Operation: Pointed Spear

Hunting

Alik's pov(1 week later)
I climbed into the helicopter with Monika as Mike closed the door. I looked down and spoke "I've got a bad feeling about this" Monika leaned against me as the helicopter lifted off, Mike radioed "get some rest, we'll be on target in 3 hours" I leaned back trying to bury my bad feeling. I stared out the window before drifting off to sleep, I woke up 2 and a half hours later as Mike kicked my shin and radioed "wake your lass, we're doing final prep" I nudged Monika as she slowly woke up and I spoke in comms "final checks" she nodded and started checking her Aug while I finished checking my MCX. I watched the forest pass beneath us as Mike spoke "we're hitting one of the compounds Feral frequents, hopefully he's there. If not, secure and sweep" we nodded as I asked "any word on his activity?" Mike shook his head no as Lera spoke "all we know is he frequents these compounds and a police unit got hit recently" I sighed and spoke "feels like an ambush" Jack spoke "I guess it's time to spring the trap then" I shook my head as the pilot spoke "2 mikes"
       I shifted my weight as Mike pulled the door open and clipped the rope, I looked at the team and saw them all doing their final rituals. I pulled out my will and handed it to Mike "Keep hold of this will you?" He looked at the paper and then at me "don't be a muppet, put it back in your pocket" I pushed it to him "Just take it, I'll feel better knowing it won't get shot" he sighed and grabbed it tucking it into one of his pockets before the pilot came over comms "rappel lines out, good hunting" as I gripped the rope and slid down it. The team all hit the floor of the forest quickly as Mike radioed "all blues on the ground, you're clear" the helicopter flew off into the darkness and Mike spoke "target compound is 3 klicks northwest, let's get moving" I lifted my MCX to a low ready as we walked through the thick forest. I did, every now and again, get feeling like we were being watched, my NVGs weren't doing a great job at easing my nervousness, everything was pixelated. IQ asked "anyone else feel like we're being watched?" I replied "aye" as Thatcher spoke "hunker down, we'll see if we can spot anything"
      We all picked a tree and huddled against it trying to break up our outline in case anyone was looking at us, after a couple minutes of silence I heard Thatcher on the comms "alright, let's get moving. We got to be out of here by dawn" I stood and started walking to the target again, it was a long walk with no talking from the team until we reached the outer most house, just outside the walls of the main compound. It was a one floor 3 bedroom house as I lifted my MCX and kicked the door in, the team flooding in behind me as we captured everyone in the house before they even had a chance to react. I called "clear!" As I heard 4 clears in return before I walked back to Thatcher and heard him talking to one of the women in Russian, "Feral is here, main house. 2nd floor" I listened as Finka spoke "let's go get him then, easy in and out" the team nodded before I spoke "doesn't this sound too easy? We've spent months hunting him down and he's just sitting in a house waiting?"
IQ voiced her agreement "I don't like this" Thatcher answered "alright, we proceed but if anything seems off. We call off the assault and evac" we nodded and started walking to the building. I saw the dancing lights of a tv on the ceiling of an open window "12 o'clock high, activity on the second floor" the team all gave their confirmation as we stacked up on the door. I heard movement on the other side as I grabbed the doorknob and waited until thatcher gave me a nod to which I twisted the knob and pushed the door in, thatcher pushed in followed by the rest of the team as gunshots and crashing was heard. I walked in and saw 3 masks dead with plates shattered on the ground, as Thatcher spoke "Achilles, Pulse, clear the room to the left. IQ, Finka, you've got the right" as I nodded to pulse as he pulled up his sensor "I've got 4 in the room" I pushed the door in and walked in training my gun on the two before the woman reached for a gun causing me to fire dropping her, the second woman started to go for it as I pulled up my Taser and fired watching her drop to the ground.
I walked forward seeing two kids hiding in the corner as I cuffed the woman and radioed "room secure, 1 Kia, 1 detained, 2 non-combatants" as I walked back to the hallway as IQ radioed "3 KIA, room secure" thatcher spoke "Sergeant, on me" I took my position behind him as we started up the staircase, a mask peaked around the corner only to take a round from thatcher's AR33. I heard Feral on the PA "I'm glad you could be here Achilles, we're going to find your heel tonight. Meet me in my room" I looked at Thatcher as IQ came on the radio "I don't like this" I spoke "he's 'ere, we need to take him" Pulse spoke "I got his heart beat, there's only two on this floor. End of the hall" thatcher started moving up the stairs quickly as we rushed down the hallway and i burst into the room. I looked around and felt my eyes widen in horror as I saw Zara tied up in a chair and jeremy tied up in another. The door slammed shut behind me locking the rest of the team out, Feral spoke "it's up to you, who lives and who dies? You have to choose, your new family or your old family? Is sweet Zara gonna survive or is it gonna be the amazing Jeremy?"
      I walked forward and heard Jeremy "bro, I can't.... I've got a wife... kids..." I heard Zara "I don't wanna die.... please.... I don't wanna die! I'm too young to die!" I heard Feral "you have 10 seconds" before Zara yelled "I'm pregnant, please! I want to be mom!" I heard Jeremy yell "Fuck, okay. Me! Kill me! Do it mother fucker! DO IT!" I heard Feral "is that your choice Achilles?" As I yelled closing my eyes "yes! Yes god damn you!" Just as the charges around his neck detonated, I watched his head roll infront of me. I slowly walked my way over to Zara, slowly undoing her bindings before Feral spoke "I have the rest of IQ's family. I will not harm them, but I will use them for your trials. You will have to make increasingly difficult decisions to save the ones you love." I heard the door unlock and the rest of the team rush in. I fell to my knees and IQ ran over to her sister.
     Thatcher crouched next to Jeremy's head "He was from your squad wasn't he?" I nodded and spoke "he was our sniper" Finka asked "he made you decide who died didn't he?" I nodded and replied "he said he has the rest of IQ's family, he said he wouldn't harm them but they'd be used for my trials. He wants to turn me into him" IQ wrapped me in a tight hug and spoke softly into my ear "I'm sorry you had to do that, danke for saving my sister again" thatcher spoke "let's go, we're pulling out. This is a mess. Watcher, we're done here. One hostage secure, one FKIA, multiple masks KIA, get a team up here to search for intel. We're wheels up in 2" we slowly walked our way out to the main yard as we started localizing everything, eventually bring jeremy's body down in a body bag. IQ sat Zara down and wrapped her in a blanket we took from one of the bedrooms as the pilot was heard "Warhawk 1-2, thatcher" thatcher replied "go for thatcher" as Warhawk spoke "I'm on my final approach, get your team ready" the door opened and we watched Thatcher jog out to the helicopter before he pulled the door open and sent a hand gesture to get the rest of the team on board. I was the last one on as he spoke "well make him pay" I asked "how many more are going to die before that happens?"
      Thatcher sighed and replied "I don't know mate" just for Six to come over the comms "Capitao's team got hit, we lost IQ's family. The Masks have possession" I replied angrily "we fookin' know. We just pulled Zara out, ye should've fookin' listened. If ye listened we would've bagged Feral and IQ's family would be in fookin' danger" he sighed and replied "Achilles I know you're angry but we need to focus on keeping people alive" I replied "too late, I'm staring at a dead CTSFO officer because of you" thatcher started "Achilles, that isn't fa-" I asked "fair? You know what isn't fair? Having to choose who died because some muppet in charge couldn't take advise" six replied "enough, we'll discuss this when you return to base and start working to fix my mistake" I scoffed as I pulled out a cigarette and my lighter lighting it and taking a long drag as IQ spoke "I know you're angry but just remember you have our team backing you, no matter what happens" I nodded my thanks as I took another drag, Zara was obviously shaken up as I spoke "take care of her I'll be fine"
      It was silent until we reached the base and I climbed out seeing Six standing there as I went to move past him but he stopped me "Alik wait" I turned and hissed "what now? What master plan do you have to fuck me over?" He spoke "I'm sorry for your loss, I'm taking you off the field for a couple days. Take time to relax and recollect" I spoke "I'm not stopping until I get my hands on Feral. No one will stop me" he replied sadly "I was afraid you'd say that, come with me. I want to show you how things work" I narrowed my eyes but followed him through the base to his planning room. He motioned to all the files and pieces of intel scattered around "I spend days scouring over intel and mask habits while making the plans, I try to make the plan the most perfect one I can. It's obvious I've misplaced the emphasis. I replaced the teams guarding Monika's family because the CIA told me that safe house was a black hole, no one should've known it existed. I underestimated the resourcefulness of the mask mole and it got people killed"
      I nodded not amused as I spoke "ever heard the saying the commander in the field is always right?" Six nodded as I spoke "we were the commanders in the field, you should've listened" he nodded and spoke "I'll keep that in mind" I looked out the window and asked "who did we lose on Capitao's team?" Six answered "no one, they used a new gas grenade. Rendered everyone unconscious. The masks just walked in and took her family." I sighed and spoke "these wankers just never quit" six asked "what happened on the mission?" I told him "I had a bad feeling, the first house went extremely smoothly, so did the first floor of the target. The second floor was empty except for Zara and Jeremy" he asked "The Jeremy from your team?" I nodded and continued "they had collars of explosives, Feral made me choose who died. When Zara told me she was pregnant I couldn't.... I just couldn't let her die. Next thing I know Jeremy's head is on the ground in front of me" six spoke sounding depressed "I see, I'm sorry I caused so much pain in a single bad decision" I waved him off "make it right, just keep putting our team on hostage rescue the moment you get a whiff of a member of Monika's family" he replied "I'll inform your team the moment I get a hit on the radar" I waved as I walked out heading down to the canteen, just trying to distract myself from my failing to save him.