A Dragon's Tale Genesis-Chapter 4-Ten Minutes Out

Story by Tyro619 on SoFurry

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#4 of A Dragon's Tale Genesis

The year is 1999. Marine Strike Force Raven,lead by 30 year old Johnathan Alexander Mason,is sent on a mission to rescue two fellow soliders held in a makeshift Cuban prison off the country's coast.When the mission is sucsessfull,they are assigned a second job that will pull them into a chain of events that will change their lives forever.


I had no clue what they were. They were long and well built whatever they were. They consisted of various colors,brown,yellow,silver,orange and bright red. There were five of them,flying in a V-shape formation like birds migrating south for the winter. I didn't understand what I was looking at.

"Been in the field to long",I said handing Jackson back his rifle,"all the junk food we ate's playing tricks on our heads."

Jackson smiled,"your probably right."

"Grab your stuff",I said,"were going."

Jackson went over to the others by the zipline and began preparing his rappelling gear as I go onto my com lines.

"Base this is Raven 2-2",I said,"prison complex in sight,requesting location of HVI's how copy?"

"Rodger that Raven 2-2",Holland replied,"a drone has confirmed that the HVI's are being held on the first floor,exact location is unknown,you are go for insertion,be advised though,a local rebel group has an attack planed on this prison,advise you stay low,how copy?"

"Loud and clear command",I called back,"Raven copies all,out."

I turned back to my team.

"Let's get this done."

I walked over to the zip-line that the Cuban's had set up. It was rusty and wasn't tight at all,it didn't look safe,but we didn't have a choice.

"I'll go first",I said slinging my rifle over my shoulder,"that way if it breaks it gets me."

"No way brother",Hudson said stepping in front of me,"we all go together."

I didn't like when Hudson would ignore me when I gave him an order,becasue usually when I tried to take point,it was becasue things were too dangerous for all of us to go at once.

"Step aside solider",I said,"that's an order."

"No sir",Hudson replied,"if that zip line brakes,you fall to your death and there's no way we can pull you out,look down there."

I peered over the egde and saw nothing but crashing waves and jagged rocks. I sighed,I didn't think the zip line could all of us,and the added weight of our gear,but once Hudson got an idea in his head,that was it. I'd once tried to go against him,and I ended up spending twelve straight hours buried up to my neck in sand. I got a nasty case of sunburn and was infested with sand fleas for three weeks.

I sighed again,"Okay brother,we go together."

We attached to the zip line and began our descent. I could feel the rusty old cable creaking under our weight and I was certain it was going to snap and send us all to our deaths. It didn't,thank god. We landed in a small,walled off section of the court yard. From where we were,I could see a guard on a radio as well as one standing in the door way.

"Two tangos",I whispered to Hudson,"you take the one in the door,I got the one on the radio."

There was a faint click as I unclasped the buckle that held my knife in it's sheath and a soft sound of metal rubbing on Kevlar as I drew my custom made M85 combat knife from it's sheath. It was about the size of a belt knife,with holes in the blade and spiked knuckle handles,in the right hands,they could bring down a Juggernaut. Hudson and I crept into the small radio room. I could hear the man speaking in Spanish over the radio and the one in the door way was having a smoke. As we crept in,we slowly stood up to avoid being heard. Like clockwork,Hudson and I plunged our knives into the men's necks,tearing their throats to shreds with quick flicks of our wirsts. We dragged the bodies out back and covered them with a blue tarp that was being used for wood. Unless you gave it a close look,you'd never know that there were two dead bodies underneath it.

"Everyone go silent",I said screwing a suppressor to the end of my AR.

Issac and Hudson did the same while Jack switched to his sidearm. Frank,being the guy that he is,had a suppressor built into his MP-5 as well as his B32.

"We need complete quiet guys",I said quietly,"this mission is over if they spot us,you keep your safeties on unless I say otherwise and you don't fire unless I give you the go ahead."

My team nodded their replies and we started into the radio room. Whenever it came to stealth,my mind would click off and something else would take over. It was hyper aware,alert to every little detail,I would see everything,changes in lighting,moving shadows,everything. We crept from the radio room and crouched behind some barrels as I gave the order to halt when I noticed the snipers in the two front most towers by the gates were starring right at us.

"Jackson,Wyatt",I whispered,"snipers in the front tower,they'l rasie the alarm if we try to pass,drop them,get your shots off within two seconds or less or we'll be cracked wide open."

Jackson and Wyatt set their rifles up on the barrels we were hiding behind and began dialing in their scopes. I listened as both of them steadied their breathing. For a split second everything clicked off,then two low thunks left Jack and Wyatt rifles and the men fell out of sight.

"Good kills",I whispered,"let's move."

The court yard was mostly open expect for a few small two story buildings in the middle and a large razor wire fence between the entrance to the actual prison building. Guards tooled the entire area,trying to cross with out thinning them out would be a suicide mission.

"We need to thin their ranks",I whispered,"follow my lead."

I picked up a decent sized rock and chucked it at a building about a hundred feet away. The building was next to a table of two guards who were playing poker. The rock hit the metal wall with a loud thunk and by a stroke of luck,both guards got up to look. Hudson and I steadied our rifles as the men walked behind the building. I took in three deep breaths and exhaled once,before slowly beginning to depress the trigger on my AR. Low cracks echoed out and the men face planted in the dirt without so much as a grunt.

"Flawless",I said in a whisper.

We quickly rose from our trench and sprinted across the court yard,sliding in behind the two buildings.

"Get rid of those bodies Hudson",I said motioning to the bushes,"I can see them from here."

Hudson grabbed both corpses by the shirt and tossed them behind the bushes,doing the same with their weapons.

"Jackson",I said,"counter snipe,guard in the tower dead ahead."

Jackson sat down and steadied his rifle on his knee,I watched as the man's head flew off and his corpse tumbled from the tower and into the seas below.

"Good kill",I said in a whisper,"I see another guard headed for the radio room,drop him behind the barrels."

Jack followed the man with his rifle before cracking off another round,sending the man behind the barrels.

"Clean kill",I said,"were clear,stay close to me."

We moved from the dead end alley way and into another space between two buildings,one of which was built in a right angle,and another that was built next to it,leaving a blind spot to the guards at the prison entrance. As we turned into the alley way,our advance was halted by a lone guard sneaking a cigar. He was to far away for a knife,he'd see any of us long before we got him. Even though our weapons were suppressed,they would sound and even louder alarm.

"Frank",I said,"you got any throwing knives?"

"Always",Frank whispered back.

"There's a single guard sneaking a cigar,I want him gone."

"Got it boss."

Frank pulled one of his small pocket knife like blades from a pouch on his chest and threw it in a way most people would call insane. It flew like a bullet from a rifle,striking the man in his neck and embedding itself deep in. The man gagged and choked before he slumped back,motionless.

"Good kill",I said,"Issac get rid of that body."

"Got it little brother."

Issac grabbed the man by his collar and stuffed his corpse in the small alley between the two buildings. I hugged the wall as I peered around the corner,the two guards who were there were armed with big RPKs with drum magazines,I could also see a final sniper in the tower above them,we'd have to take him out of the picture first.

"Wyatt",I said,"sniper above the prison doors,get rid of him."

Wyatt peeked around the corner and let off a single round,I heard the faint thump of a body hitting the ground.

"Kill shot",I said,"Hudson,Issac,get rid of the two at the gate."

Two muffled cracks pierced the air and the men at the gate fell dead.

"Clear",I said,"move up."

We sprinted from the alley way and to the gate,it was locked tighter than a bank vault.

"Anyone got thermite?",I asked looking through my vest.

Hudson felt around his kit,producing a red canister about the size of a M18 smoke bomb.

"I have one",Hudson said,"and it'll make noise."

"It's a price to pay to save our guys",I said taping the canister to the door.

"Command",I said getting on my coms,"this is Raven 2-2,objectives nearly complete,requesting evac at our location,are their any birds in our area?"

"Rodger that Raven",a man called over the radio,"this is Blackflag 4-2,I got your six,but I can only stay ten minutes. I'm four clicks south of your position,get here in ten or I'll be gone."

"Rodger that Blackflag",I replied,"Raven 2-2 copies all,ten minutes and not a second more,Raven out."

I set my watch for ten minutes.

"Light it Issac",I said,"Blackflag 4-2 is ten minutes out,we got ten to grab our guys and blow this popsicle stand."

Issac nodded and pulled the pin from Hudson's Thermobaric grenade and we all turned around. There was a loud hissing sound,like what a firecracker might give off and the door creaked open. We quickly moved into the prison. As we did,we were met by at least a dozen,SMG packing Cuban's.

We acted first,raising our rifles and dropping them as fast as we could. Somehow,we managed to get our shots off in time to keep them from returning fire,thus preserving our element of surprise. We pushed deeper into the prison,dropping the guards as we found them. As we entered a long hall way,I could hear a Cuban talking down the hall,I stopped my team,hoping to hear some information about where our guys were.

"If you will not give us the information",he said in English,"then you will have no life,your people denied you are even here,so no one will know when your dead,so what will it be American? Will you speak like the dog you are,or would you like a bullet instead?"

A gunshot echoed through the hallway,causing us to take off towards the back of the hall. We went through the door,finding our agent posed over the Cuban with a Markov in his hands. Blood was pouring from the Cuban's forehead.

"That was for Riley asshole",our guy said.

The Agent turned and saw us,instantly raising his pistol,my team and I quickly lowered our weapons as a sign of submission.

"US MArine's sir",I said,"I'm Major Johnathan Alexander Mason,were Strike Force Raven and we've been sent to rescue you and your partner."

"My partner Riley is dead",the Agent said,"they murdered him."

I placed my hand on his shoulder,"Solider,what is your name?"

"David",he said. "Listen David",I said,"I'm sorry about your partner. We have an EVAC bird waiting four clicks out and have about seven minutes to get there,are you combat capable?"

"Sir yes sir",David replied.

"Excellent",I returned,"let'smove",I handed him my suppressed B32,"keep it quiet."

We exited the cell and sprinted back down the hall,as we were coming on the locker rooms,a loud siren began to blare.

"Fuck",Hudson shouted,"their onto us!"

"No point in being quiet now!",I shouted taking the suppressor off my AR.

The other's did the same as David unscrewed the suppressor from my B32 and handed it back to me. As we left the locker rooms,two men with PPS-32's jumped us. Two quick shots from Hudson's FAL removed the threat. David handed my B32 back to me as he picked up a PPS that one of the Cuban's had as well as a few magazines for it. We sprinted through the prison complex with purpose,dropping any soldiers who fired at us. As we got towards the prison exit,the doors flew open and a hail of led came down on us. I felt Hudson's paw of a hand close around my colar and pull me to safety.

"Thanks' brother!",I shouted,"I owe you one!"

"Worry about that later!",Hudson shouted,"how do we stop those guns!"

"Wyatt!",I shouted,"toss two flash bangs,Frank,two tear gases,alternate grenades and everyone gas masks on!"

We slid our masks over our faces as Wyatt tossed his flash bang,Frank his tear gas. There was the loud bang and bright flash,followed by the hissing sound of Frank's tear gas. The gunfire stopped. We broke from cover and charged up the long hall way,firing our weapons at the four RPK packing Cuban's who were blinded and gagging from our cocktail of tactical grenades. We exited the prison and slid into cover as the gunfire started again.

"Now what!?",Issac shouted.

"Throw smoke and then tear gas!",I shouted,my voice muffled from my gas mask.

Frank and Issac pulled pins on their tear gas as me Jackson and Hudson each pulled the pin of a smoke grenade and tossed it out. Issac and Frank let their tear gas fly as we fired back at the Cuban's. Soon the obscuring smoke was filling the air and the tear gas was heavy in the air,I could smell it through my gas mask for pete's sake.

"Move now!",I shouted through my mask.

We ran into the smoke,it was a blind move,but one we had to take. As I ran through,I smacked right into a Cuban,who instantly held his AK-47 right at my chest. I acted quickly,letting my rifle fall to the side and unsheathing my knife,I plunged it into his chest before yanking it back out and pushing him to the ground as I did. I reasteahed my knife and took hold of my firearm as I continued to run.

"Blackflag 4-2",I called into the coms,"exfill is hot! I repeat exfill is hot!"

"Rodger that Raven",Blackflag replied,"I gotta leave in five minutes,get here or get left behind."

"Raven copies all!",I shouted back.

"We got four minutes to reach Blackflag!",I shouted,"move with a purpose!"

We ran as fast as we could do,the entire time all I could hear in my head was the tick,tick,tick of the five minute clock. We pushed through the jungle with the Cuban military in close pursuit. Their bulletswhizzing past our heads. They were so close now,we had to stop and force them back.

"Don't get bogged down!",I shouted,"keep going!"

"Raven this is Blackflag 4-2,I got a minute thirty till bingo fuel,you guys need to haul some ass or get left behind."

"Rodger Blackflag!",I shouted as i pulled the pin on my last frag,"we'll be there!"

"Frag out!",I shouted as I tossed the grenade,it exploded way too close,sending dirt and blood all over me.

"Where the heck are they all coming from!" Hudson shouted over the crack of his FAL.

"Keep shooting!",I said as we backed up. Soon,I could hear the whirling of rotor blades,it had to be Blackflag.

"Pop smoke and let's run for it!",Issac shouted.

I pulled the clip of my smoke and let it fly,a thick grey cloud soon filled the air.

"GO!" I shouted as I turned and began a heavy sprint though the woods. Soon we were at the coast,where a Blackhawk helo was idling with Marines armed with M60's all around.

"They are right up our six!",I shouted,"get your bird in the air!"

"Yes sir!" the pilot yelled as the blades began to spin faster. We all piled into the air craft as the Cuban's spilled from the woods. I reached over for the mini gun on the side as we began to lift off. The mini shredded the Cuban forces like wet paper and bought us the time we needed to get ot of harms way.

"Command",I said getting on the coms,"this is Raven 2-2,we have secured operator David,but his partner Riley is KIA."

"Solid copy Raven",Holland replied with a sigh,"good job,come on home for debrief."

"Yes sir",I replied,"Raven out."