We Who Serve

Chapter Two

"But you died. You were shot twice!" Gaz spoke, stepping forward, not believing his eyes. 

"Now is not the time to be going into this," Grimes muttered as she pulled her hood back up over her head and grabbed the man's ankle again. 

"Yes, it damn well is!" Soap rumbled as he marched over to her. 

"No, it is not," Grimes turned and looked at him, "There plus 20 men about one minute out. So if you wanna stay and fight them, then be my guest." 

"What's your plan to get out?" Price asked her as he knew it would take longer than a minute for their evac to arrive. 

"Just over the hill there." She muttered as she turned and picked up the man's unconscious body, carrying him over her shoulder. She began to make her way to the sandy hill. "I suggest you follow me if you want a ride out of here." Grimes walked up the hill while listening to their conversation about her. The main question was how she was still alive. Grimes was the first to descend the hill towards the military-style open-top desert vehicle. It only had two seats at the front but had a boot where people could sit in.

Just as she launched the unconscious man into the boot, she heard the shouting of the backup men arriving at the warehouse. She turned to look at the four men just at the hill's bottom. 

"Let's move!" Grimes yelled as she jumped into the driver's seat and turned on the engine. She put on her mask as she waited for them to jump in. The shouting was getting louder as they must have followed the trail in the sand towards the hill. Ghost was the first in, and he sat in the passenger seat while Soap, Gaz and Price squeezed into the back where the man lay. 

"Hang on!" Grimes yelled as she put the vehicle into drive. Just as the vehicle moved off, the insurgents appeared at the top of the hill. They began yelling and firing their rifles at them. 

"Contact rear!" Price yelled, "Take them out!" Soap, Gaz and Price all opened firing, taking down the enemy one at a time. But just as they dropped the last one, three quads and one vehicle similar to theirs launched over the hill.

"We got company!" Gaz yelled to Grimes, "Three quads with two tangos, one defender, two gunners!" He yelled as Grimes navigated the sandy terrain of the desert. Then the two gunners began to unleash their firepower all around them. 

"Cleared hot," Grimes spoke as she pressed against her ear. Then to sounds of jets could be heard in the air. "Danger close approved." 

"What the hell is that!" Soap yelled just as two fighter jets approached them from the front. 

"I suggest you hold on," Grimes called out as she continued to drive the vehicle over the sand. Then the sound of missiles flying through the air could be heard at the same time the fighter jets flew over their head in the direction of the warehouse. The missiles landed on the group following them, and then not long after, a large explosion burst into the air. 

"That 'ill be the warehouse, then." Soap said as she sat back down, resting his weapon. All of the men chasing them had been taken out by the jets. 

'Whisky 1-2, this is Kilo 3, all tangos eliminated.' A voice called out in Grime's earpiece just as they flew back over their heads and tipped their wings. 

"All received; pleasure working with you again," Grimes called out over the sound of the jets.

'Pleasure is all ours, Kilo 3 out.' The voice said as the fighters disappeared into the horizon. Ghost turned his head to look at Grimes, who kept her eyes trained on the route she was driving. 

"How the hell did you get access to two F-35?" Price called out. The sounds of the wind speeding past them were loud even after the jets had left.

"You got a lot of explaining to do." Ghost muttered to her before.

"In due time, let's get out of here first." Grimes spoke out, "We are sitting ducks out here." 

"How far out until we stop?" Gaz called out as they all continued looking around to ensure they were not being followed. 

"I have a safe house about 5 miles from here." Grimes answered his question, "From there, I have a friend lined up to fly us out of the country." They fell into silence as they continued driving for five minutes before a small stone building came into view. Grimes pulled the vehicle to a stop before jumping out. As she walked over to the front door of the building, she pulled out her pistol from her leg holster.

"Wait here," Grimes said as she prepared to enter the building. She hugged the wall next to the handle so the door would open away from her. 

"I think you said this was a safe house?" Ghost hissed to her. 

"It is, but it's been left empty," Grimes said as she pushed open the door and made her way into the first room. It only took her a few minutes to sweep the three rooms of the building. She then called that it was clear for them to enter. Soap was the first in with the unconscious man over his shoulder. 

"Tie him to that chair," Grimes told Soap and Gaz as she chucked Gaz some rope. The two men made quick work of the knots while Grimes closed the torn fabric blinds. "Pick up is 0600; I'll take first watch." The men nodded and began to dekit themselves. But Ghost stood fast, not moving, keeping his eyes trained on her. Grimes could get a read on them to see what he was thinking. 

"Time you start explaining." Ghost spoke as Grimes sighed and pulled her hood down before taking off her mask. 

"Sit; this may take a while," Grimes told them as she sat down.