Chapter 8 - Walking with History and the Dead - Part 1
The Darkhorse members were yet again finding themselves staring into the faces of Samson and Price; both bore similar expressions as they started up the computer and projected its screen onto the wall. They all watched as the projector warmed up and began to cast the images against the wall's surface. Once the information and slides were up Price turned to face the watchful eyes.
"Alright, so here how this one is going to go. Napoli, Italy. As I mentioned before, there's a warehouse there disguised as a food packaging plant. The selected team members will depart to Italy tomorrow morning where they should arrive within a few hours. After landing, Talon will pick you all up and take you to the outskirts of the warehouse, closer to the village, and breach the tunnels and begin your long trek underground in search of the the entrance into the warehouse. Clear the proximity. Retrieve the data on the sellers and buyers. Then plant the charges and light the place up." Price was straight to the point and paused to glance at the many faces before him. "Easy enough, right?"
Everyone nodded as Shawn gestured to indicate he had a question. "You mentioned 'selected team members'. Do you all already have them picked out?"
Samson nodded with understanding. "We're actually going to give a few of you the option to stay or go. We only want four members, there's no need for more than that. There's also a minor issue with...heights."
"Heights?" Ricochet asked as she lifted her chin up.
Immediately, Samson's eyes landed on Soap. "These tunnels, the clearance is only 6 feet-72 inches-they were built in the medieval into the Renaissance period and, well, people were obviously much shorter then. So, Soap, you know where I'm going with this."
"That means I going to be doing a lot of hunching over." Soap responding as his eyes flashed intricately.
"Yes. That's why we're giving you the option to sit this one out. Price or I could go in your place."
Soap shifted in his seat and sat forward. "Everyone here is going to be doing a lot of hunching. Even you and Price's heads will be pushing against the ceilings. I'd prefer to go."
"That's fine. We were just giving you the option. Trevor, Shawn, you two are definitely going. Rico, I usually would have you sit this sort of thing out, but we could use your help as well. You and Shawn will be the only ones sort of comfortable down there." Samson replied.
"Even then, though. That's a tight fit. And four of us?" Shawn commented with wide eyes.
Price shrugged and emitted a quick grunt. "You each will serve a necessary purpose. Breach the warehouse, clear the area, set up charges, and retrieve the necessary data on Vasquez's clientele. Stay orderly and spread out to cover as much ground possible in the shortest amount of time. Scan the areas. Leave no one alive. We don't need any survivors spreading the word around about who their new found threat is."
"Vasquez and their sellers and buyers will certainly be pissed. Getting hit two times in an eight day time span?" Trevor announced as a few eyes landed on him.
"Enragement will ensue." Shawn chimed in.
"Damn straight." Price said with his usual raspy voice.
Reggie clicked on a pen as his eyes shot up. "So, who's doing the transporting? Shorty and Hot-Shot again?"
Samson found Reggie's face. "Most likely. We don't have enough people in order to require a plane."
Reggie had to heave a sigh as Shorty quietly mocked him from behind his back. "Haha, I'm more important."
"Oh, aren't you just a special little gem." Reggie returned the tone only to receive an amused smile.
Price raised a remote to change the slide. "Here's the map and the layout of the warehouse-"
Suddenly, everyone froze and stared up at the image on the screen. It was definitely no map or warehouse layout. Instead, it was a picture of Shawn sleeping soundly against his pillow with a drawing of a penis pointing towards his mouth. Immediately, a few hands went up to cover the growing smiles.
Shawn lowered his brow into a glare. "Really, guys? Really? When the hell was that?"
"Last night." Reggie responded and met Shawn's unamused stare.
Price looked over in Reggie's direction in disapproval as Samson peered over intently at the image.
Shawn gestured with annoyance. "You all are fucking persistent. You went out of your way to draw a penis, take that picture, save it, then upload it to their brief of our upcoming mission?"
"Real mature, guys." Trevor said from his position, unable to completely hide his smirk.
"I must have missed the memo that said we were back in high school." Shawn commented with an irritated expression.
"Pissed off Shawn is the best Shawn." Reggie said with a grin.
Shawn heaved a solid huff.
"Moving on," Samson stated over the growing commotion and gestured for Price to moved to the next slide where he immediately had to release a sigh. This time, it was a picture of a bearded dragon lizard, mouth slightly open, with the caption 'huehuehuehue' by it. Price clicked to the next slide which finally revealed the map.
"Glad to see the that didn't stretch to unnecessary proportions." Price muttered, and the way he said it caused a few smiles to widen; even Soap had to flash a smile at the old man. "Alright, so here's the map of the village, you all will be dropped off a klick to the southeast, where the previously mentioned Talon members will carry you off to the entrance to the tunnels which had been dug up by locals. From there, you all will have to journey your way to the warehouse. It'll probably take roughly 45 minutes to reach it from those."
"Doing some research with Echo, we were able to uncover an old map of the tunnels, which we updated to reveal the portions of tunnels which have caved in and are inaccessible," Samson picked up where Price left off as the map of the underground tunnels lit up on the screen. Soap immediately grabbed for his pen and journal where he began to quick sketch out the layout. "You all will have a digital copy of this uploaded to your GPS's. It's crucial to really take note of your location. It's a commonly known fact that a few ignorant souls get lost in these tunnels, only to be met by starvation. Don't go joining them."
Trevor's eyes peered over at his older brother. "Where will you and Price be in all of this."
"Handling the large batch of contracts that just came in. We have to shuffle through all of them to accept or deny the requests. Not all are necessary or crucial. We'll be easy to reach, should you need us."
"Business has been picking up." Trevor stated with mild excitement in his voice.
Samson nodded. "It has. The war's over, the world is still a shitty place, and we're back in business."
"Yay." Shawn murmured flatly.
Price promptly brought the blueprints of the warehouse up. "This will also be uploaded onto your systems. Study it. If the place is armed, which there's a chance it may, you won't have time to constantly check your wrists." Soap sketched quickly as his attentive movements caught a few's attention; as he doodled his tongue slightly poked, giving him an almost boyish look. "Questions?"
Giving themselves a few moments to ponder, the group didn't have any current concerns and were ready to start their mental and physical preparations for the upcoming mission. They dispersed and went to work.
Once evening time rolled around, Soap found himself sitting outside with Price. They traded few words but kept them meaningful. Like always, Price was taking his usual smoke break, unlike Soap, who generally leaned towards a smoke break during a mission or when his stress meter was reaching an all time high. At the moment though, he was feeling fresh.
Keeping his eyes on the commotion in the hangar, Price spoke. "Have you kept in touch with your mother?"
Soap stared ahead and blinked thoughtfully. His eyes found Price in his peripherals. "I want to, but I'm afraid to initiate it. Worried the Royal Army is tapping into my mum's communications as well. Especially since we both high-tailed out of there."
Price nodded with understanding.
"Still. I would like to check in. It's the least I can do...especially with all she's put up with from me."
"You're making it sound like you're a bad son."
Soap shrugged. "It's not that I think I am. I just don't like the idea of my mother always being at the edge of her seat because of me. She never wanted me to get involved with a military career, as would any mother. But she also wanted me to follow my dreams, and not just be part of the common folk." He had to sigh and set his weight back against the metal siding of the barrack. "I guess I've been purposefully waiting for the perfect moment. I want some of the tension to blow over before reaching out."
Price puffed on his cigar. "You know that will never happen."
Soap had to utter a quick, amused chuckle at the comment. "Now isn't that the sad truth?"
"Reach out to her after this mission. You're going to get busy after this warehouse ordeal, so you may not have many other opportunities."
Soap nodded slowly as his mind absorbed the information. He didn't have much of a reply ready and could only roll his tense shoulders and stretch his neck. Tobias and Delroy walked past with an air of calmness as Price and Soap sat in a serene silence. Eventually, a woman's voice broke the stillness, abruptly stirring them from their thoughts.
"Hey, I saw you stretching your shoulders. Do you need me to show you some good techniques?" It was Lydia. She stood over them as Soap found her eyes, but not before getting a look from Price.
"Um, I already know several. I think I'll pass." Soap was quick to respond but was only met with a stare. "Thanks, anyways."
He was hoping that the conversation was now over, but she didn't budge. Price remained stationary as his eyes wandered off into the distance; keeping a mindful ear on the two.
"Well, I do have experience in physical therapy. Several people stop by throughout the day to loosen up. I'm just offering it to you, should you ever need it."
Soap shifted. Reggie's words rung in his ears and even though Price's eyes weren't watching, his attention sure was. He could feel the shift in Price's aura. All Price could think about was hoping Soap's obliviousness wasn't kicking in.
Lydia looked to the back of Price's head before finding Soap's soft eyes, which were now bearing an expression of unease.
"It's ten minute sessions." She stated, her eyes running across his face.
He was now focusing ahead as Trevor off in the distance caught his eyes. Trevor was closing in the distance between them as he strided from the hangar with refined mannerisms. As he stepped near, he grabbed Lydia's attention.
"Lydia. Shawn needs you. Shipment just came in; he needs your help organizing the medical supplies we just received." Trevor said firmly as he locked eyes with her.
"Ok, thanks," she replied seemingly disinterested as she ambled past Trevor with mild annoyance.
Trevor, with his hands in his pockets, looked to Soap. He nodded in the Scotsman's direction before pulling out a lighter and a cigarette.
"Mind if I join you two?" He asked. But it was more of a statement than a request, because he was already leaning his weight against the back of the barrack.
Price gestured. "Go for it."
Trevor lit his cigarette and put up his lighter. Removing the cig from his mouth to exhale, he stared off into the horizon where the vanishing sun lay. Soap was yet again thankful for someone swooping in to get rid of Lydia for him. There was just something about her he didn't like. She was a cute girl, with big brown eyes and straight brown hair, but her brown irises lacked that intelligent shine that he deeply enjoyed in a person's eyes. Each of their minds were elsewhere as they became lost in their different thoughts. Feeling compelled, Soap felt for a cigar to light up, which he currently had none on him; they're were back in his room. Without missing a beat, Price handed him one.
"You owe me one." The old man grunted.
Soap smirked as he accepted the offer. Trevor immediately let him borrow his lighter. Both men knew Soap didn't come prepared for a quick smoke break. The three men sat in a calming stillness while they inhaled and exhaled the sweet scent of the tobacco smoke.
The rest of the evening dragged on casually, and not much eventfulness occurred. It was the peaceful night before the storm. The breeze was steady and the night air was cool.
The next morning rolled in and the team set out at daybreak. A few of them uttered a quick yawn as Shorty and Hot-Shot prepared for take-off. Tobias gave them clearance and the radio guys established a strong and clear signal with Shorty's radio. Soap sat next to Trevor, who glanced at Shawn and Ricochet sitting across from them. It was going to be another tedious trip of just sitting in one place and speaking sparingly.
Like before, they refueled in Sicily and found themselves in an eerily similar position. Trevor and Soap took their 'before a mission' smoke break as the chopper fueled up; Shawn and Ricochet sat calmly off in the distance, and Shorty and Ivan waited patiently for the Iroquois to fill up.
"So, you ready for this?" Trevor asked with the cigarette in his mouth; it bobbed with the movement of his lips.
Soap's eyes found him, mid inhale on the cigar. Exhaling, he responded. "For Italy?"
Trevor nodded. "Yep. By the sounds of it, we're going to be crammed like sardines in there. We gotta figure out a suitable formulation for us."
Soap gestured his head slowly in agreement as he looked off towards the chopper where Ricochet and Shawn sat. Analyzing the different members' sizes he turned to speak. "I can stay in the back. If I'm up front, I'll block everyone's line of sight. If I'm near the back, I won't be obscuring anything."
"Probably the best bet. Rico and Shawn can stay in the middle, and I'll lead." Trevor lowered his cigarette. "Not one for leading, but this can be the exception."
The sound of the chopper blades starting back up grabbed their attentions. Flicking their cigar and cigarette butts to the ground, they headed for the Iroquois with anticipation. Once on board, Trevor grabbed their all's attention with the wave of a hand and a raised voice.
"So here's how it'll go. I'm leading, Soap's got our tails. It's going to be a real tight fit down there, but we'll make it work. Give the person in front of you the necessary distance. About a meter. It's going to be dark down there, and we don't need any of us tripping on one another." Trevor's voice was muffled by the rotating propellers.
"Sounds reasonable." Shawn commented as his eyes shot towards the endless space outside.
Eventually, the mediterranean disappeared below them and was replaced with the green countrysides of Italy. They flew past vineyards and quaint little towns and villages as they neared Napoli.
Shorty's voice buzzed in their ears. "ETA 10 minutes."
The group shifted in their seats. Unlike the boat mission, they're uniforms were a bit more loose and breathable. With dark grey and black pants, dark blue long sleeved shirts, and beige colored vests, the group appeared comfortable despite being equipped with handguns, flashbands, suppressed ACRs, and fresh magazines.
Once the time had passed and the Iroquois hovered above the LZ, Trevor and Soap tossed the ropes over and glided to the ground where Shawn and Ricochet followed shortly after.
"We're setting off. Pick up will be here at 2200 hours." Shorty's voice sounded in their ears as they flew off.
"Copy that." Trevor responded as he began to lead the group up the small incline before them.
The sun was disappearing beyond the horizon, and the distant vineyards were veiled by navy blue shadows. Crickets silenced as they drew near with their soft footsteps that matted down the grass.
Shawn rose his head up. "When is Talon meeting us?"
"Should be a little further to the southeast," Trevor replied as his eyes scanned the hills. "Keep your eyes peeled for a delivery truck."
Their strong legs brought them up to the top of the hill where they all peered over the side to observe the vast land before them. The ACRs were tossed over their shoulders as their arms hung at their sides. Trevor crossed his arms as Shawn placed his hands on his hips while rolling his tongue around in his mouth.
Soap suddenly pointed. "There's the water tower. South of the dirt road."
All eyes landed on the tiny water tower which barely poked its head up from over the treeline.
"Let's go." Trevor headed down the hill, the crew following shortly behind.
Talon was scheduled to pick them up southeast of Napoli near the water tower, and spotting it was just the first of many steps on their long journey ahead.
Quickening their pace, they reached the road where a lone delivery truck caught their eye. The headlights suddenly lit up as the engine started. A man poked his head out of the window and stared them down.
"Who are you with?" The man asked through lowered brows.
"Themis." Trevor replied as he received a nod quickly in return.
After creeping inside the back of the truck, the four of them waited patiently until their next stop. Several minutes had passed before the back door slid upwards and banged against the top. They met with the intent stare from the two Talon members who gestured for them to exit. Following orders, they all hopped out to find the sun completely set and the space around them to be lit up by the light of the rising moon. It was a gorgeous and eerie scene.
The Talon member from before pointing to the east. "Tunnel entrance is half a klick to the east. A new entrance had been dug up by local thugs. You can gain access through that. Should be easy to spot. Gaping hole in the ground surrounded by century old rock."
The group nodded as Shawn shifted his weight to one side. "Think we'll encounter any locals down there?"
The man nodded. "There's a chance."
"What's our clearance for handling that should we run into some?" Ricochet asked with wondering eyes.
He blinked slowly and furrowed his brow. "Incapacitate. Kill them if you have to. If some of the 'locals' down there are members of the gang, they'll blow your cover or kill you on the spot."
"Makes enough sense." Shawn murmured.
"It's either us or them." Ricochet stated as she caught sight of Trevor's movements.
Trevor had nodded with approval and quickly rounded on his heels to lead the pack; Soap staying near the back with Ricochet and Shawn in front of him. Keeping an eye on their GPSs and watches, they knew they drew near as deteriorating stone columns came into sight.
"Time to take aim. If this is a fresh entrance, we may have company." Soap said lowly. The members agreed and removed their assault rifles from their backs.
Prowling forward, disturbed earth caught their attention under the moonlight. Drawing in closer, they found the entrance. Heaving a sigh, Trevor turned on the small LED light on his vest and rose his ACR.
"Time to journey into the abyss." He moved himself forward with a rhythmic movement as Shawn, Ricochet, and Soap followed after.
This chapter came out really long, so I'm breaking it into two parts. Part two should be up soon.