Hardstorm Ahead Ch. 03

The plan was to low crawl through the open desert into the base at night and then attack at dawn. The problem was the distance. We could make it to within one mile of the base before we had to go to low crawl because of their constant patrols and not knowing how they would be able to track us if at all. We had taken the time in the days before to make sure we had excellent ghillie suits as we expected not to be in position on the first night. So we had to stay still the entire day out in the open praying that no patrol would stumble on you and that the camoflauge was the best thing you ever made in your life.

I had a team of five and we were to take out the first checkpoint and the insurgents at the reporters area. Another team of eight had the task of assulting the base itself. In addition to my five I was in charge of a sniper team that would cover the assult on the base and both of the entrances from near the reporters area. In addition we would bring in an additional news team to the checkpoint just before the assault started. We had seen that they paid more attention to the checkpoint whenever a vehicle came through. We wanted to use this opportunity to attack at all locations and get our first shots off while they were looking the other way. We had also aranged for the out buildings to be bombed by laser guided missles as the attack started to add more confusion.

Because we had already prepared the plan we were ready to go out as soon as it got dark. The low crawling took longer than expected. Their patrols barely missed my team several times and it was extremely slow going. We had not gotten into position that night and it was a hell of a time durring the next day as temperatures were in the 110's, and with all the gear and not being able to move for fear of discovery we were all hoping no one would get heat stroke. As night approached we were on the move again and in position an hour before dawn.

The attack was delayed when a sand storm came up at the air base the planes were going to come from so fighters were sent from another base and the attack was delayed 2 hours. As close as we were now we did not want to sit out in daylight for two hours and wait but we were ordered to by command to. That was the bigest mistake we made.

Travis looked around as he realized a small group had formed when Sarah came back. Sighing he continued.

About an hour later while we were bakeing in the sun someone out to use their outhouse caught a glimpse of our assult team. All hell broke loose at their base. I immediately ordered my team to stay down and out of site we were 30 yards away from the reporters and they were going nuts seeing all the activity and firing at the compound. I called up command on what they wanted us to do. The six insuregents at the news reporters were trying to keep them back and were mixed in with the 35 or so people there making it impossible to take them all out with no other casualties.

The firing at the base stopped after a few minutes and it was evident that we lost. Our team was out in the open and they had plenty of cover. The terrorists had the four survivors carry our dead out to where the news crews could see them, and then had the four kneel and were blindfolded and tied up. We were so close to the news crews we could hear everyone and it was obviously going out live to the entire world. Knowing that they had threatened to kill the hostages if we tried a rescue I didn't hesitate and acted without orders.

At my signal I ordered the sniper team to take out anyone they could see at the base. The two we left at the first checkpoint were to take out everyone and make sure they were down permanently before joining the rest of my team at the reporters. The three with me would assault the terrorists at the news crews and then assault the base and try to rescue everyone while the sniper and the first two covered us. The last thing I said over the comm before we went was "CP, if you are listening you better get John Wayne and the calvary here in a hurry."

In the breif time I explained our plan over comm the terrorists appeared at the entrance with a sword. It was obvious enough for me that they were going to behead our men while the news teams filmed every second of it. The stage was set from our end and I was the first to fire.

The terrorists at the reporters had kept them under control and were all standing in between them and the base making them easy pickings from our position. I popped up from my position leveled my M8 and fired in three round bursts. The first three terrorists were down before the other two on my team had reacted and got the other three. Our sniper was deadly accurate and hit the guy with the sword in the head. His bullet when through and hit someone else behind him as well.

I later found out that my first shots that ripped through the terrorist closest to the news crew had been the focus of every camera in the area as he was speaking about killing all the soilders. It had been on live tv.

As soon as the last terrorist hit the dirt we rushed the news area and tried to sweep the area to make sure there wasn't any that we missed. Most reporters had hit the dirt when they saw the first guy killed. Cameras set up on tripods and the few brave cameramen that were still on their feet filmed our every move.

Soon a hail of fire was headed in our direction and then everyone hit the dirt. A cameraman got hit and a couple of the cameras on tripods were destroyed but everyone kept filming. Taking the minimal cover we had we opened fire on the base. Luckily the four survivors on the other team hit the dirt out of instinct and were barely out of the line of fire. I don't know what I was thinking but something along the lines of if we keep this up they are going to be killing the captives and our guys before we can do anything about it.

Perhaps the stupidest thing I ever done in my life, I got up and ran at their base. At about that time they opened up with the mortar fire at our sniper position. I was firing as I ran the 100 yards to the base and somehow I was picking off the fuckers left and right. After about halfway there I got hit in my left arm and fell after I stumbled from the impact.

The firing stopped breifly and for a slight moment I thought just to stay put. I rolled over and took aim at the surprised fucker that shot me and fired. Our sniper was still picking off guys left and right as I got up and ran the rest of the way to the base without fireing. I got to a corner of the building about 20 feet away from our guys and shouted to them to stay put for a minute while I cleared the side of the building that was our snipers blind spot.

Peeking around the corner I could see the mortar team firing away. I used my one granade launcher shot and made quick work of them. Signalling for the rest of my team to advance to my position. Most of the firing had stopped and I needed support to get inside. Because the firing had died down a cameraman felt it was safe enough to follow and came running along. Did I mention yet that everyone was still on live tv.

I ran over to where our guys hit the dirt and cut their ropes loose feeling confident we were covered. The first guy I cut loose went immediately to take cover on the side of the building. A homemade grenade from someone on the roof landed about ten yards away while I was at the second guy I fell with my back towards the grenade trying to cover the last three guys as it exploded. I took a couple pieces of shrapnel in the my left leg and right arm. The kevlar on my back saved my life as we later found three sizeable chunks embeded in it. The first guy that I cut loose was hit in the leg but otherwise fine.

As I cut the rest our our guys free the other four guys in my group made it to the building and threw grenades onto the roof to try and take care of anyone up there. Unable to carry my assault riffle with my two wounded arms I gave it to one of our previously captured troops for him to cover outside of the building. The rest of my team gave up their sidearms to the previously captured so that they would be armed. I took my sidearm and lead the team inside.

Travis patted his Colt .45 2011 model in his shoulder holster before he continued.

My five person team entered the building with the cameraman behind us and immediately we were in the thick of it again. Every shot I fired seemed to hit someone. Something must have gotten into me but I could never shoot like that before or durring training. Later someone told me I was a berserker, someone that got so frienzied in battle that they litterally went mad with rage. My squad also told me I scared them more than death durring our raid.

We cleared the building one room at a time and finally we were at the last door. It led into the largest room in the building. Kicking in the door I was met by three terrorists using the captives as human shields. The daugher, wife, and ambasitor were all there while the two youngest sons lie tied on the floor. They fired as soon as I kicked in the door and fell as two additional bullets hit my vest from the front.

As I regained my senses I was slumped on the floor in the middle of the doorway with a perfect veiw of all three terorists. They must have thought I was incapasitated as they were ignoring me completely. I could hear that my team had fallen back down the hall a couple yards and were talking over the comm about what to do next.

I was sore as hell as my previous wounds were now painfully obvious. And then I saw the television they had which was on the channel that the cameraman that followed us into the building was broadcasting. I was holding back trying not to make a move as I scanned the room with my eyes for my weapon as I heard them calling the cameraman out in perfect english that they would kill everyone if he did not get in here to film them. I felt the cameramans foot bump me as he timidly steped over me and into the room. I used the opertunity to move my head slightly and saw just a foot in front of my head my pistol.

I remember having reloaded with a new clip after every room was cleared. All I needed was for them to expose themselves and I would react. They talked to the camera in their own language I guess so that we would have to figure it out later and not know that they were practically telling us that they were going to now behead everyone for our insolence or some shit like that. The pushed the three human shields to the ground and brought out another sword. What is it with these fuckers and swords.

I had my chance. I fought through the pain and lurched forward and grabed my pistol and fired as the first fucker raised the sword. The bullet whet through his forehead and as soon as the others saw what was happening they too were down. It had taken a matter of seconds but the camera got it all, again. I managed to stand up and stager towards the family as my team was dumbfounded and stood by the doorway.

I bent down to untie the daughter who was going to be the first killed. Then I heard a scream. It turns out the last one I shot wasn't dead and had gotten his hand on the sword and was swinging it at me. I reacted on reflex and unloaded a couple shots into him in an instant. I don't remember doing it but I remember seeing the film replayed of me emptying the rest of my clip on the guy and my team having to pull the gun out of my hands as I kept pulling the trigger.

The calvary had arrived and so did the rest of the reporters. I was taken out of there and to an aid station to treat my wounds. They found 51 dead terrorists. Thrity of them were later identified by the rifling from my weapons. Ten were from the sniper and the rest were from the remainder of the team. They also said they found 26 shell caseings from my .45 since I was the only one to have fired my sidearm. They found everyone of the bullets and all of them had been a hit.

The press had a field day. The world saw it live and the cameraman was famous. Every reporter wanted an interview but the military tried to keep me under the radar as much as possibe. No public statements from me, not even going on camera. But word had gotten out that it was me.

The government didn't know what to do with me. I had acted without orders and they consider that dangerous. I was told many times what a fool I was and how we were lucky the diplomat's family didn't get killed. I got hell from every ranking officer you could imagine. But from the public viewpoint I was a hero.

To quell the public outcry for justice I was awarded two silver stars. One for saving the four soldiers and one for saving the diplomat's family. At the award cerimony that was covered by the press I was not allowed to speak. They kept me in the hospital until I was healed, and then kept me there in rehab. When they realized that the media ferver had died down they discharged me for being disabled because of wounds received in combat. Which was shit because I was completely healed. But to make it look like it was serious they ordered me to sign the papers that said I would receive 60% disability.

The room had fallen silent as Travis finished. A scan of the room found many with the same face that he had always seen. One of amazement, discust, and awe. Over the years many had forgotten the details of what had happened and just remember a vauge idea of what happened. He looked down away from the questioning eyes as he continued.

"Well, its been a long day." Trav stood up stretching his legs. "Everyone make sure you are not on guard duty tonight before turning in." He broke through the group that had formed and went inside to his room.

Sarah found him a few minutes later sitting at his desk in the corner staring blankly out the window. She stood hesitantly at the door as she closed it behind her. "Ten years" She thought to herself.

Ten years ago was the last time she saw Travis. She was the only visitor the government let see him other than his family. It took several tries until she was let in, the government was worried it was a reporter and finally someone asked Travis if she was someone that he wanted to see. After a couple more weeks they thought it was alright to let her in. Ten years ago she walked into his room and found him in practically the same state that he was now with the only difference being that he was in a wheel chair, sling on his right arm, in a hospital gown, and he had the same million mile stare in his eyes. Ten years ago when she stood and saw him for the first time since the incident she was overcome with emotions. She had known him since childhood, they had been best friends, and she had fallen in love with him, although they never said anything to each other she assumed the same from him.

Ten yearsr ago a tear slipped down her cheek as she turned not able to deal with seeing him yet, thoughts of what her friends were saying about him fresh in her mind. She left the room thinking he never saw her in the first place. He did. She worked up the courage the next day to go back but the hospital refused to let her in because Travis had asked them not to let her in again. Ten years ago she had been in love and had her heart broken. She cried as she left and cried on her way home. Her friends tried to talk to her about Travis when she returned but she offered only tears in reply. After a couple of times no one had talked to her about Travis after that they could tell what had happened.

Ten years later Sarah saw the same man she saw then. Broken, alone, and depressed he was still the same man she fell in love with when they were teens. She grimaced at the memory and looked to the floor. This time had to be different.

"Travis?" She said meekly. He made no movement or acknoledgement of her. "Travis, I'm sorry I left without speaking to you back then. I was scared, I was selfish, I was in love with a man I thought I knew..." Tears streamed again out of her eyes as she sat on the bed.

Travis turned and looked at her. He too remembered all to well what had happed in that hospital room ten years ago. "Sarah, I have loved you since the first time I met you when we were kids and you beat me up for calling you a little girl. I'm sorry I didn't say anything to you that day, and I'm sorry for not letting you back in. But I never want to spend a day without you again."

He got up and sat beside her with an arm around her shoulder holding her tightly. Her tears were stopping and she was breathing in short ragged breaths trying to compose herself.

"I want you to know that..." Travis started to continue but Sarah stopped him with a quick kiss on the lips.

"Just shut up while you are still ahead." She said with a slight giggle.

They kissed and held eachother for several minutes. In the distance a rumble of thunder sounded and brought the couple out of their embrace.

"A storm is coming." Sarah said as she got up and walked towards the open window. She closed it and joined Travis in bed as they fell asleep quickly, the sound of a hard rain drowned out everything else and the world seemed smaller.