UNSCDF2 Chapter 5- Hostile Takeover

Safdar Kalay District

Haji Aziz, Kandahar, Afghanistan

April 6, 2001

1815 Local Time

            Zyrok and the marines fired at the door as it swung open. To their surprise, there was no one. The marines held their fire as they looked at each other cluelessly. Suddenly, a small cylinder rolled into the ground beside them.

            “Cover!” Zyrok shouted as he jumped away.

            The cylinder exploded with a very deafening bang and flashed an intensive burst of light. Then everything happened so quickly as the marines struggled to get back into situational awareness. Two militia armed with AK47s sprinted inside and knocked Casey and Foo to the ground. Zyrok tried to aim his gun at the militia when another armed man rushed into the room and disarmed Forester. The man had a bowie knife pressed against Forester’s neck and Zyrok pointed his gun at Forester’s captor.

            “Drop it soldier.” an old man with a beard walked in with two more militia behind him.

            Zyrok turned his head at the old man while training his gun at Forester’s threat.

            “Not a good idea. Put your gun down.” the man repeated as the two men behind him pointed their MP5s at Zyrok’s head.

            “I’m surprised you speak English.” Zyrok exclaimed refusing to lower his gun.

            “If you want to talk, put your gun down or the other way is not so pleasant.” the old man laughed.

            Zyrok scanned the room quickly and noticed Casey and Foo lying flat to the ground with two militia training their weapons at their back. He noticed that they didn’t seem to be aware of the unconscious Taylor lying on the ground. Perhaps they had assumed he was dead. Zyrok looked at Forester mildly struggling as the man pressed the blade to her neck. Seeing that he was outnumbered and had no plans out, Zyrok sighed.

            “Fine, let’s talk.” Zyrok lowered the pistol and dropped it to the ground.

            “Kick the gun over and get on your knees.” the old man commanded.

            Zyrok listened obediently as he kicked his pistol away from him and got on to his knees. For the first time, Zyrok felt scared in a new different way. Had it been zombies, he would have died quickly instead of wondering when his last breath was.

            “There.” Zyrok held his hands in the air as he looked at the old man.

            “Good.” the old man smiled as he rubbed his chin.

            Zyrok saw a man run up to him and removed the kukri from Zyrok’s belt. The old man nodded to the man and the man nodded back.

            “Wait…” Zyrok blurted as he saw the man beside him swing the butt of his gun to the side of his head.

            The helmet adsorbed bits of the shock, but Zyrok’s head spun in sharp pain. He heard Forester screaming in the background as he slowly collapsed to the ground. Zyrok watched out from his broken visor with droopy eyes as he saw two boots step in front of him. He could feel himself getting picked up and then the world turned black.

Haji Aziz, Kandahar, Afghanistan

Safdar Kalay District

April 6, 2001

1845 Local Time

            “Lieutenant, we found their location.” Cookson spoke on the RaidComm.

            “Where?” Frederick responded back.

            “One block north of your location.” Cookson answered.

            “Got it. On our way.” Frederick patted Hariprasad.

            Hariprasad turned the Warthog and sped down an intersection. Frederick looked around the streets with her SA80 while May constantly rotated the turret to different buildings. The Warthog halted to a stop as Cookson and Christopher stood beside their Mongoose.

            “Set up a perimeter.” Frederick got out of her seat.

            “Yes ma’am.” Cookson nodded and walked off.

            “Where are they?” Frederick asked Christopher.

            “There.” Christopher pointed at a decapitated marine on the ground.

            “Oh damn, that’s Simon.” Hariprasad walked up beside the corpse.

            “Looks like their ride got blown up as well.” Frederick looked at bits and pieces of a Warthog littering the battle torn street.

            “We’re too late.” Hariprasad crouched beside his fallen comrade.

            “Look around. See if you can find some trace of them.” Frederick commanded.

            “Yes ma’am.” Christopher saluted.

            “May! Let’s look around.” Frederick shouted.

            “Yes Lieutenant.” May replied and hopped off the turret.

            “It looks like Echo tried for cover.” Frederick looked at a building with a section of its wall blown off.

            “Looks like grenade launcher or RPG.” May examined the blast radius.

            “Weapons ready marines.” Frederick slid along the wall to the opening.

            “Go!” May shouted at Christopher and Hariprasad.

            The two marines moved into the opening in an organized manner while May covered from behind.

            “Room’s clear.” Christopher shouted.

            May and Frederick moved in and stepped over a couple of bodies.

            “These folks aren’t militia. They’re terrorists.” Frederick kicked at an AK47.

            “It looks like they were holed up in here.” Christopher speculated.

            “Perimeter secured LT.” Cookson spoke on the RaidComm.

            “Copy Cookson. Stay sharp.” Frederick spoke back.

            “No UNSC marines here…odd.” May looked at the bodies.

            “Let’s check that room. The door looks breached.” Frederick pointed her gun at a door filled with bullet holes.

            “Breach and clear.” May ordered.

            Christopher steadied his M16 as May pushed the door aside. Christopher stormed in followed by May and Hariprasad.

            “We got a man down here!” May shouted.

            Frederick walked into the room as she saw Taylor lying on the ground.

            “Look around, see if there’s any more.” Frederick crouched beside Taylor and checked his pulse.

            “It’s only him.” Christopher reported.

            “I got a weak pulse. I need a medic.” Frederick called out.

            “Let’s administer a dose of morphine.” May opened her backpack and pulled out a needle.

            May injected the needle into Taylor’s arm and checked his pulse.

            “Heart rate’s dropping. Christopher, get the medic bag on the Warthog for me. Hurry!” May shouted.

            Christopher rushed out of the room as May emptied her backpack onto the ground beside Taylor.

            “Hang in there Taylor.” Frederick looked at the unconscious marine.

            “He’s not going to make it.” May checked Taylor’s pulse.

            “Here!” Christopher sprinted to the ground and dropped a bag beside May.

            “Get the clothes off his chest!” May ordered as she opened the bag.

            Frederick pulled out her bowie knife while Hariprasad removed Taylor’s flak jacket. Next, Frederick cut the clothes open revealing Taylor’s bare chest.

            “Step away.” May pulled out a defibrillator and placed two pads onto Taylor’s chest.

            “Hold on Taylor.” Frederick looked nervously.

            “Clear!” May shouted as she pressed a button.

            The defibrillator delivered a jolt of electricity and shook Taylor. May touched Taylor’s neck for a pulse reading and smirked with frustration.

            “He’s not stabilizing!” May looked through the medic bag.

            “Hit the defibrillator again.” Hariprasad suggested.

            “It’s only got two shocks left. It will be a waste.” May pulled out a box and ripped out a needle.

May dropped the box to the ground and Frederick glanced at it. It was marked “Adrenaline”. May pierced the needle into Taylor’s chest and emptied the contents.

            “Clear!” May shouted as she pressed the button on the defibrillator.

            Taylor’s body jerked as the electricity jolted through him. Suddenly, Taylor’s eyes opened and he gasped for air. May grabbed an oxygen canister and attached a mask to Taylor.

            “Breathe in slowly. Everything is okay.” May assured Taylor.

            Taylor closed his eyes as rich oxygen filled his lungs.

            “Phew, that was close.” Hariprasad breathed relief.

            “Yeah.” Frederick agreed as he watched Taylor rest on the ground.

            “Give him a few minutes and he should be fine.” May stood up as she wiped her face with her sleeve.

            “Good job May. You saved a life today.” Frederick congratulated.

            “It was nothing.” May breathed heavily.

            After a couple of minutes, Taylor slowly opened his eyes. He picked himself off the ground and looked at the marines huddled around him.

            “Easy there.” May assisted Taylor to his feet.

            “Taylor, what happened?” Frederick asked.

            Taylor squinted his eyes and took off his oxygen mask.

            “I remember an explosion and then being carried.” Taylor breathed out.

            “What next?” Frederick handed Taylor her water bottle.

            “I remember myself on the ground and I couldn’t open my eyes.” Taylor took the bottle and took a sip.

            “Was it here that it happened?” Frederick pointed to the ground.

            “I don’t know. I heard gunshots and people talking. The last thing I remember was a woman screaming.” Taylor replied.

            “Forester…” Frederick looked upset.

            “I’m sorry Lieutenant, that’s all I recall.” Taylor handed the water bottle back to Frederick.

            “No, you did great. May, contact base. We may have hostages.” Frederick put the water bottle onto her belt.

            “Roger.” May nodded.

            “Hariprasad, assist Taylor to the Warthog.” Frederick commanded.

            “Base, this is Jackal. We’ve located Taylor, but the rest of Echo is missing. We may have hostages, over.” May spoke on the RaidComm.

            “Copy Jackal, give me a second. All UNSC personnel here have an emergency transponder in their helmet in case they get lost in the desert. I’ll head to the communications tent to take a look. Hold for a few minutes, over.” Sears replied back.

            “Roger, holding.” May waited.

            “Alright, it seems that Forester’s transponder was activated five minutes ago.” Sears reported.

            “Base, where is she?” Frederick interrupted.

            “By the looks of it, she’s on a vehicle and about to exit your district.” Sears spoke quickly.

            “Location Sears, I need it now!” Frederick waved at her marines as she rushed out of the building.

            “Two clicks northwest of your district.” Sears reported.

            “Copy, two clicks northwest. Base, dispatch the rest of Jackal Squadron under my direct orders.” Frederick commanded.

            “Copy Lieutenant, will do. Shall I dispatch a Pelican?” Sears offered.

            “Don’t, they’ve got missiles. Get two Warthogs with turrets and one troop transport Warthog.” Frederick replied.

            “Roger Lieutenant, I’ve just notified your squadron.” Sears replied.

            “Taylor, stay here and wait to get picked up. Turn on your emergency transponder.” Frederick waved at Taylor.

            “Ma’am, I want to fight.” Taylor replied.

            “Well, there aren’t enough seats. Wait and we’ll take on them together.” Frederick pointed at the building.

            “Yes ma’am.” Taylor replied and ran towards the building whilst turning on his transponder.

            “Base, get Jackal to pick up Taylor via his transponder and then ask Williams to head towards Forester.” Frederick spoke on the RaidComm.

            Frederick watched as Christopher climbed behind Cookson’s Mongoose and then got into the passenger’s seat of the Warthog.

            “These terrorists shall pay for Simon’s death.” Hariprasad shouted angrily.

            “Hell yeah!” May agreed as she fist pumped in the air from the turret.

            “Step on it marine!” Frederick shouted as she cocked her SA80.