A Soldier's Impetus

“Call for backup! Now!” Ahmed yelled in distress.

“We don’t have authorization! This is a covert mission, we’re on our own!” Mason made clear.

“Did we really need a translator on this one?” Matthew yelled out as he fired at the enemy.

“It’s his first mission, cut him some slack. He’s good, more importantly, he’s loyal and we can count on him!” Mason made clear.

In the heart of an Arab country, A group of soldiers, lead by Sergeant Mason Barnes, are out on a covert mission to extract one of their own and eliminate a target. Eleven soldiers who left their dreams, their lives, and their families behind for the greater good. Soldiers who were trained do endure and to succeed come hell or high water, and now on the third day of their journey, their lives are depending on that specific training.

The soldiers took a road between the mountains in order to stay away from grabbing any unwanted attention. They’ve been moving together towards their target who’s hidden deep in the city. Attempting to move in undetected, their best option was to move away from populated areas and through the mountains. There’s been no sign of anyone in the desert, at least none of the soldiers saw anyone.

“I said this road no good! You did not listen!” Ahmed the translator yelled in frustration. Ahmed Dabbagh was a local who’s been translating and guiding Sergeant Barnes and his men throughout the mission. “I’m sure they have been following us from a while ago! We just couldn’t see them!” Knowing about possible terrorist posts and dangerous tribes, he advised against moving between the deserts, but the team saw no other way.

“Well, we’re here now! So you better help us get through this as fast as we can! We can’t afford to lose any more time!” Sergeant Barnes replied.

The team was surrounded, it was an ambush. They moved through until they spotted a spike belt waiting to snatch their tires. As soon as they got out of their vehicles, it was hit. Their only way through was to fight back. The enemy was at least thirty men who were all heavily armed with machine guns and explosives. They even took out the lead vehicle with an RPG. Mason and his team are trying to find other ways to get out of the circumstance as they bravely take a stand and fight back. They all took cover wherever they could and started shooting off the enemy, slowly and steadily, targeting those that pose higher threats.

“Matthew! Finish off as many as you can!” Matthew Nichols was the oldest soldier on the team besides Mason Barnes. More importantly, he’s the most experienced, serving three tours and over six covert missions. “Atlas! You cover Matthew and take Adam with you!” Sergeant Barnes continued giving orders.

Atlas Knight was newly recruited, he was strong and brave, had kind of a bulky build and a scary face that said, ‘stone cold killer’. What the enemies didn’t know about him though was the fact that he has a big heart. Adam Aronson was the quiet one on the team, but when he spoke he’d share nothing but wisdom. He didn’t say much and looked harmless, nevertheless, you wouldn’t want to get him angry.

“Ahmed, take Zeke, Milo, and Maverick and cover some of the high ground behind us!”

“There could be soldiers waiting for us on the other side, climbing the mountains!” Ahmed said.

Zeke Shaw, he was the youngest member of the team and was kind of like a younger brother to all of them. Milo Freeman was also newly recruited, and came in the same day as Atlas did. Maverick Newman has been with Mason from the beginning, both serving through their third mission. Maverick is the team’s wild card, doesn’t go by the rules, always disobeys orders, but when things turn to shit he is someone you can rely on, on the battlefield and off. He can be a pain in the ass at first, but in the end you’ll like his results.

The final three soldiers on the team were Eric Marshal, Arthur Scott, and Yanni Bell. Eric was the experienced one, there isn’t a thing he hasn’t seen in his life. It’s made him wise, helpful, reliable, but it’s also taken a toll on him. Arthur is a good man, a man of God and faith. He’s always looking out for his team, praying for them, hoping for the best for each and every one of them. Finally, Yanni, the smart one. Yanni’s interests have made him a man with a lot of knowledge and lessons. He’s the guy to teach you something you wouldn’t expect to be taught along the way.

“Get up there now! That’s an order!” Sergeant Barnes yelled back, realizing that fighting their way through may be the only way out. “Maverick! As soon as you make it up there, you cover their backs! Move, let’s go!” Mason continued, “Eric, Arthur, Yanni! You three are with me!”

THE NIGHT BEFORE…

“Are you serious?” Milo asked, trying to cover his laughter with words.

“Yup. Bitch went silent and two weeks later I saw her posting pictures of her engagement party all over Instagram.” Eric replied.

It was nighttime, and the soldiers set up camp for some rest after traveling for the past 24 hours. They sat down together to have a meal and some conversations, maybe even a few laughs before everything went bleak with the fighting, the killing, the blood, and worse of all, the loss. They knew all about the risks, but that was the last thing they’d want to discuss during the mission. They mostly talked about home. They’d either discuss their lives or how they wished their lives would be.

“I called my girl a few days before the mission, back when we were in base… We’ve been together two years now and out of nowhere she just hits me with a… ‘there’s someone else’.” Maverick said, jumping in on the conversation. “Worst part is she was sobbing and sounded a bit sorry. Like I forced her into the fucking relationship with the guy.”

“The tears were probably for you, mate, not her.” Matthew said.

“I’m glad we don’t have a way to communicate with the outside world, otherwise I may have given her a call.”

“Really, even after what she did?” Eric asked.

“I don’t know… Haven’t always taken the right decisions when it comes to that aspect of life. Surprisingly, I give great advice, yet I never really make it on my own, ” Maverick replied.

“So, none of you assholes can keep a girl satisfied, huh?” Atlas asked.

“You got a girl, Atlas?” Yanni asked.

“She’s back home waiting for me, counting the days where I’m not by her side.”

“Awww, that just warms my little heart,” Milo mockingly said, making the rest of the soldiers laugh.

“You should know, Atlas, we got some real players too. My man Matthew here is engaged, Zeke’s got a girl, Maverick’s… Well Maverick’s out of the game now…”

“Hey,” Maverick interrupted. “We don’t actually know that still.”

“And our sergeant here is married. So, depending on how you see things, he’s either won the game or is out too,” Eric concluded.

They underwent extremely long days during missions, and talking was one of the best methods to get rid of time. Being together in the same shit creates a bond like no other. They’re not only spending time together 24/7, but they’re sharing the same uncertainties and struggles, the same fears, the same doubts, the same dreams, the same hope, and maybe even the same mistakes. It makes it easier for them all to open up and be real with one another. They all treat each other like brothers, even Milo and Atlas who were newly recruited. In their time together at the base, they were able to build their bond in merely a couple of weeks. Now they all trust them with their lives and they trust them with theirs.

“Sarge, I didn’t know you were married?” Milo said.

“Got two kids too if you’d believe it…” Mason added.

“When’s the last time you called them?” Matthew asked.

“Two days ago, right before we started moving. They’re all good, they just worry about me while I’m here.”

“You should tell ’em we got your back, Sarge.” Zeke let out.

“Thanks, Zeke.”

“Yeah… You’ll be back with them in no time. We’ll make sure of it,” Matthew said.

“It’s tough saying goodbye, leaving them behind, you know? But what’s worse is looking into the eyes of your five-year-old daughter and your three-year-old son and promising them that you’ll be back in no time. Promising them that you’ll be okay knowing damn well that it’s a promise you can’t really keep because you can’t really do anything about it. All it takes is one little mistake, even if I keep my guard down for one goddamn second,” Sergeant Barnes paused. “Poof…broken promise.”

“We all make that same promise, Sarge. We can’t always be sure that we’d keep it, but we can make sure that we try our best to go through with it. I’m sure the people back home would understand that very well,” Yanni replied.

“Besides, most of us are on our second, if not third mission now. Heck, Matthew’s been on many more. We always make it back,” Maverick jumped in. “It’s our destiny.”

“We should all be thanking God for that and pray that we make it back from this one too. Nothing in war is certain, Maverick,” Arthur let out.

“Great job jinxing it, Maverick. Now we’re all going to die,” Matthew let out.

“Speak for yourself,” Adam said.

The men spent a few more hours talking and joking around. They took another serious turn when they started discussing home again. Talking about what they’ve missed and what they’d love to get back to. They even took turns, moving around in a circle, each one stating the first thing they’d do once they got back home. They never talked in hypotheticals, no ‘if’ we make it back, but ‘once’ or ‘when’ we make it back. Although their lives were different from one another outside the army, being a soldier on a mission, they basically all yearned for the same things. It always started with the big things like family, loved ones, and taking on responsibilities. Then it moved to other things that most people around the world would take for granted, like a proper shower, proper food, and a nice bed to rest on.

It was good for them to let things out. There were times on the road where Mason felt the need to cry. He’d be away from everything he knew and loved, living in low standards with no communication to the real world, eating whatever he could get his hands on, getting minimal amounts of rest, and feeling anxious for his safety and the safety of his men almost 24/7. Not to mention, thinking about the moments that he’d miss with his children and his wife, who he loved so dearly.

He’d miss them so much and would want to let out tears whenever he’d think about them, which happened often. Yet, he never felt like he could being surrounded by younger men who looked up to him. He also never found the time to be alone and let it all out. Whenever he was alone it was worse, because it was those men that would help him get by. They’d help him focus on the mission and what’s in front of him instead of what he left behind. In these dangerous conditions, focus was paramount. His thoughts would ravel his mind if he had the chance to let it all out.

When midnight came most of them went to hit the hay. Mason, Matthew, and Maverick couldn’t sleep and continued talking and laughing. Ahmed too stayed up, he sat away from the soldiers and was on his own. They’d try to get him to join them, but he was too worried and anxious. He kept watch all night long thinking about his family’s safety while he was away. Focusing on the mission in order to get back to them safely. Like Mason, he had a wife and a child too.

As Mason, Matthew, and Maverick were joking around, their laughter got pretty high in volume. Which caused some problems between the team, something that happened every now and then due to the high levels of stress they had to overcome.

“Matthew, please. We’re trying to get some sleep here.” Eric said, trying to make use of the minimal amount of rest he can get.

“Matthew?” He said feeling blamed. Mason and Maverick were quiet and trying not to laugh.

“You’ve got a distinctive voice and it’s pretty loud, man.” Zeke said, unable to sleep as well.

“You guys love to put the blame on me…sure. So be it! If I’m the one with the loud voice then so be it!” Matthew was raising his voice on purpose. He wasn’t the type of guy who’d accept any sort of criticism, orders, or comments from anyone. Although those trying to sleep were being reasonable, they pissed him off. “I’ll just talk like this, so that no one gets fucking confused with someone else! I’m the one with the loud voice!”

“Hey, asshole! I’m trying to sleep here! Lower your fucking voice before I get up and make you!” Atlas yelled.

“When the fuck did he start cursing?” Matthew said, making Mason and Maverick laugh even more.

“I swear to God, Matthew, if I get up…” Atlas said.

“I’d shut up if I were you,” Adam added.

“Fuck you, Adam!” Matthew yelled.

“Dude! Stop! We’re trying to sleep!” Adam went on.

As Atlas got up, so did the rest of them. Everyone was tired and anxious, and getting on each other’s nerves did nothing but make them angry too. In a matter of minutes, they were all fighting, Atlas almost killed Matthew, Zeke and Adam were getting into a fight too for some reason, and Ahmed started panicking because of the noise they were making that would have grabbed the wrong people’s attention.

“Everyone just calm down!” Sergeant Barnes intervened. “Are we really going to start fighting now? Over this juvenile shit? Seriously?!”

“Motherfuckers are alway blaming me, Sarge! I wasn’t the only one awake, you know that, but they had to call ME out,” Matthew interrupted.

“Not now, Matthew,” Mason said, ending the dispute. “Besides the fact that we’re on a mission, we’re in this together. At this moment, until the mission is over… there is not a damn person in this world who’ll do you as much good as anyone standing here would. We’ve got each other’s backs in a way not everyone gets to experience, so fucking act like it. No more fighting.”

They all stood silent, unable to respond, knowing that they were wrong and childish. “Everyone get some sleep… We’ve got an early morning ahead of us.”

They all took their spot and went right to sleep. Mason couldn’t leave Ahmed alone though. He was still seated with his gun in his hand watching out for any trouble. “Everything okay, Ahmed?” He asked, but Ahmed didn’t really think so. He told him the peace and quiet they’ve been moving through the past couple of days was strange. That it was more troubling than relaxing. He’s also worried by the fact that they haven’t run into anyone, thinking that people may be waiting for them ahead or worse. Maybe they passed them and they’re being followed.

“Central command gave us these orders, Ahmed. We couldn’t take any other way. Arthur’s praying for the best, maybe you can do that too. I know that there’s a lot you know about this place, I mean, it is your home, but our intel says otherwise. I just hope that you’re the one that’s wrong about this.” Sergeant Barnes said.

“I hope so too,” Ahmed responded.

NOW…

Bullets were flying everywhere as the team were ambushed on their way to their target. It had been about ten minutes, and they weren’t dead yet. Arthur and Mason were in the back of one their vans trying to figure out a plan to escape the ambush without any casualties. The rest of the men did their best to fight them off. Yanni and Eric stood by the last van on the line, giving them cover. Ahmed, Zeke, Milo, and Maverick were taking hold of the higher grounds while Atlas, Matthew, and Adam were holding off the beginning of the line by their lead vehicle. Taking cover by the wreckage.

“What if we flee from the side of the mountain where Maverick and Ahmed are? The chance we’d make it through fighting back isn’t very low, but this isn’t the real mission right now,” Arthur suggested.

“We’ll risk getting lost, moving in the wrong direction, or even moving out in the open.” Sergeant Barnes replied. They were talking really fast and thinking even faster as the bullets hit their vehicles and the guns kept blasting from both sides. “If we escape from here on our legs they’ll hunt us down. Maybe there’s no other way but to fight back.”

“May God be with us,” Arthur replied.

The two of them jumped off the van and into the fight. “Okay, we’re split into three teams. Matthew’s leading Alpha for now, Maverick’s Beta, and Yanni you’re in charge of Charlie! Eric, join Alpha! I’ll head over to Beta, and Arthur you’ll stay here with Yanni!”

As Mason joined Maverick, Ahmed, Zeke, and Milo, he got a good look of the area. The enemy’s count was decreasing and there’s no sign of any backup from their side. Mason started seeing hope. “All clear behind us?” He asked as soon as he joined Beta’s position.

“It’s supposed to be! It’s been a couple of minutes since I last checked!” Maverick responded, shooting at the enemy in the process.

Mason went back to check the other side of the mountain and spotted two four-by-fours moving in on them. “Shit!” He yelled. Mason lay down and took position, but they already spotted him and started shooting in his direction. “Maverick, Zeke, I’m gonna need your help here!”

Down the mountain, things were getting pretty calm. Alpha hadn’t been shot at for a while now, and Charlie is finishing off the last two men standing. “Is it over?” Eric asked.

“Yeah, I think the coast is clear,” Matthew responded, as he looked around him. When he thought he was sure, he got up.

“Yanni! Arthur! How’s it going over there?” Matthew yelled as he made his way towards them with Atlas, Adam, and Eric. They heard the shots being fired at Charlie’s position, but it didn’t stop them. They worried more about their teammates’ safety.

An enemy soldier crept out behind them and fired his weapon out of nowhere as the men ran towards Charlie’s position.

“Ah!”

Atlas turned around in a matter of seconds and eliminated him. Eric and Adam attended to Matthew. “Fuck! Motherfucker!” He yelled.

“Mathew, are you okay?” Adam asked, his voice full of worry.

“Son of a bitch got me! He hit my shoulder!”

“It’s a clean shot. You’re lucky it didn’t hit your collarbone,” Eric pointed out, examining Matthew. “We need to patch him up before he loses more blood.”

Yanni and Arthur came running towards them as soon as their coast was clear as well.

“What happened?” Yanni asked, sprinting to Matthew’s side.

“Piece of shit came out of nowhere, that’s what happened,” Matthew yelled.

“He’s gonna be fine, but we gotta get moving,” Eric explained.

“Pray for me, Arthur. I’m gonna need it.”

“I’m praying, but you probably need a lot more than that,” Arthur replied.

“Start patching him up then. Arthur and I will move up to Sarge and the rest of them, maybe speed up the process a bit so we could get moving,” Yanni commanded. He was third in command after Matthew and Maverick. Fourth if you count Sergeant Barnes.

Sergeant Barnes and team Bravo had been up there trying to eliminate the final few soldiers standing with the enemy. As soon as he started shooting the enemy took cover around their vehicles, which is why it was taking so long. The distance wasn’t helping either. Yanni and Arthur arrived and started assisting their teammates. The shootout went on for five more minutes, until Barnes focused his shots on the vehicle’s engine causing explosions that either eliminated their targets or caused them to move into open space. The coast was finally clear and they reconvened with the rest of the soldiers.

Mason was really worried about Matthew. As their leader, he always felt like he was responsible for their safety. The soldiers always expressed how they had his back because of his family and his leadership, but he’s got theirs just as much, if not more. Being the eldest in the group, he always treated them like they were his younger brothers. He sat by Matthew’s side as Eric patched him up, talking to him a lot trying to distract him from the pain of the stitches. As soon as Eric was done, they were ready to carry on with their journey and complete their mission. They had another 18 hours left till their rendezvous, which gave Matthew some time to rest.

“We’re here,” Sergeant Barnes stated.

It was tough moving into the city and a lot more dangerous. They met with a local just outside the city before moving in. Which was where Ahmed came in. The local supplied them with some clothing and vehicles that would make them look less suspicious, helping them blend in. What makes the city so dangerous is the various points in which an enemy may attack. Moving through buildings, all roofs and windows held some kind of potential threat. An attack can come from anywhere and everywhere at the same time. Stealth and discretion was paramount moving through the city. They counted a lot on Ahmed to facilitate them with blending in and reaching their target.

“We’re only two blocks away. We can rest here and prepare for your command,” Ahmed suggested, moving into an abandoned building.

“Man, I’d kill for some tunes right about now,” Maverick let out.

“I’m too busy thinking about my bed,” Said Zeke.

“We’ll stay here for a while. Let the guys back at HQ know that we’re moving in soon,” Mason said. They had a secret way of reaching the base and it would take some time to set up and make sure it’s secure. “Arthur, get it up and running,” Mason commanded.

As Mason and Arthur got busy with communications, the rest of the team took the time to rest. They sat close to each other, some laid down and a couple fell straight to sleep. Matthew was one of them; he really needed the rest.

“How are you guys like back home? Tell us more about you.” Eric asked, talking to Milo and Atlas, the new recruits on the team.

“I used to be a professional swimmer during college. Got an injury in my ankle which caused me to quit. I was studying law and after the injury I got to focus more on my studies. I tried applying at this big-time firm, but I never got the chance to apply. Now that I’m in the army, I give swimming lessons to kids when I’m back home. I got a girl too, but we’re not living together or anything. Still not serious,” Atlas went on.

“Well, I wouldn’t give up on that lawyer dream. You’ve been through a lot of studying and hard work to give it all up that easily,” Eric suggested.

“Maybe someday I’ll get to live the dream… who knows?”

“How about you, Milo?” Adam asked.

“I studied business, but it didn’t really work out for me. Took a few jobs, but none of them felt right. I always thought I’d find a way that would make me rich, but I never really found it, you know.”

“No girl?” Maverick asked.

“Not to brag, I do have my way with women… but I’m not the kind of guy who’d just settle for one, if you know what I mean?”

“We finally got a real player on the team, not all you ‘tied-down’ fellas,” Eric said.

They boys went on laughing and cheering, then Adam asked, “so you live alone?”

“I actually live with my mother… she uh, she was diagnosed with a rare disease and so I offered her a room at my place. Insisted she’d come stay with me instead of being on her own.”

Things got quiet and serious all of a sudden. The guys were all terribly sorry to hear that. They comforted him with condolences. Some of them went on about people in their life who got sick and miraculously came through in the end. Defeating the sickness in a battle nobody thought they could win.

“Before she passed, my mother was very sick. Just like you, I took her in, and I’d like to tell you that doing so was the best decision in my life. It was tough, I’m not going to lie, it may even be a burden… but I know that if you hadn’t done it, it would’ve been the greatest regret of your life. I will pray for your mother, and I’m sure all of your newly made brothers here will keep her in their prayers as well. I’m positive your mother is somewhat as strong as you are. Hopefully, she will be able to fight this and get well soon,” Ahmed said.

They sat together quietly up until Mason and Arthur reconvened with them. Sergeant Barnes walked over and said, “We’ll need to start moving by zero four hundred hours. So, we’ve got two hours left.”

No one started a conversation, so Maverick decided to start singing, “take the long way home…” He’d instantly move onto the next song like, “that’s me in the corner, that’s me in the spotlight…” And then, “you’re in the army now! Ohhhh, you’re in the army now.” He went on for fifteen minutes and some of the guys would even jump in with him.

Mason interrupted them a few minutes in, “Guys, do you mind? Arthur’s reading his Quran. Get some rest, and if you can’t, then now’s the time to start praying for our success.”

“Oh, yeah. My bad. Sorry, Arthur. Didn’t see you there.”

“No worries, brother.”

“How could you be so relaxed, singing before what could be one of the most dangerous missions we’d ever go through?” Yanni asked.

“I’m not worried about the mission… And even if I was, singing helps ease my mind.”

“Don’t you like his voice?” Eric asked, amusingly trying to create an issue between them.

“Nah, that’s not what I meant at all. Never said a thing before, even on our previous mission. I’m merely curious.” Yanni replied.

“I know, I’m just messing with you,” Eric said as he laughed.

“If I’m being honest, I’m kind of worried.”

“What’s got you worried, Yanni?” Adam asked.

“Well, besides the extraction, we’re tasked with eliminating a high-profile terrorist. The area is heavily guarded because he’s one of the most important figures in the enemy’s organization, maybe even the country. We all know he’s helped a lot of people here. We’re in the heart of their city, their territory. If it wasn’t for Ahmed they’d be getting us ready for public execution right about now. Sometimes I think we’re way over our heads.”

“It’s a lot, I know. That doesn’t mean we don’t have what it takes to succeed. We’re all trained for this, and for most of us, this isn’t our first rodeo,” Zeke added.

“I’m worried too…” Sergeant Barnes let out. “A lot is at stake here. Matthew was lucky back there; the next time, any one of us may not be that lucky. If something goes wrong… that doesn’t just affect me, it affects everyone around me and more importantly, the people I love. So, yeah… I’m worried, but it’s something we all signed up for. Like Zeke said, we’re trained for this. The only thing we can do now is suck it up, be brave, hope for the best, and remember everything we’ve been taught.” Mason paused and said, “we have to make it back home, right? This is the only way we can do it, but we have to be strong, focused, and precise. If success wasn’t an option, then we wouldn’t have been here in the first place. Now get ready…”

ZERO FOUR HUNDRED HOURS

Sergeant Barnes and his team were armed and ready. They wore all black uniforms and gear to blend in with the dark. They were merely minutes away from their targeted building, moving in a straight line before they’d split into three teams and cover the perimeter. The building rose six stories with the possibility of a secret basement. The Alpha team will move into the building, Beta team will come in from the neighboring building and move from the sixth floor down, Charlie team will clear the basement if there is one. After that, Charlie would sweep the building, every apartment and every room moving up. Sergeant Barnes will be running point with Alpha, Maverick’s leading Beta, and Yanni is leading Charlie. Same teams as before, except Atlas will be joining Charlie for the remainder of the mission.

Their mission consisted of eliminating a target, a high-profile terrorist, and extracting a second target, a reporter who had been kidnapped while covering issues caused by the terrorist group and its leader. Mason and his team were to find the first target and eliminate him, while Yanni and his team were to search for and extract the second target. Maverick and his team were responsible for securing the area and covering both Alpha and Charlie. The entire team had earpieces connected to a secure line for communication throughout the mission.

At that moment, getting closer to the dangers of the mission, the soldiers tend to look at what was waiting at the end of the line. Some merely saw the end of a mission and the wait for the next. Milo saw his mother, and Adam saw his grandmother. Atlas saw his girl, Maverick saw good food, Eric saw his potential business, Matthew saw his fiancé, and of course Mason saw his family. His wife and children who had kept him going all this time. The importance of the mission was something they also kept in mind, but the more they got closer to the end the more their homes were closer and began to take over their mind. After all, for most of them it is the reason they’re doing this in the first place, the reason why they want to survive.

“Three down,” Maverick said, moving through the neighboring building. They were moving with silencers, but they still needed to move with stealth. If the enemy shoots back, then their silencers are useless and their attack is no longer a surprise.

“We took down five in the basement. No sign of the target. We’re moving up. Alpha team. What’s your status?” Yanni asked. Yanni and his team were moving slowly, waiting for Mason’s response. About a minute later, they heard gunfire and ran toward it.

“Shots fired! Our cover’s blown! We’re moving up for backup!” Yanni yelled, informing Beta of both their status and Alpha’s.

Maverick and his team weren’t doing well either, colliding with enemy forces on the fifth floor of the neighboring building. They got them stuck on the stairways, which made them vulnerable against any enemy forces making their way into the building for backup. They could be trapped like mice at any moment.

ALPHA

“Yanni! Stay on the mission! We’ve got this! Find the second target!” Mason commanded through the comms before Yanni and his team made it up.

Mason and Alpha team were stuck on the third floor. The information they received from the base said their first target would be found on the sixth and final floor of the building. They needed to make it up there as soon as possible. The sooner they eliminate the first target, the sooner they could assist Charlie with extracting the second target.

“Alright, men! Follow my lead!” Matthew yelled right before he took out a flash bang and a smoke grenade and threw them into the corridors of the third floor. The smoke was to cover him and the flashbangs were to temporarily impair their vision and their hearing. A few seconds later, BANG! Matthew moved into the smokey hallway with the enemy feeling disturbed. He started firing his weapon and the rest of the team moved in to cover his back. Mason stood by his side while the other men covered their six, shooting at the enemies coming in from behind Sergeant Barnes and Matthew.

As the smoke cleared, there was no one else standing. The Alpha team were able to clear the hallways as well as their way to their target. “All clear!” Matthew yelled, resting the gun on his shoulder. Mason and the rest of the men still stood in the proper stance, being prepared for anything. “See what happens when you follow my lead?” Matthew asked in a cocky manner. BANG!

“FUCK!” He yelled, dropping to the ground and holding his leg.

An enemy hid in one of the apartments and came out of nowhere, shooting Matthew in his thigh. Mason shot back and dropped him.

“Can’t they fucking see you guys?! Why the hell am I the only one getting shot?!” Matthew yelled, unable to get up.

They helped him lean his back against the wall. Eric tore open Matthew’s pants, where the bullet had penetrated his leg, in order to examine it. The shot wasn’t fatal, but it was going to be tough for Matthew to keep up. He’s been shot before and is starting to lose a lot of blood.

“I’ll stay here with Matthew… You and Adam should continue the mission, eliminate the target.” Eric suggested to Mason. “I’ll extract the bullet from his leg and patch him up while it’s quiet. Help him move to the roof once I’m done.”

“No,” Matthew interrupted. “You guys should all go. I’ll stay here. Help slow the enemy down instead of slowing all of you down.”

“We can’t just leave you here, Matthew,” Sergeant Barnes said.

“Go, I’ll be fine. I’ll hold them off, those who slip through Charlie at least. You guys can come get me once the mission is complete… We have to make it back home, right?”

“Yeah,” Mason slowly let out.

“Then this is the way… Now, go! Go!” Matthew commanded.

BETA

The Beta team found themselves in circumstances akin to the Alpha team: stuck on the fifth floor, besieged from above and below. Though a lot of enemy reinforcements were moving into the building, it ceased for a couple of minutes now.

“No sign of anyone below!” Milo let out.

“We’re clear to focus our attacks on moving forward!” Zeke added.

“Maverick, I have an idea,” Ahmed said as he began to strip the clothes off one of the enemy’s corpses. He wore the jacket to cover his black uniform and took his weapon.

“What are you doing?” Maverick asked, looking puzzled.

“I’ll stand by the building. Misdirect any of the reinforcements in case they call for backup. This way, you guys can focus on the enemy ahead, move up, and reach the top. The sooner you get to the other building, the sooner this is over,” Ahmed explained.

“Ahmed, are you sure about this?”

“I’m positive. I’ll see you guys soon.”

Ahmed ran down the stairs to execute his plan. Meanwhile, Maverick, Milo, and Zeke advanced swiftly, covering each other’s backs and dispatching enemies till they reached the roof.. Picking the enemy off one by one up until they reached the roof. By the time they arrived, Alpha team were making their way up there too.

On the rooftop, they engaged in another firefight with enemy forces positioned atop the building Beta needed to cross over to. Extra men were stationed there in case the men in the building needed reinforcements. Ahmed stood on the ground floor in front of the building as three enemy soldiers approached him.

Conversing in the local language, Ahmed’s disguise helped deceive them into believing he was one of them. They asked him what he was doing and he claimed to be on guard duty. Making sure no more foreign soldiers were making their way towards the building. When questioned about the soldiers who had already infiltrated the building, Ahmed told them they were taken care of. The three men felt confused, they looked at each other, then up at the building where the sound of rapid gunfire kept blasting away through the neighborhood. However, the men grew suspicious, exchanging skeptical glances as gunshots echoed through the neighborhood.

BANG! BANG! Ahmed shot the first two in a matter of seconds using his handgun. He went for the third, the enemy seized the weapon, causing two accidental shots to discharge into the sky. In the ensuing struggle, Ahmed was overpowered, punched, and thrown to the ground. The remaining soldier then fired three fatal shots at Ahmed.

CHARLIE

Yanni and his men thoroughly searched every room until they reached the second floor. Along the way, they encountered an unpleasant scene that had slowed them down a bit. A lot of bodies piled up on the stairway going up, they moved with caution. As they got closer to the third floor, they spotted him.

“Matthew?” Yanni barely managed to say before running to his side. Yanni took Matthew in his arms, Atlas and Arthur stood by. For a moment, they all let their guard down. Arthur began reciting prayers from the Quran. While Yanni, in denial, tried to awaken Matthew, unable to believe that he was gone. Atlas, feeling remorseful, accepted the loss, and raised his weapon, covering Yanni and Arthur.

“Matthew is down,” Yanni relayed through the comms, tears attempting to escape his eyes. He had taken two more bullets as a few soldiers made their way up. Despite his wounds, he was able to take them out before drawing his final breath.

Alpha and Beta focused on getting themselves through the mission safely. Mason paused, feeling remorse for Matthew, burdened by guilt for leaving him behind, and saddened by the loss of a team member, and more importantly, a close friend. Meanwhile, Maverick took cover on the roof. He tried to take his breath, his senses numbed as the sounds of rapid gunfire faded into the distance. Matthew and Maverick had been good friends too.

Atlas allowed them some time to grieve, but reminded them of the urgency. “Come on, Yanni. It’s not safe for us here… we need to locate the second target, we’re running out of time.”

Yanni pulled it together and halted the tears as Arthur concluded his prayers. The three of them advanced, covering the third floor before moving up to the fourth. The first three apartments were empty. As they got closer to the fourth, they heard noises emitting from within the apartment. They positioned themselves on either side of the door, ready to breach.

“Second target is in the fourth apartment on the fourth floor, breaching in five seconds.” Yanni whispered through the comms.

Atlas set an improvised explosive device to the door. “IED attached,” he announced, moments before detonating it. Shots flew out from the inside, but none of the men had moved in yet. Arthur threw in two flash bangs while Yanni deployed smoke grenades. When the smoke thickened and the enemy ceased fire, the three of them moved in with thermal vision goggles. In the living room, they easily took out four adversaries. They couldn’t see through the smoke like Yanni and his men could. Identifying the room where their target was held, they set another IED.

The explosive detonated, Atlas advanced but was immediately stopped by a shotgun blast. Yanni successfully took out the lone soldier in the room, while Arthur tended to Atlas, who was coughing and in pain. Luckily, the bulletproof vest was able to withstand the blast.

“That fucking hurt,” He stated.

“Oh, thank God,” Yanni exclaimed, thinking that he’d lost Atlas too.

BETA

Maverick and his team were in the final moments of battle against the men on the roof. As they got through the last soldier, they stumbled upon a long but narrow piece of wood bridging the gap between two buildings—their sole pathway to the otherside. As they started crossing, the soldier who had shot Ahmed made it into the building and was sprinting to the top.

Maverick crossed first, with the soldier reaching the second floor by the time Zeke followed. By the time Milo started crossing, the soldier had made it to the rooftop.

“Milo! Watch out!” Zeke’s urgent cry pierced the air.

Maverick raised his weapon, but a bullet from the enemy’s firearm had found its mark. Milo was hit and plummeted into the alley below. Maverick shot at the enemy and eliminated the threat.

“Milo!” Maverick cried, looking down. Zeke fell into a seated position facing the other way. His eyes wide open with shock, rendered speechless.

“Zeke? Zeke!” Maverick’s voice cracked, bringing Zeke back to reality. “How the hell did that guy manage to shoot us from THAT building?!”

“Ahmed,” Zeke barely let out, clutching his knees and glancing to his right.

Maverick rushed to the edge of the roof. He spotted Ahmed lying motionless on the ground. “Shit!” He furiously let out. Zeke understood what happened—they lost Ahmed. Maverick was torn, but there was no time to grieve. He spotted enemy forces surging into the building where Ahmed had stood guard.

As Maverick sprinted back towards Zeke, he shouted, “More soldiers are on their way up here, we have to go!” But Zeke remained frozen. “Zeke! Snap out of it! We have to move! Now!”

“What the hell did they just die for?” Zeke’s voice was filled with frustration and disbelief, rage bubbling to the surface.

“What the fuck did you just say?” Maverick bristled, feeling offended as if their sacrifices were being dismissed as inconsequential.

Zeke’s anger reached the surface and surged through his entire body as he rose to his feet yelling, “Alpha are responsible for fifty percent of the mission! Charlie the other fifty! What the hell are we doing?”

“You know what Zeke,” Maverick began, “since you’re the youngest, I’ll consider the fact that you may not fully grasp the importance of our role here. We’ve been drawing a lot of the heat away from them, yet they’re still catching fire like crazy; getting hit hard. You think any of them would have made it this far without us. Those enemies we took out would have overwhelmed them long before they even reached their targets.” Paused briefly, Maverick started moving towards the entrance. “If we stay here we’re as good as dead. You want to feel like our role here is worthless, fine. But right now, Sarge and the rest of the team still need us… So, we can’t stop here. At least I know that I can’t.”

ALPHA

Mason and his team were closing in on the last apartment on the sixth floor, proceeding with caution. Mason and Adam covered the front, while Eric covered their backs. When they reached the apartment, Eric took a kneeling position and Mason faced the door, mirroring him. Adam retrieved the IED and attached it to the door. As the coast was clear, the three of them took cover away from the entrance. BANG! The IED was detonated. For a few seconds, silence prevailed as if both sides were waiting for the other to make a move. Mason and his team were out of flash bangs and smoke grenades, they had to rely on what was left in their arsenal… IEDs.

Adam tossed them into the room, confusing the enemy, and detonating them after hearing footsteps. The explosion created openings into the apartment below. Mason and his team seized the opportunity and moved in, engaging with the enemy. Two had escaped, moving down to the apartment below through the openings they’ve created. The rest were eliminated in less than a minute.

“Adam, Eric, confirm the kill. Let us know if we got him. I’m going after the assholes that got away,” Sergeant Barnes ordered before commencing pursuit.

The two enemy soldiers were able to make it to the stairway of the fifth floor. Only to encounter Yanni and his men as they were moving up. They instantly neutralized the threat, and Mason arrived shortly after.

“Sergeant Barnes?” Yanni said. “Where’s the rest of the team?”

“They’re upstairs,” Sergeant Barnes replied, focusing on confirming if one of the fallen men was their target.

“He’s not here,” Eric stated through the comms.

“We’ve got him,” Sergeant Barnes responded, confirming that the target was one of the fallen. “Meet us on the fifth floor.”

Before moving forwards, Mason decided to introduce himself to the kidnapped woman. The reporter they were tasked to rescue. “You’re getting out of here safely, ma’am. We’re gonna take you back home.”

“Contact HQ,” Mason commanded Arthur.

As Eric and Adam moved out of the room they ran into Maverick and Zeke. “Where’s Mason?” Maverick asked, worrying about him and the rest of the men after losing so much. Eric assured him that he was safe with Charlie, but couldn’t account for Milo and Ahmed. Maverick’s guilt, Zeke’s sadness and worry were palpable. Eric and Adam understood, but they both knew their grief had to be put on hold till after the mission.

The group proceeded to the fourth floor to reunite with their team. By the time they reached them, Arthur had contacted their base and requested a way out. Mason inquired about Milo and Ahmed, and Eric confirmed their deaths. He spoke up knowing it would’ve been tough for Maverick and Zeke.

With the reporter amidst their team on enemy soil, Mason knew that the mission wasn’t over yet, and that having her with them put them in a more dire state. They still had to get her back safely. Evacuation was imminent, but so was retaliation from the terrorist organization.

“Arthur?” Mason said.

“We’ve got five minutes till the chopper arrives. Rooftop is our rendezvous point.” Arthur replied, comprehending Mason’s concern.

“Maverick, Arthur, and Zeke. Take the target up to the rooftop and keep her safe until we or the chopper make it. Atlas, you’re with me. Adam, I need you to get Matthew’s body and move up to the roof. Yanni, you get Ahmed’s body and join us up on the rooftop. Arthur and I will move with you and grab Milo. We can’t leave them here. They still need to make it back just as much as we do.” Sergeant Barnes commanded. “I promised Matthew I’d come back for him. Promised him we’d make it back home… The least I can do is come through with my promise. Their bodies deserve to be with their families, back home where they belong. Not here.”

“Okay, but you need to hurry. A chopper out in the air amidst the city would be extremely vulnerable. The enemy could easily shoot it down… and they’re all coming for us by now. Once they have what they came for, they’re gone. They will not wait for us after the target is onboard.” Arthur warned Mason.

“Then we better get going.”

Maverick, Arthur, and Zeke took the target and made their way to the roof while the rest of them went to retrieve their fallen brothers. Adam grabbed Matthew and made his way back to the roof. Mason, Atlas, Yanni, and Eric exited the building. They spotted Ahmed, and Yanni and Eric respectfully carried him back inside, laying him by the door while they covered Mason and Atlas retrieving Milo from the alley between the buildings. They found Milo’s body and solemnly covered it with sheets, acknowledging the severe injuries. Together, they carried him into the building with two minutes left before the chopper’s arrival. As they made it through the building, shots were fired in their direction. Yanni and Eric shot back while Mason and Atlas placed Milo on the ground.

Two enemy vehicles packed with armed men had just arrived on the scene. “Sarge, there’s too many! We won’t make it in time if we hold them off like this!” Yanni informed him, shooting at the enemy.

Sergeant Barnes moved towards the door and said, “there’s no need for being stealthy anymore.” He shot two rounds from his weapon’s grenade launcher into the vehicles, obliterating them instantly. Nevertheless, more soldiers were closing in and the chopper was less than a minute away. They had to move fast.

Luckily, Mason and the rest of the men made it back just in time. The chopper securely landed on the rooftop, boarding them away from the danger zone and back to their base. They had succeeded with their mission, but none of them truly felt victorious. The mission was over and the time for grief was upon them. They lost a lot of good men along the way. Ahmed, who’s done nothing but try to help them and keep them safe. Milo, they took him in like a brother, but never got the time to really know him. And Matthew, a steadfast companion who’s been with them since day one, the guy who always kept things light no matter what. Their absence weighed heavily on the team, but they found solace in the fact that they could bring their bodies home for a proper farewell with their families.

During the flight, Mason remembered what Milo said about his sick mother and set out to help her with whatever she needed when he was back. But when he thought about Matthew, he couldn’t stop thinking about him. Matthew Nichols was one of his best friends during the army. He helped him a lot during days where they were stuck at base training all day and all night. He’d always wonder what he’d do without Matthew, never thinking the day would come where he’d actually be gone. Sergeant Barnes commanded Matthew through two missions. They knew a lot about each other’s lives outside the army. He had a family, brothers, a girl, and a lot more people who loved him. Mason was planning on being the one to inform them about their loss. He also thought about his funeral and wanted to help Matthew’s family in any way he could. Wanted to be there for them, like he would’ve been with Mason’s family if things were different.

“We made it back…” Eric spoke up, breaking the silence.

“It doesn’t really feel like it, Eric,” Adam responded.

Everyone went silent for the rest of the ride back home. The woman who was kidnapped repressed her gratitude as she was able to read the room and notice that it wasn’t an appropriate time. Mason gazed out the chopper window, lost in thought. Eric shortly fell asleep, Arthur was praying, thanking God for those who survived and praying for the souls of those who didn’t. The rest of the men grappled with their emotions. However, they were all thinking about the same thing and they knew that very well. Though they didn’t talk about it, they felt comfort in each other’s presence, sharing the same pain, sorrow, and loss.

Upon their arrival at base, thoughts of their real lives flooded their minds. Mason thought about his wife and kids. Not just about finally getting to see them, but about the moments he was able to endure simply because of them. How he was pushing and pushing till the end of the line not only for the success of the mission, but for them too. For the chance to be with them one more time. He was excited to know that he’ll find them all waiting for him. Thrilled knowing that he’ll be spending time with them where he belongs. But more importantly, grateful for being able to return and for having loved ones to return to. As for his brothers in the arms, he knew damn well that they had his back no matter when… no matter where.