[2036]: an underground classroom converted out of a garage used to house vehicles undergoing maintenance. A group of 8 young men wait for the lesson to start.
The bunch, when left to their own devices are Rowdy and obnoxious. They range from 14 through 16, all have the buzz cut, and are mostly wearing standard base uniforms.
These young warriors have been born in blood, and have been reforged through loss.
You couldn’t tell by the way they speak to each other. A wadded up ball of paper flies through the room bouncing off the side of Lawrence’s face.
This kicks up a storm as his brother Hannibal flys off the handle. He was reading a history book that was required reading material for next year. “Well who’s gonna man up!, which one of you mother-?!”
Alexander- the pack mule of the group his large stature allows him to carry extra ammo and equipment without slowing down. He has the standard wrestling build with huge hands and a tank like frame. His blond buzz cut doesn’t stand out much every one always notices the massive freaking scar on his neck from side to side. (Know as AL) - cuts him off mid sentence
“Sorry bro that’s my bad aims a bit off or something I was trying to hit you.”
The words barley escape his mouth before the history book comes flying back at him,
Al barely dodges it. He stands up with such effort the chair behind him slams into the desk behind him.
Turning to face Hannibal they lock eyes.
Al bull rushes over to Hannibal without words he shoots in for a takedown. His arms widespread to grab, he turns his hulking neck upward to drive his forehead through any resistance.
Right before the eminent car crash Hannibal brings his knee up connecting with the giant, square in the jaw side stepping him in the process. (WHAM)-
He blasts the inside knee with a hard kick to no effect. Al leans forward swinging wildly.
Hannibal sees the opening throwing a hard right hook of his own- it connects solidly.
But again to no effect Al’s head barely moved instead he “eats” the punch head on,
When Hannibal begins to recoil, Al’s goes in for another grab this time locking down the forearm of Han,with the vice grips he calls hands.
“Enough!”
Leo shouted from across the room he was already tired of the show. (Leonidas. “Know as Leo” is the squads leader he’s well built but skinny for a soldier. Tall-ish and the only one with his shirt tucked in. He does everything by the book and just wanted some quiet time to study before the class started. He doesn’t talk a lot mostly when spoken to but what he was seeing was clearly stupid and wrong.”) beginning to run over to the fight.
[CRUNCH]-
The sound of Hannibal’s wrist snapping.
“Fuck!”
He exclaims through the pain Alexander now seeing his victory is guaranteed he begins to laugh boastfully. Turning his head to look at Leo.
“There boss, now it’s settled.”
Hannibal shifts his weight to his left foot driving his right one hard, and fast right up the between the legs of Al. (Completely catching him off guard.)
The blow caused Al to lose his grip and bend over in pain. He breaths out heavily.
“Jesus Christ knock it off.” Leo now very angry with his teammates.
As he thought ,maybe the worst was over.
[CRUNCH]
the sounds of Al’s nose being crushed by Hannibal’s knee this time connected brutally with the unsuspecting face his opponent.
AL drops over like a rock.
“You’re to predictable Alex, all that power you have is wasted.”
Hannibal now speaks with a calm tone despite the violence he just committed.
Leo know beyond reasonable thought grabs Han by the collar of his shirt slamming him into the wall behind.
“You already won the fight what was that?”
This act upsets his brother Lawrence. Causing a whole other situation as the whole group begins to get to their feet and looks at one another.
Well almost everyone.
In the other back corner of the class are two people playing cards against one another. Completely indifferent to the small riot breaking out. Remus sits thinking about what move to make he never beats his best friend Henri in Texas hold em but today will be different.
(They are almost opposites where Remus is quiet and reserved preferring to watch others and study. He has the standard buzz cut and doesn’t really stand out amongst the group.
Since Remus’ brother died a few years ago, Henri is really all he has left and they have been thick as thrives ever since. )
(Theodore Henri- known as Ted or Henri around the base is the stand out. He wears street clothes whenever he wants, he’s rocking a red jumpsuit. The only one without his hair cut as his blonde locks go down to his shoulders. He’s the “face” of the PMC and has by far spent the most time off base and in the real world. Because he has all the nice stuff the watch and shoes, his British charm allows him to make friends everywhere and because of this he handles all the mission planning and accepting. He’s either really good at playing dumb or just is.)
The game they have been playing is close enough to go either direction but Ted doesn’t seem phased.
He doesn’t take long to show the winning hand and crush his friend’s hopes and dreams again.
“Okay me boy time to pay the man.”
Henri exclaims pridefully.
“Wait what!”
Remus questioned looking at his cards a last time.
Before the loss even sets in the door to the class flys open.
A large drill sergeant type who goes by the name (Mag) short for Tony Magee comes In Shouting.
“What in the fresh hell has gotten into y’all!”
This takes control of the room quickly.
Leo tries to explain
“Sir, a confrontation broke out and we were just trying to break it up.”
The instructor doesn’t seem to care
“SHUT UP AND EVERYONE SIT DOWN!”
He was walks up to the board at the front and begins writing a lesson plan out for the class.
As everyone slowly gets back to their desks.
“Today we are covering our responses to ambushes today and later going over drone maintenance and repairs on the field.
The rest of the 9 hours of extreme daily training and teaching flew by for Remus as he excelled in the classroom beings well near the top of intelligence and well suited to the field as he can still be clam in intensive situations.
It is only when the group heads off to lunch does anything happen.
Remus and Henri arrive last and get in line.
Most of the food is gone anyway, they both received a measly half scoop of some rice and some chicken. They both move to the crowded table when Remus notices a weirdly dressed man in the corner of the room.
The man then looks down grabbing a cigarette.
As the group is finishing up their meal the weird man approaches. His yellow Hawaiian shirt and flip flops stood out like a sore thumb.
“Excuse me gentlemen,” this broke up the idol chit chat of the table.
“I’m the deputy director of the DEA and we have been having a problem with a new group of narcos moving up into the south west. Would you all please join me in the conference room.”
The quiet lingering around as they all think about the last time they went out for a mission ended in disaster.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Before Leo stands up.
“Let’s go boys time to make some hay.”
He doesn’t wait for the others to follow, just starts excoriating the director down the hallway.
A chill slowly crawls through Remus’ body he tries to walk it off on the way.
Once arrived he saw the head of the program
General Thompson.
This wasn’t a good sign as they only saw the general when something was happening.
“Oh Jim, I didn’t know you arrived yet.”
Thompson speaks up going to shake the hand of the director.
“Yes sir I found them grabbing some grub but they were glad to help me find my way around.”
As Jim reached back out.
Henri the smooth talker of the group takes a seat and opens one of the files at the conference table.
Thompson sees this and is surprised at the lack of hesitation of the young man.
“Well Jim I guess we are gonna have to catch up later.”
They don’t take a seat while Remus and the others stand facing the projector. As it turns on the first slide is of 60 or so men all posing for a photo.
“This is the 5th Saint merchants . They use to be enforcement officers in Mexico till they realized that the other side pays way better.
Since then they begin moving some drugs up into the states. They stayed small fish for the last two years but since they made a move on the gangs of LA. They have been able to spread out without many delays.”
Thompson now takes over the presentation-
“ Listen up you and the good men of the DEA are going to be hitting some stash houses , and hopefully that will lead to more people and places to hit as we collect intel. The director here came to us because I convinced him we could help with the corruption problem he’s been working with. You see , every time they went to hit a target the word always seemed to slip out and they weren’t there.
So I don’t want any of you to make friends with the officers you are working with and don’t even really speak to them if you can help it.
I want all of you except Henri here to go get geared up we leave out in three hours.”
Stunned by the events Remus doesn’t even notice Hannibal walk up to him. His arm now in a sling he used his other hand to push Remus slightly. “Yo man cheer up at least you get to leave the fucking base for a bit. They told me I can’t join the hunt with my arms like this.”
Completely surprised Remus jumps back to reality. He then said
“Oh yeah man, thanks. I bet it sucks that you have to hang back. How’s the wrist.”
Hannibal lets out a little laugh
“better than Al’s nuts I’ll tell you that.” This joke does help to lighten the mood but not by much.
“Aye bro you’ll get em next time.”
Remus tried to sound confident.
A few hours later-
At he finds his seat in the back of the transport helicopter and locks his bags of gear into place.
The cab is wild with anticipation. They are talking loudly over the headphones as Al was handing out cigarettes he had in his chest pocket.
Remus took one beginning to smoke with the rest of them. Leo’s voice begins to cut through going off a final check list of equipment before heading out.
When a voice comes in loudly from the cockpit cabin.
“Ladies and gentlemen thank you for flying with Billy airlines. I know you don’t have any choices with who you fly and I appreciate your choice to support me. The weather is currently 88 degrees in south California, and our lovely flight attendant Leo is just going over the safety list then will be by to get you drinks on some of deez nuts.”
The voice brings the rest of the crew to start dying of laughter. As Leo now completely roasted sits down. Henri sprints up last second and finds a seat. As the older helicopter spins up, loudly thumping to life before getting off the ground.
After a pretty short ride they arrive to the airport where a drug task force was waiting and studying some maps.
None of them were aware of what kind of back up they were being sent.
“You have got to be kidding me.”
One Of the Sargents said as he looked up to see 7 teenage boys in body armor and uniforms getting off the chopper. The young men quickly grab gear and head over to the group of agents.
Al takes no time to walk over tossing a pack of smokes on the table and grabbing a seat.
“Listen carefully if you all don’t get in the way or call your boyfriends and tell them we are coming then we should all be home for dinner, alright.”
This stunned the officers and seemed to offend some people. Al just scoots his seat back in order to put his huge boots on the table
Thud, thud as they plop down with some force.
The Sargent who was speaking before now lashing out from the disrespect slaps the boots off the table and begins to shout at the group.
“Who the in the hells children are you? What the fuck is this take your idiot to work day bull shit.”
“Relax Sarge I just got off the phone with the director and he informed me that this is the backup. Another voice came in through the behind.
(Henri) now trying to mend fences speaks up
“He we were just sent here and not told anything just like you guys. So let’s just figure out our next step and go forward.”
This is a very weird situation for all the men involved, but the Sargent really needed to extra hands.
“Fine, (he says putting his hands up in a joking manner ) you and bravo team will be hitting this stash house here by yourselves. The rest of us are going in on the main road to this other compound here.”
Drawing on the large zoomed in paper map with a red marker.
The next few hours are spent in a cramped lightly armored SUV as Remus now finds himself looking at a hardened officer who check his mags. (Remus’ inner monologue)- “Oh fuck what should I be doing, everyone looks busy we got everything ready on the way here.”
The Driver comes through on the radio.
“Hey motherfuckers! thank you for riding with Billy’s Armored Taxi and Karaoke. We don’t have time for jokes. We will be arriving soon expect some mild gunfire and a beautiful sunset.”
This gets a light chuckle from members of the newly stitched together group.
Remus wasn’t listening but laughs with the rest of them.
He closes his eyes shutting out the noise of the massive SUV barreling down the road. Taking a moment to breathe deeply and mentally prepare.
“CONTACT RIGHT!”
The navigators voice rings through the headphones, (PINGS) loudly banging against the armor as gunfire begins to quickly pick up.
This was to be expected as everyone gets ready to leave out of the back as soon they stop the vehicle.
(CRACK) this was the sound of the so called “Bulletproof Glass” that was meant to protect the two men upfront.
“Shit, the nav’s been hit!”
(Bill) now screaming from the adrenalin.
As he swerves to dodge some incoming fire.
(Hendrik) the leader of the bravo strike team
Now comes In Through the coms
“Just a hundred more feet then we should have some trees to stop next to.
“Copy that sir.”
(Bill) confidently replies as he speeds up past the planned stop, making a b-line for the first house where some gunman were shooting from windows. With a huge (BANG) raddled the whole team as the SUV comes slamming through the wall of the bottom floor of the two story building.
“One and bravo are now exiting from the transport.”
Khans voices. Not shaken in the slightest comes through loud and clear.
As he opens the back door with force it flies open to show the now slightly dark wooded landscape.
He and the officers rush out.
Quickly the path clears and Remus and the rest of the team follow. The seasoned officers of the task force stack together to form a plan in the heat of the moment trying to prep for an entry on the door.
Meanwhile the now six teenager’s who were just supposed to provide back up.
Flow out of the back of the cab like water, they don’t even talk to each other just a series of pats on the shoulder and a hand signal or two.
As the single file begins to snake their way to the door. Firing back with constant speed to overwhelm and make the bad guys duck for cover.
Khan walks straight up to the door and blasts it off its hinges with a huge boot.
The door falls forward exposing two men who were inspected the front of the cap of the vehicle from a distance.
As they turn to face Khan they fly back off their feet as red mist sprays from their chests.
Khans voice now filled boiling with anticipation.
“One set of stairs and two more doors on this floor to the right.”
He says as he steps into the room. It was just a dirty mess used to house the workers. With trash littering the floor and makeshift bedrolls on the flooring.
Leo’s trying to take charge as he talks through the coms.
“(3)-Al-you and (1)-Khan- go clear the doors. Everyone else with me to push upstairs.”
Alexander and Khan now begin to move to the last two unopened doors on the ground floor.
Remus moves into the room and stops to grab Lawrence by the shoulder. ( this was a signal to follow him.)
He exchanges a look as the two of them go to the front to the SUV to check on the driver and the Navigator.
As Remus opens the door he sees his friend Billy De Seax. Known as “Feathers” (The pilot/Driver/Anything you need Member of the team. He has brown hair and a wolf tattoo sleeve on his arm.)
Currently with the hands in the chest of the navigator as he desperately tries to close up the wound.
“Fuck boys I think we lost him.”
He says in a mix of panic and defeat.
Lawrence takes a look
“Any pulse?”
As he reaches over to feel the neck of the man.
Remus turns quickly to the noise of the front door as he had already forgotten about the officers with them.
They rushed in looking for cover from the outside fire.
“He’s gone let’s go. Nothing we can do for him now.”
Lawrence’s cold voice echoed in the head of Remus but he knew he was right.
“(4) Get out of the truck now!”
Remus forces himself to speak out.
Billy listens and steps out of the wreckage.
The three of them instead of joining the others head outside the building to go around the back.
As soon as he steps out he sees two officers lying on the ground left behind by the other as they rushed in. (Remus) comes to a dead stop and tells the others to prepare smokes.
“(4)-Billy- you are gonna go get the men when you can safely.(As grey smoke slowly bellows out in front of the downed men.) (7)-Lawrence- You are with me to hit the flank.
The two rush out into the open and take a hard turn to the backside of the house as they turn the corner Remus can see where some soldiers are firing from the main house they are supposed to be raiding.
He stops dead in his tracks and shifts back to be behind the wall.
“You’re going to post here and I’m going across to the shed. Right window and two more in the entrance. “
Is all he says to his teammate as he runs full speed to the shed not too far off the back of the house. As missed rounds begin to kick up dirt and fly around him.
Remus doesn’t slow down until he reaches the concealment. Diving down he hears the (bang) of Lawrence returning fire. Taking well placed shots at the exposed shooters.
Even in the brief pauses in the battle a loud humming can be heard from inside the shed.
It’s a generator Remus thinks excitedly. Looking back to see if Lawrence was still there.
Remus gets to his feet and running to the door of the shed the old thin wood easily opened up.
Once inside he can see this generator doing its best to provide power to the near by areas with far too many extensions cords all about the small room. Remus draws his pistol from his holster. “ Going Dark boys.” He informs the rest of the team right before shooting into the generator three times.
