"Now that I immersed, lived and trained with them, my respect for them has gone up... Kapag nakakita tayo ng sundalo...kahit saan, magpasalamat tayo sa kanila.
Matteo Guidicelli, Actor on training with the army's Scout Rangers
Butuan, Philippines
March 11, 2026
Somewhere in a Jungle
In a thickly dense jungle on the dead of night, the ground is filled of heavily packed trees and the native fauna that covered the entire region.
As the sounds of insects and animals chiming their own voices on the silent of the dark night.
A distant chopping sound have permeate in the cold air as the sound grows louder on the seconds.
On the night sky, an S-70i Black Hawk helicopters is soaring on the cold air as it moves on it's infill point. It hovered on a open patch of land as it lowering itself
"Move out!" A figure called out as the helicopter door open up as mysterious people come out on the chopper.
Dozen green spotted figures with miltary gear equipment is forming a defensive perimeter as they disembarked exited the chopper.
The green dotted figures are equipped with military gear and equipment of that is considered top military grade from Philippines military standards.
The mysterious figures are the Philippine Scout Rangers, a Philippine Army elite units that specializing in anti-guerrilla jungle warfare, raids, ambushes, close quarters combat, urban warfare and sabotage.
"This is Lifter 1-1, the team is deployed. Moving outbound." The pilot of the Blackhawk replied to his radio as the helicopter begin to take off again and departure the area.
The S-70i Black Hawk departed the area as it leave the Scout Rangers to the performed their own mission.
The leader of the Scout Ranger grabbed his radio and called upon his commanding officer on their command center.
"This is Echo Actual-6 to Kingpin, we have landed in our infil point, Over."
"This is Kingpin, we read you loud and clear, our intel has gathered that our captured men have been located by a NPA encampment somewhere about 800 meters south of your position."
"Break, your objective is to retrieve the captured soldiers and extracted them to our exfil point before more enemy forces arrived, Over."
"Copy that Kingpin, permission to commence the mission, Over."
"Roger that, you are permitted to commence the mission, Over."
"Copy, Over and Out."
The mysterious man being callsign Echo Actual ended the communication call to his superior officer.
His real name is Leonard Garcia or in short to as Leon, a Philippine Scout Ranger, an team leader that is leading the operation in his command. They are tasked a given mission that is associated to their service on rescuing captured AFP soldiers from NPA militants on hostile areas.
He then looked at his own squad for their condition.
"Alright men!" Leon called upon his squad. "We need to move out before we lose the cover of darkness.
The squad of Scout Rangers carefully moved out to their area of operations. As they walked on the dense forestry of their environment as they make sure to not leave a trail of evidence of their presence.
They are using night vision goggles to see clearly on the evening darkness of the jungle. That is a tactical advantage as their counterparts only have flashlights that can be seen by both sides.
As they move stealthily on the thickly dense forest, the lead scout saw movement on the distance.
The lead scout stopped and raised her hand on her eyelevel to gesture to stop their movement. She then closed her palm to gesture on freeze their actions.
"Sir! Contact in 10 o'clock." The Lead Scout silently informed to her Team Leader.
Leslie Salvador, the team Lead Scout, she have an petite body build, short brown hair, and rough and boyish attitude. Her speciality is threat detection and close quarter combat, with Judo, Karate, and some MMA boxing in her list. As her keen eyes and instinct can help on evade traps and ambush spots from the enemy force.
They looked at the direction as they saw a beam of light moving on to their direction.
They saw two armed NPA insurgents that seemed to armed the AK-103 rifles and covered their faces with a bandana. One of them is holding a flashlight on his hand, while having his rifle on his sling.
"Take cover." Leon ordered his troops to hide on the trees for conceal on the incoming patrol.
The team hid quietly on behind the trees as the two figures stopped near their positions.
"No one moves." Leon then advised his team to maintain their hiding spots.
As the two armed insurgents are walking near them, they could hear them talking each other on their conversation.
"Hey!" The first insurgent asked to his companion.
The squad tensed up from the call of the NPA insurgent.
"Yeah?" The other insurgent replied back.
"Have you ever heard the Ring on Manila Bay?"
"Yeah, what about it?"
"Do you ever wonder what's on the other side?"
Both of the insurgents are having a conversation as they about to passed near the squad of Scout Rangers hiding on the trees.
"I don't know?" His companion answered back. "It's one of life greatest mysteries isn't it? Probably it's a magical portal that is opened by magical means. Or a product of cosmic planning by God? I don't know, man but it keeps me up all night."
Both of them stare at each other in silence as the Scout Rangers looked dumbfounded on the statement.
"What the actual fuck?" The man reacted to the answer. "I mean what's on the other side of the Ring, like what's it's like there?"
"Oh. Uh... yeah."
"What was all that stuff about God?"
"Uh...hm? Nothing."
"You wanna talk about it?"
"No."
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
As Leon is earsdropping the chat, he can only quietly sighed at the retarded conversation the NPA insurgents are babbling about tp each other.
The two NPA insurgents have walked past the Scout Rangers squad, but stopped moving still as they are still near to them, they then continued talking more on their conversation.
He look at his second in command that is smirking on the conversation. He tapped his arm and unsheath his combat knife as his understand the implication as he also take out his own combat knife.
Justine Legaspi, his Second-in-Command, they met each other on their first day of enrollment and training for being a Scout Ranger. Their was some disagreements at first, with Justine quirky nature and compassionate spirit. but in time and familiarity in their interaction, they become close friends and share insights of many situation. He is very friendly and slightly childish toward the squad as he try to amuse them.
They both crouch and moving slowly to their two target as they are still oblivious to the lurking deadly operatives in their rears.
"Look, it's probably a fantasy anime world that have elves, magical girls, and demi-god gothic lolita girls waiting on the other side. What do you think on the other side?" The man asked to his buddy for more feed back.
He can didn't hear anything with his buddy, so he checked on him using his flashlight at him as he is being strangled by a gloaming figure.
Being taken ashocked by the sudden murder, he attempted to ready his own rifle. But before he can do that, he felt someone seize his own head, pull back, a sharp object goes into the side of his neck at the base and is pushed through the severing veins arteries and windpipe. The blood overflow to his throat is unlikely to allow a scream to escape on cold air.
The last thing he saw before succumbing to total darkness with his buddy having the same fate as the body fell next to him, he last saw more dark figures revealed themselves on a cover, as he closed his eyes forever.
Leon and Justine dropped the bodies as they wipe off the blood on their blades.
"Holy shit, I can't believe we just make a stealth kill and we did that together flawlessly!" The squad assistant team leader was quietly spoken on their first stealth kill.
"Justine! Shit, Shut up, we are in middle of a rescue mission." Leon shouted to his second in command from his informal behavior. "Use your inside voice."
"Sorry El-tee, I was in the middle of the hyped on what we just did." Justine apologize to his CO.
"Yeah, just keep it yourself, you are second in command of this team." Leon reminded to Justine his own military position.
"You don't want to be like them as they are having stupid chats." He added as he was referring to the two dead NPA insurgents on the ground.
He then looked as the rest of his team and he extend his arm above the head and make circles in the air. "Men, form up at me!"
The entire squad huddle together as they crouch down to lessen their signature.
"Domingo and Leslie, Hide the bodies, while Siesta checked our perimeter, called in if there are more sentries."
"Yes sir!" All three replied and performed their given orders.
"And Mikey." He pointed to his Radioman, who listen intently to his leader.
The newest member of the squad, Michael Callbero, sometimes called Mikey or Rookie. He is a recent recruit of the Scout Rangers and transfered to this squad. His combat experience wasn't many, but he have prominent skills at operating an radio. The newcomer have average proficient combat ability of a Philippine Scout Ranger.
"Yes sir?" The man asked in a unsure tone.
"Call in command, request them to ready the UAV in the given coordinations."
"Yes sir." Mikey use his radio to relay his orders.
As he finished at talking to his Radioman, he saw two of his soldiers finishing at concealing the two dead bodies by the jungle vegetations and masking of dirt.
"Lieutenant, we have finished at covering up the bodys." The team tail scout and combat medic or namely Doc reported to his team leader.
Francis Domingo is the team tail scout, the man is an earnest and reserve person that learned basic medical knowledge through his medical academy. He routinely check up on the entire teams health condition on his own obligation.
"Good work both of you."
"Domingo, go and joined with Siesta on securing our perimeter." He then looked at his lead scout and order her. "And Leslie, find a trail for us to follow to their base."
"Yes sir!" They all answered.
"Sir, command have deployed an UAV and coming to our position." Mikey asked to his leader.
"Good." He then checked to his lead scout saw her checking the footprint of the NPA soldiers. "Have you found a lead to the enemy encampment?"
"Affirmative, it's seem to be more further south of our position"
"Alright." He then at the rest of the squad. "Guys, we need move now, the less time we take, the better chance our captured men is still on the living world."
"Yes sir!" All of the squadmate affirms.
They then continued in a file position as they steadly followed the trails of the NPA patrol guards.
It take some couple of minutes of traveling in foot. The travel was tough as the jungle fauna and flora is making their movement restricted. They travelled very far till something happened.
The lead scout stop moving and she raise her hand up with palm facing forward over her own head to gesture on halting.
"I can see many lightings on the far distance."
The team leader comes forward and pulled out his binoculars and looked at the area in their location.
"I could see signs of human activity about the distance to be nearly 300 meters to our position. Seems like someone is camping to this area."
He then looks closely to the occupants on the area and sees heavily armed soldiers surrounding the area.
"That's probably the NPA holdout, and might be where our captured boys are being withheld."
The Scout Rangers squad have arrived on the area of operation.
"Mikey." Leon looked directly to his radioman as he listen closely to his leader orders. "Call in command."
"Call in the UAV and dialed our location." He ordered in serious tone. "We need total surveillance on the area and the intel of the number of hostiles in the area."
"On it sir." Mikey replied back as he dialed on his long range radio. After a moment of speaking with command, his radioman come to him and informed him "El-tee, They are asking for the coordinates"
He then tooked the radio set and phoned in personally. "Kingpin to Echo Actual 6, we have located the enemy base, Over."
A moment of static in the radio till a relpy came back.
"Copy that Echo 1-6, UAV is heading to your position. Relay your coordinates of your position and the enemy base."
"Roger Kingpin, Sending coordinates in my location." He looked at his GPS and checked the coordinates. "Here's the coordinates."
He then inform his coordinates and the radio called back. "Affirmative, sending UAV to your coordinates, Standby for incoming."
"Copy that Kingpin, Over."
As he finished calling to the radio, and giving back to the Rookie. He then looked at his team to announced them.
"Alright, we need to hold on till the UAV arrived to our coordinates."
After some time on waiting and trying to not get caught by the enemy patrols. The radio called back to the detachment.
"This is Kingpin to Echo 1-6, UAV is in your location, connect your mobile screen to the drone to send in the drone feed."
"Copy that, Standby Kingpin for communication link to the UAV, Over."
The team leader looked above him and saw a small glowing object in very high in the dark skies. He can't hear the drone due to being far away for the sound waves reached to a person ears.
About 25,000 feet, nearly on its ceiling service is a UAV, called the Elbit Systems Hermes 900 Kochav, an Israeli medium-size, multi-payload, medium-altitude long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle designed for tactical and reconnaissance roles.
As Leon tried to link to the drone camera feed, he then sees the entire area in a bird eye view from his mobile devices.
"Kingpin, we are online, Over."
But due to being in the middle of the night, he switch to night vision. The images shows black and white highlights to the objects that hidden from the darkness.
"Switching to night vision."
"Roger that, we have detected multiple armed hostile across encampment with a tent on the epicenter."
"Zoom in the tent."
As the drone images zoomed in the tent, it show a human silhouette surrounding three restraint figures on the tent.
"Bingo, those are probably our hostages on the middle of the camp."
"Roger that, Now how could you extract them out without endangered the hostage and your team."
Leon saw many armed guards moving around the encampment using flashlights and portable floodlights scattered the area. He wondered something in his mind.
"I could see multiple LED lamps and wirings converging the area. They should have a power station near the camp"
He then realize something and changed the nightvision settings to thermal imaging.
"Switching to thermals"
He looked around on the area till he saw a small tent with something like a metal machine box exhausting hot air with two sentries guarding it. Their was the wires all connected from lights. It also near on a clifftop of the endside of the camp.
"I have located a possible generator on the far side of the camp. It could be their power source for their camp"
"Break, seems like taking that out would hindered their visual sight in the dark. And making infil and exfil much easier after extracting the hostage."
"Standby to copy."
He then looked at his team and discuss his battle plan."I have plan to infiltrate the camp without being spotted."
"Okay here we could do." He then showed his tablet and show the entire area layout to his team.
"The enemy camp is crawling with enemy armed insugents about a platoon size in the area. And the hostage is in the tent on the middle of it all."
It took an surprised look to the Scout Rangers upon hearing the information. They were geared for a small group of terrorist, instead a effective fighting force.
"Seems like a problem we are not geared for, sir." The Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) gunner or Rodriguez, raised a question in their lacking capabilities. "Should we send more reinforcements in the area?"
"Negative." The Leon strictly replied. "We don't have the time when sunrise is near. Plus they are about to move them to a harder location that make it difficult to rescue them."
"So what's the plan?" Rodriguez to changed to a new subject.
"Here's the plan." Leon then zoomed out the map to show the entire area on the screen.
"There's a small hill about southwest of the base, should be a great vantage point." He then darted at the team contact man. "Siesta, you take overwatch and take Enriquez as your spotter."
"On it sir." Siesta agreed to the order and looked at the team Navigator or Pathfinder. "Enriquez, you better watch my back."
"No worry, I got your six." Enriquez answered back to Siesta .
He then zoomed to the generator location. "Their is a generator on the far rear of the camp near a clifftop, that providing power to the entire camp."
"By disabling that, we have hindered the enemy visual range and we can infiltrate the center of the camp in greater chance of extracting the hostages from the enemy."
"How should we do that?" Justine called out. "Their's a clifftop that blocked off on the path to outmaneuver the NPA patrol.
"That's why we should rappeled down on the cliff and attacked them on where they least expected." Leon quickly answered back.
"So we should split to teams of three. Justin, you lead Team 1 with Mikey and Rodriquez circled the camp and disable the generators then climbed back to suppressed fire and distracted them to your location. While I lead Team 2, as me, Leslie and Domingo will extract the hostage, while Team 3 from Siesta and Enriquez will provide intel and fire support by taking out hostile personnel in the distances." Leon eloborated their battle plan on infiltrating the enemy camp.
"The plan seems to be plausible." Justine commented. "But risky at the same time."
"Could work better if there are reinforcements or air support." Enriquez suggested.
"We worked what we have at the moment." Leon declared out in irk. "Don't have the enough time before daylight arrives. Plus they might be executed the hostages on the first light."
"I see." Enriquez reflected on their leader presumption. "But the odds are not in our favor."
"Well we are Scout Rangers, even the odds are against us, we are the ones that make the job done."
Leon tried to encouraged his team from their current situation.
The second of command or Justine chuckled at his superior for saying such quirky quote.
"JUSTINE, you have something to say?" Leon looked irritated at his second command. He didn't care of calling out on his real name.
"Nothing." As he straighten his face from the travesty. "Just loving your inspirational words."
Leon can only roll out his eyes from his assistant comment. As the team cracked up at the two integral social dynamics.
"Well then, lets move out. Those men are suffering every minute they are not rescued."
He then looked at Mikey and grabbed his radio pack as he dialed back to his command.
"Kingpin to Echo Actual 1-6, we are going to commencing to extract the hostages in the enemy encampment."
"Roger that, we are going to watch in the skys throught the UAV for surveillance."
"Copy that, Over and Out."
They went into positions, as the Team 3 traversed on the small hill that give a vantage point while having vegetations for concealment. As Watcher prone down with her M-14 DMR with attached suppressor and nightvision. Beside her is Pathfinder, with his nightvision monocular being her Spotter.
"All stations this is Leslie in Team 3, we are in positions." She replied in her handheld radio.
"Team 3 to Echo Actual Team 2, How the view on your position?"
"View's ideal from here, could see the entire camp, Over."
"We read you, Team 3."
"Break, Team 1 status report."
"This is Justine in Team 1, to all teams, we are on the topside of the cliff and are setting up the ropes and hooks to scale down on the cliff, Over."
Siesta and Enriquez tried to locate on Team 1 position with their night vision scopes.
"Found them, on the top of the cliff." Pathfinder called out on their position.
In the green visuals on their own nightvision scopes, Pathfinder spotted three dark silhouette figures trying to pinned down their hooks on the ground to hold their ropes.
"We have located you Team 1." Siesta notified to the rest of the sqaud.
"Really?" Justine commented sarcastic. "You can see my good side of my ass?"
"I could see your flat dump about a mile here." She straightly answered back.
"Men, focus on the mission!" Leon voiced out on the comms.
"On it sir." They both replied in unison.
Team 1 has anchored their hooks on the top of the cliff. Justine pulled his rope to see how secured his hooks.
"Hook is secured." Justine finished with pulling his rope and seems to hold on his pulling force.
"My hook is secured." Mikey affirmed.
"I will stay on the top, to served as covering fire if hostile attacked you while clombimg up in the cliff." Rodriguez replied as he set up his
"All station this is Justine, we are about to scale down on the cliffside to disable the genrators, Over."
"Hold on Team 1, we see two sentries near the generator. But seems distracted on playing cards. Try to move quietly on approaching the target, Over."
Siesta examines at the two guards as they are playing cards while oblivious as her team is stealthily comes to their spot.
Enriquez tapped on Siesta shoulder to gave asked for her attention as he pointed to a direction. "We have group of six on patrol heading to the generators."
Siesta looks at Enriquez finger is pointed out. She sees six armed sentries approaching to the area on the generators.
"Team 1, halted all movements!, we have group of six armed patrol going to the target."
"We hear you." Justine driedly reply back.
Team 1 then stop rappling down as Justine and Mikey looked at the ground to see the six patrol group went to the two guards on the generator. They concealed themselves on the vines of the cliffside to hid to the patrol.
The two guards noticed their own patrol group coming to their way, so they quickly hide all of their card away from being seen.
The leader of the patrol group went to the two guards of the generator.
"Status report!" The leader of the patrol group asked on the two guards.
"We are only cleaning up our post." One of the guard explained to him.
"I see." He responded as he looked at the area to see them cleaning their work station. "Be on high alert."
"Why?" The other guard asked on the statement.
"One of our patrol are not responding to our calls, while someone heard a distant noises on the distances. We are on high alert."
"Okay, we be on our keen eyes." The first guard answered back.
"Good, and stop on playing cards, if I caught you with cards again, I will report you all to the boss. You got that?" He warned to the two guards to against misbehavior.
"Yes, we understood." Both them agreed on the demand.
"Then, I'm leaving." The patrol group leader then leave the tent and walked back to his group.
The two guards got out on the tent and looked at the patrol group leaving the premise.
"Should we stop playing around?"
"Yeah, I don't want to be in trouble again with boss." The first guard agreed with his companion and start storing their cards.
Joker and Rookie saw the patrol group leaving the area, while the two guards are really cleaning up their area.
"Team 1 to Siesta, the coast is clear, move out to position."
"Copy that, moving on." Justine replied back.
They rappled down to the ground and hide in a nearby bushes for concealment.
The two guards exited on the tent and resume guarding their perimeter.
"Team 1, be advised that the guards have resume their post, Over."
"Roger that, going to take them out and sabotage the generator."
Justine looked to Mikey and whispered to him for instructions. "Okay here's we got to do."
He pointed to the two guards near the tent. "I'm going to lure the guards to our position, and when they are near to us, I'm going to signal on the count of three to fire your weapon. Clear?"
"Clear." Mikey answered back with determination on his voice.
"So, what happen to the patrol that went silent?" The first guard asked to his companion.
"I don't know?" The second guard replied back. "Propably they forgot to turn on their radios."
Joker then make a brief sounds toward the two guards that should be enough for to be heard to them.
"Hey!" The first guard spoken up, and looked at his companion. "You heard that?"
"Yeah, sound like from that area."
The two guards walked towards the sound as they are about to come closer to the Scout Rangers.
"They are now coming to our direction." Rookie silently called out on the approaching guards.
"On the count on three, we take them down swiftly." Justine advised as the guards are coming closer.
"Who's there?" The first guard scanned the area for the source of the sound.
"Hey we aren't playing around." The second guard called out toward the thick vegetations.
Unfortunately for them, they walking towards a killzone as suppressed rifles are pointed against the on the dark.
"Here they come." He replied as the two guards are coming closer to them. "In one, two and three."
"Come out no-" In quick succesion of accurate headshots from suppressed 5.5645mm round.
The two guards suddenly fall dead after their brains blow out from the Scout Ranger R4 Carbine rifles.
"Move out." Justine uttered out as they pulled out from their concealment.
"Hide the body's before an patrol returns." They then hid the guards to the spot on they used to hide upon.
Justine opened up his own portable radio and called to his squad leader.
"This is Team 1 to all stations, we are going to entered the tent that possibly stored the enemy generator, Over."
"This is Team 2, proceed to shut down that generator and get the hell out of there. And Team 3, How clear is Team 1 premise?"
"Team 2 to Siesta, The patrols are further away from their location. They have a few minutes of limited window before the next patrol will cross their paths, How copy?"
"Solid copy, Team 1 proceed on shuting down the generator."
"Roger that, Over and Out."
As Team 1 entered the tent, they could hear the sound of a generator being running on the tent.
Inside the tent, they saw many gasoline tanks and cables spread on the ground.
A noice of machinations can be heard on the far end of the tent. It was a gasoline powered electric generator running the entire electricity of the entire camp.
He then call back to his squad leader as they located the main generator .
"I have eyes on the generator, Over"
"Good, we are in position to infiltrate when the power is out, call in when you are about to knock it down."
"Copy that, standby for shut down. Over and Out."
Justine looks at Mikey as he scans the area for potential hostiles. He tapped on his shoulder for his attention.
"Rookie, you guard my back while I'd shut down this generator." Justine informed to him as he preparing sabotage the generator. "When the generator is shut down, we dashed back to the clifftop and meet back with Rodriquez to distracted the enemy away from Team 2 as they rescue the hostage, got that?"
"Got it." The rookie replied seriously and then looked around the area.
Justine inspected the generator for a power switch, he found the generator panel and opened up to see the power switch.
"This is Justine, I'm about to shut down the generator, how copy?"
"Solid copy, ready where you are."
"Okay." Justine affrims on the radio. "Going dark in three, two, and one."
The entire camp went immediately dark, as there lamps and lightings shut down as the power is off.
The camp garrison went to a frenzy as their lights went out and they begin to go full alert from the situation. It can be all seen in a unmanned aerial drone watching the scene unfold.
To the NPA side, it's in total chaos as they are unorganised and multiple soldiers heading towards the generator.
But to Team 2, it was a short window of oppurtunity before the enemy soldiers know what really happened.
Leon scanned the same forest in front of him with keen eyes. The forest vegetation was thick and plentiful, offering lots of concealment for the natural wildlife around.
The foliage blocked out almost all of the ambient light, leaving only just the moonlight filtering down on the path they took. For any regular person, this would have left them to fumble around blindly in the dark, the darkness served as their ally. As they have military grade nightvision goggles while the NPA soldiers have flashlights on hand and floodlamps that recently was shut down.
The natural trails leading deeper into the forest grew colder every minute, the Philippines climate wasn't helping as it's always moist and humid in the forest. They tended to avoid mud or wet soil that can hampered their mobility and not leave some foot tracks.
As they sneakly heading toward the center of the camp, they saw a small group of NPA about to cross paths with them.
"Prone down now!" Leon ordered him to lay down on the ground as the patrol group is so close to them.
They lay prone on the ground as the small vegetation and the darkness served as cover as the patrol group searched around the area.
"Hurry men!" A NPA officer declared openly to his men. "We need to check on the generator."
The Scout Rangers can only stay still on the ground as beam of lights is being waved above their heads.
As NPA patrol group slowly went away from Team 2, they stand up gradually as they looked around to be cleared from hostile eyes.
"That was close for comfort." Domingo said as he get up on the ground
"Yeah, very to close." Leslie replied back as she attempted to wiped out the excess mud out from her military gear.
"Alright, we need move out on the double." Leon ordered as he finished on removing gucky mud from his military gear.
They proceed to the center of the camp while as many of the NPA are moving to the generator restart the camp power.
Team 3 noticed a large number of NPA heading towards the generator. They called in the radio to report the news.
"All stations, this is Team 3 to Team 2. Be advised, several teams of hostile forces are advancing into your location; most appear armed with small arms, but we are also seeing several armed with light machine gun, Engage on sight."
"Solid copy, Team 3 from Team 2, and Team 1 try to distract the enemy hostiles to your location. While we are infiltrating the camp. You are free to fire at will as necessary."
"Roger that, goodluck sir."
Mikey spoke out to Justine, "Hey, I see about five of them from here... permission to fire?"
"Copy that Mikey, I spotted a group of seven to our ten o'clock."
Justine proned down on cliff edge and looked down through his scope. He saw many beam of lights heading the generator tent.
"They are now in distance of two hundred meters." Rodriguez called out the enemy distance as they coming near to the tent.
As the NPA soldiers are coming near to the generator tent, they saw no one is guarding the tent. They stayed alert as they scanned on the trees and bushes to see any potential ambush spot as they walked to the tent.
They did not taken account on the cliff above as a team of Scout Ranger prepared an killzone to the approaching soldiers.
"Open fire in my mark." Justine ordered to his team as Rodriguez prepared his light machine gun on the group and Mikey his rifle on them. As the patrol group is on their weapon effective range and on open area, as Justine make one order that will begin the chaos.
"Fire at will!"
As the enemy patrol walked on the killzone, a burst of gunfire swept the enemy group as many died from gunshots and some disperse for cover on the tree.
It taken a big death toll after the first shot has fired upon, the NPA soldiers hide behind the trees to have some resembles of cover against the suppressed gunfire of the Scout Rangers.
"All stations, we made contact with hostiles forces and proceeding in surpressing fire in our locations, Over."
"Copy that, we Team 2 are heading near to our objective, while Team 3 will be give you overwatch fire support, Over."
"Thanks, Over and Out."
"Two hostiles down! There are three hid in the treeline." Justine said as the radio chatter began to relay information.
"All hostiles are taking cover behind the trees." Siesta said as she looked at the NPA soldiers are hiding from the mass of gunfire on the limited cover.
Unfortunately for them, their is a marksman on the other side of their cover. As her M-14 DMR is pointed on the nearest soldier, as she adjusting on the ballistic range.
"Two hundred fifty meters from our position." Enriquez informed the enemy range.
Siesta adjusted her scope to the range at the enemy force, as she spotted an enemy soldier hunkered behind the trees, she took her shot.
Bang!
The bullet travelled across the enemy camp and strike to a unsuspected man as his chest was pierced by a 7.6251mm shot.
"One hostile down." She replied on the radio as she prepared another shot.
"Engaged a group of six; four hostiles down, other two are pulling back." A another voice rang on the radio.
"This is Team 1, we got one hostile down; five hostiles are firing back while staying behind cover. We're safe at this distance, though."
"Heads up, light machine gun on our
2o'clock." Rodriguez called out to Justine.
Another group of NPA soldier as one of them is armed with PKM light machine gun as they take position and began firing upon the Team 1 position.
"Duck down!" Justine ordered to his team as burst of machine gun fire went passing near them.
"This is Team 1 to Team 3 we are pinned down as hostile machine gun is supressing our position. Requesting assistance!"
"Got your back, Over."
Siesta searched on the enemy mavhine gunners from the dense forestry of the enemy camp.
"Got them, about two hundred fifty meters."
Siesta readjusted her rifle again as she zone in on the target. She sqeeze the trigger and another bullet travels to the target.
Bang!
The PKM light machine gun stop firing as the gunner died from a fatal shot on the stomach as he fell flat on the ground.
"Gunner is down." One of the NPA soldier called out as their machine gunner is downed.
"Resume fire!" Justine ordered as they returned firing back their firearms.
Rodiguez rang again his own K3 light machine-gun at the enemy with both Scout Rangers use their R4 Carbine to picked off the enemy soldier one by one.
"I hope the Lieutenant have already rescued the hostage." Mukey expressed as more NPA soldier arrived to thier position.
"They better be." Justine stressed out as their position is about to be compromised.
Meanwhile on Team 2, they have arrived on the center of the camp, they saw tents and many enemy sentries guarding the area.
They see few guards departed and move forward to the sounds of battle by Team 1 fighting as they played as a decoy to lure the guards away from their position.
The defenses of the center have reduce to a considerably amount for Team 2 to handle on their own.
Their only a sqaud of NPA soldiers guarding the open area, but they only use flashlight to see on the dark.
Leon use his binoculars to see the tent that holds their hostage. He saw a small opening to have a man wearing AFP battledress on the tent.
"Bingo, we have found our hostage." He muttered as he unequip his binoculars on his bag.
He look back to his team and to be seems ready for the action. "The hostage is on the third tent in the center."
"What about the guards?" Leslie pointed on the number of guards on the area.
"Hear's we will deal with them." He divulge a plan to his team.
"You and Domingo will be providing effective covering fire at the enemy while I'd outflank them and take them out on the behind. After that, we will move to the tent and use flashbang to disorient the remaining hostiles in the tent, then rescue the hostage so we can immediate depart this place before those soldier come back."
The two soldiers nodded at their leader plan as they taken firing position, while Leon went to the flank of the area to pick off the unsuspecting enemy soldier on their back.
"Ready?" Leon replied on the radio to checked his team readiness.
"Ready!" Both of them replied back as they set up a good firing position to surprise attack the enemy on the assault.
"Engage now!" He commanded them to attacked the enemy from their position.
The NPA guards were suddenly gunned down from the Scout Rangers ambush. Many of the soldiers take cover from the gun fire as they are inshocked from the Scout Rangers presence on their area.
They shoot their rifles desperately on forest to find their mark on the hidden ambushers.
"How the hell did the AFP find us?"
"I don't know?" An another NPA soldier replied back in panic tone. "But I'm sure they are the ones who sabotage the generator."
As the NPA soldiers are firing their weapons on the general direction that ambushed them. They didn't realize that another soldier is targeting on their backs.
As Leon aligned his rifle to a firing stance, he then aimed on a distracted NPA soldier and shot on his head as the body fell near to his companions.
"Their is someone on our backs!" An NPA soldier yelled to his companions as they fired their weapons on Undertaker position.
Leon take cover on a tree, as the NPA soldiers turned their attention to him.
But his two team mates aided him, as they changed their position to get a better angle on the NPA. They fired again their weapons as more enemy soldier went down from another burst of gunfire from the other Scout Rangers.
The remaining NPA soldiers went to the tent that held hostage for a last stand against their adversaries.
The Scout Rangers went out their positions and slowly approached the tent as they about to breached the tent.
A rapid burst of gunfire came out on the tent as a bullet grazed on Leslie helmet as took back from the shot.
"Get the hell away from here!" A angry voice come out from the tent. "I have your fucking men right here, and I'm ready blast their head if come any closer!
"Leslie, are you alright?" Domingo asked for her condition as she almost got her brains blown out.
"Yeah, it barely clipped on my helmet." She replied as she pulled herself together from the shot.
"Shit they have the hostage!" Leon muttered on his voice. "We need to go use the flashbang."
As the Scout Ranger move to a breaching position, Undertaker pulled out a flashbang grenade on his vest pocket and pulled the pin.
He still hold the charging hammer, as he make a hand signal to his team telling in the countdown on three, will throw the grenade and breached the tent.
As he went to one on his fingers, he then thrown the grenade inside the tent as the people glance at the grenade and realize the object.
It was to late for them to shield their eyes as the intense flash of the grenade deafened the people in the tent.
"Ahh shit!!! My eyes!" One of the NPA members screeched in pain as he is blinded from the sudden flash of light from the flashbang.
The Scout Ranger quickly breached the tent as they quickly taken down the hostiles in a matter of seconds. All of the remaining NPA in the tent were killed off by the quick breach of the Scout Rangers.
The hostages tried to piece together on what happen. After recovering from the flashbang that thrown inside the tent, thet came to their sense only to see their own captors lying bleeding on the floor.
They saw soldiers entering the tent as they wearing the AFP military battle uniforms with advanced battle rifle in hand.
The leader of the unknown soldiers knelt down and introduced himself to the hostages. "I'm Lt. Leonardo Garcia from Philippines Scout Rangers, what are your a names?"
"Sergeant Rebbie Verzoso from 402nd Infantry Philippine Army. " He introduced toward the Scout Ranger as he was completely awe fom the fact that the Philippines Scout Rangers were here to rescue them. "And here are the rest of my squad before they captured us from a ambush."
The Scout Rangers than remove the bindings from the captured soldiers as they are almost free from captive.
"Are you the remaining who got captured?" Leon asked if their are more who are captured.
"Yes." The Sergeant replied back in a heartbroken tone. "Most of us were amushed by a IED before they gunning some of us down before capturing us."
"Sorry for your loss." Leon responded in pity. "But we need to move out before the rest of the camp realize that their center have been compromised."
"Of course." The Sergeant recomposure himself. "Alright, let's leave this hellhole."
As the Scout Ranger and the freed captured soldier exited the tent and taken cover from the forest vegetation. Leon grabbed his radio to his entire squad the news.
"All stations this is Team 1, we have rescued our boys and moving to our rally point."
"Solid copy, from Team 1, we are going to break contact and meet you in the
rendezvous, Over."
"We read you, Team 3 you will still watched our backs till we departed the AO."
"Copy that, we have spotted an mass of hostile coming to your position Team 2, you need to leave before they surrounded you, Over."
"Wilco, we are moving out, Over and Out."
As Justine and Team 1 have the permision to disengage from the conflict. They begin fall back to their rally pont to meet back the rest of the squad and the former captured soldiers.
"Team 2 objective is completed." Justine informed to his team. "We are breaking contact, follow me."
They slowly crawled out of their position and get up as they reentered to the forest, losing contact with the NPA forces.
As Team 2 were currently strolling through the forest shrubbery, moving at a brisk pace with their weapons raised as Seeker take point, leading the way towards their team. The sound of gunfire and explosions from Team 1 position had seemed to be getting quieter as they got closer to rendezvous point. They could only imagine the gun battles on Team 1 position.
They are moving slowly as sometimes a group of NPA patrol groups are roaming around the area for more potential intruders. When a nearby patrol came, they would hide on the vegetation for concealment.
The former captive soldiers are bruised and vulnerable as they try their best to keep up with the Scout Rangers.
Then the sound of battle suddenly went quiet, they only hear silences from the direction on Team 1 that is situated in.
The radio silence doesn't help, due to them maintain stealth on a hostile rich enviroment.
As they are far away from the camp, Leon use his radio to checked up the rest of the squad.
"All station, this is Team 2, give me a sitrep, Over."
This is Team 3, we are clear and about to meet up in the rally point, Over.
"Is Team 1 still engaging the enemy?"
"Negative, they have break contact before their position is overrun."
Leon felt worried into Team 1 condition, they are probably pinned, captured or killed.
He can only regroup with the presence of Team 3 and could hope that Team 1 is on the rally point. The burden is great if one of his team is killed from his poor actions.
"Proceed to the rally point, Team 3, we can only hope that they are already there, Over."
"Roger that, we will meet you there."
"Good luck! Over and Out."
Approximately an hour later and the group has traveled for a few miles into the wilderness. As they have arrived on the rally point, the group decides to stop and rest as they determine that they traveled far enough to lose any potential pursuers.
A tint of orange rays in the sky as it is nearing sunrise. Night-vision goggles are no longer necessary, so the Scout Rangers lift them up but leave them on their helmets. Instead, they rely on flashlights to look around; it also helps the former captured soldiers see until the sun rises over the horizon.
As Team 2 have their rest to recovered their energy, the radio blared alive as Undertaker opened his radio.
"This is Team 3, we are arriving to your west, check your fire."
"Affirmative." Leon replied back as he relay his order to hold their fire as Team 3 is coming.
It take a while till Team 3 slowly arrived on Team 2 to revealed themselves in steadly manner.
"Good to see you back."
"Yeah, we can only help that we can do at a far distance from the frontline."
"Don't be worried at it." Leon try comforted. "I'm just worry about what happened to Team 1?"
"We last saw them falling back to the forest before the enemy followed suit."
"Shit!" He cursed from the news. "What happened next?"
"Gunfire stopped and the NPA forces begin to the converge the area." Siesta replied in a worried tone. "Is there a chance they are d-"
She did not finish her sentence as a rustle of branches can be heard near of them. They tense up and ready thier weapon on the direction of the sound as the former captured soldiers take cover and snatch a large rock as a subtitute weapon.
"Check fire! Check fire! It's me Justine." As the Scout Ranger about squeeze their trigger upon the noise. Justine revealed himself from the bushes as the rest of his team followed up.
"Jesus Christ! Justine, I'd almost blown your head." Leon called out on almost teamkilling his soldiers.
"Sorry sir." Justine replied back in a apologetic manner. "We use to have the enemy follow our tail before losing them."
"Good thing you all managed to comeback in open piece." He gratitude his own team safety.
"Of course sir." Justine responded back. "But we should move now, the enemy is still closeby."
He agreed to his second command, he then faced toward to the rest of his squad and former captured soldiers to announced them.
"Alright, since all of us are here, we should be on moving to the exfil point, the NPA are still searching for us and they are not that far into us." He informed to them as about they ready again to walked another location to reached their escape.
Leon went to Mikey and grabbed his radio pack to call back command.
"Kingpin, this is Echo Actual, how copy, Over."
A moment of pause till a reply came back to the radio.
"Solid copy Actual, give me the sitrep."
"We have extracted the hostage and now moving to the exfil point."
"Copy that, the chopper will arrived to your exfil by marking your location through flare, Over."
"Wilco, we are now moving, Over and Out."
The group travelled even further away from the camp and moving towards the exfil point on where they will leave this place. They need to make a good amount of distance away from the NPA forces as they have realized that their hostage is gone.
As they walked another mile from their last resting place, the group stopped in place as Enriquez looked at his map and determine their location.
The place is a slight open area with some vegetation that covered the land.
"Good news, we have arrived to exfil point." Enriquez informed gleefully.
Leon grabbed again the radio to call agian to command.
"Kingpin, we have arrived to our exfil, call in the chopper."
"Standby Actual, the chopper is arriving to your location in five minutes, use flares to marked your position."
"Roger that Kingpin, Over and Out."
After waiting for about five minutes, a rumble of chopping sound can be heard in a distance. The noice become louder and more rhythmic with the same invervals between each beat.
In the sky, an S-70i Black Hawk helicopters came into view as coming to their location.
"Rookie, go pop the flares." Leon ordered his radioman.
Mikey grabbed the flare sticks and light it up as burning red lights came to the ends of each flare sticks to signal the S-70i Black Hawk.
As the Black Hawk pilots spotted the flare signal, they steadly move to the flare as the helicopter landed on the ground. The vegetations is being blown away by the strong winds from the helicopter rotor blades.
The helicopter doors is opened by the cargomaster as he bring all of the troopers inside the helicopter.
After a last minute headcount, the S-70i Black Hawk started to lift off the ground and departure the region to returned on their base of command.
Butuan City, Philippines
March 12, 2026
Camp Bancasi
It was early morning, as the helicopter traveled to the nearest military base in Butuan. They have arrived in Butuan City, as the helicpter soared above the city as it hovered on a military base called Camp Bancasi.
The S-70i Black Hawk landed on the Philippine Air Force helipad as the passengers departed the helicopter. The former captured soldier slowly exited the helicopter as doctors and medics carry them on a ambulance to the nearest military hospital.
For them, it was a few days of torment by their former captors as they would torture them for information and humilate them for being the other team.
As they been rescued and exited the helicopter, they know they are in a safe place and can go back home and meet their families again. For they are in a military base and will be given proper treatment for the horrors they suffered while in captivity.
As the former captured soldier left the scene, the Scout Rangers was guided to stayed on a tent that have food and water to replenish their energy.
While Scout Rangers remove their gear and weapons to have a break after the battle. They were exhausted and drained for fighting on being outnumbered by the raid.
As they rest on the tent, a high rank officer entered the tent as the Scout Rangers noticed him, they began to stand up and Leon announced to them.
"Captain Tripoli on site." Leon announced in a commanding voice.
The entire team saluted at the officer as he replied back. "At ease soldiers."
They put thier arms down and listen to the officer as he continues to talked with the Scout Rangers.
"Great work at their Ranger." Tripoli appreciation on the team hardwork. "You brought those men back to home."
The Captain continue speak to the team as they listen closing to him. "After completing that mission, you could propably have a award, or better yet an medal."
"Really sir!" Justine asked in a excited tone.
"Don't get your hopes up Staff Sergeant." Tripoli replied back in serious tone.
He then decided to change the subject of the conversation.
"Well then, your ride to our own base camo is waiting for 0700 hours " He joined his hand together and rubbed them delightly. "After return to our base, go and have your vacation, you earned it."
All of them cheered for a vacation from their superiors. As Justine and Mikey high five each other for excitement. When Justine want to give a high five to Leon, he thought about it then join in and they both high five for amusement.
"Ok, I will be dismissed." He then leave the tent with a wide grin in his face, as the team are cheerful for they are given a short break for their difficult mission.
After Scout Ranger finished their quick rest, they gathered their equipment and have last minute roll call of their members that are present before leaving to another base.
As they walked across to the airfield, they saw the S-70i Black Hawk waiting for them on the airstrip. They entered a Black Hawk and take their respective seats as the helicopter begin to takeoff.
The helicopter engine to grew louder as the rotors is spinning faster that the helicopter start lift-off on the ground and flew to their next destination.
Author's Notes
Finally, after months of hard work and research on the tactics and military structure on the Philippines Scout Rangers. I'd finally make an official team characters for the military side of the story, and first person perspective in the battlefield. It's actually one of the reason on why the story takes so long to published, making name, personality, history and plots for the story that give tension and different view in the eyes of the characters.
Well, take it easy and stay safe!
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