EPISODE 1: FIRST MISSION
Rick Flag awoke to the sound of his alarm going off and the sun hitting his eyes. Today he would officially be starting his new role at ARGUS as the field leader of there Task Force X or as the staff and inmates seemed to like calling it the Suicide Squad. He had met with the crew he would be taking on missions and he had to admit he was concerned. Some of them obviously had skills to bring to the table but others he had his suspicions about. The reason he was chosen was how good his record was. Rick would never boast about but his service record is one of the best in the nation. The other reason he was sure of was his old friend Lyla Michaels probably recommended him for the job.
He rolled out the bed and got ready for the day ahead that would involve spending time with criminals. He was a patriot in every sense of the word and he was all for protecting his country but even he had to admit the concept of Task Force X was a bit…dirty and underhanded. Sending criminals in the field on high risk missions to earn time off there prison sentence but if they messed up no one would claim responsibility. It was a good concept from a soldier standpoint from a moral one he's not too sure.
He put on his suit and took his gun out the drawer and placed it in his shoulder holster and headed out.
Rick sat in his new office reading the files on the team he was going to be working with. The people he felt would be most reliable were probably Floyd Lawton and Digger Harkness. They both had military experience and seemed to be the sanest people out of the bunch. The ones that worried him were Harley Quinn and Garfield Lynn. She was unpredictable and crazy and he was obsessed with fire to the point of it being unhealthy.
A knock soon came to the door and in walked Lyla wearing her hair down and holding a file. "Good afternoon," she greeted.
"Good afternoon," Rick replied placing the file he was reading down. Lyla sat down across from him and put the file on his desk.
"How are you liking it so far?" Lyla asked.
"Not too sure yet," Rick confessed. "I guess I'll need to wait and see how the first mission goes."
"Well you're in luck because that's why I'm here," she said sliding the folder to him.
Rick picked it up and began to read it carefully. "When do we start?"
"Now," Lyla said. They both got up and began to head to the door when Lyla spotted some pictures hanging on the wall. She walked up and saw one of a young Rick with two other guys at a bar.
"Took that the day we got out of camp," Rick said.
"Who are they?" she asked.
"That one on the right is Steve Trevor who is doing god knows what right now. I knows he's in Washington doing something that's top secret. The other is Nathaniel Adams I know he is still in the air force."
"You guys keep in touch?"
"Me and Nathaniel get together for a drink a couple times a year, I don't hear too much from Steve anymore. Let's head down to briefing," Rick finally said heading out the door.
Down in the briefing room the members of Task Force X sat around a table in front of a screen. Standing in front of them was Amanda Waller. Rick and Lyla stood towards the back of the room as Waller began to explain the mission's details.
"Moments ago we got word that there is a hostage situation occurring in the Republic of Kasnia. A terrorist group known as Onslaught have taken control of a hospital and is threatening the lives of the people there," Waller began.
"If this was a normal hostage situation you wouldn't be sending us in," Floyd chimed in.
"Your right," Waller admitted moving on with the briefing. "A hostage there by the name of Gholem Qadeer is the real target. We suspect he may be in the weapons selling business and there is a weapon that we believe is in his possession. Extract him and bring him back hear for interrogation," Waller finished.
"Sounds fun," Harley said not really meaning it. "When do we head out?"
"That's up to Captain Flag," Waller said.
Rick walked to the front of the room gaining everyone's attention. "It is still a hostage situation so we need to keep a low profile if we are going to do this right. Lawton will provide cover fire from the building across, Harkness will be with me infiltrating, and Tockman will be at the extraction point providing Intel."
"What about me and burnt face over here?" Harley asked gesturing to Lynn.
"You will be at the extraction point with Tockman as backup if we need it," Rick informs them.
"Sounds boring," Harley said.
"Sounds like I won't be able to get to set things on fire," Lynn said.
"This is Task Force X. There's no telling what will happen," Waller tells them.
Rick is strapped down along with the other members of the team as the head to their destination via an ARGUS plane. He sat in the front of the plane as the rest of his team sat in the back with each other's company.
Harley sat dressed in her bright blue and pink shirt, hot-pants with fishnet stockings, armed with a handgun hoisted in her shoulder holster and her bat. She sat impatiently as blowing bubblegum as she tapped her high heeled boots on the ground.
Floyd sat completely ready with his cybernetic eye attached to his head. He wore a basic brown long sleeved brown shirt with his combat vest over it. He had his eyes closed and head leaning back just wanting to get this over with.
Harkness sat in his dark blue trench coat as he twirled one of his boomerangs in his hand. He had to admit it to himself that it was nice to finally get out of his cell.
Tockman sat in the back wearing normal civilian cloths since he was not expecting to go out in the field.
Lynn was wearing his all black firefighter uniform equipped with his costumed made flamethrowers that they had far away from him.
"That is an interesting group you got back there," the pilot says to Rick.
"That's one word to describe it," he replied. "Rick Flag," he greeted the pilot.
"Hal Jordan," he said back he was well built and had brown hair perfectly combed.
"Nice to meet you Hal. You been with ARGUS long?"
"They just hired me actually, said they needed a good pilot and called me up," he explained.
"Well hopefully this mission can go off without any trouble and we can make a smooth exit," Rick said.
The plane carrying the team ascends onto an airfield surrounded by a forest. When the plane finally comes to a stop the door opens and Rick comes out first followed by Floyd and Harkness. Rick looks back at the plane and put his hand to his earpiece.
"Code-names from here on," he said telling everybody. "Quinn and Firefly will keep watch over the plane and provide back up if needed. Let's move out," Rick finished.
The three begin to head in the direction of the building where they will need to secure the target and make sure not to get the hostages killed. Rick have done missions like this before but never on this big of a scale he would have to keep focused and make sure everyone does there job.
Rick and the others finally found the building where the hostage situation was going down. It was really quiet and that was probably because there was no law enforcement here anywhere.
"Where are all the cops?" Floyd asked.
"They made their demands clear that they wanted no law enforcement anywhere near the building," Rick informed.
"So what's are play here boss?" Harkness asked.
"Floyd let's get you on the building across from where the hostages are and get me a number on them and the terrorists group," Rick ordered.
"You got it boy scout," Floyd said heading off.
"And me and you?" Harkness asked facing Rick.
"We are going to use the back entrance to get in," Rick said.
"Seems a little basic."
"Well there aren't any sewers," Rick joked.
They made their way to the back of the building where Rick lifted his hand signaling them to stop. They both peered behind the corner and saw to guards standing at the back entrance. Rick lifted his rifle up that was equipped with a suppressor. Then Harkness tapped him on the shoulder. Rick faced and gave him a "what is it" look.
"Don't waste your bullets," Harkness said pulling out two boomerangs. He quickly jumped out and tossed both boomerangs nailing the two guards in the head and then he caught them as they came back around to him. "Nice right?" he said to Rick.
"Not bad," Rick admitted. He knew Harkness was supposedly good with boomerangs and he had his doubts about going into the field with someone with nothing but boomerangs then he had to remind himself that he lives in a world where a man fights crime with a bow & arrow. "Let's move."
Floyd finally made it to the top of the building he would be setting up on. He clicked on his red eye and got into his sniping position. And looked through the scope to see where the hostages were being held. He looked all over the building and finally found them on the 5th floor where he counted eight armed gunman surrounding the hostages. He counted thirteen hostages and he located there target who was hiding among them.
"I've located the target along with the hostages," Floyd said into his earpiece.
"What are we looking at?" Rock asked.
"Eight armed. Thirteen hostages including the target."
"Standby for my order," Rick responded.
"You got i-," Floyd stopped mid-sentence as he felt a gun push against his head.
"Up," a voice said.
Floyd put down his sniper rifle and raised his hands in the air.
"Deadshot, is something wrong?" Rick asked as he and Harkness made their way through the halls of the hospital. "Clock King I lost contact with Deadshot can you hack enemies comms. and see if he is compromised?"
"The enemies communications are hacked and it seems they have found are little assassin," Tockman reported.
"Great," Harkness said sarcastically.
"If there is a bright side it would be that the enemy is sending reinforcements over to secure him," Tockman informed. "Could make you escape easier."
"Maybe," Rick said. "Quinn I want you and Firefly to get Deadshot out of there. I doubt he is going to go quietly and when he makes his move I want you there to back him up."
"AH MAN," Harley spoke over the earpiece. "Me and the handsome pilot were really enjoying are game of rock-paper-scissors," she pouted.
"You wanted something fun to do," Rick said.
"Good point."
In the room with the hostages a woman by the name of Karin Grace sat with a small scared girl who look on as men with guns circled them.
" , why are they doing this?" the little girl asked.
"I don't know, but it will be okay," Karin assured her.
"Stop talking," a gunman shouted at them.
"Ease up she is just a little girl," Karin protested.
"I said shut up American bitch," he said pointing the gun at her.
Karin stayed quiet as the man walked away. She really hopes these guys get what they deserve.
Back on the plane Harley stood up and grabbed he bat. "LETS GO FLY BOY!" she said pointing her bat as Lynn.
"I'm coming," he said standing.
"Wait I have something that may be of use to you," Tockman said opening up a big crate on the plane. "From ARGUS's science and engineering division."
Lynn looked inside and a big smile crept on to his face. Harley looked inside with a curious look.
"Why does he get the new toys," Harley wined.
Rick and Harkness were almost to the hostages and was going to need Deadshot if they wanted to pull this off. Rick and Harkness were good but they needed to take out eight guys at once so they could make sure none of the hostages were hurt.
Rick turned a corner to come face to face with one of the terrorist. The armed gunman moved to lift his gun but Rick was quicker as he drew a knife from his side and slit the guy's throat and then pushed him against the wall putting the knife in his chest.
"Not bad," Harkness commented seeing how fast Rick was.
"Thanks." The two stood in front of the door holding the hostages inside. "Deadshot if you can hear this, me and Boomerang are about to make our move. Can you hear me?"
Back on the building Floyd still had a gun to the back of his head listening to Rick over the earpiece. "Yeah I can hear you," Floyd responded.
"Who you talking to?" the man asked in his broken English.
"We are going on the count of five," Rick said.
"Got it," Floyd said.
"You have partners?" the man asked again.
"1," Rick started.
Floyd turned quickly moving the gun out of the way before the man could react.
"2"
He sent a palm strike to the man's face then slapped the gun out his hand.
"3"
He kicked the man in the leg bringing down on one knee.
"4"
Floyd snapped the man's neck and then picked up his sniper rifle looking through the scope.
Rick and Harkness nodded to one another and got ready.
"5"
Rick kicked the door open and pinpointed his first target on the left side of the room. He fired a shot hitting him in the center of his head. He then aimed for the one next to him and killed him to. Harkness scanned the entire room as soon as he entered and tossed two boomerangs killing four guys. The last two were brought down by sniper fire from the building across.
"All clear in here," Rick said. "Floyd you got company coming your way you need to get out of there."
"Copy that," he responded.
Rick scanned the hostages and found there target Gholem Qadeer. He picked him up off the ground and pushed him towards Harkness. He looked at the rest of the hostages as the starred at the two men.
"You all are safe now," Rick said. "We are going to call the local law enforcement and they'll come secure all of you."
"Come on Rick," Harkness said. They both turned to and began to drag Qadeer out the building.
"Thank you," a voice called. Rick turned to see a female doctor with short blonde hair standing among the hostages. Rick just nodded to her and followed Harkness out the door. Karin watched as they left having saved all of them.
Floyd headed down the stairs trying to make a quick exit only to get the last floor where he saw armed men waiting for him. He jumped behind a pillar pulling out two guns getting ready for a fight.
"Clock King, do you think you can get these lights off?" Floyd asked.
"For a while but it will be maybe twenty seconds before the back generator kicks in," he advised.
"That's plenty of time," Floyd said.
Outside the building Harley tip toed behind an enemy truck as she made her way across the group planting explosives. She then got behind cover and detonated the bombs blowing up all their vehicles.
"What is that?" a man said pointing in the sky as something that looked like a rocket was making their way towards them. As it got closer it became clear it was a man in some kind of armor. It landed in the middle of the big group holding a flamethrower.
"BURN!" he shouted as his jet pack lifted him in the air and he twirled around setting fire to the group of terrorist.
"BURN BABY BURN! DISOC INFERNO!" Harley sang as she fired her gun at anyone trying to run away. One guy made the mistake of getting to close and she nailed him with her bat.
Inside the lights finally turned off and Floyd's red eye glowed bright as he jumped from behind cover with his two guns and fired bullet after bullet hitting the attackers with a single shot to the head each. He moved quickly rotating through the room firing his guns and when he shot his last bullet the lights turned back on and all of them were dead.
Harley kicked open the door holding a bazooka. "HANDS UP WHERE I CAN SEE THEM!" she said. Only to see there was nobody left standing in the building except Floyd. "I like you Cowboy," Harley said as Floyd walked past her.
"Everyone make your back to the plane we are getting out of here," Rick said over the earpiece.
Rick was back at the ARGUS base and watched as Waller interrogated Qadeer about the weapons he has been selling. Lyla watched too as Waller worked the suspect.
"We wouldn't go through all this trouble for just a regular arms dealer," Rick said to Lyla. "What is it Waller thinks he has?"
"You're about to find out," she said
Waller stood over Qadeer who still wasn't talking. "I what you have been selling Qadeer I just want you to tell me where you're making it," Waller said.
"I don't know what you are talking about," he responded with a smug grin.
"We both know you use to study under Ivo and was helping him with his Mirakuru research. There has been a version of it hitting the black market. Ivo is dead which means you're the only one capable of producing it."
"I want my lawyer," he said.
"You don't get a lawyer. In fact until I say other wise the world will think you are dead." Waller turned away.
"You can't do this me," Qadeer protested.
"I already am so I think I can," Waller said as she left the interrogation room.
Waller walked in where Rick and Lyla were standing.
"Mirakuru?" Rick asked.
"A super drug that is supposed to enhance a human beyond normal capabilities. Professor Ivo was playing with it until recently but he was killed. He was the only one getting close to the effects the Mirakuru had back in World War II. A few weeks ago a version of the Mirakuru has been popping up in the black market and since Qadeer use to shadow Ivo and his research he is the only logical candidate."
"Then we get him to tell us where he is producing this super drug," Rick concluded.
"We'll work on that. You're done for the day Captain Flag so I'll see you when we get some more info out of ."
"Copy that," he said.
Rick stood in the hall as he watched the members of Task Force X now dressed in there prison garb walk back into their cells. He had to confess that the mission could have gone worse. They were able to extract the target and save all the hostages. He briefly though about the woman that thanked him before he left.
Rick sat in his office and looked at the picture of him and his buddies hanging on the wall. A knock came from the door and Hal Jordan poked his head out.
"Hey, me and some of the guys are going out for drinks. You want to come?" he asked.
"You go on ahead," Rick said.
Hal nodded and closed the door leaving. Rick opened his desk drawer and pulled out a photo of him and his dad Rick Flag Sr.
"I'll make you proud dad."
NEXT. EPISODE 2: RESCUE
A/N: And so the adventures of the Suicide Squad begin. For those who don't know this is kind of a spin-off of my Arrow Earth 2 story and you really don't need to read it but reading chapter 12 would fill in some things and give you an idea of what to expect. I have always really liked the Suicide Squad and am looking forward to writing this.
Let me know what you think!
TILL NEXT TIME!