"The emergency response beckon came from a derelict area of Detroit, just along the outskirts of Delray. The area of this part of the city is mostly rundown, most buildings are abandoned, and it's a perfect area for an undercover operation," Six's face on the screen cleared his throat, reading off the reports on his paper. "Until recently, it was used by the FBI to hide witnesses, hold interrogations, and as a forward operating base without public knowledge."
The team looked with crossed arms and concerned faces as a satellite image of the street showed the building, covered in graffiti and trash. Some were taking notes, others commenting on the mission.
The screen suddenly cut to a decent-sized apartment building, covered in graffiti and trash. "The building you're looking at now was the FBI safehouse. The only reason why we even have clearance for such knowledge is thanks to the FBI's need for use and our security clearance," Six continued, "however, you must not discuss the location of the site outside of mission parameters."
Jack Estrada was quick to notice his microfacial change. "Classified or just better not knowing the reason?"
"I would rather not answer," Six said. "I'm assigning a large team for this operation. We have no known amount of enemy combatants, their gear, or equipment."
The grilled Spetsnaz Maxim Basura muttered audibly in Russian, then English. "So we're going in blind?"
"Essentially yes," Six replied. "Thankfully this combined amount of specialities should make it a fair fight. As for our new operators, this will be the next step in the big leagues. I've already assigned the teams. You have one hour for prep, Six out."
The team was unusually large, usually it consisted of five, but this had nine. Thermite looked down into the sprawling gray of Detroit, seeing the grass and trees lose their color thanks to the season. The air was bitter, a sign of the cold to come. He looked down at his scarred, gloved hands, tapping the tips to make sure he had some feeling left.
"ETA 10 minutes," the FBI pilot announced. Thermite was nudged in his side by a thin elbow.
"Jordan, you good?" Ash asked.
"I'm fine, never raided an FBI blacksite before though, even when I've been in the FBI for years!"
"First time for everything!" She smirked. Thermite looked around the helicopter, seeing the familiar faces of other operators. Alex Draubman, or Watchman, looked passively out into the horizon, Blackbeard adjusted the sight on his rifle. On the other end, Nøkk sat quietly, fiddling with a suppressor on her pistol. Vigil was nearby, the ominously dark uniform almost matching with Nøkk's. Just across from them was another helicopter, filled with the rest of the operators for the op. Sledge was acting Squad Leader, looking like he was going over some plans with a focused Shoshanna —or Hummingbird— taking in his advice. Isaac Castillo, or Maze, stared pensively out the horizon.
The pilot spoke up again. "ETA 5 minutes."
"Alright lads, listen up!" Sledge announced from the helicopters' open broadband. "Mission layout is simple: sweep and clear the building, rescue any survivors and take out any bad guys, destroy sensitive materials, and report in any intel! It's simple and by the books. Put on any mask you have now, we need to remain anonymous. My team will go from the entrance, Thermite's team from the roof, understand?"
Muttering of confirmation filled the channel. "Good, masks on and weapons ready."
Thermite lifted up his face cover, his breath bringing heat to his face. Everyone had masks on, even Ash had her signature ponytail braid pulled into a tight, red bun. Everyone's uniform was dark, with various urban camouflage patterns wrapping them. Thermite quickly pulled back the bolt of his 556XI, cocking a round in.
The helicopter came to a halt over a dilapidated building, away from any habitable area. "We are at the drop zone, throw down the rope."
Vigil kicked down the thick rope and it dropped onto the roof of the building. One by one the operators secured themselves and slid down to the roof, while the other helicopter landed just outside on the street. The team on the ground reported to the FBI agents holding a barricade against the White Masks, blocking off the street. An agent rushed up to the team, his name obvious by yellow marking. "I'm Agent-in-Command Johnson. Glad you guys came so soon, we have intel that they're keeping an analyst of ours hostage inside."
"Is there anymore besides that person?" Sledge asked, cocking his rifle.
"No, she's the only one there. She's a white female, named Kristine Lynch, check your fire because they keep moving her around."
"Roger that Agent," Sledge grabbed his radio and signaled in. "Attention team, we have one confirmed friendly, a white woman in her thirties by the name of Kristine Lynch. She's our only known hostage, assume all others are hostile."
The radio screamed in responses. Sledge got his team and led them to the front entrance of the apartment building, the four stacking on him. It consisted of Blackbeard, Vigil, Ash, and himself. The rest made up the second team. Watchman has set up a small snipers position in the building across the street. He would watch the windows.
Watchmen saw the helicopter fly away as he focused his M110's scope, covered in spray paint and foliage. He peeked at the windows, seeing slight movement from the insides. Then, a hooded figure came to the third floor window, in the center. He was clutching something in his hand, it looked like a weapon. "Be advised, I see a target with a weapon above Team A."
"Cover us then!" Sledge replied back.
The White Mask opened the window, drawing out his AK style weapon. Watchman focused, pulling the trigger and hitting a perfect shot to the White Mask forehead. He slumped over, his body falling out the window and into the pavement next to Team A. "Good cover Watchman."
Team B was in the flat roof, droning out the area while Team A stacked below. They were getting jammed, most likely from the FBI's already in-placed jammers. Hummingbird was able to get her small flying drone in, using the opened window from the dead White Mask. "I am in, scanning the area now."
She scanned around, seeing the hostage for a brief second before the camera suddenly went out. "Hostage spotted, fourth floor, third apartment room."
Thermite nodded and placed a charge on the roof door. "Alright everyone, time to ring some ears!"
At unison, Sledge brought his hammer down on the front door while Thermite activated his charge. It caused the building to slightly shake. Blackbeard took point for Team A, leading them down the main hallway to dozens of empty rooms. The team expertly crawled down the hallway, scanning the rooms with slow openings and checks. Nothing on the first floor.
"Stairs." Blackbeard called out, beginning to climb the steps. Suddenly a single shot rang out from the corner of the stairway, blocked by Blackbeard's shield. He popped a few rounds through the wall and the White Mask fell over dead.
They continued up the stairs, Blackbeard checking the corners meticulously and smoothly. The rest continued down the hallway, opening the door to apartment rooms and coming in. They left the rooms as soon as they entered, thankfully being small rooms. Ash kicked open a door and quickly went inside, scanning the area. She opened the door to the bathroom and saw a White Mask with a single pistol. He was surprised, radio still in hand. He lifted his arm up but Ash already pulled the trigger and sent a few rounds down his chest. He died on the wall and dropped his weapon.
She exited the apartment and joined with the rest of the team. Sledge brought out his hammer, swinging harshly against a door and destroying it. He peeked his head in, picking up fire immediately. He couldn't get a detailed look, but saw three white masks in a glimpse. Reaching for a grenade, he pulled off the pin and let the spoon drop, cooking it before tossing it inside. "Frag out!"
The building shook as it went off, peeking again with his weapon in tow. The three White Masks now charred and scattered. He checked the rest of the room, clearing the corners swiftly. "Room is clear!"
"Room clear!" He heard Blackbeard from down the hall, marking the end of the floor.
"Team B, this is Sledge, what's your status?"
"Fifth Floor empty, moving down to fourth." Sledge heard the cackled voice of Nøkk. He got the team to form up again and move up the floor. Blackbeard took point, walking his way slowly up the stairs.
Nøkk ventured down the stairs, Maze in tow. He followed her closely behind, the barrel of his M4 covering her back. She stopped at the end of the stairway, turning to Maze.
"I'll check the rooms, give me cover."
"You got it." He replied back, as Nøkk hurriedly turned the corner. She saw a door quickly close, in the middle of the hallway. She rushed towards the door, Maze kicking open doors behind her.
A White Mask stood there with his pistol drawn and a blonde woman in his grasp, tugging her harshly against her scalp. The White Mask brought up his pistol, but Nøkk was faster. She dropped a few rounds down his way, making him let go of the hostages hair. The terrorist fell down, not moving. The woman Kristine Lynch cowered in the corner, covering her face and head with scuffed arms. "Maze, I found the hostage. Watch her while I clear the rest of the floor."
"Not a people's person aren't you?" He joked, walking through the doorway. Nøkk didn't say a word and slipped by him. Maze quickly walked over to the hostage and knelt down to calm her down. "Kristine Lynch?"
"Y-yes." She whimpered.
"I'm Sergeant Castillo, I'm with Team Rainbow. We're here to rescue you." He reaches for his radio. "Team, I have found the hostage."
"I can't. I can't leave, I have to save this! I have to!"
"Ma'am, please relax—"
"NO! CIA funnels funding to Rainbow… I can't let them know I have this."
"Have what Ma'am? You're in no danger anymore."
"I have… I have this," she opens her palm, revealing a dirty USB drive. "It has secrets, secrets for Operation Birdsong. If you rescue me I'll be dead."
Maze stiffened up at what he just heard. She believed that she was going to die if they brought her to safety. He looked at her pensively, trying to make sense of this. "Ma'am, how did you acquire this?"
"Security analysis, I was hired to do security analysis. I kept getting harassed and threatened. They found me, they found me and I'm going to die."
"What is it? I can't go by operation name alone," he calmed her. "You can trust me Kristine."
"Weapons espionage, arms race… arms race arms race arms race. China, Russia, US, India. Nighthaven is working with all sides… deep state, everything's going to get worse. Agents in every place, watching and overseeing knowledge. Late night calls every night telling me I'm going to die. I need you to keep it!"
Maze only let her ramble more as she grabbed his hand and placed the USB drive into his hand, deciding to put it away in his pouch. His other hand was down at his holster, reaching for his sidearm. From the corner of his eye, he could see the White Mask reach for something. He quickly whirled around and took aim, but it was a split second too late. He pressed a detonator and everything went bright, then dark.
Sledge steadied himself as the building shook violently, dusting falling from the ceiling. He gritted his teeth. "What the bloody hell?"
"Sounds like there's a party going upstairs." Blackbeard chuckled, moving down the hallway. A White Mask was dumb enough to peak down the hallway, being killed with a well placed headshot.
Sledge grabbed his radio. "Nøkk! What the fuck happened?!"
"Hostage was KIA, Maze is down. Bastard had a C4 rig on his person." She called through the channel. "He's hurt pretty bad."
"Shit. Get someone to take him back to the roof. We'll clear the rest and meet you on the third floor."
"Roger that. Hummingbird, get Maze. Vigil and I can do the rest of the building."
"Copy." Hummingbird said. She had stayed on the roof for security, making sure there weren't any other White Masks in the neighboring building windows. She climbed down the stairs, walking over dead white masks and FBI agents as she reached the fourth floor. There was a door busted off its hinges, a small plume of smoke coming from within. She raised her Tavor X95, checking the corner of the room and entering. There was a blast mark from where a few clumps of whatever was left of the White Mask. Kristine Lynch was dead, the back of her body singed and cooked, still smoking from the explosion. Maze was on the floor, being cared for by Nøkk.
He was bloodied, covered in small black marks and dust. Blood leaked from his nose and he coughed up some as he tried to move. It seems like that the hostage had protected him from most of the blast, but he was still hit by the concussive force. "Hummingbird, come grab him and take him to the roof and give him additional aid. We got it handled from here."
"I'm on it," she said, determined. Nøkk left the room, Vigil coming out of nowhere and waiting in the hallway for her. Hummingbird grabbed him and holstered the heavy man on her shoulder, leading him to the stairs.
"You idiot, you could've died. I haven't even gotten to know you better either."
He could only respond by giving a laugh that was wheezing and hurting. She reached the roof, laying him gently as she began to remove his plate carrier and gear. "You have no shrapnel wounds, but you have lots of bruising. Maybe a few broken ribs."
Maze only chuckled the same wheezing way. Hummingbird smiled bleakly, knowing that he was at least okay enough to make some humor out of it. "You're going to be fine, alright Isaac? This is only a scratch. You are too experienced to die in a mission like this."
He grunted in response, pointing somewhere towards the roof entrance. "Don't worry, the rest of the team is fine. The helicopter should be coming soon."
She sat there with him until the hum of the helicopter blades began to chop the air. This was a failure for the mission, she knew. Maybe Harry would be understanding, but they failed to keep an innocent alive. Hummingbird looked at the door and raised her rifle when she saw figures coming up. It was Vigil and Nøkk, walking up with weapons in low-ready. The helicopter came only moments later, landing on the roof. Two medics jumped out with a stretcher in hand, placing Maze on it, and put him on the helicopter. The rest of the team began to pour in from the roof, a look of stress in their faces. A hostage did not survive, they failed. Hummingbird only let out a strong sigh as she looked down at the injured Maze, the helicopter carrying them away from the bitter cold city.
A/N: New chapter, tell me what you thought of the action scenes! I used some basic info of Room clearing I learned from the Army, there's always a million ways to do it. Stay safe!