-0721 Washington D.C.-
I woke slowly the next morning, though immediately I shuffled into the bathroom and took a leisurely shower, wincing slightly when the water splashed onto my open cuts. Toweling off, I dressed in one of my camo uniforms and pulled my damp hair up in a ponytail. My injuries were still slightly sore, but the night of rest that I had had done me well and I didn't bother using the sling for my arm. I also left my side un-bandaged, knowing the stitches would be fine.
I put my army cap on my head, pulling it into alignment as I stepped out of the bathroom. The time was now a quarter to eight and I hurriedly but carefully packed my now-clean uniforms into my duffel. Most of us spent our few days before deployment at the Navy base, going over strategies and maps until the mission was clear in all our minds. I had started to miss my team, though it had only been a short time since our last mission in Panama.
Our team was a melting pot to say the least. Of course, I was the only girl, but my team could have cared less. There was Hawkeye, my spotter; he's a sturdily built African-American, and his ability to judge distance, wind speed, and notice everything around him makes him incredibly useful. There's also Boulder, aptly named because he's a solid 6' 2" and 210 lbs of solid muscle. The strength of our team, he is incredibly adept for his size at hand-to-hand combat. Next is Blitz, a German that was born in the States and decided to join the armed forces. Tall and slim, and remarkably silent when moving through heavy undergrowth or similar situations, he's our scout. There are two more gunners, Pierz, and Havii who doubles as our medic. His dark tan skin reflects the Hispanic blood from his father's side of the family. Also included on our team is Collins. He does most of the planning and working out bugs in our missions, though I'm not fooled. Despite his frail and small appearance, he doesn't hesitate to kick some serious ass when the time comes to do so.
I laid my gun carefully on top of everything and zipped up my bag. Pulling on a pair of my combat boots I picked up my bag and walked out the door, making sure I locked it and hid the key under my doormat.
I took the elevator down to the lobby, giving the secretary a friendly salute as I walked by. She didn't so much as look up at me...
A grin spread to my face as I walked outside, my guardian was parallel parked in front of my apartment complex. I almost thought it comical as I walked up to him, I mean, a black Topkick was parked in between a '03 Grand Am and a Bonneville, what's not conspicuous about that? Ironhide opened the passenger door and I hopped in, setting my duffel on the floor in front of me and buckling my seat belt. Ironhide noticed how much better I was feeling and spoke as he pulled out into traffic.
"You seem to be in less pain. I assume your day of rest did you well?" Ironhide said.
"Very. I feel much better, not 100%, but well enough to go through with this mission, whatever it is." I said. Ironhide was silent a moment, and I had the feeling something was troubling him.
"Something wrong, Ironhide?" I asked. He sighed.
"No, not really... I guess I'm a bit wary of letting you go." Ironhide said. I gave a sympathetic smile.
"It'll be fine." I said.
"They always say that... If you go somewhere, I don't know if I can properly be your guardian." he said. I patted his dashboard.
"Don't worry. And I'm pretty sure you agree, but once we're at the base, it would probably be smart to behave just like a truck, agreed?" I said. Ironhide laughed.
"Agreed. You should try to do the same, I'm sure your teammates would find it awkward if you started talking to a vehicle that said nothing back." Ironhide said. I laughed too, and after a while of driving Ironhide pulled over and stopped.
"You probably want to drive now, I'm sure there are security checkpoints and it wouldn't look good if I drove in without a driver." Ironhide said. I nodded, unbuckling and sliding across the center console into the driver's seat. I re-buckled my seat belt and tentatively put my hands on the steering wheel. I felt a little awkward, I already thought of Ironhide as a sentient friend, not a vehicle I could control. Ironhide chuckled lightly.
"It's okay, I drive just like a normal truck. We all can surrender our controls to a human driver, though say if we were about to crash I'd do something about it." he said. I nodded and eased back out into traffic, though we were already close to the base and I turned off onto the military access road. A checkpoint stopped me, and I instinctively reached into my bag for my military card and drivers license, pulling both out and showing them to the guard at the checkpoint. He waved me through, and I pulled forward up to an unused hangar that served as our quarters and briefing area before we were deployed. The large doors were slid open, showing that the whole of my team except me were already there.
I shut off the key to Ironhide's vehicle mode and said a quick remark.
"Total silence now." I said, picking up my duffel from the floor.
"No problem." he replied. I slid out onto the ground. Shutting the door, I faced the rest of my team. Hawkeye gaped at me.
"Twiggy? Sister, you weren't lyin' when you told me you was hurt!" he said. Havii walked up too, examining my face and giving a low whistle.
"Wow chica, those are going to take a while for them to go away, though it looks like it's only cosmetic." he said. I nodded my thanks. Blitz called from the hangar next. Though he was raised in the US, his parents were both German, so he had a fairly heavy accent.
"Twiggy, vhere did you get ze truck? It is very nice." he asked. I rubbed the back of my neck.
"Long story." I said. Collins got all of our attention, waving us in.
"Come on, the chief is briefing us now!" he said. We all made our way inside, settling down in various spots to acquire our mission. Our commander welcomed us, starting his briefing.
"Two days from now, you are going to Syria. Our government gave us orders to try to suppress the rebel forces there. We received intel that the rebels have several officials held captive and are going to be moving them at around 1000 hours. We have the route they'll take mapped," he said, pulling up a digital image of a highlighted path through a winding array of streets. "Your mission is to eliminate the captor rebels, rescue the officials, and keep collateral damage to a minimum. You have a Blackhawk for your transportation, cover, and exfil. Blitz, Boulder, Pierz, Havii, and Collins, you guys will drop here," our commander said, pointing to a place near the middle of the route. "and Hawkeye and Twiggy will set up here on this rise." he finished, pointing at a rock formation that rose almost level with most of the buildings. I watched with my full attention, taking in every detail, though we'd all review the plans together over the next few days. Our chief continued. "The vehicles suspected to be used will be civilian pickups, not unstoppable, but don't be fooled. The rebels have been known to use vehicles in a tank fashion, not stopping until the machine isn't functional, then using the vehicle as a refuge from gunfire." he said. We all nodded.
The mission in and of itself wasn't difficult, though many factors influenced the outcome. We could have been given false information, which would be really bad, or something even worse could happen if everything didn't go smoothly.
…...
~Two days later~ -Washington D.C. 2000 hrs-
I had arranged my pack before we were scheduled to board our plane that would take us near our target area, and, slinging it onto my back, I decided to say goodbye to Ironhide. I told everyone I had left something in my truck and hurried over to where Ironhide was parked on the tarmac. I good-naturedly slid my hand across his hood and opened the driver's door, talking quietly but audibly.
"Hey, we're leaving now. Today's the big day." I said. Ironhide was silent a moment before speaking.
"I have a bad feeling..." he said.
"Don't say that. With any luck, we'll be done and out of there to be back in a day or so. I feel bad to have to leave you in this parking lot. Does it bother you to stay in vehicle mode this long?" I asked. Ironhide chuckled.
"Not at all. Bumblebee was our scout on earth for many years, he had to stay in vehicle mode for weeks at a time. At least you won't be gone that long." Ironhide said. I smiled, though my expression dropped when Hawkeye called from the plane.
"Yo Twiggy? You comin' or what?" he shouted. I sighed.
"I gotta go. I'll be back soon, don't worry." I said. Ironhide said a quiet goodbye, and I shut the driver's door and ran to the boarding ramp, my backpack bumping against my back. I hopped up into the plane, taking a seat next to Hawkeye and fastening my harness.
"You find what you was lookin' for?" Hawkeye asked. I shook my head.
"Uh, no. It wasn't that important." I answered. The pilot called back as he started the plane.
"Ready for takeoff? You'll be taken near your target area, a Blackhawk will meet you there and you know the rest." he said. We all gave him a thumbs up and the plane sped down the runway, getting liftoff, I turned to the rest of my team with a small grin.
"Let's go get 'em boys."
…...
-Syria 0800 hrs-
Most of us had caught a nap on the flight, we knew we'd need to be alert for our mission, and discreet at that. The pilot touched down in a large open field away from our mission area, and our Blackhawk was already waiting. Making our transfer brief, we all got out our weapons and made sure they were functioning optimally before we got in the chopper.
With the sound of the blades beating the air, we were soon aloft and on our way.
The landscape sped by, and our pilot stopped above the rise that our chief had described to us. I heard him shout back at Hawkeye and I.
"I can't put her down, you and your buddies are going to have to use the ropes!" he shouted over the noise of the helicopter. I gave him a thumbs up, rigging up a rope, I dropped over the side of the Blackhawk and slid down quickly, Hawkeye right behind me. We both waved as the chopper went on, and then busily set up on the rise. I arranged my gun on its stand, attached the silencer, laid flat on my stomach and watched through my high-powered scope the clear streets below me. There was some undergrowth and scraggly trees growning around our location, great for concealing us from sharp eyes. Hawkeye set up next to me, using his binoculars to watch our chopper deposit the rest of our team near their ambush point.
As a precaution, we didn't wear comm links because we didn't want anybody to hack our signal and listen in, and we were coordinated enough that we all could pull this off, even if we were spread out. For an emergency though, Hawkeye carried a walkie-talkie that could contact our support. I looked up when Hawkeye pointed to see the convoy starting their procession. Hawkeye whispered what he could see to me, and I listened carefully.
"There are three trucks, two rebels in each one, most likely armed, and there's at least six armed guards per truck. It looks like there's about ten officials total, their hands are bound and they're blindfolded...quite a few of them are injured." he said. I nodded, peering through my scope. The rest of our team would help, but I could give a welcome headshot to any rebel that was becoming a threat.
As the lead truck pulled slowly into the crosshairs, Hawkeye signaled.
"Target at one o clock, 300 hundred yards. Take him out." he said. We had all agreed that my first shot was the signal to attack. I took aim at the convoy's first driver, let out a breath, and squeezed the trigger. I felt my gun's small recoil in my arm and shoulder, and expected to see glass crack on the driver's side and blood spatter the windshield, but it didn't happen. Hawkeye cursed under his breath.
"Damn it... they reinforced the glass. I think they replaced it with bulletproof so they could drive around and not worry about a thing." he said. To my horror, I could see our team charging the convoy, the sound of gunfire was muted from here, sounding like rapid popping than anything else. I saw the leader smash the accelerator, nearly flattening Blitz in the process. My team switched tactics, blowing the tires on the trucks instead. I helped, and soon the trucks were skidding across the cluttered street. I smiled to myself for this small victory, but we had already caused too much commotion. There were reinforcements arriving.
The lead truck started to slide out of control, and spun into a building, jarring the captives though it cracked the windshield on the truck. I aimed again at the weakened glass, this time my desired headshot was acquired and Pierz finished off the other person in the vehicle. While Boulder and Collins diverted the other trucks the same way, I saw Havii gunning down the guards around the truck and the reinforcements that were coming, though he turned around and just as quickly loosened the bonds on the captives.
The other two trucks crashed as well, and the cracked windows gave me another opening.
"Ten o clock, watch Blitz." he said. I saw Blitz was near the truck, but too busy opening fire on the rebels to worry about the stopped vehicle. I aimed again, firing off two quick shots and killing the rebels in the front seat. I was occupied with watching my team finish off the mission, but I noticed Hawkeye suddenly froze, listening for a moment before putting down his binoculars. What he said chilled me to the core.
"six o clock." was all he said. I paled and dared to look behind me. Standing over Hawkeye and I were four Syrian rebels, all with guns aimed at our heads. Hawkeye gave me a glance, and I signaled discreetly to surrender. If we died right now, it would be the best thing. We had no information to give, but the rebels had been known to torture their victims to death. I got to my knees slowly, my heart hammering as I slowly raised my hands. Hawkeye did the same.
The rebels shouted something at us in a language I didn't understand, but the message was clear. Two of them put guns to our chests, making us stand. Then Hawkeye did something stupid... Without signaling me, he knocked the rebel's gun aside, launching at him and pulling his combat knife from his boot. He was aiming to slash the rebel's throat, but his target ducked at the last second and only earned a slice on his cheek. The rebels not guarding me leveled their guns at Hawkeye and I shouted.
"Hawkeye, no!" My cries were useless, and the rebels opened fire. We were both wearing bulletproof vests, but that didn't protect the arteries in your legs and your brain. I watched as my partner and friend fell to his knees, his uniform shredded by gunfire and covered in blood. I said a silent goodbye to him, his eyes were already glazed and staring at nothing when he fell forward. I turned when the rebels shouted something, only to have the butt of an M-4 smash into the side of my head.
A black wave of pain crashed over me, and I went sprawling to the ground, still clinging to consciousness. From here, I could see Hawkeye's blood starting to pool under him from his many wounds. After more muttering in their strange language, another blow to the head sent me tumbling into oblivion.
At least the others completed the mission... I thought before I completely blacked out.
…...
When I struggled to consciousness again, I realized I was hanging from my wrists with my feet barely on the concrete floor. The room I was in was dim, with only one small window for light. My shoulders ached, and my head throbbed where I'd been hit. I looked down to see that my camo uniform shirt was gone, leaving my white T-shirt under it. I didn't have my boots either, and as I struggled to free myself from the ropes around my hands, a small group of Syrian rebels walked in. I didn't understand what they were saying, but I knew I was in for a long, painful death. One of them walked up to me and seized my chin, I glared the best I could, then sunk my teeth into his hand. He shouted and tried to pull back, but I bit down harder until I tasted blood.
Stars danced in my vision as he drew back and hit me, and dazed, I released him. He muttered something to the others, and retreating into the shadows, I saw him return with an aluminum baseball bat. He sneered as he walked up to me, and pulling back, he smashed the bat full force into my shin. I screamed in pain, hearing a snap when he connected. I tried to balance on one toe to take the pressure off my arms and now broken leg. A new rebel stepped up, swinging a length of rubber hose, and I tried to swallow my fear.
Pain blinded me again and again as they beat me first with the bat and then the hose. I tried to not give them the satisfaction of hearing me cry out, but it was too much.
They switched tactics again and again, whipping me, beating me, cutting me. I thought it would never end, but finally they seemed to tire and left me, but obviously were not finished with me. I took this opportunity to try and rest, knowing I'd need all my strength to survive. My head drooped, and the last thing I saw was the pool of blood under my feet and the spatters reaching out a farther radius.
…...
I don't know how long it was, maybe three days, or four. The rebels had tortured me endlessly, just barely keeping me alive. I was dehydrated and hungry, and though I couldn't see a mirror, I knew I looked like crap. The morning of whatever day it was, the rebels returned, this time with a chain. I trembled already, closing my eyes and gritting my teeth in readiness for this punishment. I was half-conscious and not thinking straight already, but I could have sworn I heard a very loud engine outside suddenly rev.
The rebels all looked up, and they sent two out with guns. About ten seconds later, a barrage of gunfire erupted and there were two screams of pain. The rest of the rebels glanced at me before arming themselves and running outside. I heard the same thing, only more people screamed this time. None were returning, and dazedly my gaze tried to pick them out of the darkness, hoping they would not come back. I heard one set of footsteps, and started to have panic rise in my chest again. The person stepped into the dim light, and at first I thought Boulder had come to rescue me.
The figure was built similarly, tall, and heavily muscled. My hazy vision registered that he was wearing dark camo pants and a black tank top. I could already tell it wasn't Boulder, but he definitely wasn't a rebel. He looked at me in horror, then ran the few steps over to me, careful not to slip in the blood on the floor. Reaching up, he used a knife to cut the ropes around my wrists and caught me when I fell. I was dazed, but I still cried out when my broken leg was jarred. Actually, I hurt in so many places it was impossible to tell which hurt the most.
The guy carefully slipped an arm under my knees and the other behind my shoulders, lifting me from the ground. I got a good view of his face, and for some reason he seemed familiar. The other odd thing was his eyes, they were a weird deep blue, and they almost seemed to glow, but I could have been hallucinating. I managed to choke out what I'd been wanting to say.
"Who...are you...?" I rasped. The man smiled.
"Morgan, it's me, Ironhide."
…...
Oooh, cliffhanger! Lol. I'm sorry for how long it took to get this out, my computer broke and it took two weeks to get it back. If it seems rushed, it was, I did it in like three days, so if I messed up, feel free to tell me. Please read and review!