TF Amethyst

TFA2 10.3 – Another Incoming

Before joining TF Amethyst, Sgt. Finneli was a squad leader in the US Army 18th Infantry Division. He served six combat tours, almost got blown up by IED twice, and three times he was sent to ER by enemy’s fire

Initially, Sergeant Finneli wanted to join Ground Combat Group. However, he canceled it after he learnt that Logistic and Support Group had empty slots for heavy vehicles mechanics. A job that matched his passion. Moreover, the Logistic and Support Group offered a preparation program for former US military personnel.

Without hesitation, Sgt. Finneli applied for the slot. And now, he casually sat on his bed, reading his favorite mystery novel while eight mechanics who shared sleeping quarters with him were fast asleep on their beds. 

Lately, due to so many deployments, mechanics and other personnel in the Logistic and Support Group have had to follow a strict and tight maintenance schedule. Therefore, most of them would directly go to sleep after finishing their daily quota.

Then, Sgt. Finneli suddenly heard a long series of assault rifles' outbursts. It came from the direction of the guard post. Wasting no time, he grabbed his NVG and approached the window.  

‘Jesus H. Christ!’ 

Sgt. Finneli gasped as hundreds of people, armed with shorts word and double-curved bows entered the complex. They ran with steady steps, passing four MP's personnel who were lying motionlessly on the ground next to the guard post. 

Wasting no time, Sgt. Finneli alarmed his colleagues, “Wake up! We are under attack!”

At first, Sergeant Finneli’s colleagues were angry. But in an instant, their eyes widened as they heard that they were under attack.

“That’s fast?”

“How the fuck does the attack already arrived?”

This afternoon, all elements in Levsait and Raisait received a warning about the possibility of a tunnel attack. However, they did not expect that the attack would arrive a few hours later.

Without delay, two men took the initiative to warn personnel in other rooms. 

Meanwhile, Sgt. Finneli and six other mechanics made quick preparations to become the first responders. Fortunately, a little similar to the US Army, TF Amethyst also adopted a policy that in forward base, all personnel were permitted to carry individual weapons and equipment to their workplace or their personal quarter. Armory was basically used only to store ammunition and provide regular maintenance. 

Such policy was adopted as experience showed that in forward base, versus contact could occur without prior warning at any second. Also, the individual weapons and equipment for supporting personnel were not much different from the ones being issued to combat units.

Without taking off their pajamas, Sergeant Finneli and his colleagues wore their tactical vests. Then, they grabbed their carbine, sidearm, extra magazines, grenades, ammo can, combat knife, NVG, radio, and medic bag.

 

Fortunately, after the warning about the tunnel attack, Sergeant Finneli and his colleagues took the time to take additional ammunition from the armory. And so, as long as they used it wisely, they would be able to hold their position for a while.

A moment later, Sergeant Finneli led his colleagues to secure the only access to the barracks on the first floor. Fortunately, when they arrived on the first floor, the entry door was still tightly closed.

As he looked at the two-meter-wide and eight-meter-long corridor before him, Sgt. Finneli said, “This tunnel is a good choke point. Let's hold them here."

“““Roger.””” 

Hearing his colleagues gave him a reply with a slightly tense and nervous voice, Sergeant Finneli immediately added, “Trust me, be cautious but don’t try to avoid death using the easy way. The result will be more painful.”

Sergeant Finneli’s colleagues didn’t reply, but they nodded in unison. The firing order and positions were then distributed. A moment later, they heard a series of footsteps rapidly approaching the entry door.

“Here they come. Be ready!” Sergeant Finneli said as he shifted the selective-lever on his carbine from safety to semi-auto.

A moment later, a loud ‘Bang!’ was repeatedly heard as the attacker rammed the entry door. It was made only of a wooden plank with a simple electric lock, so it collapsed easily.

Dozens of people in black suits immediately flooded the corridor. They walked confidently with a short sword in their hands. Then, they saw four men at the end of the corridor, two on the left and another pair on the right. Two stood while the other two kneeled. All of them hold a short and weirdly-shaped black stick.

After one glance, the leader of the swordsmen immediately recognized the short stick. It was dangerous weapon called assault rifle. Wasting no time, the leader of the swordsmen pointed his short sword towards the mechanics.

“Attack!! Kill th---”

Bang! Bang! Bang! Ba-ba-babababannnngg!!!

Unfortunately, there was a distance that had to be closed by the swordsmen, while the mechanics only needed to pull the trigger. Intense and well-placed fire hit the swordsmen in the corridor. In an instant, the leading swordsmen collapsed to the floor with bodies full of fresh holes, followed by swordsmen behind them and so on.

Some swordsmen tried to hide behind the reception table, but it was made of wood. So their efforts were in vain. Out of the 24 swordsmen who entered the corridor, only two managed to come out alive. The rest were killed or fatally wounded.

Seeing their comrades being slaughtered, some bowmen tried to retaliate. However, to fire an arrow they had to fully expose their bodies. As a consequence, they became an easy target for the mechanics. All bowmen who tried to fire an arrow into the corridor instantly got nailed, without having a chance to fire a single arrow.

Even though the mechanics' marksmanship was not as good as regular infantry as they only had shooting practice once a week, at a distance of 20 meters they would not miss. They swiftly eliminated every target that entered their line of sight.

When a mechanic had to change magazines, he would step back, and other mechanics in standby would take his place. In short, Sergeant Finneli and his colleagues managed to kick out the uninvited guest with continuous fire.

Not long after that, some personnel in the barrack joined in with Sgt. Finneli and his colleagues. Wasting no time, they made a barricade to block the entry door.

---

Lt. Colonel Harold's heart skipped a beat when he heard that a hostile element had entered the Logistic and Support Area. Fortunately, this was not the first time he had such a scenario. So he recovered from the shock almost in an instant.

Moreover, among the Logistics and Support Group's personnel there were many who were ex-combatants. Also, Lt. Colonel Harold could take a breath of relief as Sgt. Finneli and some mechanics had taken the initiative to secure the entry door to the barrack.

Wasting no time, Lt. Colonel Harold gathered officers and other personnel. While they organized a defensive measure and sent distress calls to Command Center, continuous gunshots were heard from the first floor. It was a sign that versus contact had occurred. Fortunately, Sergeant Finneli and his colleagues managed to repel the uninvited guest. 

Wasting no time Lt. Colonel Harold ordered some mechanics to turn the light off. Then, he gave the shooters who took positions in the window and rooftop a green light to engage the opposing force. Some shooters were injured by opposing arrows, but overall they won the skirmish.

Logistic and Support Group's personnel indeed only had average marksmanship. However, compared to the bowmen, they were superior in rate of fire and effective range. Moreover, after they saw some of the uninvited guests in the distance laughing while putting the severed heads of Logistic and Support's personnel they killed into a row of spikes, the shooters immediately opened fire as if there were no tomorrow. And so, in an instant the uninvited guests were running in all directions looking for cover.

After the situation calmed down a little, by using his NVG, Lt. Colonel Harold observed a corner, where a black-suited man slightly poked his head from behind a wall. 

"Kinkaid, can we flank their position and ambush them?” Lt. Colonel Harold curiously asked.

Master Armorer Kinkaid immediately replied, “It’s too risky, Sir. We are not a combat-oriented unit and we don’t know their exact number. This group could be just their scout."

"So, we will only hold up here."

“Yes, we do.” Master Armorer Kinkaid paused for a moment before continuing, "Not all personnel in this barrack took extra ammo after receiving the warning this afternoon. Some even leave their weapons and equipment at their workplace."

“I see.” 

Lt. Colonel Harold then looked at the long and neat row of spikes near the guard post. Some spikes had been decorated with severed heads of the kitchen's personnel, and not far away from them were piles of fresh and severed heads of other personnel.

“Is there any survivor who responded to our call?”

“No, Sir. I’m afraid our guest had already hunted and killed every personnel outside this barracks."

“Are you sure?”

“Sir, I did the head count three times. They even kill the serving girls and other civilian workers from Tuscan Region.”

“Damn! What a savage.” 

This was the first time Lt. Colonel Harold lost so many subordinates in a single versus contact. Moreover, the body of his fallen subordinate received inhuman treatment. Unfortunately, it was not the worst part.

Slowly and carefully, thousands of silhouettes entered the complex and regrouped with the men in black suits, who took cover behind various buildings around the barrack. A moment later, one of the shooters on the rooftop radioed Lt. Colonel Harold.

[Watchout 0-1 to Second Floor, do you copy?]

“I read you loud and clear Watchout 0-1, go ahead.”

[Sir… We have another incoming.]

Hearing the shooter reported with a slightly trembling voice, a bad feeling immediately filled Lt. Colonel Harold's heart. “Sergeant, what kind of hostile and how big?"

[Bowmen and swordsmen, a few thousand at least, Sir]

‘Fuck me!’ muttered Lt. Colonel Harold as he turned his gaze to Master Armorer Kinkaid, "Send an update to Command Center, the opposing main unit have just arrived."

 

*****