Operation: Healing Shadows

The first strike pt. 2

Mason's POV
       I felt something sharply jab into my back causing me to try to roll away only to get jabbed again, I yawned as I sat up "what?" Luna motioned to the clock on the nightstand "Time to go to work" I sighed but patted her shoulder as she walked passed me to her gear "Your personal angel is up and moving" she chuckled as she picked up her bag and headed towards the door. I climbed on the table before laying down and sighting through the black abyss of the night towards the target building, I heard the rain impacting the concrete of the balcony outside as Lion asked "So why do you have your position so far back?" I glanced over before returning to the scope "You can't see a muzzle flash unless you're infront of me and no one can see my muzzle if it's several meters back" he nodded as I started slowing my breathing. I heard Luna "Alright, I'm making my way to the target" I asked "wait you changed that quickly? Jesus fuck" she replied with a small laugh "ja" I spoke again "alright, I won't have scopes on you until the 50 meter mark" she replied "got it" as I scanned the road infront of Luna.
       She appeared in my sight as I saw two people walking down the street "Nøkk you have two unknowns heading towards you" she asked "weapons?" I sighed as I turned up the power of my scope "I'm not seeing anything but it could be hidden, your call" she nodded as I kept my crosshairs on the two people. I watched them pass the alley Nøkk was hiding in and throw side long glances into the alley, I muttered "don't do it, just keep walking" before they turned and pulled out pistols I sighed but squeezed the trigger feeling the now familiar kick before watching the first guy drop, the second watched his friend drop dead before looking wildly scanning the rooftops as I squeezed the trigger again watching him slump against the wall "Snipers: the last thing you never see. Alright Nøkk you're clear, two hostile down on the corner" she came back "I heard the crack" as I saw her grip the scruff of their shirts and drag them into the alley.
Eliza spoke "Jesus that thing sounds mean" I kept my eyes glued to the area "Trust me, she is. If they heard that they know where we are" the QRF got nervous at my words as I heard Nøkk "I'm 2 blocks out, I hear voices but can't find them" I scanned the area around where she was and saw nothing, not even a cat, "I've got nothing, this place is fuckin' dead" she sighed but spoke "I'm taking a risk" I kept my sights on her until I saw a speck of bright yellow on the corner ahead of her "Hit the deck" I watched her drop as I took in a breath and squeezed the trigger watching the bottom half of the masks face disappear as he fell back "He might be down, I can't confirm but be a dear and double tap for me" I saw her creep up to the corner before popping around it as her veil lit up with flashes of light as she fired into the masks. "we're clear" I chirped "no fun, let me know if you need assistance. I'm gonna keep my eye on the target" she replied "Wilco, I'll be there in one minute maybe" I heard a knock at the door and heard Yumiko call "Who is it?!" I heard a male voice "Room service" I looked back at them and mouthed "Get them to fuck off" she nodded and walked to the door. I heard the pleasantries and the I heard the door get stopped "No, sorry, we don't want any. Thank you though" the door jolted again, I placed my hand on my p99 and I whispered to Nøkk "you don't have overwatch, we have a possible situation" she replied "Holding position, let my know when you're on task" I rolled over and pointed my p99 at the wall next to the door.
Blackbeard, Ash, Capitao and Lion all we're getting a bit uncomfortable with the situation, I was too, suddenly Hibana snapped and grabbed the guy ripping him into the room and covering his mouth. I kept my pistol trained on him as Hibana gagged him and began searching him pulling out several things from his jacket I looked at Ash as Blackbeard spoke "Zip him" I rolled over and got back on the rifle as I whispered "I have you" as she replied "Got it, moving. 30 seconds out" I watched her sprint down the sidewalk until she pressed herself up against the wall before peaking around the corner and sprinting across the street until she reached the fence of the mask controlled port. She pulled out her breaching torch and quickly cut an L into the fence, I spoke as I watched a mask start moving towards the sound "Hold, mask at your 2 o'clock. I've got him" I squeezed the trigger and watched the man crumple, he started crawling away as I squeezed the trigger again and sent the second round into his flank. He stopped moving as I called "Down, clear to move" she started moving through the port until she disappeared into the target "I've got no eyes" she returned "roger" as I just had to trust in her abilities and wait.
A painfully quiet minute later I saw a couple flashes in a window and heard Nøkk "backdoor's planted, making my way to rally" I spoke as I scanned the visible parts of the port "Activities normal, clear to slip" she didn't reply but I saw her vault out of a second floor window before she rolled and started running towards the breach point. I saw a mask turn the corner behind her only to receive my last round to the eye, I quickly reloaded and slammed the bolt forward before locking it and watching the base as I saw Nøkk hauling ass back to us. I spoke "Hey, hold position at the van. We'll rally there" she replied quickly "Wilco" as I saw her disappear from my view. I rolled off the table and grabbed my bag before I spoke "Let's go, combat gear now" as I started changing into my gear, Blackbeard, Capitao and Lion started changing right in the room while Hibana and Ash went into the bathroom and changed. Capitao asked "Hibana, what'd you get off this guy?" She replied as she looked at him "He's a mask sent to get intel on our numbers and what we're doing, there's 16 men on our way down to the exit. Shotguns and Rifles." I looked at him with interest as I leaned over to Blackbeard "Why don't we make it look like an accident?" He asked "What do you have in mind?" I motioned to the balcony and spoke "Assisted suicide" he nodded as I spoke "Capitao, get those zip ties off him and take that gag out of his mouth" he looked surprised but did it as I pulled on my gloves and handed the extra pair to Blackbeard "We can't leave prints now can we?" He shook his head no as I gripped the guys shirt and pulled him up as Capitao pulled the gag out of his mouth before Blackbeard and I dragged the guy to the balcony before we sent him over the edge.
I radioed Nøkk "16 hostile, rifles and shotguns. Stay frosty" she didn't reply as I slung my Rifle across my back and lifted my pistol "We good to go?" ash nodded "I got point" I wanted to argue but I realized I couldn't do much with just a pistol. I was second in the stack as I patted her shoulder causing her to pull the door open and lean around the corner firing a burst at a mask as she started down the hallway towards the stairway, I saw a barrel peaking around a corner causing me to grip ash's shoulder and pull her back as I quietly snuck to the corner before I grabbed the barrel and lifted it putting the end of my suppressor to his stomach and firing twice before I extended my arms and fired into his head. I nodded to ash as she pushed the door to the stairwell open and firing into the mask that was there, I rejoined the stack as the rearguard as we moved through down the stairs. I heard the familiar bite of Blackbeard Mk17 as I heard a pained hiss, I heard the one thing I didn't want to "Ash is down" I readied my kit as I pushed up and called "Cover!" As I came around the corner and heard the fury of gunfire whizzing past my head and gripped the back of Ash's tacvest before I dragged her around the corner.
I radioed Nøkk "We have one casualty, I'll tell you if we need to get Casevac" she replied worriedly "Alright, keep me posted" I pulled out my flashlight and shined it in her eyes seeing them dilate as I got my face down so she could see me "Where are you hit?" She motioned to her thigh "My leg, it stings a little" I smiled as I spoke "that's a good sign, I'm gonna have to cut your pants" she chuckled before saying "not the time for that" I waved her off as I used my surgical scissors to cut away her pant leg. I took a clean cloth and wipe away the blood before I assessed the wound "alright so you got a good spot, not much for the round to hit that's deadly. I'm gonna put my patch on your leg and then I'll wrap it with some gauze before carrying you out" she nodded as I asked "can you cover my back while we do this?" She nodded and lifted her R4 "I got your back" I pulled out my gauze and started tightly wrapping it around her wound as she hissed in pain before I slapped my patch on the side of her thigh as she joked "Any higher and I would've thought you tried slapping my ass and missed" I looked up with a chuckle "Well I haven't always been good at aiming" as I stood and took her right hand before lifting her over my shoulders in a fireman's carry and calling "Rainbow let's get a move on!" Capitao and Lion turned and started down the stairwell again as Hibana and Blackbeard turned rearguard while I moved quickly down the stairs after Capitao.
We reached the first floor quickly, Lion started opening the door as a mask came charging through and collapsed on Lion as he struggled with the mask Capitao pulled his knife and spoke "Go, get her to the van we won't be long" I nodded and kept my hustle through the lobby of the hotel before I pulled a wad of money as tossed it to the receptionist as we moved through door and to the van. I ripped the backdoor open and looked up to Luna's pistol in my face, I all but yelled "Blue! blue!" as I slid Eliza into the back of the van and she retracted her pistol. I saw Craig and Yumiko come around the van as Olivier and Vicente came through the door of the hotel, I spoke to ash as I tossed in my bag and gun case before handing her my sniper "Give me your rifle" she handed it over and a couple mags as the other four got in the rear while Luna and I slammed the doors shut and climbed into the Drivers and passengers seat.
I nodded to Luna as she started driving quickly and I radioed Rainbow "We got compromised, Ash took a round to the thigh. She's good, we're egressing rapidly. Possible pursuers" I heard Mary, one of the operations directors, on the comms "I hear you Ozone, I've sent the alert to Jäger. He'll be airborne in 10 minutes, you need to last half an hour" I heard a round impact the rear armor as I looked back "Olivier, Vicente, get some fire on those fuckers!" As I rolled down my window and leaned out while turning around and firing a burst at the driver of the car behind us as Olivier and Vicente opened the rear doors and opened up with their machine guns. I sighed and took some deep breaths before I aimed for the tires, I fired a couple bursts until I had to reload. I slid back into the van and slid in another magazine before pressing the mag lock as I asked Luna "How much you wanna bet I hit the tire in the first burst?" She looked over shocked as I urged "come on, come on, the longer you take the more rounds we take" she sighed before shaking her head in a mix of disbelief and amusement "5 euros, I'll bet 5 euros" I extended my hand to which she shook my hand as I pulled myself out the window and sighted down the holo of Ash's R4-C and waiting until I felt the van grow stable and squeezed the trigger for 3 seconds feeling 12 jolts of recoil as I watched the vehicle's tire spark and the vehicle veered off the road and into the forest.
I slid back into the car and looked over as I heard Vicente and Olivier's LMGs fall silent and I looked over to Luna "Well my friend, you owe me 5 euros" she shook her head amused as we settled in to head to the LZ. I heard Mary "Your LZ is on a dirt road that'll be on your left in half a klick" I motioned to the left "Half a klick take the dirt road. Alright IRIS, we'll be there. Do we have any medical on board?" She replied after typing a bit "Apex and Doc are on board" I released a sigh of relief since I'd have the supplies to effectively treat Eliza. I looked back "Eliza, when we get on the chopper I'll take care of you" she called back weakly "Sounds good" I hit the trigger for my patch and heard the gasp of relief, "Just hang in there" she nodded as I heard Mary as we turned onto the dirt road "Go down that road for 3 klicks, you'll come to an open field that's your RV" I replied "Thank you IRIS, see you when we get back" I could hear the smile in her voice "You're welcome Ozone" I relayed the information to Luna as we continued down the bumpy road. I watched the forest pass as we bounced around until a deer jumped out fo the forest and into the grill of the van, Luna stopped as I climbed out and walked around seeing the deer laying on the ground breathing heavily, it was obviously in pain as I lifted the R4 and switched it to semi before firing two rounds into its head as Luna walked around and looked at the front of the van and saw the bent and messed up hood and the shattered window. I looked over as she turned and yelled "Fuck!" I asked "How far out are we?" She sighed but replied "1 and a half klicks, why?" I motioned to the car "the things fucked, we have to reach that RV. I'll carry Eliza but I'll need someone to carry my gun case and rifle" she walked to the rear of the car and we pulled the rear doors open "Car's done. We're on foot, grab your gear" they sighed but climbed out and started to pull out the gear. I handed my gun case and rifle to Nøkk and motioned Ash to me "Come on, I'm carrying you" she scooted over as I lifted her in a firemen's carry and started jogging towards the RV, I heard Blackbeard "Christ Ozone the fuck do they teach you in the PJs?" I replied as I kept jogging "How to make sure people get out alive" he chuckled as we jogged along the road.
     I jogged for 6 minutes before we covered the mile to the RV only to place Ash against a tree and look down the road to see the rest of the team lagging behind a bit, I joked with ash by saying "Well Eliza, we all know how proud of your speed you are. You can now officially say you're faster than these 5 even while wounded" she chuckled as I took my rifle from Luna as I crouched and rest my elbow just inside of my knee as I scanned the road behind us with my IRNV sight until I heard Jäger "Hallo meine Freunde(hello my friends), I've been told you needed a ride?" I heard Olivier "Jäger, you wouldn't believe the night we've had" he laughed before replying "Lion, I must agree with you if the radio chatters anything to go by" I heard the chopping of Helicopter blades as I picked up ash and carried her to the helicopter as it touched down and doc pulled the door open. I handed Ash to Aaron and spoke "Get the overhead lamp on, she's been wounded for a bit. We're running out of time on this" he asked as he started getting the station set up "What's her situation?" I replied "Cat Charlie but she was bleeding bad" he nodded as the team climbed into the chopper and I looked at doc "You mind if I run the show?" He shook his head no as I nodded. "alright I need you to give her a morphine shot and saline solution. Doc, hit her with a stun it'll help."   
     Aaron spoke as he held her arm stable "saline.... is in, injecting morphine" I pull out my kit and got out fresh gauze and pressure bandages, I lifted her leg as i cut away the rest of the pant leg and noticed there's no exit. I sighed "The rounds in her leg" Aaron looked at me "Are we pulling it?" I looked at him as I heard Doc "If the round went straight it'll be near her femoral artery, when the wound heals it could be pressed against the artery and restrict blood flow" I nodded as I praised "took the words out of my mouth, fuck, we're gonna have to pull it" Eliza asked worried "Is it gonna hurt?" I shook my head no "It shouldn't, but just in case, Aaron hold her down, doc I need you to keep her legs still" he pressed down on her lower thighs while Aaron held her shoulders flat, I put a small face cloth in her mouth "bite on this if it hurts" as I pulled out my straight forceps and got my flashlight in my mouth. I carefully spread the wound before seeing a flash of silver before maneuvering the forceps into the wound trying to keep them from touching anything but they did and her muffled screams were heard as I kept pushing deeper until I felt something hard on the end of my forceps I maneuvered my head so the light shined at the angle where I could see it was the bullet, I got my forceps on either side of the bullet before tightening the grip and slowly pulling as Eliza's screams were heard until my forceps snapped shut and the round moved slightly, I carefully forced the forceps open again causing more discomfort for Eliza as I got control of the round.
      I started pulling it out slowly as Eliza's body shook in her attempts to get away as I pulled the bullet out and dropped it in the peetree dish as I inspected it and Eliza asked "is that all? Are we done?" With tears rolling down her face I shook my head no "You've still got a shard, I need to find it" she struggled more and more as I took my bloodied hands and forced her to look at me "Listen, I don't want to do this to you but I need to to save your life, do you trust me?" She nodded in fear as I spoke "I'll get you through this but it's gonna hurt like a bitch" Aaron nodded "Trust us, you have 3 doctors taking care of you" she took deep breaths as I put the face cloth back in her mouth and carefully used my forceps to manipulate the wound until I saw a flash of silver, it was deep, I looked up at Aaron "Bro, it's fucking deep, like 5 inches deep" he looked at Doc focused before he spoke "You got this, believe in yourself. This is your game, no one's as good as you, now let's do this" I took some deep breaths and wiped at an itch on my face before I slowly forced the forceps deeper while using Aaron's to manipulate the wound so I could see what I was doing as Eliza screamed and hollered in pin while crying and begging for the pain to stop. My forceps nipped at the edge of the shard as I carefully took an educated risk and shoved them just that much deeper causing the wound to grow a bit as Eliza's scream broke the silence before I withdrew my forceps and held the other shard of the round before dropping it into the peetree dish and covering it.
     I looked at Aaron and Gustave "Stitch her up and give her another boost of your serum" I sat Eliza up and gave her a hug as she latched onto me and balled into my shoulder "It hurt so much" I nodded as I whispered "I know, I hope you know I didn't want to hurt you" she nodded still balling "I know" I replied with sympathy "I had that same deal done to me, I know how bad it hurts" she tried wiping her eyes as I pulled back and spoke "You did good, now you know why you shouldn't get shot" she chuckled even in pain before replying "Says the amputee" I sighed as I dramatically fell to the floor "Attacking the cripple, low blow" the team laughed as I leaned against the rear seat and released a deep breath as Aaron unhooked the overhead lamp and I started to pack up my gear only to see just how bloody my hands were. I spoke to myself more than the others as I said "Holy shit" causing Luna to flash a flashlight on me and Vicente muttered "merda...(Shit....)" as I looked at Aaron "Get that light on we're giving her a transfusion now!" He started hanging it up as I motioned Doc passed me "Gustave, you're up" he scooted past me after the shock wore off I asked "Eliza, what's your blood type? What is it?!" She seemed scared at the urgency before shakily getting out "B negative" I started pretty the B negative blood bag before I handed the IV to doc as I hung up the bag and setting the drip rate after doing some quick calculations "Alright, by the time we reach base you'll be topped off" Aaron looked at me as I rubbed the itch on my face.
      I asked "what? Oh.... oh god" he nodded with a chuckle "dude you're covered in blood" I looked at my tools "Fuck, now I have to deep clean these" I carefully put away my kit and leaned back in between Luna's legs as she patted the top of my head "you did good" I shook my head no "I didn't even think about blood loss, she could've died if you didn't shine the light on me" she leaned over my head "Yes, but she's gonna survive now because of you. You're human, you don't have to be perfect all the time" I sighed but saw Aaron smiling faintly in the dark "What's got that grin going?" Aaron replied as he moved to the shadows "oh you know just reminds me of my wife and I when we first got together" I threw the bite cloth at him "you know we aren't together" Yumiko piped up "You two do act like a couple a lot" I looked over "not you too" I heard some chuckles as Vicente replied "A war from all sides" I heard Luna "A war they won't win" Olivier asked "didn't your country get conquered in a day?" Luna flared as she bit back "Didn't your country invest in an impenetrable defense that got driven around? For a military power of Europe, six weeks seems unusually fast" Olivier grumbled as he quieted down and Aaron and I raised our fists into the air "Murica, Fuck Yeah!" I heard Yumiko "I don't know what you're so proud about, we blew up your navy in one strike" I looked over "and we blew up your cities in one bomb, who wins? Huh? We got those ships back, you didn't get those cities back so again:" Aaron joined in as we called "Murica Fuck Yeah!"
       I noticed Jäger was being quiet causing Aaron to ask "Sitting this one out Germany?" Marius joked "well, the last time we got involved in the war it ended badly for us, and most of Europe and Northern Africa and the Russians..." I reassured "Well we can't say Germany is a weak military I mean Christ, y'all just started swinging and everyone dropped" he chuckled as I pulled off my helmet and rubbed my face causing me to sigh "god damnit, I'm not used to being this bloody. I haven't been this bloody since my leg left my body" I felt Luna's legs tighten around my body "You joke about that a lot" I nodded "You should see me when I'm home, I'll mess with my father's assistant and pretend to have an accident while mowing the law by putting fake blood over my stump and yelling like I'm in pain only to laugh and go "Don't worry heather I lost it in the war, but I could go for a beer" and then I'll drink and mow" she chuckled before Yumiko spoke "Your sense of humor is fucked" I looked over at Aaron "Yep" as He replied "you'll see, American Spec Ops our humor is black as the racist cartoons Disney made" Craig nodded "Amen brother" as Vicente shook his head with a chuckle.
      I spoke as I leaned back "Wanna hear one of my favorite songs?" I heard Aaron "Oh please do tell" I looked at him deadly serious "Well it goes a little something like this: Doctor, Doctor, give me the news, I've got a bad case of killing Jews" I heard Ash "I'm Jewish" I looked at her "Is that why your  callsign's Ash?" I got smack upside the head by Luna as Marius could be heard laughing in the pilot seat "Fuck I can't breathe" I chuckled as Aaron spoke "So doctor, what's the news?" Doc shook his head "You're a doctor too, leave me out of this one" Aaron looked at me before replying "I diagnose you with the killing Jew disease, some of the symptoms are growing a toothbrush mustache and killing 6 million Jews" I replied happily "Oh great, I only have one of the symptoms" I heard Olivier "But you don't have a mustache.... oh, oh lord" I started laughed as Luna smacked my upside the head again "Alright, enough" I sighed as I leaned my head back so I could see Luna "You're a buzzkill, you know that?" She nodded as I looked at Craig "I'm in time out" he laughed as Yumiko spoke "You just had to prove it was that dark didn't you?" Aaron nodded as I relaxed.
     Marius spoke into the headset an hour later "We'll be at base in 5 minutes" I sighed as I stared at the ceiling and I felt Luna's leg bouncing "Why are you so nervous?" She replied in a huff "I'm not, I'm just antsy" I asked again "why?" She spoke embarrassed "My ass fell asleep, it feels like TV static" I chuckled as I tilted my head back a bit more "You'll have to walk it off, if you want I can hit it a couple times and get blood running again" she rolled her eyes "That's a bad lie" I shrugged as I spoke "Worth a shot" while Aaron spoke "See? You two act like a couple" I looked at him "I have no idea what you're talking about" as Yumiko spoke "I'm pretty sure you do" I heard Luna "why do you guys always say stuff that makes no sense?" Olivier talked to the rest of the team "Guys just let it go, they aren't gonna see it for a while" I asked exasperated "what's there to see? We aren't acting like a couple" Craig asked "So you do that with your other friends?" I nodded as I pointed lazily to Aaron "I've done it to him before" as Aaron sheepishly confirmed "Yeah, he's uh, he's not lying" I heard Yumiko "Holy shit, they might actually not see it" I sighed as I heard Marius "contact in 20" I lazily turned my head to the right having half my view blocked my Luna's leg as Doc ripped the door open. I spoke to Aaron "Stop the drip, she's got enough" he took the bag off the hook and removed the needle before placing a bandaid on her arm before the familiar soft jolt went through the helicopter as gustave slid out of the helicopter and helped Eliza to her feet before heading to the medical wing while we all grabbed our gear and bags before I spoke to Aaron "Wash this out I'll drop our stuff off at the dorm before going to debrief" he nodded "Wilco" as I turned and grabbed his kit and weapons before walking to our dorm and entering, I carefully placed everything in its assigned position before I turned and walked to the debrief, completely forgetting to clean my arms, shirt or face of blood.