Story Market Day
- Thread starter ComCamGuy
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ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
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ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Andrea knelt next to Sabine. When she came in and saw Sabine’s eyes open. She was ecstatic! She wanted to give her a big hug, but that would have been bad with her wounds. Instead, she took her head in her hands and kissed her. She knelt down next to the coffee table Sabine was still laying on. She hoped the tears she saw In Sabine’s eyes were ones of joy.
“God! You had us so worried! You will be ok now that Kara was able to help you.”
Andrea’s voice was full of positive energy and hope. Sabine tried to take heart in her optimism, but she was still in the dark about their situation. One step at a time.
Sabine reached out a hand to Andrea, resting it on Andrea’s abdomen. Andrea placed her hand over Sabine’s, knowing without words.
“The baby is fine! We will get out of this and we will be fine when we get north.”
“I believe you, but there is more.” Sabine said cautiously. She wasn’t quite sure how to say it. She lightly squeezed Andrea’s stomach.
“That night, I got a bit too involved.” Sabine brought her hand with Andrea’s over to her own belly.
Andrea looked confused for a moment, then her eyes got wide as she understood.
“Oh my god! Really?”
“Yes, really.” That took a lot of energy out of Sabine, but she had to say more.
“Andrea, don’t tell Paige. I don’t want to put more on her right now. I don’t know how she would take it, both of us pregnant and not her, especially after Henrik.”
Andrea didn’t think about that! Paige had felt all the pressure, and was the one with a husband, yet it was her and Sabine starting a family while Paige’s was ripped from her before it really ever started! She was about to say something when she heard Karen over the radio.
“We got movement out by the library!”
Moments later, Heidi came running through the room, the machine gun in her hands.
“Andrea, grab your shit! Let’s go!”
“God! You had us so worried! You will be ok now that Kara was able to help you.”
Andrea’s voice was full of positive energy and hope. Sabine tried to take heart in her optimism, but she was still in the dark about their situation. One step at a time.
Sabine reached out a hand to Andrea, resting it on Andrea’s abdomen. Andrea placed her hand over Sabine’s, knowing without words.
“The baby is fine! We will get out of this and we will be fine when we get north.”
“I believe you, but there is more.” Sabine said cautiously. She wasn’t quite sure how to say it. She lightly squeezed Andrea’s stomach.
“That night, I got a bit too involved.” Sabine brought her hand with Andrea’s over to her own belly.
Andrea looked confused for a moment, then her eyes got wide as she understood.
“Oh my god! Really?”
“Yes, really.” That took a lot of energy out of Sabine, but she had to say more.
“Andrea, don’t tell Paige. I don’t want to put more on her right now. I don’t know how she would take it, both of us pregnant and not her, especially after Henrik.”
Andrea didn’t think about that! Paige had felt all the pressure, and was the one with a husband, yet it was her and Sabine starting a family while Paige’s was ripped from her before it really ever started! She was about to say something when she heard Karen over the radio.
“We got movement out by the library!”
Moments later, Heidi came running through the room, the machine gun in her hands.
“Andrea, grab your shit! Let’s go!”
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ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Heidi and Paige were trying to plan their next step when Karen came over the radio.
“We got movement out by the library!”
Heidi jumped up.
“Paige! Get Kara and get to the other end! They might be trying to get tricky! I’ll grab Andrea as I go by!”
Heidi scooped up the MG3 as she ran down the hallway.
“We got movement out by the library!”
Heidi jumped up.
“Paige! Get Kara and get to the other end! They might be trying to get tricky! I’ll grab Andrea as I go by!”
Heidi scooped up the MG3 as she ran down the hallway.
Griz3752
Retired, practising Curmudgeon
They might be trying to get tricky!
Yeah, pretty damn hard to be sneaky if you're perforated with 7.62 and all leaky-like but, I suppose they have to try; wishing and waiting won't get the bad guys in. They're going to have to work for it.
On the other hand, perhaps the Cav is on scene; should have closed the gap, soonish.
I think this qualifies as a smallish cliff but, we knew something was going to kick off pretty quick!! There was too much impending bliss so .......
Yeah, pretty damn hard to be sneaky if you're perforated with 7.62 and all leaky-like but, I suppose they have to try; wishing and waiting won't get the bad guys in. They're going to have to work for it.
On the other hand, perhaps the Cav is on scene; should have closed the gap, soonish.
I think this qualifies as a smallish cliff but, we knew something was going to kick off pretty quick!! There was too much impending bliss so .......
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ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Bekka and Doug were moving along on goggles now, the pace reduced by the depth of field limitations and the visibility issues. Bekka wished she could go faster but this wasn’t her forest trails she had memorized with hundreds of repetitions. She was picking her lines carefully. If she wrapped them around a tree, they could help no one.
The slower pace helped Doug keep them pinpointed on the map. He was more than able to keep up now. His brain had a few brain cells left over for random stray thoughts. The topic it seemed to be coming back to again and again was Heidi.
Just before Heidi and Kara left, she caught him alone before she walked out to the Suburban. Before he knew what was going on, she had grabbed his head in both her small strong hands, pulling it down to hers and planted a strong, passionate kiss on him. Just as his mind registered the kiss, she let go and looked him in the eyes.
“I want to talk about us when we get back.”
A tight turn brought Doug’s mind back to the present. He looked over at Bekka.
“I think Heidi and I are going to try and make a go at it when we get back.”
Bekka glanced over at Doug briefly then back to the road.
“Good! It’s about damn time. I’ll tell Garen to brush up on his cardiac stuff. With Heidi’s body, you’re going to end up with a heart attack.”
In a moment of truth and candor, Doug replied without thinking.
“Maybe, but it would be a hell of a way to go!”
The slower pace helped Doug keep them pinpointed on the map. He was more than able to keep up now. His brain had a few brain cells left over for random stray thoughts. The topic it seemed to be coming back to again and again was Heidi.
Just before Heidi and Kara left, she caught him alone before she walked out to the Suburban. Before he knew what was going on, she had grabbed his head in both her small strong hands, pulling it down to hers and planted a strong, passionate kiss on him. Just as his mind registered the kiss, she let go and looked him in the eyes.
“I want to talk about us when we get back.”
A tight turn brought Doug’s mind back to the present. He looked over at Bekka.
“I think Heidi and I are going to try and make a go at it when we get back.”
Bekka glanced over at Doug briefly then back to the road.
“Good! It’s about damn time. I’ll tell Garen to brush up on his cardiac stuff. With Heidi’s body, you’re going to end up with a heart attack.”
In a moment of truth and candor, Doug replied without thinking.
“Maybe, but it would be a hell of a way to go!”
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Allyson and Angelique were following Bekka’s line through the curves now. The stress of route finding was off of them. All they had to do was follow the two IR glowstiks on the back of the Subaru. Angelique still followed their route on the map as well, in case something happened.
Without the hard driving’s one hundred percent focus required, Allyson needed something to keep her brain going forward and knew Angelique did as well. The backside of the adrenaline dump and the shift in perspective could lull most into white line fever and blanking out at times. Her solution was to get Angelique talking.
“Depending on the way things are going when we get there, it might be good idea to keep an eye out on your dad.”
“Why?” Angelique was fully attentive and a bit concerned Allyson thought she needed a warning about her father.
“Well, he might get overprotective and lose mission focus. He has his daughter, you, here and in danger. Then there’s Heidi.”
“What about Heidi? He knows she can take care of herself, plus some.”
“Well, the other day when Heidi and Kara were getting ready to leave, I saw Heidi plant a big kiss on him before she left. I think Heidi is giving him the go ahead signal.”
“It’s about time. I know she makes him happy. I like her a lot and Emilia as well. As long as they don’t try to change each other, then it should work. I hope. Shit! Listen to me trying to sound all worldly about love and relationships! Not like I’ve had a boyfriend for more than a couple of months at a time myself.” Angelique said.
“Don’t sell yourself short. You have watched relationships come apart before and you have seen some really good ones, so what you are seeing and saying is valid. I just meant we should keep an eye out in case he tries to do some white knight coming to save her or you bullshit. I know you know your stuff, I know Heidi knows her stuff, and I know deep down Doug knows it too. I’m just saying keep it in the back of your mind in case he tries to do stupid things, so you know why.” Allyson tried to sound reassuring.
“I just want to get there and get them out of the jam they are in. I don’t like the idea of them surrounded like that.”
“Well, I’m sure Kara has a plan since she called for Bekka and I, knowing you would be coming with me and Doug with her. It sounds like it will be long gun work.” Allyson shuddered a little, remembering the last log gun work she did. Her and Bekka on a rooftop in the dark, not knowing if they would survive the night, not knowing if they had saved Kara and Angelique, knowing Garen was out there alone looking for them.
“Well, if Kara doesn’t, I’m sure Heidi might, or shit, Bekka will plan us and them a way out of the trap once we get there.” Angelique said with conviction.
The miles rolled on. Only an hour or so to go.
Without the hard driving’s one hundred percent focus required, Allyson needed something to keep her brain going forward and knew Angelique did as well. The backside of the adrenaline dump and the shift in perspective could lull most into white line fever and blanking out at times. Her solution was to get Angelique talking.
“Depending on the way things are going when we get there, it might be good idea to keep an eye out on your dad.”
“Why?” Angelique was fully attentive and a bit concerned Allyson thought she needed a warning about her father.
“Well, he might get overprotective and lose mission focus. He has his daughter, you, here and in danger. Then there’s Heidi.”
“What about Heidi? He knows she can take care of herself, plus some.”
“Well, the other day when Heidi and Kara were getting ready to leave, I saw Heidi plant a big kiss on him before she left. I think Heidi is giving him the go ahead signal.”
“It’s about time. I know she makes him happy. I like her a lot and Emilia as well. As long as they don’t try to change each other, then it should work. I hope. Shit! Listen to me trying to sound all worldly about love and relationships! Not like I’ve had a boyfriend for more than a couple of months at a time myself.” Angelique said.
“Don’t sell yourself short. You have watched relationships come apart before and you have seen some really good ones, so what you are seeing and saying is valid. I just meant we should keep an eye out in case he tries to do some white knight coming to save her or you bullshit. I know you know your stuff, I know Heidi knows her stuff, and I know deep down Doug knows it too. I’m just saying keep it in the back of your mind in case he tries to do stupid things, so you know why.” Allyson tried to sound reassuring.
“I just want to get there and get them out of the jam they are in. I don’t like the idea of them surrounded like that.”
“Well, I’m sure Kara has a plan since she called for Bekka and I, knowing you would be coming with me and Doug with her. It sounds like it will be long gun work.” Allyson shuddered a little, remembering the last log gun work she did. Her and Bekka on a rooftop in the dark, not knowing if they would survive the night, not knowing if they had saved Kara and Angelique, knowing Garen was out there alone looking for them.
“Well, if Kara doesn’t, I’m sure Heidi might, or shit, Bekka will plan us and them a way out of the trap once we get there.” Angelique said with conviction.
The miles rolled on. Only an hour or so to go.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Heidi stopped at the hallway split for a few seconds to let Andrea catch up. As she came into view, Heidi started dumping info and issuing directives.
“Karen said they have several people trying to sneak up under cover of darkness and rain. It looked to her like they were trying to come back in through the library bedroom where they lost the other two deputies, but I don’t think they are that stupid. I think it’s a diversion.”
Andrea was confused.
“If you think it’s a trap, then why are you going there?”
“If we don’t guard the corner, then the diversion becomes a credible threat of them really getting in. I have Karen and Kevin watching both ends from inside the roof gables, Isadora headed back to Sabine, Karl on the radio and Penny and David with the kids. We have to keep watch on all their attempts. Any possibility to trim their numbers and keep them out, the longer we can last. They probably don’t know we have reinforcements coming so they will keep doing the slow siege.” Heidi was getting annoyed with herself. She was talking over the same points she had covered an hour or two ago. They had bad guys inbound!
“Look, take the room over there. If they get close and show a credible target, shoot them. Keep your muzzle inside the building. They might not see exactly where you are shooting from. After no more than two bursts, shift to another hole.”
Heidi didn’t wait for a reply. She ran off to the library.
“Karen said they have several people trying to sneak up under cover of darkness and rain. It looked to her like they were trying to come back in through the library bedroom where they lost the other two deputies, but I don’t think they are that stupid. I think it’s a diversion.”
Andrea was confused.
“If you think it’s a trap, then why are you going there?”
“If we don’t guard the corner, then the diversion becomes a credible threat of them really getting in. I have Karen and Kevin watching both ends from inside the roof gables, Isadora headed back to Sabine, Karl on the radio and Penny and David with the kids. We have to keep watch on all their attempts. Any possibility to trim their numbers and keep them out, the longer we can last. They probably don’t know we have reinforcements coming so they will keep doing the slow siege.” Heidi was getting annoyed with herself. She was talking over the same points she had covered an hour or two ago. They had bad guys inbound!
“Look, take the room over there. If they get close and show a credible target, shoot them. Keep your muzzle inside the building. They might not see exactly where you are shooting from. After no more than two bursts, shift to another hole.”
Heidi didn’t wait for a reply. She ran off to the library.
Griz3752
Retired, practising Curmudgeon
Well, thank you!! That bit of business is starting to resolve itself so, now that all the apparent relationships (we know of) are in alignment & going forward as best they can, how about some tactical action & outcomes for the faithful?
G.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Andrea ran into the back bedroom. She had to make sure they didn’t get in the house. Sabine was still too weak to move far or fast, and besides, the family here needed their protection.
Going into the bedroom, Andrea looked at the top of the bunkbed as her first location. She had a narrow slot of three bricks removed near the ceiling to look and shoot through. Hopefully the hole was covered by the shadows of the eves of the roof. This way she could look down on the terrain leading up to the house. She was very cautious to avoid the window. The window was covered with a blanket so they couldn’t see in but Andrea wasn’t taking chances.
They had two positions prepared in here. Andrea figured if she ended up shooting, after the first couple of rounds, she would roll off the bunkbed and go to the second firing position; a section of bricks removed about knee high. They had a coffee table in there she could lay on and line things up. A small shrub threw the area into shadow.
Looking out towards the perimeter, she thought she saw movement. She started tracking it, waiting for it to resolve into a solid target.
Going into the bedroom, Andrea looked at the top of the bunkbed as her first location. She had a narrow slot of three bricks removed near the ceiling to look and shoot through. Hopefully the hole was covered by the shadows of the eves of the roof. This way she could look down on the terrain leading up to the house. She was very cautious to avoid the window. The window was covered with a blanket so they couldn’t see in but Andrea wasn’t taking chances.
They had two positions prepared in here. Andrea figured if she ended up shooting, after the first couple of rounds, she would roll off the bunkbed and go to the second firing position; a section of bricks removed about knee high. They had a coffee table in there she could lay on and line things up. A small shrub threw the area into shadow.
Looking out towards the perimeter, she thought she saw movement. She started tracking it, waiting for it to resolve into a solid target.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Heidi ran into the remains of the library bedroom. The rain was coming in the shattered window and she thought she saw movement out on the lawn between the house and the fence. The first thought through her mind was she should fire out the window, then when they returned fire, she would drop to the floor and use the lower firing slot to finish the job.
Just before Heidi fired, she heard a burst of very loud full auto fire from the other end of the house. She knew this had to be Paige. Paige had an idea earlier to fool them into thinking they had more than one machinegun. She had her little 1911s that she modified. Paige told Heidi the muzzle blast from them was the closest they could come to what the MG3 put out. Most of the bad guys didn’t see it when they rolled in so if she shot from the other end with her pistol, they would assume Heidi was down there with the MG3.
Heidi loved anything to trick and confuse the enemy. To keep them confused though, she had to lay out a burst now. She took a snapshot at the moving shapes on the lawn and let loose a twenty round one second burst. Even though she had the muzzle near the opening of the window, the noise was horrible in the house but she knew the effect at the other end would be worse. After the rounds were out, Heidi took a couple steps to the side in case someone got a bead on her when she shot.
What was that sound? Heidi knew that sound.
The roof and rafters, combined with the old lath and plaster construction of the ceiling absorbed most of the blast. Heidi was already diving to the floor when the forty millimeter grenade hit right above the bedroom.
Just before Heidi fired, she heard a burst of very loud full auto fire from the other end of the house. She knew this had to be Paige. Paige had an idea earlier to fool them into thinking they had more than one machinegun. She had her little 1911s that she modified. Paige told Heidi the muzzle blast from them was the closest they could come to what the MG3 put out. Most of the bad guys didn’t see it when they rolled in so if she shot from the other end with her pistol, they would assume Heidi was down there with the MG3.
Heidi loved anything to trick and confuse the enemy. To keep them confused though, she had to lay out a burst now. She took a snapshot at the moving shapes on the lawn and let loose a twenty round one second burst. Even though she had the muzzle near the opening of the window, the noise was horrible in the house but she knew the effect at the other end would be worse. After the rounds were out, Heidi took a couple steps to the side in case someone got a bead on her when she shot.
What was that sound? Heidi knew that sound.
The roof and rafters, combined with the old lath and plaster construction of the ceiling absorbed most of the blast. Heidi was already diving to the floor when the forty millimeter grenade hit right above the bedroom.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Paige was doing her best with the suppressed carbine. She was trying to make closing in on the house costly. She was doing a good job. They would have to go past several of their dead comrades to get to her corner. The two firing slits were well situated and Paige moved between them several times. Finally they managed to keep her away from the firing ports long enough to get someone close to the house near her window.
Paige saw the shadows shift in the room as at least one or two of the sheriff’s henchmen made it to the window. She hid tight to the wall right under the windowsill while they sprayed bullets in through the firing slits. Now was the tough part. She had to wait for them to look in to make sure of their work. First one head popped over the windowsill momentarily and pulled back. Then a second time, longer this time. They must have figured she escaped the room and ran to another part of the house because they started to climb in the window. Now was her chance.
From right below them, she unloaded half a magazine between the two of them. She was able to grab one of their legs and make him fall inside the house but missed the other one, the body falling into the bushes below the window.
Paige split her time between stripping weapons and ammo off the body and keeping watch out the firing slits for more attackers. Suddenly, she felt the house shake from what sounded like a peel of thunder detonating overhead.
Paige saw the shadows shift in the room as at least one or two of the sheriff’s henchmen made it to the window. She hid tight to the wall right under the windowsill while they sprayed bullets in through the firing slits. Now was the tough part. She had to wait for them to look in to make sure of their work. First one head popped over the windowsill momentarily and pulled back. Then a second time, longer this time. They must have figured she escaped the room and ran to another part of the house because they started to climb in the window. Now was her chance.
From right below them, she unloaded half a magazine between the two of them. She was able to grab one of their legs and make him fall inside the house but missed the other one, the body falling into the bushes below the window.
Paige split her time between stripping weapons and ammo off the body and keeping watch out the firing slits for more attackers. Suddenly, she felt the house shake from what sounded like a peel of thunder detonating overhead.
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ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Well, there was a whole lot of shakin going on....
Griz3752
Retired, practising Curmudgeon
Yeah and as the Cav should be closer, maybe even enough to see muzzle flashes, I'm thinking the sheriff's day is going to go from shitty to full on WTF do I do with all these corpses? If he survives that is but, I doubt he leads from the front......
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ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Andrea was still in some sort of emotional disconnect. It wasn’t like the immediate rage she felt when she shot the deputy. Instead, it was almost like a video game or like in one of the shooting simulators at her old base. She was trying to stop these moving blobs coming to get her.
The thunder overhead turned out to not be thunder she realized as she crouched against the outside wall when the second grenade hit the house.
The thunder overhead turned out to not be thunder she realized as she crouched against the outside wall when the second grenade hit the house.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Kara was pouring out rounds when she heard the two explosions and knew more could be coming. She tried to get more info over the radio.
“Heidi!”
No answer.
“Heidi!”
No answer.
“Karen?”
No answer. Damn!
“Andrea!”
No answer. Double damn!
“Kevin?” A scratchy reply came back.
“Here, what was that?”
“Big trouble. Get down to the other end and check on Karen.” Kara was afraid of what he might find.
“Karl, don’t worry about the radio, when they get here, I can hear them on mine. I need you to come down here and relieve me so I can go check on Heidi.”
Paige’s voice came over the radio.
“Karl, swap with me instead. Kara, I can run her weapon when I get there.”
Kara thought hard on their situation. She was about out of solutions and Bekka and crew were probably at least an hour and a half or more away. She had no bad guys coming into her position right now. She keyed her radio again.
“Penny, David, consolidate to the infirmary. I’ll meet you there.”
Kara passed Karl in the hallway.
“Keep a close eye. I think they are hoping the grenades will do the job and might hang back for a few. Give a shout if you see anything and I will come running.”
Kara didn’t wait for a reply, just continued down the hallway. When she came into the den/makeshift infirmary, she was startled by the sights before her. Sabine was slid off the table and kneeling on the floor, leaning onto Karen who now occupied the coffee table.
Sabine felt the shaking, heard the explosions. She opened her eyes in time to see a man carrying an unconscious woman into the room. Call it instinct, call it conditioned reflex, call it whatever, the medic in Sabine commanded her body. It was like she was back in Iraq or Afghanistan all over again. She pulled herself to the left off the table.
She couldn’t even hear her own voice but somehow the man did.
“Put her here.” She waved to the table she was so recently on. The man looked at her with wild eyes, then over her head at something behind her. Before she could manage to turn her head to see who or what he was looking at, she heard a woman’s voice speak.
“Do what she says. We will be fine. You have other things to do, Kevin.”
“OK, Mom.” He gently laid the woman on the coffee table. He looked at Sabine.
“Help her, please.” Before Sabine managed to say something, Kevin ran down another hallway.
Sabine managed to glance over at the couch where an older woman sat with a child in her lap. The child had a large bandage wrapped around her shoulder. The child looked hurt and half conscious. The woman was staring into Sabine’s eyes. She spoke to Sabine.
“Please save her if you can. She is my daughter. Just let me know how I can help.”
“I’ll do what I can.” Sabine said as she started her trauma assessment of the woman on her table. She saw no major leaks on first sweep, so she knew she had to expose and look deeper. She was on her knees, leaning onto the woman with her rescue hook poised when Kara came into the room.
“Sabine! What the **** are you doing?”
Sabine’s soft wispy voice answered her from what sounded like a thousand miles away.
“I can’t fight much, but I can medic some.”
Kara saw the iron determination in the set of her jaw and the sheer deliberateness of her movements. She looked so much like her brother right now Kara almost cried.
“Don’t tear your wounds open! Be careful! Where’s Kevin?”
“I sent him towards your end since you were coming this way.” Sabine said as she was slowly checking Karen out. Kara didn’t see any major wounds but she was unconscious.
Kara looked over at Isadora sitting on the couch with Hera cradled in her lap.
“Keep an eye on her and don’t let her overdo it.”
“Like I can stop her” was Isadora’s reply.
Kara looked around as David, Penny and Olivia came into the room.
“Guys, it’s looking pretty rough right now. I’m going to need one of you to help down at Heidi’s end of the house and I need one of you to cover me as I go back out to the Suburban. I need to start it so I can use the more powerful radio this” she pointed to the one on her belt “is linked to.”
David started shaking his head. Kara hadn’t talked much with him. He was a very quiet, reserved kind of guy from what she has seen in the little time she has been here. He was talking now.
“You can’t go out there. You are our primary medic right now and we have wounded. Since the radio you have is linked to the one in you're truck, all you need is the engine running, right?”
“Yes, I just need it started.” She wasn’t sure she liked the idea of David going out there. She needed him at one of the firing points.
“Keys.” He said with a small twinkle in his eyes and a bit of a grin. Kara tossed him the keys. Quick as a whip, he turned and tossed them to Olivia. “You know what to do! Go!”
“NO!” Both Penny and Kara screamed. Olivia didn’t stop.
“My brother was younger than her when he was sneaking out at night to get us water in Sarajevo. She is almost ten years old. She can do this. At thirteen, my oldest brother was in the block militia, fighting in the inner trenches in the schoolhouse defending our apartment building. Our Olivia is a strong and capable farm-bred girl. Your radio will be on in a moment.”
Penny was glaring at David, hot enough Kara was surprised he didn’t burst into flame.
“Penny, you know she will get it done.” He said hoping she would understand.
“Olivia is my daughter!” Penny almost screamed.
“And my daughter is lying unconscious on that table in front of me.” Isadora’s voice came to them from the other side of the room. “We have to do what we can to get us all out of this trap. Trust David. I do.” Isadora went back to rocking a semi-conscious Hera while another explosion rocked the house.
“Heidi!”
No answer.
“Heidi!”
No answer.
“Karen?”
No answer. Damn!
“Andrea!”
No answer. Double damn!
“Kevin?” A scratchy reply came back.
“Here, what was that?”
“Big trouble. Get down to the other end and check on Karen.” Kara was afraid of what he might find.
“Karl, don’t worry about the radio, when they get here, I can hear them on mine. I need you to come down here and relieve me so I can go check on Heidi.”
Paige’s voice came over the radio.
“Karl, swap with me instead. Kara, I can run her weapon when I get there.”
Kara thought hard on their situation. She was about out of solutions and Bekka and crew were probably at least an hour and a half or more away. She had no bad guys coming into her position right now. She keyed her radio again.
“Penny, David, consolidate to the infirmary. I’ll meet you there.”
Kara passed Karl in the hallway.
“Keep a close eye. I think they are hoping the grenades will do the job and might hang back for a few. Give a shout if you see anything and I will come running.”
Kara didn’t wait for a reply, just continued down the hallway. When she came into the den/makeshift infirmary, she was startled by the sights before her. Sabine was slid off the table and kneeling on the floor, leaning onto Karen who now occupied the coffee table.
Sabine felt the shaking, heard the explosions. She opened her eyes in time to see a man carrying an unconscious woman into the room. Call it instinct, call it conditioned reflex, call it whatever, the medic in Sabine commanded her body. It was like she was back in Iraq or Afghanistan all over again. She pulled herself to the left off the table.
She couldn’t even hear her own voice but somehow the man did.
“Put her here.” She waved to the table she was so recently on. The man looked at her with wild eyes, then over her head at something behind her. Before she could manage to turn her head to see who or what he was looking at, she heard a woman’s voice speak.
“Do what she says. We will be fine. You have other things to do, Kevin.”
“OK, Mom.” He gently laid the woman on the coffee table. He looked at Sabine.
“Help her, please.” Before Sabine managed to say something, Kevin ran down another hallway.
Sabine managed to glance over at the couch where an older woman sat with a child in her lap. The child had a large bandage wrapped around her shoulder. The child looked hurt and half conscious. The woman was staring into Sabine’s eyes. She spoke to Sabine.
“Please save her if you can. She is my daughter. Just let me know how I can help.”
“I’ll do what I can.” Sabine said as she started her trauma assessment of the woman on her table. She saw no major leaks on first sweep, so she knew she had to expose and look deeper. She was on her knees, leaning onto the woman with her rescue hook poised when Kara came into the room.
“Sabine! What the **** are you doing?”
Sabine’s soft wispy voice answered her from what sounded like a thousand miles away.
“I can’t fight much, but I can medic some.”
Kara saw the iron determination in the set of her jaw and the sheer deliberateness of her movements. She looked so much like her brother right now Kara almost cried.
“Don’t tear your wounds open! Be careful! Where’s Kevin?”
“I sent him towards your end since you were coming this way.” Sabine said as she was slowly checking Karen out. Kara didn’t see any major wounds but she was unconscious.
Kara looked over at Isadora sitting on the couch with Hera cradled in her lap.
“Keep an eye on her and don’t let her overdo it.”
“Like I can stop her” was Isadora’s reply.
Kara looked around as David, Penny and Olivia came into the room.
“Guys, it’s looking pretty rough right now. I’m going to need one of you to help down at Heidi’s end of the house and I need one of you to cover me as I go back out to the Suburban. I need to start it so I can use the more powerful radio this” she pointed to the one on her belt “is linked to.”
David started shaking his head. Kara hadn’t talked much with him. He was a very quiet, reserved kind of guy from what she has seen in the little time she has been here. He was talking now.
“You can’t go out there. You are our primary medic right now and we have wounded. Since the radio you have is linked to the one in you're truck, all you need is the engine running, right?”
“Yes, I just need it started.” She wasn’t sure she liked the idea of David going out there. She needed him at one of the firing points.
“Keys.” He said with a small twinkle in his eyes and a bit of a grin. Kara tossed him the keys. Quick as a whip, he turned and tossed them to Olivia. “You know what to do! Go!”
“NO!” Both Penny and Kara screamed. Olivia didn’t stop.
“My brother was younger than her when he was sneaking out at night to get us water in Sarajevo. She is almost ten years old. She can do this. At thirteen, my oldest brother was in the block militia, fighting in the inner trenches in the schoolhouse defending our apartment building. Our Olivia is a strong and capable farm-bred girl. Your radio will be on in a moment.”
Penny was glaring at David, hot enough Kara was surprised he didn’t burst into flame.
“Penny, you know she will get it done.” He said hoping she would understand.
“Olivia is my daughter!” Penny almost screamed.
“And my daughter is lying unconscious on that table in front of me.” Isadora’s voice came to them from the other side of the room. “We have to do what we can to get us all out of this trap. Trust David. I do.” Isadora went back to rocking a semi-conscious Hera while another explosion rocked the house.
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ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Bekka and Doug were about forty minutes away from the valley overlook designated as their final rally point and initial contact point when they heard the radio crackle in their ears. It was Kara.
“Crusader, Alamo. Broken Arrow! Repeat. Broken Arrow! Stalingrad FISH Expedite. Crusader, Alamo. Broken Arrow! Repeat. Broken Arrow! Stalingrad FISH Expedite.”
Bekka keyed the radio.
“Copy Alamo, Crusader Flight Expedite! Hold on Alamo, we are close!”
Doug felt the Subaru leap forward as Bekka left any pretext of safety behind. Now she was flinging the car around like the first few minutes of their mad dash trying to catch Allyson. Bekka was back on the radio.
“Guys, we stop about a thousand meters out and figure out our next move. It could be a bug hunt. If so, Bear and Dawn in overwatch while we go in. Otherwise, we will work with what we find.”
Allyson acknowledged Bekka with a single ‘Copy’.
Doug waited until Bekka was off the radio before he spoke.
“You want to translate for me?”
Bekka took a big breath as she organized her description while sliding her car around a curve.
“It sounds like they are being overrun. Broken Arrow was a code word we have used for basically ‘OH SHIT, I need help!’ Stalingrad was a famous nasty urban battle where the front lines were gone and it was a block to block, room to room fight with no clear cut idea of where the good guys were and the bad guys were. FISH is an acronym for ‘Fighting In Someone’s House’.”
Doug didn’t like the sound of any of this.
“And that half-a-plan sounding thing you told Allyson?”
Bekka spared a brief glance over at Doug before looking back at the road.
“If the house is actually overrun and we can’t make contact to coordinate with them, We park you and Angelique in overwatch, her on the long gun, you as her spotter and protector while Allyson and I go down and make entry. You are tuned up, yes, but Allyson and I are much more experienced.”
“I don’t like it.” Doug said flatly.
“Neither do I.” Bekka agreed.
“Crusader, Alamo. Broken Arrow! Repeat. Broken Arrow! Stalingrad FISH Expedite. Crusader, Alamo. Broken Arrow! Repeat. Broken Arrow! Stalingrad FISH Expedite.”
Bekka keyed the radio.
“Copy Alamo, Crusader Flight Expedite! Hold on Alamo, we are close!”
Doug felt the Subaru leap forward as Bekka left any pretext of safety behind. Now she was flinging the car around like the first few minutes of their mad dash trying to catch Allyson. Bekka was back on the radio.
“Guys, we stop about a thousand meters out and figure out our next move. It could be a bug hunt. If so, Bear and Dawn in overwatch while we go in. Otherwise, we will work with what we find.”
Allyson acknowledged Bekka with a single ‘Copy’.
Doug waited until Bekka was off the radio before he spoke.
“You want to translate for me?”
Bekka took a big breath as she organized her description while sliding her car around a curve.
“It sounds like they are being overrun. Broken Arrow was a code word we have used for basically ‘OH SHIT, I need help!’ Stalingrad was a famous nasty urban battle where the front lines were gone and it was a block to block, room to room fight with no clear cut idea of where the good guys were and the bad guys were. FISH is an acronym for ‘Fighting In Someone’s House’.”
Doug didn’t like the sound of any of this.
“And that half-a-plan sounding thing you told Allyson?”
Bekka spared a brief glance over at Doug before looking back at the road.
“If the house is actually overrun and we can’t make contact to coordinate with them, We park you and Angelique in overwatch, her on the long gun, you as her spotter and protector while Allyson and I go down and make entry. You are tuned up, yes, but Allyson and I are much more experienced.”
“I don’t like it.” Doug said flatly.
“Neither do I.” Bekka agreed.
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ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Allyson was working hard at keeping up with Bekka’s sudden acceleration. She understood why Bekka did it. The radio call was another major adrenaline dump to their system. Bekka’s radio call to them set more mental wheels moving. Angelique had questions.
“OK, Ally. Do you know why Bekka is parking me and Dad on the outside?”
Allyson’s answer was quick.
“Because we have a couple thousand more hours in CQB would be my first thought. Second thought is it gives you a spotter and someone to keep the goblins off of you when your eye is in the scope. It also keeps two thirds of our medical assets in reserve to roll in and patch people up after we secure the area.”
Angelique sat and digested all of this for a moment.
“And she thought of all of this in the split seconds between the radio call and when she called us?” Angelique asked.
“This is Bekka. She probably already had that plan rolling around in her head last week. She just had to open the right file cabinet in her brain and retrieve it.”
“OK, Ally. Do you know why Bekka is parking me and Dad on the outside?”
Allyson’s answer was quick.
“Because we have a couple thousand more hours in CQB would be my first thought. Second thought is it gives you a spotter and someone to keep the goblins off of you when your eye is in the scope. It also keeps two thirds of our medical assets in reserve to roll in and patch people up after we secure the area.”
Angelique sat and digested all of this for a moment.
“And she thought of all of this in the split seconds between the radio call and when she called us?” Angelique asked.
“This is Bekka. She probably already had that plan rolling around in her head last week. She just had to open the right file cabinet in her brain and retrieve it.”
RememberGoliad
Veteran Member
Wow, and DAMMIT. I gots to go work somewhere today with no cell signal whatsoever. Bright side is, nothing I can do about it so no point in bouncing and distractin' for an update.
CCG: You already know this, but I'll repeat: You weave one HELL of a tale!
CCG: You already know this, but I'll repeat: You weave one HELL of a tale!
Griz3752
Retired, practising Curmudgeon
Feel free to upgrade on the fly like that, a n y t i m e!
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
When Paige charged into the library room, she wasn’t sure what she would find. After she got in there, she still didn’t know what she found. A fairly large hole in the ceiling still had insulation, plaster and lath coming out of it down to a pile of debris on the floor. Paige looked around, trying to see Heidi. Finally she spotted her moving form over near one corner.
“Heidi! Are you OK?” No answer. Paige tried again.
“Heidi! Are you OK?” Paige said, coming closer.
“No, I’m not OK. They have a 203 out there we need to get rid of before they squish us flat! Heidi said as she tugged on a can of ammo.
“Hey! Let me run that. We need you to check on Andrea. She isn’t answering comms as well. Paige said, stepping up to Heidi and taking the MG3.
“Damn! Keep your head on a swivel and get that asshole before he drops too many more of those on us!” Heidi said as she slid her helmet back into place, seating the headset cups back on her ears. Heidi darted from the room as Paige began looking for the grenadier.
“Heidi! Are you OK?” No answer. Paige tried again.
“Heidi! Are you OK?” Paige said, coming closer.
“No, I’m not OK. They have a 203 out there we need to get rid of before they squish us flat! Heidi said as she tugged on a can of ammo.
“Hey! Let me run that. We need you to check on Andrea. She isn’t answering comms as well. Paige said, stepping up to Heidi and taking the MG3.
“Damn! Keep your head on a swivel and get that asshole before he drops too many more of those on us!” Heidi said as she slid her helmet back into place, seating the headset cups back on her ears. Heidi darted from the room as Paige began looking for the grenadier.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Heidi skidded to a halt as she came to the doorway into what was left of the other bedroom Andrea was in. The asshole was getting better with his aim and had dropped at least two on this room, one of which took out a section of the wall high up near the ceiling. There was shattered furniture and other things she couldn’t identify in a jumbled mess in the room. She didn’t see Andrea. Shit!
Heidi fell back on really old training. Rather than charge into the middle of the room, she began along one wall, sweeping the perimeter for survivors. She worked her way down one side, through the crushed parts of the bunkbed she knew resided along the wall until moments ago. Nothing. Along the exterior wall with the window she found a foot sticking out from under some wood and bricks.
Heidi darted to the form, sliding her hands up the leg to check for a pulse behind the knee. It was there and she felt Andrea move some. Heidi began franticly pulling rubble off of her. Finally she got Andrea unburied.
Andrea looked up at Heidi with a dazed expression and a vacant stare.
“OOOWWW!” Andrea said after a few seconds.
Heidi started a quick sweep of Andrea looking for major trauma. There were no major bleeds and the main sore points seemed to be Andrea’s head and one of her knees. Heidi got on the radio.
“Kara! I need some help getting Andrea back to you. She got her bell rung and a jacked up knee. I got to stay here and hold the fort!”
Kara’s voice came back over the radio.
“Help is coming. Give us a moment.”
While Heidi waited, she pulled the magazine bandolier off of Andrea and retrieved Andera's M4. She checked the weapon. It appeared undamaged and with the collapsing stock all the way in, she could run it well enough.
Soon David was there. He scooped Andrea up in his arms and carried her off down the hallway. Now Heidi had to get back to work.
Heidi fell back on really old training. Rather than charge into the middle of the room, she began along one wall, sweeping the perimeter for survivors. She worked her way down one side, through the crushed parts of the bunkbed she knew resided along the wall until moments ago. Nothing. Along the exterior wall with the window she found a foot sticking out from under some wood and bricks.
Heidi darted to the form, sliding her hands up the leg to check for a pulse behind the knee. It was there and she felt Andrea move some. Heidi began franticly pulling rubble off of her. Finally she got Andrea unburied.
Andrea looked up at Heidi with a dazed expression and a vacant stare.
“OOOWWW!” Andrea said after a few seconds.
Heidi started a quick sweep of Andrea looking for major trauma. There were no major bleeds and the main sore points seemed to be Andrea’s head and one of her knees. Heidi got on the radio.
“Kara! I need some help getting Andrea back to you. She got her bell rung and a jacked up knee. I got to stay here and hold the fort!”
Kara’s voice came back over the radio.
“Help is coming. Give us a moment.”
While Heidi waited, she pulled the magazine bandolier off of Andrea and retrieved Andera's M4. She checked the weapon. It appeared undamaged and with the collapsing stock all the way in, she could run it well enough.
Soon David was there. He scooped Andrea up in his arms and carried her off down the hallway. Now Heidi had to get back to work.
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ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Sabine’s eyes got wide when David carried Andrea into the room and set her on the couch. She didn’t even turn when she heard Kara’s voice talking to her, telling her what was wrong.
“Heidi said its knee and head.”
Sabine slowly shuffled over to Andrea from the coffee table where Karen was laying on her side, a nasopharyngeal in her nose. Isadora was slowly pulling finger-sized splinters from Karen’s shoulders and back with forceps and painting the wounds with iodine swabs Sabine gave her for the task.
Sabine looked into Andrea’s eyes as she started talking to her.
“How you doing, Babe?”
“Fuzzy, like four margarita fuzzy and my knee is killing me.” Andrea said slowly and with a bit of a slur.
Sabine looked over at Kara.
“Concussion or mild TBI but I can’t find the impact point. Can you get me the hypertonic saline and an IV start kit?” Sabine’s voice was sure and steady, even while it was weak and breathless.
Kara grabbed her the supplies she asked for from her own med bag since she knew where they were.
“Sabine. You hold the position here. I need to check both ends and see what else we can do about that 203.”
“Heidi said its knee and head.”
Sabine slowly shuffled over to Andrea from the coffee table where Karen was laying on her side, a nasopharyngeal in her nose. Isadora was slowly pulling finger-sized splinters from Karen’s shoulders and back with forceps and painting the wounds with iodine swabs Sabine gave her for the task.
Sabine looked into Andrea’s eyes as she started talking to her.
“How you doing, Babe?”
“Fuzzy, like four margarita fuzzy and my knee is killing me.” Andrea said slowly and with a bit of a slur.
Sabine looked over at Kara.
“Concussion or mild TBI but I can’t find the impact point. Can you get me the hypertonic saline and an IV start kit?” Sabine’s voice was sure and steady, even while it was weak and breathless.
Kara grabbed her the supplies she asked for from her own med bag since she knew where they were.
“Sabine. You hold the position here. I need to check both ends and see what else we can do about that 203.”
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Paige was peering through the gloom. The rain was back intermittently with the moon poking through the gaps in the clouds. She had to find the guy with the grenade launcher. They couldn’t take much more. She saw movement in several places. Some more closing in. She held her fire. She wanted them to think they eliminated the threat here and show themselves in their haste.
Paige was scanning when she heard a familiar voices in head.
The butterflies were back. They were lined up ready for orders, to fight side by side with her. She started to giggle.
“What are you laughing about” Norm gave her stern look.
“You look silly in all that combat gear. What’s next, the Unicorns armored up to shoot rainbows out of their horns. We are kind of screwed here.”
“If you don’t remember to concentrate and kill all of them I just might.” Norm scolded her
“We will wait with you so you are not alone” said the other butterfly as they gathered around her preparing to fight.
Everything quieted down as she waited and watched. It seemed as if she had entered a time zone of her own. Minutes were hours and she was having a hard time concentrating.
“I told you I would never leave you. Wait. Walk down and screw them all”
The voice startled her but at the same time alerted her to the sounds of the suppressed M4 from Andrea’s room again. Good. They can’t get to her from that blind spot. Wait. More movement. Wait. The clouds thickened and the view darkened. Wait. More movement in the gloom. The clouds passed and as the moon broke through again, she saw a laser lance down from above and behind her towards someone on the field in front of her.
The figure being illuminated by the laser spun and fired back towards the source of the laser. Paige heard the sound she knew so well from so many years working with and on them. M203 40mm grenade launcher. Gotcha!
Paige laid a three second beaten zone of a hundred rounds at the guy, but he had already fired. Paige prayed whoever was in the cupola drawing fire as bait takes cover before the grenade lands. Her presence revealed, she started hunting the other moving lumps on the lawn. Behind her, the house shook from the impact.
Paige was scanning when she heard a familiar voices in head.
The butterflies were back. They were lined up ready for orders, to fight side by side with her. She started to giggle.
“What are you laughing about” Norm gave her stern look.
“You look silly in all that combat gear. What’s next, the Unicorns armored up to shoot rainbows out of their horns. We are kind of screwed here.”
“If you don’t remember to concentrate and kill all of them I just might.” Norm scolded her
“We will wait with you so you are not alone” said the other butterfly as they gathered around her preparing to fight.
Everything quieted down as she waited and watched. It seemed as if she had entered a time zone of her own. Minutes were hours and she was having a hard time concentrating.
“I told you I would never leave you. Wait. Walk down and screw them all”
The voice startled her but at the same time alerted her to the sounds of the suppressed M4 from Andrea’s room again. Good. They can’t get to her from that blind spot. Wait. More movement. Wait. The clouds thickened and the view darkened. Wait. More movement in the gloom. The clouds passed and as the moon broke through again, she saw a laser lance down from above and behind her towards someone on the field in front of her.
The figure being illuminated by the laser spun and fired back towards the source of the laser. Paige heard the sound she knew so well from so many years working with and on them. M203 40mm grenade launcher. Gotcha!
Paige laid a three second beaten zone of a hundred rounds at the guy, but he had already fired. Paige prayed whoever was in the cupola drawing fire as bait takes cover before the grenade lands. Her presence revealed, she started hunting the other moving lumps on the lawn. Behind her, the house shook from the impact.
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ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Heidi was trying to pick the targets as she could. The light levels were up and down with the weather. She mainly had to make them think coming forward was a bad idea. With the number of people they had already engaged since Kara and her arrived, she was beginning to think Paige couldn’t count or more bad guys showed up she didn’t know about. She could count at least a half a dozen just outside her corner, plus all those she unloaded on when they arrived.
She kept looking and looking for someone with a bulky weapon, specifically that damn grenade launcher! She hoped they didn’t have many grenades or they were truly screwed! Suddenly, behind her she heard the unmistakable sound of Paige with the MG3. God that thing sounded horrible, especially in long bursts like this one was. It sounded like a huge sheet of canvas torn by a hundred claws all at once. Damn! That had to be half a belt! What was so critical Paige would unload so much of their ammo on a single target like that she wondered? Then the house shook from another grenade.
She kept looking and looking for someone with a bulky weapon, specifically that damn grenade launcher! She hoped they didn’t have many grenades or they were truly screwed! Suddenly, behind her she heard the unmistakable sound of Paige with the MG3. God that thing sounded horrible, especially in long bursts like this one was. It sounded like a huge sheet of canvas torn by a hundred claws all at once. Damn! That had to be half a belt! What was so critical Paige would unload so much of their ammo on a single target like that she wondered? Then the house shook from another grenade.
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