Rescue Or Recovery

by Dave Hazel

  Mykal thought it odd as he pulled his leather pouch open but he had to get with Captain Diaz later and talk to him about his God stuff some time. ‘If God is helping with this, I’m okay with that cuz I need all the help I can get. Good for you Diaz. God, I hope you’re listening to Diaz cuz I know I’m a piece of—,’ he stopped his thoughts when he was going to use a cuss word even though it was in reference to himself. He knew he couldn’t talk that ‘kind of’ trash to Diaz’s God. ‘I mean, I know I’m a piece of garbage,’ he thought and focused on the task at hand.

  Mykal said the words and did the actions Towbar taught him. His hands trembled, because if this didn’t work they would probably not survive the day. He forced himself to remain calm since he had done the act of producing the green fog several times in the past. Suddenly, as if a miracle just occurred, out in the front of them was the green fog. He wanted to cry out joyfully that his right hand and arm was green and trembling. “Come on,” he yelled but his voice cracked. “Come on. Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go,” he shouted and wanted to shout out with joy that he was actually bringing Doninka, and the rest of the men, back to the Pass.

  Mykal had to make a split second decision; ‘Do I go to the front of the Pass or do the normal routine and go to the rear?’

  “Are we cool Mykal?” Randy asked from inside the vehicle. The question was basically asking if he did it and would they return to the Pass.

  “You got it brother,” Mykal yelled and couldn’t help the tears that rolled down his cheek not just because of the success at hand, but that he would be able to be with Pam and his boys again. “We gotta go. Let’s go go go go,” he yelled while he waved his arm wildly for his men to follow. He and Towbar jumped into the vehicle as Barry stopped for them.

  The next few minutes seemed to flash by in an instant. All the men got inside the vehicles and followed Barry’s lead into the green fog. Everyone felt the dizzying effect. Mykal knew he did it. Though Zizmon-Tarl had somehow targeted Towbar and prevented him from using the green fog, Mykal was able to get it done. He knew it worked.

  The dizzying effect made him drop to his knees and he just hoped everyone got inside the green fog because he produced it so it would only last a short time. He didn’t want to feel guilty if someone didn’t make it through and got stuck there with the enemy chasing them. Mykal wanted to laugh and he wanted to cry. He felt like he had accomplished the impossible. Doninka was going to be home and out from under the hand of the evil bad guy Zizmon-Tarl. He was more than saddened and filled with guilt for not realizing he could perform the green fog when it was known Towbar couldn’t. Almost two dozen men died who didn’t have to die. ‘Why didn’t I think of that? Those men would still be alive!’ He berated himself, but then realized Doninka was rescued from the other side of the world. Doninka was taken away from the enemy before the forced trade; her a princess, for her father, the King. ‘I need to rejoice and celebrate,’ he scolded himself mentally. He knew this would be another thing that would beat him up with guilt and condemnation to add to all the other miseries that piled onto him mentally and emotionally during his stay in Towbar’s world.

  When the green fog cleared Mykal began yelling orders about making sure no bad guys came through the green fog with them. The vehicles were spread out but regrouped quickly. There were no enemy forces in their group. He saw the three remaining Hawkmen grouped together and seemed to be discussing the strange travel they just experienced. Of the six Hawkmen they met one had been killed a few weeks back under the mountains by a pair of pterodactyls. The Purple one had been killed by the group of killer gorillas and now the Yellow one had been executed by the Tah-kahseebowns for aiding and assisting the enemies of the state, enemies of Zizmon-Tarl.

  By the rock wall to Mykal’s side he knew he brought them where he desired them to be, about two miles from the Pass opening along the rock wall. They would come upon the bodies carried out from previous battles, some had been burned and most rotted away but he didn’t care about that. They made it back.

  Mykal gathered the leaders and told them where they were and immediately men were on the radio calling the Pass asking for medical assistance and help should the Sosos get uptight and attack. They made it clear that the objective, to rescue Princes Doninka had been completed and they were coming back. It was a Rescue Mission and not a Recovery Mission to retrieve her body. Mykal believed King Loankore III was in the Pass and would love to see his daughter now that he wouldn’t have to give himself up for her.

  Mykal was so relieved that he brought her back, but he knew the war wasn’t over. There was plenty of fighting to be had. Mykal needed to bring up his idea to help by going back to the other side of the world and capturing some of the zombies inside the mountain and releasing them among Zizmon-Tarl’s people.

  3.

  Mykal avoided the fanfare and excitement of the reunion of Doninka with her father, King Loankore III. He wanted to get a shower and avoid the press of people. He snuck away to retreat in his eight man tent. From his tent he could hear the joyful excitement expressed primarily by Towbar’s people but all the others joined into the celebratory mood including the Dwarven people and the newest arrivals, the Elves as well as Mykal’s people.

  Mykal lay back on his cot and felt he could sleep for two days straight after all they had been through. His thoughts focused on Pam and his two sons and wondered if he should go back to the real world to be with them. He didn’t want to abandon Towbar when the giant was going to need him the most. Not that he as one individual would make all that much difference because the military of his world was here and he believed they would be able to beat back the enemy. Mykal believed the Sosos would instigate their attacks as soon as February 7th came and went and there was no trade for the King.

  He also believed Zizmon-Tarl would return his forces in full force since the current plan to take over Towbar’s land over a simple trade had failed. Mykal thought the intensity would increase and the vitriol would be stronger than ever since the plan fell apart when they rescued the Princess Doninka from their midst. He wondered if he would have to go back to retrieve more forces, weapons and supplies to help hold the ground. He knew his people; Percy, President John J. Edmonds and certain generals, including Colonel Fisher, would want to do everything they could to hold this piece of ground in order to take advantage of the resources that Towbar’s world had. The people of Towbar’s world had no idea what they had available to them.

  ‘How much will they give if I go back to get more?’ Mykal wondered while he lay there. ‘Percy said they have to ride it out until the election to ensure President Edmonds was re-elected. So they may not give much right now.’

  “My friend,” Towbar said with joyful excitement when he entered Mykal’s tent. “What are you doing in here? Why are you not out there celebrating the victory we have achieved? Many wish to bestow their thanks upon you for all you have done. The men who returned with us are being treated like war heroes for the great act we have accomplished. King Loankore is grateful and desires to thank you personally. Mocret and Calson are there and celebrating,” he said in reference to the two men who had been captured with Doninka and returned with the message of the trade a month ago. The two men had been brutalized and had their eyes gouged out before they had been returned. “They are thankful you advised them not to give up their lives when their eyes had been taken from them. They would like to thank you personally as well my friend.”

  “I appreciate that Towbar,” Mykal laughed lightly because he just realized he was being the party-pooper. “I just had to get away. I needed a shower before I did anything and once I got done I realized how friggin tired and beat I was so I wanted to come lay down for a little bit.”

  Towbar studied his face. “Is that all it is my friend? I have come to know when you have something on your mind that you do not share with your words.”

  Mykal started to laugh. “What, are you my second wife now?” He chuckled. “That’s what Pam says
when I don’t open up about stuff,” he continued to laugh when Towbar gave him a befuddled look. “The truth is I’ve been thinking about Pam and the boys and how much I miss them. I realize I coulda been killed a couple of times and they woulda never known what happened. I guess I’m feeling sorry for myself cuz I miss them so much.”

  “Do you desire to depart and go back to your world my friend?”

  “I do. But I can’t. Not right now. I’m not gonna leave you hanging when I know the real shit is about to hit the fan,” he said and had to laugh at the strange look on Towbar’s face. He had explained that word picture just as he had explained it to Doninka previously. He continued to laugh because of Towbar’s response was one of confused shock as to how anyone would come up with such a term that had such a gross mental connotation to it. “I mean, don’t get me wrong. I know I’m only one man, but I told you I would help you see this through.”

  “You are more than one man my friend. You are the Mighty Mykal Graves, the Mykal Graves of Mykal’s Marauders,” Towbar said with a seriousness that was expressed in his facial features. “You are my brother and my friend for life. I would rather have you at my side than my army. My debt to you is eternal my friend. You have done more for my people than any other. It is because of you that Doninka, the Princess Doninka, is safe and back in our homeland. That also means that you saved the life of our King. You are--”

  “Enough Towbar,” Mykal gasped and laughed out loud and held his hands up to stop the giant. “We did it together. I appreciate all you said and I mean that. But we did it. Me, you and all those great men out there,” he added and felt uncomfortable receiving such praise. “But anyway, I don’t think we’d be able to go back and get more of my men and weapons any time soon cuz we gotta get past the election that’s coming up in nine months. Don’t take that wrong either, cuz if things start going bad I’ll go back and force them to give up whatever we need cuz they wanna come here and make this place a permanent base. They won’t let this place fall into the hands of the enemy. That’s a promise. But we gotta ride it out for the time being because of all the political crap going on in my world.”

  “I see my friend. I believe our force may be strong enough. We have your mighty force here, though it is a smaller force, it is the greatest force of all the forces assembled. We have my force and my people must fight to the death since we are fighting for our lives. The Dwarven people are committed to the end my friend. King Krago has made it clear if they allow the Sosos and their allies to win they will never be allowed to exit the mountains. And now we have the Elves. I believe they have made the decision to move to these lands. I will confirm that with the Elvin leaders this day or tomorrow. If they shall stay then I will go back to their lands and retrieve the rest of their people. Thus they will have to fight for their lives also. They will have nowhere else to go. Should they decide to stay on the other side of the world, they know they are about to face increased warfare.”

  “Yeah and we know the Sosos have several nations to the north,” Mykal replied. “But we don’t know what Zizmon-Tarl is gonna bring here to assist the Sosos. I know we only had a small glimpse of what he has to throw at us. I’m sure he has a whole bunch more funky shit to drop on us that we haven’t even seen yet.”

  “I agree with you my friend.”

  “That’s why I really think we should take a group of people, obviously those who are willing to go and those who know they are gonna be at serious risk of danger and go back,” he stopped and paused to think through if he was really willing to commit himself to such a task.

  “Go back my friend?”

  “Yeah. I think we should go back, go back inside that mountain and capture some of those zombies and let them loose in his populated cities. It’ll spread like a bad germ or a virus. It will mess up his human forces for sure,” he paused again while Towbar thought through the suggestion. “I know I brought it up before and we all kinda laughed about it, but I’m serious. As Roy Jr. would say, I’m serious as all get out,” he added and chuckled.

  “There would be great risk. There would be great danger,” Towbar said softly. “Yet there would be great suffering and loss on the side of the enemy.”

  “And I have a great name for our little task,” he added and laughed as if that would be the deciding factor. “You know how when we first came here my people were called Towbar One and our mission was called Operation: Towbar’s Sword?”

  “Yes my friend.”

  “Well this one would be called Operation: Zombie Apocalypse,” he said and laughed and clapped his hands together. “Cuz we’re gonna cause one hell of a catastrophe, one hell of a disaster with the use of Zombies. And the ironic point is I believe Mister dumb ass Ziggy created those things. So those zombies, hopefully of his creation would be what brings him down. We just have to get in there and capture a couple or a few and let them loose in his lands. Or if I let Mathis name the operation he would call it Operations: UBAH, Ugly Big Ass Head,” he added and laughed.

  “I see the value in such a task. I think we should wait until the Sosos High Holy Day to see how they respond when they find the King will not be given over in trade for the princess who is no longer in the hands of Zizmon-Tarl.”

  “That’s cool. I’m good with that.”

  “Would you like to go join in the celebrations with me my friend? King Loankore would like to personally thank you for your role in rescuing Doninka.”

  “Yeah, I guess I could go out there. I’m so thankful that we pulled off a mission of rescue and not a mission to recover her body. We did a great job, and though everyone wants to kick back and have a beer to relax, we’re not finished yet. I think the worst is yet to come.”

  The End of Book 5

  PERSONNEL TO SEARCH FOR DONINKA

  Fourth trip to other side Towbar’s World Chapters 17-21

  *- Original Lost Patrol Survivors

  ## - Replacements, $$ Newest Replacements

  *- Mykal Graves

  Towbar

  Roy Jr. Dosch Civilian

  Randy Dosch Civilian

  *- Captain Diaz C.O. Marine

  *- Lieutenant Finley Platoon Leader Green Beret

  *- Starling Elf

  *- Leeno Elf

  *- Blair Elf

  *- Nordad Wizard

  *- Codlon Warrior

  *- Agnor Warrior

  Egoneal Elf

  Uminair Elf

  ##- Glamdir Elf

  Rogal Towbar’s soldier

  Malidon Towbar’s soldier

  ##- Bleemar Towbar’s soldier

  ##- Mootal Towbar’s soldier

  ##- Stegnaw Towbar’s soldier

  Norg Dwarf

  ##- Chalkfind Dwarf

  ##- Nagmund Dwarf

  ##- Nuckhorn Dwarf

  Squad 1 – US Marines:

  *- Gunnery Sergeant Ratner

  *- Staff Sergeant Fuller

  ##- Sergeant Styles

  $$- Corporal Strong

  Sergeant Baines

  ##- Corporal Reagan

  *- Corporal ‘Winnie’ Winfield

  $$- Sergeant Level (medic)

  Sergeant Mathis (radio)

  Private First Class Anka

  ##- Lance Corporal Cullum

  *- Private First Class Flesch

  Squad 2 – US Marines:

  *- Staff Sergeant Moreno

  *- Sergeant Kalhoun

  ##- Corporal Foster

  *- Private First Class Chandler

  *- Private First Class Ferria

  ##- Private First Class Hernandez

  *- Corporal Adkins

  Lance Corporal Little Thunder

  Corporal Renner (medic)

  Lance Corporal Cremona (radio)

  $$- Corporal Rivers

  ##- Private First Class Blunt

  Squad 3 – US Army:

  Sergeant First Class Lemon (GB)

  ##- Staff Sergeant Flowers (GB)

  Sergeant Fish (GB)

  ##- Serge
ant Jackson (GB)

  *- Staff Sergeant Campbell (GB)

  *- Sergeant Freeman (GB)

  ##- Sergeant White (medic) (GB)

  $$- Sergeant Saunders (GB)

  Corporal Vega (radio) (Ranger)

  *- Sergeant McPherson (Ranger)

  ##- Sergeant Delgado (Ranger)

  *- Corporal Hall (Ranger)

  Squad 4 – US Army:

  $$- Staff Sergeant Pinkerton (GB)

  ##- Sergeant Malone (Ranger)

  ##- Corporal Donaldson (Ranger)

  $$- Sergeant Hillberg (82nd)

  $$- Sergeant Kearny (Ranger)

  ##- Sergeant Dirkson (Ranger)

  ##- Sergeant Aubrey (GB)

  Sergeant Sherman (radio) (Ranger)

  Sergeant Nikopolous (GB)

  ##- Sergeant Thornton (medic) (GB)

  Corporal Davidson (82nd)

  ##- Corporal Harris (82nd)

  Media:

  Vick Daring

  Benjamin Milnar (camera)

  Josh Collins

  Jeff ‘Lil Bit’ Bennett (camera)

  Army Transport 4-man Fire Teams:

  Alpha-Staff Sergeant Barry

  Alpha -Sergeant Simmons

  Alpha -Corporal Nelson

  Alpha -Private E2 Wilde

  Bravo -Sergeant Walker

  Bravo -Sergeant Levine

  Bravo -Corporal Jackson

  Bravo -Private First Class Fields

  Charlie -Sergeant Hackett

  Charlie $$- Corporal Younger

  Charlie $$- Corporal Derringer

  Charlie -Private E3 Yelchin

  Delta -Staff Sergeant Feldman

  Delta -Sergeant Santos

  Delta -Corporal Emmerson

  Delta -Private E2 Voinovich

  Echo -Sergeant Babbitt

  Echo -Sergeant Olson

  Echo -Corporal Bakker

  Echo -Private First Class Kaczmarek

  Foxtrot -Sergeant Quinn

  Foxtrot -Sergeant Wagner