War Dog

Chapter 88

We manage to clear the soldiers who had blocked us in and we took a brief moment to gather ourselves. I looked at the map again and memorised the route that would likely get us there with the least notice from the Konni group. 

 The comms crackle to life as Laswells voice fills the silence. "Makarov is making his way towards the hostages."

"Shit." 

I still didn't know all that much about Makarov. Apparently he'd been a slippery bastard and had escaped the gulag with the help of his second, Andrei Nolan. Andrei was now rotting in Makarovs place and it seemed Makarov hadn't taken the time to free the man. Ghost began to move forwards and I took the lead on all fours, ears and nose alert as we move through the tunnels. It seemed much quieter and I suspected whoever we hadn't cleared out had made their way to the same area the rest of our team was positioned. We mopped up any remaining Konni soldiers we found, dispatching them easily with Ghost often just shooting them as we approached. 

I knew when we'd finally gotten to the right area. We came across more soldiers. 

"Ghost, sitrep." Prices voice called over the comms sounding rough. Gunshots echoed off the walls in response. 

"We're making our through to you now, Price. Just got some housecleaning to do."

"Good to hear. We'll work from each side and thin the heard. Boys, let the dogs loose."

Before Ghost could answer back I was gone. I knew Shane would be doing the same on the other end of the chaos. I used every ounce of speed within my body to propel myself towards small knots of soldiers, Ghost laying down a covering of fire for me. I jumped, claws slashing towards throats. I didn't need killing blows. All I needed to do was cause enough damage to distract from Ghost advancing cleaning up after me. I bit down on arms causing soldiers to drop their guns as they cradled mashed bones to their chests. I felt bullets hit me and a growl of pain escapes my throat as the armour Dr. Cooper had given us did the job. I knew I'd be bruised to hell come tomorrow, but I'd be alive and relatively uninjured. 

I moved through the bodies as another bullet glanced off of the new tac vest I was wearing. I barely even felt that one and I grinned, pleased. I ducked back towards Ghost, too much attention focused on me now and hid behind the cover as Ghost continued to shoot the soldiers I had injured. 

I breathe a little heavier than normal as the adrenaline rides my body. As if Ghost can read my thoughts, he speaks up. "Go ahead. It'll make things easier for both of us."

I shift, letting the straps on my vest open up giving me the opportunity to grown without ruining my safety gear. I crack my neck once I'm shifted and stand up to my new height, hands out by my side, claws longer and thicker. I stride back into the thicket of soldiers as terror overwhelms my nose, the mask kicking in to dampen the smell back down to tolerable levels. I shove my body through the soldiers, the armour stretching across my muscles in a way it wasn't really designed to do. I'd have to ask Dr. Cooper to see if he could sort that out for me. 

I lifted one of the soldiers up single handedly and threw him into a group of soldiers standing off to the side like bowling pins, lined up and ready to go. The soldier I threw yelped as I let go of him. Guns fired towards me, and I could feel the armour starting to give way under the stress and strain. Dr. Coopers words ringing through my ears that the armour could only take so many hits before it would begin to disintegrate. I push my body harder as I keep taking out the soldiers, Ghost thinning the group from cover. 

Eventually we make some progress, and we begin pressing forwards into the opening of the tunnel, I can see Gaz and Shane at the other end, doing the same thing Ghost and I were doing. Shanes eyes dart to see me, doing a double take, mouth hanging open before he re-focuses his attention on the soldiers in front of him. I grinned knowing this was the first time he'd truly gotten to see me in action in my bigger shifted form. 

Ghost moves up smoothly next to me, taking down enemies further away, his own armour protecting him against bullets. I deal with the ones the dare to get a little closer. We whittle them down until it's just us facing Shane and Gaz, adrenaline pumping through our bodies. I drop back down to all fours, my nails clacking along the blood lined tiled floor. I try and step over the puddles of blood as much as possible, not that it really matters all that much when I'm already covered in gore.

"Shit sis. I didn't realise how big you were in this form." I bump up against him, making him stagger. "Fucking hell! Hefty bitch. Where does it all come from?"

I shrug in response. "Dunno. Charlie explained it to me, but I didn't really understand the concept. Something like how corn kernels are small, but popcorn is bigger?"

"But you can un-popcorn-ify yourself right?" Gaz asks as his eyes roam my body.

"Yeah. We found I should wait several hours though before shifting back, otherwise it leaves me too exhausted to function."

"Get your arses in here," Price commands, his voice crackling across Gaz's and Ghosts earpieces.

We move as one towards the train, the hostages all sitting, frozen and terrified in their seats. The acrid scent of fear notched the mask up another setting protecting my nose from having to deal with it. My eyes moved to Soap fighting with the set up of the bomb. It looked significantly different to the ones we'd already found.

"It's going to take me some time to disarm this bomb," He growls, his accent the thickest I'd ever heard it since I met him. His frustration flowed through him, evident in the tense muscles and the jaw clenched tight as he worked.

My eyes move from him. As much as I wish to be close to him, my role was by Ghosts side. We'd keep the area clear, buy time for Soap to work. We gathered around Price as he began to speak.

"Ghost, Gaz. You and the Dogs are to keep the area clear for Soap and I to continue trying to disable this bomb. If you find Makarov, kill him. Laswell said he was headed this way, he should be here by now."

"Price," Laswells smooth voice entered into the comms. "There's another bomb. Up on the surface in the middle of the city." 

Price looked at Gaz and Ghost. "Go, leave the Dogs. Can't have them on the surface, they'll be more effective down here. They can't disarm a bomb anyway."

I could feel Ghosts hesitation to leave me, a hesitation did not share as he nodded at Shane to stay. Ghost ran his hands across my face, cupping my cheeks. "Listen to Price, pup." He hands the comms device to Price, and that alone makes me worried for him. 

"Yes, Ghost," I murmur knowing that if anything was to happen to him, the bond would no longer be active. He hides the concern from his eyes, but I can smell it on him. 

Shane and I patrol the area instead, me operating as his canine, while he keeps the soldiers clear using his gun. Not that it's enemy heavy any more. Ghost and Gaz were going into the thick of the danger again.