Dark Death In the Distant Deserts Sands

by royaldigitalknight

AU. Three soldiers survive a helicopter crash in the Iraq desert and are rescue about a little over a week later completely changed. This is the true story of what happen to them. Contains OC.

2. Ch1: Into the Sands

Dark Death in the Distant Desert Sands

Chapter 1: Into the Sands...

A.N: XxxX = flashback, IiiiI=time pasting in flashback, WwwW =time past

The blades of a Black Hawk helicopter could be heard over the desert sands. Normally a helicopter wouldn't be this full of soldiers, but it was late and no one wanted to be out in the sand at night when temperatures fell.

Over the loud ruckus in the cabin of the helicopter, Alfred looked down at the sand dunes that were slowly crawling across the desert. Occasionally one would see an old empty village, that may have once been inhabited by the ancestors of someone now wealthy from the sale of oil and natural gas. Sometimes there would be a string of telephone poles that would start for no reason, and then continue for a few miles before disappearing into the sands.

"Hey Hero! What's got your attention so hard?" yelled Blot across the helicopter's cabin.

Blot's real name was Martin Foster and reminded Alfred of his younger brother. Blot got his nickname from the lightning blot tattoo on his left shoulder and the metal screws in his left leg that he had gotten from as childhood accident.

Alfred one the other hand got his nicknames "Hero" for his eagerness to run head first into battle. Often he would run across the battle site to the aid of a fallen comrade. There was even a few times when Alfred used himself to draw attacks from the enemies, and somehow not get hit once by a bullet. Because of these action some people started joking that he was a superhero and overtime the nickname "Hero" stuck. In no time, he rose to the rank of Captain (CPT) and was put in charge of a squad of soldiers

Pulling out of his daze Alfred answered. "Just thinking."

"Why are you doing that, Hero?" Asked Blot.

"At least he can use his brain. When was the last you filled out your own report?" Commented a solider from somewhere in the cabin.

"That reminds me. Hey Berlin! What would it take to get you to do my paperwork again?" Blot asked the man who was sitting beside him.

Berlin's real name was Ludwig Beilschmidt. Ludwig was a tall, around six foot, muscular man, with sleek blond hair and blue eyes. He was the only non-American born member of Alfred's squad, for he came from the country of Germany. Why the German had joined the United States military had never be answered, for the man seemed to keep to himself. On the other hand Alfred remember well the first day he had met the Second Lieutenant (2LT).

XxxX

It was one of the days in the desert, before he had reach the rank of CPT, that Alfred often wonder if he threw a marshmallow though the air if it would hit the ground roasted, when he was called to his boss's office.

Walking across the army base, Alfred soon arrived at the temporary offices that was commonplace though the area. The tin box that was current the office might have been white at one time, but after being exposed to the desert element one could not tell. Alfred only stood there for a moment before he knocked on the door.

"Come in." the Colonel (COL) answered from inside the tin office.

Opening the metal sand blasted door, Alfred was greeted by the site of not only of the COL but also a blond man, who had turned his head in order to look at who had just entered the building. At first glance of the blond man, Alfred could tell that he wasn't from American, there was just something about his looks that made Alfred think European.

"First Lieutenant(1LT) Jones. Glad you could make it over so quickly. I would like you to meet 2LT Beilschmidt" Said the COL as he motioned to the blond that was rising to his feet. "and starting today he will be part of your squad. I hope you can get along with him just fine as you do the rest of your group. Now if you don't mind I have a meeting across the base. Oh do feel free to show him around."

And with that the Colonel left the office, leaving the two men in his office.

"So.. I'm 1LT Alfred Jones and I guess I will be your new commanding officer." Alfred said as he extended out his hand.

"I know." 2LT Beilschmidt replied.

"What?"

"I did some resource before I was transferred here. Your file says that you have risen though the ranks due to your actions on the field. Many commanding offices say that you will make Captain in no time. Also former soldiers, that have work under you, often refer to you as 'Hero' because of these actions."

"Wow!" Alfred slowly withdrawal his hand and stuffed it into one of his uniforms pockets. "You are showing me how uninformed I am, 2LT ..."

"Ludwig." answered the German

"What?"

"You can call me Ludwig. Anyway, I just like to be prepared before entering any situation."

"Cool! Sounds like you are going to be a great contribution to my team, Ludwig."

"Thank you, 1Lt Jones...

"No problem. You can call me Alfred, if you want too. Anyway have you been to The Whole-N- The Wall?

"No."

"Then let me show you around." Alfred spoke as he opened the office door.

IiiI

The Whole-N-The Wall was a hot spot in the nearby town, that many of the soldiers went during their downtime. The club served drinks and food, supplied by the army base, and was run by one of the locals that many soldiers called Ram. Ram was an old man who had a beard that remind people of a Ram and could bud heads with anyone. Cross him at your own risk.

It was already dark when Alfred arrived at The Whole-N- The Wall with Ludwig. He would have liked to arrived sooner, but Ludwig had questions about some of the buildings on the base. Not wanting to be rude Alfred tried to answer to the best of his abilities, which he found Ludwig writing down in a notebook. Alfred could definitely say that he was thorough.

Opening the doors to the club, Alfred was greeted by the sight of Blot and a few of the other soldiers from not only his squad, but some of the other groups. Seeing so many familiar faces made Alfred happy.

"If you want you can join your friends. You can introduce me tomorrow when we are on duty." Ludwig said when he saw the smile on Alfred's face.

"You're sure? I don't mind if you join me." responded Alfred to Ludwig's statement.

'"Yea I am sure. I mean no offence but I would like sometime alone to myself."

"Okay, if you say so."

And with that Ludwig took a seat at the bar and Alfred joined Blot at his table.

Things seemed seem to be going good at the bar for once. Alfred was able to have a drink or two and enjoy around of poker, in which he won about 50 dollars. Ludwig, on the other hand, spent the time sitting at the bar, with his back to everyone, enjoy the few drinks he had purchased. Yes, all was going well until Alfred noticed Tartrap was standing in the back of the club.

Tartrap was former gangster from Los Angeles and man did he have an attitude. He was only in the military so he could get out of jail time or so he said. What really made others dislike him was how he challenge other soldiers, even higher ranking ones. Alfred, Blot and a few other knew it be a matter of time before he get kicked out of the service. And from the look on his face Tartrap was about to take on Ludwig.

Walking up to the bar, Tartrap took a seat next to the German. He sat there for a few minutes before he started talking.

"So what is a foreigner doing in a place like this?" asked Tartrap.

Ludwig decide to ignore the man. Getting into a fight was not something that the German wanted to do on his first night signed to a new base.

"Is your green card expired? And is that why you're in this place?"

Again Ludwig didn't answer.

"Oh! I know you want action, but could get back home due to Germany not wanting to fight."

Noticing that Ludwig hadn't even give him a glance, Tartrap decide to pull out the dirty remarks.

"I bet that the real reason is you want to kill someone. You want to torture someone, make blood run, hear people scream, just like the Nazi sold..." Suddenly, Ludwig's right hand shot out. He grabbed the back of Tartrap's head and slammed his face down hard into the bar counter. The force of Ludwig's movement knocked out Tartrap causing him to fall out of his seat and onto the floor.

Now noticing that the club had fallen silent, Ludwig turn around to look at the other customers in the place. "Don't worry about me. Carry on." In which everyone did.

After a few minutes, a few soldiers moved Tartrap out from the front of the bar and placed him into a chair in the back of the club. This was only so the bar could be access easier.

"Man! Talk about tough! I can't believe he did that to Tartrap. I have been wanting to see that happen for sometime." Said Blot looking at Ludwig.

"Yea and on top of that he is part of our squad." replied Alfred.

"No way! I got to talk to him!" and with that Blot got up from the table an walked across the club to the German.

Alfred was not sure how the conversation between Ludwig and Blot went, but soon Blot had given Ludwig the nickname Berlin

XxxX

"I told you it was a one time deal, Blot." Berlin answered.

"Please Berlin. I got a game of cards with Mouse when we get back. I need to win back the hundred dollars I lost last time I played her. Pretty please" begged Blot.

"Okay, but only if you can get my those books I want from . On top of that you are doing your next report by yourself." answered Berlin. Even Ludwig knew that one couldn't adhere minutely to regulations that had been compiled by desk jockeys.

"Thank you! And don't worry I'll have those books on order as soon as we get back to base."

"Just make sure to hold both ends of the deal, Blot and we shouldn't have any problems."

Then for some reason, the helicopter took a sharp right turn. This cause several soldiers hit the side of the cabin. Another jerk threw a few more to the floor of the copter's cabin.

"Attention passengers: Please return to your seats and buckle in. We have hit a situation." said the Black Hawk's pilot.

"What is going on?" yelled a female voice in the cabin as she and the other soldiers strapped themselves into their seats.

"I don't know." yelled Alfred over the roar of the helicopter.

Suddenly, the whole helicopter shuddered, followed a loud and intense snapping sound. A wave of fire flooded the cabin quickly and briefly, just long enough for Alfred to notice it. The last think he remembered seeing, though the window, was the desert sand rising up to the helicopter before he pasted out.

Military terms:

Squad: a small military unit led by a non-commissioned officer. In most armies a squad consists of eight to fourteen soldiers.

Captain: the military rank after First Lieutenant but before Major. Often abbreviated as CPT and is the pay grade of O-3. The insignia for CPT is two silver bars.

Second Lieutenant: the military rank after Sergeant Major of the Army but before First Lieutenant. Often abbreviated as 2LT and is the pay grade of O-1. The insignia for 2LT is a gold colored bar.

Colonel: the military rank after Lieutenant Colonel but before Brigadier General. Often abbreviated COL and is the pay grade of O-6. The insignia for COL is a sliver eagle holding arrows in one claw and wheat in the other

I do apologize if I got or missed used military rank wrong.

A "Green Card" is need in order to join the U.S. military. Tartrap is misinformed about "Green Cards" though. A "Green Card" must have sufficient time remaining on it to be valid during the entire term on enlistment. While non-citizens may enlist in the U.S. Military, they are not allowed to reenlist (stay in beyond their first term of service), unless they first become U.S. Citizens. However, there are accelerated citizenship procedures for non-citizens on active duty. From Ludwig's rank it is most likely that he is already an American citizen, so he wouldn't already be needing a "Green Card."

Nicknames:

Hero: Alfred

Blot: Martin- friend/squad member of Alfred

Berlin: Ludwig

Tartrap: former gangster from Los Angeles

Mouse: unknown at time