Ramirez popped orange smoke into the center of the roof, and the first Blackhawk thundered down, sucking the smoke into the updraft. It hovered over the roof and the crew chief hopped out and started hustling the civilians onto the bird. The last one in, a tough looking bastard with a crooked leg and scars on his face, looked around to make sure his group was all in, then hopped on himself, riding the edge like he had done it before.
The second helo dropped down onto the roof as the first circled around, firing into the horde. First squad piled into the open doors then turned and kept firing at the zombies that burst through the doorway of the stairs. Second squad fell back from the roof top to board the other side of the helo.
Boudreaux reached over and grabbed Specialist Schride by the carry strap on his body armor as he tried to clamber onto the UH-60. Rotting arms grabbed at him, and he howled in pain as jagged, rotten teeth tore through his leg. “Let me go you stupid fuck!” he yelled at Boudreaux and threw his weight back against the strap, breaking it free from Boudreaux’s grasp. The helo rose above Schride as he fell to the roof, and started swinging his rifle at the Zs clutching at him.
Ramirez grabbed the gunner and yelled in his ear, pointing at the roof as they spiraled away. The gunner nodded and opened up with a long burst of fire that shredded Schride as he stood.
When they touched down at FOB Castle twenty minutes later, a medical team had already moved the refugees off the landing pad. Ramirez jumped out of the helo, and walked across the pad, then slammed his helmet on the ground, screaming curses in Spanish. Johnson grounded her gear and slumped off towards the tents.
Corporal Snow, First Fire Team Leader, lit a cigarette and put it in Boudreaux ‘s shaking hands. “Welcome to the Wild Wild East, noob. You did OK. Not great, but OK. You’ll get better, but it’s gonna get worse.”
Copyright
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All work copyrighted 2013 Think On Productions and contributing authors.