A War Before a War 3: Hell's Highway

0130 Hours, December 2nd, 2015, United American Republic Persian Military Headquarters

.Technical Official Nate Malcom leaned over the bunk to upchuck his prior meal, while the intercom woke up the other soldiers of their deep dreams. One rubbed his clouded eyes and it threw a glance to the clock on the wall upon next to his bunk. The soldiers had slept three hours - the last time they had slept was thirty-six hours ago. Worse, this was the first time since the bombardment had begun that the troops had been able to sleep.

"Jesus", Nate murmured, "This had better be good." All technicians had been put into three different areas after the First Bombardment back in 2010, when the base had been hit by a shatter missile from the Rash'eed and was a disaster after the battle. It was that engineering crews capacity worked to its Maximum to maintain to the command center. Near a third of the personnel of technicians it had died during the Bombardment of 2010, and each department was now guarded by the 94th Mechanized Infantry and Special War-borne . All the others, of course - the nonessential personnel always had personal bedrooms to themselves. In more than two hundred skirmishes, Nate had accumulated a little less sleep and two hours in raise-storage.

But just now, he was exhausted so… Of course, it was difficult to complain; General Brian was a maniacal strategist - and all under his command knew that he himself had witnessed the first strike under which many men lost their lives and the first base had been wrecked beyond repair. An important destroyed base, and dead million or dying while the Rash'eed incinerated the nearby villages for supporting the strike. In the end, they had had the condemned luck to escape.....

Mav could do nothing, but she felt that the center was a living nightmare. The intercom buzzed again, and Mav plunged herself out of the bunk and took the control of the intercom. - "General?" She grunted. Brian came through the static "Mav-v.....initiate.....R-Red Status Immediately!" The General sounded exhausted. "It is important." "For the whole base?" Mav retorted, perplexed. "Which is the emergency, Sir?" Mav came throught the intercom "Did I not make my self damn clear soldier?!? Or do I have to repeat what I said into your ears that are full of crud?!?!?.Brian screamed at the microphone waiting for a response "I cannot date specifications, Sir." Mav came in clear as crystal "The Captain wants to maintain COM and initialize Delta Squad only."
Brian, his voice answered almost a whisper, "Only in case that we have to, but intialize Red Status."

Mav made a face to the tone of voice of her superior. She knew Brian from Fort Bragg back in the Republic she had never heard the man sound so violent. "Mav"said Brian "I need somebody that I can depend on." Mav sighed. "Yes, sir right away". "I am sending a report to your terminal, Mav". Brian switched off the intercom as he left.


>FILE ANGRIFF TORMENTA M1/SOLO/OPERATOR/STORM/CALLSIGN:ALPHA-194. >DESCRIPTION KEY>>[SYSTEM READY TO MOBILIZE]

Storm watched the return of 10 F-35 lightnings touched down, as he reached towards the photo of his wife. He had not seen Rose in almost three years from the last time the UAR had been bombed by Rash'eed radicals, as all woman and children were moved to defense installations.He had spoken to her several times though. The war simply did not allow them to see one another. The frown on Storm's face deepened itself. The personnel of the F-35's avoided to speak around him and gave stares. They were Marines, probably wondering why he was clothed in Desert BDU while others were clad in MARPAT and ACU. The war had badly marched on from 2003, in time that the moral was in favor of abandoning the campaign.

The fact that an UAR Defense Employee who would occasionally ring in, and customized the codification security was irritating enough; remembering Rose somewhat eased the constant pain. The first time they met back in 2008. Somebody was being too concerned on the security to the point of the paranoia.

One marine obviously arrogant strutted in a lousy manner toward Storm. "Hey, you some sort of 'big shot'?" he blurted out. The marines in the group followed, save a woman who stayed behind but watched warily.
Storm quickly pressed the image of Rose against his thigh, trying to pass it into his pocket. One marine pilot grabbed the photo and glared into Storms visor. "This your stuff?" Storm looked down about 2 inches to meet the pilot face-to-face. The marine laughed "Aw...The Army boy can't--- guh!" Storm grabbed the man by his uniform and tossed him into another marine.

The picture of Rose fluttering in mid-air, Storm ripped it from its place and quickly placed it in his pocket. Another marine threw a punch. Catching him by the arm, Storm continued the punch off to the side causing the once boastful marine to crash head first into a canister of used jet fuel. The two marines left standing threw punches in Storm's direction one hit his breastplate causing one to drop in pain. Expecting another punch, he quickly readied himself. Instead the marine slammed the back of his shin causing Storm to fall to the floor.

Two MPs, rifles readied aimed at both the Marine and the soldier in armor. Storm threw a quick punch and grabbed his M16A4 from his back aiming at the MPs. Then dropped the weapon. Noticing that this was the soldier they escorted earlier the MPs allowed Storm to gather his weapon.


0227 Hours, December 2nd, 2015, United America Republic [Entry to Rash'eed Cave]

The makeshift base shook while its roofing shield took a direct hit. About 245 miles away from the command center this sand trench had taken a beating by Rash'eed forces in since 2006 and it was a miracle that the UAR continued to hold, staying intact. Sergeant Emmanuel with the 94th Mechanized Infantry were sent in to cover marines that were pinned down by Rash'eed fire from atop the mountain and nearby hills. "State!" barked Sgt. Emmanuel. " A soldier about 12 feet down the trench replied over the bursts of fire "10 KIA and 1 WIA sir!" Another gun position appeared at the entrance of the cave, with rapid and stable fire pinned down Fire team Charlie in the southern part of the trench. The team rarely could return fire. 2 F-35's swarmed the mountain with nonstop aerial pursuit of fleeing Rash'eed.


Storm overheard the ramblings of the F-35 pilots, followed one crew of soldiers ready to be delivered to the battle. Boarding without notice from the C-130 pilot. The plane left the strip and entered close to 20,000 feet. Twenty minutes, and the Rash'eed patrols already had found them and begun to blaze the underside of the plane. Reaching approximately 150 feet above the battle, Storm snapped the holding pins from the side door. Finally catching the Pilots attention, Storm relayed a message to the Pilot. >FILE ANGRIFF TORMENTA M1/SOLO/OPERATOR/STORM/CALLSIGN:ALPHA-194. >DESCRIPTION KEY>>DO NOT QUESTION THIS PERSON- GEN. BRIAN UAR ARMY \\

"Okay, your clear sir!" the piloted shouted as Storm launched himself out of the
C-130, one of the F-35's passing by continued to bombard enemy weapons placements.

As Storm reached 25 feet he drew his rifle and fired at a Rash'eed directly beneath him. Both sides ceased fire for the matter of minutes needed to distinguish the incoming soldier. Storm hit the ground and rolled continuing to fire, suppressing the Rash'eed that had the Marines pinned down. He radioed Sgt. Emmanuel to help the others pinned down.

The soldier came, his breathing was good, like his heart rate; both they returned to normal levels. Here it is, it thought Bailey, a Tormenta grade Armor. Not any, but perhaps the only one. Storm approached her picking the Marine up rifle in one hand her in the other and commanded her to fire

She had heard of him from fellow marines, but never she thought that she would see Storm in person. With the order to face the increasing agitation behind him Bailey fired her M4. Storm trudged back to a point the woman would be safe and set her down. He nodded, that was all she needed to finish the fight.

Storm raised the troops moral sending countless of soldiers in the trench into action lead by Emmanuel and the fire could returned. One marine moved quickly, firing into the belly of his opponent and the dark figure screamed towards him - a fierce and terrible shout.

Storm grabbed a LAW and fired into the cave..... return fire fell to dead silence.

He stood up, helping Bailey to her feet. Sergeant Emmanuel stood next to him. "Well, how's it fit?" "Not, too bad"

"But now we gotta follow 'em." Storm sighed and snapped off his armor.