Vanessa and McCord struggled home wasted. The two decided to drink away their troubles. Finally once they were lying in bed together, Vanessa began to cry and McCord tried to comfort her. She only continued to cry and held tightly to McCord. After awhile she quit crying and snuggled up even closer as if McCord was her shield. McCord looked up at the ceiling and kept stroking her hair. She quit crying after awhile and she looked up to McCord. She closed her eyes and buried her head in his chest. He closed his eyes and slowly fell to sleep.
Both woke up at 5:35 and got ready for work as civilians would call it. After taking a shower and sitting down together, he pulled out a case and dropped to one knee and looked truthfully in her eyes, "Vanessa, will you marry me?"
As soon as the last syllable, she dove at him hugging him tightly making it very difficult to breathe and became to cry, "Yes! Yes! Yes!"
"Wo-uld you pl-ea-se get o-ff" He tried to say.
She realized that she was choking him and released her grip. She took the ring, and put it on and the ring fitted perfectly. Both were happy when they left the house. McCord felt a tingle down his spine, he felt as if the day would get worse. Once on the base, he met with his crew and they begin to discuss the flight plan.
"With the route we've selected, it should take us down to Northeast Virginia if we really wanted." Davis spoke calmly while looking at the map.
McCoy spoke up, "I think we should head towards Georgia, check in with the rest of the boys."
Silvers nodded, "I second that."
"Very well, we'll re-group with the rest of Dagger." McCord commanded.
As the crew began to board the UH-60, McCord announced to his crew of the engagement between Vanessa and him. Everyone cheered because to them, Vanessa was a sister and McCord was a brother, a big family. Everyone's morale was soaring and they took to the skies. The bird touched down in Georgia and met up with the others and decided to fly back.
While in mid-flight, Davis sat back and looked up stretching trying not to disturb any of the controls and McCoy was sitting back talking with Silvers until the radio went off alarming McCord.
"Dagger Two-One, this is Overlord prepare to receive new directive."
"Dagger Two-One copies." McCord spoke while looking at Davis confused.
"Your new directive is to evacuate civilians and provide CASEVAC for troops."
"Roger that. Where at sir?"
"Northeast Virginia. Be advised, the airspace is hostile."
A stab of alarm struck McCord as he cleared his throat, "Who will be escorting us?"
"We are currently unable to supply any support. All available air units are taking up CAS missions along the area. We can try to patch in Helix Eight One."
"Roger that. Dagger Two-One changing course. Dagger Two-Two and Two-Three form up. Today's going to be a busy day. Helix Eight should be arriving to escort us."
"Overlord copies. Good luck Two-One." After that, the radio went to silence as the others tried to gather information from what just happened.
"It's an invasion it sounds like..." Silvers muttered. Everyone knew he was right.
Ten minutes passed as four AH-64 Apaches formed up along the formation.
"Dagger Two-One, heard you could use a little help" The lead pilot spoke.
"Glad to have you up here in this hell, Eight One. We got orders for CASEVAC all along the Northeast." McCord spoke while looking at the pilot in the lead Apache.
"Roger that, Overlord has tasked us in your protection. Eight-Two, form up on Two-One's right."
A voice very familiar came on the radio with a quick, "Roger." It was Vanessa, but she didn't realize it was McCord as she had forgotten about the call sign.
"Two-One, Two-Three we are not sure that the area we've been first tasked with is clear. We are starting to get radio transmissions from the area."
"Roger that Two-Three, put the transmissions through." McCord replied while looking ahead seeing the smoke of his homeland.
A weak transmission soon came through, "The Russians have everything east of I-95! My sector's gonna fall within the hour! We've lost contact with... where's the air support!? Tell... prepare to engage! Enemy paratroopers are infiltrating our position. We are cut off, I repeat, we are cut off! Sierra, look out! Drop that 100m mortar on the red smoke, now! Get 'em out of here, get your Harriers to take out the interchange at I-495 and US-50!"
McCord looked at Davis who nodded as McCord flipped on the intercom, "Dagger Two-One to all flights. Be prepared for the defense of our homes. You may have a different unit but you're in my flight now. Eight-Three, Eight-Four keep your eyes open on our six. Whoever is invading us aren't pushovers."
"Two-One, this is Eight-One. We understand, we'll take you in."
After twenty minutes of flying, they reached the outskirts of the warzone. "Two-Two tighten it up a little."
Suddenly Overlord came over the radio, "Dagger Two-One interrogative, what is your location?"
McCord responded, "Overlord we're three clicks south of the designated location, Arcadia. Sector is overran by the reports we have heard."
Overlord replied, "Roger that, be advised. Russians have multiple rotor-winged and fixed-winged aircraft in the AO."
"Confirmed. We spotted a few MIGs in the distance escorting cargo planes. Seem to be heading to the location we're moving to."
"Copy. Good luck out there, Overlord out." The radio went silent while everyone was scanning the skies. Silvers looked into the cockpit to see American aircraft in the skies to the north moving in to intercept the engaging Russian craft.
"Oh shit! We're being painted!" Exclaimed Davis as the alarm went off in the cockpit.
McCord quickly radioed, "This is Dagger Two-One, the Russians have radar lock on our bird."
The other pilots began to pick up the same signatures until a Surface to Air Missile was fired at the formation. McCord saw the missile and shouted, "Stinger launch, break right!" As he finished he dove the stick to the right as the missile nearly hit the helicopter.
He watched as the rocket streaked across the helicopter heading straight for Helix Eight-Three. The pilot was frantically looking around and said, "I can't see, I can't se-" The transmission was cut off as the helicopter exploded into a flaming wreck and watched as it fell to the ground and impacted hard.
"Overlord, this is Dagger Two-One, Helix Eight-Three broke up on impact. Crew is KIA. Down to three Apaches."
"Overlord copies, out."
The others continued to keep an eye out as McCord flew towards the green smoke marking the zone as an landing zone for evacuation. As he slowly began to descend and touch down with the other two littlebirds, the Apaches opened fire covering the Rangers and civilians trying to escape to the helicopters. Silvers jumped out to load the civilians on first, which were only eight total. After that he motioned for the squad of Rangers to mount up on the helicopters. As soon as he jumped out, he got back in. McCord took off leaving no one behind.
