Alpha squad and a handful of GI’s hustled into the briefing room at 11PM

“Gents I will be brief. The insurgents have Monk in a house here” he said pointing to a map of the surrounding township. I need you men to insert yourselves and get his ass out before they cut his throat live on the internet. “ Said the camp commander.

“Now if I were a thinking man I’d use another adjective…But the best I can think of is these f#$%^ers need to die before Monk does. “ His face was lined with concern, knowing the chances of rescuing Monk were slim. “ What questions do we have? He said. “Work up your plan of approach and review with me”

The briefing finished 15 minutes later.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mf3mbiGON5g]

At 4AM Alpha had geared up. The wind was whipping hard outside the Camp Kilo. There would be no chopper insertion. This meant taking to the streets. The approach took them down some narrow streets in the pre dawn light. Then onto 1st Street and down more alley as they closed in on their objective.

Alpha’s leader, and team members scrambled for cover as the unmistakable noise of a rolling grenade could he heard in their midst. One of the squaddies looked down at his feet. Quickly he smothered the grenade with his body.

The leader and 2 others were hit by the blast despite the sacrifice of their team mate. Viscera covered everyone. Looks of horror and shock were exchanged all round…until the bullets came at them. the team jumped to action.

Rounding the corner of the narrow alley they saw 3 insurgents running at them! “ Find some cover called Alpha squads leader. His arm was bloodied, his front covered in his team mates blood and fragments. Soldiers dove for cover, still disoriented from the grenade.

One insurgent fell to withering fire from 3 men, then the 2nd. The Third took cover behind a car. Alphas leader was on the other side of the car and shot him thru the car, whilst also receiving shrapnel from return fire which lodged in his right foot, left hand and shoulder.

Beep, Beep, Beep, came the sound from the car. With a incandescent searing roar the car exploded. Alpha squad leader was consumed in the ensuing fireball. The Medic took shrapnel hits to the arm and lay bleeding in the street. Two civilians looked out of doorways. Without thinking the chatter of a US weapon cut them down. “shit” said the GI. “Stand down stand down” Cried the Medic, thru tears of pain.

“You think they knew we were coming?” asked a GI as he tended quickly to the Medic. The wounded medic glared at him. “Of course you fool, someone is sharing intel” He said.

The team had made it to a building and hunkered down to re group. They were just half a block away from the objective where Monk was apparently being held. But with 3 dead and 2 wounded, things were looking thin. They quickly weighed their options.

A swarm of insurgents rushed at them from several angles whilst others provided covering fire from doorways. The Americans were suppressed, now they had no choice.

Without their leader panic started to rise, angry words were exchanged, but the flood of Tango’s kept the men working like a drill machine, covering each other, taking careful shots and preserving ammo. They grimly realized none were going home and Monk would surely die today.

On the far side of the building where Monk was being held one of his long time colleagues had taken it upon himself to go to Monks aid. Breaching protocol, disregarding the rules, Sergeant Walker was not about to let Monk be tortured and killed. They had fought too long together. He knew there was a leak in the camp and had told no one of his intentions. The same bastard who had Alpha trapped now had bush whacked at least 3 teams in the last few weeks, he knew there was a traitor in the camp.

While Alpha attempted the primary rescue he could possibly sneak in and secure Monk.

(KIA resurrection card drawn, Leader placed in ANY green zone -presto there is Walker!).

Walker slipped into a building and knifed one distracted guard in the back and shot another with his silenced pistol. 2 further insurgents came running thru the building, one he killed quietly the other got rounds off, inflicting a minor wound on Walker. He had killed or wounded four insurgents. Now he needed to cross the street to get to Monk.

A few blocks away the fire fight continued unabated. The Medics wounds were bleeding profusely, he was propped against a wall leaning on a mattress. Two insurgents rushed the door near him, and wounded one of the GI’s badly and killed the medic with a violent spray of 7.63mm bullets. He body slumped onto the mattress.

The last two soldiers from Alpha could not move from cover as bullets flew in all directions. The street filled with chanting bastards. They grimly looked at each other. “ save a bullet son “said the world weary weapons expert. Just then he was spun around and jerked by a hail of bullets from a combatant who had approached the door crawling on his belly. Firing from below the insurgent killed the US soldier.

The GI was stricken with fear, firing blindly he pulverized the head of the enemy who lay in the doorway without taking aim at him. Drawing breath in gasps he quickly reloaded. Remembering the words of the now dead Alpha team member he checked his side arm and put it on his lap. No one would take him alive.

Walker, stalked the enemy in the building killing two more silently.

He could see Monk slumped in a chair half naked, with a sack over his head, body bound and fearsome wounds on his body inflicted by various implements strewn around the floor and tables. Oh my God he thought, are we too late?

He saw hands twitch, shoulders move. He is alive! The building and indeed the streets were quiet. Then single shot from a pistol rang out. Walker wondered what was going on with Alpha.

Moving towards Monk, he saw Monk tense up, and from beneath the hood came a muffled voice “ Just kill me you bitches…..just kill me”. His shoulders shook uncontrollably.

“Monk, its me Walker” Lets get the hell outta here. “ He said. He ripped the hood off, and was shocked at what he saw. Monks face was pulp, bruised, eyes swollen almost shut, face caked in blood. Walker gently cut him free, poured some water into his bloodied mouth. Monk rinsed and spat. “ Ahh shit that feels good. Walker where is your team?“

“I’m running solo and based on the sounds or lack thereof we have very little time. Alpha was coming to get you but they must have got bush whacked pretty good.” Said Walker.

“Oh Walker, your insane, help me up, the bastards took the bullet out of my side, and stitched me up good, but without any medicine. They have been using my body as a knife sharpener since yesterday. I’m not sure I gunna be able to move fast.“

“Here sit for a second and let me give you some special Walker juice.” Walker produced a syringe and plunged it in Monks arm.

“Remember this shit man? Walker said. “Holy crap, you angel, yes! Dilaudid and Dexedrine and a little speed.” That should get me to base Monk thought.

The wind brought rain. Sheets of it in a gusty powerful downpour. The 2 men snook from doorway to doorway, building to building, going thru residences. If they were occupied the occupants shrank back at the sight of Monk and his rescuer.

Quietly they entered Camp Kilo.

From the officers mess a Captain muttered in Farsi under his breath. “Still he lives”.

The Captain turned to those in the Mess and said in thickly accented English, “Monk is back”.