Author's Note

Edits: Better descriptions and added a few details

Prologue: Downfall (Edited)

The metal walls around him shuddered as the dual rotors picked up speed. He had always hated the CH-47. It wasn't anything personal, he just hated how slow it was. He preferred the Little Birds or Blackhawks. At least those weren't as big as a target. He looked around the hold, grimacing as he observed the fluids leaking from the various hydraulic lines that ran along the wall.

At just 19, Private First Class Jensen Mastiff is the team medic for Raider Squad. He is a Syrian Trinidadian American with short black hair and matching stubble, light tan skin and beautiful hazel eyes. He wore a grey Protective Combat Uniform (PCU) jacket, a set of Army Combat Uniform (ACU) pants, and a Ranger MICH 2000 helmet with night vision goggle (NVG) mount and an attached flashlight with his personal moral patch that read Do No Harm, Do Know Harm on the side along with an American flag on the other. He had a pair of desert goggles on and had a set of Oakley Fuelcells in his vest. He gripped his FN SCAR L tighter and slowly leaned as far back as he could before his vest stopped his movement. He felt a slight comfort knowing that he had at least some protection, even if it was mostly mental. He also felt the Beretta M9 jabbing his thigh and the Ontario Ranger Shank strapped to his belt.

The loading ramp was down as Sgt. Delgato was in position, manning the helo's rear Browning M2. The 30 men of the 75th Ranger Regiment Alpha Company, 2nd Platoon; were all thinking of their next destination: Lashkar Gah Province. Their mission: To take out the Taliban fighters in the around the Bost Arch and call airstrikes on enemy positions.

Jensen only stared out of the open ramp as the dry air blew sand around the window.

His team leader, Master Sergeant Lynch walked up and down the aisle, briefing the men on their objective. He knew, and was friends with, many of the Rangers here. They were together since their graduation from Ranger Assessment Selection Program (RASP). He had been in Afghanistan with them for almost 5 months now. Within those 5 months, he has been on manhunts, long range patrols, raids, and so many engagements that he'd lost count.

"Hey, kid! You alright?" Jensen looked at Lynch, who had stood up and grabbed hold of one of the handles that ran along the ceiling.

"Yes, sergeant!" Jensen hollered.

"Good," Lynch said as he patted his shoulder and turned to address the team.

"Thank you for flying Ranger 2-1 Lines. I'll be your stewardess-team leader today. Also known as 'First Off, Last On'. Today we'll be serving rounds of 5.56. Followed by our main course, All-You-Can-Eat Taliban. We hope you like foreign foods."

"Hooah!" the team roared.

"On approach to target. Fifteen seconds," the pilot announced over the intercom.

"GO TO RED!" Lynch ordered.

With that the Rangers stood up and faced the rear bay.

Here we go, Jensen thought.

P-ping Ping, Ping!

"WE'RE HIT! WE'RE HIT!" yelled the pilot.

The Rangers were helpless as they looked around, trying to avoid getting shot by the hidden Taliban fighters.

Just as the pilots gained control of the situation, an RPG struck the Chinook and sent it spiraling to the desert floor; throwing the Rangers all over the fuselage as the helo plummeted to earth. Jensen and Delgato were unlucky enough to get sucked out of the open ramp as Lynch could only watch in horror as the two were thrown out like rag dolls. Delgato smacked into the ground at 100+ mph and literally dug his own grave. Jensen, however, flew towards the Bost Arch.

Jensen was weightless as he fell. As he fell his life started to flash before his eyes. He thought that he saw the Bost Arch start to glow like a small sun before he flew threw the field and shattered the field like a pane of glass before blinking out of existence.