Operation Blood Mask

Operation Bushwack

Just before we begin, the next few chapters and the character, Outback, were thought of by my friend TheWatcher561

Smoke opened the door and tossed me a file. I gave him a skeptical look.

"What is this for?" I asked him.

"Six wants you to lead the new operation. We need to extract a hostage in America."

"Where in America?"

"Oregon. We leave soon. Ember, Montagne and Outback will be joining us."

I packed my ammunition and stepped into the chopper for another assignment. The ride there felt like forever. We rappelled down and began the briefing.

"Honestly, I don't have much of a plan to go off of since our intel is poor. The hostage is in the basement and I believe the best approach is...," I start to say.

"We will just rush in, grab the hostage and escape. How hard can it be?" Outback replied.

"Doing that will be a one way ticket down to meet death. I think a slightly more tactical approach is necessary."

"Time is of essence. The last time I followed protocols, it didn't end so well," Outback said as he was drinking a glass of whiskey.

"Anyways, the plan is for us to pinch them from both sides."

"Let's get moving already," Smoke said impatiently.

Me, Montagne and Ember decided to approach from the back while Smoke and Outback attack the front. Outback insisted on going alone, but I was concerned with his well being despite him being a black ops operator.

Getting in was very easy. Ember breached the door and we encountered no hostiles until we arrived at the stairs.

"Stay behind me and find an opening to fire," Montagne said to us.

I ducked behind cover and found a little opening between the boxes I was hiding behind and the shield. I shot through the gap and many of the terrorists fell as they were distracted by Montagne.

"Why can't they offer some kind of challenge?" Ember said to us.

"I'd say that these terrorists either don't know how to use a gun or they have terrible accuracy," I replied.

Suddenly, I hear a gunshot coming from behind us. I turn around to see Ember kneeling to the ground, covering his arm. I pull out my SMG-11 and made quick work of the enemy.

"Are you alright?" Montagne asked.

"I'll be fine. They only managed to get one shot on me," Ember replied.

"I'm sorry. I should've been able to hear that terrorist coming from behind," I added.

"It's not your fault. I wouldn't worry about it," Ember said to me.

"Guys, we have a small problem," Smoke said through my earpiece.

"What's wrong?" I replied.

"Outback disappeared. I turned around to scan one area for hostiles and he was gone when I looked back."

"Dammit. I think I know where he is heading."

"Downstairs?" Montagne added.

"Yeah. Smoke, head on down the nearest set of stairs. We'll meet you down there."

The three of us run down the stairs to find a pile of dead bodies and the walls stained in blood.

"What happened here?"

"Just did a little cleaning mate," Outback said appearing from a doorway. "These bastards didn't know what hit em."

"What did you do?" I asked him.

"Just threw down some tear gas and killed them before they could counter or even see me. I told you I get things done when I'm alone."

"I know, but sometimes you can't complete missions alone. That is what the team is for."

"You just don't understand do ya?"

"Understand what?"

"The reason I'd rather do things alone and that I don't care about orders is because of one mistake I made years ago. This was during one of my black ops missions. Me and another operator by the name of Dingo were tasked with stopping the White Mask's transportation of volatile nuclear weapons. There was one room that Six explicitly said to not enter under any circumstance. Dingo entered the room and ended up getting shot without me knowing until she was already dead. If I had broken the protocol that Six said, I could've been able to save her and she would be here today."

I stood there in silence. I was speechless to Outback's story.

"The worst part about it was that Dingo was the woman I loved. After that day, I decided to do ops solo and to not follow orders. I don't think any of you could understand what I went through."

"I think I can," I replied.

"What do you mean?"

"I've lost most of my family to these White Masks. While extracting a hostage back when I was in the SAS, my brother perished from that extraction. As we were escaping, one of us had to open the metal gate using a switch in a computer room. My brother volunteered to push the switch to let me, Sledge, Thatcher, Smoke and Mute escape. That switch was a trap and the room was covered in iron bars that provided no escape. He sacrificed himself to let the rest of us escape. My mother died to a terrorist attack when I was seven years old and my sister died to the Chimera Virus that was released into London very recently. I only have my father left. To this day, I've made it my goal to save those I care about, no matter the cost. I've done what I can to perfect my thinking, gunmanship and my gadget, but I follow my own judgment."

Smoke emerged from a doorway.

"And that's why I'm proud to be your mate," he said to me.

Outback looks directly at Smoke.

"I'm still confused on why they consider your gas grenades to be legal when they are lethal. Mine are nonlethal and are considered illegal by the government. I've had this grudge against you since Team Rainbow was recreated."

"Is that why you despise me? I don't think that is a good reason to hold a grudge. It isn't my decision to consider what is illegal. I'd rather you find a better reason to despise me."

I could hear Outback mumble a few words to himself.

"Let's just get the hell out of here."

Montagne lead the way out, hiding Ember behind his shield while the rest of us followed to the chopper. Ember was handed to Doc for treatment. Doc looked over at me.

"I have some unfortunate news," he said.

"What happened?" I replied.

"I'm afraid that our headquarters fell to a White Mask siege."

"What?!" All of us shouted.