Prelude - 3

[ETA: 50 Minutes remaining.]

Eve steadied her rifle as the flashlights grew closer, and soon she was able to make out two figures in Asphodelian combat uniform and gear. The two Asphodelian soldiers scanned the tunnel with flashlights attached to their rifles, and Eve realised that they were looking for something. Or… someone. 

Judging by the fact that they were using flashlights, Eve assumed that they didn't have night vision devices for the tunnel. This meant that they had an advantage in the dimly lit tunnel as they could see further, and therefore their engagement distance - the distance at which they could attack and engage an enemy - was further. 

She signalled to her 2IC and they slowly inched up to take a place besides her on her right. Eve softly spoke over their short-range communications channel. 

"Take the one on the right. On my mark." Her 2IC nodded. Eve flipped her magnifier over her red dot sight, and her second in command did the same. Eve slowed down her breathing and brought her heart rate down to steady her reticle on the figure's chest. 

"Three, two, one," Eve whispered. 

"Mark." 

Eve and her 2IC squeezed their triggers in perfect synchronization, and a muted yet sharp pop could be heard as the bullets left their rifles, followed by the soft thumps of the two soldiers hitting the ground. 

Eve paused for a moment, letting the air clear before standing and moving forward. "We need to move now that they're looking for us. The moment they realize those two are missing, they'll start pouring in here like ants. On me." 

She kept her rifle up as she led the column down the tunnel, shooting the two Asphodelian soldiers once more as she moved past to make sure that they were down for good. The second person in the column stepped out and switched off the two flashlights and then quickly came back to take their place in the column, once more plunging the tunnel into darkness. 

- - -

[ETA: 45 minutes remaining.]

As they reached the door, Eve slipped an thermal imaging tape camera underneath the door and scanned the area outside of the tunnel exit. The small camera connected to her visor, and four more soldiers were visible, scanning the area, this time without flashlights. 

Night vision, then. Eve marked their locations with her visor, and displayed their locations through the door to all of her squad members. Unfortunately, the marines, not having the same operating system for their masks and visors, weren't able to see. 

Eve paused once more and touched the door. It was a piece of solid metal. That meant that it would most certainly make a lot of noise if they opened it, and meant that they probably wouldn't be able to shoot through it at the soldiers looking for them outside. 

That gave Eve one option: swing open the door and flow outside. Since they were going quiet, they wouldn't want to use a flashbang or grenade. They had to rely on the fact that they knew where the enemy were, and that the enemy didn't know that they were there yet. She communicated this to the rest of the team, as well as the marines and data analysts. As Eve explained, even though it was a risky plan, using something like a flashbang or trying to shoot through the door would only draw more immediate attention and place the extraction helicopters in danger if the Asphodelian soldiers followed them through the forest.

The team took up their positions. The TRACE team's breacher stepped forwards, unlocked the door, then swung it open. Eve and the remaining members of the TRACE squad flowed through the open door like water out of a broken urn. As the Asphodelian soldiers whipped towards the noise of the door opening, Eve and her team dropped them with bursts of well-aimed fire, their muzzles popping as rounds whizzed out of them. 

Thank god for our rifles' suppressors,  Eve thought. If it weren't for them, we'd have been long noticed or even picked up via thermals.

The rest of the team filed out behind them, with the data analysts carrying the intel and injured marines following the TRACE team and the marines capable of fighting making up the rear. Moving from the entrance, the two Halcyon squads kept on high alert as they left the compound and slipped into the branches of the forest that surrounded them. 

- - -

[ETA: 15 minutes remaining.]

Eve called the team to a halt once more. They were close to the helicopter landing zone now, and the helicopters were only fifteen minutes away. 

"Sergeant, why did we stop? We're close. We should continue," the marine sergeant asked. Eve simply pointed to the injured marines and data analysts, who were all panting hard. Even though they had applied morphine, the injured marines were having trouble keeping up due to their injuries, and the data analysts weren't used to the pace of the Halcyon armed forces at all. They were panting the hardest, and one steadied himself against a tree. 

"They can't keep up," Eve replied. Then speaking to the entire group: "We'll move slower and more methodically as we approach the landing zone for the helicopters. We should still arrive with a couple minutes to spare. If anyone's having trouble keeping up, tell us, and we'll accommodate. Take a while to rest and drink some water, then we'll continue. Odd numbers first will provide security, then switch with the evens."

Eve and the rest of the even numbered TRACE operators in the squad stepped up and formed a protective cordon around the others as they drank from flasks and caught their breath. 

After a couple of minutes, Eve and the odd numbered operators switched places with their even numbered counterparts. Eve tapped her helmet on the side, retracting the helmet's visor and mask, revealing her soft face, gem-like eyes, and a couple stray strands of her hair. She gently brushed the silk-like strands out of her eyes, tucking them back under her helmet and tilted her head back to drink from her canteen-

"You're a girl?" A rough voice asked, shocked. Eve looked young, but not that young. She turned towards the marine sergeant, who had also retracted his mask and visor to drink water. Without the mask, his voice was no longer disguised. He wasn't bad looking, and looked blocky yet solid, like a bear with his massive frame. 

Eve narrowed her eyes and regarded him frostily. "Yes, I'm a woman. Got a problem, sergeant?" 

The bulky marine, unprepared for the hostility, faltered. "I'm sorry, I just assumed that-"

Eve cut him off, smirking icily. "That I was a man? You must've heard that they were drafting from everyone when the draft was announced if you're a marine." 

The marine held his hands in front of him apologetically. "I'm sorry. I just thought-"

Eve sighed, replaced her canteen in her belt, and tapped her helmet, extending the mask and visor. "Forget it. Let's move." She gestured to the rest of the Halcyon squads and brought the remainder of her squad back to the rest.

Checking communications once more and then shouldering her rifle, Eve moved forwards, leading the two Halcyon squads as they crept towards the landing zone, slowly and carefully. 

- - -

[ETA: 5 minutes remaining]

As they reached the clearing designated as the landing zone, Eve spread out her squad around clearing in a circle. The marines and data analysts hid behind a relatively obscure part of the clearing, behind trees and a dense clump of bushes. 

Eve and her squad knelt, their backs facing the clearing and keeping their eyes on the surrounding forest as they waited for the helicopters to arrive. Soon, the muted thrumming of the beating rotor blades of the two helicopters could be heard, and the two shadowy, black forms of the helicopters could be seen skimming over the treetops towards them. They were close now. Very close.

Given the small size of the clearing, only one helicopter could land at once. Soon, a gust of downdraft buffeted the Halcyon squads, and the looming form of the phantom hawk helicopter that Eve had arrived in touched down to the ground. The grass around it rippled like waves from the downdraft. The stealth helicopter had a single rotor with five blades along with a tail rotor. The phantom hawk had a carrying capacity of 11 personnel plus four crew who manned and piloted the aircraft. Some versions of the helicopter had platform mounted miniguns and subwing mounted pylons, taking a gunship role, but the this phantom hawk, being for transport, didn't. The helicopter had limited stealth capability and muted rotors to dampen the sound it produced, specifically for infill and exfil operations like these.

Eve's team waited and stood watch vigilantly as the marines signalled as friendlies and boarded the aircraft, sitting the data analysts and intel in the center seats in the cabin. After the marines had settled in the helicopter, as per standard procedure, two marines kept watch through the open portions of the fuselage meant for snipers and small arms protection as the sliding doors glided shut on either side. 

The other helicopter hovered close to the ground, just above the treetops and over to the side.

Having confirmed that all people were on board, the pilot of the first phantom hawk gave Eve a thumbs up and the helicopter took off, rising into the sky like a silent owl. 

We got them out, Eve thought. Now it's our turn. Just as the thought had entered Eve's head and the second phantom hawk moved in to land, a screaming sound made Eve flinch. 

Turning away from the forest for a moment, Eve saw a gleaming star streak towards the first phantom hawk, who was moving to fly away from the clearing. 

Shit. 

The heat seeking missile streaked towards the helicopter like an asteroid, and the pilot swerved desperately while releasing chaff to avoid it. Thankfully, it airbursted to the side of the helicopter, but peppered the side of the aircraft with shrapnel. The pilot recovered quickly and increased speed, flying out of the area. 

Suddenly, the deadly buzz of a 8x51 mm minigun shattered the otherwise undisturbed silence. The minigun mounted on the second helicopter, a phantom hawk gunship, came online and blasted into the forest in the direction the missile had come from. The forest lit up with green tracers pouring out of the six barrel rotating minigun, but soon it died down as Eve called over short ranged communications.

"Phantom minigun, Insert team. Request cease fire in 15 seconds. Out." Tapping her mask to change channels, Eve then connected to her TRACE squad's communications and spoke through the deafening thump of the minigun. "Insert team, this is your SL. All operators, switch to thermals. Hunt down that SAM as soon as the minigun lets up."

After its dutiful fifteen seconds of fire, the minigun became silent, its six rotating barrels cooling in the night air.

"Now," Eve said over comms. Her own visor swapped to a dull grey imaging, her squadmates around the clearing displayed in a glowing blue. She hurried around the trees, collecting her squadmates on the way. Judging by the suppressed gunfire, answered by responding unsuppressed fire, the two TRACE operators in that area had already found the SAM operator, but had been met with resistance. 

The gunfire didn't die down.

Eve hurried towards the gunfight. As soon as she had reached the area, she could see the glowing red of Asphodelian soldiers in her thermal vision and the flashes of their muzzles towards her position. Her second in command updated her as Eve ducked behind a tree:

"The SAM user, using a handheld launcher, has been taken out. The enemy forces have caught on to our position and are advancing under heavy fire."

"Okay." Eve patted her 2IC on the arm. She then connected to their team communications once more. "Insert team, this is your SL. Start a delayed retreat around the clearing, and start to board the phantom from that flank. Once we are out of the phantom's kill zone, I'll call the gunner to engage. Use that time to board."

She made sure she heard confirmation from all of her squad members before starting calling the retreat while communicating this with the phantom hawk. 

Soon, they had reached the opposite flank. Eve switched channels to communicate with the helicopter. 

"Free to engage." The 8x51mm came to life once more, pelting the forest with an unrelenting storm of lead. Meanwhile, taking advantage of the break, Eve led her team, running full tilt to the helicopter's door. A crew member aboard the heli flung open the door and started helping the TRACE squad on board. One stumbled, and Eve caught them, quickly handing them off to the helicopter crew. 

"Last man!" Soon, Eve was the last TRACE member on the ground. She lunged onto the helicopter as bullets whizzed past her. Eve landed prone on the helicopter's floor and managed to slam the door shut behind her. 

By this time, the helicopter carrying the marines and intel was already far away, speeding across the horizon.

Eve had no time to think, however, as she gave the pilot a thumbs up.

"Last man on board!" She struggled to her feet as the helicopter hummed, lifting them up and away. Small arms fire peppered the floor of the helicopter. The TRACE operators and minigun responded in turn as the helicopter gained height and sped away, skimming the treetops. The sound of gunfire soon faded away in the distance and the minigun became silent once more, leaving the cabin in blessed silence. 

Breathing heavily, Eve spoke. "Squad, status report."

"1st rifleman, check. Unharmed."

"Breacher, check. Lightly wounded."

"Marksman, check, Unharmed."

"2nd rifleman, check. Lightly wounded, no external bleeding."

"Support gunner, check. Lightly wounded, bleeding but treated,"

"3rd rifleman, check. Lightly wounded."

And…

"2IC, check, Unharmed."

Eve breathed a sigh of relief. She switched to TRACE command's communications channel as the medic on board the helicopter tended to the wounds of her squad. 

"Insert team, Owl, check, over." They replied immediately.

"Owl, Insert team. Good check. Status? Over."

Eve breathed out slowly, the adrenaline rushing out of her, being replaced with a light fatigue. "Insert team, Owl. Light injuries, all personnel accountable. Objective achieved. Intel team has been extracted. Over."

She heard cheers on the channel coming from the staff at the command center. After a brief moment, the voice returned. "Owl, insert team. Good work. We'll see you back at base. Over."

Eve smiled. "Insert team, Owl. Yes, ma'am. Out."

Even though she didn't let down her guard as they were still in transit back to base, Eve allowed herself to catch her breath and breathe- they managed to extract from the compound, accomplish the objective, and in the process hadn't lost a single operator, albeit several being lightly injured.

And now, they were headed home.