Delta Three Six Alpha

I squeezed the trigger, and shuddered as the recoil hit me. Then… Dread, as I saw the target fall to the floor… And Hypo with him. Stunned, I lay in that exact position for a moment that seemed like an eternity to my stunned brain. No…

Have I failed? I wondered.

“Clover, get over here now!” Wave’s snarl came over the radio. “We can save him, but we have to get the hell to the RV point, NOW!”

There was no time for guilt or worry. I had to move. While sprinting towards the others, I heard another transmission come in.

“Tango whiskey delta three six alpha, this is tango whiskey delta five zero. A battalion of enemy forces is headed your way. Estimate seventy plus foot-mobiles,”

SEVENTY?!

heavily armed. Recommend you hurry to the RV point, over.”

Well, of course, it was obvious really. We’d just slaughtered one of their main bases without even a second thought. They were going to want vengeance.

“CLOVER! HURRY!” roared Venom. There was no need to be quiet to be quiet now - they knew where we were, and they were coming, a thirst for blood in their veins. I caught up with the rest of the squad, and caught sight of Hypo.

He was okay - well, alive at least. My bullet had just grazed the side of his head, leaving a half-moon shaped crevasse in the side of his skull and a nasty friction burn. He was unconscious, his breathing ragged and short. The round had evidently done more damage than I could see, and we had to get him out and to a medic fast, or he might slip into a coma; and that, in ways, would be worse than death.

“We have to get out of here - they’ve sent an entire fucking army after us, and I’d never thought I’d ever say this when we’re fighting this scum,” Wave spat the word out, his hatred of the insurgents displayed. “but we’re going to have to run. Clover, get Hypo on your shoulder and carry him to the chopper. Stay low, and…” Wave hesitated. He knew the chances of all of us getting out alive were slim, and so did we; but this was a job. Professionalism was essential. And as we all knew too well, neither skill, numbers, or odds dictated who lived and died in war, but pure luck. This was not like Hypo disappearing - if one of us was captured or shot, they’d stay that way. It would be suicide to go back in.
“Gentlemen… it’s been a pleasure working with you. See you at the chopper.” Wave concluded, and ran. We split up - staying together would only make it easier to mow us all down in one burst. The first mile or so was running was easy - just across the forest, no-one would EVER see us. We didn’t know the terrain, just the general direction where the chopper was waiting for us, its engines off, silently awaiting Delta Three Six Alpha squad‘s escape.

Running with Hypo slung over my shoulder was hard, but not impossible. I had to adjust my balance slightly, as to not fall over. But you don’t really notice the change when you’re running for your life.

Ah, fear. Thou art a heartless bitch. I thought to myself as I surveyed the landscape. It was the reason I had thought that, for the last half a mile to the chopper was open, lush grassland - perfect ghillie sniper territory. Almost frozen with the fear of imminent death, I reached for my rifle. If I can just take one or two out before the others get here, I thought, doing my best not to think about the mini-army that would be heading our way any second, then we‘ll all have a better shot at getting through this. I took a split-second decision, and dropped to the floor, gently placing Hypo’s unconscious figure down on the floor, drawing my rifle. I quickly scanned through the scope. Shit. They were too well trained. I couldn’t see anything.

A Snip., the slightest noise from the brush ahead.

A round whistled past my ear.