Prologue
Lt. Joe Rovang, callsign Rovang, rotated his radio four clicks and adjusted his power slightly, locking his F/A-18 Hornet in behind the starboard wing of the lead bomber. He listened for the flight lead to check in with Red Crown, code name for the USS Vengeance, the guided- missile cruiser somewhere to the north of them. Red Crown controlled all flights going in and out of AngelGrove, maintaining a fixed position off the abandoned warehouse district. With her surface to air missiles, and a captain itching to use them, she maintained constant vigilance over any aircraft the Angelgrovians launched as well.
Rovang felt tense as the two F/A-18's descended below the last cloud layer into clear air below. His muscles ached from being cooped up in the cramped cockpit for nearly two hours. His four plane flight had bombed a petroleum site east of Stone Canyon, and whatever had caused two of their flights to discontinue their approach to the carrier had to be important.
The pilot of the lead aircraft, Lt. Robert Calhoun, callsign Kastigir squeezed his mike button. "Red Crown, this is Strike Leader two seven with three one, squawking ident, and three one is taking the lead, over"
Rovang rocked forward in his ejection seat, then sat up straight. The sudden appointment to flight leader caught him by surprise and his neck tensed again. Though leader of the flight, he didn't know where they were going, why they were going there. He realized Kastigir was offering him the opportunity for some experience, but it seemed strange not to be following other aircraft into combat. As Kastigir maneuvered his aircraft aft to assume wing, Rovang could see the other pilot grinning at him.
AmandaB, the chief controller on the cruiser jotted down the lead change then called "Three one, this is Red Crown. Your vector is two eight four and target area sixty-four miles. An air force F-4 recon flown by Lt. Ray Calderon, callsign Zyuray went down thirty-five minutes ago trying to nurse his bird out over the water. An SH-3A Helicopter from the Ranger is talking to the back seater. Remain the frequency and contact Loosefoot five one. Call when feet dry. Over"
Rovang acknowledged the call, then looked back over his shoulder. He could see Kastigir flying loosely behind his starboard wing, then heard Kastigir click his mike twice. Their two plane flight had no air to air missiles or bombs on board. Only full loads of 20 millimeter, good for strafing trucks or troops. To the north were airborne fighters serving as barrier patrols against any unidentified aircraft coming out of AngelGrove, but they were armed only with air to air missiles. Flights weren't usually pulled out of their landing pattern after a bombing run and sent off on a secret mission, and Rovang guessed the situation was desperate, and that thy were the only ones available. Normally the prop driven Spads were used for escort duty with the rescue helicopters. Rovang stopped trying to figure it out and gazed at the coastline coming up. They were flying into the setting sun, making it hard to see. If they didn't locate the crew soon, it would be dark and the downed pilots would have to spend the night on the ground.
Rovang expected to see antiaircraft fire as they crossed the beach, but only silence enveloped the two aircraft as they flew westward. They were well south of the point where they had crossed the inland earlier and had been fired upon. Here the land was flatter, mostly farms, fields, and small houses with no significant military targets that he knew of. He hesitated for a moment, then squeezed the mike button "Loosefoot five one, this is Blackbeard three one, over" Rovang waited for a answer, heard nothing, then tried again.
There was a long pause before the helicopter pilot answered. "Three one, this is Loosefoot five one, I'm picking up one of the pilots now. Key on my tone." The busy helicopter pilot transmitted, holding down his mike button while he held the 19,000-pound Sikorsky helicopter in a stable hover.
Rovang selected the UHF homer position, and watched the needle swing to the left of his nose, pointing in the direction of the helicopter. "Got it, what's your situation?"
"So far no opposition-picking one up now, but haven't heard from the other pilot." The helicopter was hovering eighty feet above a large patch of jungle surrounded by tall grass fields. The brush was dense and some of the tree tops soared why above the helicopter, making it really hard to spot anyone on the ground. The down blasts from the giant rotors were bending the tops of the nearby tree's, breaking branches, and sending them through the air. The pilot Lt. Timo fixed his eyes on a nearby tree to hold his position while his rear crewman, Tre2 and Anycool operated the hydraulic rescue hoist. The third class sonarman, ZeoBrent, was slowly reeling in the steel cable attached to a "jungle penetrator," a device designed to crash through dense foliage and provide a downed pilot a ride up.
"How much longer?" Lt. Timo called out over the intercom system. He gripped the cyclic stick firmly, making almost invisible movements to keep the old twin engine helicopter motionless. He was nervous, sweat dripping off his chin, and he wanted to wipe his eyebrows in the worst way. This was his first rescue mission into AngelGrove, and Lt. Timo had been elected to cross inland without any fixed wing air cover because of the urgency of the mission.
His Co-pilot, Derik, was just as nervous. Rapidly shifting his eyes from the instrument panel, to the jungle floor, valiantly searching for any troops, or people who might have followed the downed pilot to the rescue zone.
"He's almost in the hatch--coming up--okay---we got him!" Anycool yelled into the intercom. "Now lets get the hell out of here!" replied ZeoBrent"
"Red Crown, this is Loosefoot five one, radioed Lt. Timo, we have picked up the pilot, and are ready to resume... HOLY SHIT!!... mayday, mayday, we are under fire from heavy ground fire, requesting air support immediately!"
"Loosefoot five one, this is Red Crown, we have two Hornets inbound to your sector, they'll be there in about 5 minutes."
"Blackbeard three one, this is Red Crown, Rescue helicopter is under heavy fire, fly in and strafe the ground, and get that chopper out of there"
"Did ya hear that Kastigir, its time to have some fun" called out Rovang as he kicked the plane into afterburner. "Time to rock and roll" replied Kastigir as both their planes broke the sound barrier, and raced to help the lone helicopter.
Lt. Timo frantically tried to raise the helicopter out of the tree's without hitting the rotors against them. Suddenly, the helicopter shook with a violent jerk, as the tail rotor was hit by a mortar and begun to spin uncontrollably to the ground. "Red Crown, this is Loosefoot five one, we are going down, radioed Derik, I repeat, we are going.........."
"Loosefoot five one, this is Red Crown, please respond over..... I say again, Loosefoot five one, this is Red Crown, please respond over" "Blackbeard three one, this is Red Crown, we have a helicopter down, area is under heavy antiaircraft fire, return to base, I repeat, return to base"
Rovang acknowledged the orders with silence as he regrettably turned his plane around and returned to home, silently thinking, "Another time, we won't leave you in there, we'll get you out"
************************************
"What the hell is going on out there!!" yelled Vice Admiral Rap. Everyone around the executive table jumped at the sudden outburst from the Vice Admiral. "Captain Kristen, I want to know right now, why you had those planes recalled when you should have had them strafe the hell out of that jungle" "Well sir, as you know, we lost a helicopter down in that jungle, I didn't want to take the risk of killing our own men" replied Capt. Kristen Fallon. "Don't you take that snappy attitude with me Captain, or you'll be in the brig for the rest of your life!" snapped the Admiral. "Now, we have located where the enemy has taken our prisoners. Now, sadly, Two of the crew members have already been executed. This is the Angelgrovians way of telling us to get out of there territory. The crew members have been identified as Anycool, and the co-pilot, Derik. Now, thanks to Satellite intelligence, we have located the rest of the captured pilots. They are being kept in the old abandoned AngelGrove Highschool. Now, since we are low on manpower, does anyone here have any suggestions on what to do?" "Sir, replied Admiral Rewop, I can contact Major EverClear, and have her contact General Wyndy, and I can get the three best Rangers from her battalion sent out here." "Do it" replied the Vice Admiral.
************************************
Within 6 Hours, The three Rangers, known only by there codenames, as WhiteTiger, Salinger, and FireStryker, stood before the executive board. "Vice Admiral, I'd like to present, the best Rangers in the whole entire United States Army. WhiteTiger, his area is Combat Tactics. Salinger, his specialty is Explosives, and FireStryker, his Specialty is Advanced Weapons" "Thank you Admiral Rewop replied Vice Admiral Rap, now gentleman, you all know the events that have transpired, and what we are asking you to do. I am asking you, for the behalf of the United States, and those airmen, to bring them home" without even blinking, WhiteTiger cooly responds "When do we go in?"
"I'm glad to hear you are up for the job gentleman, there are a few things to be made aware of. There is only one way into AngelGrove. You will need to take the tunnel system, and come out underwater in the middle of AngelGrove park. We have captured a small outer village outside of Stone Canyon. You will need to sneak into Stone Canyon, and use the tunnel systems there, to reach AngelGrove Park. From there, the building where the hostages are being kept, is only 2 miles away. Once you have secured your way into the building, you are to knock out the security, and then find, and release the hostages. Unfortunately, the tunnel system, operates on a water flow process, so it is impossible to escape through the tunnels. Once the hostages are freed, you will be on your own, and will have to find your own way out of that hell. I cannot say to you, how much the success of this mission is depending on the two of you. Good luck Gentleman"
************************************
24 hours later, three men, dressed in black gear, each armed with a homing device, a standard silenced 9mm, a MP5, and a knife. Salinger, carried along with his standard load, a couple pounds of C4 high plastic explosive, 3 detonators, 7 grenades, and a small LAW Rocket. "Ok, lets set the time at 0200, on my mark... Mark" whispered FireStryker. Each knew, that they had a certain amount of time to get in, and get out, before the sun would rise, and compromise their mission. Slowly, the team advanced on the small house, on the outskirts of Stone Canyon, professionally taking out the armed guards by slitting their throats. Slowly, and quietly, the team found its ways through the house, and made its way to the tunnel entrance. "Ok Sal, do your best" remarked WhiteTiger as he stared at the lock on the tunnel gate. Salinger put a small amount on the lock, and placed a detonator cap on it, and gleefully chuckled as he blew the lock off. "Man I love doing that"
The team moved through the tunnels, navigating slowly, using a map that they had taken off of one of the dead guards. Moving easily, the team reaches the water flow. "I always like a good swim before a fight" remarked FireStryker as he dove into the water and began swimming towards the opening in the lake. Emerging out of the water, the three men surveyed there surroundings, and started off towards the old school. A hour later, the team reaches the perimeter fence. "Ok, now we get to have fun, my way" remarked WhiteTiger as he walks up to the two guards, and dispatches them before they could even make a sound. "Man, I hate it when we don't have any decent soldiers to go up against"
"Show off" calls out Salinger as the other team members run move up behind tiger, and slowly work there way into the compound. "I don't like this remarked FireStryker, its too easy, there is nobody around, it must be a trap" "Don't be so paranoid replied Salinger as a bullet rips through his upper arm, sending his machine gun flying through the air. Ahhhhhhh" screams out Salinger as he drops to the floor. "Sal, are you alright" calls out WhiteTiger. "Yeah, go and get the hostages, I'll cover you..... its time for a little boom boom!" FireStryker and WhiteTiger quickly run up the hall, as Salinger begins throwing his grenades down the hall towards the encamped enemies. "That son of a bitch better make it, or I'll kill him" whispered WhiteTiger. Making their way through the maze of corridors and doorways, The two team members quickly duck into a room, as four members of the AngelGrove Militia walk past, talking about what to do with the hostages. "Oh my god, it can't be remarked WhiteTiger, it just cant be" "what are you talking about man, make some sense" retorted FireStryker. "I could have sworn that one voice we heard was a old enemy of mine, someone who supposedly died 4 years ago" WhiteTiger replied as he shook the memory out of his head. Sneaking up behind the four people, WhiteTiger and FireStryker expertly cut the throats of the two men walking behind the two officers. "Ok, into the room" orders FireStryker. "Ahh, General Sasheer and General Jovette, I should have known this whole ordeal was your doing." "You weaklings cried out General Sasheer, you actually think you'll be able to escape??" Clumsily, General Jovette tries to draw her gun, and is gunned down by WhiteTiger, but in the array of gunfire, General Sasheer draws her own pistol, and aims at WhiteTiger and pulls the trigger. Acting on Instinct, FireStryker jumps up and knocks Tiger down, crying out as the bullet enters his forearm. Then, twisting around, smoothly puts a bullet right in the center of General Sasheer's forehead. "Man, get off me, you weight a flipping ton" Cries out Tiger and he pushes FireStryker off of him. "C'mon, we need to get those hostages"
Making there way down, they find a door, barred by a energy shield, "damn, we need a key card." WhiteTiger runs back to the room, and takes the keycard off of the General's dead body, and activates the door release. With a hum, the shield deactivates, and the door hisses open, revealing the hostages. "Hey, we're the United States Rangers, we're here to take you home" called out WhiteTiger. "Home?" calls out ZeoBrent..."we're going home?" "That"s right man, its time to go home" replies FireStryker as he grabs ZeoBrent by the arm and helps him stagger through the doorway.
"Um, any of you know the best way out of here be chance?" asks WhiteTiger. The badly beaten Zyuray, being carried by WhiteTiger replies "yeah..... when they would take me to the interrogation room, we would pass by a room with vehicles in it" "ok, then tell me the way" remarks WhiteTiger. "Hey Guys, wait up!!!" and with a giant smile, WhiteTiger turns and see's Salinger hobbling to catch up with the team. "I figured you could still use my help" Handing Sal his machine gun, FireStryker jokingly replies " I thought you would have stayed to keep blowing things up!" "Nah, there was no one to blow up anymore" Salinger Laughingly replies. Opening the door to the Room, the team finds a small pickup truck is the only vehicle left. "Ah Man, its a hunk of shit!" cries out FireStryker. "Hey, its better that what I got at home" jokingly replies Lt. Timo "Hey, its what we got, so stop your bitching and get in" orders WhiteTiger "Fire, you take shotgun, and keep the right side clear, sal, you stay in the back, keep the hostages safe, and use what's left of your explosives to help us get the fuck outa here!" "Yes Sir!" Echoed the replies. Crashing through the outer door, the Truck is soon riddled with holes as the watch towers open fire on the vehicle. Driving quickly, WhiteTiger moves towards the are where they entered "um.... hey sal, How about using your Garage door opener on this gate!" cries out WhiteTiger "My Pleasure" screams Salinger as he launches his LAW Rocket at the gate, impacting with the gate, and exploding, taking out the gate. And into the dark night, the Team vanishes, without a trace.
************************************
The cries of joy, and happiness, from the crowds of people echo throughout the airport, as the hostages are returned to there families, and the three brave men, who return, know, that the cheers are not for them, for to the people, and to the public, they never existed. Only the people who were there, know what happened. And the Three men, know, that the men whose lives they saved, just the look in their eyes, and the eyes of their relatives, and loved ones, as they saw each other again, was thanks enough.