Rescue Mission

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Broken ribs are insufferable. Every time you breathe there’s a shooting aggravating annoyance. You’re encouraged to breathe deeply even though it’s physically impossible. Doctors don’t tape you up anymore in order to encourage deeper breathing so you constantly feel half your chest is going to fall off. On occasion I think I’ve felt my on bones move and it’s an awful feeling. As I lie in my hospital bed these thoughts are running through my head. This is no ordinary bed either as it is within the air force academy hospital. I am a training pilot in the air force.

This is how I got into this mess…………

“Attention, all personnel in sector D24 report to me, your commanding officer for your latest mission data,” the speaker roared at me as I walked down the corridor to the commissary, so I changed my direction and headed towards my superiors office.

I opened the door.

“Lieutenant Stevens reporting for duty, sir,” I said in full command voice. My fellow team mates did the same. When all of the team had gathered in General Nile’s office we went and stood around his desk. The he spoke.

“Team M67 were meant to rendezvous at 0700 hours with H84, but they didn’t turn up”

“Sir, is that the team establishing activity within a nuclear weapons store?” I asked.

“Yes it was,” he replied “we have tried to contact them by radio but had no luck.”

“And you’re telling my team this because…” Major Mathews pondered.

“Because your team is going to rescue them,” General Nile said briskly.

“Ermm, sir, are you sure about this,” I interjected “we have a specialised rescue team right? So why us?”

“The rescue team are on a vary important mission, which he can’t pull them out of,” Lieutenant Johnson reminded me. I normally remember stuff like that but I’ve had my head stuck in a ton of work for what felt like weeks. So instead of saying some sarcastic quip back at Johnson and digging myself even deeper into a hole, I just lamely smiled at the General.

“You leave at 1300 hours, dismissed,” General Nile said promptly while fixing, my eyes with his piercing gaze. We saluted until he left the room.

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Once I had changed into my combat gear I went along to the armoury. I collected my combat vest and added the mini med kit which clipped neatly over the top of my left thigh. It’s amazing how much stuff we carry around. Our combat vests have three flasks of water, two M.R.E.S.; macaroni cheese and tomato soup this time, four energy bars, a pack of 15 painkillers, 10 rounds of ammo for my P-90, a pack of M-9 bullets, a four inch knife in its protective cover, note pad, pen, kitchen sink………… .

A mini med kit has an assortment of gauze, adhesive bandages; sealed, sterile pads; adhesive tape; small scissors; cotton swabs and pads; safety pins (to fasten splints or bandages); very fine tweezers for removing splinters, etc; a thermometer, hydrogen peroxide; a corticosteroid cream for rashes and bites; a topical antiseptic ointment or cream to prevent infection and soothe burns, cuts, and bug bite; preferred fever/pain relievers: aspirin, acetaminophen, or Ibuprofen; water-purification tablets or a filtering device; duct tape (you can't imagine how useful this can be and let's hope you don't ever have to find out!). I picked a P-90 and an M-9 barrette, I slung the P-90 over my shoulder and put M-9 in its holster. Now for the final touches I put my helmet and gloves on and put my sun glasses around my neck.

“Are you all ready campers?” Major Mathews asked.

“Yes sir,” the three of us shouted in unison.

“Good, lets embark.”

“Excuse me sir, but how are we getting there,” I enquired.

“Plane, then parachute,” Major Mathews replied matter of factly.
Due to the incredible tension, the journey was over quickly and sood we were checking our packs ready to jump.

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When we landed we split into twos, I was with Johnson, which he didn’t like one bit. He’s never trusted me from the start, just because I’m a woman. Major Mathews was with Sergeant Mason, the only guy in the team I talk to of base.

“We’ll rendezvous with you at 2000 hours,” Major Mathews said, “Mason and I will secure the perimeter of the building, so you two can go inside and get M67 out of there, with no blood shed if possible.”

“What if we can’t meet you sir?” I asked. Some people say I ask too many questions, but it doesn’t hurt to cover all eventualities.

“Then contact us by radio,” he replied, “oh, and Becca you’re in charge.”

“What!” I didn’t get an answer becaue he had already started walking. That’s the third time he has slipped rank this week.

“Lieutenant, we’ll wait here ‘til we get a signal from Mathews,” it felt weird being in charge, having to make the right choices for yourself is hard enough never mind doing it for someone else who doesn’t even like you, I’ve only done it once and that was about a year ago.

Half an hour later and Mathews still hadn’t signalled us, I was starting to feel twitchy.

“Johnson,” I whispered to get his attention, “I’ve tried contacting them by radio but they’re not replying, so I’m going to see what’s happening, stay here and watch my six,” I copuld tell he didn’t want me to leave. “If I don’t come back in thirty minutes, you not what to do,” with that I left.

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Being careful not to be seen I stealthily crept down from our advantage point at the top of a slope until got to the wired fence breached earlier by Major Mathews and Sergeant Mason. I checked for sercurity camras, there only appeared to be one and it was angel away from me. I slid through the wired fence being carful not to cut my self. Then I saw someone though it was just an unconscious body,
I jumped with fright and pulled my M-9 out of its holster, but as I
did I felt a warm trickle of blood flow down into my right glove.

As I crept along the ground I heard gun shots. I took cover at the side of a nearby building and looked around the corner of it. I saw four people from the air force with guns at their heads and two guards either side of them all. I looked down and saw two dead bodies. I recognised them as members of M67. The hostages included both Major Mathews and Sergeant Mason. If I did something drastic they would automatically be shot.

Thud, thud, thud, I heard some heavy footsteps coming my way. A man stood in front of me, he had a big scar on the left of his face, and wasn’t someone you would forget in a hurry.

“Relinquish your weapons!” he barked at me.

I did as he said but as I listed my P-90 off my shoulder I looked at my watch ‘22:44’, sixteen more minutes until Johnson would report back to General Nile.

“Good, now put your hands in the air,” he said, calmer then earlier

“And what if I don’t,” I couldn’t resist annoying him.

“Then I’ll shoot them!” he shouted and he was being sarcastic, so I obeyed.

A few minutes later I saw the butt of my own gun come down towards me, and then the blackness engulfed me.

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I awoke with a pounding headache. I reached for my vest but it wasn’t there. I began to assess the situation, I was in a ptch black room which seemed to have a marble floor. I called out for Mathews and the rest of the men, they didn’t answer maybe they were still unconscious; I hope they’re still unconscious. An hour later and there still was no response from anyone. I pounded on the walls and demanded everything from my lawyer to a pack of chewing gum. It had to be a nightmare. Some time later the man who had knocked me out came in. When he opened the door I was blinded by the light which filtered through.

I was studied curiously by the scarred man as he leaned over and grabbed a fistful of my jacket. My arms flopped to my sides as he lifted me off the ground. I summoned up my strength and courage and lifted my knee sharply into his stomach, he fell back hard onto the floor and let go of my jacket. He cursed bitterly when he regained composure and was back on his feet in know time grabbing my hair in an angry fist. His other hand lifted behid him and swiftly hit me in the chest, successfully knocking the wing ouit of me. not being able to breathe when paniking isn’t a pleasurable experience. He laughed as I fish mouthed gasping for air, enjoing seeing my pain. Slowly my chest began to function properly and I was able to take in a few breaths. Then he put his hand over my mouth, kicking I tried to get away but his hands held me like a vice.

A strange calmness washes over you when you suffocate. Your body becomes resigned to its fate, most likely due from the lack of oxygen in the brain. You begin to hallucinate; I thought I was in the cockpit of an F-117. Diablo, this is base foxtrot three-niner-seven, you are clear for take off, over. Rodger three-niner-seven, over and out.

As soon as I was awake I saw he was stil in the room. He was pacing back and fourth, waiting until he got close enough I lashed out with a right jab catching him under the chin. I snapped punched into his chest. He groaned leaning forward. Grabbing his head I pushed it into my left knee and he fell to the floor in a daze. I practically leapt for the door. Then a hand clamped on my shoulder spinning me towards him. I lifted my leg to kick him but he threw me back with such force that I lost my breath again when I hit the wall. He was on me in am instant grabbing the side of my face with his large hand. Very effectively he cut off my air supply with his thumb as he grounded my face in the wall. I struck out blindly, struggling to get him to release me. He let go, I fought for my breath, and then a heavy boot connected with my chest and flipped me onto the floor skidding to a halt against the opposite wall. I lost the fight to remain conscious again.

Coming round I saw him standing in the corner of the room, wincing I sat up. He watched me and walked over with a bucket, and poured freezing water over me, practically drowning me. I coughed and spluttered gripping my side in a vain attempt to ease the pain.

“What was the point in that? And what do you want with me?” I gasped. The scarred man sniggered.

“You have no idea what’s going on here do you?” he mocked.
“Why would I know, to you I’m just an inconvenience that must be dealt with, right?”

“Yes that’s true and I’d better get on with it.”

He swiped his hand across my face, black dots clouded my vision and I felt extremely light headed. If he was going to kill me I just wished he’d hurry up and get it over with.

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There was banging at the door. As the door opened I could make out the silhouettes of three figures against the light. They were getting closer, I couldn’t tell what they were saying just strange mumbles. I felt someone put a face mask on me and breathing became easier but I still to contend with my ribs puncturing one of my lungs. I was lifted up and put on a stretcher, I was strapped in and I could feel the sharp sting as a canula was inserted into my arm.

I was aware of being wheeled out of the building and I noticed the familiar sound of helicopter’s rota blades. Once I was in I could here Sergeant Mason:

“You’re gonna’ be OK, can you hear me Becca? Becca?” his hand slid into mine as I lost consciousness…..again.

I gradually came round to find five people standing around my hospital bed, there were several tubes and needles coming in and out of me.

“Hey kid,” Mathews said, I smiled up at him, then 1 signalled to the arm in cased in caster. He smiled.

“A scarred, fat, heavy guy tried to kill me, but he’s now in jail,” he replied.

“Thanks for saving our butts,” one of the M67 members said with a cheeky smile.

“Yeah thanks a lot,” the other said. They both saluted and left the room as a nurse entered.

“Excuse me gentleman, but can you leave no as Lieutenant Stevens needs her rest,” the nurse said as she checked the monitors that surrounded me. She left along with Johnson and Mason, leaving me with my C.O.

“You did well lieutenant,” Mathews said looking down at me.

“I can’t remember doing anything except for disobeying an order, sir,” I croaked.

“You created a distraction which gave Mason and me the opportunity to escape and Johnson called in the med team.”

“But two people are,” I said flatly.

“That wasn’t your fault, now get some rest you’ve earned it,” with that he left.

Maybe I did do some good; the air force found and disarmed a nuclear weapon that could of wiped out a whole continent! I got a medal for bravery, a fractured wrist and broken ribs. I’m of active duty for three weeks. I picked up my note pad and started writing up my mission report.