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1148 Words
The team proceeds to the camp.
Charlie 1 and Charlie 2 go around the hill as instructed.
Alpha 2 scales up the hill and stays ambushed with a silenced sniper rifle.
Alpha 2’s point of view:
Down the hill is an array of small tents built around a much larger one. Two manned watch towers stand across the perimeter. Four jeeps are stationed at another corner. Four armed devilish looking soldiers guard the camp.
ALPHA 2 - (whispers into his wireless) Team Raven, I have my eyes on the target. Taking down the manned towers!
He aims at Tower 1.
A clean silent shot escapes Alpha 2’s rifle and SPITS into the soldier on Tower 1. The man collapses without a sound.
ALPHA 2 - (whispers into his wireless) Tower 1 down.
The next one falls quietly.
ALPHA 2 - (into his wireless) Both towers taken.
It’s their cue. Vihaan and Alpha 1 go around the hill and advance in on the camp from both sides.
The spirit of the game begins to kick in for Vihaan. Take it easy, he tells himself, just calm down. This is not real. It’s a game. And you’re going to win this game as usual. You’re going to make it. He takes a deep breath. He feels like a real Captain now. A real soldier.
VIHAAN - (to Alpha 1 on the wireless, quietly) Alpha 1, take down the men from the other end. Proceed with caution.
ALPHA 1 - Yes, sir.
Vihaan stays low as he quietly advances in on the camp.
A hefty Iraqi soldier prowls around cradling a heavy rifle.
Vihaan withdraws his knife and closes in unnoticed. He grapples the soldier, clamps his mouth shut and slashes his throat. He falls to the ground with a b****y gag.
Iraqi Soldier #2 turns around at his companion’s fall. He spots Vihaan and raises his rifle to shoot him down!
SOLDIER #2: (shouts in Arabic) SOUND THE ALA---
Vihaan is quick!
ZIP! He hurls his knife straight at the soldier’s throat. It cuts through the air, pierces through his Adam’s apple and muffles out his alert into a throaty barf.
Movement in the neighbouring tent catches his eye. He swiftly moves in.
Soldier #3 curses in Arabic and bolts out with a rifle.
BLAM! Vihaan elbows him with savage force in the nose, floors him with a knee to his groin and another hard elbow to his spine. The soldier FLUMPS face down into the sand.
On the other side - Alpha 1 takes down the soldiers with his silenced pistol and moves in.
Soldier #4 appears out of nowhere and riddles Alpha 1 with a stiff line of bullets. He drops dead!
BACK TO VIHAAN
His wireless sputters: ALPHA 1 IS DOWN! ALPHA 1 IS DOWN!
SOLDIER #4 - (in Arabic) WE’RE UNDER ATTACK! WATCH TOWERS TAKEN! SOUND THE ALARM!
A loud BLARE rings through the air!
One by one, the rest of the soldiers pour out from their tents and opens fire at Vihaan!
He ducks and rolls away from the line of target to his only source of cover – a military jeep! But it’s no match for the bullets being sprayed at it!
VIHAAN - (into his wireless) Requesting team Raven for back up! I’m under attack! Open fire! I repeat- open heavy fire!
CHARLIE 1 - Charlie 1 and 2 moving in to cover, sir!
ALPHA 2 - Taking down exposed targets!
Alpha 2 stays ambushed and takes down their hostile opponents one by one!
Charlie 1 and 2 advances on the camp with heavy suppressing fire!
The Iraqis realize that they are being attacked from the hill!
SOLDIER #5 - (in Arabic) SNIPER ON THE HILL!
Some soldiers prepare to go around the hill and scale it.
ALPHA 2 - (into his wireless) Charlie 1 and 2 take the rein! My position has been compromised!
Alpha 2 prepares to defend himself.
BACK TO VIHAAN -
WHIZZ! ZIP! BLAM!! Vihaan cringes behind the jeep as it gets battered from the shower of bullets. I must get out of here fast! If the tank gets hit, I’ll be blown to smithereens! And I won’t be able to rescue my family! I won’t be able to rescue Keshika!
He struggles to move out from there. They won’t let him budge an inch!
It’s now or never! He risks it all and leaps away from the jeep, falling and somersaulting to his next line of defence – a tent! He takes cover behind the tent and sprays a wide arc of bullets at his combatants, all the while making sure to keep away from sight. The thick canvas of the tent is nothing for the Iraqi’s heavy-duty artillery.
Charlie 1 and 2 move deeper into the base and take down the enemy combatants! They stab the Iraqis with their bayonets, fire bullets; bash them up with the butts of their rifles!
The air is filled with the relentless BLASTS of firearms. It sounds like a festival with all the fireworks!
Vihaan flits from tent to tent, taking out the remaining soldiers and looking for the hostages.
He reaches the centre of the base where the largest tent is situated.
As he stumbles in through the opening he is greeted with a volley of bullets!
A stray bullet roughly grazes his arm as it WHIZZES past him!
He caves in pain and surprise.
VIHAAN - Ahh!
The bullets keep coming at him, riddling the tent with holes as it does! What the f***! From where the hell is this coming?
He looks around frantically and spots the source of fire! Inside the tent – an irritating opponent crouches behind a large metal desk and shoots persistently whilst cursing in Arabic!
Vihaan has had enough of this nonsense! With a LOUD BATTLE CRY, he lunges at the soldier and kicks him to the ground!
BLAM! Vihaan gets shot in the leg!
VIHAAN: (staggering back) Ah!
The pain drives him nuts! He’s boiling mad now!
The crouching soldier fires at him again. Vihaan ROARS in rage, delivers a powerful knee to his jaw and sends him sprawling across the ground.
Vihaan doesn’t give him the chance to recover. He kicks him down again and finishes him with a STAB of his bayonet.
His heart is pounding! His head is reeling! He is breathless and mottled with sweat, blood and grime.
More movement in the corner of the tent! He swerves around wildly ready for another attack!
But he pauses and lowers his rifle.
Before his eyes, the hostages sit huddled together in a corner – his family and Keshika!
***
- Writer
