They were getting closer.
To their left, they heard quite the gunfight. The roar of M4s filled the night. Sounded like three, though it was tough to tell.
To their right, high up in the cliffs, Rivers thought he could hear the report of a rifle. Sure enough, as they closed in on the easterly side of the village, a mob of creatures, these also white, yet more deformed, appeared.
Then, Rivers saw one drop.
Crack.
Then another.
Crack.
He could hear the rifle report in the distance, knew Reynolds was helping out. One shot one kill, the Marine was doing well.
Rivers’ radio barked to life. “Hollywood One, tuck down that alley. Do it now,” Reynolds said.
Rivers didn’t question the sniper, and yanked Svetlana to the left, into the village. Thompson followed. Clements wasn’t far behind, and just as he turned from the rear, he stopped cold. Ahead were two dozen of the creatures. Some looked like deformed insects, others like reptiles blended with humans. It was a horror fest to the likes a man like Clements could not even comprehend. He opened fire, spraying the crowd as Reynolds fired from above.
“This is Sierra Bravo Four, get out of there!” Reynolds shouted.
Clements caught the garbled message just in time. He turned, madly looking around for his team, seeing them as they made their way up the alley.
“Hey, wait up!” he shouted, running after them.
105
The gunfire lasted another ten minutes. A long time for a firefight. The Special Activities Division Operators fought tooth and nail, quickly changing mags, working as a team. As they neared the edge of the village, Dale saw something to his right. He raised his M4, then paused.
Rivers.
“Don’t shoot, man!”
“I told you to stay put.”
“Easier said than done,” Rivers exclaimed.
Dale suddenly knew what the man meant. Behind his old friend were Svetlana and Thompson, followed closely by Clements who was screaming frantically. “Run!”
The seven regrouped, each taking an angle, each firing at anything that moved. They were in utter madness, and the creatures kept coming and coming.
Then, despite the loud screams, the rifle reports, their ringing ears, the men heard something. It was haunting.
From the canyon walls the call came. A howl in the night, one of angst, one distraught in fury.
Ahmed called them back.
Back to the cave.
The creatures responded without hesitation. They hurried off, no longer interested in the team. They snatched up any human bodies along the way, also grabbing their own fallen ones, even mangled flesh of body parts.
The creatures began to eat as they ran, sprinting across the valley floor, headed east. In no time, they were out of visual range, for the darkness was fully encompassing, covering their tracks. The creatures of the night, these sinister beings, bound up the trail, the rocks, back to the calling of Ahmed and the safety of their cave.
106
“We’ve lost transmission, ma’am,” Michael reported.
All the screens flickered, many going black.
“What the hell?” Elizabeth exclaimed, pacing. “Get us back online.”
“Trying,” Michael said, clicking away at a keyboard.
Elizabeth called into her microphone, her voice desperate. “Hollywood One, come in.”
Static.
“Hollywood One, report. Dammit, Jeff! Where are you?” She called out.
Nothing but static.
“Delta One, Delta Two, this is command.”
Nothing.
Michael reported the bad news. “We’ve lost access to their helmet cams. Their radios. Even satellite thermal imagery is gone. They’re alone in there.”
“What does that mean?” Elizabeth asked.
“They’re getting closer to the cave.”
“Can we know who survived?”
“No, ma’am. I’m afraid not.”
Elizabeth quickly switched frequencies, calling out, “Sierra Bravo Four, can you hear me?”
Silence.
“Sierra Bravo Four, are you there?”
*
The Marine kept firing until every last creature he could see in his scope had vanished up the trail. He then looked back down in the valley, counting the team. Seven remained.
This wasn’t good. To make matters worse, the seven moved swiftly from the village, racing across the open desert.
*
“Viki, you get me patched through to the Colonel, and you do it now!” Elizabeth ordered.
Finally, the static had a lull, and she thought she could hear something. “Sierra Bravo Four, do you copy?”
“This is Sierra Bravo Four. Base, can you hear me?”
“Garbled, but yes. What’s the SITREP?”
“It’s bad. Two members down. Delta Five and Six were killed in the village.”
“Say again? In the village?”
“Roger that. They came from the valley. Hundreds of them. More than I could count. They attacked, took out two members. I see the remaining seven.”
“What’s their status?”
“Can’t be good. Lots of gunfire down there. But they’re approaching the trail, headed up.”
“They’re going in?” Elizabeth gasped. For some reason, deep down, she felt they’d pull back. She knew this had never been an option, but her instincts told her to stop them.
“They’re halfway up the trail. See some shots, must be a few more.”
There was a moment of silence, Elizabeth wondering if something had happened to Reynolds. But soon, his voice came back again. “Gave them some cover. Need to switch positions. Can’t see the entrance of the cave right now.”
“We’ll lose contact,” Elizabeth replied.
“They need me closer,” Reynolds insisted.
“Tell me, Colonel . . . do they have enough ammo. Can they accomplish this mission?” Elizabeth asked.
A pause. It lasted long enough that she feared she’d lost reception. Then, a pop and a crackle and Reynolds voice reappeared. “Hotel Bravo, this is Sierra Bravo One. The team will not have enough ammo to accomplish the mission. They’re going in, and they’re going to their deaths.”
“Oh, God!” Elizabeth exclaimed.
“Hotel Bravo, I’m going to provide them whatever cover I can.”
“Sierra Bravo Four, you must tell them to pull out. Mission terminated. Tell them to back off and we’ll resupply.” Elizabeth knew this wasn’t smart, she knew it might even end her career. But she couldn’t chance it. She couldn’t chance losing Jeff Rivers to a bunch of raving lunatic creatures.
“Negative on that,” Reynolds reported. “Lost transmission myself. I’m going in. This is Sierra Bravo Four, signing off.”
“May God be with you,” Elizabeth whispered.
107
Elizabeth was on the phone. Same procedure as before, seventh floor of Langley. She heard the same monotone man answer, the cryptic voice.
“We have a problem,” Elizabeth began. She gave the details as concise as possible. After doing so, she asked, “How do I proceed? I’d like to request backup.”
“You know that is not an option.”
“I want to insert an emergency GRF immediately!” she demanded. A Global Reactionary Force could be dropped in within an hour. Two, max. McClain’s team, Elizabeth thought.
“Negative. There will be no backup,” the voice said.
“They’ll be out of ammo. There’s too many. It’s a death trap!” she cried out, nearly begging, filled with despair, hopeless and becoming enraged.
“They’ll do what they can do. Perhaps if we eliminate as many as possible, we can lower their numbers.”
“It’s a death sentence for my team. They don’t know how many they’re up against. The Colonel counted many more. Hundreds. They’re setting a trap and our team won’t make it out alive.”
“It’s wh
at they signed up to do,” the voice reminded.
“Negative. They signed up to complete this mission. They can drop back, resupply, go back in.”
“This mission is hereby terminated,” the voice said.
“Say what? By whose authority? It’s my gig.” Elizabeth was appalled.
“We’re controlling it from Langley now. Your systems will shut down. A team will arrive within the hour to pack up your gear. You’ll be on a flight back to the states tonight.”
“I’m not leaving. Not without my team. Not without Jeff,” she replied.
“You’re under orders,” the voice reminded.
“Well, fuck your orders!” Elizabeth screamed. “I’m not going to allow this to happen.”
A moment after these words were spoken, all the lights went out in the command room. Only emergency lighting remained, and it wasn’t enough. They’d lost power, the feed cut from thousands of miles away.
While Michael and Viki raced to find a solution, Elizabeth screamed into the phone. “This isn’t fair. This isn’t part of the deal. We can still stop these things.”
“I’m afraid this mission is unsuccessful. Your team will do their job, though. They’ll kill as many as they can. They’ll fight to their very deaths.”
“This is not acceptable.”
“It is for us. You are to prepare for evacuation. Pack your gear. You’re headed home.”
“To hell I’m not! You’ve forgotten something. Option B, you son of a bitch.”
“Option B? You don’t mean . . . that was scrapped long ago. It’s not an option.”
“It is an option. The only option I have to save them. I have the bomb. We can still kill them all and get my team out.”
“You aren’t unauthorized to place anyone else into that valley. That understood?”
“Fine, then I’ll do it myself, you fucking prick!”
“I will say this one last time. Your Operation is over. Cease all activity or I’ll contact General Kline. I’ll have you placed into custody if need be,” the voice warned.
“Go to hell. I’m completing my mission and saving my team.”
Elizabeth slammed down the sat phone, turning to her two aides. “Michael, get it ready.”
“Elizabeth, I can’t. I can’t do that.”
“You will. It’s an order. Viki, is the G750 ready?”
“Engines running. But Elizabeth, you can’t possibly be . . .”
“I will not let Jeff and the team die out there. I’ll not let this mission go to waste.”
“You know what you’re doing, don’t you?” Michael asked.
“It’s a one way trip. Yes, I know. Now ready the plane and get the bomb,” Elizabeth ordered.
Michael’s eyes filled with tears.
He had no words.
108
Reynolds moved closer, climbing down the rocks, nearing the bottom. He could no longer see the team, no longer had contact with them. He tried to raise them, over and over again, but to no avail. He needed to find a new position, closer, perhaps he could do something. Perhaps he could help.
*
They were now at the mouth of the cave.
“Fuck Dale, where’s Marcus? Hernandez?” Clements asked. He was shaking, eyes wide in horror.
“Delta Five and Six are dead, brother. They’re dead.”
“What?” Clements couldn’t grasp the notion.
“We mourn later,” Dale replied. “Time to keep moving. We need to go in.”
Thompson’s eyes were wide in disbelief. He couldn’t believe his friends were dead. Shaking his head, he looked into the darkness of the cave, saying, “Delta One, we spent up a lot of our ammo.”
“Double taps. Use full auto only if necessary,” Dale responded.
“Did you see how many of those fuckers there were?” Thompson asked.
“I did,” Dale replied. “Boys, the operation remains. We go in and we go in hard. Conserve your ammo. Head shots if we can.”
“Hold up,” Rivers stated, pausing them. “I have something that might help.” He reached to Clements, yanking at the man’s pack.
“What the fuck, Hollywood?” Clements protested.
“Calm down, Country Fuck. Got a surprise for these bastards,” Rivers replied. Unzipping the pack, he pulled out a large case. “That ought to ease your load some.”
“Fuck yeah,” Clements responded, turning and looking as Rivers crouched down. The others, all but Dale, covered their angles. They changed magazines, did quick inventories, estimated the ammo they had left.
All the while Rivers messed with his gear, pulling out an assortment of electronic equipment. He took the first thing, something made of plastic, and unfolded the wings.
“Looks like one of those RC planes,” Dale commented with raised eyebrows.
“More like a hawk,” Rivers explained, unfolding the mechanism, which indeed looked like a hawk. “I call this one ‘Hawkeye’. My own special upgrades.” Rivers then produced a small handheld tablet, pushed a few buttons, and an image appeared on the screen. He held up the six pound flying machine, holding its head toward Dale and showing him the screen. “You’re on camera,” he said.
“What’s this, some kinda drone?” Dale asked.
“Yup,” Rivers said. “Now watch.”
With the click of a few buttons, the bird came to life. A low hum, a light tune of frequency was heard.
Rivers added, “We’ll have night vision, thermal readings, you name it.” He then handed the tablet to Dale, holding out the drone, facing it toward the inside of the cave. “Mind pushing the green button?” he asked.
Dale did.
Moments later, Rivers let go. The mostly plastic and carbon built mini-drone now hovered above the ground. River reached over, grabbing the tablet, allowing his AK-47 to sling by his side. “Now watch.” Clicking a few more buttons, and viewing the screen, he steered the hawk into the cave.
*
“Elizabeth!” Michael shouted, rushing after her. “You can’t be serious.”
“I won’t allow them to die like that. This is the only way.”
“You’ll die,” Michael stated.
“And they’ll live. Besides, you never know, I might make it out.” Elizabeth pulled her parachute tight, cinching the straps, preparing herself. Her hair was back tight, a pistol strapped to her hip. She then reached out, ready, hands extended.
Michael reluctantly nodded, handing her another small pack. He helped her attach it to her chest. It was small, twelve inches all around. It was heavy though. “This good? Won’t get in your way?”
“It’s fine,” Elizabeth said. Her tone was solemn. She had dreamed of this day, this possibility. She now faced her worse fear ever—death.
“Where will you land?”
“I’ll have the pilot take me close. I’ll need to HALO jump to get there in time. I’ll jump from the east side, land on the top of the ridge.”
“It’s a long climb down,” Michael warned.
“There’s another entrance.”
“Say what?”
“At least, we think so. I can enter from the top, make my way from the backside. With some luck, I’ll get down there in time.”
“What about the team?”
“Once in, I’ll see if my radio works. But if what Reynolds said is true, communication might be lost. You and Viki, you two work fast. Hack into whatever satellite you need, get me some form of communication.”
“I will. Viki is already working on it.”
“Get in touch with the team. Tell them full abort . . . and Michael, whatever you do, don’t tell them I’m going in.”
“Yes, ma’am,” he gulped.
Before leaving, Elizabeth turned, a stiff smile on her face. “It’s been a pleasure, Michael. You’re a good kid. Tell Viki I said the same.”
“It’s been an honor,” Michael said, tears flowing down his cheeks.
There were no other goodbyes, nothing else was needed. It was time. Elizab
eth hurried across the tarmac, fully loaded, weighed down with the only known thing that might help.
A miniaturized Thermobaric bomb. Specially made, hardly tested.
“Let’s hope this works,” Elizabeth said to herself, boarding the Gulfstream.
The engines raced and the plane took off, entering the darkness of the night.
109
The drone flew into the darkness, its night vision allowing Rivers a large field of view. The screen was green, and Rivers raced the bird down the long hallway, into the depths.
“This should do it. This should allow us some form of detail,” he said.
“Anything yet?” Dale asked.
“Nothing. They’ve moved deeper in. Let’s just hope it’s out of fear and not a trap.”
Before Dale could reply, Rivers gasped. “What? What happened?” Dale questioned.
“The drone. It just went down.”
“Did you crash it?”
“No . . . was nearing the end of the corridor and it . . .” Rivers paused, clicking a button, rewinding the feed. “Let’s find out what happened.”
Moments later they watched the video. It was quick, a mere flash. But something had shot out, smashed into the drone.
“Play that again,” Dale requested. “Slower, if you can.”
“Yup,” Rivers replied, slowing the video down to six frames a second. It didn’t take long before he saw it, and pushed a button quickly to freeze it. He opened his mouth, appalled. “What the hell is that, Dale?”
“It’s a fucking arm.”
“Looks it. Thing is, do you see one of them? I sure as hell don’t.”
“No, just an arm. Must be a crevice one’s hiding in. See, it reaches from that wall there.”
“A trap,” Rivers confirmed.
“Looks it.”
“One more thing,” Rivers said.
“Jeff, we need to move in. We have them on their heels. Time to get this shit done.”
“One sec,” Rivers said, fumbling with the last contents of his pack. He pulled out a dozen small items, then two dozen more.
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