Operation: Pointed Spear

Extraction

Short Author's note, tomorrow I'll be posting a Halloween special. Meaning the story will have a filler chapter delaying the progression of the story. Have a good day my people

Alik's pov
By Tuesday morning the blizzard was starting to lift, it was still ferocious but it enabled the Ukrainian military to mobilize their APCs to extract us. I listened as Finka spoke on the radio "Nyet, we need that extraction now.... I don't care what you have to do just get it done!" I whistled and spoke "Finka's getting mad" as she dropped the radio and sighed "for fucks sake" I heard IQ "are they coming?" Finka nodded and replied "slowly, they're complaining about the fuckin blizzard." I asked "the one we've lived in for 2 days?" She nodded as Thatcher muttered "fuckin' wankers" Pulse spoke "now, now let them have a fair shot. We didn't want to move either" I shot back "well we didn't have a fuckin APC either" IQ spoke "can we stop arguing? All that matters is extraction is coming" I sighed as Anna asked "do we have any supplies left?" Pulse spoke "I've got half an mre left" I answered "I've got 2" as IQ spoke "I'm out" as Finka spoke "me as well" before Thatcher sighed "I've got 4" we looked at him surprised before he replied "I rationed" I answered "so did I"
He looked at me and replied "obviously not enough" as we started handing out our MREs to anyone that didn't have one before sitting down and eating our last meal. I asked "Anna, how are you doing?" She replied "not bad, I miss being in familiar places but I'm glad to be out of that maniacs hands" I finished off my MRE and tossed the container into the fire before adding another log speaking "we're running out of firewood. We'll have to start breaking furniture in a bit" Pulse sounded excited "vandalism? Fuck yea!" I looked over as IQ spoke "you're a cop, why are you excited about vandalism?" He answered "don't tell me how to live my life" as we chuckled before Thatcher replied "this is a fuckin shit show, they should've sent that fuckin APC days ago" I replied simply "the blizzard was white out days ago, I wouldn't have sent the APC either. It's asking for it to get stuck" he sighed as Finka replied "I still wish they did, Im getting cold" I felt her shivering as she zipped up her taken mask jacket and hugging herself. I pulled out my last cigarette and complained "I take it back, I wish they sent them. I'm onto my last cigarette"
      Anna and IQ spoke in unison "maybe it's a sign" before staring at each other as I heard Finka "that was creepy" I looked at her and spoke "you're preaching to the choir, that shit was directed at me" thatcher sat at the window and sighed "this has to be the worst storm in a long time" I listened as Pulse spoke "never had storms like this back home" I continued to stare at the wall until I heard IQ "getting bored?" I replied simply "I've been bored, it's just getting to a point of insanity" she nodded as my eyes shifted to the fire and my boredom grew. Anna asked "anyone have any cards?" I looked over as Pulse stood "let's see if we can find some" as he and Finka walked off. I spoke dreamily "man I could crush some pancakes right now, buttered, covered in syrup" as IQ spoke "don't talk about food, you're making me hungry" I laughed as Thatcher spoke "a grand cup of tea and a biscuit, that's what I want" I spoke "ask Anna to make you a cup when we get back, she makes god tier tea"
He replied dreamily "I'll have to try it.... Christ I could use some tea" I replied by laughing with Monika before I lit my cigarette and silently wept at the loss of my final cigarette. I heard IQ "are you crying?" I sniffled "n-no, it's just cold" she replied clearly not believing me "You're a bad liar" as Thatcher almost yelled "That's what I've been saying for months!" I sighed and replied "I'm not that bad" she nodded and spoke "the moon is purple." I felt my brow scrunch as my face shifted to confusion before she explained "I thought we were saying shit that doesn't make sense" I pouted as Thatcher spoke "I like her, she's good at calling you on your shit" I asked "who's side are you on anyway?" Just then Pulse and Finka walked in waving around cards "look what we found?" I sighed before IQ mused "Mama you've been quiet" to which Anna replied "just watching you two kids fall in love" I leaned around so I was in her view as I asked "the fuck?" And thatcher asked "do you kids actually not see it?" I blinked and looked at IQ before speaking "apparently not"
      He rolled his eyes as IQ replied indignantly "I'm not falling in love with him, I would never" I winced and replied "ow" as Pulse asked "anyone wanna play war?" I scooted off the wall as Anna spoke "Monika, come with me" I saw the two of them walk out of the room before I sat at the table and pulse gave me my cards. I looked around as we sat and played for a couple hours before I asked "anyone wanna play go-fish?" Pulse and Finka shrugged as we switched games while Thatcher, Anna and IQ sat at the table talking. I secretly wondered what Anna had said to IQ since she'd looked deep in thought since they returned. My internal dialogue was shattered when Pulse asked "do you have a 3?" I nodded placing down the cards before Finka spoke "my turn" my cigarette had burnt out hours ago as I asked "do you have any kings?" She replied "nyet, go fish" I swore and grabbed a card as we continued to play just trying to pass the time, to kill the oppressive boredom, the master of our lives for the last couple days.
Eventually we heard banging on the front door causing everyone to grab their guns and point them at the door as Thatcher walked forward and opened it, I saw two hands come in as the thick accent of a man called "uh.... friend, I'm friend" we kept our guns trained on him until we saw the Ukrainian flag on his shoulder. I relaxed as did everyone else as I pulled down my half mask and smiled "you our ride out of here?" He nodded returning the smile as I motioned out the window "lead on my friend" thatcher gave a hand signal before ordering "Alright everyone pack up, let's go. I want out of here in 1 mike" we all meandered to our small areas we'd claimed and grabbed the rest of our gear before walking over to our giddy Ukrainian guide. I leaned against the wall next to him as he asked excitedly "how do you like Chernobyl?" I replied with an excited tone "it's awesome, I love it here." He replied in broken English "all of Ukraine, much like this" I asked "is it really?" He nodded as I replied "I'll have to come visit, maybe you can show me around"
      He nodded and spoke "of course, of course. I love to show new friend around beautiful country" I nodded with a smile "Glad to have made a friend" as the rest of the team walked over and he asked "go now?" Thatcher nodded as I pulled up my half mask before we turned and lifted our arms facing the still near total white out. Only one thought ran through my head as I covered my half mask 'if I see the color white one more time in my life, it'll be too fuckin soon' as our new guide pulled the back door of an APC open and motioned us inside. We climbed inside and saw a group of 4 Ukrainian soldiers and the APC's crew waving as we sat down and started the long drive out of the AO. I looked to my left when I felt a weight on me and saw IQ leaning on me with her eyes closed, I asked "are you comfortable?" She nodded as I chuckled and replied "good" before I noticed Anna watching the situation, I gave a small wave garnering a chuckle.
       I heard Thatcher talking to the APC crew commander "Thank you for pulling us out, we're running low on supplies and really need to get back to our base" the commander replied "no problem. I just wish we were farther from reactor, makes me nervous" I saw Pulse lift his hand "I second that" Finka rolled her eyes and muttered "kids" IQ pointed out "that's offensive to kids" as the APC jolted and we started our return journey. My phone had died a day ago after I rationed use to try to extend my battery life so I was forced to hum a tune before I asked Anna "when we get back to base, would you be willing to make me some tea? You're is way better than mine and I want to calm my nerves" she smiled a tired smile before replying "you and I both, of course I'll make you some tea. It's the second time you've protected my family" I waved her off "I thought I told you, I'm just doing my job it's no big deal to me" she laughed before answering "you should get used to it, I'll thank you every time " I sighed before leaning my head back.
      I looked down when I heard IQ snoring lightly before I smiled and leaned my head on hers just trying to get my mind to calm down enough for me to sleep. Eventually I did so and found myself in a winters forest, I walked around complaining "fucking snow, too bright and cold and wet and god I hate it. Fuckin bullshite. Stupid fucking substance, no one likes you" until I saw the emaciated form of a Wendigo sitting against a tree as I spoke to myself "so that's what Jace was going for, cool." As I walked forward figuring if I was gonna die I should get it over with. I asked as I approached "are you gonna kill me?" The Wendigo's head shifted so it's large black lifeless orbs were looking directly at me before it's gravelly ancient tone was heard "no, this is a dream" I sat next to it in the snow as I looked around the forest just relaxing until suddenly the ancient voice was heard again, I looked over at the Wendigo as it spoke "The hatred in your heart, warms you now, but will leave you cold in your grave"
        I blinked away the tiredness as I woke up several hours later, IQ was reading the last chapter of A Brief History of Time as I asked "is it any good?" Over the chatter of the other operators, she replied half paying attention to me, half focusing on the book "it's informative, nice to read. It can get a little complex to someone like me who doesn't work with this type of stuff but generally I enjoyed the read" I smiled under my half mask before I asked "are you borrowing anymore of my books?" She nodded answering "ja, I don't know what one however" I shrugged and replied "whatever ones you want, just let me know which ones your takin" she nodded as I pulled out SOG chronicles and continued reading until we reached the Ukrainian base having cleared the white out and got transferred to a Ukrainian helicopter bringing us back to Hereford. I sighed as we walked through the heated hallways feeling the warmth bring blood back into my finger tips as my dorm room door appeared in my vision sending me running for it like a child when they see a parent they've missed severely before I barged through it, tearing through our apartment before I jumped in my bed and felt my body relax at the warmth before I rolled over and stared at the ceiling sighing in contentment.