WARZONE - König

16 - Pt. One

Following the road north, everyone relaxes in the truck, happy to be off their feet after their long journey. Nadja hands the wrapped chicken over to the women in the back, offering some to Konig who declines as he keeps his eyes strictly ahead. He seemed to be deep in thought, not even sparing his partner a glance. The closer they gained to the end of the mission, the more tense he grew. Just as Nadja felt, he was worried of being cut short by the enemy, knowing he'd have to carry them to victory with Nadja's wounds.

Later into the ride as everyone falls asleep, silence filling the truck with an occasional bumpy disturbance from the rough road, Konig sits alone in his own thoughts, relaxed in the seat as he drives with one hand. He glances over to Nadja, the dim moonlight lighting the truck as her arm was propped against the door with her head resting in her hand fast asleep. He couldn't help but stare for a moment, thinking back to their time spent together, surprised with how a single woman could change his heart so much.

The idea of never seeing her again ached her. He knew this mission would come with risk, but the risk of his own heart belonging to someone else was not something he could've prepared for. He'd spent his life's upcoming training with the selfish desire to be alone, thinking there was no other way. But as he turns back to the road, all he can see is her face. She had left a stain on him, a longing in his heart he had no idea how to move forward with.

He admittedly didn't want the mission to end. As selfish as it was, he'd hoped to be her personal crutch for a little longer. Knowing she depended on him drove his passion wild, but the closer they reach the end, the more his morals begin to shift. He could imagine living the rest of his life in the warzone with her, or alternatively disappearing from the military and running away with her to a different country forever in hiding, protecting her from anyone who meant to separate them or harm her.

His heart began to race against his chest, his fantasy driving him mad with passion as he looks over to her one more time. His hand grows unsteady as he grips tightly to the steering wheel, fighting to keep the truck steady. He was so in his own head letting his heart drive him that he hadn't even considered her rejection, blinded by his feelings for her.

As he was entrapped within the chaos of his mind, the truck suddenly spun out of control, sliding off the road and stopping in the dirt. Everyone instantly woke, jumping up and looking around in concern.

"Oh, scheiße..." He mumbled, immediately opening the door to check the issue. His eyes were drawn to the flat rear tire on the driver side, but before he could make a closer inspection, shots were suddenly fired his way, clanging against the trucks metal body. He ducks, jumping back into the truck and taking his rifle positioned against the seat on the floor. Nadja followed along without hesitation, taking her own sniper and commanding the women to duck, all three of them falling to the seats in fear as Nadja turned, aiming over her seat and through the rear window where she spotted in the nearby village a group of AQ's.

"Southwest in that village, about three of them from what I can see." She shouts to Konig in English, but the sudden barrage of bullets left them in an incredibly vulnerable position. They all duck, Nadja slipping out the truck and staying tight to the side as she opens the back door, motioning the women to exit, which they do in a hurry. Konig jumps into the passenger seat and climbs out the door, grouping with Nadja as they peak around the truck.

The enemy had the advantage, hiding in the buildings and using their uniforms to blend in with the unlit environment. Stress got ahold of the group, Nadja leaning against the trucks side looking up to the night sky as the sun was soon to rise in a few hours. They were so close, but a delay like this could eat their time and both Nadja and Konig knew this.

Konig checks his watch, 5am on the dot. He looks over to Nadja as they stay barricaded from the enemy's gunfire, the women all panicking as the huddled together, when suddenly he heard a thud hit the hard dirty aside them. He looks over, watching a grenade roll his way. With immense speed, he falls to his knees and scrambles to grab the grenade, catching it just in time and tossing it back towards the enemy, watching it explode in the air.

"We have to move, Tobias!" Nadja shouts to him with distress. He nods his head, assessing the situation for a brief moment before suddenly grabbing her wrist and guiding her towards the front of the truck, pointing ahead to the side of the village. Acknowledging his signal, Nadja commands the woman by her side as they await Konig to take point. He moves to the back of the truck, taking his AK and running out, firing at them as a distraction while Nadja takes her sniper and rushes the women to cover.

With Konig's distraction, they managed to reach the village, running inside a home and taking temporary refuge in the bathroom while listening to the continued shots firing in the distance. The dark house blinded them from movement, but as the women huddled together in the corner of the bathroom in panic, Nadja takes charge, taking her pistol and exiting the bathroom to scout the house and clear the grounds.

After sweeping the entire house, she returns to the bathroom once more to remind the women to stay put then finds her way to the roof of the home, climbing a ladder just outside and positioning herself to face where the enemy's action originated from. While searching for movement, she also scoped around for Konig, seeing him nowhere in sight. Worry struck like a train, her heart racing from everything happening at once so suddenly.

Her scope whipped back and forth trying to locate both the enemy and her partner, the darkness shrouding her visibility. With the threat imminent and stress reaching its peak, Nadja couldn't sit and wait any longer. She glances up to the moon to see its position lowering, soon to be replaced by the sun, and tightened her lip in determination as she quickly made her mind.

She jumps off the roof, pain meds pumping in her veins as adrenaline fuels her, numbing her aches as she runs towards the sound of the enemy, all rational thrown out the window as she runs with her sniper strapped in her arms. As she gains closer to the conflict, she tosses her sniper over her shoulder letting it dangle down her back as she pulls her pistol, aiming it down the large open alley between the village homes. Approaching a window, she spots the muzzle flash of a firing weapon inside light the room and quickly takes the enemy behind it down, jumping in through the window and taking his weapon.

Her breaths fall raspy and unsteady as she checked the ammo count, sweat drenching her arms and face. She twists around to the front door, rushing ahead and peeking out before exiting, taking down another enemy as she moves ahead with finding Konig being the only goal in mind.

With nothing but the moon guiding her, she moves from one building to the next, checking inside in a desperate search. But as she peeked a corner, she heard movement behind her. Her heart skips a beat as she whips around with the weapon tight to her shoulder aiming down the iron sights. The movement could then be heard inside the building where she heard a muffled thud, leading her to face the entrance door where her heart beat against her chest in pure anxiety.

With the tip of the gun, she pushes the door to creak open and aims into the hall when suddenly a large force pushes her against the wall, knocking her weapon from her grasp and pinning her tight. But with her groans of pain, she's suddenly released. As her eyes open and adjust to the darkness, she looks up to see Konig standing just before her, his eyes shrouded in the shadows of his hood as his shoulders raised and dropped rapidly with his heavy breaths.

Just as Nadja opens her mouth to express her relief though, his gloved hand covers it, silencing her as he pushes her against the wall once more. They both look to the entrance just next to them as quiet footsteps approach, likely drawn in from the commotion caused from their accidental confrontation.

And as soon as Konig releases her, the enemy drops to the ground with a knife in his throat. He turns back to Nadja as he finishes them off, raising his hand but never meeting it with her as it wished to. "Are you hurt?" He whispers, her wellbeing the only concern in mind.

"I'm okay, I was worried about you." She replies, catching her breath as she reaches down to the weapon she dropped. Konig stares to her for a moment as he processes her words, but collects himself as he checks outside, Nadja following through the exit.

"The hostages are this way, follow me." She whispers, leading him towards the house they took refuge in.