The Cross of Mithras Vol. 1: EOD Operation Welcome to Hell

by Douglas Howell

  “Ma’am, after what we encountered at the stealth base I have to agree with him.” Taylor mentioned.

  “I concur ma’am.” Ramirez added.

  “Yeah alright.” Vaistll said in a disappointed manner.

  Vaistll still remembers Jaguar 42R when he was a dragon on her home world. And now she’s afraid that she will lose him all over again. Even if he doesn’t remembers anything from his former life she still hopes that maybe one day he will. But in an effort to save lives she know she has to let him go and let him be who and what he is. God, she needs a drink.

  As luck would have it, there are no snipers station at the lab complex. If there was than Lenkov would have known about it and sent in sniper hunting micro-bots to find them. Even if he didn’t it wouldn’t have matter since Martinez is a damn good sniper, and Lenkov knows it. What Lenkov would have done if there was snipers station at the lab complex is to send in the micro-bots and Martinez.

  All 145 Dragon Clones came up the roadway as quickly as they could at the same time they scanned for any enemy personnel. Martinez, who was on one of the monorail tracks, provided cover fire for the advancing Dragon Clones. When they got to the monorail station and the parking garage they expected to find the enemy – there were none.

  “Ma’am this is Jaguar 42R, we secured the area.” Jaguar 42R informed Vaistll over the helmet-com.

  “Understood. Hold for reinforcements.” Vaistll responded.

  “Copy that.”

  “Red Team… move forward and take point one.” Taylor ordered them.

  “Red Team here, we’re in position.” Liebowitz said after they got to the monorail station.

  “White Team… move forward and take point two.” Taylor ordered them.

  When White Team got to where Jaguar 42R is Hayes asked him where does he need to go. Jaguar 42R instructed him to do a search and clear of the parking garage and then to report back on what they found. (Vaistll ordered each team to do as Jaguar 42R instructs them to do.) When Hayes reported back that the parking garage is clear of enemy personnel and that there is a underground tunnel that connects to the lab complex in the lower level, Jaguar 42R told White Team to take up a defensive position at the entrance of the tunnel.

  “White Team here, we’re in position.” Hayes said after they took up their defensive position.

  “Blue Team… move forward and take point three.” Taylor ordered them.

  When Blue Team was halfway up the roadway the Demon Xs attack the Dragon Clones. All of the Demon Xs and fifteen Demon Cy-Xs came from two buildings that was partway between the monorail, the parking garage and the lab complex. The Demon Cy-Xs was providing covering fire for the Demon Xs which made it harder to stop the Demon Xs from getting near the Dragon Clones. The Demon Cy-Xs were using the Demon Xs as a shield in order so that they can get closer to the defenders. When the Demon Cy-Xs got to the Dragon Clones position all of the Demon Xs were killed and then they engage the Dragon Clones in hand-to-hand combat. All of the Demon Cy-Xs were killed and only five of the Dragon Clones were killed.

  “Jaguar 42R… report!” Taylor hollered over the helmet-com.

  “We lost five Dragon Clones sir. Blue Team is here and we’re ready to move to point four.” Jaguar 42R said after several moments.

  “Understood.” Taylor responded.

  “Lieutenant Sanchez… go to the parking garage and secure a position. I need Martinez to take up a sniper position.” Jaguar 42R instructed her.

  “Copy that.” Sanchez responded.

  “Ensign Liebowitz, I need you to take forty Dragon Clones into the building on the south and do a search, clear and hold.” Jaguar 42R instructed him.

  “Copy that.”

  “Sir, we’re now moving to point four.” Jaguar 42R informed Taylor.

  “Understood. Green Team… move to point five.” Taylor ordered them.

  Green Team, who was kept back because of their losses, moved up along with Vaistll, Taylor and Ramirez to the monorail. Vaistll, Taylor and Ramirez then went into the main office at the monorail to form a temporary headquarters. Although they didn’t think much of it at the time, both monorails were gone (Dawson had already left).

  It was cakewalk for Jaguar 42R, Viper 33X and the Dragon Clones who went into the building on the north side. There were eighteen Demon Cy-Xs there and each one was killed with the Dragon Clones suffering from seven losses. Red Team was no so lucky.

  The building that Red Team entered was already prepared by the Demon Cy-Xs. The building had large rooms on each floor and the Demon Cy-Xs either knocked a hole in the walls and/or ceiling. The Demon Cy-Xs turned the building into a death trap with low lighting. The death trap allowed them to set up traps were the enemy could be slaughtered.

  “Hayes! This is Liebowitz! We need you right now! We’re trapped on the fifth floor! We’re taking on enemy fire from a unknown source! Please… send help immediately!” Liebowitz desperately cried out over the helmet-com.

  “We have to use the tunnels. I don’t think that it’s safe to go through.” Hayes responded.

  “What!? I thought the tunnels was safe.” Ellis said (over the helmet-com) to someone nearby.

  Three minutes later, with the situation growing worse, a small group of Demon Cy-Xs came in and rushed Red Team’s position. Everyone could hear over the helmet-com how desperate Red Team’s situation is and still Hayes would not bulge.

  “Hayes! We need you now! We just lost Blumenthal!” Liebowitz cried out over the helmet-com.

  “Why don’t you use the Dragon Clones?” Hayes asked.

  “Goddamn it Hayes! Get your cowardly ass over there and help!” Sanchez hollered over the helmet-com. She was really pissed off at his cowardliness.

  “Hayes, get a move on it and that’s an order!” Ramirez angrily said over the helmet-com.

  “I’m hit!” Moriarty cried out.

  “Hayes!” Ramirez yelled at him.

  “Trivelli’s down!” Guerrero hollered through the helmet-com.

  “What’s his status!?” Ellis asked.

  “He needs evac immediately!” Guerrero hollered back.

  “Goddamn it Hayes!” Ramirez yelled almost at the top of his lungs.

  “Holy shit! Here they come again!” Ellis yelled through the helmet-com.

  “Hayes… get your fucking ass over there right now and help them!” Vaistll yelled at him. Hayes was too scared to move or to respond.

  “We lost Bernstein! Please… we need help! Why won’t someone help us!?” Ellis cried out over the helmet-com.

  “Hold tight! I’ll try to send someone over as soon as I can!” Jaguar 42R responded over the helmet-com. Everybody could hear the Dragon Clones trying to kill a Demon Cy-X who was giving them the slip, over the helmet-com.

  “Fuckin’ A! Blue Team… let’s rock!” Sanchez said over the helmet-com.

  Blue Team then left and headed down to the tunnel. None of them looked at White Team let along Hayes. White Team had the look of confusion, they wanted to help but their CO wouldn’t bulge let along explain his actions. They were on the verge of rebelling against Hayes, especially Bryce. He did not want to die of a dishonorable death. Hayes had lost his fighting spirit and nobody could tell that he did. He finally had thrown in the towel.

  “I’ll take point.” Martinez mentioned when they got to the tunnel.

  They entered the pitch black tunnel with nobody being able to see anything. Martinez used the night vision scope on his sniper rifle in order to see. Martinez was so scared that his fear was causing him to breath heavily. He was sure that the Demon Cy-Xs would be able to hear him breathing (they couldn’t because of his face mask).

  Martinez, through his sniper scope, saw a Demon Cy-X on the right side of the tunnel. The Demon Cy-X was in a closet size area in the tunnel and did not see or hear them. Before Martinez could get off a shot the Demon Cy-X stepped back causing Martinez to step to the left. When the Demon Cy-X took a sniff around the corner Martinez shot and killed him.
He then quickly turned to the left and spotted a Demon Cy-X come around a closet size area on the right. Martinez shot and killed the Demon Cy-X before it could get off a shot. When they got near the exit a Demon Cy-X, who was well hidden inside a compartment on the ceiling, partly hanged down and shot Nguyen killing him instantly. The Demon Cy-X also shot Hoffneisten in the back seriously wounding him. Although the team turned around and shot at where they thought the Demon Cy-X was, it was Martinez who killed him.

  “How is Hoffneisten?” Sanchez asked when they got out of the tunnel.

  “He’s hurt badly, but he’ll make it.” Coté responded.

  “Can you make it back to the garage Hoffneisten?” Sanchez asked him.

  “Yes ma’am.” Hoffneisten said through the pain.

  “Alright, go. We’ll take it from here.” Sanchez said to Hoffneisten.

  The rest of Blue Team tried their best to look for some way to get to the fifth floor but it was easier said than done. With the low lighting, darken rooms and holes in the ceilings it made it hard for them to find their way around. Off-and-on they would hear a Demon Cy-X cry out from it’s injuries. When they found a live Demon Cy-X they would kill it and move on.

  “Pssst.” A wounded Dragon Clone called out to Blue Team as he saw them pass by. He, along with other wounded Dragon Clones, were holed up in a large room.

  “Where are the rest of the Dragon Clones?” Sanchez asked him.

  “Dead. We’re all that’s left.” The wounded Dragon Clone responded.

  “Where are the Demon Cy-Xs?” Sanchez asked.

  “Don’t know. We gave them the slip after they attack us and almost wiped us out. After that I guess they went after Red Team.”

  “Can you make a guess at how many Demon Cy-Xs are there?” Sanchez asked him.

  “Maybe fifty tops. We killed roughly twenty to thirty of them.”

  “Do you know where Red Team is?”

  “I do.” A wounded Dragon Clone said. He was lying down on the ground with his back up against the wall. He had blood on his chest and chin. He continued on. “Fifth floor near the middle. The quickest route there is…” He then coughed up blood. “Head down the hallway. Take the stairs to the third floor. On the left…” He coughed up more blood. “…are two large rooms. Take the second one. There are holes in the wall… take ‘em until you come to a room without any holes… Hole in the ceiling… take it.” He then died after he coughed up blood.

  “Collect your people and head down to the tunnel and head back to the garage.” Sanchez said to the first wounded Dragon Clone.

  Each of the wounded Dragon Clones made it back to the garage safely. Blue Team made it to where the wounded Dragon Clone told them to go without incidence. When they got there they could hear shooting above them.

  “Come on you fucking demons! It’s time to send you back to hell!” Van Hoven yelled out.

  In the darken room nearby they heard Demon Cy-Xs jumped down and started shooting at them. Ten seconds later they heard an explosion coming from that room and gunfire. Coté, along with Martinez, ran to the hole. As Coté was providing covering fire, Martinez killed the rest of the Demon Cy-Xs. It was all over for both Red and Blue Team.

  “Hey, who’s down there!?” Wexler yelled down from up above in the darken room where the Demon Cy-Xs were.

  “Blue Team!” Coté yelled back.

  “Coté, is that you!?”

  “Yes sir!”

  “Oh god! It’s great to hear from you!”

  “It’s great to hear from you too sir!”

  Sanchez went into the darken room and looked up at Wexler and said, “Where’s the rest of them?”

  “I guess that was the last of them.” Wexler responded.

  “We lost Nguyen and Hoffneisten is seriously wounded.” Sanchez mentioned.

  “Will he make ma’am?” Wexler asked.

  “Yeah, he’ll make it.”

  “I’m glad to hear that ma’am.” Wexler responded.

  “Ma’am, this is Sanchez. We located and secure Red Team. We lost Nguyen and Hoffneisten needs medical attention.” Sanchez informed Vaistll.

  “Understood. Can you do a search and clear of the building?” Vaistll asked.

  “Negative. The Demon Cy-Xs turned this building into a death maze.” Sanchez responded.

  “Alright. Just sit back and wait for Jaguar 42R to relieve you.” Vaistll ordered her.

  “Copy that.” Sanchez responded.

  “Sanchez, this is Jaguar 42R. We need Martinez to provide cover fire for us.” Jaguar 42R requested.

  “Copy that. Martinez, on the roof.” Sanchez responded.

  Jaguar 42R then turned off his helmet-com and turned to a Dragon Clone and said, “Get down to the tunnel and destroy the entrance. I do not want those damn things to come out and bite us in the ass.”

  “Yes sir.” The Dragon Clone responded. He then left and carry out his orders.

  When the Dragon Clone returned all of them left and headed to the other building. Jaguar 42R then ordered him to perform the same thing on the part of the tunnel heading to the lab complex. Jaguar 42R and Viper 33X stayed with both Red and Blue Team as the rest of the Dragon Clones did a search and clear of the building. The Dragon Clones killed any Demon Cy-X who was still alive.

  “Ma’am, this building is now secured. We counted sixty-six Demon Cy-Xs killed in both buildings.” Jaguar 42R informed Vaistll.

  “Understood. How many Dragon Clones were lost?” Vaistll asked him.

  “We lost thirty-five and twelve are wounded.” Jaguar 42R responded.

  “I want the Dragon Clones to take up a holding position at that building. Martinez needs to continue his sniper duties. Have both Red and Blue Team to return back to the monorail station. I want you, Sanchez and Liebowitz to come to the main office at the monorail.” Vaistll ordered them.

  “Understood ma’am.” Jaguar 42R responded.

  When Jaguar 42R got to the main office at the monorail station both Sanchez and Liebowitz were there. Both of them were standing in front of Vaistll, Taylor and Ramirez, and the three of them were sitting behind a table. Jaguar 42R knew that it was more than a debriefing, it was an inquiry on the actions of Hayes. Liebowitz was finishing explaining what occurred.

  “Okay, thank you Liebowitz.” Taylor said to him after he was finished.

  “What were you doing when Liebowitz called for help?” Taylor asked Jaguar 42R.

  “Dealing with a Demon Cy-X that was using a hit-and-run tactic on us.” Jaguar 42R responded.

  “What was Hayes doing at that time?” Ramirez asked Sanchez.

  “I don’t know sir. I was on the third level and he was on the bottom level.” Sanchez responded.

  “Can you explain the threat potential that White Team would have faced if they went into the tunnel.” Vaistll asked Sanchez.

  “It was pitch black ma’am. We couldn’t see a thing, only Martinez could. There was two Demon Cy-Xs in a closet size area in the tunnel and one that was well hidden inside a ceiling compartment near the exit. I strongly believe that if White Team went into the tunnel far more than one personnel would have been killed.” Sanchez responded.

  “The three of you are dismissed.” Vaistll said to them.

  “Permission to speak freely ma’am?” Sanchez asked Vaistll.

  “Granted.” Vaistll responded.

  “Go easy on Hayes. He’s been through a lot since he lost our weapons and ammo. I strongly believe that is at the core of his problems. He’s not a coward. But I strongly believe that he is on the verge of a breakdown.” Sanchez mentioned.

  “Noted.” Vaistll responded. Sanchez then left.

  “She’s right about Hayes.” Ramirez said to Vaistll after Sanchez left.

  “Then what do you purpose we do about him?” Vaistll asked Ramirez.

  “Give White Team defensive missions until all of this blows over. What I meant is: this mission upon this world.” Ramirez responded.

  “Agreed. And I
knew what you meant.” Vaistll responded.

  “I’ll go and talk to him then.” Ramirez mentioned.

  “Alright. Let’s hurry up and get this day over with.” Vaistll responded.

  The three of them got up to leave. Ramirez left to talk to White Team and he told them that nobody is blaming them for the lost of Blumenthal, Bernstein and Nguyen. He also mentioned that if they did went into the tunnel they probably would have been killed. Ramirez than added that their actions could be interpreted as cowardliness and the next time that it happens they are bound to face a court martial. Ramirez words had a immediate effect upon them, especially Bryce. Bryce does not want to die of a dishonorable death. But Ramirez words had no effect upon Hayes.

  Ramirez is not going to give Hayes a pep talk because he knows that Hayes needs counseling more than anything else. He also knows that they are going to have to use Green Team more often and that could mean that each member in Green Team could die. Hayes is needed because he is an officer, but it is starting to appear that he is no longer there. It’s like he was killed in battle. Putting White Team on defensive position may save their lives, but it could be at the expense of Green Team.

  (3)

  Dark Serpent 109T received a message from Levitt letting him know that she is about to leave. He then told all nine of the Demon Cy-Xs that came with him and Dawson from the stealth base to meet him in her workstation. When they got there Dark Serpent 109T ordered them to stand in the doorway of the other scientist’s workstations and do not let them come near or to leave.

  Levitt knew that Dark Serpent 109T was up to something because he had a handgun and a bag filled with human blood. She knew what he was going to do with her, but she neither knew why nor cared to know why he is putting on a charade. She just wanted to hurry up and leave that place.

  “The information that you gave me on my existence is incomplete.” Dark Serpent 109T said to Levitt.

  Levitt looked at her computer monitor and then she looked at him and said, “You want to know how to create your own kind. Don’t you?”

  “Yes. Does it bother you?” Dark Serpent 109T asked her.