A Shadow Company Tale

Danger Close

"Here we go, get ready."

"Door charge planted. Ready to breach."

Another soldier shouted, "Hit it!"

"Breaching, breaching!" The room shook with an explosion as Disciple Six poured into the room. "Foxtrot Element, sweep left. Search pattern Echo Charlie, go. Door area is clear. Check your corners."

Katana kept her sights on the troops approaching their position as Price stood from cover, firing upon the soldiers. "Go loud!"

One of the soldiers shouted to the others, "They're here! Open fire! Stay frosty, hunt them down!"

Arrow was sitting in the command post, trying to remain sane from the boring assignment, that was until fifteen minutes ago when units started going dark, and not just a random few from weather interference. He woke up as Oxide ordered Disciple Six to clear the Steam Room, something that Arrow knew was from an outside force. He blinked as the last transmission came in, "They're here! Open fire! Stay frosty, hunt them down!" He looked up and grabbed his weapon, standing up. He exhaled looking to the door as General Shepherd caught his movement. Oxide kept checking his monitor as the vitals of Disciple Six dropped to no survivors.

"Disciple Nine, your rear guard just flatlined!" Oxide spoke with alarm.

The radio came in again, "Not possible. We just cleared that area. Nobody's that good Oxi-"

General Shepherd set his hands on the table, after Arrow nodded to him. "It's Price. Backup priority items and burn the rest. Fireteams, just delay 'em until we're ready to pull out." The radio cut off as he turned to Arrow, "With me Sergeant." Arrow nodded and stepped out of the room, constantly covering their six every so often.

Many of the soldiers outside of the nest began rushing into positions to cover the retreat as Shepherd continued to make his way to the adjacenting cave.

"Oxide, Avatar One. We have unauthorized personnel on the catwalk. I repeat, we have unauthorized personnel on the catwalk- you gettin' this? "

"Roger that, Disciple Nine dispatch the hostiles."

Moments later, a coughing soldier responded over the radio. "Oxide, Disciple Nine, we've got hostile contact approximately 50 meters from the nest, over."

"Terminate with extreme prejudice. All personnel - be advised, we have three enemy foot-mobiles on the catwalk heading to the crow's nest."

General Shepherd stopped, turning to Arrow. "Three?"

Arrow shrugged, "I wasn't there to finish the job sir."

Shepherd immediately recognized who survived, "It's Katana. We need to keep moving." Arrow nodded, casting the occasional glance over his shoulder.

Meanwhile Soap threw down his riot shield as the trio cleared the catwalk. Price looked up at the staircase to the command center. "We're clear, move in."

"Butcher One-Five, rendezvous at the nest and prepare to escort Gold Eagle to the LZ."

"Gold Eagle must be Shepherd, we're running out of time, let's go!" Price once again shouted as the trio entered the area. Two Blackhawks hovered overhead as Butcher Two began to rope down into the area. "They're using shields, use frags and flank them!"

"Butcher Two roping into sector Papa Quebec!"

"They're using thermal through the smoke! They're digging in, Shepherd must be close! We have to break through! I'll draw their fire through the smoke! Watch for flanking routes!"

Katana and Soap continued to push around the flank until she ran directly into the shield as a soldier eyed her down. He lowered his defenses as Soap squeezed off a round, entering the soldier's head. "On your feet lass!"

"Oxide, Butcher Five-Actual. I've got a severed det cord - we're gonna need ten mikes to get the trunk rigged and the EBC primed, over."

"Negative, Gold Eagle wants those charges hot in less than three mikes. Get it done, out."

The trio had pushed up to the door, finishing off Butcher Two entirely. "They've sealed the control room. Get a frame charge on the door!" Price shouted as he looked at Soap.

Soap threw a frame charge on the door and the group prepared to breach. The door exploded as three soldiers inside aimed their weapons at the door only to be taken down quickly by well placed shots from Katana. Soap and Price entered the room looking at all the explosives wired in the room. As the three continued to look around the room, the PA system throughout the entire cave crackled. "All units be advised this is Gold Eagle. The site has been compromised. I am executing directive one-one-six bravo. If you're still inside, your service will be honored. Shepherd out."

Katana moved to one of the computers still operational as Price snapped around, "Override the door controls! Hurry! Use the keyboard!" Katana smashed the keyboard as the door opened. "Run! Keep moving! This place is gonna blow!" Katana sprinted up the hill as a massive explosion propelled her off of her feet, dazing her.

As she came to her senses, another horrifying radio transmission echoed. "Excalibur, this is Gold Eagle. Fire mission - target package Romeo - danger close."

Arrow snapped his head to him, he knew Shepherd never cared about danger close but one hundred meters was pushing it to the extreme, especially with all of Butcher still out in the open defending the General.

"That's within a hundred meters of your position, sir!"

"That's not a suggestion! Send it!"

"Roger, fire mission danger close!" Distant artillery thuds were heard as shells flew overhead, impacting the ground in front of Shepherd as Arrow aimed through his scope spotting her. His heart froze as his breath was caught in his throat. He set his reticle upon her, hoping she would dive to the ground. He wanted nothing more than to run across the open and throw her to the ground to shield her.

Price turned to the group, "Group! Incoming, get down, get down!"

Shells landed everywhere as dirt was thrown up from impacts followed by large explosions. Men were slaughtered from shrapnel as barrels and vehicles also exploded. The barrage quickly ended as it almost started. Price panted, pushing himself up muttering to no one in particular. "Since when does Shepherd care about danger close..." He grunted, "Let's go and stay close! Follow me to the west, let's move!" He shouted as the trio pushed through the clearing with many wounded and dazed soldiers. Soap occasionally shot those who entered his way or resisted him.

Another Blackhawk and Little Bird flew over, already having dropped their troops as the radio once again crackled.

"Sir, sandstorm activity is picking up here. It's too risky for flight ops."

Shepherd replied over the radio causing Katana to see red. He killed Americans and didn't care. "Understood. Head for the tunnel. We'll take the Zodiacs."

"Yes sir!"