The End

Phoenix Falls

I finished loading fresh rounds into my last M4 magazine and then slammed it into the gun, and then pulling the charging handle. I sighed heavily as I sat back in the helicopter cabin, the cold air billowing across my face. How many times has things been screwed up for me? Every time I've done anything something else comes along and screws it up!! Goddammit.....

But as I sat there brooding, distant sounds began to reach me over the roaring wind. I strained my ears and after a minute I realised the sounds were explosions. Sure enough moments later the pilot spoke over the speaker system, "3 mikes guys brace yourself the lz is hot!".

I gripped my M4 tighter, this would probably be the biggest battle I've been in yet, and I wasn't looking forward to it. Just then Conrad stood up in the cabin and addressed everyone in his sonorous voice that carried over the howling wind.

"You know what we're getting into lads!" he said "our objectives are to engage any UEFP threats and to neutralise if possible!", he paused and looked at us a hard look on his face. "This will be hard, This will be tough but just remember! We are the hunters!", "AND THEY ARE THE HUNTED!!" roared the rest of men grim looks all around. But just as Conrad's speech came to a close the helo's miniguns spoke up with a loud 'BRRRRRRZZZZZZ'.

We had swung round a building to a jaw dropping scene. Smoke billowed through the air in clouds over the battle field, and there were many holes in the eastern perimeter wall where dozens of T-62's, T-72's and T-80's were clustered, firing a barrage of shells into the base. A large number of the UEFP tanks were smouldering wrecks due to the few Challenger 3's and M1A3 Abrams that were holding off the tanks with their superior armour and guns, but they were still outnumbered 2 to 1.

Hundreds of olive clad figures swarmed around the tanks and into the base firing as they ran but many were cut down by 2 little birds that were strafing them with their own miniguns and rocket pods and our own black hawk that was pouring rounds from its sides into the enemy. Other NATO defenders were clustered around the NATO tanks, buildings and impromptu defences, Firing steadily into the horde trying valiantly to stem the tide.

As I looked on at the carnage the black hawk dipped down and headed towards the ground in a area just behind the NATO line. "Good luck guys!" called out the pilot, "Lets get a drink afterwards!", And then the heli hit the ground with a soft 'bump'. "OUT! GO GO GO!!" yelled Conrad and we all charged out of the cabin and into the battle.

As soon as the last man touched the ground the black hawk flew up into the air and roared off into the smoke, miniguns still blazing away at the UEFP. I looked around for cover as bullets started snapping around our feet, and I saw a group of 5 defenders crouched behind a Challenger 3 so I headed for it sprinting with my M4 raised. The others had already spread out and were heading for different defensive positions as I slammed into the Challenger and the defenders acknowledged me with taught nods and grimaces.

I nodded back to them before they returned to shooting at the UEFP. I joined them in shooting by leaning around the right hand side of the challenger and staring down my sights. I pulled the trigger and let loose round after round into the crowd, I watched as the men in my sights twisted and fell in spurts in crimson, pained expressions everlasting as they hit the ground.

But they kept coming.

Soon my rifle clicked nonchalantly as it quietly informed me that my mag was empty. I growled as I wrenched the empty mag out and tossed it aside, before it even hit the ground I had rammed a fresh mag into the rifle and tugged the charging handle back, clambering a new round ready to be buried into another mans body.

This process continued for half an hour as I went through at least 5 mags, but the horde never seemed to end. The scream of a rocket sounded from behind the breached wall and a RPG round trailing smoke streaked into the sky and collided with a strafing little bird's engine compartment. With a blast of fire the engine blew out and the helicopter began to fall out of the sky, I watched in awe as it spiraled and through the bulbous cockpit I saw the pilot fighting desperately with the control stick while the copilot next to him hung limply in his seat missing the side of his face. The helicopter then smashed into the horde in front of the challenger I crouched behind, the resulting fireball washing heat over our positions.