Insurgency (16 page)

Vaha climbed up the slope to where their helo had been hidden next to the wreckage of a soviet era tank to disguise it from the ‘unblinking eye’ of ISAF. Mortal men could not have moved the rusting hulk, but he and his group were not mortal men. They were warriors who moved at night and gave away no heat signatures to be spotted by drone or satellite. They were invisible and invincible. They were The Vampires. Vaha assessed the wind, too strong no doubt for the women who flew the ISAF helos but not for him the ‘vampire of Grozny’. He had earned his place with Dratshev for he had led countless missions against the Islamic militants who had taken over his homeland of Chechnya. He had flown into areas that others said were impossible to navigate in and he had personally pressed the switch to annihilate hundreds of insurgents and collaborators. Vaha was a Chechen yet whilst human he had despised with a passion how religion was twisted and used an agent of oblivion. Those who did not question had become like goats in the field. Chechens were a proud and noble race but they had been corrupted. In Grozny Vaha had been carrying out the wishes of Moscow, which mirrored his own when he had been brought down by a lucky shot from an RPG. Captured by militants he had been tortured for days by the ‘Islamic International Brigade’ until on the very edge of death a man he had not known had rescued him and given him a real chance at life, a chance to avenge, a chance to make a difference. Dratshev had made him vampire and he became one of The Vampires. Vaha was proud and had served Dratshev ever since. Now the squabbles of the humans meant nothing to him. Vaha reached the Black Hawk and opened the door to start pre-flight checks.

In the black of night a silent figure moved. Krasnov was a man who had nothing to lose, not even his own life. He could smell them; he had known that they would be here and had waited for them. He was going to finish The Vampires this night and then come the dawn he would sacrifice himself to the new day as an offering to god for the lives he had taken. He watched silently as the pilot approached the Black Hawk. The vampire would be easy ‘prey’; his guard lowered as he was focussed on the helicopter. But no he would not take him now. Krasnov paused to listen to the sound of the wind and remembered the screams of those he and The Vampires had sacrificed on the very same spot all those years before. If he had not lost the ability to weep then he would do so now, but remorse would not stop Dratshev. What was needed was something else. Krasnov moved back into the caves, into the hiding place where he had waited for Dratshev to return. Krasnov knew the layout of the caves like no other living being for he had spent years mapping them. He had found the equipment that Dratshev had cached and had listened to their plans from a neighbouring chamber, part sealed by the fire-fight with the Americans. Krasnov had known that The Vampires would return here, a fact that he had cared not to share with Black or anyone else. It was his duty alone to stop them. Krasnov edged back along the passage that would bring him into another chamber directly above the one that his prey was in. There was a cavity in the ceiling caused by water erosion, shielded somewhat by stalactites it made for a perfect means of entry. As he neared the hole the roof lowered so that he had to fall to his haunches. He could hear his prey, above the sound of the distant wind and the running of water he could hear them, words mumbled but voices definite. He said a silent pray and spoke to his birth god for the first time since he had left Moscow and then he dropped two ‘silver grenades’ into the hole.

A movement caught Dratshev’s eye as he turned his head to address Oleg, something falling. Then he saw a second object. Without hesitation Dratshev grabbed Oleg by the lapels of his greatcoat and used him as a shield. Two almost simultaneous explosions tore through the chamber, forcing air out and ripping eardrums. Dratshev’s eyes were closed but he felt his hands being shredded, and then the fire-fight started.

Krasnov dropped through the hole into the chamber below, his folding stock AK47 seeking out targets. Directly in front of him Petro had been floored by thousands of pieces of silver ripping through him. Krasnov now saw five more figures ahead. One had its back towards him, a second was curled up and holding its head, another was crawling away but the other two were facing his way. One was American. The American open fired, sending a stream of rounds in the direction of Krasnov. The Ukrainian was too slow to avoid them all and was hit in the chest. Krasnov stumbled backwards. Now he saw Dratshev push aside the vampire whose body had protected him. Raising his AK again Krasnov depressed the trigger to send silver jacket rounds tearing towards the Russian. Dratshev fell, hit twice in the torso and once in the left arm. Oleg suddenly turned and sprang at Krasnov, his body a mass of blood, hands extended like claws. Krasnov tried to move aside but his rapidly regenerating wounds slowed him. Oleg’s right hand grabbed Krasnov’s face ripping through skin to bone. As both men fell back Krasnov kept his finger depressed on the trigger. The rounds tore through Oleg who now landed on top of him motionless. Kirill pulled Dratshev to his feet. Dratshev clamped his bloody hand over the larger of the two entrance wounds in his chest. It was the first time in his more than two thousand years of existence that he could not stop the bleeding. Ghost opened up again with his Delta issue HK 416, and kept Krasnov subdued whilst Kirill dragged Dratshev away. As Krasnov heaved himself up, Victor rolled to his feet and hurled a grenade. It sailed through the air and landed in front of Krasnov. The explosion sent the Ukrainian flying backwards against the sheer rock wall. Krasnov felt bones in his body smash and then the back of his head crumble against the rock. If he were human he would have died.

Dratshev swore in an ancient language. How could he have made such a naïve mistake as to go back to the cave? It had cost him two of his best men but more importantly could cost him his life and his quest. He could feel his life draining away with each step. The silver needed to be removed. As they neared the entrance Ghost took point and confirmed that there was no one waiting for them outside. He gestured for Dratshev to leave the cave. Supported by Kirill, the Russian staggered out of the mountain towards the helo.

Vaha was rotors hot and unaware of the fire-fight. As he saw the group approach he dropped out of the helo holding a side arm. “What has happened?”

“Krasnov attacked us whilst you were playing with your flying machine.” Kirill’s words carried an anger that Vaha had never felt before.

“Get…us…out…of…here.” Dratshev was barely able to speak.

“Da Comrade General.” Vaha saluted and then noticed the moonlight glinting off of the exposed bones of Dratshev’s hands where the flesh had been torn away.

Vaha re-took his seat as Ghost and Kirill lifted Dratshev into the helo. Victor acted as tail-end Charlie and was the last to get in. As Kirill applied pressure to Krasnov’s chest the helo pulled up into the shadowy Afghan sky.

Camp Leatherneck, Helmand Province, Afghanistan

Black followed the doctor into the hospital and was directed to a bed sectioned off by curtains. Black stepped inside to see Ibanescu horizontal with his torso bandaged. He was deathly white and his pupils were bloodshot. The two Deltas made eye contact as Black leaned over the bed.

“Peter Pan…I haven’t got much time...I know what you are…I need your help.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“Save me…make me like you…I don’t want to die…not here…not like this.”

“I don’t know how, I don’t know if I can.”

Ibanescu grabbed Black’s wrist and held it with all his strength. “What about never leaving a man behind? Don’t leave me behind…don’t let me die…” Ibanescu started to cough and blood seeped from his mouth.

Black’s eye followed a tendril of blood as is slowly moved down Ibanescu’s chin. “I can’t, it’s a curse. You’ll be forever damned.”

Ibanescu coughed again and his bloody spittle hit Black in the face. Unable to control his thirst anymore, Black’s lips drew back; he then thrust his head forward and sank his teeth into Ibanescu’s neck. Black felt the blood fill his mouth before he swallowed hungrily. Ibanescu started to shake as his blood began to drain. Using every last ounce of willpower Black unlatched himself.

“Thank you…” Was all Ibanescu managed to say before his body went limp. An alarm sounded as the soldier’s monitors flat-lined.

Black stared intensely, but Ibanescu did not move. A flurry of medical personnel seemingly oblivious to what Black had done pushed around him and tried to resuscitate their patient. Black let himself get pushed back and away. He moved to the exit. What had he done? Had he just killed another Delta? The door in front of him abruptly opened and a man dressed in digital camo fatigues bearing no insignia shot him with a Taser X26. Black’s body contorted as spasm gripped his muscles. He dropped to the floor and then a second man plunged a needle into his arm.

SEVEN: Camp Leatherneck, Helmand Province, Afghanistan

“Major I’m glad to see you back.” Matthers shook the American’s left hand as his right was in plaster.

“Not as much as I am. I’m surprised they let you in.”

“The medical team didn’t want to, I had to pull rank.” Matthers sat. “How’s the shoulder?”

“Busted. Can you tell me where my two missing men are?”

Matthers blinked. “Who is missing?”
“Black and Ibanescu.”

“I’m confused; I didn’t know they were missing.”

“Well they are. Black vanished immediately after his debrief. Ibanescu was admitted to the infirmary and never came out.”

“That all sounds very odd Major, but I’m sorry General Hudson assumed command of the rescue mission from me. I have no idea as to the whereabouts of your men.”

“I’ve never heard of a ‘General Hudson’.”

“He’s not stationed in-country. I suggest you speak to JSOC.”

“To do what, report two of my best operatives as AWOL?”

“I see no other alternative. Black disobeyed my direct order and went on the mission. Perhaps Hudson has decided to put him in the stockade?”

“Ok.” Rockbridge was not convinced.

“So when are they shipping you off to Germany?”

“I’m not, if I have my say.” Rockbridge held out his left hand again. “Thank you for coming. I appreciate it.”

“My pleasure.” Matthers nodded and left the room.

Rockbridge climbed off the cot and moved to the window. He watched Matthers climb into his jeep and head back to Bastion. As the jeep moved off a wave of tiredness hit Rockbridge and he yawned. The relentless Afghan sun felt as though it was bursting through the window and into his bones. He started to feel dizzy. Rockbridge shook his head but then he noticed that everything around him had changed colour. It was as though he was seeing the world through a crimson tinted lens. He stumbled backwards, unexpectedly giddy and then the redness turned to grey and then to black. As he slipped into unconsciousness he heard a medic calling his name.

Landstuhl Regional Medical Centre, Germany

Black started to make out shapes and then he felt blood rushing in his ears. His eyes snapped open then quickly closed again against the blinding light. His body pulled at the straps that he realised were securing him.

“How are you feeling soldier?” A voice spoke.

“Where am I?”

“You are at a medical facility in Germany.”

“Where is Ibanescu?” Black slowly opened his eyes again.

“He’s here too, after having made a miraculous recovery, by the way.”

Black’s eyes started to focus. He turned his head and he saw that the man he had been speaking to was not in the room with him but behind a viewing window. “General Hudson?”

“Correct. And you are Brad Black, call-sign ‘Peter Pan’ of Delta.”

Black tried to sit up but the straps prevented him. “What am I doing here?”

“I think you know why. We can dance around the subject or you can just confess and we’ll get along just fine. Are you a vampire?”

The frankness of the question stunned Black but he saw no reason to lie. “Yes sir. But I am also a Delta, sir.”

“Did you have anything to do with the planning of the attack on Firebase Python?”

Anger surged through Black. Pulling his arms upwards the restraining straps ripped as the leather gave way. Black sat up. He raised his right hand and pointed a finger at Hudson. “Are you accusing me of what happened at the base?”

“I have to ask, son.”

Black tore the bonds from his legs and strode over to the window. At eye level he glowered at the General through the toughened glass. “I had to fight my way out of there; I tried to stop those monsters that destroyed the base, Sir.”

“Black I have a problem. You were the only American survivor of the attack but you are a vampire, like the creatures that destroyed the base. It was an inside job, you were on the inside. Putting it frankly Peter Pan, I don’t know what you are or if I can trust you.”

Black brought his fist up and slammed it against the glass. It groaned but did not break and Hudson on the other side did not flinch. “Sir. I did not attack my own base, sir.”

“You killed a fellow Delta, didn’t you son? You killed Marvin Styles, ‘Minute Man’.”

“He was a vampire sir, he attacked me.”

“How did you become a vampire son? I want you to tell me everything, from the moment you went on the mission to just now when you woke up. Omit anything or lie to me and I’ll know it.”

As Black relayed what Krasnov had told him and what he had been through, he relived it. Black sat on the bed, drained. “Did you know about the cave? About the Russians?”

“Why would I share classified information with you?”

For a moment Black was speechless. “Because I have a right to know!”

“Ok, good answer. We had reason to believe that there was a cave that contained research carried out by the Soviets concerning vampirism. We didn’t know about ‘The Vampires’ as your Ukrainian called them or indeed his presence.”

“How long has the Pentagon known about the existence of vampires?”