The Phoenix Company War Stories - Book 1

Chapter 11 - Dark Descent

Location: Al Mazrah City
Date: 6/5/2023
Time:5pm

Bilak rounded the corner of the hallway and cleared it as he moved through the destroyed buildings. He was carrying a new addition to his armory, the VHS-2 rifle that had been presented in French trails to replace the famous FAMAS rifle.

He was on his own for this mission as with a lot of his missions these days. The team not being together ever since their time on Ashika Island. He has been hearing rumblings about a operation near Amsterdam codenamed Operation Vondel but he doesn't know much other than that an attack is headed that way. His suspicions are on either the Ultranationalists or Al Qatala with the Cartel helping them. Even if these things were true, they aren't his priority right now.

He would make his way undetected across the broken buildings and make his way under a bridge. He saw a opening and slowly checked the corner, there was nothing but toppled over shelves and another opening. A very large opening that looked like it was blown open. He checks the corner to see a massive pressurized door covering the wall, no padlocks, no door codes, nothing...just a red button next to the door.

"Phoenix Command, this is Nova Lead, I have found a entrance to what looks like an underground facility under Al Mazrah. How should I proceed?" Bilak reported in as he kept his rifle on the opening.

"Proceed inside and attempt to recover any Intel possible, we will not have time to plan another raid into the facility as they might have a suspicion as to the discovery and move. Get in and find out who is there and what the facility is for. Expect communication to be down or be interfered with. Still attempt contact if you find any relevant information. Phoenix Command out."

"Understood, proceeding into the facility now. I will send traffic once im inside."
Bilak back up to the button before pressing it and swung his rifle around to the door as it slowly opened. He would not see any guards at the opening as he walked in and the door closed behind him.

Bilak moved through the hallway slowly only seeing a few wooden crates here and there.
"Phoenix Command, I am inside and proceeding further into the base. Nothing of note so far and no contact so far, it looks like an old Soviet era facility. I will send more information when it's available. Nova out."

As he turned the corner, he saw a few AQ guards and quickly sprayed them down the not have them notice his presence. As he moved he saw supply caches of AQ equipment.

"Nova report, AQ combatants on site and supply caches inside. Looks like areas ahead are flooded I will navigate through and update once I have moved a significant amount."

Bilak put his rifle on safety, slung his rifle and went under the water in front of him. He would reach a opening in the ceiling and climb up. As he got on top, he saw AQ and what looked to be tripwires through the middle of the hall. He got rushed by one soldier and Bilak couldn't get to his rifle. Bilak pulled out his knife, slashed him in the throat before kicking him straight into the water. He would roll behind cover and grab his rifle, switching it off safe and moved quickly through the hall taking more of AQ out before reaching the end of the hall. He would end up going through the waterway at the end and swam through the toppled over cabinets and metal lockers in multiple rooms before finding an air pocket. He would swim up for a breath before going back under and swimming towards what looked to be an opening as he swam through he got to a staircase and shallow water before reaching a unflooded room. He would find a set of Night Vision goggles before attaching them to his helmet.

He checked his round count and looked around before checking the door to see if it was locked. He would kneel down and grab his radio.

"Nova reporting in, I have engaged more AQ and have encountered flooded tunnels. So far lightly armored combatants with small arms and tripwires. currently in a room with a cat walk and set of blue doors looking to lead to rooms without power. I have acquired a set of Night vision so it means AQ is Night Vision capable. I don't even know how deep this goes. If you are able to respond, how should I proceed?"

"We read you clearly Nova, move in and tage any supplies you see in case it gets transported out of the base and collect amy relevant data you can. If you encounter heavy resistance then you are to leave the base immediately."

"Understood, proceeding with the rest of the mission." Bilak responded and checked the door for traps before putting on the set of Night vision goggles and continued forward.

Bilak would catch a glimpse of something sprinting through quickly and walked forward before catching two rounds to the plate and another grazed him as he fell backwards.

"Damn, I can't see them." Bilak crawled back a bit and quickly pulled his 1911 out of his holster with one hand and watched the staircase in front of him, waiting for someone to walk up to him. A few moments later someone was walking up the staircase and Bilak took shots at them before they sprinted away. He would get up and chase after them a bit before taking two shots to immobilize them and ran over before taking their dog tags, pulling the pin on the grenade and putting it on their rig before sprinting away. After the explosion there was a group of soldiers sprinting over and Bilak had found an elevator out.

He would call it and move to cover before it arrived and entered before getting in then escaping.

"Phoenix Command, I need immediate extract and a medical assessment for when I return. I engaged an enemy operator while moving through the building. I'm on my way out of the facility and have obtained the operator's dog tags."

Bilak reached the outside and his extraction helicopter arrived and multiple soldiers covered the helicopter as Bilak got in before it left. Leaving the facility behind for now until a new operation into the underground could be prepared and flying off into the night sky.