Operation: Pointed Spear

Of the end

Monika's POV
I looked over the edge of the window and saw Alik and the mask laying motionless, I hooked up my rappel gear and ran down the side of the building before tearing off my rig running and sliding to a halt next to Alik as I pulled off his helmet and balaclava listening for his exhale before I started crying "Alik, Alik, come on.... you gotta get up.... I can't do this without you" I heard Rodion "IQ, what's happening? We heard glass break, talk to me IQ" I keyed my radio and spoke "Achilles tackled a mask off the third floor, he's alive but barely. He's bleeding from the mouth and barely breathing" Harry spoke "I've got medevac moving to retrieve him, capture Feral" I sighed before I pulled the masks helmet off and saw him start waking up before I started stomping him out. Letting all the anger and worry out as I shattered the bones watching as his face turned to powder. I hooked up my rappel rig once more before I looked back at Alik "please be okay for me" as I started up the side of the building before unhooking myself and walking back into the hallway.
I lifted my LMG and continued down the hallway before I stepped off to the right disappearing into a room after hearing someone kick a piece of shattered glass. I waited peaking out a crack until I saw a Mask patrol walk by, I weighted my options and contemplated my options until I heard one of the masks "there's a broke window here, maybe there's some rainbow dogs out there" my protective instincts kicked in as I pulled the door open and leveled my machine gun squeezing the trigger watching and feeling the muzzle flash and the rifle kick. I held the trigger until my rifle cleared empty and I saw the group of masks on the ground in a bloody mess, I put the drum in my mag bag before pulling another off my hip sliding it into my LMG before I pulled the priming handle loading my rifle as I mumbled "no one hurts him" and turned leveling my gun as I slowly moved forward, a hand erupted from the darkness grabbing my G8's hand guard tearing it forward before they crashed it back into my chest causing my hand to instinctively grip the source of the pain.
I saw a female mask step out and noticed she was in a very unusual uniform as I pulled my pistol only for her to kick it from my hands. I rolled back and got on my feet rushing forward throwing several quick jabs that she ducked and weaved around, I spun and kicked her ankle as she dropped to a knee and spun before landing a strong punch on my stomach, I gasped as I stumbled back before I found my footing and gripped behind her knees slamming her back first onto the ground as I fired my elbows into her mask, I timed them so as her head bounced off the ground she was hitting one of my elbows. She reacted quickly kicking with her feet flipping us as I protected my face from her brutal punches, she screamed in rage "just fucking die!" As reached up gripping her face plunging one of my thumbs into her left eye. She yelled in pain before tightly squeezing my throat attempting to strangle me to death. I heard the distinctive pop of a glock as her shoulders racked from rounds impacting before she pulled up her pistol and fired.
I looked back and saw Achilles stumble and fell face down as a round struck his shoulder, my body lit with rage as I bolted to my feet and tackled the mask gripping her throat squeezing as I screamed until I heard a loud pop and her body still. I fell back on my haunches before I remembered Achilles being on my feet in an instant as I ran over and rolled him over. He smiled and spoke with a coarse whisper "you're okay...." I pressed a bandage on his shoulder as I radioed "Bird, proceed down the hall past the Mg. I need you to bring Achilles to your position" I heard him ask "wait, I thought he took a spill out the building?" I answered "he did, now he's at my position bleeding both internally and from a wound in his shoulder. He'll need more first aid than I can provide" as Bird spoke "Wilco, moving. Keep him safe until I get there" as Achilles whispered "make sure you get feral, give him hell baby" I smiled and replied "Stay awake for me, come on. Hey, stay awake, keep your eyes on me" he mumbled slurred "I'm really dizzy" as his head bobbed and his eye lid slowly slipped to close.
I patted his face and spoke "stay awake" his face scrunched as his eyes opened before Bird was heard behind me "go ahead, I'll take care of him. Watcher, get that medevac to our floor. We'll be on the east side 3rd floor room 219" as I watched and he stabbed an adrenaline needle into Achilles waking him up as he gasped and redid the bandages I had done in a rush. I looked forward steeling my nerves and I mumbled "I'll get him, for both of you" as I started down the hallway to the manager's office. The mask presence had died drastically as I got closer which worried me as I walked into one of the bathrooms and closed the door double checking there weren't any masks before I tossed out my drone and barricaded the door droning the floor towards the Office not seeing anyone until Feral picked up my drone and spoke "nice to see you, I'll be waiting. We can finally have that chat" I pushed my phone into my pocket before removing the foot ladder and starting down the hallways occasionally spinning to check my six.
I let my LMG hang from its sling before I pulled my pistol and slowly opened the door, Feral gripped the slide pushing it down as I spun cracking him in the ribs before lifting my pistol and firing. He gripped his bicep as I kicked him to the ground he looked up and asked "IQ? I was expecting Alik" I replied hatefully "he was busy" as I cuffed him and pulled him to his feet. We walked through the destroyed hospital as he sang a song until I cracked him with my pistol "enough" he chuckled before leaning forward as he spun and threw a kick towards my face. I leaned back before kicking him myself, he dropped as I roughly shoved my thumb into his wound. He yelled in pain as I dug around with my nail before speaking threateningly "be a good boy or I make your time with Rainbow even more fun!" He nodded in pain as I yanked him up and tossed him over the half wall next to the MG nest, I radioed "be advised Feral is in custody, feral is in custody"
The leader of the relief team, Warden, replied "Building is secure" as Rodion spoke "send up 2 of your guys. I need another pair to bring Achilles down" Harry spoke "medevac birds are on station to bring them to the nearest friendly hospital with the capabilities to treat their wounds" I pushed Feral again as he slowed down before we turned the corner to Bird's shotgun in feral's face. I spoke "ease up Bird" he lowered his shotgun as Rodion asked "this dick give you much trouble?" I shook my head no as Achilles coughed some blood Rodion informed me "he's gotten worse, he's teetering" I sighed and asked "Bird think you can bring Feral down to the truck waiting for him?" He nodded as I passed Feral to him before Warden and Blitz appeared. I spoke "get Thatcher on a stretcher, we need to get them out of here" as I helped load Achilles on a stretcher before Rodion and I started down the stairs. We moved as fast as we could as the helicopter pilot expertly lowered the Blackhawk onto the street before Rodion and I slid Achilles' stretcher into the helicopter and climbed on as Rodion stepped back and Warden and Blitz slid Thatcher's stretcher in.
They stepped back as the PJs slammed and latched the door shut before I got handed a headset, I told them "Achilles fell from the 3rd floor, he got shot in the shoulder and keeps coughing up blood. Thatcher got hit by several .50 caliber rounds to the chest, he's been unconscious for about 10 minutes" they nodded as I asked "what can I do to help?" They walked me through the process while we battled to save their lives. I heard Harry on comms "Mission is a success, IQ I want an update as soon as you can give one" I replied "affirm" as I continued to listen to the orders of the lead medic. It was a short flight of about 30 minutes when I heard one of the PJs "were still in the golden hour, we need to move soon we're running out of time" I wanted to ask what the golden hour was but decided against it instead helping them run the stretchers in to the doctors and nurses waiting to treat them. I walked with them as the doctor explained what they were planning on doing to try to save them.
As the two beds disappeared into different surgery rooms I was stopped by one of the nurses, "ma'am I need you to wait here. I know you want to be with them but we need to be able to work" I nodded and sat down waiting for the doctors to come out. 7 hours later I got shaken awake by a doctor as he spoke "we managed to stabilize Alik, sadly Mike did not pull through. I'm sorry for your loss" I looked down before asking "is Alik awake?" He nodded and spoke "follow me, I'll bring you to him" I slowly followed him as I looked in the room and saw the Nurses moving Thatcher's body to a bed and covering it with a white sheet. It slowly sunk in that we had lost our best teacher, the man we all thought as invincible was no more impervious than any of us. I shook my head as the doctor opened the door and motioned me in, I slowly walked in scared at what I might see only to see a heavily bandaged Alik looking out the window, he looked over when he heard my shoes chirp on the ground.
The doctor spoke "he'll make a recovery in a couple weeks, keep him out of stressful situations and be careful. He's got a couple broken ribs, we managed to stop the internal bleeding. His broken rib didn't pull out of the wound meaning the bleeding was greatly reduced compared to what it could've been" I smiled as I sat on the edge of his bed and the doctor spoke again "I'll give you two some time" alik smiled "Hallo mein Liebling(hello my love)" I replied "what you did was stupid and reckless, you had me worried sick" he looked down before I spoke again "good thing you're still here to make it up to me" he looked up as I asked "how're you feeling?" He hissed and replied "like I just fell three stories" I chuckled "my dear, you did." He paused before nodding "that makes sense" as I stood "I have to call Harry, sit still and don't hurt yourself" he gave a salute before gripping his side as I walked out and called Harry "thatcher didn't make it" Harry sighed before replying "I'll make the preparations, what about Achilles? Is he still with us?" I answered "ja, he's got some broken ribs and a bullet wound but the doctor said he'll make a recovery as long as I keep him from stressing his body" Harry replied "I leave the rest to you, enjoy your break. Stay safe" I answered "you too sir.... you too" as I walked back in talking with Alik, just happy not to have lost him.