. I'm just feeling out our teammates. Yo, Keyes are you watching this? Cause I don't think I can work with this guy. This jerk can't even take a joke!" Deakin's states. Kelly and Deakins make an aggressive gesture toward Crockett.
Ford and Nash walk over and stand aside with their Delta Force colleague. A large muscular national guardsmen also walks up. He gets into Crockett's face. The other two younger national guard men try to defuse the situation.
"Oh wow take a look at this."Deakins joked.
"I wouldn't want him mad at me. At ease Bradford. It's ok really.Stand down big man."Deakin's laughing about the entire situation.
Deakin's, Kelly and Bradford aggressively rush towards Crockett,Nash,and Ford. The remaining two national guards stand between the opposing sides.
Bradford has a large muscular build. His veins are the size of pencils. His arm muscles pop through his shirt.
"I'm sick of this punk! Never showing any respect to you sir." Bradford screamed.
"Enough of this crap! Trautman you remind your men they are under orders! I will have them arrested if they do not stand down now. Deakins, the fight is upstairs waiting for you!" Keyes demanded while watching this transpire on the monitor.
Keyes looks at the blueprints of the building. The amount of rooms and rectangular shape each floor is shaped like. Gives Joker and his men plenty of hiding spots. With the second freight elevator located on the other side of the building. Keyes feels he needs another unit to help calm things down with Deakins and Crockett.
"The second elevator is at the rear end of the hallway. There's no way these guys are gonna walk an entire floor that big. Since the floor is rectangular in shape. The long length holds many large rooms of each floor. I'm calling in a backup unit. We need everyone on high alert! Squadron unit leader Savage come in please",Keyes calls.
"Crockett, this is Trautman. Son, stand down now. Deakins is not the enemy. The enemy's in their waiting for you.Those floors are huge. Every room in that building is equal to the size of the main lobby in other buildings. Please son, just focus on the task at hand. It's a very dangerous situation there. We need everyone to put their differences aside. We need everyone to stay calm and alert. Be aware of your surroundings at all times. Most importantly, watch each other's backs in there."Trautman said with passion.
Trautman wipes the sweat from his forehead as he begins to get tense.
"Savage, do you read me? Damn it! No answer. Meeks this piece of junk. Get us on the main system. Not this Skynet bull shit!" Keyes asks again.
"Savage's unit is on the northern side of the building sir. There is a glitch on that side of the building. That is why he cannot answer you. Besides, like I tried explaining earlier to you. Most civilian federal government buildings have not received access to the new data system that all federal military facilities received. All secret locations and even retired military bases have access now. Like the Philadelphia Naval yard. They have been closed for fifteen years. Active buildings like this however have the obsolete version skynet. It makes no sense" Meeks reminds Keyes.
"Savage, here are your new orders. If you hear me but cannot respond verbally. Please just carry them out. I need your unit to get to Deakins' unit at once! Keep them apart from fighting! Then assist them to the second freight elevator on the far end of the main entrance. The last corner of the first floor hallway is where the freight elevator is located. Create a four man scrimmage line behind Deakins unit. Also, have two men off on each side. Make sure nobody ambushes us from the back or side angles. Stay in that formation until Deakins unit has safely reached their extraction point. That's an order !" Keyes ordered.
The two sides stare each other down. The two national guardsmen have no chance of keeping the two sides from coming to blows. Keyes is sweating over this
He knows this could blow the entire mission now. Savage along with his unit come rushing on to the floor. The right men squeeze in between the two sides.
"Ten guys you got between us. Is that all you got? Your gonna need a Army to stop me."Bradford screamed as he tried getting closer to Crockett.
Robinson stepped out of line. Standing toe to toe with Bradford. His massive two hundred and forty seven pound frame may not be as muscular. But Robinson is built like a NFL lineman. Robinson steps back. He turns to walk away. Then he suddenly turns back and gets in Bradfords face again. Robinson answers Bradford's question.
" Nah, not an army. Just me." Robinson said.
Deakins' smiles at Crockett. Gripping Bradfords arm. Silently signaling to Bradford step back. The massive men stand toe to toe. Bradford walks off with Kelly. Keyes watching from his monitor continues to threaten to have everyone arrested.
"Get to work now. All of you. This is the last warning. I'll send military police in and arrest you all. Just try me." Keyes threatened.
"Well I am fine. Like I said at the end of the day we are still on the same side. I am cool. Are you cool Sonny boy?''Deakins said. Deakins then extends his arm. He points for Crockett to move forward first. He smiles then says.
"After you Sonny Boy." Deakins gestures towards Crockett.
Crockett picks up his weapon and thanks Ford and Nash. Looking over towards Deakins. Crockett shakes his head and sarcastically smirks. Crockett takes Deakins's offer and proceeds ahead.
The men all begin to fall in line and prepare to carry out their orders.
A nervous Keyes leans over his transmitter. Truatman standing aside Keyes nervously pulls up a chair. He sits next to Keyes.
Meeks focuses the transmitter on the last unit. Rambo and Morgan's unit begin to enter the building on the west side. A guard answers a phone call.
"It's the CDC outside Atlanta, sir. It's Dr. Jenner wanting to speak with Dr.Wynn." The guard announced. Wynn excuses himself.
Savage's unit has begun to escort Deakins's unit to the elevator. Hicks's unit has the stairwell secure. Morgan's unit was brought in to clear the sub- level badement.
Rambo pov
The sublevel basement has a horror movie type of atmosphere. Dark,dirty,rat infested and hard to breathe. The smell of urine comes and then fades away. Rambo looks intently at Morgan. The other six men in the unit are a mix of three older men and three younger men. Keyes instructs Morgan to use an aggressive offensive approach. Rambo disagrees with the call. The unit was under qualified. An approach like that is suicidal.
The three younger looking men look like they are in good shape. Two seem extremely nervous. The other soldier seems overzealous.
Rambo hears the names Earl, Raymond and Robert A. the older sliders. Rambo begins to piece together how he knows them. He observed their qualities.All three are wearing army sunrisers. Hats that have been out of fashion for twenty years. They too, like Morgan, are older and out of shape. Raymond was very fat and seemed out of breath. Robert A looked like he was shaking from being nervous. Earl weakness is he has on seeing glasses that are not attached to band. They may easily slide off. Earl also seems immature as he tries cracking jokes that only annoy everyone.
After Rambo quickly analyzes them. He started to realize based on their ages,names and mannerisms. He begins to realize just how he knows them. They were responsible for trapping Rambo in the coal miners cave back in eighty two.
Rambo POV PTSD
Rambo's memory begins to take over. As the unit moves forward. Rambo hears a rat in the distance. The loud squeak reminds him of the coaler's mine he was trapped in thanks to Morgan.
The white stained walls begin to fade away. The dark dusty hallway begins to lighten up. The walls begin to look more like trees in the forest. Colors change before Rambo's eyes. Natural sunlight shines through . The floor becomes grass. Rambo now sees a younger Clinton Morgan. The men behind him are chasing after him. They begin firing and cheering as Rambo runs for cover. Rambo runs for cover in a cave. Morgan and his men continue to fire. Rambo desperately fires his remaining bullets.The entire squad retreats and hides under a small cliff. After running out of ammo Rambo awaits Morgan's next move. Morgan orders each soldier one at a time to apprehend Rambo. They all hide like cowards and admit Rambo is superior to all of them. Morgan then orders Earl to fire a M seventy two LAW rocket. The explosion caused a massive avalanche. Rambo nearly died but was able to fall into the tunnels of an abandoned rat infested mine. Rambo created a torch to see his way through the tunnels. Suddenly squeals from the rats began to get louder with each step forward. The squeals are so loud it hurts Rambo's ears. Hundreds of brown long tailed rats come running out of the darkness in all directions. Each rat leaping in fear for Rambo's throat. Rambo desperately swings his torch at every rat. Rats that landed on his back and neck. Began to bite and scratch him. Ripping the rats off Rambo squeezed some to death and threw others across the cave. Rambo finally moves forward as he sees natural light shining through. The squeals of the rats subside more and more. The light reminds Rambo of the ladder he used to escape the cave. The ladder did not exist. The sunlight shines through a window on his left. Rambo hears the large rat running by. Rambo goes to swing his torch. The torch however does not have a flame attached anymore. The object Rambo is swinging is his M sixteen. Rambo falls in a trance and is confused. Rambo no longer hears hundreds of rats. Rambo's sweat begins to stop. His heart rate is settling back to normal as well as his breathing. The chills are quickly going away as he returns to reality.
However his awareness has heightened. Suddenly he hears Trautman's voice over a two-way radio.
Rambo Pov
Rambo now is back in reality refocused on the mission.
Rambo had a panic attack. His PTSD has heightened. He can no longer control his panic attacks like he did in the past. Rambo's hallucination and relieved a traumatic experience in the coal mine. Rambo stands still as a sixteen inch rat races by him.
"Yo, quiet man. It's just a rat man. I thought you were supposed to be some great war hero. If one rat scares you like that. I hate to see what a stupid clown will do to you." The cocky soldier added.
Rambo now fully focused recalls a skill he learned mentally through Baker team in his Vietnam war days. Any hallucination followed by a mocking comment in the present only adds to his rage. The war hero sets to become war in every sense of the word. It's how he ensures to survive and to win by attrition.
A loud bang is heard. Stopping everyone in their tracks. Keyes observing the them over his transmitter. He cannot see too well. The picture is dark. He could hear the loud throbbing sound over the audio. A weak cry for help is heard. Keyes instructs Morgan to investigate the room.
Morgan, Raymond,Earl and Robert A stop and fall back. A cry for help is now heard louder. The cocky soldier walks over to the door. Rambo watches intently. Morgan orders the cocky soldier to check the door. Private Stevenson gladly obliges. Rambo grabs his arm to stop him.
"Don't , it could be a trap." Rambo warned.
"Oh come on, there's nothing down here. It's probably a homeless bum who is sleeping overnight in the janitor's closet. Stevenson jokes. Raymond feeling more at ease joins in on the joke.
"Yeah and he just woke up hung and realizes he's locked and the
buildings under attack."'Raymond laughs.
"Yes Raymond, go with Stevenson for me." Morgan orders. Raymond gets annoyed by this. He walks over slowly.
The man behind the door sounds weak. He continues asking for help. His voice is very raspy. Stevenson opens the door. A man falls to the ground. Coughing and spitting up blood. He has been bitten in the trapzius and left shoulder. The left side has been torn open. The blood is a dark black cherry red color. The man falls down in agony. Stevenson shuts the door closed. A soldier steps up to help him.
"Rodgers step back right now" Ordered Morgan.
" But sir, I have a medical license. I have an oath I must keep." Rodgers behind you opens his first aid kit.
The man is bleeding heavily in a lot of pain. Rambo looks over at Morgan. Morgan cowardly walks up and pushes Rodgers back. He opens fire on the injured man on the ground. Shooting the man all across his torso. Everyone stands in shock as he dies.
Rambo rushes over gripping Morgan by his throat. Rambo lifts him up in the air and slams him into a wall. Raymond rushes over to help Morgan. Rambo kicks him in his stomach. Raymond is extremely overweight. Holding on to his stomach. Raymond throws up and falls to the floor. Stevenson and Robert A aim their weapons at Rambo. Rambo tightens his grip. Showing Stevenson and Robert A that he can easily rip apart Morgan's neck. Rambo holding Morgan up into the air. Small amounts of blood slowly drip across Rambo's hand Rambo looks deep into the eyes of Morgan asking him.
" Do you remember me? You ordered Earl to fire a rocket at me?" Rambo asked.
Morgan is so scared of Rambo. Morgan continues to deny ever meeting Rambo.
Rambo looks intensely into Morgan.
"Don't kill any more civilian's." Rambo demanded. Morgan begins to answer. He spits out blood and starts stuttering.
"I-I just-st followed or-orders" Morgan tries to explain." Rambo looked intensely into Morgan's eyes.
"We don't kill civilians. Turning Morgan's head to a dead body. If you do again. That will be you on the floor." Do you understand me?" Rambo asked.
Morgan gestures yes. Keyes continues to call in over the radio. Rambo rips the wiring off Morgan's vest. Detaching the video and audio feed. Rambo lets go of Morgan's throat. Morgan coughs and falls to his knees. Morgan tries to gain his breath. Another loud sound is heard behind the door Stevenson closed. Stevenson and Robert A turn their attention to the door.
Rambo notices a scar on Robert A's cheek. Rambo remembers hijacking Robert A's army truck. He used it to blow up half of the city of Hope Washington.Robert A pursued Rambo with the help of the state police car. Rambo pushed their car off the road causing a minor collision. Robert A's face was scarred. Rambo remembered him from the trail for his crimes in Hope.
The pounding gets louder.
The men walk over towards the banging door. Stevenson looks towards Rambo for advice. Rambo has him stand back. Rambo slowly opens the door making sure no hostiles walk out.
Another man walks out. His face is bloody with flesh torn from his cheeks. His clothes are ripped and full of blood. He is limping out of the room slowly growling and hissing. He will not talk to anyone. His sounds are not making sense. He has blood and white foam pouring out of his mouth. He is clearly infected and has reanimated already.
"Hold it right,there sir.'' Stevenson ordered.
The man turned and faced him. He continued to walk in his direction. Growling and getting more irate as he gets closer. Stevenson fires at him. The bullets continue to hit the man in his torso. He continues to walk forward despite being hit. The loud sound from the AK Forty Seven attracted two more walkers.
They too look similar to the man they first encountered. They begin to get louder and walk towards them. Rambo sees Morgan and Raymond slowly helping each other up. They cowardly run backwards away from everyone else. They are trying to take cover in another room down the hallway. Rambo opens fire with Stevenson. Rodgers, Robert A, Earl and another young man begin firing at the other two walkers. The walkers are slowing down but not dying.
Nobody can believe their eyes. Keyes is screaming for someone to report in. Nobody can believe their eyes as the bullets just disappear into human chests. One walker abruptly falls to his death. Another one's legs have bent backwards breaking the bones. The walker cannot walk. But in a unbelievable sight. The walker aggressively crawls towards Stevenson. The third walker has focused on Robert A. The walker seems faster then the others. Robert A's fear has him frozen. It only seems to be faster. The sounds also have gotten louder. The growls and hisses sound more aggressive. Robert A's weapon jammed. He backs up trying to block the walker's attack. The walker's much like the rats. Lunged forward biting and scratching away at Robert A's face and body.
Rambo looks quickly at Robert A struggling. There is no clear shot to take at the walker's head. Rambo pulls out his Jiffy Lile survival knife. Rambo quickly runs over towards the back of the walker. He grips his knife tightly and forcefully rams the knife into the skull of the walker. The impact to the walker's skull causes the walker to fall forward. Robert A falls backwards on the ground. Robert A screaming in fear closes his eyes and prepares to be eaten alive.
The walker however abruptly stopped when Rambo's knife connected with the walkers skull. The last walker continues crawling on the ground crawling. Stevenson rapidly opens fires at the walker. Shooting all across the walker's back. The walker finally dies when the blood squirts out of the back and rear skull. The blood splatter like broken watermelons. The men regroup and try to catch their breath. Low growls can be heard. The man Morgan killed earlier is slowly moving. Rodgers runs back towards him.
"No! Stay away from him" Rambo screamed.
Suddenly a elevator ding gongs. A strange voice is heard.
"Rambo! It's time to meet your maker."
The metallic voice threatened.
A canister comes out of the elevator. A loud hissing sound sprays out. Two more canisters roll out doing the same thing. Thick white smoke expands throughout the floor. Making it hard to see and breath.nto the floor. Rambo and the the others run for cover to the room the walkers were in. Three more men walk out of the elevator firing machine guns.