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A Bad Op.1,636 words
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A Bad Op.

It was mid afternoon and about ninety five degrees in the wonderful part of Afghanistan known as the Helmand Province. There, two special operations forces squads of United States Marines, about six in each squad, were on the move down a street leading to a compound that supposedly housed a man by the name Ayman al-Zawahiri. He took over as Osama bin Laden's second in command after he was shot and killed by Navy SEAL team Six on 1 May, 2011. The leader of the first squad moving down the street was Captain James Crossland, from Marine Special Operations Team 8322 under the command of SOCOM. His team moved fast and swift up to cover and dug themselves in, then gave the other squad the 'all clear' sign to move up and leap frog them to the next cover. The street and the neighboring ones as well, were completely barren of people except for the occasional person who walked by quickly, as they knew what was going to happen. After being in conflict for even god knows how long, one could easily pick up that shit was about to hit the fan. "Ghost Rider, this is Ghost Rider One, how copy?" James said into his radio headset.

"Ghost Rider One, this is Ghost Rider, solid copy, what is your SITREP, over." Replied the operator on the other end.

"Ghost Rider One and Two are within one hundred meters and have encountered no hostile forces yet, over." He replied, wondering to himself why there weren't any people at all on the street. Nothing about the whole operation seemed right to him, the bazaars were all open but no one was out, even before they had arrived in the area.

"Roger that Ghost Rider One, keep it tight and stay frosty, out," The radio operator told him.

"Ghost Rider Two, this is Ghost Rider One; move up until you are twenty five meters away from the entrance over," James commanded the other unit.

"Roger that, moving to cover and will wait for orders once in position." The second team's leader said back.
They all moved with extreme caution and attention; empty streets are mostly where insurgents are found.

The second team moved in and took positions. James's team moved up to them next, their weapons trained on the windows of the main target and some of the other ones around it. Once the two teams had linked up they made a plan. The first team would breach the inside and flash bang it, while the second took up security positions to ensure no one snuck up on them during the fire fighting. The teams moved into position, two SAW gunners placed at the sides of the streets, cutting off anyone who might come down it while the others stacked up with them or near them. With security in place James's team moved in and stacked up to flood the compound and take the terrorist captive. James stood ready with the grenade in hand, his team mate moving up to kick the door in. "Go!" James told him. CRASH...BOOM. The team of Marines moved in, laser sights on and rounds in the chamber. Some of the al-Qaeda insurgents screamed as they had been blinded. The team moved fast taking down anyone who stood up with a Kalashnikov. "Clear!" James shouted as well as another, signaling he was too. They moved up a flight of stairs checking them with the muzzles of their weapons pointed up. The building was about three stories high, one down, two to go. "How we lookin' outside Ghost Rider Two?" He asked into his radio.

"All clear, just a few of the locals popping their heads out now and then." The second team's leader replied.

"Copy that, out." The team moved again just as quick as before, but this time there were no hostiles to oppose them. "Clear!" He shouted again. They moved up to the next flight of stairs but were interrupted by gun fire outside. "Ghost Rider One! We are taking heavy fire from the right and left flanks...scratch that now at our twelve o'clock! They are getting close and fast guys, move it!" Ghost Rider Two's team had yelled at them through the comms.

"Damn it! Let's move it, double time Marines!" James shouted to his squad. The team formed up and got ready again, they threw another flash bang up the stairs but didn't hear any yelling. They charged up the stairs and through an open doorway. Once again, nothing. "Fuck! We are negative on the package I repeat, we do not have Zawahiri!" James shouted in disbelief into his radio.

"Ghost Rider One are you positive on that!?" Shouted back the radio operator back at base.

"That is affirmative Ghost Rider!"

"Ghost Rider One, pull your men out of their and double time it to rally point Hotel and await for EVAC!" The operator commanded.

"Roger Ghost Rider I read your five by five, teams One and Two are Oscar Mike to rally point Hotel, how copy?" James affirmed as his squad moved to shoot at the now growing threat.

"Solid copy on your last Ghost Rider One, over and out!" The operator exclaimed.

"Ghost Rider Two, get your guys ready to move to rally point Hotel, we will provide covering fire for your egress!" James shouted into his microphone headset.

"Ro-" the signal had cut out before he could finish. James ran to a window and helped set up a machine gun nest with one of the SAWs. The machine-gunner started laying down a base of fire on the enemy that was fast approaching; but just as he started a few moments later he was down with a shot to the throat and was killed instantly. "We are losing men Ghost Rider! I need CAS now!" James yelled to the operator.

"That is a negative Ghost Rider One, there are too many civilians, get out more in the open." He replied.

"Are you kidding me!? We aren't going to last another five minutes without it!" James shouted back in anger as a bullet whizzed past his head.

"You will have to make due Marine!"

"Damn it!" James shouted in frustration, letting loose ten rounds from his M4A1 SOPMOD carbine. They had moved down to the first floor where they had entered, one man carrying the fallen comrade on his back while James took his ruck sack.

"Ghost Rider Two we have to move out the back now!" He yelled at the other team from the door way; when he looked over to his left he could see that three more of his men had fallen, leaving just two. Those two were running back as fast as they were able to while taking shots from the rear, and their fellow Marines shooting back at the enemy from their front. However one had been taken down by a shot from some where unseen, as all the enemies were hunkered down in cover.

"Sniper!" James yelled as his team got down behind other cover, then shooting the last round in his magazine. He did a quick change and sent the bolt flying home. The last man from Ghost Rider Two had joined them and became a part of Ghost Rider one.

"Ghost Rider! All of Ghost Rider Two is down!" We need CAS NOW!" He screamed into his radio.

"That is still a negative! We have no idea how many civilians are down there." Replied the radio man, shutting down any hope of being saved.

"Guys we are getting the short end of the stick here, we need to get out of this area and to the rally poi-" BOOM...BOOM...BOOM BOOM He was cut off as mortars and Rocket Propelled Grenades had started coming down on the building. Then one made a lucky shot right through a window and exploded in the back, killing three more and sending one flying. His screams of pain had almost drowned out the noise of automatic fire. The team's corpsman had crawled over to him to stop the bleeding, but was cut down by the unseen sniper as well as the wounded one, ending his painful suffering. The only two who were left were the Marine from Ghost Rider Two and James Crossland. The enemy knew this and started moving at them fast, but not before the two Marines shot down several of them. The sniper shot the other man in the arm producing a gut wrenching scream from him, but was finished off as the insurgents moved through an open window not being covered. James shot them down, and realized he was the last one of the whole platoon alive.

"Ghost Rider, this is Captain James Crossland, both fire teams are down, will need body bags, over and out." James said into his radio before switching it off. He stood up and fired hard as he moved out through the door just evading enemy fire. He made it to cover and kept firing. Boom Boom BOOM. Were the last things that he had heard before being killed by enemy mortars.

The funeral at Arlington had been beautiful, aside from the sadness that loomed over the somber crowd. The tombstone of the Captain had read

Here lies a dedicated Marine, May God be with you.

Author's Note:

I'm back, bitches!!! >:D

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