The Academy - Assault
#9 of The Academy
The next morning brought overcast skies, and a light misting of rain. I explained my plan to the other squad members. They asked questions, and made suggestions, but soon, they agreed. I reviewed the details and made sure everyone knew their assignment.
We hid our packs in a crevice in one of the rock walls behind us and headed out. The only gear we would need was our weapon, the map, and the radio. We resumed our accent moving silently in the dreary weather. From what I had heard from the enemy coms, they didn't have any patrols, but why take any risks. As we approached the tree line, the mist turned to snow flurries.
The word around us was white, which limited our visibility. We pushed on up the slope, the trees thinning to our left, and passing ever growing cliff faces to our right. We hiked on until we reached the point where we would begin to climb. I examined the sheer rise in front of me. It would be difficult, but not impossible.
"What do you guys think?"
"Let's do it."
I leapt onto to rock and began pulling myself up. Trestan flew behind us, ready to catch anyone who fell. Much to my relief, nobody did. I reached one tricky part where I had to pull myself out over a crevasse I had been climbing in. All the rock around me was worn smooth from the wind. I found a hand hold and swung myself up and out. By mid day, my arms were straining with every movement, and my legs shook. I clambered onto a small ledge and sat, waiting for the rest of the squad to join me. I looked down to see nothing but cloud and swirling snow.
After we had all rested, It was back to climbing. But the end was insight. I pushed myself to keep going. Just one more hand hold, just one more. Stretch out your leg, you can reach that crack. Come on, push it. I pulled myself over the top onto a small plateau to find Tank already up there waiting for me.
"What took you so long?"
The flat we were sitting on was thirty feet below the summit and well shielded from the wind which was starting to pick up. We needed to wait till after nightfall to move, so the squad agreed to spend the rest of the day here. We enjoyed and early dinner of stale MRE crackers, and tube peanut butter.
I listened to the radio.
"Bunker to Reese. Go ahead. We had some lizard from Alpha in here, dressed in one of our uniforms. Did you get him? Ya, he's KIA. Alright, that means Alpha is out. So who's left? Just Charlie. Any news on them? No, they called in a dead cadet from Delta on the first day, but other than that, I haven't seen or heard from them. Alright, we'll keep a look out."
"So were the last ones left?"
"That's what it sounds like."
We sat high on the mountain, huddled together against the wind and snow. Tank checked his watch.
"Hey, it's half past eight, time to get moving."
I got up and stretched. The sun was nearly gone now, and the sky was dark grey. We began the much easier climb around the summit and to the decent on the bunker.
I halted the squad as the low, concrete structure came into view. The wind was blocked on this side of the mountain, and the few remaining snowflakes fell in random spirals. I looked down at the bunker for the first time. It seemed the reports had been correct.
It was a small concrete building, partly constructed into the mountain side. There was a large antenna on top. The defenders had rigged an aray of spotlights which illuminated the ground for thirty yards in front of the station. I could just make out two figures lying on the roof.
"Alright, hand signals from here on out. Let's get into position before the sniper change. Then, I'll eliminate the two on the roof, and that will be your cue to move in. Got it?"
I received the okay gesture back. I crept down to a wide snow field, left over from winter. I dropped to my belly and low crawled down to where my targets would be in range. Then it was back to the waiting game. I checked my watch. Nine o-clock, the new guards should be coming out... bingo. I watched as two black clad figures stepped out of a side door. They climbed onto the roof and took their positions. I could hear someone talking, but couldn't make out what was said. It must have been some sort of relief because soon the two who had been up there got up and left.
Alright, game time. It was my job to take out the two on the roof. I would need to shoot them in rapid succession so the alarm wouldn't be raised too soon. I practiced the sweeping motion from target to target a couple times until I thought I had it down. I sighted on the sniper, pulled the trigger, moved to the spotter, and shot again. Two rounds left the muzzle and I saw both guards go limp.
I motioned the squad forward. I then proceeded down the snow sliding most of the way. We regrouped just above the station. Tank took his position above the door, and Teague sat waiting behind a generator. At my signal, Tank slammed the butt of his rifle into the camera above the door. I waited, hoping this would work. The door opened and two of the defenders walked out. In unison Teague shot the first, a collie, and Tank grabbed the second, a squirrel, onto the roof and incapacitated him. Before the door could swing shut, I tossed the grenade I had primed into the room. I heard muffled voices from inside.
"What the!?"
Then the sound of hissing and whirring as the grenade spun on the ground, spaying its contents into the air.
Teague held up one finger. We waited. He had estimated it would take one minute before it would be safe for us to enter the room. Teague flashed the okay gesture and we moved into position outside of the door.
On the side the door opened on four of us lined up. Teague was in front followed by Jessica, myself and Trestan. Tank stood opposite us, waiting for the signal to open it. I felt Jessica tap my side. I reached back to tap Trestan who returned the motion. I taped Jessica who must have signaled Teague who motioned to Tank. He turned the knob and flung the door open before rolling out of our way. Teague dashed along the wall clearing the room with a sweeping gesture. Jessica ran to the corner opposite the door. I followed the wall to the position across from Teague and Trestan came through the door and sidestepped into the remaining corner.
"Clear."
Tank followed us in. There were three bodies on the ground. A round was shot into each of them, just to make sure we didn't get any surprises. I snatched the radio from the belt on the leader. We lined up at the next door to repeat the procedure.
The next room we came to was a sort of corridor kitchen. There was a bathroom to the right. The door was open, and the light was off, but this wasn't the time to take chances. I pushed on the small LED mounted on my rifle and swept the room.
"Clear."
At the end of the room, there were two doors. I motioned to the one straight ahead. Tank stood at it and we tapped up. He wrenched open the door. Before he could get out of the way someone inside the room shouted.
"Don't move, or I kill the hostage!"
Tank was standing in the door, gun leveled. I was standing in his immense shadow, and gambled that I couldn't be seen from inside the room. I crept around Tank's side and knelt to see around him. The room was full of computers and right in the middle, tied up, gagged and blind folded, playing hostage was... Lewis. I didn't have time to think about this though. Behind him, a black clad panther was holding a gun to his head. I could see his ear and part of his scalp past where he was taking cover behind Lewis. I slowly raised my rifle, took carful aim, and squeezed off a single round. The Panther collapsed. Tank led the way in as we cleared the rest of the room. There was no one else. Jessica went to Lewis and untied him.
I gave him the okay signal, he returned it. We exited the building, reversing the process from earlier. Rule one in room clearing, once a room is clear, it doesn't necessarily stay that way. Trestan lead the team outside, Lewis right on his tail. We were all out, Teague covering our rear when I heard him yell.
"GET DOWN!"
I dove to the ground. Jessica, who was behind me wasn't so fast. I heard her start to shout, but it was cut off as she fell, a dart in her back. We had left one room un-checked. On our way back out, we hadn't remembered to clear the room we had skipped before we found Lewis. Now we were paying for our mistake. I heard Teague open fire.
"Trestan! Get the captive out of here! Tank, grab Jessica, we'll cover you!"
I spun on the ground and turned to the door. Teague slammed a fresh clip into his rifle. In unison we opened fire, spraying twin streams of darts into to open doorway. Just to be safe, I tossed in the final grenade. I heard a loud thud as a body hit the floor.
Trestan had taken off with Lewis to our fallback position. I lead Tank who was carrying Jessica and Teague watched our six. We ran through the forest at an adrenaline induced, break neck speed. We quickly reached the clearing we had decided to make the LZ for extraction. Trestan gave the all clear and entered the ring of trees.
"Is she okay?"
"She'll be fine."
I radioed the chopper for pickup and lit my flare. The pilot landed in the clearing and we loaded Jessica's limp body into the fuselage. I was the last in, ensuring the rest of my team was safe. They talked excitedly about the success of the mission on the ride back. I couldn't join them. I had messed up, and it had got a member of the squad shot. I had betrayed Jessica's trust in me. I can't remember ever feeling this bad at any point in my life.