//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: Ghost City // Story: Battlefield: Causatum // by Obvious German //------------------------------// March 21st, 2014/ Markaz, Tehran, Iran, 1135 Hours, The remains of the great city known as Markaz stood in silence, withering away at the hands of time. The once towering office buildings now lay still and in conditions worst to wear. On the city’s floor lay a graveyard of souls, both broken and innocent. The remains of wracked vehicles scoured the terrain like the aftermaths of Hiroshima after the bombs dropped. The corpses of dead US Marines scattered on the shaken roads, and their vehicles burnt to a crisp with little remaining of their servitude. On the far reaches of the city, the loud spinning of helicopter blades reverberated throughout the ghost city as it scanned the blocks for any survivors. “You seeing anyone down there?” “That’s a negative, no signs of activity from our boys. This is our third run already.” “Keep searching, High Command says that they’ve picked up some movement from Markaz earlier on, might be some poor bastards stuck out here.” The aerial VTOl, a V-22 Osprey, hovered over the streets, still searching for the Marines stranded in the earthquake ruined city. It continued moving along until they reached a small ruined park surrounded by small marts and a restaurant. “Shit, man. I’m telling you, nothing is out here- A sharp scream from an incoming RPG nearly hit the Osprey. “Holy fuck! PLR forces inbound! Get us outta here!” “On it!” Suddenly, a hailstorm of bullets contacted the hull of the Osprey as PLR forces hidden in the ruins made their move. The Osprey lifted itself up and engaged its twin bladed engines, sending them away from the PLR soldiers and hovering above an unseen T-72. “Shit! Enemy tank below us! It’s gonna-The aged tank maneuvered its barrel up and blasted the right engine of the Osprey, turning it into a ball of flames and scrap metal. “Osprey going down! I repeat, Osprey going down- The Osprey swirled and swirled in the air until it landed near the T-72 which had shot them, crashing into the shattered streets and causing a long dirt trail, also knocking aside husks of civilian sedans. “This is Osprey 5-7! We're downed in the city of Markaz! We need immediate assistance!” --- Half an hour earlier, 1105 hours, The Retribution and the Humvee containing the four scarred Marines rumbled outside the entrance of the Markaz, stopping to take a look at the sign which read the directions of where the various cities of Iran were. “Looks like we’re in the right place,” Scott commented on the crooked sign, aged through the times. “We gonna enter this mess of the city?” “We’re going to have to, because there’s no way of getting supplies at Azadi,” Hershowitz replied gruffly as he shuffled in his seat, Garrett just looking out of the window at the brown and shattered scenery. The British sniper sighed, trying to remember his kids back in London. Miles was busy scanning the area for PLR hostiles, and found not one but three technical moving up ahead. But something else caught his view, a speeding blur from above as he scanned the skies for a USAF chopper. “Whoa shit! Did command say they were going to send a plane in?” “No, why?” “Because what I see now is… kinda of a plane!” The speeding blur approached, and Miles zoomed in on this curious sight. “It…. looks like it’s on fire!” “What the literal fuck? Give me that screen,” Hershowitz moved towards the machine gunner’s spot and took a look at the screen. He let out a slow whistle as he stared at this ghastly sight. “Retribution, we’re seeing an unidentified object approaching our vector,” Miles rang into his radio as the object became visible with a bright cyan coloring. “And holy fuck, it’s colorful.” “Retribution here, we acknowledge that. And we see the PLR ahead, best if we stay put.” “That’s a good idea, until they move out,” Hershowitz responded this time as Miles continued to watch this cyan blur move out in the disturbed sky. It was then his jaw gaped as he now recognized what it was. “Sir…? Are you seeing this shit?” Hershowitz spun to look at the screen, the missile launcher aimed above just in case it was an enemy plane descending on them to give them hell. Even Scott was intrigued by this and tilted his body to his left, to take a look. All of them were speechless. What they saw was never possible. “Well, fuck me with a loaded revolver, isn’t that the thing my daughter watches at home?” “No, shit, Sherlock.” Hershowitz replied, unaware that the crew of the Retribution could hear them talking. “What’s going on there? Some kind of a meteor?” “If you were here, Noah. I think you would’ve shat your pants like the 4th of July,” Miles responded, still shocked at what this speeding and flaming object was. It was now closer than ever, and he calculated the velocity of this thing. It would them in less than a minute until it suddenly slowed down and... made a face? “Wait a fucking minute, did it just…?” “Yep, it made a face. At us.” Scott replied, also unaware that the PLR ahead also saw it, them too, and they quickly made adjustments to engage this potential threat. “Holy shit! It’s gonna hit us!” “Everybody! Brace for impact!” Garrett, who sat behind unnoticed, began to wonder what ruckus what happening in the front seat. The object was none other than a character from a show popular with children. Rainbow Dash herself. “If my daughter were here, she’d be screamin’ for joy but no! I’m stuck here in fuckin’ Iran!” Scott said as he went back to his seat, pulling the pedal backwards and causing the Humvee to respond. “Shut it, Scotty! Reverse this shit!” “On it!” Scott reversed, the Retribution’s crew who had no idea what was happening also complying with the sudden change of direction of the Humvee. “Shit! What’re you guys doin’?” Noah said, his two other operators also exchanging glances as Fairfield observed the PLR now moving out into the open, waving their hands at the supposed object in the sky. In the crowd of the mass of PLR soldiers stood out a Tunguska AA and two T-72s who now noticed the Retribution’s hull shining in the heat of the day. “Uh… Scotty? I think we better move our asses before-The blur was now barely inches from striking them when it decided to curve, sending it sailing into the heart of Markaz blazingly fast, the Tunguska which the Marines now saw keeping aim for it. The T-72s now angled their barrels up for the Retribution and the ASRAD Humvee, and they also complied. “It’s going to be one hell of a ride.” “Let’s bring hell to these PLR bastards, and follow that fast mover.” Hershowitz barked as he went back into his seat, slamming the windows open to allow for free fire. Miles was now locked on to the left T-72 while the Retribution’s crew took aim at the right one. “Open fire, boys!” The exchange of explosives shook the city as the missile of the Humvee struck the T-72, sending it aflame. The other T-72 didn’t fare much better as the AP shell of the Retribution gouged out the top of the tank, destroying it in one shot. “Scott! Hit the pedal and follow that fucker!” “Got it!” The Humvee roared to life and sped towards the PLR contingent, sending them scattering towards cover. The heavily damaged T-72 tried to angle its barrel towards the speeding vehicle but was gutted by the Retribution’s crew as they followed the Humvee into Markaz. Today was going to hell. And with the addition of one certain and supposedly fictional pegasus it wasn’t going to help the convoy of US soldiers. --- The Humvee followed the flaming trails of the flying object, still within sight of their missile launcher. The Tunguska earlier on now was also pursuing it, guns blazing as it swept the side of a building and causing a large tear in the buildings' exteriors. “Miles! Take that fucking AA out now!” “On it!” Miles spun the launcher at the speeding AA, and pushed the trigger sending a missile headed for it. It slammed into the hull of the Tunguska and promptly blew it up with one shot. The Retribution however was left behind in the dust, the crew losing sight of the Humvee and their allies. “Shit! Slow down! We ain’t gonna catch up to you guys!” “Captain, get your asses towards the Monolith! We’ll meet you there!” Hershowitz shouted into his microphone as they matched up with the blur, which now slowed down considerably. The object was then truly identified as the elusive Rainbow Dash from the show. “Damn! And I thought the ‘quake couldn’t be much better!” Scott commented on the presence of the pegasus who now looked back at the pursuing Humvee and flinched vsibly. She tried to speed up but it was clear that the trail of flames left her wings blackened and probably tired out with the crew of the Humvee who were free looking at her in dismay. Scott looked back at the road and found that they were on a collision course with a building, the PLR forces now visible on the rear. Their technicals blasted the Humvee and Miles answered with the quick rotation of the launcher and blasted one of them to oblivion. “Shit! We’re gonna hit the building!” Hershowitz grunted, Garrett reeling in the back seat trying to deploy his Barrett. “Hit the breaks!” “Got it!” The foot of the engineer slammed onto the breaks, sending the Humvee skidding to a halt and almost crashing it into the building. The being know as Rainbow Dash looked up and gaped before she was sent crashing into the glass building, throwing her into a pillar. “Holy fuck! She just blitzed into that building!” Miles remarked as the Humvee spun, its sides facing the moving technicals. “Miles! Stay here with Scotty and help fend off these fuckers! Garrett, on me!” Hershowitz barked as he kicked the door open, sliding outside with his SCAR ready. Garrett nodded and followed what the Lieutenant did, pulling out his MP443 in response. “Go, go, go!” The PLR technical’s HMGs flared up from beyond, hitting the Humvee, which Miles responded with another homing missile, reducing another of the technicals into dust and metal. Hershowitz and Garrett bunched up at the twin doors of the office, before they opened them and lifted their weapons up. “Tell me again, are we really rescuing what seems to be a byproduct of the heat?” “Maybe, it seems so goddamned important if we drove that can of metal over here,” Hershowitz replied as they inspected every corner of the hall they were in, the sounds of heavy fire still audible. Bullets then began to ring in as they both raced for cover near an emergency staircase illuminated by only a single hanging fluorescent lamp. Garrett quickly regained composure and popped out from a flipped table to set up his M82, on it’s last two shots. The remaining technical had skidded to a halt and still fired on the Humvee, now pocketed with bullets on the rear but no damage to the front. Scott braced himself as the gunner of the Browning edged his bullets closer to the both of them as Miles repositioned the launcher. “See you in hell!” The launcher sent a spiraling missile into the last PLR technical, sending it high into the air and causing a mini mushroom cloud of debris. They both sighed in relief that the armored threats were now gone, but the staccato of bullets kept them at bay. “Miles! Take point and blow these bastards up! I’m goin’ down to help ya!” “Thanks, Scotty!” the grizzled engineer kicked the door open, his MTAR almost low of ammunition, and took cover behind the front of the Humvee. Popping out of cover, he sprayed a particular car which gave protection to two PLR soldiers and the bullets pinged off it uselessly, causing the troopers to pop out as well and let loose their guns. Meanwhile, Hershowitz had sprinted up the stairwell until the sign had said it was the fifth floor. Bracing himself at the door, he waited until he was reloaded. Breathing in, he slammed the door open, causing the sound to reverberate in the building. Garrett meanwhile was busily sniping unfortunate gunmen attempting to take out the three Marines in the firefight, the latest victim having his head blown off by a 50.caliber in less than a millisecond. The missile launcher on the Humvee blasted again, striking a nearby general store and blowing it up killing the PLR troopers taking cover inside. “Scratch three!” “Nice shot, Miles!” Scott complimented as the MTAR clicked out of ammo, causing him to curse under his breath and the sound of gunfire. The British’s sniper echoed again as it’s last bullets scored a collateral against two gunmen. “I’m outta bullets! Cover me!” Garrett spoke into the radio as he searched for the magazine of the M82 on his vest, the others complying as they covered the sniper. Meanwhile upstairs, Hershowitz glanced around the room at first sight. After confirming this was the floor that this probably fictional character crashed into by looking at a gaping hole from the right, he proceeded in with his SCAR up to bear on anyone attempting to engage him. The loose wiring made him shudder; it wasn’t easy keeping your cool in the battlefield. It was then he heard something groan in pain, and he immediately activated his laser before moving out. After moving out into this office littered with cubicles, he found the pegasus laying against a pillar, bruised and her wings clearly in pain. She took one look at him before letting out an audible gulp, Hershowitz also did too, because meeting a character from a children’s show in the middle of a war zone was all that unnerving. “Whoa… wh-what happened?” She stammered weakly, now looking at her wings which she tried to flutter but causing her to flinch in pain. He wasn’t sure what to say, but he tried to calm her down. “You crashed into a building, you okay?” She had her jaws agape, clearly not accustomed to seeing a bipedal, geared up creature speak perfect Equestrian. “Y-you can sp-speak Equestrian?” “It’s English, and I can. Come on,” Hershowitz stowed his gun away and rushed over to try and help this wounded pegasus, her bloody scratches visible. “H-hey!” She jabbed him in the face, causing him to recoil a bit backwards. “Gah! Fucking… Let me help you!” Hershowitz grunted as he approached this hotheaded pegasus one more time. “N-no! Leave me alone!” He sighed, and was not sure what to do next. Having a live talking pegasus was bad enough, but it not being cooperative was going to the next level of bullshit. “If you want to sit here and die slowly, it’s fine by me,” Hershowitz responded coldly. “But if you want some medical attention, then stay still.” “W-why should I trust you..? And where in Faust am I..?” “Welcome to Iran,” Hershowitz replied to the pegasus, who shuddered at the word ‘Iran’. It clearly stated that she wasn’t back in Ponyville, and not even close to anywhere she knew of. “W-what? What’s a-an Iran?” “It’s a dirty place, and stay still,” Hershowitz responded as he pulled out a small box from his waist. “This might hurt you a little.” He pulled out a bottle containing a sickly smelling liquid and a cotton bud. After dipping the cotton bud into the bottle, he slowly applied it to one of the wounds of the cyan pegasus causing her to yelp in pain. “O-oww! That stings!” “If you knew what I was up against, this is just the topping of the cake,” Hershowitz rubbed the cotton bud against the other wounds before flicking it away and pulling a pack of plasters up. He was a combat medic too, and this was what he dealt with during his service albeit the wounds he treated were bullet wounds, not tiny scratches. Soon, there were plasters everywhere on Rainbow’s body, and she began to feel much better than before. She struggled to get up, to Hershowitz’s predicament and eventually got onto her four hooves. “T-thank you… sir… ?” “It’s Lieutenant Hershowitz,” He responded gruffly as he re-equipped his SCAR and leveled it upwards. “If you can at least move around, then I suggest we get out of here ASAP.” “...Why?” Rainbow asked, hearing the noise of something thumping beneath them. Hershowitz looked across the room and spotted three PLR soldiers entering the room, shouting random Iranian barks. “Shit!” He said, waving for her to get down. “It’s gonna get real violent our here, stay down until-The bullets started and he immediately ducked behind the cubicles. “Wh-wha!” Rainbow yelped as she covered her head with her hooves before slinking away as quiet as she could over the sounds of odd devices rattling with the streams of gold following soon after. Over the sounds of the firefight, she could hear something heavy below explode in symphony with the battle here. Not knowing where she would be headed or where the Lieutenant was, she continued slinking her way until she thumped into something soft. Looking up, she saw the covered face of a surprised creature who leveled its rifle at her. “ القرف المقدسة!” It spoke, she didn’t know what it said before it suddenly shuddered with its gun placed at her. She gulped, sweat travelling down her forehead before it tilted its head in dismay. She slowly started to slink away when with a free hand, it viciously grabbed her ruffled mane causing her to yelp again in pain. “Ow! Lemme go-In a heartbeat, her back was placed against the chest of her taker and she could see Hershowitz coming out of cover, his device flaring up as another of the taker’s comrades fell. Whistling, the Lieutenant spun his head and brought his rifle to bear only to find the pegasus being grappled by a PLR soldier, his KH2002 pointed towards her head. “American pig! Drop the gun or the beast dies!” At that moment, his radio crackled to reveal another set of frantic voices that was not his fellow Marines. “This is Osprey 5-7! We’re downed in the city of Markaz! We need immediate assistance!” He grunted, not only was he stuck in a hostage crisis with a cyan pegasus from a TV show as the hostage but also the downed crew of an Osprey were stuck fighting for their lives in this damned city after he guessed that an RPG took out their vehicle. Nothing could get even worse then this.