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[Introduction] Hello everyone,

I am a new author and I figured that I would give this campfire deal a shot.

Intro: I am looking for a team of five who are in the Marines. They are armed with just conventional gear: M-16 Assault Rifle, Baretta combat pistol, several grenades and a combat knife. You may choose other weapons as well, but no rocket launchers or anything like that. Their mission is this:

CLASSIFIED EYES ONLY
Charlie team will infiltrate a suspected nuclear weapons lab in North Korea. They will take control of the lab and wait for reinforcements. Once they have control, they will contact their extraction team. Charlie will be extracted utilizing the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. After Charlie team is clear, the facility will be terminated using any bomber suppory necessary.

I am not just asking for five members, I am also asking for two to three people that are interested in being a Korean that will give us thier perspective from being invaded. I appreciate the help!

RULES:
1. You may have swearing, but not too much, which I will determine as this is going on.
2. I am looking for a diverse group- both males and females.
3. No sex- however, teamates may be attracted to one another.
4. Have Fun!!
5. Killing off a teamate may be necessary, but please ask me permission first.
6. Have Fun!!

Also, please follow this format when introducing your character:

Name:

Sex:

Age:

Personality:

Description:

Have Fun!!

Name: Captain John Callahan

Age: 29

Sex: Male

Personality: John is a young man who prefers to keep to himself. In almost
every situation, he is acknowledged as the leader and everyone follows his
example, regardless of rank. When it comes to time on the battlefield, he easily
has more than anyone else and knows what he is talking about when he does
speak.

Description: 6'2" and lingering around 190 pounds of pure muscle. He works
out every day and thoroughly enjoys going for long runs to relax his head. He
has dusty blonde hair that is cropped short in a military-like manner, and the
darkest brown eyes one could imagine.

When the rest of his team members were aboard, Captain John Callahan hopped
through the rear loading cargo door of the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft.
He made sure that everyone was secure before he strapped himself into the
olive drab seat after closing the bay door. If this aircraft was supposed to make someone feel comfortable and relaxed before they executed a mission, it sure didn’t do a very good job. The "cushions" were thinner than a piece of paper and he could almost feel the chill of the darkness creeping through the skin of the Osprey and his Kevlar.

John glanced at his teammates and observed that there were a few signs of high
tension. A few of them were stroking the triggers and another was taking
apart her pistol and putting it back together again. He decided to try to
calm their nerves a bit.

The team all possessed a satellite-linked INTERCOM so they could communicate during the mission."You guys know the deal. We got this, nothin' to it. We’ve all gone over the briefing a dozen times and I don't know about you guys, but I just want to get it over with." He knew his words wouldn't help much, but he thought that he had to say at least something. Callahan was never good at talking, but when he needed to, he would always find the right words.

John leaned back and inspected his M-16A2 for the fifth time that night and
assured himself that his magazines were fully loaded and the sights weren't
out of alignment. He knew that he had loaded the ammunition himself and he could trust every shot would go where it was told.

He felt the aircraft liftoff the solid pavement- directly vertically. John
always fancied this transport. The engine nacelles were on the tips of the
wings and they could rotate vertical. This provides helicopter-like
maneuvering. It could takeoff and land vertically. Then when switching to
cruising mode, the nacelles rotate horizontally to provide forward thrust-
which enables the aircraft to behave just like a twin prop. John marveled at
the designers on this one. This transport was always his first choice and he
was thankful that he could utilize it tonight.

The plane shuddered and one could feel the acceleration as it picked up its speed to 250 knots. The Korean landscape zipped by the plane with an altitude of only two hundred feet. They were attempting to stay below the radar coverage and above the massive trees at the same time.

“We all know that the facility we are about to infiltrate is a suspected nuclear weapons lab, so pay attention at what you are shooting. Of course, I shouldn’t have to say that now- I know you all will. We take the facility and take the suspected leaders that our intelligence specifies will be there. We take them captive and haul their asses back to extraction point Quebec. If that area is determined to be too hostile, then we will proceed to point Romeo. We got this, there’s nothin’ to it.” John deemed it necessary to go over this with everyone before every mission, just in case there were any lingering thoughts or second guesses.

The trees gradually started to thin out and Callahan gave the signal for everyone to suit up and prep themselves. He stood and felt the aircraft begin to slow itself and braced by crouching a bit. John engaged his night vision and the world around him plunged into an eerie dark green as it came on line.

He double checked that everyone was clear from the ramp and pressed the green button while he held down another. A slight hum was barely audible over the roar of the two Rolls Royce engines now in full helicopter mode. They were about fifty feet off the deck and descending.

John flipped the safety off his rifle, his very life, and took his first step into Korean territory.

scarletphoenix

Name: Jake Edwards
Sex: Male
Age: 32
Personality: Quiet, doesn't talk much, has kind of a shadowed past. Not much is known, and he likes to keep it that way.
Description: 5' 10"
Uses a silenced Barreta and would rather use a knife than a full auto weapon. He has dark hair that is just military legal length. He also has deep brown eyes that shine gold with light. he is not very muscular, but when there is a target in sight he can sprint very fast and quiet to get his knife right where it needs to go.

Following John, Jake stepped into the luscious forest of North Korea.

He glanced around at the surroundings, noting that there probably couldn't have been a worse place to drop them. They were deep in a valley, with tall banks on each side. Jakes mind raced. If any Korean scouts or guards were nearby, their situation could turn into a massive problem. There was only one way out of this ravine, and the forest could provide little cover if the enemy flanked them on the top of the ridge. He just hoped that Korea hadn't detected their presence.

A rustling sound entered his ears. Jake's hand automatically tightened on the shaft of his knife. He crouched down, and got ready to target his adversary. A small varmint ran out of the bushes, and Jake exhaled and realized how tense he was.

He didn't put his knife away though. He took the tips of his fingers that were poking out of the gloves, and felt up and down the smooth blade, a nervous habit of his. He knew it was extremely sharp, but all the same, he pulled out the whetstone and ran it up and down the blade. Satisfied he flipped the blade into the air and watched the light from the moon dance across the twirling knife's surface. He caught it, slid it into it's case, and looked around to see his other companions preparing for the journey.

With a nod from everyone, John strode into the foliage. Jake slipped in behind him, and the others fallowed behind. The forest was lush, vines snaked across their feet causing difficult movement. Large trees loomed from above, making the group seem both insignificant and vulnerable to the country of Korea.

The group infiltrated into the deep jungle without a word for about a half-mile. In the dark, the foreign area seemed to blend into an ominous illusion that one could get lost in the labyrinth of trees forever. Then John stopped. "Ok, the ravine ends up ahead, and according to info, the compound should be only another mile or so ahead. But lets make sure that we will have a clean walk out of here. I don't want to get ambushed with only the ravine as shelter." He looked at Jake. Jake knew what that look meant, he nodded silently and stepped away into the bushes.

Then he picked up the pace; weaving in between trees and rocks, hardly making a sound, Jake moved like fleeting night shadows in the dark. He felt the path steepen, and the soil turned slowly rocky. Even through the thick overgrowth and also the rocky path, Jake hardly made a noise as he ran up the slope. His keen eyes were ever watching for any signs of movement, but none came. At the top he slowed and glanced around. Nothing. No guards, no Vehicles, only an endless sea of trees. He turned back toward where he came.

Seeing Jake, John broke out of his meditative state, and waited for his arrival. He didn't have to wait long. He lost track of his position, only to see him appear seconds later striding out of the bushes. As always, Jake hated talking, so he put his thumb and index finger in an "ok" signal. "Lets carry on." John said, and pushed into the thick foliage, fallowed closely by the rest of the group.

Name: Corporal Marcus O’realic
Sex: Male
Age: 21
Personality: a cocky person the boosts that he can shoot anything up to a distance of three miles. Although that has never been put to the test. He is a rookie on the squad and this is his first time out with the unit. He practices with his m4 everyday at the target range. He has modified it (against orders) to be a sniper rifle.
Description: at the height of six one and weight of one eighty, he is built athletically. With dark red hair chopped crew cut and dark blue eyes.

Marcus, while being a little nervous, was wearing a smile as they hiked through the forest. When they stopped, he went into his defensive crouch like he was taught, facing to the side of the formation covering the flank. Using his scope to scan the forest. He turned the man next to him, singling that he saw something, a stage in woods. The person growled at him under their breath and told him to stop messing around.

The single to get moving again and he was the first one up out of the rear ready to go.

StephB

Name: Lisa Franks, Gunnery Sergeant

Sex: F

Age: 28

Personality: Tough, no-nonsense, focuses on the mission

Description: Tall, 5-08, 120 lbs, with long black hair that she wears up in a tight bun, Lisa is all muscle, quick, and agile. She joined the military to escape the oppressive poverty she grew up in. She considers the military her “ticket” to a better life and strives to do the very best in all she undertakes.

********

“Hey, Snapper, stop dickin’ around.” Lisa Franks put her hand on O’Realic’s shoulder, making the young solider jump. Snapper was her nickname for him.

“Geez, Gunny, I ain’t…” began O’Realic, but Franks held up her finger, putting it to her lips, indicating to him to remain silent.

“What is it, Gunny?” whispered Jake, undercover nearby, in back of a stout rock.

Lisa slithered over to the other soldier, putting her lips close to his ear. “You hear that? That rhythmic chirping? Sounds like an owl?”

Jake nodded his head.

“It’s not an owl. We’re being watched. Be on your guard. They’re only going to let us get so far before they decide to attack,” Lisa whispered back, her lips brushing against the sensitive part of his skin.

Jake bit his lip, turning to look at her. His brown eyes caught hers just for a second, before she turned away. She had to admit he was an attractive man with a sweet personality – when he let it show. Lisa would never confess that it him though. When it came to members of the opposite sex, she didn’t feel comfortable around them romantically.

“Stay here,” Lisa cautioned. Again, Jake and O’Realic acknowledged with a nod of their heads.

Next, she approached Cpt. Callahan. He was crouched next to a bush. She noticed how his eyes narrowed, not only studying the dark terrain, barely lit by a waxing crescent moon, but listening and learning. She’d seen him like this before. He was using all his sense to acclimate to the surroundings before they approached their target. She crouched next to him.

“Hear, it, Cap?” she whispered.

He leaned close to her ear. “They’re studying us like we’re studying them. If we go any further, they’re going to challenge us a little, try to learn what we’re capable of.”

“I agree. So I say we surprise ‘em first.” Lisa motioned to her LBE, slowly putting her fingers on an unopened flare. Her rifle was slung over her shoulder, draped over her back.

“Good call, Gunny. Tell the marines to get down and get covered. Flank to the northeast fifteen meters and set off the flare.”

Lisa nodded her head. She knew she’d be vulnerable to an enemy attack after releasing the flare, but they’d done this before. Snapper would cover her, being the sniper he was. As the flare fell, Cap would assess the area and terrain – and they just might light up some bad guys to boot.

Without hesitation, she briefed the rest of the squad. O’Realic went with her. They communicated using hand signals. Lisa found good cover, a short shrub, and Snapper backed off about two meters, using a sturdy rock to lie prone behind.

With a flick of her wrist, Lisa shot the flare high into the night air; it’s brilliance dominating the sky above them.

The flare arced into the dark sky and overloaded their night vision goggles. John quick set them on top of his head so he could see the terrain literally come to life around him.

“This cannot be happening” he thought to himself.

The trees around them were literally crawling with forms. It was almost as though the ground was alive like an anthill with ants. Targets that were moving from tree to tree stopped to gawk at the unexpected maneuver that streaked into the sky.

John barely had time to scream “Get down!” before the first round went off. Even after she launched the flare, Lisa was the first on the trigger. John leaped to a nearby fallen log and took a firing position behind its protective cover. He saw Jake and the other soldier on his team dive to its protective cover. Rounds bounced from tree to tree and ripped the bark to shreds.

Finally the flare went dead and some of the enemy fire subsided. Callahan donned his night vision and continued to pick targets off. O’Realic with his M-4 had to cease fire since the sights on his rifle weren’t fitted to fire in the dark.
John stopped firing to conserve ammo as the Koreans darted to the nearest trees and took protective cover behind them.

John told everyone to cease fire as well. The night air that was once pure with oxygen now smelled of burned gunpowder and wood. John looked around and observed that not a single motion was to be seen in the woods around them. It was an eerie feeling: sitting there smack in the middle of Korea with hundreds of enemy soldiers staring at them, just waiting for them to make a move. The Captain and his team had one advantage that the Koreans did not- night vision. He turned to his crew who were intently listening and watching the dense foliage. O’Realic had his pistol out and had the unmistakable shade of dark red running down his neck.

“Shit...” John thought as he crawled over to O’Realic’s position. They haven't even started the mission and there was already a set-back. The quarter moon’s light glared off the thick blood on his neck and gave it an unsettling appearance.

“’Realic,” John whispered. “Lay down over here.” Callahan wanted to inspect the wound himself.

“What’s goin’ on, Cap?” he questioned when he turned his head. He winced in pain and mumbled, “Oh jeez...” as he realized that something bad happened. O’Realic almost stood up to see if he could feel it or even see it, but John snatched him and yanked him to the ground on his stomach.

John cupped his hand around his combat light and shone it on the open wound. It wasn't too bad, but Marcus kept squirming to try to see what happened. His whole body began to shake as he started to panic. Callahan shoved his face in the mud and slapped a quick bandage that would stop the bleeding for a while.

Marcus kept babbling asking how bad it was and what-not. When John finished, he still felt him shaking beneath his hands. The Captain let the Corporal get to his knees. Then John snatched O’Realic’s collar and drew him close.

“Listen up soldier,” John hissed. “You are a Marine sniper. The best of the fucking best. Big freakin’ deal- a bullet or even a damn twig grazed your neck. Suck it up and prepare yourself to look down those sights.” He liked O’Realic, but knew that sometimes he could use a swift kick in the ass to get his head on straight.

John left Marcus at his knees and crawled over to Jake and Lisa. He thought he caught Lisa eying up Jake as he scanned the foliage, but dismissed it as a misinterpretation.

“O’Realic alright?” Lisa questioned.

“Just peachy” John curtly replied. A twig snapped to the right and John let a round pop at the figure he spotted with his goggles. “Let’s use this darkness as a veil and get to the facility. Edwards, you got the lead.”

scarletphoenix

Jake crouched down.. listening for any signs of nearby movement. He gripped his pistol lightly and his knife with the other hand; holding it poised for anything. He glanced at his team, and said “Watch my back... I'll scout out the area.” Before he turned, he saw that Lisa was the only one who nodded. He crept through the underbrush, searching for the safest way out of the labyrinth of foliage. The Private slid through the bushes, alert, waiting to strike should any movement take place.

Finding a break in the vast overgrowth, he marked the place and then turned back. Jake hadn't heard any gunshots and assumed that everything was in the clear. Sliding through the ocean of green, he moved closer, and the bushes rustled nearby. Jake froze, he moved his knife to his right hand, poised it for the kill. A Korean stepped from the bushes. Not noticing Jake, he looked around, almost blind in the dark. Jake lept forward, and in one fluid motion slit the man's throat. He heard a shot, and saw a man fall behind him, a bullet to his head. He knew that O'Realic was looking out for him. He quickly moved back to their position, and started to lead them to the exit of the gully.

O'Realic kept about fifty paces behind Jake. The wound on his neck was still stinging, but he figured that he would live. Now his job was to protect those around him. And another smile lit the corners of his mouth. He was having more fun than he thought he would have.

He watched through his scope surrounding Jake and everyone else was. It was dark and he neglected to bring any night scopes for the main reason that they glowed in the dark and he didn’t want to be singled out and shot. That and the people back on base said it was not nesessary for him to have one. But he thought he was doing quite well without it.

He stopped again for a moment and peered through the scope again. As he swooped across the foilage, he spotted a structure... or was it? He wondered he should the call the cap or if Jake had saw it. It was probably nothing to be worried about anyway but he couldn’t remember a hut being enroute the factory in the briefing. Maybe a look out hut?

O’Realic looked behind him and saw Gunny there. And signaled her to him, then whispered, “I don’t know if Jake saw it, but there is a small hut over about three hundred feet at our eleven o’clock, and Jake is over that way, I think he missed it, Gunny.”

StephB

“Thanks, Snapper,” whispered Lisa Edwards, putting her hand lightly on the corporal’s shoulder. “Keep your eye out for us.”

O’Realic nodded his head, blinked, and discovered her gone.

“Cap, hold up,” O’Realic whispered into their satellite linked intercom mic. They’d been reminded to use it after the glancing blow he’d received earlier. It grew quiet. O’Realic took a slow, deep breath as his eye peered through the rifle’s sight. Gunny and Jake were out of view. A chilly breeze ruffled through the foliage unnerving him.

"What’s the hold up?”

Captain Callahan slithered through the brush and motioned for them all to take a knee. O’Realic brought the rifle’s sight back up to his eye, settling on a comfortable position, searching for any sign of the Gunny.

“Where’s Sergeant Edwards?” asked Callahan.

O’Realic motioned toward the direction of the hut. “There’s an unknown structure over there, not on our recon maps. Gunny went to check on Jake.”

Callahan frowned.

“Want me to go after the Sergeant?” asked the other soldier, doing a check of his LBE.

Callahan’s lips slowly curved into a smile as if he were remembering something. “Lisa Edwards can handle herself. She didn’t make E-7 in nine years for nothing. Give her twenty minutes. If she’s not back then I’ll send you to look for her.”

O'Realic nodded his head. “How did you meet her anyway?”

“We did a two month combat jungle lifesaver course together,” he answered quietly.

“Something else bothering you, Cap?” asked O’Realic, his eye trained on the hut. He couldn’t help but notice a hint of nostalgia in the captain’s voice when he talked about Gunny.

“Our reconnaissance shouldn’t have missed that hut,” Callahan said evenly.

“It must have been put together quickly,” Marcus volunteered.

“I agree, but why? Is it a staging area for the guards or is it hiding something else?” Callahan pondered out loud.

“A back entrance perhaps?” The fifth man volunteered. “One that’s very vulnerable?”

“Possibly,” answered Callahan.

“That all, Cap?” O’Realic asked, not budging from his kneeling position, holding the rifle steady and firm.

“What are you implying, Corporal?” John asked sharply.

“Maybe you’re worried for Gunny, that’s all.”

Callahan’s nostrils flared. “She’s a member of this strike team. Of course I’m concerned.”

Just then O’Realic gasped as Gunny and Jake came into the view of his scope. There were some things even darkness couldn’t hide.

*****

Lisa Edwards left O’Realic, went about five meters and discovered the brush in front of her was teaming with four enemy soldiers. They couldn’t be more than fifteen meters ahead of her through her night vision goggles. She froze, closed her eyes, and listened to the sounds of the night and the smells in air. A slice of metal cut flesh. Fresh blood wafted through the breeze.

Her eyes popped open and she brought her goggled up to her face. An enemy soldier was cut, but Jake was prone on the ground. They were tying his wrists and shoving a gag into his mouth. Now was the time for action. She approached quietly, mindful of her step, careful not to crunch a stray branch or a cracked, dry leaf, as she reached into a third ammo case that she kept just past her 9mm gun holster. Lisa withdrew two of her poisoned tipped darts and fired at the two enemy soldiers who had Jake pinned to the ground. She hit one in the neck, the other in the arm. Both fell face first into the hard dirt. The wounded Korean soldier was bleeding from a sharp cut to his thigh. He struggled to his feet, crunching twigs as he grunted a rough hoot. Lisa withdrew her own knife, took aim, and fired. It stuck the wounded soldier in the neck and he collapsed with only the sound of blood gushing out of his carotid artery.

Then she felt a hard punch to her right jaw that caused her to spin and stumble.

The unintelligible word he muttered made Lisa regain her focus. She may not understand Korean, but he was shocked his opponent was a woman. With that momentary advantage, she lunged at him, grabbing his neck. They stumbled backward, and she snapped his head as they fell to the ground.

“Dirty bastard,” Lisa whispered, getting to her feet. She kicked the soldier in the thigh to ensure he wasn’t getting back up. Then she made her way to Jake. There wasn’t a whole lot of time until the Koreans discovered their dead.

Jake had rolled over onto his side, but she saw the pain in his eyes caused from the tight binds around his wrist. Without a word, she pulled him to his knees, sliced the gag from around his mouth, and cut the knots of the rope.

He said nothing, only nodding his head. She looked at him then looked away. “Some gratitude,” Lisa muttered, walking off.

Just then Jake grabbed her arm, spinning her around so they were face-to-face, bodies pressed against each other. He cupped her jaw with his hands. “Thanks, Gunny,” he whispered, as his lips fell upon hers. Soft, moist, and a little needy, she enjoyed his kiss too much. With gentle pressure, she pushed him away.

“Jake, I didn’t expect that.”

Name: (Medical) Sergeant Alexander Richards

Sex: Male

Age: 23

Personality: Alexander is known most for his determination. If something needs to be done, Alexander can be counted upon to put all his energy into doing it. He is a compassionate person, but will occassionally sacrifice that compassion for effectiveness if he believes it is necessary. He has a dry sense of humor, is not great with people, and sometimes seems a little stiff.

Description: 6'1 with black, crew cut hair and green eyes.

John gazed through the brush and into the darkness to see the two figures embracing each other. John almost brought his pistol to bear on Jake’s head, but checked that motion.

The two separated and Lisa left Jake on his own. A wave of relief washed over the Captain. “Set a perimeter till they regroup.” he instructed Marcus and Alexander.

He let Lisa pass him without her noticing him hunkered down in the bushes. Jake soon followed, creeping along in the foliage as though nothing had happened.

John lunged out from his spot and grabbed him with both hands around the collar. He pushed him up against a tree and held him there. Jake had an expression on his face that John couldn't quite make out, but he figured it was fear because he tried to raise his rifle in defense.

John pinched a nerve in his neck, and the rifle fell to the forest floor. “Next time,” John hissed, “you tell me when you are leaving formation. Read me private?” he stressed the word ‘private’ and let him go when he nodded his head.

As though finally realizing what had happened, John said “I... just wouldn’t expect you to do something like that.” He bent over and picked up Jake’s rifle. “You are usually much better than that.”

Jake took it reluctantly and John turned and melted into the bushes. He found Marcus and the others all silently waiting for their return. He silently clicked his throat and they all obediently followed John towards the facility. He thought he saw Marcus giving him a peculiar look, but disregarded it.

“Cap’” he heard over the radio after several more minutes of slithering through the thick undergrowth, “I have the target in sight.”

“Understood O’Realic, on my way. Team: rendezvous at his position.”

They crept through the bushes till they came to O’Realic’s prone position. He was sighting in the large compound. There was a large fence around the perimeter and barbed wire on top or it. Vines entangled themselves within the chain link fencing. Guards were patrolling the perimeter, and several had dogs. Spotlights were everywhere and floodlights illuminated twenty feet from the fencing. Those would be a problem. There were machine gun nests about the facility and he was sure that there would be snipers as well.

‘These guys really have this sealed up tight’ he thought to himself. He clicked his mike once and backed away from the clearing. They regrouped a ways away and John laid out the plan. The lights would be taken out first and then a grenade on one particular fencing area to blow a way in. Once the lights were out, John would go in first followed by Jake and then Alexander. Lisa would follow next and then Marcus. He was to stay behind and take out any snipers if there were any. If it was clear three seconds after infiltration, he would enter. They would then use a sewage drain to get into the facility.

They all nodded their heads in approval, but John sensed a slight hesitation from Jake. He looked at him one last time and then donned his night vision.

This was it.

scarletphoenix

They crept to the edge of the cover and John motioned with his fingers to split up. As Jake left, he was sure he saw Lisa's gaze linger on him, but it might just be that he wanted that to happen. 'Enough of that, there is work to be done.' He thought, but really didn't believe himself.

Moving silently he crept to his area of the compound he glanced at his light; his target. Each person is taking two footlights light, Marcus and Alex would go for three, both Lisa and himself would also take down the two spotlights, and then John would fallow up with the grenade. Hopefully all would run smooth. He heard two clicks from a mike, and he shot, bang bang, two footlights flickered out, then he aimed his pistol at the spotlight, “Crap! Out of range!” He didn't expect this. The problem with favoring a pistol. Breaking cover he dashed forward, a light fizzled out and all that was left was his spotlight. Still running he brought his pistol up and fired volley of rounds at it. The light went out with a spark. He heard “Fire in the hole!” Fallowed by an explosion. No clue where the others were, Jake rushed in. No one was in there. He jumped off to the side of the entrance just as two guards armed with sub-machine guns rushed by. Jumping out he tripped one guard and slit one of their throats fallowed closely by the other.

Just then John entered, closely fallowed by the others. Marcus had good luck, the snipers were right next to the lights, and disposed of them quickly during the first volley. Jake tried to catch Lisa's eye, but failed. Sighing he looked towards the others.

“Ok, lets go.”

There were in.

One shot, one kill. That was the name of the game for O’Realic. When the lights had started tracking his teammates, he spotted the snipers easily, and within five seconds and two targets downed, he had rejoined the rest of the team.

They had just opened the hatch and were jumping down below when he jogged up to them. It was all like they had practiced back in basic, with O’Realic bringing up the rear. The drop wasn’t that far but it was far enough to rattle their bodies on landing. They were up quickly and on the move again.

The word came to move quickly and quietly from there leader and they double-timed the dry sweage drain. That was until it split up into two directions. O’Realic never saw the orders for the mission, but by the look on their leader's face, this wasn’t on the plan sheet they had. And each minute that ticked by was another minute the enemy had to get them.

StephB

John Callahan hesitated as the sewage drain split into two directions. A drop of cool water dripped onto his face, sliding down his chin. The odor of rotting mice forced him to breath out of his mouth to stifle his gag reflex.

“Which way, Cap?” asked O’Realic, clutching his rifle. He, too, wrinkled his nose from the smell.

Loud clanging noises of heavy feet shuffling overhead fueled the urgency in him to make a decision – He just knew it had to be the right one.

“Lisa! Edwards! Come here!” Callahan barked into his INTERCOM.

She pushed Jake and Alex out of the way and took out a red light mini-maglight as John pulled out his map, placing it over his lap. Lisa shined her light over it. He quickly scanned for their position, pointing to the tunnel. There was no spilt. He looked up. Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, Lisa Edwards seemed surprised at what she found in his.

“Um, John, Captain, look, on the map, about fifty meters is a crawl hatch. It’s a way in, but I’m betting the footsteps overhead are going that way – they’ve got to know about it. It’s very dangerous.”

“I know.”

“Still, fifty meters isn’t a far distance to cover. We should be able to determine which tunnel is which, and be back in five minutes,” she suggested, sharply turning her head back down at the map and avoiding his eyes.

“You’re right, Gunny. Take Alex and go down that one,” said John, pointing to the left.

Lisa stood up. “Richards.”

Sergeant, E-5, Richards quickly jumped up and John watched them take off down the tunnel he indicated. His eyes, his focus were riveted in the direction Lisa took. It was then he realized how he’d come to depend on her. They’d shared many missions together and he trusted her completely – her level head, her steady guidance. He didn’t want to loose her. What a time for him to figure out his feelings for her were intense – too intense and complicated for him to deal with right now. Right now, he needed to focus on the mission.

“Cap,” said O’Realic through the INTERCOM. “The footsteps are getting louder back here.”

John grimaced. Just then Lisa and Alex came sprinting back up the tunnel.

“It’s not this one, but I think we should go this way,” said Edwards.

“What’s up, Gunny?” he asked, now growing nervous about the louder footsteps clanking overhead.

“There’s a door, not a crawl hatch. We can blow it open with a grenade or have Jake use some of his C4 – if you want something more subtle,” she explained.

He bristled at her mention of Jake’s name.

“All right, Gunny, we’ll go your way,” he said, shaking off his feelings. “Jake, I want you to use the smallest amount possible to blow the door.”

“Yes, Sir,” Jake promptly answered, digging into his LBE.

John led the squad down the damp, mildew tunnel, his heart beating wildly in his chest. He’d never known ‘the unknown’ quite like this.

"There's about to be a big BOOM," Jake murmured cheerfully into the intercom by way of warning. Halfway through the sentance, he dove around the corner to ensure he'd be away from the blast.

"Jake on one, then Gunny and I on two, then Marcus and Alex on three---on my order," John whispered into the lull before the door blew.

Alexander crouched next to the Captain further down the tunnel, M-16 ready. Jake had a huge grin on his face as, further down the tunnel, the door exploded and shards of metal and concrete flew in every direction. The man seemed to be at his happiest when he was blowing something up.

"One!"

As Jake wheeled around to make his way toward the door, rifle high, Alex raised his M-16 to cover the Private. One target behind the door had already fallen in the blast, and Alex took out a second. The sharp report of Lisa's and Jake's rifles fired simultaneously, and two gunshot wounds---no more than a centimeter apart---appeared in the forehead of the third target.

"Two!" John snapped, then moved, the Gunnery Sergeant one step behind him.

Alex knelt in front of Marcus, and heard the younger soldier's modified M4 fire over his shoulder. A fourth target dropped.

"Clear!" Lisa murmured as she followed Jake and John into the room.

"Three," John murmured into the intercom with less urgency, and Alex and Marcus moved, rifles ready just in case.

"Well well well, what have we here?" Alexander heard the Captain murmur as he joined the others in the newly secured room.

John examined the room around him, his fingers still tightly gripping the pistol grip of his M-16. His heart still pounded like a drum in his chest, making his front sight wobble all ofer the place.

He clicked his mike once and got his squad's attention. He pointed to Alex and then to a door. Then he pointed to Marcus and the second doorway.

The room was well lit and made entirely of metal. No windows provided light or a nice picture to look at. But what they just happened to walk into was the armory. John's heart raced a little more, as he thought to himself about what kind of possibilites and advantages this provided.

Jake, Lisa and himself all walked cautiously over to the back of the room. It was almost like a library, hundreds of rifles were stacked up in bookshelves that were three rows thick.

"Jake," Callahan whispered, "Rig a trip wire around here and load the shelves up with C4 and the grenades over there in that crate. When some son-of-a-bitch walks through here, I want those shelves to blow thier weapons to hell. Is that understood?"

"Yes sir," he returned and knelt down, pulling equipment out of his LBE.

Lisa was busy on her own, knocking out the small cameras in the corners of the room with the butt of her rifle stock. "Good thinking." John commented. He stood there and watched her for a bit before coming to, and moving out.

Callahan waltzed to the open doorway that Alex was standing next to, and strapped his rifle over his back. Then, ensuring his pistol's silencer was on tight enough, he cocked it.

A few minutes later, Jake joined them, giving John a nod. John didn't aknowledge it. He just turned, double checked that his team was behind him, and then cautiously moved out the door.

StephB

Cpt. John Callahan led his team down the dimly lit hall. He could hear activity hustling around him. If he recalled the facility plans correctly, they were on the basement level, where the armory was. Still, he was a little surprised there weren’t many enemy soldiers on this floor. Maybe they were outside or in the sub-basement tunnels, still looking for his team.

“John.” He heard Lisa’s voice over the INTERCOM. “The leader, General Choi, has his office on the second floor.”

“It’s probably teaming with guards, Lisa,” he replied, as he and his team skulked down the hall.

“We can’t use the elevator,” she reminded him. “Going that way is a death trap. If I remember, there’s a crawl hatch near the stairway at the end of this hall.”

“Good call,” he replied.

Just then a team of two Korean soldiers rounded the corner of the darkly illuminated hall. They stopped dead in their tracks, their eyes growing wide.

“O’Realic!” shouted Callahan.

A sniper’s bullet pierced one enemy’s soldier’s head. The second soldier withdrew a 9mm pistol and began firing randomly into the hall. A bullet grazed John’s arm.

“Get down!” Lisa shouted, grabbing Jake by the shoulders and throwing him onto the floor. John winced, as he watched everyone hit the ground. Still, the wound was minor. He could deal with the pain for now.

The enemy’s loud Korean voice sliced through the air, then began to fade away.

“Damn!” John muttered. He got to his feet and poked his head around the corner of the hall. With a well aimed shot, he fired his M-16. The round hit the Korean soldier in the neck. The enemy lunged forward and then his body spasmed as he collapsed to the floor. His loud incoherent chants suddenly stopped.

“Good aim, Cap,” said O’Realic with a sly smile, patting him on the shoulder.

Alex came forward and quickly applied a first aid bandage to John’s arm.

“Don’t waste time, Snapper,” said Lisa. John locked eyes with her. She was concerned, yet focused.

“If we’d thrown them off guard before, they had to get a hint as to our position now. They’ll coming – within minutes,” said Lisa.

“Where’s the stairwell?” Jake barked.

“Near the front entrance – that way,” said John, pointing in the direction of the dead solider. Alex tied off the knot on the bandage. John would be fine for now. “We go that way. Be prepared.”

Everyone nodded their head and followed him down the hall. Glancing back, John noticed Jake running side-by-side next to Lisa Edwards, making the knots in his stomach tighten. Damn his feelings. No matter what, he couldn’t let them interfere with his mission, but one thing was now very clear to him. If they got out of here alive, Lisa Edwards was going to know how he felt about her.

The crawl hatch was clear.

"Go," John mouthed, gesturing them through one by one. Marcus, covering the others with his sniper rifle, climbed in last.

Alex offered the Private a hand, straining slightly to pull the slightly smaller man toward him, and then together they began moving on their bellies after Lisa. It was almost pitch black, but she seemed to know the way.

"Here," Lisa's voice whispered in his earpiece. "Left and up."

Ten minutes---no, ten point seven, according to Alexander's watch---they reached their destination.

"Quietly," John instructed, although he really didn't need to. The fireteam knew their business.

Carefully, they removed the cover to the hatch and set it down. Laying on his belly, John peeked out slightly, then turned and looked across at Marcus. He held up two fingers.

Marcus nodded. In the time it had taken the Captain to spot the two targets, the sharp-shooting Private eliminated them.

They all dropped silently to the ground and immediately began moving. If Lisa was correct, General Choi's office was just around the corner.

Alexander glanced around nervously. It was so quiet. Too quiet. Why had there been only two guards?

"Down!" he called, lunging forward and tackling Marcus to the floor. The other three followed suit, just as the hallway burst into flame.

Alexander could feel the heat of the explosion across his back and on his forehead. For a moment he couldn't hear anything as the group stuggled to their feet. Then the faint buzzing in his ear solidified into John's voice.

"Bastards blew it up," the Captain was saying.

"Why'd they do that, sir?" Jake wanted to know. There was a small cut on the Private's forehead, but Alexander didn't even need to examine it to know it was not serious.

"There's something the enemy doesn't want us to know about," John answered gravely.

There was silence over the intercom for a moment. Then Alexander laughed, and Marcus followed. They'd known that from the very beginning.

"No shit," Lisa said.

"Let's go see if there's anything left," John commanded.

John brought his rifle to his shoulder and involuntarily winced as his muscles flexed. The intence heat rippled blisters across his back, and he could feel the warmth of his own blood crawling down it.

The small group approached the burning doors of the room, that were bent outwards from the blast. Marcus covered the groups' six. Dust was slowly settling to the floor and provided an eerie entrance to the room- almost like a tomb you would see from a movie.

That was exactly what the room was when John peeked around the corner with his goggles. There were several bodies and they were imprinted in the wall from the blast. One man wore an uniform marked with obvious insignia of a general. This man sat in his chair against the wall, clutching ash, that lay in his lap.

They definitely didn't want us to see something... John thought.

"It had to be extremely important if the General was willing to kill himself..." John whispered softly as him and the rest of his team scoured the area for any valueable information. None was found.

John knelt in the corner and thought to himself. Shit! The mission has been comprimized. They know we are here and the leaders are most certainly off to a safehouse somewhere... He ran through ideas to get his team back on track, but just couldn't find one. He hung his head low and called his team over except for O'Realic, who guarded the doorway.

"All right, team. I think that you all know as I do, that this mission is fucked." he hesitated with the next part that he was about to say. "I need some ideas..."

StephB

“John, I have a sneaky suspicion that isn’t General Choi who just blew himself up in that chair,” said Lisa, her eyes scanning the ravaged office. “After all, no General in his right mind is going to blow himself up. I bet he got some private to do the job to make us think he committed suicide.”

“Gunny’s right, Cap,” said Alexander. “Choi isn’t dead. He can’t be.”

“Well, if we doing get going, we’ll be dead,” Jake pointed out.

Rough footfalls pounded through the hall.

“Gunny, with all due respect, we don’t have time to play hunches. We gotta’ get the hell out of here,” O’Realic added.

Lisa frowned at the lower enlisted Marine. “Well, if I’m General Choi, the quickest way out of here is to have a helicopter – on the roof.”

“It’s a big chance, Lisa,” said John. “What if we get to the roof and Choi isn’t there?”

“We go to Checkpoint Quebec empty handed,” she finished.

“Let’s go,” said John tersely. Lisa could tell just by his expression he was worried. Still, he let his trust of her win out.

The strike team nodded their heads at his command and they took off back towards the stairs.

As soon as John rounded the corner, the North Koreans sprayed the hall with a round of 9mm gunfire. It was all he could do to scamper back around to the team and safety of the adjacent hall.

“How many, John?” asked Lisa.

“Two or three guarding the stairwell,” he replied.

She reached into her LBE and pulled out a frag grenade. “Jake.”

He smiled and did the same.

“On the count of three, pop it. We’ll burn it off for three and then throw,” she instructed.

“Roger, Gunny,” said Jake, nodding his head.

Lisa went to the sharp corner at the edge of the hall and took a low crouch as Jake stood over her.

“1, 2, 3,” she whispered.

She flicked the safety off the grenade. Jake did the same.

“1…2…3…!”

On three, both her and Jake spun into the hall, flung their grenades, and fell to the floor. Two loud, thundering booms rang out as Jake collapsed on top of her, his lips close to her ear. She felt his concern in how he protectively he shielded her body.

Smoke from the grenades wafted through the hall. Loud groans echoed after the smoke stopped.

“Jake! Lisa! Get up!” John barked.

They leapt to their feet and the team ran to the stairwell door. The soldiers guarding it were now dead.

John looked at Alexander who silently knew what the Captain wanted. Alexander took a position next to the right side of the closed door. John took a position to the left.

“1, 2, 3…” John mouthed.

Alexander reached out, twisting the knob, and flung the door open. John went high, Alexander dropped to his knees and went low. Both of them sprayed the stairway with a 15-round clip of 5.62 ammo from their M-16’s.

“Nothing!” cried Lisa.

“Let’s go!” John commanded.

The team scampered after him, and as they ascended the stairs, John heard an engine come to life. He looked to Lisa.

“Well damn if you weren’t right, Gunny.”

“Common sense, John.”

The sound grew louder as they approached the door to the roof. Flares lit up the roof around the Huey helicopter as its blades slowly began to spin.

“O’Realic, take out the pilot!” John yelled.

Marcus nodded his head, his face gaunt and serious. Lisa took her elbow and smashed out the small window in the middle of the stair’s exit door. “Have fun, Snapper.”

“Screw you, Gunny. This ain’t an easy shot,” he muttered, positioning his rifle.

He didn’t have a lot of time. He’d get one opportunity and that was it. Quickly, he lined up his sights. The blades of the helicopter rotated faster. He aimed, drew in a breath, and gently squeezed the trigger. The bullet sped out, twisting from the rifle’s inner grooves. O’Realic hugged the rifle’s recoil into his shoulder as he watched the round spin and tumble, determined, unfailing, breaking the glass of the chopper’s window, striking it’s mark above the right eye. The pilot slumped over, blood staining the controls.

“Fifty pushups when we get out of here, Snapper, for your piss-poor comment,” said Lisa, glaring at him.

He smirked his acknowledgement. John opened the door and ran out onto the roof. The second enemy soldier in the helicopter pushed the pilot out of the craft and slid into the pilot’s seat.

John ran like he never had before, reaching the chopper first and shoving his M-16 into the soldier’s face. The soldier held up his hands and started speaking Korean in rapid-fire sentences. John’s strike team approached, the wind from the blades whipping against all their faces.

“Well, well, well, look who we have here,” grinned Lisa.

“General Choi,” announced Jake proudly, finding Lisa’s eyes. She felt mildly uncomfortable, but appreciative of his silent praise.

“Now what?” asked O’Realic.

“Now we get the hell out of here in this helicopter with General Choi as our guest,” grinned John. In that moment he couldn’t help but be proud of his entire team.

“So, who can fly this thing?” asked O’Realic, his eyes growing wide.

John reached into his LBE, pulled out his flexi cuffs and bound the General’s wrists together. Lisa reached into her BDU cargo pocket against her leg, and pulled out a small roll of duct tape, slapping a piece of it against the General’s mouth.

“Any volunteers?” asked John.

"I sure as hell don't know how to fly a helicopter, sir," Jake pointed out.

The Captain, having finished securing the General's wrists, cast a wry glance over his shoulder. "Well then, wanna learn?"

Alexander tried not to laugh as Jake's eyes widened and he stared at the Captain for a moment in shock like a deer caught in the headlights. "Wha... sir?" he gasped, glancing nervously from the helicoper controls to the Captain. His tone suggested that he definitely did not think this was a good idea.

"I'm just kidding, Edwards," the Captain said. "It doesn't look like there is anyone to teach you."

The General tried to say something against the duct tape on his mouth. The Captain looked at him, and General Choi cocked his head slightly to the side, imploringly.

The Captain, suddenly serious again, sighed and reached out to rip away the tape. The General didn't even flinch.

"What?"

General Choi said something in Korean.

"English, General," the Captain ordered.

General Choi glowered at the marine, but complied. His accent was strong and his English was broken, but he managed to convey his thoughts. "I can fly for white devils," he said, nodding pointedly toward his bound wrists.

bboy quicksand

+++ Normally, this would be written by my brother in Wisconsin, but he is at hockey camp, and cannot get to a computer. I, Flyin'Solo, have permission to write his part this week. +++

The group of Marines stood there for a second, but finally, the leader drew his Ka-bar and sliced the plastic zippies off of the General's raw wrists. That leader motioned for the rest of his team to climb aboard. They all complied, and even kept thier weapons at the ready.

Finally, the leader pulled Choi to the co-pilot's seat, and then jogged beneath the spinning blades to the left pilots seat.

The General slid a helmet on, and watched the white devil leader pull out a cord from the firewall. The sticker above it identified it as the mike cord. There was still one in the wall, which was the headphone cord. This allowed him to hear anything on the intercom or radio, but he wouldnt be able to speak to anyone else. He wouldn't be able to call for help...

As soon as he got the clear signal from the leader, he pulled back on the lever at his side, the collective. The pitch of the blades increased and he slid the throttle bar up with his thumb. The helicopter rose into the air, wobbling for a second. The General used to be a pilot back in his day, so he still remembered some of the basics.

When they were a good distance above the ground, he moved the cyclic forward, and the nose dropped. More collective came in and the chopper moved forward, increasing its speed.

I can't believe I am doing this... the General thought to himself. Eh touched a bit of left anti-torque pedal and the helicopter kept its heading, moving past twenty knots.

Suddenly, the hull made pinging noises, and he could see the tracers of the machine-gun rounds as the richoted(sp?) off of the aluminum frame.

I can't betray my people like this, he thought. His hand let the collective lower, and the chopper began a gradual decent.

The shots didn't stop, and some penetrated into the cockpit.

"Oh, shit!" the leader said and yelled something to his team mate in the rear. Then to the General, he yelled "You freakin' bastard!"

The woman reached up and grabbed Choi's arms, so he couldnt touch the controls.

"Shit..." the captain grumbled as he grabbed the controls. He had watched the General move them, and John thought that he had it down. He saw the General start to lower them to a group of Koreans down below, so he ordered Lisa to restrain him.

He saw out of the corner of his eye that Lisa was having little trouble turning Choi's face purple in a headlock.

The helicopter shuddered and Callahan fought for control. He leved it out and pulled the collective up to make the helicopter increase its altitude. The shots glancing off of the hull started to decrease untill suddenly an alarm started to blare in everyone's ears.

The chopper shuddered and started to lose valueable RPM and the altitude began to wind down at an alarming rate.

John yanked the collective till it stopped, but it just refused to respond. Finally, just under a thousand feet, the chopper gave a cough, and it spit out some RPM and slowed the hulk of metal and made it a rough, but definitely a surviveable landing.

If John's internal map was correct, they were still three or four clicks away from the extraction point.

O’Realic smiled, at least we have the general now. The leader turned, I need eye’s O’Realic. Go get yourself a good position to cover our withdraw. He scampered away silently but quickly to get to a good observing point to see any enemy.

He finally found a place with some fallen tree trucks with shrubs around it. He laid down in the dirt. Then contacted the cap with his mike, “In position.”

“Ok O’Realic, cover us.”

“Hey gunny, should I start those pushups now?” He knew he would be chewed out for using the coms like that but he couldn’t help it.

StephB

Even in the middle of the night, light found a way to cut through the ebony blackness. It never ceased to amaze Callahan. He knew by the stars that they were only a few kilometers away from their safe haven – marines waiting at Checkpoint Quebec on a nearby beach to take them back to their ship with their prize – General Choi. Getting there – now that would be the challenge.

The runners of the Huey helicopter smashed against the hard ground. John snarled as his eyes cut to Choi. Friggin’ bastard, he thought, bracing his hand against the copter frame, noting Choi’s eerie, yet proud smile.

“John, we don’t have much time,” Lisa barked.

“I know,” Callahan said. “I need eyes O’Realic!”

“Yes, Sir!” the stocky marine answered, leaping out of the copter, clutching his rifle by the stock and running into the woods.

Callahan grabbed a pair of flexi cuffs from his BDU pants pocket and quickly tightened them around the General’s wrists, drawing blood.

Lisa ripped off a piece of duck tape and gave it to John. Choi started rambling in Korean and it gave Callahan great pleasure to slap the tape over his mouth.

“Lisa, we’ve got minutes – maybe – until Choi’s troops find us,” John began, jumping from the damaged helicopter.

A blade swayed in the night’s ocean breeze, threatening to snap under it’s own dead weight.

“I know, John. You and Alex take the General. Snapper will cover you. Jake and I will stay behind long enough to set this bird on fire,” Lisa instructed, rummaging through her LBE.

“Lisa, it’s dangerous,” John replied, stiffening. “You could be hurt.”

“We’ll be dead if we don’t throw a roadblock between us and Choi’s boys,” she barked. “Jake, I need all the C4 you’ve got left.”

He nodded his head as he dug into his pockets. John spied the sweat dripping off the young soldier’s brow, but Lisa remained calm – collected.

“Gunny, I don’t want to lose you,” said John pausing. Their eyes locked. “Or any other member of this team for that matter.”

“You won’t lose me, John – now go! I know the way to the checkpoint,” said Lisa firmly. She made her way to the copter’s tank and opened it.

“I’ll see you there, Lisa,” John cried.

“Go!” she snapped. “Jake, come here. Let’s get this C4 down…”

Callahan’s last glimpse behind him showed Lisa hovering over the explosive gas leaking out of the tank.

Alex grabbed one of the General’s arms and John the other. Choi dragged his feet, making it that much harder to control between them.

“O’Realic,” said Callahan into his INTERCOM. “Where are you?”

“I’ve got my eye on you. I’m five meters due east,” he replied.

Choi suddenly threw his body forward in an effort to escape from them. Alex went forward and landed on him. Choi grunted as John stepped forward and slammed the butt of his rifle against Choi’s temple. He’d be damned if the General got them killed so close to the end. Better to carry the General over his shoulder as dead weight than to deal with his antics.

Alexander's fingers lingered for a moment over the General's pulse, and then he nodded at John. "Still alive. You carrying him Captain, or am I?"

The Captain considered for a moment, then said, "I'm the better shot. You carry him, and I'll provide cover fire. Now let's go!"

"Sir!" Alexander said, and hoisting the enemy soldier over his back, rose to his feet.

They made a fairly good pace through the forest. At least at first. But then the General regained consciousness... and shots began to thunder out of the trees.

bboy quicksand

General Choi's vision faded in and out. The rythmic thumps of someone's feet kept jostling his head. His left temple was screaming in pain, and he could feel warm blood running down his neck.

"Where the hell am I" the general thought to himself.

Suddenly it came flooding back. The white devils...the helicopter...taken as their prisoner.

Adrenaline coursed through the General. In addition to piloting lessons, he was also taught Judo. He swung his elbow out catching his carrier in the face. Then using the solgier's own weight agianst him, the general threw himself backward taking both of them to the ground.

The white devils had made one mistake though, they were so focased on getting to their destination, they forgot to tie him up agian.

Choi grabbed the solgier's arm attempting to break it. The solgier expertly slipped out Choi's grip and scrambled to his feet. Choi stood up strait then crouched into a fighting stance.

The man who Choi was origonally fighting, ran at the general, not attempting to draw his sidearm. Choi waited, assesing the situation, it was a two on one, not much he could do as they could just shoot him now. "But might as well slow them down" The General whispered to himself.

Choi stepsided to the right then swept out with his leg, it connected with the other man's leg, sending him to the ground.

The second solgier, who Choi reconized as the leader, lowered his body into a similar fighting stance, and faced General Choi.

A small grin tugged at the corner of his mouth.

***Sorry guys for the wait. I was in Ohio for rifle national matches***

John studied his opponent for a moment. Choi was around five five and on the chubby side- probably from all of the years spent as a paper pusher.

John stood there for a second and waited till the general lunged. He expertly dodged the kick to his face and socked the Korean in the stomach. An elbow came back, connecting with Johns nose. He heard and felt the crunch of it breaking and flinched, stumbling backwards. Blood was spewing out everywhere, and he tried to cup a hand beneath it.

The captain looked up and saw the General lunging again. His eyes got bigger and he waited for the final blow. Then he saw Alexander appear behind the General and with an elbow to the back of the skull, knocked him out. He crashed to the ground at John's feet.

Callahan let a deep breath escape his lungs and continued holding his nose. Alex knelt next to him and whipped out some gauze pads and shoved them up the Captain's grimy nose.

John laid a hand on his shoulder and said, "remind me to promote you when we get back."

Alex laughed and replied "Yes sir."

StephB

“Captain Callahan?” came an unknown male voice.

John looked up then swung his eyes towards a series of crab bushes. Just behind them were sand dunes.

“Gunny Jordan, here, Sir. We were beginning to get worried about you.”

John watched as the hidden marine slowly parted the bushes, his face serious.

“It’s good to see you, Gunny,” said John.

Alex flung the unconscious general at Jordan’s feet and grunted. Two marine privates seemed to come from out of nowhere near Jordan’s feet and began to tie the general up around his wrists and ankles.

“We don’t have much time,” said Jordan, grabbing’s Callahan’s arm. “How’s your nose?”

“I’ll live,” said John stoically. As he peered over Jordan’s shoulder, he spied the crack of daylight on the horizon.

“Let’s go,” barked Jordan. He walked through the crab bushes onto the dusty beach. An amphibious vessel waited for them off shore. In the distance, near the horizon was the aircraft carrier, the USS Gallant.

John rushed after Jordan. “There’s still three members of my team uncounted for!”

“They’re on their own. You know that. We’ve got Choi, that’s what matters,” said Jordan, harshly.

John gritted his teeth. Where was Lisa? O’Realic? Jake? He wouldn’t have been able to bring Choi without them. As sand slipped through the laces of his boots, he prayed Lisa and her team would appear shortly. As he turned to look in back of him, he the foliage on fire.

******

“Run!” Lisa barked, grabbing Jake’s arm.

He took the lead, racing off. Lisa gasped for breath. Her equipment finally weighed her down. Just then a loud boom and a steep flames of fire shot into the air. Lisa could feel the heat on her back. The foliage lit up and the fire she’d set off began to quickly spread.

“Gunny! Where are you?” Snapper’s voice cried over the INTERCOM.

“Don’t worry, I’m here. Send off a flare so I know where you’re at,” Lisa commanded.

Within seconds the taunt red aura of Snapper’s flare lit up the sky against the flames. Bullets began to fly.

“Jake, head for O’Realic’s position,” Lisa added.

The young marine nodded his head. Within a minute Lisa and Jake joined O’Realic.

“Now what?” asked Snapper.

“Pray we make it to the beach on time,” Lisa said, drawing in a deep breath. That said, she pointed toward where she believed the checkpoint to be and the three of them galloped off, loud voices and gunfire on their heels.