Part 3: Anomaly
[Takes place during the events in call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare]
Antonio awoke with a start, to Robert screaming over the mic. "Ghost-1! Do you hear me! I repeat; that BM2 is returning for another pass. Get out of there!" Antonio crawled from under the wreckage of the destroyed SUV, grabbing his G36C Assault Rifle on the way out. He stood up and started to move, when an explosion from his left sent him tumbling to the side, onto his back. He saw the armored vehicle approaching, firing its cannon. Antonio dived and rolled and another shell hit. He spotted Ghost-3, in a firefight with four or five enemies.
"Ghost-3, give me some smoke!" he said. Ghost-3 nodded, and threw a canister over Ghost-1's head, just a few meters from the BM2. It exploded and expelled thick, grey smoke. Antonio took that time to run to Ghost-3's position; an overturned Honda. "Where are they?! They should be here by now!" Antonio yelled on the com.
"Sorry," Ghost-5, Aaron, replied, "Stopped for some drive-thru. Here's the cavalry." Ghost-5 was in a heavily modified AH-1 Cobra. Ghost team had previously used this chopper on various missions, and had changed it as needed. It sported a black metallic paint job, a gold windshield, and various stealth capabilities. It was also heavily armed, with Hellfire and Sidewinder missiles, dual 45mm chain guns, and a recent addition, an experimental air-to-air EMP system. Lt. Shepard had described it as "being able to sneak into hell and fight its way back. I call it Hell Razor" Ghost-5 locked on to the BM2 and fired two rockets, which was more than sufficient to reduce the armored vehicle to a pile of smoking scrap metal. Ropes fell out of the Cobra, and Ghost-6, 4, and 3 repelled down and immediately engaged the enemies.
"Eyes on the target, in a truck about 45 meters up the highway. Ghost-5, patrol the air, and make sure that truck doesn't leave."
"On it." He replied, and the helicopter flew, circling the target truck.
"Everyone else, on me. We're getting to that truck. Ghost-6," Simon looked at him. "You're our best shot. Stay back here and provide cover fire. Pick off anyone who tries to escape or call for reinforcements." Ghost-6 nodded and unslung his M21 sniper rifle, and steadied it, and gave the thumbs up symbol. "Alright, let's move!" Ghost-2 moved up the middle of the highway, and ducked behind a truck. Ghost-3 hopped over the overturned Honda and fired his MP5 SMG, nailing an enemy in the head. Ghost-1 looked up and spotted an enemy firing an AK at Ghost-2. Antonio aimed and squeezed the trigger of his rifle. A quick burst hit the man in the shoulder, making him fling his AK-47. Ghost-6 fired his sniper rifle, hitting the man in the head. Ghost-1 had no time to admire the shot, because an enemy had manned an MG truck, firing and pinning Ghost-4 behind the smoldering BM2. Ghost-2 rolled, pulled out a grenade, and tossed it at the truck. It bounced twice and exploded, flipping the pickup onto its side, sending the passenger soaring. Ghost-1 moved up, just a few meters from their target truck.
"Uh, we got some company. I'm reading an incoming Hind, standard Azerbaijani government licensed. Permission to engage." Ghost-5 asked. Ghost-1 winced. If the Azerbaijani Government was sending reinforcements already, it meant that they knew Ghost team was coming. So much for stealth.
"Permission Granted." Antonio replied.
"I was hoping you'd say that. Let's test out Shepard's new toy, shall we?" Ghost-5 swung the Cobra to face the advancing Mi-24 Attack Helicopter. He powered up the EMP, and locked on. The Hind Pilot, probably knowing from the skyrocketing electromagnetic readings his dials were telling him, knew that whatever that chopper was doing was going to be bad. He opened fire, helplessly hitting the hull of Hell Razor with useless bullets. Ghost-5 fired the EMP. Antonio didn't see anything, yet suddenly the enemy Hind went haywire, spinning in circles. The Azerbaijani pilot watched in grim horror as all his electronics overloaded and sparked and alarms blared. The Hind went down, skidding along the highway and exploding. Unfortunately, it also separated Ghost-1 from his team.
It doesn't matter, Ghost-1 thought. He circled the truck, pointing the barrel of his G36C at the driver's seat. He carefully walked to the back, and, rifle at the ready, opened the back. Inside was filled with various weapons and explosives, and barrels of an unknown substance. A small silver case lay in the middle, about the size of a microwave. Antonio climbed up into the truck, and approached the case. He lifted his hand up and pulled off his mask. Most people thought his skull-decaled mask was simply for appearance, but in actuality, its functionality extended beyond that. It was weaved from a special Indian cloth that acted as an effective filter for smoke and particles. Ghost-1 would wear it on every mission, as it intimidated his enemies. Now, he pulled it off and held it in his hand. Antonio reached and opened the lid to the silver case. The rigged explosive inside beeped. Antonio stared at the 3 kilograms of wired C-4. "It's a-"
He didn't finish, as the truck exploded in a blinding light.