"All warfare is based on deception. For years, the West's hypocrisy has made the world a battlefield. The corrupt talk; while our brothers and sons spill their own blood. But deceit cuts both ways. The bigger the lie, the more likely people will believe it, and when a nation cries for vengeance, the lie spreads like a wildfire. The fire builds, devouring everything in its path. Our enemies believe that they alone dictate the course of history."
"And all it takes is the will of a single man."
The Russo-American War became irrelevant and slowly faded into the background. In response to the first recorded case of Green Flu in the East Coast, the Russian Ultranationalist government withdrew its troops from the United States despite a successful occupation of Virginia. This stagnated a conflict between superpowers that would have inevitably progressed into a third world war. A lull in the conflict.
Or so everyone thought.
Initially spotted in various locations in the East Coast of the United States, the Green Flu had already spread globally. Health workers around the world spearheaded by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Civil Emergency Defense Agency (CEDA) became the frontline of defense against the Green Flu. Two weeks later, their efforts resulted in catastrophic failure. A number of governments and nations have collapsed, with the rest on the brink of dissolving. With millions already dead and many others infected, the Green Flu has become the world's worst plague in human history.
With CEDA's failure to contain the initial spread of the Green Flu in the United States alone, they were absorbed by a joint task force with the U.S. Military which declared martial law. This joint task force was led by Lieutenant General Hershel Von Shepherd III, who stepped up with the use of more drastic measures involving the use of deadly force in order to combat the infection. The General's draconian methods proved much more effective than CEDA's containment strategy.
Despite the man's tainted reputation after the events that transpired during the Second Russian Civil War five years ago, he was seen as the most effective military leader in the war against the Green Flu for his seemingly uncanny understanding of the virus and prediction of enemy (both infected and human) action.
Washington D.C. had become one of the last major strongholds for what remained of the government of the United States. The military had struggled to defend the nation's capital, fending off the Infected after the Russo-American war weakened their forces.
October 2016, three weeks after the first infection
Washington D.C., the Pentagon, U.S.A.
"The death toll continues to rise as random acts of violence and widespread panic ensues. There have even been accounts of police brutality as witnesses report police firing on unarmed suspects believed to be infected violating quarantine measures in a state of panic. This poses a big challenge to authorities as they struggle to enforce policies for the containment of the Green Flu, which is now confirmed to be a level four biohazard." said a newscaster on the television.
"Someone turn off that damn TV." General Shepherd remarked while he assessed the critical situation the nation was currently in.
"We believe Pennsylvania to be ground zero. CEDA's quarantine measures failed to contain the spread, the perimeter around the city has already been breached by the time the joint task force was ordered to lock down the state. We will lose the East Coast in a matter of weeks." said Secretary of Defense William Cullen as he discussed the outbreak with Shepherd, the President, as well as high-ranking officers of the military. A handful of Secret Service agents and armed military personnel occupied the corners of the room, standing guard.
"The 2nd Marine Division is stationed in New York to help the National Guard seal off the Northern Coast. We still got SEAL teams trapped in Russia. Down south, our forces in Georgia are under imminent threat of being overrun." said Overlord, as he went through the short list of assets they had left.
Suddenly, a soldier came knocking on the door in a panicked state. The soldier guarding the door opened it and the former reported something to him. Upon hearing this, the latter faced everyone in the room, who immediately turned towards him in response.
"Speak up, soldier!" General Shepherd ordered.
The soldier managed to compose himself and heeded the General's order. "Sir, we received a distress call from Fort Detrick! Whiskey Deltas have breached the blockade positions on northwest perimeter of Washington D.C.!"
"My God…" muttered the President muttered upon hearing the urgent situation.
"Mr. President, we are taking you to the NORAD shelter in Colorado." a Secret Service agent informed him.
Shepherd turned towards Overlord.
"Are there any Special Operations units in Georgia we can request?"
The large screen in the room then displayed the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment-Delta (1st SFOD-D/Delta Force) and the 75th Ranger Regiment in Georgia, the 2nd Marine Regiment in New York, and the Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DEVGRU/SEAL Team Six) near Moscow, Russia.
"The 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment has returned to Hunter Army Airfield. They were able to extract Raptor in Northeast Virginia. G-2 has received the photos and high value intel they secured in Arcadia County. The 3rd Battalion has returned to Fort Benning after pulling out of Atlanta, but they report only twenty percent combat effectiveness after sustaining heavy casualties during the Operation Cobalt retreat. The Delta team is assigned to rescue Dr. Edwin Jenner and secure the samples from Test Subject 19 from the CDC building in Atlanta, after their military cordon was overrun."
Shepherd nodded.
"Divert the 1st Ranger Battalion. Garrison them at Fort Benning to provide reinforcements and supplant the combat-ready forces in the base. We can't afford to lose the closest active power projection platform to Atlanta. Have them pull security and act as a QRF for Delta's priority extraction in the city. I want them them on REDCON-2. We need to buy the CDC in Georgia some time." Shepherd ordered, taking note of Fort Benning's ability to deploy combat-ready forces by air, rail, and highway.
Fort Benning, Georgia, U.S.A.
"My Task Force is out of the country. I am commandeering your unit, Colonel Marshall." said Shepherd as he talked with Colonel Marshall over a long range satellite radio, the current commander of the 75th Ranger Regiment, leading from the Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HCC).
"Yes, sir. All yours, sir." Marshall replied.
"First, I need direct OPCON to Hunter Company. Second, your regiment is to assist the National Guard in sealing off Georgia from the rest of the Southern Coast. We have three major strongholds in the state, and they are under imminent threat of infection. Can't let them take this corner." Shepherd said once more.
"Just point it out on the map, sir. They won't take it." Marshall told the General.
Day 19
Most of the East Coast had fallen to the Infected hordes. Pockets of military strongholds, such as Millhaven and Fort Benning, were all that remained. The National Guard was mostly overrun and its remaining survivors were now dug in with the Rangers in Fort Benning. Following an Infected attack on Millhaven and a distress call from Major Everly, General Shepherd ordered Colonel Marshall to lead a task force for a high-risk priority rescue mission in and around Millhaven.
The Colonel formed a search and rescue team consisting of members of the 75th Ranger Regiment along with a Quick Reaction Force of National Guard soldiers.
Hunter 2's platoon leader was killed in action during the Russo-American War. The Green Flu pandemic had also claimed the lives of many senior NCOs, including Hunter 2-1's squad leader, Staff Sergeant Adams. Through the chain of command, this led to Foley being designated as the platoon sergeant of Hunter company's second platoon.
The first squad consisted of Sergeant Foley, Corporal Dunn, Private Ramirez, Private Morgan, Private McCord, Private Sean, Private Wells, Private Sandler, and Private Wade. The second squad had Sergeant Macey, Corporal Keating, Private Fahey, Private Slayback, Private Hudson, Private Sumners, Private Golden, Private Lockwood, and Private Walden.
Foley supervised initial inspections and pre-combat checks right after he received the warning order for the mission, spot checking his unit's preparation for combat. "Alright Sergeant, here's everything Colonel Marshall listed down on what you'll need. 40 mike-mikes, 5.56 and 7.62s. 30 and 20 round mags for the M4s and SCARS, seven per man, 600 linked 7.62s for the 240 gunners, and 9 mil pistols." the Supply Sergeant told Foley, who nodded.
"Get those 203s and FN40s loaded up!" Foley loaded a high explosive 40 millimeter round into the FN40GL attached to his SCAR-H. Wade does the same for the M203 attached to his M4A1.
"Lock and load. Ensure all weapons are condition one!" Foley instructed.
Dunn loaded 7.62x51mm NATO rounds into a 20-round magazine for his SCAR-H until it was full, before he inserted it in the magazine well of the rifle. He pulls the charging handle on the left side of the rifle with his off hand, revealing the ejection port on the right. Ramirez inserts a full magazine into his Beretta M9, then pulls the slide to the rear before releasing, loading a round in the chamber.
"Uniforms and equipment... double check your MOPP. Posture level 4. No breaches unless you wanna be a Tango Mike or a Whiskey Delta." Foley said as he inspected the team's Mission Oriented Protective Posture gear, ensuring they all had Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology garments, gloves, boots, and protective masks on. He also took note if their camouflage was up to standard.
"Alright, communication sections got our comms prepped and ready. Rations and water distributed. Any other questions about the mission and our objectives before boots on the ground?"
"Negative, first squads good to go." Dunn replied. "We're good." Macey shortly followed.
"Then we're Oscar Mike! Let's go!"
A surveillance drone and two recommissioned MH-53M Pave Lows, the latter two of whom were under the designations of Warhorse 5-1 and Warhorse 5-2, respectively, were deployed. Warhorse 5-1 served as the transport for Foley's platoon.
Millhaven
The team prepared to perform a fast rope insertion on Millhaven's west yard from the helicopter's rear hatch, only to see, to their horror, Millhaven completely destroyed and overrun.
"Command, our insertion point is compromised. Whiskey Delta's have the place overrun!" Sergeant Foley reported.
"Copy, Hunter 2-1, but keep searching. Do what you can from the air. General Shepherd wants Major Everly extracted."
Just as the situation seemed bleak, one of the Pave Lows had picked up something on their radar.
"Wait, we are seeing flares half a click east. It's coming from the train depot by the east yard!" said Warhorse 5-2's pilot.
"Copy that." Foley responded to the pilot.
The helicopters rushed towards the flare signatures' location. Foley placed his index and middle finger on his ComTac headset.
"Command, we have acquired flare signatures 500 meters to the east, by the train depot! We're prepared to move in for search and rescue."
"Command copies all. You are cleared for Search and Rescue. Good luck. Out." said Marshall through the comms.
Foley then faced his team to address them.
"We have a distress signal near this location. We're going to save their lives. Hooah?!"
The team knew just how to respond.
"HOOAH!"
The Train Depot
Two soldiers held their ground by the train depot, one male and one female. Their names were Jeff and Annie, respectively. After assisting five immune civilians in escaping Millhaven, they decided to part ways with them in fear of their gas masks eventually malfunctioning. Initially, they attempted to evacuate to Safe Zone Echo through the use of artillery chokepoints at a north hold out. However, when this did not work, they attempted to make a dash towards the train but it was too late. Four of the civilians earlier had already left with the train. Annie then used a flare as a distress signal.
"Rock! This is Haven! Requesting MEDEVAC by the train depot on the east yard, grid square Charlie Tango 10118. How copy, over? Rock?! Do you copy? DOES ANYONE COPY?!" Annie yelled frantically at the radio.
Fortunately for her, Warhorse 5-1's pilot was able to pick her up on the radio frequency. "Haven, this is Warhorse 5-1. Hold tight. We see your flare. Interrogative - do you have a SPIE rig? Over."
"Negative, Warhorse 5-1!" Annie replied.
The pilot observed their position and saw a hard concrete surface 100 meters left of the train depot with an area of about 100x100 feet wide and clear of debris.
"Copy, Haven. We'll form an improvised LZ on the concrete platform 100 meters left of the Train Depot on the east yard for extraction, ETA two minutes out!"
"Copy that!" the female soldier replied.
As they attempted to secure the Train Depot, Jeff was swarmed by about fifteen Common Infected in all his directions. They beat him to the ground in just mere seconds. Annie then turned towards her companion and engaged the Infected all over him with her M4A1, carefully aiming with the carry handle iron sights and firing in bursts of two and three shots as to not shoot Jeff by accident. After taking out the Infected, she rushed towards him.
Jeff yelled in pain on the ground, holding his right leg. "Shit, shit! My fucking leg. I can't fucking stand on my leg. I can't walk!"
"Hey, just hang in there! Evac is on its way, they're two minutes out! I'll carry you to the train depot! Just take this and cover us both!" Annie said as she loaded a fresh magazine into her M4A1 and hit the bolt catch release before lending Jeff the weapon.
Annie then bent over at the waist and grasped the part of Jeff's vest under his shoulders, keeping both her arms under both sides of his head for support. She then pulled him backwards towards the train station, trying to keep the pull as straight and in-line as possible.
"A flare and a helicopter, Francis said they're attracted to noise... they better book it here quick! This LZ is gonna be like catnip to them." Jeff said.
He was indeed right. Annie's gamble came with a great risk. A horde of about a hundred Common Infected 75 meters to their west them started chasing them from behind. "We got incoming from six o'clock, Anne! No way we can fight that much off!" Jeff said as he started shooting.
Not too long after, the choppers arrived and Warhorse 5-1 hovered over the concrete platform for a few moments, as the pilot tried to determine wind direction and speed as well as using the search light to scan for any obstructions such as power lines.
From up in the chopper, Dunn whispered to himself.
"Shit... It's gonna be a fucking mess down there..."
Warhorse 5-1 landed with its engine and rotor still running, while Warhorse 5-2 provided air cover and overwatch from above, using the M134 Miniguns mounted on the firing ports at its port, starboard, and rear hydraulic ramp.
"Go! Go! Go!" Warhorse 5-1 ordered, as the crew gestured for Foley's squad to head on out. The Rangers stepped out and quickly covered each side of the helicopter. A dozen Common Infected approached the Helicopter's rear.
"Weapons free!" Foley ordered.
The squad did so and took out the Infected, before a loud howl from even more Infected surrounding their vicinity was heard. Warhorse 5-2 spotted a massive group of Infected approaching the team at an alarmingly fast pace.
"Hunter 2-1, recommend you clear outta there NOW! You got a mass of enemy foot mobiles converging on your position from all directions! THEY'RE FIFTEEN SECONDS OUT!" Warhorse 5-2 radioed in, as its three mounted Miniguns spooled up and started firing at said Infected.
"Negative, Negative! We won't leave them! Nobody gets left behind!" Foley replied with conviction.
Dunn called out to the two survivors. "C'mon! Move! Let's go! We gotta get the hell outta dodge! NOW!"
Annie then made her way to the helicopter while dragging Jeff with a backwards shoulder pull. Wade's eyes widened in horror. "I got movement behind the tree line coming from the west!" he shouted. "I have eyes on another group approaching due east!" Dunn followed. The massive horde Warhorse 5-2 spotted rapidly closed in on Warhorse 5-1 and Hunter 2-1, completely enveloping all of their flanks.
While providing covering fire for the two soldiers, Foley noticed Annie's small stature compared to the soldier she was dragging. "Ramirez, take your team and get over to their position. Give em' a hand while the rest of us cover from here! Go! Macey, I want a 240 firing on each side of this LZ!" ordered Foley.
Ramirez's fire team ran towards Annie and Jeff, who were now about 75 meters away. They got to them and formed a circle around the two to cover them from all sides.
Seeing the wounded Jeff on the ground, Dunn quickly helped Annie carry him to the helicopter. "Alright, take his left side, I'll take right!" Dunn grabbed Jeff's right wrist with his right hand, and the right shoulder with his other hand. Dunn then quickly placed Jeff's right arm around his shoulders and behind his head. Annie then quickly mirrored Dunn's actions on Jeff's left side.
"Ready?"
Annie nodded.
"Lift!" Dunn ordered.
They pulled and lifted Jeff's arms, bringing him into a sitting position. With assistance from the two, Jeff stood up using his left leg. Dunn then wrapped his left arm around Jeff's waist. Annie quickly mirrored this on the left side, forming a two-person drag that allowed them to move much faster.
Morgan covered the rear and McCord switched between covering the left and right side, as Ramirez led them back to the helicopter. The rest of Hunter 2-1 fired at the horde of oncoming Infected, managing to take down enough of them to avoid being completely overrun. Unfortunately, their numbers proved too much, and the platoon's machine gunners began to run out of ammo as the horde closed in at 30 meters in less than two minutes.
"Shit! I'm out!" Morgan yells, after his M240B's belt ran dry.
"Doesn't matter! We're leaving anyway!" Dunn replied as they finally made it to the helicopter. Ramirez, Dunn, Morgan, McCord, Annie, and Jeff got inside through the rear hydraulic ramp as the rest covered them. Once they were all in, the rest entered the helicopter while maintaining fire on the Infected horde.
"Alright, let's go!" yelled Dunn.
"All eagles on board! Go!" Sergeant Foley yelled to the pilot.
The Pave Low took off and the horde quickly filled in the ground the helicopter was on in just two seconds, narrowly avoiding a drawn-out confrontation between the Rangers and the massive horde that would have inevitably wiped out the entire platoon.
"Everyone alright?" asked Sergeant Foley.
"Hooah."
"Yeah." Morgan replied, out of breath.
"Goddamn… That was a lot of 'em down there!" McCord commented.
"No more room in Hell, I guess." Dunn replied.
Foley checked on the two rescued soldiers. "Identify yourselves."
"Corporal Annie Kendricks and Specialist Jeffrey Pratt. 56th Brigade Combat Team, 28th Infantry Division." Annie responded.
"Alright Corporal, gimme a SitRep. Is there anyone else down there? We're looking for a Major Everly. Extracting him is a priority objective." Foley asked Annie further.
"Negative. It's just us. Look, I don't know a better way of telling you how it happened, but an eight-foot tall Whiskey Delta looking like Moustachio knocked Major Everly's bird out of the sky." Annie answered, sounding quite agitated and shaken up.
"Did you check the crash site, Corporal?" Foley inquired.
"The Whiskey Delta THREW the bird at us. Thing exploded and was up in flames. No one could have made it out of that wreck. Now, if anyone else who wasn't in that bird made it out, they might have fallen back to Safe Zone Echo." Annie responded.
"First, I hear rumors of these things jumping 20 feet high, riding people on their backs, exploding, spitting acid, and now this? Sarge, with all due respect, I call bullshit." Fahey remarked, seemingly refusing to what Annie just said.
"Look, we didn't believe it either till we saw it ourselves! You can look out there on the east yard and see the wreck for yourself!" Annie said in frustration.
Foley did so and looked out the helicopter's window, spotting a downed Blackhawk in flames.
"I see it, it's right next to the command center too. Shepherd's not gonna like this." Foley said and nodded, looking disappointed.
"Sarge!"
Foley turned as Dunn called him.
"Dunn, what's the problem?" Foley asked.
"We gotta RTB, or this guy's gonna be a goner!" Dunn says as he informed Foley of Jeff's critical condition.
"Roger that. Keep a close eye on him, Corporal." Foley replied, before communicating with Marshall again through his ComTac headset. "Command, Major Everly is K.I.A., we have two survivors, one in need of immediate CASEVAC. We're returning to base. Out."
"Copy that, Hunter 2-1. Warhorse 5-1, Warhorse 5-2, maintain your flight path and standby for aerial refueling. Specter 6-1 is 3 minutes out." Marshall radioed in through the shared frequency.
"Roger that. Standing by for aerial refueling." the pilots replied.
An MC-130J soon flew by them and refueled the Pave Lows mid-flight.
Fort Benning
About four hours later, the choppers arrived back at base.
"We got wounded! Get him inside!" yelled Dunn as Jeff was carried out by the Rangers. Jeff was placed on a stretcher by medics and rushed to a casualty collection point in Martin Army Community Hospital within the base, whereas Annie was taken to a separate room for a debrief and questioning.
Fort Benning, Colonel Marshall's Quarters
Colonel Marshall heard a knock on the open door to his office.
"Sir, Sergeant Foley reports. Permission to enter, Sir." Foley said while saluting, as he reported to Marshall after being instructed to see him.
"Granted. At ease, Sergeant." Marshall said to Foley, who switched to the said position.
"We got word from General Shepherd again. This OPORD comes straight from the top. Our surveillance drone spotted a train leaving Millhaven. It stopped at the Armed Forces Reserve Center in Rayford, right here in Georgia. We just got off the phone with the survivors that fled to Safe Zone Echo. A report by Sergeant Hendricks mentions that there were five immune civilians that escaped captivity, Now, Shepherd wants them brought in. The rest is a need-to-know basis. Issue the warning order to your men and make a tentative plan so we can get a strike team prepped by 05:00 tomorrow. Clear?" Marshall ordered,
"Yes, Sir." Foley responded.
Marshall nodded at him. "Dismissed."
Foley stood at attention, saluted, and did an about-face before leaving the room.