Operation: Crimson Space

A few days later

Arkady's pov
I sat on the back porch talking with Daan, it was a cool brisk morning. The morning fog had yet to lift fully and the dew still covered the grass, he said "I can see why you chose the military, it just feels like a waste of young lives to me." I looked at the sun rays peaking through the leaves on the tree and said "it's because you've grown disillusioned with the patriotism." He asked "care to explain?" I said "how many politicians have you seen enter and exit positions of power without achieving anything?" He replied "far too many" I said "that's why you think it's a waste. You see the cycle." He asked "how old are you?" I replied "35" he said "that's old for a soldier isn't it?" I nodded slowly before being asked "how aren't you disillusioned as you put it?" I said "because I see what my country does when we're threatened. We get things done. We've responded quickly and harshly to the masks and now Deimos' legion. I see the results." He nodded slowly before I heard the glass door slide open and we both turned, looking to see who had stepped out.
      Anna said "good morning you two, bonding are we?" Daan said "coming to an understanding." I nodded slowly sipping my tea before she sat down and I asked "Nienke still asleep?" Anna said "yes, she sleeps in late on her leaves." I chuckled and said "the recon man in me will not allow that." Anna asked "what's it like?" I looked over and asked "hmm?" She elaborated "what's it like being on a recon team?" I said "rewarding. My team and I would always be there first, we'd observe the strikes and keep tabs on targets. We were the eyes of entire forces. Generals and officers relied on the information we provided." She asked "what happened to your team after you left?" I replied "they got attached to another squad." We settled into silence until I heard something that caught my attention. A car had gone by the house 5 times, I could tell it was the same car because it had a very distinctive piston knock. I excused myself and walked into the house sitting back from the front window while maintaining visual on the road. I watched as the car now shown to be a Van slowed down.
     They were moving around in the cab and looking towards the house, I moved away from the window and watched as they pulled up masks. I went to the back porch and said "Daan, Anna, I need you two to come with me." They looked at me in shock before I said "like, right now." They stood and followed me in and up the stairs. I pushed open Nienke's door and pulled my rifle from its bag and grabbed my magazines. Daan asked "what's going on?" I opened my mouth as I heard the door crash open I said "There's some people trying to get to Nienke and I. They're the ones we've been fighting. Wake her up and have her stay here with you. I'm going to deal with them." I slowly stepped out into the hallway and pulled my phone and called Zero "Arkady" I replied "Deimos has contractors at Nienke's parents house." He replied "what? Okay, im mobilizing a reaction force." I went to speak as a rifle came into few, I lifted my 416 and fired as the contractor came into view, I fired 10 rounds hitting him as he fell and tumbled down the stairs.
      Zero asked "is everything okay?" I replied "I'm engaging, try to get local police to respond. I don't-" I got cut off by the snap of a supersonic round ripping by me as I leaned around the corner and fired as contractors pushed me. I picked up again "I don't know how many there are." He replied "confirmed." As I hung up and pushed down the hall quickly trying to get out of the death zone. I heard Nienke "Kasper! Kasper are you up?!" I yelled back "Confirmed!" As I heard "There he is!" and heard a torrent of supersonic snaps. I pulled my magazine out of the magazine well and checked how many round I had. I leaned around the corner and fired the rest of my magazine at any glance of an enemy I could see. I reloaded carefully as I heard an unfamiliar voice "We don't want to hurt her parents! Just want you two." I heard Daan "Id rather die than let you take my daughter!" The voice replied "We can arrange that!" I fired a couple rounds in the direction of the voice and yelled "You'll die trying!"
     I heard my phone ring and picked it up, "yeah?" Caveira said "we're en route by helicopter. ETA is 1 hour. Can you last that long?" I laughed and said "we'll see, they're not being too aggre-" I was cut short by rounds hitting the door frame. I sighed and leaned back into the hallway firing at a very brave contractor as she ran down the hallway. I watched her fall face first on the floor and responded by shooting her body 7 more times. I picked up my phone and said "they're getting pretty aggressive." I saw Nienke in the door across the hall and said "do you have your gun with you?" She shook her head no, I sighed and motioned her back from the door and lifted my rifle running across the hall firing at the steps. I handed her my 416 and all my magazines before pulling my pistol. I said "you hold them here, I'm going to flank." Daan and Anna looked terrified as she said "flank? How?" I motioned to the window. She looked at me in surprise before saying "you're sure of this?" I nodded as she said "I trust you." I smirked as I pulled the window open and dropped to the ground below.
I pulled and held my Glock tightly as I slipped around to the back porch, I heard gunfire kick up and slowly slid through the already opened glass sliding door. I moved through the house I'd become familiar with and saw a contractor standing lazily. I lifted my Glock and started firing watching as he fell, I fired into his body 5 more times. The sudden reveal of the new front caused momentary panic, I took cover and fired at any Contractors that gave me an opportunity. I heard the distinctive sirens of the police cars and smirked to myself, we were getting through a good number of the contractors just for more gunfire to take place outside. I felt my eyes widen "there were more" I heard one of the contractors "Did you think we weren't expecting the police!?" I sighed and checked the call history as round hit the wood in front of me, 34 minutes. Just had to last 26 more and we'd have team rainbow's firepower. I stood and shoulder charged a contractor that got too close, I held him against the wall and fired 10 rounds into his stomach.
When he fell I shot him with another 8 rounds before grabbing his AK-5c, I pulled his magazine's from his plate carrier as I heard a floor board creak to my left. I leaned left and stepped around the center pillar and caught a female contractor as she froze, I smiled a cold smile and said "watch your step." As I fired and watched her fall from the round to her throat. I heard Nienke "Kasper! You still up!?" I yelled back "I'm kicking their asses!" As she laughed. I sighed as we settled into a two pronged gunfight, the contractors were indecisive about which side was their strong side. I hoped they'd stay indecisive for another 13 minutes, just enough time for our reinforcements to arrive. Just as I thought that the front door kicked open and more contractors pushed into the house, the first 5 died in the threshold as I emptied my magazine at the choke point. That slowed their pace as no one wanted to walk into the door they knew I was staring at. I sighed as this battle was growing to a stale mate, the battle seemed to freeze as the distant chopping of helicopter blades was heard.
I heard my phone ring and lifted it to my ear as I heard Caveira "what's the situation?" I fired a couple round as I replied "more contractors, Iana and I are holding them at a stand still. I think there's police casualties. I'm running low on ammo." Caveira replied "well be there in 2" I sighed in relief as I stood because of the footstep I heard and got tackled. The contractor and I fought for control of my commandeered rifle, I fired rounds whenever I thought I had a chance to get a hit. We wrestled until I finally got my hand on my Glock and hit the contractor on his knee. I stood as he clawed wildly at the barrel of the AK-5c and I fired, I heard a torrent of gunfire outside as I pushed to the stairwell and fired into the backs of the contractors holding there. I yelled up "Iana! You good?!" She yelled back "Yea! We're good!" I yelled back "I'm coming up!" As I slowly made my way up the stairs and into the room. Daan and Anna looked like they saw a ghost, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and understood why, I was covered in blood.
I replied "I think our team is here" she nodded as I said "I'm going to go help, keep them safe." She said "Stay safe Kasper" I gave a two finger salute as I started down the stairs again, I stepped out on the porch and watched for a second as Ghosteyes viciously proceeded to engage and push back the contractors. I watched as Doc came running over to me, he pulled me into the house and I asked "what are you doing here?" Doc said "they swung by Nice to pick me up. Any wounds?" I shook my head and said "hemae, I don't think so" he said "where's Iana? Her parents?" I said "upstairs, first door on your right." He nodded and started up the stairs as the gunfire began calming down. I chuckled and said "couldn't take two of us, definitely could handle all of ghosteyes." I watched as Nøkk and Maverick walked in and immediately headed over to me. I waved tiredly as Maverick asked "I thought you went on leave?" I laughed callously and said "me too."
Nøkk said "you look like hell." I replied "I feel like it, we've been fighting for about an hour and a half now." I saw Doc coming back down followed by Iana and her parents. They looked around shocked at the amount of heavily armed soldiers and sailors standing around their living room. Daan walked over to me and said "thank you, for protecting my family." I nodded tiredly as Caveira said "you and Iana have done a hell of a job." I gave a thumbs up as she said "sir, Maam, I'd like you to come back to our base with us. It's unsafe for you to stay here." Daan looked at his destroyed house before asking Nienke "what do you think honey?" She looked shocked for a second before saying "I believe it's for the best." He nodded before saying "alright, I suppose we should pack?" Caveira nodded before saying "Ghosteyes, secure." We all moved around and set up strong points, Caveira crouched next to me and said "you did good." I replied "I'm a reconnaissance specialist, fighting outnumbered is pretty much my specialty." She nodded and said "still, impressive work." I asked "how do you know?" She replied with a knowing tone "you don't get that bloody by not kicking ass."