Soldier Part 10 – My Party, My Rules.
48hours previously STRIKE North American underground facility; Location Classified, briefing room 1
'They are here,' Commander Herron pointed to a screen displaying a map of the Bering Sea. On the left was the tip of Russia on the right Alaska, 'Judah's Chopper landed in Anchorage and then flew onto these disused oil platforms out in the middle of the Bering Sea. In 2006 the Alpha and Omega rigs where shut down and were soon taken over by the USAF whom have been using them for testing all sorts of stuff ever since. What they have been testing; we're not so sure.
'Our sat surveillance has confirmed that Red Troop and the Teen Titans are being held there and the Halicarnassus was flown there directly from it being taken over mid flight. It exact location is unknown, but its GPS beacon indicates it has not moved. Well apart from its now 200m below sea level, don't ask us how; it just is.'
'Sir! May I suggest an answer?' shouted Del from the back of the briefing room, slumped against the wall, cup of tea in hand.
'Go for it.' Herron encouraged.
'If you look at the arrangement of the 4 rigs and draw an oblong in between them you notice that from each of the 4 rigs is a small gang way out into nowhere. But they match up with their counterparts on the opposite rig and it's too big a gap for a bridge; not in those seas anyway.' The Del suggested.
'So are you saying that there is a something that magically appears out of thin air and joins all 4 platforms?' someone else asked.
'Yes, a runway. And for them to hide the Halicarnassus 200m below sea level a hanger too; because if they sank it well it would be more than 200m down, try closer to 2000m.' Del said.
'Good theory Major; I like it, I shall look into that. Moving on; we plan to assault all 4 rigs at the same time. Sweep them and secure the hostages. We don't know exactly which rig they are on due to the heavy radar jamming in the area, the tracking devices in both Teagan's ring and Smithy's arm show them in the area of the 4 rigs. We've got support from Russia in this operation; seems like they want some pay back from the screwing over they got a few years ago. We have a Spetsnaz Marine Unit and a few Russian subs to help us get close to the rigs and air support as well. We've arranged some bad weather to come in cover our approach.' Herron continued, 'We'll be taking the eastern rigs, Omega 3 and 4 while the Russians will take the western 2; Alpha 1 and 2. That's the basic outlay. You are dismissed to your Troop commanders for more detailed briefings on the rigs you are tasked to take. Carry on.' The assembled troops split. Alpha Team heading out with Lt Jackson and Bravo Team with 2nd Lt Wallis.
'Commander, can I have a word?' Del spoke quietly.
'Certainly, what is it you want?' Herron asked.
'I'm going to lead my own assault on the rigs. Once I'm close enough I will know which one she is on. I can run interference on that rig. Drawing the troops away from the base allowing that team an easier entry. It is bound to be heavily guarded compared to the others.'
'I'm not so sure Major. It's a big risk...' Herron turned to his faithful Major, 'But you are an expert in risks. If anyone can pull this off you can. You have your clearance Del, start making arrangements.'
36hours later, over the Bering Sea 20miles from target rigs.
The storm battered the Russian transport aircraft. It was so new it didn't even have a NATO callsign for it yet. It was circling around the rigs. The heavy storm had come out of nowhere and was playing havoc with the rig's early warning radar systems. Any closer and they would be detected. A young corporal strode over to the Major who was sitting smoking. He spoke to him in heavy accented English, 'Sir, everyone is in place. They are waiting for you Major; prepare to drop.'
Del waited for the rear door to open and for the cold to assault his face before tossing his cigar out the door. He climbed into the front of the Hawk Gliding Vehicle (HGV) and pulled the canopy down around him, sealing out the cold. He jacked in his radio set; he completed a radio check and got a message from Herron. 'Deploy now! You were right about the runway and hanger. It's surfacing now! We need you in there now!' He didn't waste any time and hit the release switch and let the HGV slide out into the storm. The wind grabbed the light carbon fibre craft and snapped him towards the rigs at frightening speed. The HGV was an all carbon fibre constructed glider. It was flawlessly smooth. Like a miniature B2 Stealth Bomber it flew undetected through the storm in a pocket of clear weather that only seemed to follow Del in his little HGV. He was carrying equipment to get his friends out alive. Mainly medical kits and weapons so they could fight their way out if necessary.
Del glided in. Unseen. Unheard. He made a pass looked out to see a large group of people gathered at one end of the runway. Some of them where armed. In fact most of them where. And in the centre where his friends. 'This is Echo Romeo 1-1 all call signs commence attack in 45seconds.' He ordered. Down in the rough sea below the Spetsnaz troops and STRIKE troops moved into their attack positions below the rigs. The Submarines that had brought them here moved to just below the surface. Ready to surface and act as gun platforms.
Del swung around sharply around to come in over the ascending hanger. He then flew straight towards the group at the end of the run way. He dived onto the wet tarmac surface and popped open the clear canopy, undoing his harness and stepping up and out on to the nose that was scraping along the runway.
The rain was lashing down. Within seconds he was soaking wet. Del opened fire. Rounds blazing from his pistols, the booms echoing over the sound of crunching carbon fibre and driving rain. Ahead of him figures dropped to the floor as he fired the rest scattered for the cover of the main oil platforms. The HGV ground to a halt. The rain poured down on him, steam rose from his red hot barrels. He breathed heavily, stood firm on the crumpled nose of the HGV. Around him the sky erupted in a mass of tracer fire coming from the sea and the air.
The Battle of the Bering Sea was on.
'Fuck me sideways Del! Are you just about imposable to kill?' Smithy said gobsmacked.
'Just about old buddy,' Del answered leaping off the front of the HGV towards his bound friends, 'now let's get these bastards back.' He cut their bindings and felt Teagan fling her arms around him incredibly tight. She looked into his eyes and kissed him.
'How did you find us?' she asked. He fondled her Wedding ring.
'I told you I'd never lose you as long as you wore the ring I gave you.' He replied.
'Ok can we stop with this mushy crap and get on with things?' Cassandra moaned.
'Yeah, in the rear compartment of the Hawk you'll find arms and ammo. Once you've done that, we're going after Judah and take control of these rigs. Red Troop; Oscar Mike!'
Chaos. No other word for it really. Judah's own little army was caught completely off guard. From out of nowhere 4 large assault teams had boarded the rigs and started to take them by force from below. And from above anyone out in the open was being torn to shreds by a Mi-28 Havoc attack helicopter. One for each of the four platforms. But they soon had company to play with.
Out of the main hanger 4 helicopters screamed out into the raging bullet storm, Del and Sky Mistress looked on and recognised them as experimental Sioux attack/recon helicopters*, they looked like the Comanche's evil twin brother after it had been pumped with steroids. Sharp, angular body hiding its lethal ordnance whilst keeping it invisible to radar, with stubby 'wings' for high speed stability when the jet turbines kicked in.
'Python1 this is Sioux1. We are ready to engage enemy force.'
'Have that Sioux1, prosecute all enemy targets; extreme prejudice.' Judah instructed from the control room of the Omega4 rig.
'Roger that sir.' The Sioux pilot replied; he and his team of helicopters went to engage the Havocs. One was blown away instantly.
'Rethink in order...' Del thought, he looked into the hanger at the far end of the runway. Inside behind the massive shadow of the Hail was another smaller aircraft. He grabbed Ellie and pointed, 'they owe you a new helicopter Sky...' She smiled and got the idea. She took Cassie with her (callsign Vamp from now one as we're in the middle of a HUGE battle).
Now dressed in full combat gear the 3 remaining members Red Troop. They stood in the pouring rain. 'Ready?' Del asked. Teagan nodded, fine tuning her body armour.
'Hell yeah!' Smithy shouted pumping the action on his Remington shotgun. They charged off towards Omega4. Leaving the Titans in the cold and wet of the storm. 'Well come on you fools! Do something useful and kick some ass!'
'Titans go!' Robin shouted. And they split up; the girls going for Omega3, the boys joining Del, Smithy and Teagan in taking the platform.
'If it moves drop it! I want Judah alive though!' Del ordered as he powered over the narrow gangway. 'Jackson we're on your platform hunting Judah. Keep fighting your way up.'
'Yeah we'll come and back you up.' Jackson answered over the sound of fierce gunfire.
'It's us; like we're going to need your back up, when do we ever need back up?' Del asked back.
'We saved your ass 7 years ago from Spetsnaz after your shitty rescue attempt on that bridge.' Jackson replied smugly. Del ignored him and with his team in tow started pressing through the rig's innards. Room by room. Corner by corner. They fought onwards and upwards. Del's shortened (powered down) sword, sitting snugly on his back along with his Maghook. The pistols lay dormant since their blaze of madness out on the runway minutes ago firmly slotted into holsters on his thighs. Pressed firmly into his shoulder and pointing straight ahead was a P90 submachine gun. Del was in full combat mode. This was the Soldier that the Titans where familiar with; cold, hard, lethal. The boy Titans lagged behind the quick blam, blam from Del and the louder BLAM from Smithy's shotgun. Stepping past destroyed doors and fallen bodies. Their blood spattered across the floor and walls. They hadn't seen such horror before. To them this was ruthless murder.
'Soldier!' Robin shouted Del turned towards him, his eyes emotionless. 'Do you have to kill these people?'
'Last time I played by your rules as it was your party. Now it's my party and it's my rules, this is something way beyond your comprehension. If these guys win they will take over the world and no one will bat an eyelid. That's how powerful these men are and the only way to end this is to kill them. If you don't like it, tough shit.' He growled before turning back on his heels and continuing his mission. He rounded a corner and let lose a succession of double blams.
Outside
'I have gun!' Vamp shouted over the internal comms to Sky.
The Sioux that Sky and Vamp had 'borrowed' was more than a match thanks to their superior teamwork over the Air Force pilots. They worked hard to level the odds for their Russian comrades. But they were just too fast for the Russian pilots. Soon the final Havoc clattered into the runway almost pancaking when it did. Only two helicopters remained ad they were both Siouxs. One piloted by the USAF the other by Sky Mistress and Vamp. Flying high above the ocean waves they faced each other, like cowboys having a showdown.
'Ammo checks Vamp.' Sky asked.
'AMRAAMs (Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles) out. Stingers out. Hellfires out. Chaff out. Minigun; freaking shitloads. Oh shit we've got lock on.' She replied as a voice appears in their head set.
'This is Capt Maurice Jones of USAF. Rouge Sioux aircraft land immediately and exit craft and we will let you live. If not we will blow you out the sky.' The Capt ordered.
Sky Mistresses' mind raced. No missiles, no chaff only their minigun to defend themselves. She was out of ideas; but Vamp wasn't, she gripped the trigger tightly and set the gun to follow her line of sight. 'This is Capt Kirta, STRIKE. I have one thing to say to you Capt.'
'What is that?'
'Draw!'
'You're on,' he chuckled and fired one of his AMRAAMs. It dropped from the internal bomb bay and shot across the sky. Vamp focused aimed and fired her minigun at the missile and hit it dead on the nose, making it explode in bright fireball. She turned her gun on the enemy Sioux and fired into its cockpit. 'Oh fuck!' Capt Jones screamed just before he and his co pilot were ripped to shreds but the bullets streaming from Vamp's minigun. The Sioux began to fall after its fuel tanks ignited and lit up the sky. The burning wreak fell into the deep Bering Sea never to be seen again.
They had air supremacy over the Alpha – Omega rigs and the rest of the Bering Sea. 'This is Sky Mistress; STIKE taskforce we have air supremacy if you have any reinforcements send them in.'
'Have that Sky Mistress; they are 30minutes out.' Commander Herron replied.
They began circling around looking for targets of opportunity, not finding much as most of the fighting was now going on inside the corridors and rooms of the 4 rigs. They spun round to look in on the control room of Omega4, just as the one of the windows shattered and a figure came tumbling out; thrown out by another...
Inside Omega4
They cleared the last few rooms. Hard and fast. They came to the last door; the one that gave them access to the control room. They had their backs to the wall. Smithy on one side; Del and Teagan on the other. 'Ok, plan?' Smithy asked.
'Murder, mayhem, destruction; the usual.' Del answered.
'You haven't blown anything up though.' Teagan said.
'Teagan, there's still time,' Smithy began, 'there's going to be a lot of them in there. Del. We cont be able to drop them all before the flash bang wears off. We'll be shot to shit.'
'No we won't.' Teagan chipped in holding out a cylinder in her hand. Del recognised it right away. It was an AC-2 charge; an Adhesive-chaff grenades. They'd go off like a normal flash bang but they also release tiny slivers of sticky metal that get everywhere and jam the working parts of any weapon. You'd get one round off before the whole thing jams on you.
'That's why I love you honey.' Del kissed her and took 3 grenades off her, 'ok grenades in and we go bonkers. CQB; hand to hand. Judah is mine.' They nodded. Del glanced at the boy Titans; 'we're not going to kill anyone in this room so this right up your street. Grenades go off we rush them. Hand to hand combat; Cyborg's sonic cannon will work and so will Batarangs. Stack up if you're ready.' The boys moved into position, Robin behind Teagan and Del. Cyborg and Beast Boy behind Smithy. Del had let go of the P90 and left it to hang off its sling. He flicked out his hands and felt the 5 blades extend from his knuckles. 3 on his left hand, 2 on his right. One was missing, taken by Judah. Smithy aimed at the lock and fired, blasting it to smithereens. Del kicked the door and tossed in the AC-2 charges. They went off with a treble crack deafening and blinding everyone in the room they never saw the Titans and Red Troop coming in and start dropping them like flies. There were a few feeble attempts to fire towards the door only to be met by one shot and then nothing but a complete silence. Not even a dead man's click signifying an empty magazine. Del pummelled through 321st troops heading for Judah right in the centre of the control room. Del lunged, lashing out at him. But Judah was ready for him; he drew a sword and parried Del away sending him sprawling onto the floor. He went over to Del and punched him hard in the face; stunning him. Judah pulled him up on to his feet; Del was not on this planet and couldn't fight back.
'You're on annoying bastard Del. You just won't die. I should expect as much from the line of Lightening. But I am from the line of War and we are far tougher than you. Now you die.' Judah strode over to the window and threw Del into it. It shattered instantly giving way under his weight and the force of the impact. He was tossed out into the storm and icy rain and wind out into the gap between the rig and the runway; a 200ft drop into the raging seas.
*Authors note; the 'Sioux' helicopter is not a real helicopter. It is a fictional helicopter based on the US Military's habit of naming helicopters after Native American Tribes.