Highschool of the dead: The British Outbreak
Chapter 8: Cry Havoc, and unleash the dogs of war
Chester City Centre
Chester safezone
Z-day + 28
12:55
Sale and Marsden waited down at the Bridge Gate for the return of Fireteam Viking, keen to hear their report for why they had abandoned their mission with such haste. They did not have long to wait, as they returned shortly after they arrived, and all looked like hell, especially Jason...
He looked like he wanted to kill someone.
"Fireteam Viking," called Marsden. "Debriefing in ops. Now."
"Sir!" was the only response Marsden got. They walked back to the castle in silence, occasionally they drew a few glances, but they either just ignored them or shot back glances that simply said, 'Sod off. Mind your own business.'
They entered the ops room and they started peeling off patrol bags and webbing in silence. Before long they were down to their fatigues and clearing and stowing their weapons. Once that was done, they sat down in the op room seats and waited in silence.
"So what happened?" asked Marsden.
"It went tits up," replied Akio.
"Anything a little more specific?" asked Sale, slightly irate.
"They knew we were there," replied Jason. "We cut a hole in the wire, made it to the OP's building and moved inside. Signs of a firefight, spent 12 gauge shells and 5.56 NATO rounds, a lot of blood on the ground, I'd say at least 3 wounded from the assaulting party. We got to Wolf's OP then called it in. About 5 minutes later, a man in a black trench coat brought out Corporal Wheatcroft and executed her. He was looking right at us before and after he executed her. They knew we were there and watching.
"How?" asked Sale.
"They had Wolf's radio," replied Fred. Jason nodded.
"They were listening in on our comms," he added. "They also took all of Wolf's weapons and kit."
"If they knew you were there, why didn't they attack you?" asked Sale.
"They tried too." grunted Akio. Jason explained.
"As soon as I saw the man in the trench coat looking at us and realized he knew we were there I ordered us to pack up and bolt. About a minute after we left the building, we heard tear gas canisters being launched into the building we had occupied. We fell back to the RV then took the long way home and made sure to evade any tails on the way back."
Sale and Marsden looked at each other for a second as they processed the information.
"Any sign of the rest of Wolf?" asked Marsden.
"No sir," replied Jason.
"Ok then," concluded Marsden. "You're on a stand down for the rest of the day. Get your weapons cleaned and kit signed back in. Go see the padre if you think you need to talk to someone. Get a shower, something to eat and some rest. Dismissed."
"Sir," called Jason as Marsden turned to leave. "May I have a word? In private."
Marsden nodded before Jason followed. The 2 walked through the castle to Marsden's office. They entered the office and Marsden sat down.
"Permission to speak freely sir?" asked Jason. Marsden cocked an eyebrow. Jason had only once before asked permission to speak freely, and it was the reason why he had been 18 years old and only a Cadet Corporal.
"Granted," replied Marsden.
"Why didn't I take the shot sir?" asked Jason. Gone was the calm and collected 'Sergeants' voice and was replaced by a furious, balling soldier. "I had the bastard in my crosshairs and dead to rights! Why didn't I take the bloody shot?!"
"Did you realize you were compromised before or after she was executed?" asked Marsden.
"After. When the bastard was looking me straight in the eye," replied Jason.
"Well there you go then. You chose to put your team ahead of personal revenge. That makes you a good man."
"Then why do I feel like I failed?"
"Were you close to Corporal Wheatcroft?"
"We were friend's sir," Jason sighed, "Although I don't envy having to tell her boyfriend."
"Boyfriend?" queried Marsden. Jason nodded
"Private Martel," he replied, "Fireteam Kestrel. They've been keeping it quiet, but I walked in on them once. They were... intimate sir, and very close."
"I see," said Marsden. "Thank you, I'll speak to him."
"Respectfully sir, I'll tell him," Jason cut in. "It was my failure to shoot that got her killed. So it's my job to tell him." Jason turned to leave but stopped as he did.
"And sir, next time that bastard gets in my crosshairs, I will kill him. I will kill him calmly, efficiently and professionally. But I will kill him." Marsden nodded.
"Carry on Sergeant," was his only reply.
Jason stood to attention and saluted Marsden before silently leaving the room. Marsden waited for a moment before calling in Private Jackson.
"Private," he said. "Please summon the company officers and senior NCO's to briefing room 3. We need to flesh out a plan of attack against the Broughton Safezone."
"Yes sir," replied Jackson, he was about to leave but then hesitated. "Sir, is it wise to be doing this without the council's permission?"
"No harm in being prepared private. Is there?"
"No sir."
"Jolly good. Is there anything else?"
"No sir! Sorry sir!" Jackson passed a hasty salute before heading off to his task. Marsden was going to be damned if he was going to let this bunch of thugs going to threaten this city much longer... councils permission or otherwise.
Jason
Chester Castle
Chester safezone
Z-day + 28
13:15
Jason orientated himself around the gym.
He and his team were each using their downtime differently. Fred decided he was going to the library, Alex went to the hospital go see what she could scavenge to top of her medical bag and Akio was probably off trying to find someone to practice martial arts with/ beat the crap out of. Jason decided that the best way to vent some frustration was to pump some iron and hit a punching bag.
They gym was equipped with the types of machines that generated power from use to power themselves, as well as free weights, punching and speed bags, an improvised sparring ring and scavenged posters demonstrating how to stretch and exercise every major muscle group.
They gym was empty; everyone was either op operations or otherwise busy. Jason had the place to himself.
Jason started with arm curls, before moving on to press ups, pull ups and finally sit ups. Once he'd finished 30 of each (except pull ups, he got as far as 10), he still felt like he had an itch that needed to be scratched. He moved over to a box and removed some boxing gloves and put them on before moving over to the punching bag.
He took a deep breath out before adopting a fighting stance. He lashed out with a quick Jab. The bag swung on its mounting chains. He punched again, and again. He kept punching, started throwing kicks in the mix. He kept seeing the man in the black trench coat, then Wheatcroft.
Then the man, then Wheatcroft.
Man.
Wheatcroft.
Man!
Wheatcroft!
BASTARD!
CORPSE!
Thud.
Jason stumbled as he took the impact of the punching bag after he missed his cross.
"Well someone's losing their edge," said a voice. Jason turned around and found Akio standing in the doorway of the gym. She'd changed out of her combats and was dressed in a set of workout clothes that would be considered by many people to be a little too revealing.
"Been a stressful day," replied Jason. Akio walked towards him and into the sparring circle.
"I'll say," she agreed. "Fancy a spar?"
"Couldn't find any new rookies to 'train' then?" asked Jason with a grin. Akio shrugged.
"I found you didn't I?" She grinned and took up a fighting stance in the sparring room. Jason removed his boxing gloves and squared up to Akio on the ring.
Jason started first with a series of quick jabs which Akio either blocked or dodged easily. Akio countered with a quick 2 punches followed by a low kick. From just watching her, Jason could tell Akio was slowing herself down deliberately to give him a fair chance. He used some Karate techniques Akio had shown him to easily block the punches and force the kick aside before it could make contact.
"Not bad," commented Akio, "You've been practicing."Jason smirked,
"And you're getting slower," he shot back, "Been spending too much time asleep Akio? Or Perhaps..."
Jason didn't see her attack. All he saw was a blur of her blood red hair moving towards him at speed, and all he felt was her grabbing his right wrist, stepping across him and hooking her foot around his before throwing him to the matted floor with a perfectly executed hip throw. He looked up at her, slightly dazed. She was smirking at him.
"You sure about that?"
Jason just shot back another smirk as he brought his legs up and wrapped them around Akio's waist. Before she could react he twisted his body to the side and she yelped as he bought her crashing down to the pads. Jason flipped himself upwards so that he was kneeling over Akio.
"Yeah." He said. He then went on to list different attacks he could do to finish off an opponent, exemplifying the attacks as he did. "And from here I could jamb my rifle butt into your chest and break your ribs, punch you in the throat. Or, if he were a lad, punch him in, and possibly break, his family jewels. Guaranteed to bring any man, and some women, to their knees."
"Does that include you, boss?" asked Akio, she then copied Jason's move and wrapped her legs around Jason and rolled him over, pinning him to the ground and straddling his hips.
"Akio," Jason cautioned, he knew what Akio was after. "We can't..."
"But you want too." She replied huskily, she bend so she could whisper in his ear seductively. "Or is that your sidearm pressing against my thigh?"
"Of course I want to," he replied, flashing a quick smirk. "Any sane man would." His face dropped back to a stern, if slightly disappointed face.
"But. We. Can't."
"Why not?" she was almost pleading with him. Jason Wriggled slightly and Akio demounted him. Jason stood to leave.
"Because," said Jason. "With a girl like you, if we start, I might not be able to stop. I'll see you later."
"Where are you going?" asked Akio as Jason was on his way out.
He paused.
"To give Private Martel the bad news," he said, before leaving Akio alone in the gym.
Sniper Nest
King Charles Tower
Chester City Wall
Z-day + 28
18:27
Jason whistled lightly to himself as he panned his sniper rifle around, watching for infected, survivors, or anything that looked out of the ordinary.
"So what happened with you and Akio?" asked Fred, also scanning with a pair of binoculars.
"What'ya mean?" asked Jason, cursing that the debacle between he and Akio had been seen.
"Well it's just that Akio seems abit off. She came around and asked me where you were, I said try the gym," Explained Fred. "Since then she's just seemed slightly off. Was it something you did?"Jason sighed, he could trust Fred.
"It's more what I didn't do mate... the bloody hell?"
He panned his rifle back slightly; focussing on the tower block he'd just passed over and set his scope to maximum magnification.
"What?" asked Fred, Glancing over at Jason.
"Check that middle tower block. 7th floor balcony, 2nd from the right. See it?"
Fred looked over at the indicated balcony.
"You mean the guy with the rifle looking at us?"
"Yup."
"You gonna shoot him?"
"Call it in first. Tell em' we've got a dicker about 900 yards out."
"On it." Fred put down the binoculars and started talking on the radio. After a brief exchange on the radio, Fred handed him the ear set and put the transmit down next to him and his spare.338 mags. "It's for you."
Jason sighed and took over the radio.
"This is Viking 1. Send over."
"Viking is Zero. What is the dicker doing? Over."
"Zero, Viking 1. He's just watching us with a scoped rifle. A Remy 700 at a guess. Do I have permission to fire? Over."
"That's a negative on the PTF Viking. Over," Jason snarled slightly. He could almost see the bastard smiling at them.
"Zero. We can't let the bastard keep watching us. I can shoot out a window near him. See if that will spook him off. Over." There was a short pause before the radio operator replied.
"Viking 1. You have permission to fire warning shot. Contact when situation resolved. Out."
Jason smiled as he started dialling his scope to make the target.
"So which window you going for?" asked Fred, looking through the binoculars at him.
"The one right above his head," replied Jason. Fred looked at it. It was a small window above the man's head, in what looked like a kitchen.
"That's a pretty small target," said Fred. "You sure you can hit that?" Jason glanced over at Fred.
"Do I look like a bloody cross-eyed yank to you mate?" he smirked. "Just watch this."
"Famous last words," muttered Fred as he put the binoculars on target. Jason just smirked as he put the sniper rifle on target. Jason knew the range was just a shade over 900 yards, (he'd used it as long range target practice during a sniper lesson a few days ago). It wasn't the furthest he'd shot, but it wasn't close either. Jason took a few deep breaths, clearing his mind and slowed his heart beat.
'Tick. Tick. Boom,' though Jason as he squeezed the trigger.
Kapfft!
The small glass window shattered as the .338 Lapua magnum round found its mark. The 2 snipers chucked as the dicker was showered with glass, grabbed his rifle and ran for his life. Jason picked up the radio.
"Hello Zero. This is Viking 1. Dicker removed, and probably in need of a change of underwear. Resuming overwatch. Out."
They resettled into their night watch and resumed scanning for targets.
Meanwhile...
Fireteam Viking bunkroom
"So did you shag the boss then?" asked Alex. Akio dropped her book and looked over to the opposite bunk where Alex was meddling with some medical piece of kit.
"What are you..."started Akio but Alex cut her off
"Guess not then." Akio made an annoyed sigh.
"How did you know?" she asked.
"Easy," replied Alex. "I look at Fred the same way." Akio cocked an eyebrow.
"Really?" she asked, "And just how much have you two done then?" Alex looked up from her kit and gave Akio a smirk.
"You really don't think he spent 4 hours in the library did you?"
"So where did you too... go?" asked Akio, slightly curious. "I mean you couldn't do it here. Someone would see."
"Who said we didn't want them to see us?" asked Alex, a mischievous grin on her face. Akio's mouth dropped and they 2 girls laughed for the first time in a long time. Alex recovered from her laughter and finished her though.
"No," she said, "you remember that hotel that Jason took us to teach us how to build sniper hides? Well we went there and just told the woman at reception we needed a room for a 'training exercise'."
"Really?" asked Akio, eyebrow still climbing up her forehead. "And just how long were you two at it?"
"About 3 or 4 hours," replied Alex, she started digging through her bag for one particular item.
"3 or 4 hours?!"
"Uh-huh," Akio pulled out a small red box from her bag and tossed it to Akio. She caught it and was slightly surprised to find it to be a box of condoms.
"Just in case," Alex explained. "Jason's already used all the ones in his kit bag."
"How do you know?" asked Akio, slightly surprised.
"He puts them over the barrel of his rifle to keep water and mud off it... that sounds dodgy doesn't it?" The 2 girls broke out into laughter and didn't even notice when Jason and Fred returned. The 2 snipers just looked at each other dumbfounded before just shrugging it off.
Chester Castle
Chester safezone
Z-day + 29
15:00
Fireteam Viking moved into the mess hall along with a group consisting of the Special Operations Detachment, other soldiers and personnel from the police. The mess hall had been converted into a large briefing room. They had been called there for a briefing on a subject they hadn't been told about, but they could all guess. Marsden, Staff Sergeant Sale and a police officer Jason didn't recognise stepped forward.
"Room! Room 'Shun!" Shouted Sale. The room stood to attention and all conversation died.
"Please take your seats," said Marsden. He waited for everyone to get a seat before continuing.
"As of 13:00 today, the order was given for the armed police and military to mount a joint operation to the Broughton safezone, to bring the gang in control into custody. In this operation we will; gain control of their tear gas stocks and other weapons, effect the release of the remaining members of Fireteam Wolf, rescue as many civilian survivors as possible, and gain overall control of the Broughton safezone and its remaining considerable supply stocks as well as capture the gang members in control of the safezone.
"The assault will consist of 2 forces. A force and B force. A force will consist of police and select military personnel outside of the Special Operations Detachment. They will approach the stronghold from the front and demand the surrender of the gang members, and if necessary, assault the building from the front and rear. Their specific briefing will be given by Chief Inspector Cook. B force will consist of the Special Forces detachment and will assault through the roof from forward assault positions. Their specific briefing will be given by Staff Sale."
Someone from Fireteam Diamond put their hand.
"Yes Corporal?" asked Marsden.
"2 Questions sir," said the Corporal. "1. When do we go? And 2. Do we have permission to shoot to kill?"
"To answer your first question," began Marsden. "Final briefings and prep for the remainder of today. We truck out 04:30 hours. Infiltrate area around Broughton park 05:15 hours. Movement into forward assault positions 05:45 hours. Negotiations/ Assault commence 05:50 hours. Home for tea and medals 13:00 hours. As for your second question,"
Marsden paused to sigh.
"Prisoners are preferable. But if you see any suspicious moves, don't hesitate. Dead them is better than dead you. Understand.
"Yes sir!" the room chorused.
"Very good," replied Marsden. "I'll let you get to your mission specific briefings. Carry on."
B force Forward Assault Positions
Roughly 50 meters from Broughton safezone roof
05:48
"B force, this is Bravo Zero Alpha. Sound off," ordered Sale.
B force were scattered across a rooftop adjacent from the gang's stronghold, using the early dawn light and various pieces of rooftop mounted appliances for cover. From each of their positions, the assault team sounded off, muttering into their tac-coms under their gas masks. Fireteam Diamond were operating under the call sign Bravo 1's, and Fireteam Viking (with the exception of Alex who'd been secluded to the follow up teams and replaced by someone from another fireteam called Max.)
"Bravo 1-1. In position."
"Bravo 1-2. In position."
"Bravo 1-3. In position."
"Bravo 1-4. In position."
"Bravo 2-1. In position," Jason reported.
"Bravo 2-2. In position," Replied Akio
"Bravo 2-3. In position," Reported Fred.
"Bravo 2-4. In position," Max replied.
"Copy. B force standby. Over," ordered Sale. Jason just settled down and focussed on his weapon and briefing. For the assault he'd ditched his M4 SOPMOD and gone for his L85 because it was more compact and would be better for close quarter combat inside the building. Plus if and when it kicked off, the gang would have already engaged so he didn't need the suppressor.
And the brief. Jason just kept running over the briefing in his head. He and his section would assault through one of 2 roof access doors while the other section, comprising of the Diamonds and Sale would assault through the other. They would clear the upstairs corridors and administrative rooms while A force would clear the ground floor. Using maps of the place they'd been able to get their hands on, they'd named every hallway, room and stairway had been a phonetic and number, stairway 1 Alpha, Hallway 2 India and so on. But the hardest thing for almost everyone of the assault team to accept was what they'd been told to do in the event that one of them was killed or wounded. Sale's words echoed in his mind.
"Speed is key in this kind of operation. If one of you goes down, don't stop to help them. Just call in, 'man down hallway 2 Alpha,' and move on. If you kill a hostile, same again but call in 'X-ray down. Hallway 2 Alpha.' for example."
They'd been briefed that medics and reinforcements would flood the building after it had been cleared and they would handle any wounded, but they all knew that would probably be too late to save them.
"All units stand too," said a voice over the radio. It was Marsden. He and the chief of police Inspector Cook were running this show from an armoured Land Rover somewhere nearby. "Delegation is moving forward to negotiate their surrender. If they start firing, you have a green light engage."
On the ground below, a land rover gunned its engine and drove forward towards the building. The approaching vehicle got the attention of the 2 snipers who were on the roof. Someone in the Land Rover turned on a loud speaker,
"Hello Broughton Safe Zone! Police and British Army! Lay down your weapons and surrender peacefully or you will be subject to aggressive action!"
The 2 snipers looked between each other and one of them before they raised their rifle up and started firing.
"Go!"
B Force emerged from cover and someone shouted; "British Army! Drop your weapons!" at the shooters. They were stupid enough to turn to fire at the soldiers and each received a burst of 5.56 rounds for their trouble.
"2 x-rays down. Rooftop."
"Have that," a female voice from command acknowledged.
"Stack up!" shouted Sale. The 2 teams split up and stacked up on their roof access'. "Prepare to move! MOVE!"
Akio opened the door and Jason was in first, the rest of the team hot on his heels. As they descended the stairs, a man emerged from the door at the foot of the staircase, he was carrying a shotgun.
"British Army! Drop your weapon!" shouted Jason. The man paused for a moment before raising it.
Ka-Pow.
"X-ray down stairway 2 Alpha."
"Have that."
The fireteam continued down the stairs and moved through swiftly. They came down the stairs into a hallway of offices.
"Max! Akio! Left side! Fred! Right side! On me!" ordered Jason. They split up and Jason and Fred came to the first room. With a grunt of effort, Jason kicked the door in with an armoured boot and entered. The room had had its office furniture removed and replaced with camp beds and sleeping bags. There was no one in the room.
"Office 1 Alpha! Clear!"
"Have that."
They back into the hallway, moving to next room and repeating the entry procedure. This time however, the room was occupied by 3 women in various stages of undress with a man who had his back to the doorway and was hastily trying to pull a pair of jeans back on.
"Get on the ground! Now!" Jason ordered. The man spun around. He had a handgun wedged into the lip of his jeans gangster style. The man looked at Jason, Jason looked back. The man made a grab for it.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
"X-ray down. Office 2 Alpha! Times 3 Yankees secure."
"Have that."
"Stay here! If you touch a weapon you will be considered hostile and be shot!" ordered Jason, pointing at the 3 women. They nodded hesitantly towards Jason. Jason reached down and grabbed the man's pistol, an old Browning HiPower, and stowed it in his webbing before wheeling around and headed back out. Throughout the building, there were sounds of battle. Apparently the gang wasn't going down quietly, and through his comms Jason could hear the reports from other soldiers.
"Objective Alpha secure in office 3 Echo."
"X-ray down! Storeroom 7 Bravo!"
"5 Yankees secure! Aisle 17!"
"Man down! Corridor 2 Alpha! X-ray is objective Charlie and making a run for it!"
Jason grunted. Objective Charlie was a Mr. Pace Darwin, the leader of the gang, and the man in the black trench coat. And corridor 2 Alpha was the one at the end of the corridor Jason was on. At the end, a man in a black trench coat rushed across carrying an MP5.
Bastard!
Jason raised his rifle and fired a burst on full auto. The rounds missed and impacted the wall, the Bastard was moving too fast.
"This is Bravo 2-1. I'm in pursuit of objective Charlie. Out!"
Jason started running, tearing around the corner with his rifle in hand. Gone were all thoughts of tactical thought and regard for his own safety, there was only one thing on his mind and that was revenge.
Jason saw the man turn around a corner and just as Jason rounded it as well he slammed a door shut and locked it. Jason charged the door but bounced off it and fell aside. Just as he fell, a long burst of sub machine gun fire tore through the door. A woman inside the room screamed and Jason could hear the bastard shouting at her.
Jason got to his feat and formed a quick plan. He dropped the depleted mag from his weapon and replaced it with a fresh one. He then keyed his mic.
"This is Bravo 2-1. Objective Charlie is inside Office room 12 Delta. From the sound of it he's got a hostage. I could use some back up. Over."
"Understood Bravo 2-1. Bravo's 2-1 and 2-3 are on route to you now. Over."
"Understood." Replied Jason. As he waited he pulled his bayonet from its sheath and fixed it to the barrel of his L85. He then trained it at the door and waited. 2 figures came around the corner. Jason twitched his rifle towards them, but pulled it back to the door when he saw it was Akio and Fred.
"We got him?" asked Akio.
"We've got Objective Charlie and one Yankee inside the office," briefed Jason. "Stack up."
Jason took one side with Akio behind him and Fred took the other side. Jason pulled a flash bang from his webbing before calling through the now shot up door.
"Mr. Darwin!" he shouted. "British Army! Lay down your weapons and..." Jason was cut off by the report of an MP5 being let rip on full auto.
"FUCK YOU!" The bastard shouted as he continued to tear through his ammo. Jason pulled the pin on the flash bang and chucked it through the door frame. They looked away and waited for a moment before a flash and clap of thunder signalled the flash bang's detonation. They moved in, Weapons at their shoulders and scanning for targets. Mr. Darwin was standing in the middle of the room, hunched over and head in his hands. His eyes were burning from the flash bang. Akio kicked away his MP5 that lay dropped on the floor, Fred moved the female hostage aside while Jason rugby tackled Darwin to the ground, rolled him on his front. He put the man's hands on his back and nodded Akio forward to zip tie the man's hands together.
"This is Bravo 2-1. Objective Charlie secure in office room 12 Delta." Jason said into his mic before disconnecting and snarling, "Aren't you, you son of a bitch?"
"Roger Bravo 2-1. Stand fast on objective Charlie. All call sign's be advised that objective's Alpha, Bravo and Charlie have been secured. I say again, objective's Alpha, Bravo and Charlie are secure. Wrap up any remaining resistance and move any Yankees to store room 1 Alpha and surrendering X-ray's to Office room 8 Charlie. Reinforcements will be relieving you soon. Cracking job lads. Out."
Hello there :)
I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and more mad stuff is on the way.
No idea when chapter 9 will be out, but I am working on it.
Anyway, Please drop a review to give me your thoughts and favorite and follow if you feel so inclined
Happy new year
From
Jango :)