Operation: Pointed Spear

The target

Alik's pov
      I looked around the helicopter before I shifted my eyes to the forest below, I saw boar and wolves running as I sighed realizing we'd have more threats than I was used to. I double checked my MCX as the crew chief came over comms "we're 2 mikes out" while holding up 2 fingers. I heard Thatcher "make ready, double check your Geiger counter. I don't want anyone dropping because of radiation" I rolled my eyes and pulled it off double checking it and finding mine was fucked, I sighed and spoke into comms "mine's fucked" Thatcher sighed and asked "is anyone else's fucked it?" Everyone said no as I sighed muttering "great, just fuckin great" thatcher replied "just stay close to us, it's the best we can do for now" I rolled me eyes and spoke "christ just throw me into the reactor at this point" he chuckled as the Crew chief spoke "30 seconds" as he lifted 3 fingers and a closed fist. I looked to my right and saw IQ looking focused but nervous as the doors got pulled open and I saw the winter landscape of a thick Ukrainian forest before I noticed the abandoned city in the distance and the wall of dark clouds I muttered amazed "whoa"
      I saw the crew chief hook up the rappel rope as I continued to stare at the abandoned city before Thatcher moved past me and rappelled and IQ patted my shoulder as she moved past me. I shook my head and grappled the rope sliding down before I shivered and saw my breath infront of me turn to fog, I looked at the team as Pulse checked his radiation meter and asked "where are we going?" Thatcher extended his arm to our left, "a klick that direction, stay tight. We aren't the only predators out here" I looked around unsettled at the horror movie esk silence. As we started walking, I heard IQ next to me "freaky isn't it" I nodded and spoke "It feels like Bigfoot is gonna step out and eat me or some shit" thatcher spoke "cut the chatter, I wanna be out of here as quick as we can. Fuckin' minefield" I saw the bright full moon peaking through the tangle of tree branches as I stepped and listened to the snow crunch under my feet, my muscles were still twitching trying to warm me up as I heard Finka mutter "I'm not dress for this shit"
We walked deeper into the woods as a Wolf howled, I heard 6 or 7 more join into the song all around us as Pulse spoke sounding unnerved "we're surrounded, what the fuck" we started moving faster suddenly uncomfortable being in the area. Half an hour later we reached the edge of the woods and saw the farmhouse, I asked "so IQ's mom is in there?" Thatcher nodded replying "that's what the intel said" pulse asked "why some random farmhouse in the middle of the exclusion zone?" Thatcher shrugged and ordered "let's go, I wanna get an idea of what we're up against" we moved towards the building trying to keep ourselves small until we reached the wall and pulse pulled out his sensor smacking the side as he groaned in anger and Finka asked "what's wrong?" He replied angrily "the radiation, it's fucking with my sensor. It keeps jumping from 15 to a random number, it just hit 1029" I sighed and spoke "going in blind, IQ is it affecting yours?" She flipped her sensor and nodded "It must be affecting the electronics, maybe the wiring?" I shrugged as Thatcher said "let's start clearing then"
       I moved past IQ and gripped the windows slowly pulling it open before I climbed in and turned helping the rest in before I heard someone say "keep watch, I'm taking a piss" I looked down and to my right seeing a toilet. I mumbled "can't catch a fuckin' break" as I pulled my baton from my belt as I side stepped next to the door while the rest of the team found places to hide. I waited as the mask walked in before I slowly came off the wall and lifted my baton cracking him on the back of the head as he fell I cracked him hard two more times feeling his brain case give way before I turned and lifted my MCX "One down" as pulse gripped the door knob and looked at me nodding, I gave him a nod before he pulled the door open and I pushed out looking to the left seeing 3 masks in positions near the windows, they'd covered every angle except the one we came from. I fired 3 rounds dropping them with head shots as Pulse and thatcher fired into masks behind me, I called "3 ekia" to which thatcher replied "5 over here" as we started down the hallway just for a mask to erupt from a closet grabbing IQ by the throat and lifting her.
      I reacted first rushing forward and tackling the man before I ripped my baton of my belt extending it in one move before I started beating the mask until he was unconscious, Finka asked "You okay?" As she crouched next to IQ. I stood and kicked the mask once more before thatcher looked at me and nodded, I lifted my MCX as IQ stood and we started up the steps to the second floor. I shifted my aim to the edge of the corner as we moved up before thatcher moved across a doorframe and Pulse took the door adjacent at our end of the hallway, thatcher had just started opening the door when a burst of fire tore through the aging wood of the door. Thatcher quickly pushed the door open and moved in firing a couple bursts before he came over comms "Room secure" as Pulse walked out of the room he cleared and nodded. I moved to the next door and opened it seeing a mask holding a woman hostage.
     I ducked into cover as his pistols rounds impacted the doorframe before I came around the corner and fired once watching my round rip his head back, the woman went to stab me as I lifted my taser and spoke calmly "taser, taser, taser" as I fired it watching her body freeze like a statue as her muscles contracted and she dropped hitting the ground. I cuffed her as IQ finished clearing the room "room secure, 2 left" I walked out and took my position behind Finka as we moved to the next room. Thatcher had just passed infront of the door as rounds tore through just missing his knees causing him to mutter "fookin christ", I watched Pulse kick it in as Finka activated her nano bots and pushed into the room. I was right behind her as I sent a burst into a mask coming out of the closet while Finka killed 2 "3 down, room secure" as we rejoined the team and moved to the last room. I took a deep breath as we heard beeping on the other side, I nodded to thatcher as he flashed one of his EMPs at me I saw him activate it before dropping it.
       I waited until it detonated and the beeping stopped before pushing in expecting to see Anna but only seeing a bunch of deactivated nitro cells and a note on a chair, I slowly walked forward expecting an ambush before I lifted the note as the lights turned back on and I read it out loud "Achilles, welcome to trial 2. Proceed to the cellar alone, I have sensors that will detect if a second person enters and detonate the explosives. I'll see you down there" I heard pulse "there's no way he's down there" I replied "I'm goin" Finka asked "and if it's an ambush?" I asked in return "what if it isn't and we leave Anna in the cellar?" Finka sighed as Thatcher asked "do you think my EMP could disable the sensors?" I shook my head no "I'm willing to bet if the sensors deactivate the explosives detonate" thatcher cursed as I started walking down the steps hearing Pulse ask "Where are you going?" I replied as I continued down the stairs "to complete this fuckin trial and save Anna. If you hear crashing move above it and place as many breaching charges as you can" I heard footsteps above me as I tore open the door shivering at the cold nip of the blizzard that had rolled in as I slowly pushed my way through the wind and snow before pulling the cellar door open.
      I stared down into the darkness as I resolved to complete this and started down the staircase, halfway down the lights turned on automatically as I saw a small blocked off area and a small room at the other end. I walked over keeping my rifle up until I pushed the door open and saw a bullet proof glass case surrounding a hole in the wall that lead to a pitch black area before I saw Anna and Bird, my CTSFO teams CQB expert, just a young kid no older than 24. I heard footsteps and lifted my rifle in the direction seeing the typical mask outfit but this mask was grey with three red triangles around the left eye, it was feral. He spoke jovially "Nice to finally see you face to face, you can call me Feral, I like it much more than my actual callsign. Welcome to trial 2, you must decide how one of them dies. If you choose to kill Anna, she will be incinerated, a proper way for a German no? If you choose to kill young Bird, he will be exposed to the same gas I used to kill your team at the Games" I reacted by grabbing the chair next to me and throwing it at his frame behind the glass.
      He spoke "tick tock, 20 seconds before they both die." They were screaming their cases for staying alive but I couldn't hear them, I asked "you sound proofed the boxes didn't you?" He nodded and replied "after Jeremy picked for you, I thought I'd make it so you have to pick. 10 seconds" I sighed "fuck, SHIT. Fine fine, I know who" he asked "who's it going to be? Who are you going to betray, they both trust you to save them" as I heard the footsteps directly above Bird's case I keyed my mic "Anna, I pick Anna" just as the door to Anna's container opened the ceiling just infront of Bird's glass container erupted venting the poisonous gas out of the container as Feral yelled "No, NO, NO! You can't do this! You're not playing right! I'll kill you!" He took deep breaths before lifting his mask so his mouth was exposed as he smiled "I underestimated you, no matter. You win this time, but next time, I will shatter your mask"
       I watched him disappear into the darkness behind him as Pulse and Thatcher tried to get through the glass. I called "don't try, it's .50 cal resistant. We aren't getting through it" as IQ checked on her mother and Finka helped pull a coughing bird from his still locked container. Thatcher clapped me on the back "bang on job mate, fuckin' wonderful" I smiled as Bird rushed over and gave me a tight hug crying slightly "I thought you were going to let me die" I rubbed circles into the kid's back and spoke "no, I trust my team. Plus you're too hard headed to die" he laughed still crying as Pulse spoke "bad news, all choppers are grounded until Wednesday. The blizzard is getting bad, they're sending a convoy to retrieve us" I crouched next to Anna and IQ asking "are you okay ma'am?" She nodded and smiled "danke, again" I waved her off "just doing my job ma'am" she smiled as I stood and walked over to Thatcher "what's our play?" He replied "I saw a house in better condition 400 meters down the road, think we can make it?" I looked at the team and replied "if we scavenge 7 jackets off the masks, maybe. I don't know what condition energy wise Bird and Anna are in"
      he turned ordering "Pulse and Finka, get bird and Anna some food and water. IQ, pull security. Come on, let's get those jackets" we climbed out of the cellar and pushed through the howling wind and whipping snow to the stairs into the house. Once we got in I headed to the living room pulling the three pristine heavy jackets off of the masks I killed before Thatcher walked out with 4 jackets that contained a couple holes before we pushed out and into the cellar. I handed IQ, Anna and bird the pristine jackets before taking one of the damaged ones and Mike explained the plan "There's a house in better condition down the road, once everyone's ready we're gonna push down to it and set up in there to hold out until Ukrainian forces can pull us out" Finka asked "is that advisable?" Pulse answered "I don't think so" as I spoke "this shit barn is almost crumbling under the blizzard, we need to get to a location that won't kill us while we sleep" IQ spoke "I agree, if we move fast it'll only be 3 minutes out in the blizzard" we got the ground situated as I pulled out my para cord and tied it around everyone's waist before we started out into the blizzard heading for a destination only 400 meters away.