Ace Combat: Joint Assault

Chapter 16:Sanctify

Athens, Greece, May 2nd 2016, 08:30 Hours; Weather: Sunny, scattered clouds

Marlene Davenport was having breakfast in the base's cafe. Hansel Foulke entered the cafe, got a cup of coffee and a couple of toasts with butter and sat before her.

-Good morning, Marlene.-he said.-How are you doing?

-Things are just getting better.-said Davenport.-I'm really looking forward for this foolish conflict to end.

-Me too.-said Foulke, taking a sip of his coffee.-However, now that the Valahia is between the sword and the wall, I'm afraid they will resort to more drastic measures.

-Even so, I'm sure they're running out of trump cards.-replied Davenport.-They've virtually run out of superweapons. Airborne fortresses, supersubmarines, railguns, battleships,... We've destroyed every one of them.

-Don't be so overconfident.-said Foulke.-They've still have the nukes and at least three ace squadrons, one of them being the Varcolac squadron.

-Don't remind me.-said Davenport, annoyed.-It's going to be a tough battle, but one we cannot afford to lose, no matter what.

At that moment, Frederick Burford entered the cafe. Davenport and Foulke stood up to greet him.

-Hey, nice to see you guys here.-he said.-I was looking for you two.

Burford had a couple of papers in his hand. He then approached Davenport.

-Davenport, this is your bill for the repairs on the Su-30MKI.-Burford said, handing her one of the papers.

-Oh, man.-sighed Foulke, who had caught a glimpse of the bill.

Davenport grabbed the paper, read it quickly and paled.

-Twenty thousand credits!?-she muttered.-H-hold on a sec, Burford, are you sure you didn't add some zeroes?

-Twenty thousand credits is a cheap price to pay for your life, you know.-said Foulke.

-Exactly.-said Burford. He then handed the other piece of paper to Foulke.-Foulke, your repair bill is fifty thousand credits.

-HUH!?-Foulke gasped. He read the piece of paper quickly and turned to Burford.-Hold on, Burford, this is a bit too steep!

-The F-15SE had holes the size of fists in its intact wing and fuselage, not to mention it was lacking its right wing.-replied Burford.-It was a miracle you brought that wreck back.

-Scheiße!-swore Foulke, reading the bill again.

-Don't be so down on yourselves.-said Canopus.-With the amount of bandits you shot down this far, this bill is nothing you cannot pay.

-Still, these prices are huge!-replied Davenport.-Keeping in mind each credit is worth 100 dollars, Foulke and I would be paying 5 millions and 2 millions respectively.

-Well, if it's of any solace, sinking the Rechin-class battleship earned you two forty thousand credits each.-said Burford.-And Foulke has a lot more of kills under his belt than you.

-I had to pay thirty thousand credits just to rent the MiG 1.44.-said Davenport.-And Foulke's F-35A was not cheap, either.

-Actually, it was worth twenty-nine thousand credits.-said Foulke.-However, I'm certain that buying it would be at least ten times more expensive.

-By the way, I've heard Wernher and Noah is offering a good discount on the Su-47 and YF-23's renting prices.-said Burford.

-The Berkut and the Black Widow II?-asked Davenport.-Those fighters are very expensive to make. Why did they offer a discount?

-Apparently, after your engagement with the Valahia aces, the Wernher and Noah research team had the perfect opportunity to examine the wreckage of the fighters, and thanks to that, they are now able to produce them at a better rate.-answered Burford.

-What prices are we talking about?-asked Foulke.

-The Su-47 is worth twenty-one thousand credits, and the YF-23 is about twenty-three thousand.-replied Burford.-The good news are that both fighters are fitted with advanced air-to-air weapons and efficient air-to-ground weapons.

-Guess we'll give them a go, then.-said Davenport.-What kind of weaponry do these planes have?

-The YF-23 has 6 SAAMs and 6 SODs as special weapons, and the Su-47, 6 QAAMs and 6 UGBs.-said Foulke.-Don't get me wrong; I don't really like using cluster weapons except during air-to-sea missions, but the Valahia has gone too far.

-So, you'll choose the YF-23, right?-asked Davenport.-The Su-47 is the most agile fighter currently in production. It can turn on a dime, and it's rather fast.

-However, the YF-23 is faster, stealthier and more stable.-replied Foulke.-Also, it has a better thrust-to-weight radio.

-Regarding our mission, on May 4th, we'll be heading to Iyuli.-said Burford.-A Russian Air Force squadron will be sent there to provide support for our operations.

-Wait, the Russians are going to help us out in our next mission?-asked Foulke.

-You don't happen to have a problem with that, do you?-asked Davenport.

-Absolutely not.-replied Foulke.-Actually, I see that as a great advantage. The Russian Air Force is second to no one. Their current aircraft in frontline service are the Su-35S, the Su-47, the MiG-29K, the Su-25SM, the Su-34, the MiG 1.44, and the T-50 PAK FA. The Su-35S and the MiG-29K comprise most of their air power, with the Su-35S in the Air Force and the MiG-29K in the Navy; the Su-25SM is used as the CAS fighter of choice; the Su-34 is used as their precision strike fighter; the T-50 PAK FA is used as their top tier multirole fighter; and the Su-47 and the MiG 1.44 are used by research units and top class ace squadrons.

-Isn't the MiG-31B in service, too?-said Davenport.

-Well, while the MiG-31B is still in service, it's limited to interception missions.-said Foulke.-I think that there are only a couple of MiG-31B squadrons in the Russian Air Force.

-I guess it's rather expensive to maintain the MiG-31Bs, despite their efficiency as interceptors.-said Davenport.-But, sooner or later, all planes have to be retired.

-Actually, I'm still amazed Wernher and Noah keeps producing F-4Es and MiG-21-93s.-said Foulke.-Those planes are Cold War relics. The first variants of the F-4 and MiG-21 families flew for the first time in the 1950s.

-Maybe that's because they're cheap and expendable.-said Davenport.-Developing new aircraft is difficult and expensive, even for Wernher and Noah. Speaking of which, you don't think they are producing aircraft for the Valahia, right?

-Wernher and Noah reported that they did not support the Valahia by any means.-said Burford.-They didn't sell a single airframe of any kind to the Valahia.

-In that case, they either had some kind of intermediary, or a weapons production base.-said Foulke.

-Let's hope they have none of those.-said Burford.-Otherwise, we'd have a lot of trouble on our hands. I'll contact Wernher and Noah and order the YF-23 and the Su-47 for you two.

After that, Burford left the cafe. Foulke sighed and sat down.

-I'm afraid that our last mission against the Valahia is going to be a pain in the ass, Marlene.-he said.

-I just hope we can take out as many targets as we can, and soon.-said Davenport.-If the Valahia manages to launch the nuclear missiles, the Ulysses Disaster will look like a meaningless crisis.

-It'd be like combining the Ulysses Disaster with the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.-said Foulke.-By the way, I managed to get some info about this "Dumitrescu" guy. I'll be back in a moment.

Foulke left the cafe, and Davenport waited patiently for a couple of minutes. When Foulke came back, he was carrying a laptop with him. He turned it on and showed Davenport a file about Nicolae Dumitrescu.

-As you can see, Dumitrescu was born in Brașov, Romania, on February 20th, 1969.-said Foulke.-A staunch supporter of communism, he enlisted in the Romanian secret police, the Securitate, when he was just 17 years old. However, his career was truncated when Nicolae Ceaușescu was overthrown in 1989. He lost his family, including his wife and unborn child, during the overthrow. Even before that, he had a disdainful view about capitalism.

-You've dug out quite a bit of info about Dumitrescu.-said Davenport, after reading Dumitrescu's profile.-Do you know anything about Sulejmani?

-I know very little about that guy, and I've been working with him since I entered Martinez Security.-said Foulke.-I was not under his command, though. I still tried to find out anything about that guy's past. However, you have no idea how reserved Sulejmani was.

-Bad news then.-said Davenport.-All we know about Sulejmani is that he's a skilled pilot and that he only lives to make money, at any cost.

-Exactly. The worst thing is that these kind of guys are the most unpredictable kind of persons.-said Foulke.-I still was caught off-guard by his wingmen reaction, though.

-You can say that again.-said Davenport.-That's what affected me the most. Man, I even befriended Oruma and Gaviria. Kiriakov was a bit cold, but not a bad guy. At least not before joining the Valahia.

-Then you don't know them as well as I do.-said Foulke.-Oruma, despite his friendly demeanor, is a very cold and emotionally unstable guy; if he sets his sights on something or someone, his target is a goner before they can realize what's going on. Gaviria may look like a happy-go-lucky simpleton, but he's just as calculating as Sulejmani and as aggressive as Oruma; he was called "El Macho" during his boxing years because he was aggressive as a mad bull, and he left his career not because he lost too many assaults, but because he was banned from boxing after leaving one of his opponents in coma. Kiriakov was not a mere poser; he was a flesh and bone Russian mafia man: the true reason behind his contract with Martinez Security is that he ambushed and killed the nephew of a Russian mafia boss for a gambling debt.

-You never know people, do you?-asked Davenport.

-Sadly, that's true.-answered Foulke.-I've seen Oruma bombing weapon bases and destroying columns of tanks without breaking a sweat, even when there was a great enemy fighter presence; Gaviria is a beast in interception missions, having shot down every bomber he has faced so far; and Kiriakov might be a loudmouth, but his skills are almost those of a natural.

-And I guess Sulejmani is a top gun, right?-asked Davenport.

-He is a monster, actually.-said Foulke.-He always tried to be two steps ahead of me to destroy as many targets as possible, and the only reason that could made him feel regret was not having enough enemies to kill. He's a true warmonger.

-And I thought that joining Martinez Security would help me earning some cash and and give me the chance to fly again.-said Davenport.-I guess that living a normal life as a military pilot is asking for too much.

-Relax.-said Foulke, smiling warmly at her.-When all this is over, you will have the chance to breach your contract.

-That's not what I meant, either.-said Davenport.-In fact, I kinda like flying for Martinez Security. All I need is a break or something.

-By the way, I'm gonna ask Burford something.-said Foulke.

-Guess I'll have to wait here again.-said Davenport.

-No, please, come with me.-said Foulke.-It'll be quick, anyway.

Both pilots left the cafe and headed to Burford's office. The door was closed. Foulke knocked on the door.

-Come in.-said Burford from the other side of the door.

Davenport entered the office before Foulke, and she could have sworn that Burford was putting something inside one of the desk's drawers.

-Burford, I was wondering if Davenport and I could get a leave today.-said Foulke, after sitting down on one of the chairs.-I mean, considering the Valahia's nuclear threat and all that stuff.

-Don't worry. Just make sure you can make quick contact with me.-said Burford, with a wide smile on his face.-And enjoy your date, you two.

Both Davenport and Foulke blushed and stuttered madly, trying to prove that they were not a couple.

-Calm down, I was messing with you two.-said Burford, laughing.-Have a good day.

Both pilots left the office, still blushing.

-Dammit, it's embarrassing!-said Davenport.

-I know.-said Foulke.-Don't get me wrong, it's not that you're not pretty or anything, it's just that we're just friends.

Foulke's compliment was not helping Davenport at all. She had to admit that Foulke could be really charming when he was not being too angsty or unfriendly.

Both pilots took some money, civilian clothes and their mobile phones and headed to the Athens War Museum. There was an exposition of World War II fighters photos being held in the museum.

-So, we're leaving our jobs as military pilots to go to see WWII planes photos?-said Davenport, rolling her eyes.-Really smooth, Hansel.

-Hey, a leave is a leave.-said Foulke.-Besides, it's got its charm.

Davenport and Foulke entered the museum. There were photos in color of all types of World War II planes, from transport planes to the first jet fighter prototypes.

-I've got to admit, Germans did create some awesome fighters.-said Davenport, admiring a photo of a Messerschmitt Bf-109E-4.

-Well, I do admit that they are impressive, and that some of their pilots were phenomenal.-admitted Foulke, downcast, as he looked at a photo of a Ju-87D Stuka.-But Hitler's regime of terror was the worst disaster mankind had to endure until the Ulysses Disaster.

-Yeah, Hitler was a delusional dictator, and he deserved the worst, most painful cause of death.-said Davenport, as they headed to the zone where British fighters photos were exposed.-But both sides committed atrocious crimes. War is cruelty, and you cannot refine it.

-General William Tecumseh Sherman, Letter to the City of Atlanta, September 1864.-said Foulke, as he looked at a photo of a Spitfire Mk IX.

-And bingo was its name-o.-answered Davenport, not tearing her eyes from a photo of a Hawker Typhoon Mk Ib.

The two pilots spent the rest of the morning admiring the photos of the military planes. The photos featured planes from the UK, USSR, USA, France, China, Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Imperial Japan. After seeing all the photos in the museum, they went to the souvenir store, where Davenport bought a photo album with some of the best photos in the museum, and Foulke bought three posters, featuring air battles, one featuring a Macchi C.202 fighting against a Spitfire Mk V over the Mediterranean, another one featuring a La-5 fighting against a Fw-190 in a dogfight over Poland, and a last one featuring a battle over the Pacific between an F6F-5 Hellcat and an A6M5 Zero.

After leaving the museum, they headed to a bar, and ordered a couple of beers. They drank them at the bar's terrace.

-Man, look at these people. Just enjoying their lives, with barely nothing to worry about.-sighed Davenport.-Do you think they're aware of the Valahia threat?

-I'm afraid that, even if they area, there's no point for them in worrying about it.-said Foulke.-Especially since there's nothing they can do to stop it. All they can do is place their hopes on people like you and me.

-You've got a point.-said Davenport.-I wonder what kind of lives people had to live during the aftermath of the Ulysses Disaster.

-Trust me, you don't want to know.-said Foulke, downcast.-During my youth, I saw things that no human being ought to see.

Davenport guessed that there was no point in prying an answer from Foulke, since it would serve no purpose than bringing back bad memories. At that moment, the song "The Journey Home" began to play.

-That song...-murmured Davenport.-It brings me some memories.

-Really?-asked Foulke.

-Yeah. My mother said that this was my father's favorite song, and that she loved it too.-said Davenport.-Listening to it made her happy, even when she was at her worst. Whenever she was sad, she asked me to play it on the cassette player time and time again. I ended up memorizing its lyrics. Sometimes I ended up growing tired of it, but my mom didn't. She died during the Ulysses Disaster.

-Sad to hear it.-said Foulke.-I lost my entire family during the Ulysses Disaster, and had to live on my own until I got to the US and was hired by Martinez Security.

-Oruma mentioned that you had been in Martinez Security for eight years.-said Davenport.-I guess that means that you've been a pilot since you were 19.

-You bet.-said Foulke, finishing his beer.-If I remember well, you served in the Navy. Did you get any flight training?

-Just the basics.-replied Davenport.-There were some lucky assholes that got the best trainings, but I just got the basics, and they didn't go easy on me at all. I was not allowed to take a seat in an F/A-18F until three years after enlisting the Navy, and only as the WSO.

-Weapons and System Officer?-asked Foulke.

-Exactly.-answered Davenport.-Until I entered Martinez Security, I didn't get the chance to actually pilot a plane by myself.

-Well, that's the Navy's problem now.-said Foulke.-You've proven to be much better than those military brats who had their careers handed to them on a silver dish.

-Thank you.-said Davenport, flattered.-I have to admit that you're not bad at all, either. It just happens that all your wingmen until now died.

-They didn't just die.-said Foulke.-They were killed in action. I always tried to save them, actually, but I failed. Until now.

After paying for their drinks, Davenport and Foulke returned to the base.

Iyuli, May 4th 2016, 18:00 Hours; Weather: Overcast

Marlene Davenport, Hansel Foulke and Frederick Burford had just arrived to Iyuli. The pilots had used the new planes to get from Greece to Iyuli; Davenport's Su-47 Berkut had a black paintjob with small red, blue and white trims on the wings and tail rudders and a white radome. Foulke's YF-23 Black Widow II had a one-tone grey paintjob. Both planes had to be refueled over the Black Sea on their way to Iyuli.

On the base they had landed in, the Prime Minister of Iyuli was waiting.

-Greeting, IUPF mercenaries.-said the Prime Minister, whose name was Pavel Samonov.-What brings you to our country, mister...?

-Burford. Unfortunately, the war, mister Samonov.-answered Burford.

-There is no war here.-said Samonov.-Unless you've brought it with you.

-I guess you're not taking into account the Valahia Crisis.-said Burford.

-I see, so you're here to combat the Valahia.-said Samonov. He then came closer to Burford.-Sorry for the misgivings, but we've been chosen as one of the targets of the Valahia's nuclear attack.

-Don't worry. We're here to take care of that.-said Burford.-All we're asking of you is some fuel and the chance to use this base as a base of operations during our counteroffensive.

-You've got Iyuli's support, mister Burford.-said Samonov.-Also, we've heard that a Russian squadron is heading to this base for that same purpose.

-Understood.-said Burford.-Thank you for your support.

Shortly after, a group of four Su-35Ss approached the base from the north. The Su-35Ss had a black paintjob with grey radome and rudder tips and blueish underside. All of them had the Russian Air Force roundels, along with a cartoonish cossack emblem on their tails and red numbers from 01 to 04 on their noses.

-Here come the Russians.-said Foulke.

The four planes landed gracefully one by one. After parking, they got out of their planes. They were three men and a woman. The Russian pilots headed to Davenport and Foulke.

-You two must be the mercenary dream team.-said the pilot who seemed to be the leader of the squadron.

-Mercenary dream team?-asked Foulke.

-Yeah. You two are very famous.-replied another pilot.-Not everyone manages to destroy as many superweapons as you two.

-I see.-said Foulke.-Let's begin with the introductions. My name is Hansel Foulke, and this is my wingman, Marlene Davenport.

-So, Foulke and Davenport.-said the flight lead, who had light brown hair and blue eyes.-My name is Anatoly Alekseyev, and these are my wingmen. Kristina Solechnaya -he pointed to the woman in the group, a woman with black hair and brown eyes.-, Vasili Leonov -he pointed to a man with blonde hair and brown eyes.-, and Dimitri Harkov.-he pointed to a man with black hair and green eyes.-We're the Cossack squadron.

-The Cossack squadron...-said Foulke.-We're the Antares squadron. Pleased to meet you all and thank you for your support.

-We're helping you because our country is in danger, too.-said Alekseyev.-Keep that in mind at all times, since we're not your subordinates.

-In any case, we're grateful for your help.-said Foulke.

-We have a tanker on the way here.-said Alekseyev.-It'll arrive here today at noon.

Alekseyev, Solechnaya, Leonov and Harkov headed to the headquarters building, leaving Davenport and Foulke alone.

-These Russians are very proud.-said Davenport.-I hope they have more than just advanced planes to back it up.

-Me too, Marlene.-said Foulke.-Me too.

After that, both Foulke and Davenport headed to the base's cafe. Some minutes later, a white Il-78 Midas bearing the roundels of the Russian Air Force landed on the base.

Iyuli, May 5th 2016, 22:00 Hours; Weather: Nighttime, overcast

Hansel Foulke, Marlene Davenport, Anatoly Alekseyev, Kristina Solechnaya, Vasili Leonov and Dimitri Harkov were on a final briefing before the attack on the Valahia missile silo. Frederick Burford and an Iyulian Air Force Lieutenant Colonel were briefing the pilots.

-Ladies and gentlemen, I'm Lieutenant Colonel Aleksei Zubov.-said Zubov.-Tomorrow, both the Cossack and Antares squadrons will take part in a air raid over the Valahia missile silo in western Uzbekistan. The Valahia named that area Infern, Romanian for "Hell". According to intelligence, there are 9 missile silos and a weapon factory in the area, both of them covered by anti-aircraft artillery units and ground forces. Your mission will be to destroy the weapon factory and the ground threats to clear a path for an assault team that is on standby in Uzbekistan. Many IUPF agents have died to bring us this information. If we fail, their deaths will be in vain. Now, mister Burford will inform you about the missile silos.

Burford took a step and showed a satellite image of "Infern".

-This is a satellite photo of the area. The missile silos are arranged in a octagonal shape, with eight of them surrounding the last one.-said Burford.-The nine missile silos are interconnected by tunnels that converge in a large entrance in the western side of the hill. The eight outer tunnels are connected by a "ring" of tunnels, and the eastern, central and western silos are directly connected to the entrance. While the width of the tunnels is not consistent, it has an average radius of thirty meters. The Antares squadron will take care of the silos if the ground forces fail to reach the area.

At that moment, Alekseyev rose his hand.

-What's the problem, Alekseyev?-asked Zubov.

-Why do the mercs have the chance to take out the missiles?-asked Alekseyev.

-Because we have experience in flight in tight spaces.-answered Foulke.

-Wha...?-asked Solechnaya.-You two guys are very cocksure! I'm sure you cannot back that up.

-Tell me, Solechnaya. Have you guys ever piloted an Il-76 inside a canyon?-asked Davenport.

All Russian pilots looked at each other and shook their heads, denying it.

-Well, Foulke and I piloted a 747-400 just a week ago, and under enemy fire, without taking a single hit.-said Davenport.-And the canyon was not much wider than the missile silo's tunnels.

-In any case, don't think you're better than us, mercenaries.-said Alekseyev.

-We never said that.-said Foulke.-We just thought you guys would be a bit more grateful, since it's because of people like Davenport and me that the military forces' lives are saved.

-By the way, Burford, has the Varcolac squadron been confirmed to be in the area?-asked Davenport.

-We've confirmed at least three ace squadrons in the area, including the Varcolac squadron.-answered Burford.

-In that case, the Cossack squadron would be wise to avoid them at all cost.-said Foulke. He then turned to the Russian pilots.-Guys, if you happen to track a squadron comprised of a MiG 1.44, an A-10, a MiG-31B and an Su-37, do not attempt to fight. Head away from them as fast as you can.

-Why?-asked Leonov.

-Because those guys are not mere Valahia grunts.-said Foulke.-Trust me, I've known those pilots for a very long time, and they are merciless pilots. They'll kill you all even if you eject.

-Understood.-said Alekseyev, resignated.-We'll leave the Varcolac squadron to you mercenaries.

-Don't worry.-said Davenport.-There are still lots of enemies in "Infern", and another two ace squadrons, at least. You can still have your share of glory.

-Any more questions?-asked Burford.

None of the pilots answered.

-All right.-said Zubov.-Get some rest. You'll depart tomorrow at 12:30 hours. The tanker will refuel your planes over the Caspian Sea. Pilots, you're dismissed.

Alekseyev, Solechnaya, Leonov and Harkov headed to their bedrooms. Davenport and Foulke, however, headed out of the base's HQ building.

The night sky was covered by stars, and the full moon shone in the sky.

-It's beautiful, isn't it?-asked Davenport.-I mean, it's hard to think something like Ulysses could come from there.

-You can say that again.-said Foulke.-It's been quite a while since I looked at the sky and felt no fear. Since that fateful day of July, whenever I looked at the night sky, I was afraid of a second Ulysses Disaster.

-It's like after a volcanic eruption, or an earthquake.-said Davenport.-After the disaster, people become afraid of a second disaster for a long time, and then forget it after another similar disaster occurs. Then, the cycle repeats itself time and time again.

-That's just human nature.-said Foulke.-Maybe that's the reason wars happen.

-You've got a point.-said Davenport.-It makes me afraid of what could happen in the future.

-Don't worry about that, Marlene.-said Foulke.-I'll help you whenever you need. I promise.

Davenport couldn't believe what she heard. She turned her head to Foulke, her mouth slightly agape.

Just a second later, both of them hugged.

-Thank you, Hansel!-Davenport said.

-You're welcome.-answered Foulke.

After looking at the starry night sky for some minutes more, both pilots returned to their bedrooms.

Davenport was certain that her feelings for her flight lead were changing again. She had grown to like him after getting to know him better.

-"Hansel, you're a real riddle for me. When we first met, we hated each other's guts. Then, we almost ignored each other, and now, we're like best buddies."-she mused, as she stared into the ceiling.-"But what if I end up falling for him? It's not like it might be bad, but I don't know if this is a good time for that."

After some minutes, she fell asleep.

Foulke was very confused and afraid. He was certain Davenport was his friend, but he was growing to like her in more ways. However, his feelings for Elza Reinhold didn't change, and that didn't help him at all. To make matters worse, the stronger the bonds he made with Davenport, the more painful her imminent death would be to him. He was certain that, due to his bad luck, something bad was certain to happen to her, and that loss would be the final nail in his spirit's coffin.

Even with those worries, he tried to get some sleep.

Iyuli, May 6th 2016, 12:20 Hours; Weather: Overcast

Frederick Burford's E-767 and the Russian tanker had already left the base, and the Su-35Ss of the Cossack squadron were standing by on the runway. Instead of the XLAA and FAEB conventional payload, their Su-35Ss were equipped with 6 QAAMs and 6 LAGMs. Marlene Davenport and Hansel Foulke were running the final checks on their aircrafts.

Ten minutes later, the Cossack squadron took off, and Davenport and Foulke taxied to the runway.

-Antares 1's up.-reported Foulke.

-Antares 2's up.-reported Davenport.

-Antares squadron, tower. Wind 070, at 15.-replied the control tower operator.-Cleared for takeoff.

Foulke's YF-23 and Davenport's Su-47 picked up speed and took off with ease.

-Antares squadron, altitude restrictions canceled.-reported the control tower operator.-Good luck and godspeed.

After that, they formed up with the Cossack squadron.

45 minutes later, over the Caspian Sea, the two squadrons joined with the tanker.

-Cossack squadron, Antares squadron, check your planes and prepare for refueling.-said the tanker refueling operator.

-Antares squadron, Cossack 1, 2 and 3 will refuel first.-said Cossack 1.-Cossack 4 and you will follow.

-No problem.-said Antares 1.-As long as we can refuel, there's no problem.

Ten minutes later, all planes had refueled and were heading for "Infern".

"Infern", Uzbekistan, May 6th 2016, 15:00 Hours; Weather: Overcast, stormy

The Cossack and Antares squadron were fifteen miles from the target area.

-All units, report.-ordered Canopus.

-Antares 1, standing by.-reported Antares 1.

-Antares 2, standing by.-reported Antares 2.

-Cossack 1, standing by.-reported Cossack 1.

-Cossack 2, standing by.-reported Cossack 2.

-Cossack 3, standing by.-reported Cossack 3.

-Cossack 4, standing by.-reported Cossack 4.

-All units, begin operation.-ordered Canopus.-Secure the area, and prevent them from firing the nukes. We'll put an end to Valahia's terrorism, here and now.

The area was covered by enemy ground units and three industrial complexes located near the missile silos. The ground units in the area included AA guns, SAM launchers, flak guns, tanks and self-propelled artillery units. There were lots of forces near the entrance of the missile silos.

-Antares squadron, attack the weapon facilities.-said Cossack 1.-We'll attack the ground units in the western sector.

-Roger that, Cossack 1.-replied Antares 1.

Antares 1 switched to SODs, targeted a couple of groups of targets near one of the enemy factories and fired. Three tanks, four SAM launchers, and eight AA guns were destroyed.

-Antares 2, bomb that weapon facility.-said Antares 1.

Antares 2 headed to the factory, switched to UGBs and dropped two bombs on the factory, destroying it. She realized how maneuverable the Su-47 was when she pulled away from the factory's remains. The Su-47 could turn very sharply with a gentle pull on the stick, even when it was loaded with bombs.

At that moment, two groups of bandits, comprised of two Typhoons, two Rafale Ms, two F/A-18Fs, and two Su-35Ss came in from the south, with one group heading towards the Cossack squadron and the other one attacking the Antares squadron.

Antares 1 and Antares 2 switched to their special air-to-air weapons and attacked the enemy fighters. Antares 2 chose the Typhoons as her targets and fired a QAAM to each of them, shooting them down. After that, she attacked the Rafales using the same strategy, with the same results.

Antares 1 attacked the Su-35Ss with SAAMs. Despite having to track them to ensure the missiles' impact, he managed to shoot both fighters down. The F/A-18Fs tried to avenge their fellow pilots, but they couldn't hold their ground against Antares 1, who shot both fighters down.

The Cossack squadron, meanwhile, had decimated the squadron that attacked them, each of them bagging a couple of fighters each.

Antares 1 used another couple of SODs to clear a path for his wingman, destroying fifteen AA guns, eight SAM launchers, and six tanks. Antares 2 attacked the weapons factory, dropping two bombs on it and destroying it. At that moment, two F-15S/MTDs and two Su-37s attacked the Antares squadron. Fortunately, the Cossack squadron had destroyed every target in their sector, and attacked the enemy fighters.

-Antares squadron, focus on the ground targets for now.-ordered Cossack 1.-We'll cover you.

-Thank you, Cossack 1.-replied Antares 1.-Antares 2, let's destroy the last factory.

Each of the Cossack squadron members chose a target and fired a QAAM each. None of the enemies managed to evade and were shot down.

Meanwhile, Antares 1 targeted another two groups of enemy ground targets with his last SODs and fired them, destroying five tanks, eight AA guns and six SAM launchers with the submunitions. Antares 2 seized the chance and dropped the last two UGBs on the enemy weapons factory, destroying it.

-All ground targets destroyed.-said Canopus.

-Wait, I've got two groups of bandits coming in from the east.-said Cossack 1.-Apparently, all of them are stealth fighters.

The bandits were the Razorback and Nightowl squadrons. And the Antares squadron had a bone to pick with them.

-Antares squadron, it seems like the bandits are MiG 1.44s and F-35As.-said Cossack 1.

-We'll take care of the Flatpacks.-said Antares 1.-You can shoot down the Lightnings.

-Wonderful.-said Cossack 1.-Today, we're having some American fighters as lunch!

The Nightowl squadron turned to the south, while the Razorback squadron headed to the north. The Antares squadron attacked the Razorback squadron. Antares 1 switched to SAAMs and fired two of them on two members of the Razorback squadron, shooting them down. Antares 2, meanwhile, used her QAAMs to shoot the last two fighters down, finally avenging the Buzzard squadron.

Meanwhile, the Cossack squadron was having little to no problems dealing with the F-35As. The Su-35Ss were faster and more agile than them, and a single QAAM was enough to destroy them with ease.

However, things took a turn for the worse instants later.

A long range missile barrage was fired from the northeast, and the missiles were heading straight toward the Cossack squadron. The Cossack squadron took evasive actions, but one of the missiles hit Cossack 4, destroying the plane and killing the pilot.

-Antares squadron, we're under attack!-reported Cossack 1.-Please help us!

Antares 1 realized too late that the objective of the enemy squadrons that attacked them before was not just shooting them down, but divide the two groups so that they couldn't support each other in case they shot them down.

The Cossack squadron had been the one who was ambushed in the first place. The Varcolac squadron had attacked them from the southwest.

-Burford, do you copy?-asked a voice that both Antares 1 and Antares 2 knew all too well.-I have a message from Dumitrescu for the IUPF. "We are in the final stage to fire a nuclear strike.".

-What? Why?-asked Canopus.

-This isn't a warning.-said Varcolac 2.-It's a final declaration, Burford.

-Nuclear missiles will soon be fired at North America and Europe.-said Varcolac 1.-You don't have time to wait for your ground forces to arrive. Hah, the perfect situation!

After that, the Varcolac squadron continued their attack on the Cossack squadron. Varcolac 1, 3 and 4 surrounded Cossack 3, while Varcolac 2 prevented the other two members from helping their wingman. Cossack 3 managed to evade their attacks, but that was the Varcolac squadron's strategy from the very beginning. Varcolac 2 spotted Cossack 3, turned to him and fired his guns, destroying the plane.

-Cossack squadron, get out of the area now!-said Antares 1.-We'll cover you.

-Sorry, Antares squadron. Make sure to shoot these bastards down.-said Cossack 1.

-Now, Antares, it's time to fight! Let's see if you got what it takes to become a hero!-said Varcolac 1.-Varcolac squadron, we're taking the scorpions down today! It's over, Antares.

-Hahaha, what's wrong, "aces"?-asked Varcolac 4.

The Antares squadron fired their last special air-to-air weapons on the Varcolac squadron, but they all evaded them with ease. Antares 2 chased Varcolac 3, but, shortly before getting within firing range, she had to dodge Varcolac 2's attack.

-Let your guard down and you won't last a second in these skies!-said Varcolac 2.

-She's mine, you hear me?-said Varcolac 3.

-Do as much as lock on to her and I will rip you to shreds, Gaviria!-retorted Antares 1, who was chasing Varcolac 1 and 4.

-Antares, you two met Olivieri, right?-asked Varcolac 2.

The Antares squadron and Canopus were speechless, wondering why they knew Olivieri.

-This whole conflict is a joke, guys.-said Varcolac 2.-It's all staged by that crazy ass.

-His aim was to create a "war" he could control, a pointless conflict that just makes money for him.-said Varcolac 4.

-He called it the "Golden Axe Plan".-said Varcolac 2.

-What?-asked Antares 2.-Are you serious!?

-That's why the IUPF is mainly comprised of PMCs.-said Varcolac 3.-Olivieri's behind it all!

-It's all a farce!-said Varcolac 2.-And that's why we switched to a better payin' sponsor.

-That's right. But I hear you guys fight for "justice", fight for "peace"?-asked Varcolac 4, spitefully.-Huh, we've got a bunch of self-righteous heroes here!

-You bastards!-said Antares 2.

-That's how it is, Antares.-said Varcolac 1.-Too bad.

-For you, that is!-replied Antares 1.

-Huh?-said Varcolac 1.

-Haven't you heard the phrase "never interrupt your enemy when he's making a mistake"?-asked Antares 1, attacking Varcolac 1.-You should have taken the Golden Axe Plan secret to the grave with you guys!

-I will enjoy killing you two, and I will start with your wingman!-replied Varcolac 1, evading Antares 1's attack and heading toward Antares 2.

Antares 2, however, saw Varcolac 1's attack coming, and evaded it. Varcolac 1 chased her furiously firing missiles and bullets on her, but Antares 2 couldn't stop grinning while she evaded his attacks.

-Hey, Sulejmani, should you be letting me distract you?-asked Antares 2.

-What!?-said Varcolac 1.

Varcolac 1 realized his mistake too late. Antares 2 had drawn him to a tactically disadvantageous position, just within Antares 1's reach. Antares 1 locked on to Varcolac 1 and fired two standard missiles on him. However, Varcolac 1 reacted quickly and evaded the missiles with a very tight barrel roll.

-Think you can keep up?-asked Varcolac 1.

-Take this as an answer!-replied Antares 1, firing his guns on him.

The bullets hit Varcolac 1's plane and destroyed it.

-Ergh!-Varcolac 1 groaned.

-Captain!-shouted Varcolac 2 and Varcolac 3 at unison.

-Hmph, I can't believe he fell like that.-said Varcolac 4.

-All right, Antares squad!-cheered Canopus.-Now, finish off the rest of them.

-With pleasure.-replied Antares 2.

-I can't believe the captain got shot down.-said Varcolac 2.

-Just proves how good he really was!-replied Varcolac 4.

-"This is the first time I happen to agree with you in a very long time, Kiriakov!"-mused Antares 2.

-Tolya!-barked Varcolac 2.-Watch your mouth!

-Enough!-shouted Varcolac 3.-We still need to take out the Antares squad.

-Shut up!-retorted Varcolac 2.-Can't you see we've just lost our captain!?

-Antares squadron, the loss of their commander has thrown them off balance.-said Canopus.-Finish them off!

Antares 1 attacked Varcolac 4, firing two missiles on him. Varcolac 4 evaded them with ease.

-I could still take you with one arm tied behind my back!-said Varcolac 4, mocking his opponent.

However, Antares 1 managed to get Varcolac 4 on his sight and fired his guns on him, destroying Varcolac 4.

-Ugh... I screwed up...-said Varcolac 4.

-Tolya, no!-said Varcolac 2.-You gotta be kiddin' me!

-He got Kiriakov!?-asked Varcolac 3.-Too bad, he's going down next!

-Over my dead corpse!-said Antares 2, attacking Varcolac 3.

-That's the idea, chica!-replied Varcolac 3.

Antares 2 attacked Varcolac 3 firing two standard missiles on him. Varcolac 3 pulled up to outmaneuver the missiles, but that put him directly in Antares 2's sights. Antares 2 pulled the trigger and fired her guns, destroying Varcolac 3.

-Mayday! Mayday!-shouted Varcolac 3, as he went down.

-Faryd!-said Varcolac 2.-I'm gonna make you pay, Davenport!

Varcolac 2 attacked Antares 2, chasing her ferociously. Antares 1 almost ran to help her, but then he realized something that almost made him laugh at Varcolac 2.

Antares 2 was toying with her chaser.

-Oruma, you're not the sanest person I've ever met!-said Antares 2, as she evaded Varcolac 2's attacks-To think you're trying to shoot me down with an A-10.

-I already shot down an Su-35S before your eyes, and the pilot was much better than you.-said Varcolac 2.-You're nothing more than a rookie to me! Prepare to die!

-You're not the first one who said that to me, loser.-said Antares 2, anger seeping through her voice.-Let me put my reply in a way you'll understand.

Antares 2 pulled a Kulbit maneuver and got behind Varcolac 2.

-Sayonara, Oruma!-Antares 2 replied, firing two missiles and a burst of her guns on Varcolac 2.

-Clever girl...-was all Varcolac 2 could say before being shot down.

-All targets confirmed destroyed!-said Antares 2.

-Good work, Antares squad. This must've been difficult for you.-said Canopus.-But what's this Golden Axe Plan all about?

-Sir, sorry to interrupt, but we don't have much time before they launch the nukes.-said Antares 1.

-That's right. Our work here isn't finished.-said Canopus.-Fly into the missile silo and stop the nuclear launch.

Antares 2 headed toward the nuclear silos' entrance on the western side of the hill and fired two missiles on the door switch, destroying it and opening the gate.

-Antares 2, I'll take care of the southern half of the missile silos.-said Antares 1.-Good luck!

Antares 2 followed Antares 1 into the missile silos. Antares 2 destroyed the first nuclear missile firing two standard missiles on its base, disabling its engines. After that, Antares 1 headed into the right tunnel, and Antares 2, into the left one. At the end of the tunnel, Antares 2 saw a closed door, and a switch by its side. She fired her guns on it and destroyed the door. She found another missile inside the next silo and destroyed its engines with her guns.

-Impressive that you would dare to fly through here, scorpions. You've heard of the Golden Axe Plan by now, I presume. We are all just players on someone else's stage.-said Nicolae Dumitrescu.-But our desire is real. If you want to stop us, come. However, you have little time left.

Meanwhile, Antares 2 destroyed another door, shooting at the switch, and headed toward the next missile. She destroyed the engines and advanced toward the next missile silo, destroying another door in the process. Antares 2 spotted another missile, but its engines were destroyed by Antares 1, who had already destroyed another three missiles.

-Furthermore, destroying us will not stop their plans.-said Dumitrescu.-The next stage is set... for America!

-What!?-said Canopus.-America!?

-Who cares about that?-asked Antares 1.-Let's just finish this!

At that moment, the last missile's engines went off, and the silo's door began to open. Antares 1 rushed toward the missile and fired on it, destroying its engines. The missile fell into the silo's bottom and exploded. Both Antares 1 and Antares 2 left the missile silos as fast as they could, escaping just before the missiles destroyed the silos after detonating.

-Destruction of enemy facilities confirmed. The Valahia should not be a military threat anymore.-said Canopus.-But in the process, we've uncovered the Golden Axe Plan, and its objectives. We must head to the US to prevent this heinous plan from being executed!

The Antares squadron returned to Iyuli.

Iyuli, May 6th 2016, 18:55 Hours; Weather: Overcast

Despite their final victory against the Valahia, Hansel Foulke and Marlene Davenport were very angry. Andre Olivieri had fooled everyone, and the true threat to the world was no other than the Golden Axe Plan. Both pilots were seating on a bench, outside the HQ building.

-To think we risked our lives piloting his plane...-said Davenport.-And that innocent people died because of his selfish plan... Dammit, I'm gonna curb stomp him!

-I know how you feel, Marlene.-said Foulke.-He used us as his errand guys, taking out the people who knew about his plan. We've been his pawns from the very beginning. But no more, I swear.

-I guess Burford is as angry as we are.-said Davenport.

At that moment, Anatoly Alekseyev and Kristina Solechnaya, the sole surviving members of the Cossack squadron, left the building.

-Hey, mercs.-said Alekseyev.-I have to admit, you've got to be crazy to face such enemies.

-I'm glad you realized that.-said Foulke.-You two and your wingmen did well out there. I'm sorry for them.

-I know that, when you spend some time flying, things like this happen sooner or later.-said Alekseyev.-But thank you for your condolences, Foulke. Kristina and I will return now to Russia. We're not going to take the risk of facing this "Golden Axe Plan", but I hope you two can crush those bastards.

After that, both pilots shook hands with the two mercenaries, got into their planes, and left, with the tanker following them.

A couple of minutes later, Frederick Burford left the HQ building and met the two pilots.

-I've got news from the IUPF.-he said.-They've congratulated us for our success in our operation. Apparently, the Valahia leaders, including Dumitrescu, died in "Infern". Also, they've given us an F-15S/MTD and an Su-37 for free, as a reward for our efforts.

-Why?-asked Davenport.-It seems a little fishy.

-We'll have to take what we can get, for now.-said Foulke.-Our objective right now is this Golden Axe Plan.

-Exactly.-said Burford.-We'll be heading to the Midway Islands by company ship tomorrow at dawn. We'll have to operate in secret for now, and that means we won't have the support of Wernher and Noah.

-Will the planes be transported by company ship to Midway?-asked Davenport.

-Yes. The planes are already being stored in a cargo ship in the southern coast of Ukraine.-said Burford.

Davenport and Foulke spent the rest of the day relaxing in the base.

The next day, Burford, Davenport and Foulke headed out of Ukraine in a company ship, heading for the Midway Islands. The transport party was escorted by a handful of destroyers. The journey to the Midway Islands would last two weeks.


Sixteenth chapter. Sorry for the delay yet again. I'm trying to include as many details as I can, but I'm not perfect, you know. Anyway, I still hope you all like this chapter. Good luck and take care. See you next time

EDIT(20/8/2015): Replaced Dumitrescu's birth year