This is the fourth part of The Grey Mist. This time it is a little bit longer than usual. Hope you enjoy and always feel free to give feedback or suggestions.
Gunfire, explosions, sound of tanks and fighter jets. These sounds tortured the soldiers and civilians in the city. The battles continued throughout the night exhausting both sides.
The firefights were harder than ever in urban warfare. Troops advanced and retreated from street to street, building to building. Reeves couldn’t sleep well, he thought about all of his former comrades in the archipelago.
Reeves had dedicated his whole life to military, making his family life almost nonexistent. Maybe this was Reeves’s new beginning.
Almost the whole group was asleep, only Reeves awake with one sniper. Reeves got up and took a sniper rifle into his hands and positioned himself to a window.
The only light on the quiet destroyed street came from the fires and explosions far away. Reeves scanned the street with his rifle looking for possible enemy firing positions and troops.
Reeves knew the archipelago military and it’s flaws. There was one tactical special forces group that could bring this operation to a stop. A notorious special forces group that officially don’t have a name or don’t exist.
Rumored in the archipelago military to carry the name “RED5”. Reeves had worked with some of these so called RED5 soldiers and knew their skills in urban warfare well and heard about infamous special missions.
It started pouring rain in the dark cold night making visibility worse. Reeves decided to go and reconnaissance the streets. He left his sniper and armed himself with his assault rifle.
Jumping out of a big hole in the wall Reeves made his way to a intersection that he had been watching before. There was nothing in the streets than bricks from buildings, broken glass, explosion marks and destroyed cars.
Reeves walked inside a hotel located in the intersection corner. The whole place was blown up and destroyed by missile or cannon fire. Reeves made his way up the stairs quietly avoiding making any sounds in case of enemies.
He got to a long hallway upstairs and went to one of the rooms that looked like perfect condition. Reeves looked around the items and the pictures on the walls. It seemed to be one of the staff members rooms based on the pictures.
Noticing a big comfortable bed Reeves jumped on it immediately to rest a bit. Not long into his nap, Reeves heard noises coming from the hallway. He grabbed his rifle as quickly as he had jumped on the bed and went behind a drawer pointing his rifle at the door.
It sounded like one person walking slowly in the hallway. Reeves put the safety off on his rifle and was ready to shoot. The steps faded away towards the stairs. Reeves got up and moved very slowly towards the sounds. After peeking outside to the hallway Reeves didn’t see anyone but still heard steps in the stairs.
He walked with his rifle up closer and closer to the stairs. Reeves didn’t hear anything anymore, as if the sound had disappeared. But then the steps resumed and this time came closer to Reeves. Reeves went to a corner and waited. This soldier walked up the stairs wearing the colors of archipelago and having his gun down.
The soldier noticed Reeves and immediately raised his gun, but Reeves was ready and shot the soldier in the chest three times. The soldier fell down the stairs dead.
Reeves checked the soldier and left quickly from the building in case of more enemy soldiers. Reeves ran outside and a spray of bullets landed in front of him nearly hitting. It was Kirilov and other group members positioned in a building on the other side of the street. -“Goddammit Reeves! We nearly killed you!” screamed Kirilov after lowering his gun.
-“Sorry guys, i went to check out some places. Not so surprisingly an enemy soldier was at the same place…” said Reeves.
-“Alright, but next time warn us first. We thought there was a fight here!” said Kirilov.
The group decided to continue towards the inner city. The early morning was dark and cold while the group marched on the empty streets. Kirilov and Reeves discussed the best and safest route to the area where the government buildings are located. Reeves knew that it wasn’t safe to march on the main streets due to danger from enemy patrols, snipers and traps.
The group moved to the narrow streets that weren’t as risky. Large explosions sounded around the city as the Ruti artillery bombarded the archipelagos positions. Kirilov’s group advanced through the narrow back alleys fast but were soon interrupted by enemy tanks passing by. The group decided to hold fire.
But as soon as the tanks rolled past the group a couple soldiers walked behind the tanks and noticed Kirilov. The soldiers opened fire on Kirilov and managed to hit him. Second after Reeves shot the both soldiers exposed at the street. Kirilov’s arm was hit badly, so Reeves grabbed a hold of him and dragged him back.
One tank stopped after noticing the firefight and started to drive towards the group. Fortunately there was an AT soldier with one rocket launcher. Others went to the nearest building to take cover when the AT soldier positioned himself so he had a clear shot.
The tank rolled up to the dead soldiers and right away it got hit with the launcher to the side. The tank was disabled but not destroyed. The AT soldier threw the launcher to the ground and grabbed his rifle. Three tank crew members hopped out of the smoking tank. The AT soldier was about to open fire when surprisingly got shot from behind.
It was a high ranked enemy officer who heard the firefight. A group followed the officer from behind. Reeves realized that they had to keep moving or they’ll get exposed. Rest of the group took off as Reeves set up mines to the building.
Others were gone far ahead but Reeves stayed near the enemy to keep an eye on them. A big explosion came from the room where Reeves set up his mines. Reeves went in carefully to check the damage, but he was a little bit too late as more soldiers came in and opened fire at Reeves. Reeves grabbed two hand grenades towards the door and sprinted off.
A lot more enemy soldiers and vehicles were now alarmed to hunt down Reeves and the group. So Reeves contacted the group trough radio and agreed that Reeves came up to the government buildings from the other side. So Reeves checked his ammo, gear and radio and begun his quick march towards the government square.
After three long hours Reeves was close to the square but now had to plan his approach as the streets and the square were swarmed with patrols, enemy soldiers, snipers and tanks.
So Reeves decided to head up into the building roofs and from there continue. Reeves climbed up a apartment building to the roof. Reeves noticed an enemy sniper aiming and looking towards the square. Reeves took his knife out and slowly walked to the sniper and jumped on him at the same time piercing his knife through the snipers throat.
Reeves took the sniper rifle and checked out enemy positions and marked them on his notes. -“This is Romeo 1. I am in position and have enemy positions located over.” said Reeves to the radio.
-“Kilo 2? Kilo 2? This is Romeo 1 do you hear me over?” Reeves contacted with the radio again but no one answered.
-“This is Kilo 2. Reeves…Fuck…half of the squad is dead…we got attacked by these special forces fuckers…aargh…over” answered Kirilov in pain.
-“We’re pinned down on the other side of the square at this destroyed apartment..fuck..i don’t know how much longer we can hold…you have to continue this operation by your self…can you do it” Kirilov continued.
-“Shit…um…alright i’ll try…but this just got a hell lot more difficult…so do i just destroy the whole place by myself, over?” questioned Reeves.
-“No…change of plans…your objective is to capture the general of the archipelago dead or alive…wait.. i gotta go…there’s enemies coming…shit” answered Kirilov.
-“Kirilov? Kirilov!?” -“—”
-“Shit it’s just me now, i bet it’s the RED5 group” Reeves thought.
Reeves realized what was coming and what he had to do now all by himself.
But he got a plan.