The Phoenix Company War Stories - Book 1

Chapter 3 - Lone Phoenix

Two days after the operation at the Observatory, Bilak had a assignment he had to do on his own. No team, no air support, nothing. All he had was the equipment he brought with him and the equipment he found along the way. His mission is to recon the Sa'id Port via a drone that was apart of his mission kit and check for positive I.D. on any enemy personnel, whether they were other operators or AQ. once positive I.D. is confirmed, he is to clear the area and extract. A secondary objective of his is to recover any equipment out of a list he was given that serves as a important part of their operations in the area. These items include any hard drives that he finds in the field as it may contain important intel about the AQ's operations, troop movements and financial backing. Any explosives, lethal or non lethal as there has been a heavy shortage of equipment to go around and medical supplies as Phoenix Company has been administering medical aid to civilians that have been escaping the area still.

Bilak was set 900m away from the mission area due to the heavy resistance that has been picking up over the past couple of days. Bilak was taking the stealthy sniping approach for the mission as he knew all too well that he was on his own and didn't want to take any chances when it came to this mission. His weapons consisted of a Surpressed SPR 208 with +P ammunition and a Surpressed PP19 Bizon. His kit was light and maneuverable so he could move quickly.

He took a deep breath before moving forward, sweeping the area for any AQ that could get in his way. Finding a single soldier patrolling the small area, Bilak lifted his SPR and shot him in the head from 50m away before attempting to sprint in the opposite direction for the objective area, not worrying too much about engagements with the enemy as this could draw unwanted attention.

"Nova Lead, this is Phoenix Actual give me a status report. Are you in the area of the Port? Over." The earpiece in Bilak's ear chimed to life after a very long silence since dropping into the area.

"Negative, I was set in the infil zone a short time ago, I'm currently moving for the target area. I'm 600m from the target. What is the current advisement at this time? Over." Bilak responded as within a 2 minutes time frame he was able to close 300m.

"Continue the mission as planned but, if you see heavy resistance you are to retreat out of the area and move for extract. Do you understand your current objectives? Over." Phoenix Actual responded to Bilak over the radio.

"Affirmative, I need to go to. I'm getting close to the objective and I might have contact. Over and out." Bilak kept his gun up as he moved near a set of train tracks and kept running for the objective area.

"Understood, report in for an update as soon as possible. Phoenix Actual signing off for now."

Bilak aimed at a nearby gas station and took out three AQ soldiers without getting noticed with his SPR before sprinting further up the train track. After a short amount of time, he stopped and heard a car moving toward him in the distance before seeing an armored truck with a 50. Cal on top moving fast. Bilak ran and jumped a short distance just narrowly being missed by the car as it sped off. After that he continued to move down the train tracks as the train shortly afterward was passing through the area with two operators running along the top of the last three train cars. Bilak ran the away from the train hoping he didn't get spotted before hearing bullets hit near him. He turned to fire back at the operators but only one attempted to shoot at him. He fired a shot into the operators chest, hitting his ballistic plate and sending him falling into the train car before Bilak went sprinting into the Port.

"Phoenix Actual, this is Nova Lead, I am at the objective area but I have already been engaged by enemy operators before reaching the objective area. I do not know of the extent of resistance in the area at this time. What is the current advisement? Over." Bilak reported.

"Nova Lead, current advisement is to continue with the current objectives but if there is more operators in the current mission area then grab what you can and move for extract. Over."

"Understood, Over and Out." Bilak moved into a two story office building while clearing each room one by one with his Bizon in hand. After clearing the rooms, he pulled any hard drives he could find from the computers and put them into his pack. After picking the building clear, he moved for two small medical vans checking for any medical supplies and only finding stim shots and bandages before packing those into the bag too. He flew his drone out to see a helicopter dropping a small squad of AQ off and it was quickly shot out of the air. He could see the armored car speed by again not too far from his location.

Bilak would run for a small rocky area and just before he was about to enter a building to call for extraction, he could hear a boat engine at the bottom of the rocky cliffside and see a operator pass him without noticing him. After moving behind him from a distance, a quiet metallic clanking sound rang out as Bilak fired at the operator with his Bizon and killed him before taking shots from his teammate and Bilak was struck in the shoulder before he struck him in the chest plate. Bilak now being injured, sprinted for extraction while talking into his radio.

"Phoenix Actual, this is Nova Lead, I have been struck in my shoulder and I have been engaged by another group of operators, mission area is too hot to operate in. I have at least one confirmed K.I.A. and I'm running to extraction. Can I receive a ETA on extraction? Over."

"Understood, move for extraction at this time. We will be there in at least a three minute window of when you call but you have 13 minutes to reach an extraction point before radiation sets in. We are on our way to you now. Standby, over."

Bilak would apply a tourniquet near the area and move for extraction. As he closed within 200m of the extraction point, he could see the extract helicopter landing on the site.

"Nova Lead, The helo is in the area and we are waiting for your arrival back at base. Stay safe out there over and out." Bilak sat in the side of the helo seeing no present threats at the extraction point as they left for home. Although the mission could not be completed, the hard drives Bilak recovered had intel on supply caches in the area that a strike team could go and raid while Bilak and the rest of Nova Squad operate in the area.