Burning Hail-fire

I throw myself up the stairway, disregarding the screaming voices and booming gunfire all around the fortress. Violent explosions scream throughout the base. Forewarned only by the hiss of their solid-fuel engines. It's only a matter of time before one of those hits this building. A guard runs out of one room. I drop-kick him to the floor. catching myself from falling, I ignore the man's groans, as I fly by. I enter the storage room, escaping from the back door. An explosion erupts from behind me, throwing me off balance. Trying to catch myself, I slip on a pile of snow, throwing me into the air. I land on my back, sliding a few feet once more. The second time I fell on my ass this mission... I sit up, look around, seeing the once snowy calm base, erupted with fire and chaos. The hangers in shambles, the barracks in flames. Another hiss screams above the wall, landing on the two buildings across the airfield. The buildings erupts in fire, sending burning shrapnel all around me. A shrieking jet screams over the base. The ever-familiar decal of Boss's Smoked Barrage manifests through the blinding snow.

Jax: "Match comms Boss, oi, ya damn bastard call off the attack I'm still in here!"

Boss: "SP? I got a notification you've extracted already, pausing the assault. You got one minute to get your ass out. I can't let them get a foothold in my airspace."

I launch myself up the mountain of frozen steps.

Jax: "That's plenty of time, on my way. Spirit get ready for extraction, 30 seconds."

I make leaps and mounds over the frozen steps, disregarding any chance of slipping. Throwing myself up the last step I slip and fall, rolling on the walkways frozen snow. I slow my tumble, bumping my watch on the guard rail with a blaring clink. My suit whines out a hum as my arms and hands fade into view. Did my watch break? I look into it, spamming the activation button. Desperately trying to force activation, to no avail. It's fine, spirit arrives in less than 15 seconds, I just have to wait for arrival.

"FREEZE! SHOW ME YOUR HANDS."

Shit. I raise my hands, slowly turning to meet the voices commander. A man in the standard green uniform and hat holds me at gunpoint.

"Who the hell are you? Take off that damn mask."

Jax: "A tourist?"

"Real funny dipshit, the mask."

I slowly lower my right arm. Taking a glance at my cracked watch before slowly placing my hand on the mask, 3 seconds. I hold my hand on my mask, refusing to move it further.

"I SAID, take it o-"

Spirit blazes over mere inches above. Screaming in her presence with a deafening howl. The man studders into a confused daze. Throwing his hand on his dazed head. Regaining his awareness he readies his rifle, but it's to late. I slap the rifle off point as it fires into the bitter air. I spin, jousting my elbow into his face before sweeping my leg under his. He falls to the floor as I grab hold of his rifle, throwing the rifle's stock into his face, knocking him out. I throw the rifle off to the side, looking for Spirit in the skies. She lines up towards me, coming in for a low fly-by. I slide my hand towards my feet before bunny hopping once more. I clench my fist as the rubber mat expands, launching me into the skies. Spirit's canopy slides open as I turn around. I land into Spirit's cockpit as canopy jolts shut, shielding me from the glacial air. I pinch off the snowed-over gloves, sliding them into my jacket's inner pockets. I push up my mask as it folds back into my hood. I patch down the remaining snow on my hood. Throwing it behind my head along with the mask.

Jax: "Continue air raid, Phantom Spirit has extracted from the target."

Boss: "Took you long enough! resuming assault."

I slowly squeeze my frozen hands, blowing my warm breath into them. Adrenaline may help my body cool off, but my fingers are better off icicles! I reach into my pocket, taking out the USB. All intact, no issues, successful mission. I look around me, seeing nothing but dense falling snow. Clouding the skies with a dense blanket of grey. Spirits not good with these conditions, but until Boss is finished I gotta watch his back. I slide the USB back into its warm home.

Jax: "Match comms CO. Data successfully retracted, providing air support for Smoked Barrage."

Boss slides into formation behind me. Pylons nearly emptied from the burning carnage below.

Boss: "No need, targets in shambles. Mission complete."

Chloe: "Good work? we await your arrival."

Jax: "Release comms CO. So boss, the hell was that about? Starting the air raid while I was still inside?"

Boss: "Whoa kid, relax. like I said, I got confirmation that you've extracted from target and to begin the raid."

Jax: "Didn't Chloe try to stop you? She seemed to know I was still inside and warned me about the raid."

Boss: "I got nothin' from her. Not a word or a peep came through my radios. But I think we should continue this talk some other time, check your radar."

I look down into the MFD housing my radar display. 4 targets continually pulse on the screen. Shortly followed my RWR begun its nauseating beeping.

Jax: "I understand the situation. Provide me with rear support will ya?"

Boss: "Can do."

Jax: "Stage three."

Spirit jolts forward, leaving Boss far behind. I hate when I need to watch over a wingman. I cant assassinate my targets under Spirit's cloak. I shoot out of the blizzard blinding cloud. Restoring my view in the clear blue skies. Barely visible, laid the 4 targets my radar described miles away. As usual, ill act as the distraction, and Boss cleans up anything behind me. The humble beeps of my RWR become screeching cries, signalling a radar-guided missile has been fired at me. This is why I hate having a wingman, they can SEE ME. I turn away, activating Spirit's cloak. As I turn away, I throw a pod of chaff in my wake. After a few seconds, I release the cloak and continue the attack. A simple strategy like this is all I need to throw off pesky Fox ones, but the very fact they're even fired is insulting. They try again, failed, and again, failed. Only a few miles remaining, Fox ones are no longer viable, and heatseekers are pointless, so then...

L e t s S e e H o w Y o u S q e r m .