War Journal
Jul 30, 2011 18:29:16 GMT -5
Post by Vincent Romanov on Jul 30, 2011 18:29:16 GMT -5
"....Rangers Lead the Way...."
A small middle eastern town with a name too long to remember served as the current theater of operations for Vincent Romanov and his Ranger unit. They were here to put an end to a hostage crisis where several American civilian contractors had been held for three days. Rangers excelled at this sort of thing, it was their job and they were the best. Vincent might have had a large leg up on many of the other men in his unit, but that didn't mean it had been easy getting here. Ranger school was the toughest training any man or woman could face, meta or not. Sure, Vincent had the stamina to get through the challenges, but not all of them had been physical. He had been pushed harder than the others because of his ability in fact, more often than not, having unrealistic restrictions and time limits put on his trials. He hadn't complained, not aloud anyway, because it was part of the training and he was going to be the best, because he was the best. Academics were never his thing, neither was holding down some minor little job swinging a hammer. Vincent was meant for war, always had been and he would always be there to prove it.
Now, years later, here he was, ready to prove he was the son of war. He stood with his back against an old building, his CO and other squad mates hunkered down behind an over turned car, pinned down by a sniper.
"Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto...," he whispered as a rosary swung from his hand.
"What's he waiting for?," one of the new team members asked of the CO, coiled up tightly as bullets continued to pepper the car and ground around them.
"Sicut erat in principio...," Vincent continued, his eyes closed and his breathing calm.
The CO just smiled as the other team members chuckled lightly. "Romanov's waiting for the right moment," the CO said, giving a glance to the rookie who know scowled as he assumed he was being made fun of. "Look sir, we gotta do something before....," the rookie barked before being cut off by a sharp glance from his superior.
"...et nunc, et semper...," Vincent continued, the sound of bullets ricocheting here and there in the background of his thoughts, "....et in saecula saeculorum..," the prayer went on..., "....Amen," and then Vincent's eyes opened with a look of stern intent. He slowly brought his rosary to his lips, kissing it gently and then slipped it into the pocket of his combat vest. With eyes still looking forward, Vincent bent down and picked up his M249 SAW then stood again.
"And the show begins. Pay attention rookie and watch a man with a talent go to work," the CO said, smiling broadly, the other squad members all shouting and yelling at Vincent with broad smiles on their faces as well.
Vincent stepped out from behind the building he had been using as cover, raising his weapon to a firing position. He walked out into the open calmly, waiting for the first shot to be fired to help guide him to his enemy. It came quickly, two shots, each to where his heart was. Vincent smiled as his natural meta ability absorbed the kinetic energy from the bullets. He had his mark now and it was time to repay them for their kindness. He pulled the trigger on the M249, holding it with both hands to help steady his aim. The recoil from the big gun only fed Vincent more and more energy. He was using a four-and-one mix which meant every fifth shot was a tracer round to help guide his aim. The fire from the SAW tore through a store front down the street, shattering glass and stone in its deadly wake. The M249 was a very impressive weapon which was designed to do nothing more than destroy everything it was pointed at, much like Vincent.
More shots began to ring out as screams died under the sound of the M249. The sniper was down, no doubt there and now the rest of the insurgents had come out to play. Automatic gunfire ripped into Vincent, each shot only giving him more and more strength and endurance. He swung his weapon in a slow strafing pattern, laying down much needed covering fire. The team behind him quickly went to work, moving out toward the targeted building. Vincent was the distraction, the bait in this so called trap. While he drew the majority of gunfire and attention, the rest of his squad could enter the targeted building and liberate the hostages...alive. It was a routine mission for Vincent and his squad, but each and every time was just like the first time. You couldn't get lazy in these situations, you had to remain sharp and Vincent knew that better than anyone.
Moving slowly as a simple word spoken over the radio piece he wore in his left ear, Vincent pushed further into the fray of gunfire and insurgents. He continued to lay down a wave of death with the SAW, bodies and all manner of debris falling everywhere in front of him. Vincent's look never changed, he was like a man possessed. He showed no joy or remorse, just a stern emotionless look. Vincent took no delight in taking lives, but he didn't feel any remorse for these souls. These men here had made their choice to use their talents for evil and Vincent was using his to punish them for choosing the wrong path.
Finally, the M249 ran out of ammunition. Vincent tossed the weapon aside as it was useless now. He had a small firearm as his backup weapon, but he rarely fired it in combat. Vincent had all the firepower he needed in himself. He was the wrecking ball of his unit and filled the shoes well. All large caliber weaponry always went to Vincent, as did explosives. He could pull the pen on a grenade and drop it at his feet without fear, but this time, he was intent on using his bare hands. Unarmed combat was something he more than excelled at, as these poor slobs were about to find out. Gunfire was dying down, but there still plenty of guys out here to occupy. Vincent hadn't received word yet over the radio that the hostages were clear and free, so he would stand here and continue with his part of the plan. He felt gunfire from behind him. These guys at least had enough sense to try and flank him, too bad it wouldn't work.
Vincent grabbed a street sign next to him, twisting it free from the ground. Bits of concrete and dirt hung from one end of the sign and its support pole. Vincent turned and threw the sing, pole and all, sending it spinning toward his target. The sign hit the man, nearly splitting him clean in half at the waist. The man fell to the ground dead, just in time for Vincent to grab another man who had been hiding behind a shop door on the street. Vincent held the man by the throat, lifting him kicking and screaming into the air. Vincent slammed the man against the wall, feeling the man's neck snap when he did so. Taking two sidesteps, Vincent stepped out into the street, and flung the body out into the open as a sign and warning.
The signal Vincent had been waiting for sparked over the radio, another one word command from the CO. Vincent gave a quick look around, seeing more men heading out into the street from the shops and back alley streets. He could do this all day, but that wasn't part of the mission. It was time to pull back and so, with reluctance, Vincent did just that. He pulled four grenades from his belt, pulling the pin on all of them and lobbing them up the street in front of him. Just a bit of cover as he retreated back to the designated pick up point.
With an increase in his strength, Vincent was able to increase his running speed. It wasn't anything on par with those who possessed super speed, but it was fast enough to get him where he wanted. Within minutes, Vincent was clear of the city, gun fire still ringing out in the streets, as some still tried to hit him even at this distance. Stopping, breathing heavily, Vincent looked around and then smiled as a transport jeep headed his way.
A small middle eastern town with a name too long to remember served as the current theater of operations for Vincent Romanov and his Ranger unit. They were here to put an end to a hostage crisis where several American civilian contractors had been held for three days. Rangers excelled at this sort of thing, it was their job and they were the best. Vincent might have had a large leg up on many of the other men in his unit, but that didn't mean it had been easy getting here. Ranger school was the toughest training any man or woman could face, meta or not. Sure, Vincent had the stamina to get through the challenges, but not all of them had been physical. He had been pushed harder than the others because of his ability in fact, more often than not, having unrealistic restrictions and time limits put on his trials. He hadn't complained, not aloud anyway, because it was part of the training and he was going to be the best, because he was the best. Academics were never his thing, neither was holding down some minor little job swinging a hammer. Vincent was meant for war, always had been and he would always be there to prove it.
Now, years later, here he was, ready to prove he was the son of war. He stood with his back against an old building, his CO and other squad mates hunkered down behind an over turned car, pinned down by a sniper.
"Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto...," he whispered as a rosary swung from his hand.
"What's he waiting for?," one of the new team members asked of the CO, coiled up tightly as bullets continued to pepper the car and ground around them.
"Sicut erat in principio...," Vincent continued, his eyes closed and his breathing calm.
The CO just smiled as the other team members chuckled lightly. "Romanov's waiting for the right moment," the CO said, giving a glance to the rookie who know scowled as he assumed he was being made fun of. "Look sir, we gotta do something before....," the rookie barked before being cut off by a sharp glance from his superior.
"...et nunc, et semper...," Vincent continued, the sound of bullets ricocheting here and there in the background of his thoughts, "....et in saecula saeculorum..," the prayer went on..., "....Amen," and then Vincent's eyes opened with a look of stern intent. He slowly brought his rosary to his lips, kissing it gently and then slipped it into the pocket of his combat vest. With eyes still looking forward, Vincent bent down and picked up his M249 SAW then stood again.
"And the show begins. Pay attention rookie and watch a man with a talent go to work," the CO said, smiling broadly, the other squad members all shouting and yelling at Vincent with broad smiles on their faces as well.
Vincent stepped out from behind the building he had been using as cover, raising his weapon to a firing position. He walked out into the open calmly, waiting for the first shot to be fired to help guide him to his enemy. It came quickly, two shots, each to where his heart was. Vincent smiled as his natural meta ability absorbed the kinetic energy from the bullets. He had his mark now and it was time to repay them for their kindness. He pulled the trigger on the M249, holding it with both hands to help steady his aim. The recoil from the big gun only fed Vincent more and more energy. He was using a four-and-one mix which meant every fifth shot was a tracer round to help guide his aim. The fire from the SAW tore through a store front down the street, shattering glass and stone in its deadly wake. The M249 was a very impressive weapon which was designed to do nothing more than destroy everything it was pointed at, much like Vincent.
More shots began to ring out as screams died under the sound of the M249. The sniper was down, no doubt there and now the rest of the insurgents had come out to play. Automatic gunfire ripped into Vincent, each shot only giving him more and more strength and endurance. He swung his weapon in a slow strafing pattern, laying down much needed covering fire. The team behind him quickly went to work, moving out toward the targeted building. Vincent was the distraction, the bait in this so called trap. While he drew the majority of gunfire and attention, the rest of his squad could enter the targeted building and liberate the hostages...alive. It was a routine mission for Vincent and his squad, but each and every time was just like the first time. You couldn't get lazy in these situations, you had to remain sharp and Vincent knew that better than anyone.
Moving slowly as a simple word spoken over the radio piece he wore in his left ear, Vincent pushed further into the fray of gunfire and insurgents. He continued to lay down a wave of death with the SAW, bodies and all manner of debris falling everywhere in front of him. Vincent's look never changed, he was like a man possessed. He showed no joy or remorse, just a stern emotionless look. Vincent took no delight in taking lives, but he didn't feel any remorse for these souls. These men here had made their choice to use their talents for evil and Vincent was using his to punish them for choosing the wrong path.
Finally, the M249 ran out of ammunition. Vincent tossed the weapon aside as it was useless now. He had a small firearm as his backup weapon, but he rarely fired it in combat. Vincent had all the firepower he needed in himself. He was the wrecking ball of his unit and filled the shoes well. All large caliber weaponry always went to Vincent, as did explosives. He could pull the pen on a grenade and drop it at his feet without fear, but this time, he was intent on using his bare hands. Unarmed combat was something he more than excelled at, as these poor slobs were about to find out. Gunfire was dying down, but there still plenty of guys out here to occupy. Vincent hadn't received word yet over the radio that the hostages were clear and free, so he would stand here and continue with his part of the plan. He felt gunfire from behind him. These guys at least had enough sense to try and flank him, too bad it wouldn't work.
Vincent grabbed a street sign next to him, twisting it free from the ground. Bits of concrete and dirt hung from one end of the sign and its support pole. Vincent turned and threw the sing, pole and all, sending it spinning toward his target. The sign hit the man, nearly splitting him clean in half at the waist. The man fell to the ground dead, just in time for Vincent to grab another man who had been hiding behind a shop door on the street. Vincent held the man by the throat, lifting him kicking and screaming into the air. Vincent slammed the man against the wall, feeling the man's neck snap when he did so. Taking two sidesteps, Vincent stepped out into the street, and flung the body out into the open as a sign and warning.
The signal Vincent had been waiting for sparked over the radio, another one word command from the CO. Vincent gave a quick look around, seeing more men heading out into the street from the shops and back alley streets. He could do this all day, but that wasn't part of the mission. It was time to pull back and so, with reluctance, Vincent did just that. He pulled four grenades from his belt, pulling the pin on all of them and lobbing them up the street in front of him. Just a bit of cover as he retreated back to the designated pick up point.
With an increase in his strength, Vincent was able to increase his running speed. It wasn't anything on par with those who possessed super speed, but it was fast enough to get him where he wanted. Within minutes, Vincent was clear of the city, gun fire still ringing out in the streets, as some still tried to hit him even at this distance. Stopping, breathing heavily, Vincent looked around and then smiled as a transport jeep headed his way.
