Operation CheckmateThe ring of steel so to speak around Heshiken was slowly being established, the villages that the Confederation held were one by one being abandoned as the rebels pulled out preparing for a fight in Heshiken. There were of course skirmishes all over the place as the coalition began to tighten the noose. One village out to the west of Heshiken was the site of one such skirmish as Shadowblade troop and the CDL engaged with confederation forces, well whatever was left of them. Heather ducked into cover next to Tim behind the village well.
"These guys are pulling out." Tim said
"Not with that truck they're not." Heather said, a few metres on the other side of the well was a truck, she clicked her radio "Luke, Luna take it."
Two shots rang out, the two confederation fighters running for the truck dropped to the ground dead, the village was theirs but now they had bigger fish to fry. Heather waved the CDL captain over.
"As we planned." Heather said "Get your men ready this is it. We get one chance at this."
"I understand major." the CDL captain said, as everyone climbed into the truck Heather got on the radio again.
"Shadowblade to control, phase one complete proceeding to phase two." Heather said
It was a few hours later, night was beginning to fall as the truck, now driven by one of the CDL fighters approached Heshiken, in the back Heather and the rest of what was essentially a raiding party kept their heads down. The truck rolled inside the city and they started to check their weapons.
"This could just about be the craziest thing we've ever been involved in." Luna said
"Possibly." Heather said "Silenced weapons, I don't want to go loud unless they shoot first."
"Remember the plan, CDL on diversion, Shadowblade on retrieval." Tim said
"Hit fast and hit hard." Heather said "And get out when I say. Good luck."
As the truck ran down a deserted street, the six members of Shadowblade troop, slipped out and made their way up an alleyway towards the back of the building at the centre of the city, this was the rebel capital and if anything this building could be considered the rebel headquarters. Heather, Tim and Luna all started looking at each window through binoculars and scopes to confirm the presence of their target.
"Got him." Luna said after a few moments "Upstairs."
"Ok then." Heather said she took out her radio "Captain begin phase three."
"Copy that." came the reply from the CDL captain.
"And remember keep your heads down." Heather said "Good luck."
"Good hunting." came the response
The sound of gunfire penetrated the night as the CDL raiders opened fire, such was the bold and downright unthinkable nature of it that the Confederation troops actually had to take a moment before realizing that yes there was an enemy presence right in the heart of their capital, soon the sound of the guns intensified as the rebels fired back. Around the back of the building Heather was mentally counting down then she looked at her team and nodded
"Let's do it." she said, Nathan and Richard moved first covering the open ground and taking positions to watch for any interruptions, then Luke and Luna moved. Luke prized the gate with a crowbar and they were in. Heather and Tim were next to move, hey were through the gate and up against the building wall, stacked on one side of a window. Luke moved to the other side of the window and Luna crouched just below the window sill, Tim handed Heather a baton which she rammed through the glass.
When the glass shattered Luna was through the gap first, she swept the room quickly
"Clear." she said taking position by the door, Heather swept the remaining glass and hopped inside followed by the rest of the team.
"Ok everyone knows the drill search and clear." Heather said "Once we find him we get the hell out of here."
They split up into pairs, Heather with Luke, Tim with Luna and Nathan with Richard and began sweeping the building. It was of course a building under enemy control and under attack from the CDL but while the diversion would attract a lot of attention it wouldn't attract all of it. Using non-lethal force where possible Shadowblade troop made their way through the building, then Luke kicked down a door and Heather set eyes on the man known only as 'the disgraced' Heather wasn't in the mood for any small talk she simply knocked him out.
"We have the package." Heather said over the radio "Time to go."
The fighting outside was fairly intense as the truck they'd come in on was reversed around to point in the direction from where they'd come, the CDL had given a very good account of themselves but the balance of power had always been against them and there had been casualties and wounded. Nathan hauled the unconscious Nekhtou into the back of the truck where he cuffed him, Richard went for the drivers seat while the rest laid down cover fire.
"Let's go CDL!" Tim yelled
The CDL troops broke cover running to the truck, carrying their wounded with them. Heather chanced a glance to her left as the firefight continued, the last of the CDL people on the mission were heading for them, Heather kept up her fire until they were all aboard.
"Go go go!" Heather yelled climbing into the back of the truck.
"Thought you'd never ask" Richard said as he put his foot down.
If getting into the city had been essentially an open goal getting out was going to be anything but, this was a gauntlet of gunfire raining down on the armoured vehicle as it made its way at speed through the city. Heather gritted her teeth, glancing through the small gap she could see out of the windscreen she was gauging the distance they were almost out and clear.
"Boss we've got vehicles in pursuit." Luke said
"Why am I not surprised?" Heather said "Richard floor it."
Richard did as Heather ordered and within moments the armoured truck broke free from the confines of the city and out into the wilderness.
"Lightning this is Shadowblade we're clear west of Heshiken two hostiles in pursuit, strike passage appreciated." Tim said over the radio.
In the skies above confederation territory two
Dragonbane aircraft, arguably the descendent of the most proven ground attack aircraft on Mundus circled the lead aircraft was flown by
Captain Larissa Bond callsign 'Lightning' the second jet was flown by
Pilot Officer Clay Stanley callsign 'Magician'.
"Copy that Shadowblade we're inbound." Larissa said
"Reading two targets designating them Alpha and Bravo." Clay said
"Bravo's all yours." Larissa said "I've got the Alpha."
"Copy that." Clay said
The two Dragonbane's descended down on their attack runs
"I have target acquisition tone and lock." Clay said "Missile away." he fired and pulled up, as Larissa locked in on her target.
"Target locked." Larissa said "Missile away." she fired and pulled up sharply
The sound of the explosions behind them was unmistakable as Heather smiled, they were away and clear she held her hand out to the CDL captain, the man she'd been working with closely throughout the conflict.
"Good job." Heather said
"And you." the captain said shaking her hand.