OUTCAST Ops: Red Ice

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“Able to Bravo, we have a problem.”

Liam pulled back behind the dumpster. Bravo Team’s marksmanship had whittled down the Triad numbers, but the bullet-riddled dumpster was now only being held together only by rust. Not to mention the smell was no reason to hang out, either. “What now?”

“Stairs are covered and the only other way down is elevator.”

“We’re still playing Tango Tag.”

“Watchdog, does Cobra have any venom left?”

“Affirmative. Do you want them crying, blind or confused?”

“Crying and confused. Dump everything but the smoke on Bravo’s playmates. Bravo, once your playmates are busy, I want you to make a door for us and hold it.”

Liam frowned. “Doesn’t sound like a good idea.”

“No time for good ideas. Striker’s coming in and I don’t want to tangle with friendlies. Watchdog, when we’re clear of the building, drop the smoke between us and the warehouse and recall Cobra and Wasp.”

“Copy Able,” Danielle said. “Striker is coming down the street now. Dazed and crying in five, four, three, two…one!”

Explosions lit up the area over the Triad gunmen, some loud and bright, others releasing clouds of thick white smoke. Shouts and screams replaced gunfire as those who weren’t stunned by the flash-bangs were hit by CS gas.

Liam grinned. “Five, stay where you are and cover me. Once I’m inside, move to my current location and cover our exit.”

“Copy, Two,” Dante returned.

“Bravo to Able. Okay to use an M406 on the truck doors?”

“Go ahead. The prisoners are behind crates and pallets.”

Liam slipped an HE round into his grenade launcher.

“Fire in the hole!”

He raised his Commando, sighted on the middle truck door and fired. The grenade slammed into the door at an angle, ripping it apart. Liam removed the spent round, loaded a CS round and raced for the still-smoking door.

The truck door disintegrating took the defenders inside by surprise. A group of 49s who had been working their way to the bottom of the stairs were in front of the door when it exploded, the pieces of steel and wood acting like a massive shotgun blast that left them as grisly corpses. The shooting stopped as the remaining gunmen tried to comprehend what had happened.

Tanner launched himself down the stairs, landing on the fourth step and grabbing the rail with one hand long enough to steady himself. He raised his Colt and directed quick bursts into distracted 49s. Naomi and Stephen ran past him. Naomi stopped half a dozen steps below Tanner and raised her submachine gun. As soon as she opened fire, Tanner started down the stairs and passed her. In the meantime, Stephen had reached the landing and added his fire to Naomi’s.

Tanner leapt the last three steps, landed on the ground floor with both feet, spun and pointed his Commando in the cages’ direction. No targets were in sight, but he didn’t relax. The prisoners were huddled in the furthest corner of their cages.

“Bravo to Able,” Liam said over the radio. “I’m at the door. Get a move on!”

Two Triad gunmen appeared twenty yards in front of Tanner. He fired multiple bursts, driving them back into cover. Naomi and Stephen ran past him, heading for the door.

Naomi stopped at the corner, spun around and pointed her Commando in Tanner’s direction. “Go!”

Tanner whirled and ran for the door. He raced past Naomi, past Stephen who was covering the next row over, and headed for the truck door. Liam was there, covering the outside. The sounds of shouts and gunfire could be heard from the far side of the warehouse.

“Striker to OUTCAST!” Vessler’s tone was urgent. “We’re making entry!”

“Copy! We’re extracting and using smoke!” Tanner hopped over the side of the loading dock, landing on the ground. He pointed his submachine gun back into the warehouse. “Three and Four, go! Five, head for the extraction point! Watchdog, drop the smoke!”

Naomi and Stephen followed Tanner out the truck door, leapt off the dock and ran for the fence. Liam followed them a few seconds later. Out of the night sky, smoke canisters fell, filling the area between the team and the far side of the warehouse with thick white smoke. Tanner ran after them.

Dante was already at the hole he and Liam had cut in the fence. Five minutes later, the team was through the fence and running into the darkness. Behind them, the gunfire at the warehouse had ceased.

Danielle was waiting for them outside of the vans. “DEA is securing the building right now.”

Tanner issued commands over his mic. “Dante, Stephen: get the drones into the vans. Nay, Liam: you’re driving. Dani, monitor the police bands.”

Two minutes later, both vans merged into the light nighttime traffic on the main road.