Soldier Part 7 – We Meet Again
It was mid-summer in 2015. They sun was high in the clear blue Canadian sky on a beautiful Thursday. He stood on the front porch of his farm house, mug of tea in hand, looking out over the valley floor with its crystal clear river and mountains either side covered in thick forests, that was part of his farmland. Not that he did much in the way of farming, but it was quiet and out the way, and that was just the way he liked it. After such a hectic life in his short 24 years of life, he just wanted to live out the rest of it in quiet with someone he loved more than anything else in the world; he looked and smiled at the ring on his finger. He had it all; a beautiful wife, fantastic home, he had friends with him too. 3 companions that had fought with him for many hard years. They all lived out on this farm in the middle of nowhere with the nearest town going on 15miles, away as the crow flies.
The day before... Wednesday.
The phone rang out in her Seattle penthouse. She stirred and looked through her raven black hair at the clock on her bedside table. It was 7am. She grabbed her mobile phone from the little table and looked at the screen it read 'The Boy Wonder'. She pressed the answer button, 'Yes Dick?' she groaned.
'Rachel sorry to call you so early but I thought you'd like to be the first to know.' Dick said.
'What would that be Dick?' Rachel was still half asleep.
'We managed to find him.'
'Who?'
'The Soldier.' Dick explained. Rachel gasped, she wasn't sure if she heard right in her grogginess. 'Yes, Rachel. We found him; he's in Canada and as a team we should go see him.'
'When?'
'As soon as possible.'
'I'll wake Gar up.'
Thursday... again.
Although basic looking on the outside inside the farmhouse was full of mod-cons. Computers, games consoles, big TVs, decent sound system and so on. One of the computers automatically kicked into life and changed the TV channel and displayed the map of the farm and surrounding area. A small blip was flashing and moving across the screen. It was moving fast. 'Del... We got something. It's moving pretty fucking quick, far too quick to be civilian.' Shouted Robert from inside. 'It's coming down the valley.'
Del looked out into the sky over the valley; he didn't need binoculars to see what was coming. The aircraft shot overhead at great speed. 'Arm the SAMs. If it makes another pass I want it blown out the sky.' Del ordered. Rob did what he was told and typed away at the computer; hidden in the forests and out in the valley dozens of SAM batteries whirred into life, the radar pods relaying target data to their computers had the aircraft locked on within seconds. The pilot should currently be wetting his pants.
'We're being lit up from the ground! Multiple radar points, they've locked on!' Victor shouted as he began to wrestle with the controls.
'Evasive manoeuvres, prepare to deploy chaff.' Dick ordered.
Rachel, Garfield and Kory began getting ready to go on the attack. But nothing happened. 'They have locked on but not opened fire. What's going on Dick?' Kory asked.
'They have the ability to defend themselves from attack from the air; they've lit us up as a warning. If was go into that air space again we'll be blown out of the sky. We must be in the right place, only he would set up a defence system so elaborate.' Dick began. 'Vic, peel off and circle around at a distance. Then land at the far end of the valley, we'll drive the rest of the way in.' Victor circled round and set down 10mintues later. Until he was 50ft off the ground he was tracked by radar. They would know exactly where he had landed.
'They've touched down at the end of the valley Del and I'm tracking a movement at ground level...a vehicle.' Teagan said.
'Defensive positions. Get ready for a fight, tool up.' He ordered. There was a flurry of activity, Rob opened the door to the underground armoury and tossed out a SCAR-H rifle belonging to Cassandra (the fourth person to live on the farm,) she was already in dressed in her assault vest with a pistol strapped to her leg. Rob grabbed his M60 LMG and some AT4 rockets before sealing the door and burst out the front door sprinting to one of the covered fox holes hidden either side of the gravel road way. Cassandra was ripping the camouflage cover off the top of her fox hole and getting into a firing position.
Ellie (the fifth and final farm occupant) was running out the back to a hidden landing pad built into the mountain side behind the farmhouse. She leapt inside and started her take off sequence, the rotor blades soon began to spin up to take off speed. She lifted off and kept low to the ground and began to swoop round to flank the vehicle from behind.
'Del how could they find us? No one knows we live out here.' Teagan asked.
'I don't know sweetheart but we can worry about that later,' Del pressed the radio, 'what's the situation out there?'
'Sierra 1 standing by.' Rob said.
'Charlie 1 standing by.' Answered Cassandra.
'Echo 1 is in a holding pattern. I have eyes on target vehicle, 90 seconds until they are at the house.'
'Have that Echo 1. Stay hidden. Everyone; fire only if they fire first.' Del instructed over the radio. 'Ok let's go great our guests.' He turned and tossed the last of his tea in the sink. He headed out the front door, taking hold of an EMP Rifle.
Inside the 4x4
'So far so good. He hasn't ambushed us yet.' Garfield said nervously.
'Doesn't mean anything. I get the feeling we're being watched.' Kory spoke quietly.
'We're here. Slow down and take it easy. Don't want to startle him.' Dick said to Vic.
'I don't have any choice but to slow down. Engine has stalled, we've been hit by an EMP.' Vic said as the 4x4 ground to a halt on the road about 50m from the farm house. They looked out the windshield at a man standing with what looked like a shotgun over his shoulder. He was dressed in jeans, a black leather jacket and boots. There was something on his back but they could not see what it was properly. With him stood a woman, she was shorter than him with brown hair and what looked like cat ears and a tail. They both had stern looks on their faces.
'Get out of the car and put your hands on your head. Or I will have you blown up!' Del ordered those inside the car. Ellie had already laser designated the target car and was waiting for the order to fire.
The five inside did as they were ordered. They stepped out the 4x4 with their hands on their heads. 'Sierra1, Charlie1 move in and secure the vehicle. Echo1 provide close air support.' Del spoke into the radio, he got chorus of answers as Cassandra, Robert and Ellie moved in; guns drawn and targets locked.
'Walk to the front of the vehicle and get on your knees!' Cassandra bellowed. They did as they were instructed.
'Does he not recognise us?' Gar grumbled.
'Silence!' Robert shouted at him and pointed the LMG at his face. Gar recognised the gun being pointed at him, he'd seen one once before. The first time the Soldier had stepped into their lives.
They noticed that a helicopter was circling around. Sleek, angular and deadly. The Comanche Attack Helicopter was a rare sight to behold. Not many people saw it and if they did well it was only because it was about to destroy you.
'Clear' Cassandra said after checking the car. It was only then that Del and Teagan approached. Teagan's tail swished back and forth in curiosity as she pondered over the identity of the five in front of her. They looked oddly familiar. 'If any of you move. You will be fired upon. Do you understand?' she got a series of grumbles in reply.
'Dick this could go pear shaped very quickly. What if they try to kill us? We're going to have to fight back.' Rachel spoke in Dick's mind.
'Stay calm and this will blow over... I hope.' Dick wasn't convinced very much. On their knees, held at gun point in the middle of nowhere. If it went wrong no one may ever know what happened to them.
Del stopped in his tracks walking towards the group. Something had shaken him, Teagan could tell. He was lost in a trance almost. 'Soldier. It's me; Raven, remember?'
Del, oh fuck. He pressed his radio, 'all call signs; stand down. I say again stand down. Echo1 RTB.' Cassandra and Robert looked at Del confused. He was still away off and he had told them to stand down, something was off.
'Del... What's the crack...?' Robert asked.
'Let them get up. I know them from a while back and as far as I'm concerned they can leave as soon as possible. Let's make this quick' Del began, the five got up off the ground, gravel stains on the knees of their jeans. Robert and Cassandra eased off and joined Del and Teagan. 'Red Troop; say hello to the Teen Titans. Teen Titans this is Red Troop; minus our pilot.'
There was a stunned silence that fell amongst them. No one knew what to say. Both sides stood motionless in disbelief of each other. So that's Red Troop, thought the Titans. Red Troop where having similar thoughts about the Titans.
Del finally broke the silence; 'well since your all standing here gawping, I'm going to make another brew. Come in when you're ready but not until after you escort them off the premises. The kettle will be on for a cupper when you're done.'
'Soldier, wait! What's wrong? Why are you acting like this?' Starfire moved to catch him up; Cassandra and Smithy had their weapons into their shoulders ready to fire in a flash. Teagan took an aggressive stance and let out a harsh hiss, her ears pricked forward and her tail shot upright stare rod straight. Starfire took the hint and stayed where she stood.
Del headed back inside the farmhouse and popped the kettle on, I had a quiet life planned out and they show up. No doubt trouble shall follow soon enough.
Ellie came in the back door after landing her helicopter on the hidden pad and setting it up for auto-maintenance. 'What happened? Why did you stand us down?' she blurted.
'Simple. They are not a threat and will soon be out of hair. Cupper?' he answered.
'Where are the others?'
'Stood outside gawping at each other. I decided to come in and have another brew seeing as mine got cut short.' He answered putting 2 spoonful of sugar into his mug and another tea bag was tossed in just as the kettle was coming to the boil.
'So... you're the Teen Titans. Or you where, disbanded in 2012, all went your separate ways.' Robert said calmly, but his eyes gave away that he wasn't all that impressed.
'Yes we are. And you are?' Robin asked, dropping his persona as Dick Grayson.
'The original and the best; Red Troop.' Cassandra answered.
'We got that much, your names morons.' Beast Boy snapped.
'I'm Cassandra, this is Smithy and Teagan. Our helo pilot is Ellie and you already know Del it seems. Enough to piss him off.' Cassie explained.
'Yeah we do know him, why he's pissed off at us I don't know. But before you escort us out if here at gun point we'd like to talk to him.' Raven pleaded.
'No. Turn and leave, or we will fire upon you.' Cassie instructed.
'Titans GO!' Robin cried.
Gunfire rang out in the quiet valley. Ellie snapped up and looked out the window; she recognised the slow dunk, dunk, dunk of an M60 LMG. Smithy's M60. No time to get back to the Comanche and fire it up. She grabbed the MP7 from her flight suit before bounding out the front door; no one attacked her Smithy and got off lightly.
Del had similar thoughts; the jewel on his sword began to glow a deep red, showing he was as pissed as hell. He was a pace behind Ellie as she exited the front door, they where both up to a full sprint as they crossed the dry gravel, their boots crunching and turning up a small dust clouds.
Del drew his pistols and began firing, Teagan was outnumbered she was taking on both Starfire and Raven at the same time, so he headed to defend his wife. Cassandra took Robin on; her vampire like abilities made her more than agile enough to take on the master martial artist one on one. Smithy was taking on Beast Boy and Cyborg; he was hanging on in there... just.
Ellie saw Smithy take a big kangaroo kick from Beast Boy that sent him sprawling across the floor. She fired at Cyborg and BB they both jumped for cover. Smithy had got back to his feet and swung a kick into Cyborg's chest, it knocked him on to his back. Ellie took on Beast Boy; she was mad, fuming even. The anger burned inside her, she could feel it rising up from her gut, she swung a vicious punch at him only to realise her fist was a flame. Both of them were. She smiled; the embers inside had blazed up again.
'You're screwed now arse wipe, Ember has just caught fire again.' Ellie sneered as she starting throwing fireballs at BB. Caught completely off guard BB retreated to give himself space to think of a strategy.
Del concentrated his fire on Starfire, pushing her back; Teagan took to fighting Raven. Starfire replied with a barrage of starbolts at Del. In one swift movement he holstered his one pistol and drew the sword off his back and deflected them off to the side. He holstered his other pistol and when a gap appeared in the barrage he thrust his free hand towards Starfire and let loose a crack of lightning. He just missed his mark but she felt the power of nearly a 1billion volts screeched past her. When the hell did he learn to do that? She thought.
Raven flung a punch at Teagan, who parried it and replied with a nasty slash of her claws. The fight was going to be scrappy; the Titans were out of shape, unfit, out of practice. Red Troop on the hand were not; they trained every day, ever ready for a fight or to be deployed on a mission no one else could handle. They were still 'The Elite of The Elite'.