Chapter 1: Fishing in Nam
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A light motor reved as it proppeled a naval river boat through the swampy rivers of Vientnam. The year was 1972 and the squad widely known as Banter was sent out for a recon mission to check on a Viet Kong PoW camp, that sat a good couple miles through their access point. This wasn't an average rag-tag crock pot team. A team of soldiers picked out for this job. But this team would only go with eachother.
The radio drew light static, tuning into the nearest radio broadcast tower. The broadcast didn't speak of much. Only playing 'Riders on the Storm' by The Doors for the time being.
The technician of the ship known as Paul Kanaga piped up. "So, you know what mess you're getting us into, right?"
His voice was stern and straight to the point, but sounded a bit loose and sarcastic.
He looked back to the gang leaning on the bars, quickly looking back to keep an eye on the river. Everyone looked forward at Paul, before one of the few spoke up.
"When have we fucked up, Paul?" This voice sounded loud, like a natural leader, a man who knew what he was doing. Xur lead this hand picked team, and had the request to keep them a while back. Now he runs the effective special operations force of the Marines. He was holding a cigar, with his M16 attached with a Grenade Launcher slung over his shoulder. A flak jacket that was open, over a button up, sleeves cut at the elbow. The helmet gave a grinning skull with an Ace of Spades carved into it, and a silver lighter painted black, with a white 'B' in the strap.
Paul lifted his hands up off of the wheel and throttle, shaking his head.
"Hey, ain't no crime in curiosity."
He'd laugh, taking hold of the controls once again, and speeding up on the long stretch of river ahead of them. Keeping some lookout for anything.
A third voice spoke, This tall, tough machine gunner stepped forward, leaning on his weapon like a cane. Dino Cades a man who's name matches his posture.
"Curiosity killed the cat didn't it?"
He leaned back letting his shoulder rest on the rear mounted gun, chuckling.
His camoflauged button up seemed a worn and torn. His helmet had a T-Rex skull with a helmet.
"Yet satisfaction brought it back..." Replied Sanders. Jim was a young man, the youngest in the group, maybe even the shortest. Nobody stood under 5'8. Sounded like the city boy type, from New York City. Jim lifted his rifle up, holding it against his shoulder as it pointed up, leaning back on the railing, as he ate at a peice of beef jerky. The kid then looked up. He had a button up, torn around the sleeves, looking like he cut it at his shoulders, and a machete to his back. The helmet wrote 'Twitchin' to win'.
"Who cares, as long as we're shootin' gooks, we're fine." This deep southern racist son of a bitch was Leo Backburn, a man who'd stick with you til the end, if you fought together. He chewed on his cigerette, giving a light growl as he checked the magazine to his rifle, and racked it. A M-72 slung to his back for any light armored contacts. He had a open flak jacket that said 'Death is Certain' 'Life is not' With a skull above the set of words. A tank top with 'FUCK GOOKS' painted on the front.
"Calm the attitude Backburn!" This straight to the point corperate looking type snarled at Leo. This man was Bill Carson. Sounded the part too! He looked to his side, biting at his lip. His eyes darting from side to side, being a bit jumpy. He kept his button up closed, his sleeves rolled up to his wrists. An M1 carbine leans at his side. His helmet tilted back, with a Joker card in the band. 'Hah HAH hah' drawn opposite to the card.
"Quit your fucking shit, Carson! Last time I checked, you aren't leading us, nore are you close to leading this group!" Jim barked, his head twitching a bit, as he looked to Carson.
"Damn straight" Leo spoke, looking off to the side, watching as the forrests grew thicker around them.
A lady with blue hair stepped forward. It was Dolores, she was lightly tossing and catching a packed brick of C4 in her hands.
"Kiddos calm down before Carson threatens us with his 'book of regulations.' So scary..."
She'd lightly giggle shaking her head. her voice seemed high, and playful. She looked as if she'd been to one hell of a arts and crafts with explosives party. 'Banter is love.. Banter is life' on her helment, with a smiling face next to it.
Mark Hanford, a man who wouldn't turn down a drink, no matter the circumstances. He leaned on the bow of the boat, looking down, holding his rifle from the carry handle, and pulling a flask from his helmet, taking a swig.
"Guys, lets try to get there without biting out eachother's necks."
He spoke with a small slur, and a barely noticable Jersey accent. He had left his helmet on one of the posts. A few 5.56 rounds in the band with the flask, and the medical cross painted over on the front.
'Tex n' Mex' was what was on the back of this man's helmet. Mike Hernandez, the man with the duel M79s on his thighs, and a grenade bandoiler crossed around his shoulders. This was a man known for destruction. He wore a wife beater under his button up.
The topic had changed, and Mike called out to Scotty. The marksman of the group.
"Hey, Scotty. You got that thing calibrated?" He looked back to the Bostan man with a light Irish accent.
"Eh, Calibrate, what's that?" Scotty joked, wiping at the M14's mounted scope.
"Besides, I wouldn't be a marksman if I didn't know how." He poked at his helmet, on the painted shamrock, giving Mike a dumb look. He slipped a spare clip into his helmet strap for safe keeping. Mike retured by rolling his eyes under his pair of shades, and shaking his head.
Xur put is hand up in a fist. "Enough! As we were all told, we are moving in to recon an area, and check if this Camp it located where it's supposed to be." His speaking drew everyones attention, even the guy up front working on the Duel 50s.
"We're leaving the boat once it stops. Paul, and Dakota, you're watching this ship if anything happens. Be sure to pick us up two miles down stream"
He pointed to Paul at the controls, and Dakota Marshall sitting up front in the gunner's seat.
All nodded, as Paul moved the boat, cutting it's engines, as it coasted towards a small
cul-de-sac. "Alright Everyone off!" Paul piped up. Everyone on the boat grabbed what they had set for the travel, enough food for 5 days, ammo for 4. The land was rough and riddled with trees, vines, bushes. You name it.
The boat started back up, and moved off to a safer location in the shade, a distance from the meeting point to keep secluded for the time being. Lets just hope those two brought enough stuff to keep them occupied then.
"Alright spread out, Dolores and Leo, to my left! Jim and Cades on the right. Scotty and Carson get behind us. Mark and Mike, stay with eachother, and keep in visual. I don't want you two getting shot because of an open area.." Xur ordered the team, getting them in a formation where one grenade won't kill or wound them all. The team moved forward, into a dense forrest all eyes pinned in each direction. Seemed clear... Seemed quiet.
Jim soon raised his hand up, speaking. "Open area, looks pretty dense.."
He gave Dino a punch on the shoulder, shaking his head, "Hey, want me to carry a belt for you?"
Dino looked to the kid, taking one of the belts from around his shoulder, and dropping it to Jim. "Here you go, Twitch."
Jim caught it on his shoulders, moving it in such a way to where it doesn't hinder his ability to fight. Dino gave him a very rough pat on the back that made Jim jolt forward a bit. They both lauged it off.
Over to the left, Dolores convinced Leo to a very childish game of Rock Paper Scissors..
Dolores was giggling, as she took this game to be a bit intense.. Leo just amused her, laughing along.. At some point, she pulled out a grenade and said "Grenade.. I win!" After a loosing streak.. Everyone lightly jumped looking towards the two. After a quick two second stop, they kept trecking.
"Sorry chief, got a bit excited!" She laughed
Carson shook his head. "Immuture people, my favorite.."
He looked down checking his weapon if it was racked. Scotty gave him an annoyed look,
"You don't seem much different, Billy boy" Scotty laughed, looking towards Carson with a smirk.
Carson rolled his eyes, "Fuck off you mick.. Oh wait, you're from Boston, not even Irish.."
Scotty tilted his head to Carson, giving a look of What the Actual Fuck, befoe he spoke. "Look here bud, I was born on the isla-" Scotty stopped short, getting cut off by Mark.
Mark was walking backwards. "Before you cockpunch Carson, think.. You both have loaded weapons. Shoot him instead."
Mike grabbed at Mark, spinning him back around. "Fucking shut up, man. We can't have this shit right now. Keep your head on the mission!"
"Quit the chatter, before it gets out of hand, people." Xur waved his hands forward, giving the order to move into the foliage. Shuffling through the trees wasn't fun.
Jim got his pants snagged on a bush midway through the trek, ripping at the ankle.
"Agh, Why the fu-" Jim quickly shut himself up, forgetting the order of silence.
Dino flicked at Jim's helmet, shaking his head.
"Ay, kid, dodn't you bring that machete?" Xur looked back, giving a stern look to Jim.
Jim nodded in response, as he picked up his pace and passed Xur, un-sheathing the blade, and hacking the plant life with it. The squad moved into a collum, following the freshly created path.
It took 30 minutes for the trekking to reach a thin path, mostly used for civilians that transfer water and fish. It didn't look like there was a town in sight, nor anything of the sort. Jim lowered his Machete, stepping out and stumbling a bit on the path. He cought himself, and sheathed the machete.
Jim waved to the gang. "Seems clear, C'mon"
Xur stepped out behind Jim, and then the rest, everyone setting up around the path. Dino set the M60 up in a split tree, making it a good post for the weapon to deploy.
Xur spoke up, looking to everyone. "By the looks, the path could be anything, eyes sharp, and weapons ready. At that moment, everyone checked their weapons to see if they were racked. The noise caused the birds in the area to fly away.
The surroundings were trees and bushes. Nearby about 50 feet had a collapsed tree, and oposite to that tree was a hill. It seemed the forrests were going to turn into hills soon.
Mark took a deep inhale, leaning forward, and tilting his head. "Is that.. No, couldn't be.." He lifted his helmet up, rubbing at his forehead, before quickly taking a swig from his flask. Scotty moved backwards taking post under a tree with heavy branches. Leaves blocking his figure.
Nothing happened. What Mark saw could have been anything. Most likely the wildlife. Yet, most likely it'd be a viet-kong keeping an eye on them. A scout, going to inform their nearby forces.
Xur looked to Scotty, shaking his head. "Get outta there man. Not the best place for cover, and I can see you.."
Scotty stepped out, looking right back at Xur. "C'mon, where else could I have gone?"
Scotty lowered his rifle to his chest, looking down, and kicking the dirt. "I wasn't going to shoot Carson and use him as cover. I swear!" That line made few in the group stifle a laugh. Mostly Mark, and Jim.
The both of them turned to look at Scotty. Their weapons lowered.
"It'd be a great ruse, but there ain't no use, These people ain't stupid." Jim spoke with a nervous tone, as he looked around, getting uneasy. Jim was young. Scotty, and Carson both thinking it was a rookie's bad luck was actually a hunch the kid would usually get.
Xur was on the feild with most of Banter, except for Jim. He was with them for a year and a half to this day. Carson and scotty for only 2 months.
"Jim, when was the last time you gave an IQ test to these damn gooks!" Leo sounded irritated, turning to Jim.
Jim spoke once again after Leo responded. "Boss, we should leave, I don't like it here."
He gave no credit to what Leo said, as the feeling he had felt important.
Carson smirked, rolling his eyes. "And what proof do we have, why trust the spastic Hitler youth?!"
All attention was dropped from each direction as stares went straight to Carson.
Leo began to laugh at that remark. "That's funny." As he spat out chewwing tobaco.
Carson snapped at Leo, "And what right does this Confederate warrior have?"
"Enough to bend your mama ov- Oh wait.. What mama?" Leo had responded.
There was a long pause, before Carson could respond with rage, Xur called the flames to end. "Enough! Leo, shut the fuck up, Carson, don't even try to cover that up, and Jim! Just.. Another word from all of you, and!" All sound was cut off from a echoning pop, and a scream. Carson had dropped. Clutching to his arm as he grits down on teeth.
"You fucks! We should have moved!"
"Scotty, Get Carson back, and return, We need to fend off!" Xur spoke over the sound of direct fire, as the first shot he fired off looked to be from the underslung, detonating a pair of Viet-kong having one fly into a tree. Both died. The shockwave brought two more up a second pair, that Scotty managed to pop as he started moving back, and to Mike, giving the move to cover order.
Mike moved passed Scotty, swapping places with Dino who was laying down a heavy wave of rounds, not caring if the weapon overheated. The quick move wasn't good for Dino, fire went towards him, right before he dropped to the ground, and rolled into some foliage. Fire for surpession is the factor at this time. THey were caught off guard in an argument, but Carson got shot, so.. It wasn't that bad.
Mark ran backwards heading to Carson, giving him a feild dressing for the wound, and shoving a painkiller down his throat. Carson had gaged, whinced, and groaned from Mark's actions. Yet, the medic didn't care. His job was to fix people, and fight.
Mark was the man who'd either save you, or kill you. It didn't matter what side you were on.
Back to the front, bullets were cracking past everyone. THeir AKs, and RPGs were no match to the accuracy of the M16s, and whatever else Banter had. Most oncomming fire hit the dirt, or plant life. Didn't seem they were up against anyone special. Leo went to a kneeling position readying the M-72.
Jim shook his head towards Leo, "Save that shit, you only have one!"
A growl came from Leo, "Fuck it, and fuck you!" He dropped back down, slinging it back to his shoulder, pulling a pin from a grenade. "Grenade going out!" Leo barked, tossing it a good 25, knocking down a tree and crushing a Vietnameese right under it. "Get fucked!" Leo yelled, grinning as he started to fire back
Xur backed into a tree, fireing on towards a second group moving towards them from the south, as a round pecked the corner of the lighter on his helmet. Leaving a scratch.
A viet-Kong jumpped towards Xur, pushing him to the ground, and beating his chest in with the butt of his rifle.
Through the corner of his eye, Jim spotted the lead on the ground geting attacked.
Jim'd drop his gun, letting it sling to his hip, as he un-sheathed the machete, charging across the land, bending his arm back, and hacking it into the neck of the Viet-kong. Blood beginning to gush from the 3 inch wound down onto Xur's face and chest.
Xur looked up to Jim, coughing and spitting up what blood got in his mouth. "C'mon man!" Xur then quickly pushing the limp body off himself, after Jim slipped the blade from the neck, shaking off some blood and sheathing it.
Mark headed back trying to tell the group something, but not getting a single word in as he saw how bad the carnage got in the area. THere was a count of about 15 Viet-kong left. The group heard a loud laugh, and the sound of screems as aout 7 ran over the hill on fire. First thought was Dolores, It was Dolores... She tried one of her napalm grenades... They worked pretty well. It kinda set a small fire in the area.
With 8 left, fire began dying down. Dino slowed his rate of rounds, giving the enemies a chance to move up and get killed. Despite the one wounded.. Everyone came out well off. The end of the firefight was caused by a round of Mike's rifle, killing what looked to be some sort of leader to the operation.
Loud screams were heard as the enemies began to fall back, and scream. Scared of this squad to the most. Seemed like they had enough. Loud groans came from all, as everyone stood up almost at the same exact time.. Looking around for a moment, wiping what blood they had on them off, and a couple yawns about. They all turned to move foward to Carson, and retreave the man they had left behind.
Carson was put behind them. In some deep grass. Either they lost him or he was taken... Didn't look like they killed him. Everyone looked towards eachother, giving confused looks.
"I told you to watch him, Mark! Why didn't you-!" Xur started barking towards mark, yet quckly getting cut off, In response, Mark spoke up. "Well, you see.. Loosing Carson will help us in the long run"
Few in the group nodded. Another few got a chuckle. If you want me to go on about how Carson is the bad guy.. I'll need to write a whole nother story! Yet, lets look forward to this one and get it over with.
The radio drew light static, tuning into the nearest radio broadcast tower. The broadcast didn't speak of much. Only playing 'Riders on the Storm' by The Doors for the time being.
The technician of the ship known as Paul Kanaga piped up. "So, you know what mess you're getting us into, right?"
His voice was stern and straight to the point, but sounded a bit loose and sarcastic.
He looked back to the gang leaning on the bars, quickly looking back to keep an eye on the river. Everyone looked forward at Paul, before one of the few spoke up.
"When have we fucked up, Paul?" This voice sounded loud, like a natural leader, a man who knew what he was doing. Xur lead this hand picked team, and had the request to keep them a while back. Now he runs the effective special operations force of the Marines. He was holding a cigar, with his M16 attached with a Grenade Launcher slung over his shoulder. A flak jacket that was open, over a button up, sleeves cut at the elbow. The helmet gave a grinning skull with an Ace of Spades carved into it, and a silver lighter painted black, with a white 'B' in the strap.
Paul lifted his hands up off of the wheel and throttle, shaking his head.
"Hey, ain't no crime in curiosity."
He'd laugh, taking hold of the controls once again, and speeding up on the long stretch of river ahead of them. Keeping some lookout for anything.
A third voice spoke, This tall, tough machine gunner stepped forward, leaning on his weapon like a cane. Dino Cades a man who's name matches his posture.
"Curiosity killed the cat didn't it?"
He leaned back letting his shoulder rest on the rear mounted gun, chuckling.
His camoflauged button up seemed a worn and torn. His helmet had a T-Rex skull with a helmet.
"Yet satisfaction brought it back..." Replied Sanders. Jim was a young man, the youngest in the group, maybe even the shortest. Nobody stood under 5'8. Sounded like the city boy type, from New York City. Jim lifted his rifle up, holding it against his shoulder as it pointed up, leaning back on the railing, as he ate at a peice of beef jerky. The kid then looked up. He had a button up, torn around the sleeves, looking like he cut it at his shoulders, and a machete to his back. The helmet wrote 'Twitchin' to win'.
"Who cares, as long as we're shootin' gooks, we're fine." This deep southern racist son of a bitch was Leo Backburn, a man who'd stick with you til the end, if you fought together. He chewed on his cigerette, giving a light growl as he checked the magazine to his rifle, and racked it. A M-72 slung to his back for any light armored contacts. He had a open flak jacket that said 'Death is Certain' 'Life is not' With a skull above the set of words. A tank top with 'FUCK GOOKS' painted on the front.
"Calm the attitude Backburn!" This straight to the point corperate looking type snarled at Leo. This man was Bill Carson. Sounded the part too! He looked to his side, biting at his lip. His eyes darting from side to side, being a bit jumpy. He kept his button up closed, his sleeves rolled up to his wrists. An M1 carbine leans at his side. His helmet tilted back, with a Joker card in the band. 'Hah HAH hah' drawn opposite to the card.
"Quit your fucking shit, Carson! Last time I checked, you aren't leading us, nore are you close to leading this group!" Jim barked, his head twitching a bit, as he looked to Carson.
"Damn straight" Leo spoke, looking off to the side, watching as the forrests grew thicker around them.
A lady with blue hair stepped forward. It was Dolores, she was lightly tossing and catching a packed brick of C4 in her hands.
"Kiddos calm down before Carson threatens us with his 'book of regulations.' So scary..."
She'd lightly giggle shaking her head. her voice seemed high, and playful. She looked as if she'd been to one hell of a arts and crafts with explosives party. 'Banter is love.. Banter is life' on her helment, with a smiling face next to it.
Mark Hanford, a man who wouldn't turn down a drink, no matter the circumstances. He leaned on the bow of the boat, looking down, holding his rifle from the carry handle, and pulling a flask from his helmet, taking a swig.
"Guys, lets try to get there without biting out eachother's necks."
He spoke with a small slur, and a barely noticable Jersey accent. He had left his helmet on one of the posts. A few 5.56 rounds in the band with the flask, and the medical cross painted over on the front.
'Tex n' Mex' was what was on the back of this man's helmet. Mike Hernandez, the man with the duel M79s on his thighs, and a grenade bandoiler crossed around his shoulders. This was a man known for destruction. He wore a wife beater under his button up.
The topic had changed, and Mike called out to Scotty. The marksman of the group.
"Hey, Scotty. You got that thing calibrated?" He looked back to the Bostan man with a light Irish accent.
"Eh, Calibrate, what's that?" Scotty joked, wiping at the M14's mounted scope.
"Besides, I wouldn't be a marksman if I didn't know how." He poked at his helmet, on the painted shamrock, giving Mike a dumb look. He slipped a spare clip into his helmet strap for safe keeping. Mike retured by rolling his eyes under his pair of shades, and shaking his head.
Xur put is hand up in a fist. "Enough! As we were all told, we are moving in to recon an area, and check if this Camp it located where it's supposed to be." His speaking drew everyones attention, even the guy up front working on the Duel 50s.
"We're leaving the boat once it stops. Paul, and Dakota, you're watching this ship if anything happens. Be sure to pick us up two miles down stream"
He pointed to Paul at the controls, and Dakota Marshall sitting up front in the gunner's seat.
All nodded, as Paul moved the boat, cutting it's engines, as it coasted towards a small
cul-de-sac. "Alright Everyone off!" Paul piped up. Everyone on the boat grabbed what they had set for the travel, enough food for 5 days, ammo for 4. The land was rough and riddled with trees, vines, bushes. You name it.
The boat started back up, and moved off to a safer location in the shade, a distance from the meeting point to keep secluded for the time being. Lets just hope those two brought enough stuff to keep them occupied then.
"Alright spread out, Dolores and Leo, to my left! Jim and Cades on the right. Scotty and Carson get behind us. Mark and Mike, stay with eachother, and keep in visual. I don't want you two getting shot because of an open area.." Xur ordered the team, getting them in a formation where one grenade won't kill or wound them all. The team moved forward, into a dense forrest all eyes pinned in each direction. Seemed clear... Seemed quiet.
Jim soon raised his hand up, speaking. "Open area, looks pretty dense.."
He gave Dino a punch on the shoulder, shaking his head, "Hey, want me to carry a belt for you?"
Dino looked to the kid, taking one of the belts from around his shoulder, and dropping it to Jim. "Here you go, Twitch."
Jim caught it on his shoulders, moving it in such a way to where it doesn't hinder his ability to fight. Dino gave him a very rough pat on the back that made Jim jolt forward a bit. They both lauged it off.
Over to the left, Dolores convinced Leo to a very childish game of Rock Paper Scissors..
Dolores was giggling, as she took this game to be a bit intense.. Leo just amused her, laughing along.. At some point, she pulled out a grenade and said "Grenade.. I win!" After a loosing streak.. Everyone lightly jumped looking towards the two. After a quick two second stop, they kept trecking.
"Sorry chief, got a bit excited!" She laughed
Carson shook his head. "Immuture people, my favorite.."
He looked down checking his weapon if it was racked. Scotty gave him an annoyed look,
"You don't seem much different, Billy boy" Scotty laughed, looking towards Carson with a smirk.
Carson rolled his eyes, "Fuck off you mick.. Oh wait, you're from Boston, not even Irish.."
Scotty tilted his head to Carson, giving a look of What the Actual Fuck, befoe he spoke. "Look here bud, I was born on the isla-" Scotty stopped short, getting cut off by Mark.
Mark was walking backwards. "Before you cockpunch Carson, think.. You both have loaded weapons. Shoot him instead."
Mike grabbed at Mark, spinning him back around. "Fucking shut up, man. We can't have this shit right now. Keep your head on the mission!"
"Quit the chatter, before it gets out of hand, people." Xur waved his hands forward, giving the order to move into the foliage. Shuffling through the trees wasn't fun.
Jim got his pants snagged on a bush midway through the trek, ripping at the ankle.
"Agh, Why the fu-" Jim quickly shut himself up, forgetting the order of silence.
Dino flicked at Jim's helmet, shaking his head.
"Ay, kid, dodn't you bring that machete?" Xur looked back, giving a stern look to Jim.
Jim nodded in response, as he picked up his pace and passed Xur, un-sheathing the blade, and hacking the plant life with it. The squad moved into a collum, following the freshly created path.
It took 30 minutes for the trekking to reach a thin path, mostly used for civilians that transfer water and fish. It didn't look like there was a town in sight, nor anything of the sort. Jim lowered his Machete, stepping out and stumbling a bit on the path. He cought himself, and sheathed the machete.
Jim waved to the gang. "Seems clear, C'mon"
Xur stepped out behind Jim, and then the rest, everyone setting up around the path. Dino set the M60 up in a split tree, making it a good post for the weapon to deploy.
Xur spoke up, looking to everyone. "By the looks, the path could be anything, eyes sharp, and weapons ready. At that moment, everyone checked their weapons to see if they were racked. The noise caused the birds in the area to fly away.
The surroundings were trees and bushes. Nearby about 50 feet had a collapsed tree, and oposite to that tree was a hill. It seemed the forrests were going to turn into hills soon.
Mark took a deep inhale, leaning forward, and tilting his head. "Is that.. No, couldn't be.." He lifted his helmet up, rubbing at his forehead, before quickly taking a swig from his flask. Scotty moved backwards taking post under a tree with heavy branches. Leaves blocking his figure.
Nothing happened. What Mark saw could have been anything. Most likely the wildlife. Yet, most likely it'd be a viet-kong keeping an eye on them. A scout, going to inform their nearby forces.
Xur looked to Scotty, shaking his head. "Get outta there man. Not the best place for cover, and I can see you.."
Scotty stepped out, looking right back at Xur. "C'mon, where else could I have gone?"
Scotty lowered his rifle to his chest, looking down, and kicking the dirt. "I wasn't going to shoot Carson and use him as cover. I swear!" That line made few in the group stifle a laugh. Mostly Mark, and Jim.
The both of them turned to look at Scotty. Their weapons lowered.
"It'd be a great ruse, but there ain't no use, These people ain't stupid." Jim spoke with a nervous tone, as he looked around, getting uneasy. Jim was young. Scotty, and Carson both thinking it was a rookie's bad luck was actually a hunch the kid would usually get.
Xur was on the feild with most of Banter, except for Jim. He was with them for a year and a half to this day. Carson and scotty for only 2 months.
"Jim, when was the last time you gave an IQ test to these damn gooks!" Leo sounded irritated, turning to Jim.
Jim spoke once again after Leo responded. "Boss, we should leave, I don't like it here."
He gave no credit to what Leo said, as the feeling he had felt important.
Carson smirked, rolling his eyes. "And what proof do we have, why trust the spastic Hitler youth?!"
All attention was dropped from each direction as stares went straight to Carson.
Leo began to laugh at that remark. "That's funny." As he spat out chewwing tobaco.
Carson snapped at Leo, "And what right does this Confederate warrior have?"
"Enough to bend your mama ov- Oh wait.. What mama?" Leo had responded.
There was a long pause, before Carson could respond with rage, Xur called the flames to end. "Enough! Leo, shut the fuck up, Carson, don't even try to cover that up, and Jim! Just.. Another word from all of you, and!" All sound was cut off from a echoning pop, and a scream. Carson had dropped. Clutching to his arm as he grits down on teeth.
"You fucks! We should have moved!"
"Scotty, Get Carson back, and return, We need to fend off!" Xur spoke over the sound of direct fire, as the first shot he fired off looked to be from the underslung, detonating a pair of Viet-kong having one fly into a tree. Both died. The shockwave brought two more up a second pair, that Scotty managed to pop as he started moving back, and to Mike, giving the move to cover order.
Mike moved passed Scotty, swapping places with Dino who was laying down a heavy wave of rounds, not caring if the weapon overheated. The quick move wasn't good for Dino, fire went towards him, right before he dropped to the ground, and rolled into some foliage. Fire for surpession is the factor at this time. THey were caught off guard in an argument, but Carson got shot, so.. It wasn't that bad.
Mark ran backwards heading to Carson, giving him a feild dressing for the wound, and shoving a painkiller down his throat. Carson had gaged, whinced, and groaned from Mark's actions. Yet, the medic didn't care. His job was to fix people, and fight.
Mark was the man who'd either save you, or kill you. It didn't matter what side you were on.
Back to the front, bullets were cracking past everyone. THeir AKs, and RPGs were no match to the accuracy of the M16s, and whatever else Banter had. Most oncomming fire hit the dirt, or plant life. Didn't seem they were up against anyone special. Leo went to a kneeling position readying the M-72.
Jim shook his head towards Leo, "Save that shit, you only have one!"
A growl came from Leo, "Fuck it, and fuck you!" He dropped back down, slinging it back to his shoulder, pulling a pin from a grenade. "Grenade going out!" Leo barked, tossing it a good 25, knocking down a tree and crushing a Vietnameese right under it. "Get fucked!" Leo yelled, grinning as he started to fire back
Xur backed into a tree, fireing on towards a second group moving towards them from the south, as a round pecked the corner of the lighter on his helmet. Leaving a scratch.
A viet-Kong jumpped towards Xur, pushing him to the ground, and beating his chest in with the butt of his rifle.
Through the corner of his eye, Jim spotted the lead on the ground geting attacked.
Jim'd drop his gun, letting it sling to his hip, as he un-sheathed the machete, charging across the land, bending his arm back, and hacking it into the neck of the Viet-kong. Blood beginning to gush from the 3 inch wound down onto Xur's face and chest.
Xur looked up to Jim, coughing and spitting up what blood got in his mouth. "C'mon man!" Xur then quickly pushing the limp body off himself, after Jim slipped the blade from the neck, shaking off some blood and sheathing it.
Mark headed back trying to tell the group something, but not getting a single word in as he saw how bad the carnage got in the area. THere was a count of about 15 Viet-kong left. The group heard a loud laugh, and the sound of screems as aout 7 ran over the hill on fire. First thought was Dolores, It was Dolores... She tried one of her napalm grenades... They worked pretty well. It kinda set a small fire in the area.
With 8 left, fire began dying down. Dino slowed his rate of rounds, giving the enemies a chance to move up and get killed. Despite the one wounded.. Everyone came out well off. The end of the firefight was caused by a round of Mike's rifle, killing what looked to be some sort of leader to the operation.
Loud screams were heard as the enemies began to fall back, and scream. Scared of this squad to the most. Seemed like they had enough. Loud groans came from all, as everyone stood up almost at the same exact time.. Looking around for a moment, wiping what blood they had on them off, and a couple yawns about. They all turned to move foward to Carson, and retreave the man they had left behind.
Carson was put behind them. In some deep grass. Either they lost him or he was taken... Didn't look like they killed him. Everyone looked towards eachother, giving confused looks.
"I told you to watch him, Mark! Why didn't you-!" Xur started barking towards mark, yet quckly getting cut off, In response, Mark spoke up. "Well, you see.. Loosing Carson will help us in the long run"
Few in the group nodded. Another few got a chuckle. If you want me to go on about how Carson is the bad guy.. I'll need to write a whole nother story! Yet, lets look forward to this one and get it over with.
