Call Of Equis

Classified location, Appalachian Mountains

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Sgt. Derek "Frost" Westbrook walked through the hallways of the compound slowly, his mind abuzz. The US President and President Vorshevsky had arranged a secret meeting, and Frost was invited.

"Damn it." Frost said, still thinking about his dead comrades, Sandman, Truck, and Grinch. As he approached the conference room, he was met by a British man, who identified himself as "Captain McMillan."

"Sgt. Frost?" he asked.

"That's me." Frost replied.

"Come on in." McMillan said, opening the door to the room. Inside, he saw quite a few high-ranking generals, and both the US and Russian Presidents, along with Alena Vorshevsky.

"Will everyone take a seat, please?" McMillan asked, and everyone sat down.

"I suppose you all want an explanation. At 0300 hours last night, we received an anonymous radio signal, apparently originating from nowhere. We traced it, and found it originates from this mountain forest in Massachusetts."

The map displayed on the wall focused on the area. Frost shifted in his seat.

"So this is why you called us here?" Frost asked.

"Nope. This is why."

McMillan hit the spacebar on a laptop, and a voice began to speak.

"Mayday, mayday. This is PFC Joseph Allen, CIA. Accompanied by Task Force 141 operatives Soap, Ghost, Roach, Price, and Yuri, along with Delta Force Team Metal. We are not dead. I repeat, we are not dead. We are under heavy attack by hostile forces. Requesting immediate aid. Anyone who receives this signal, please respond!"

"Did I just hear…" Frost said.

"You just did. We matched the voices. That is the real Private First Class Joseph Allen." McMillan replied.

"So what should we do?" The US president asked.

"We're sending a squad of soldiers to the site in Massachusetts to investigate and see what's going on here. Frost, you've been picked to lead the team. Get to the site, find out what's going on, and report back."

"Yessir." Frost said, walking out. President Vorshevsky turned to the US president.

"What do we do now?"

The US president smiled.

"We wait."

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Frost found the squad in the hangar bay, sitting on a series of crates. Frost walked over, and he was greeted by an Army Ranger.

"You're Sgt Frost?" he asked.

"Yeah." Frost replied.

"I'm Srg. Foley. That's Corporal James Ramirez, Corporal Dunn, PFC Lyle, PRC Tory, and PFC Cross." Foley said.

"Nice to meet all of you. Have you been briefed?" Frost asked.

"Yeah. We're ready to go, sir." Ramirez said.

"Mount up. Let's go."

As they boarded the Blackhawk, the moon appeared for a brief second, then it disappeared behind a cloud.

==================================================

As the Blackhawk set itself down, Frost readied his M4 Carbine and stepped out, followed by the rest of the squad. As they advanced into the forest, Dunn shivered.

"This place feels really eerie."

"I hear that." Lyle replied.

"Cut the chatter. We've got something up ahead."

As the team set themselves into cover, Frost pulled on his Night Vision Goggles. Scanning the area, he saw what seemed to be a large supply depot near a group of trees.

"Move up." Frost whispered, and as the squad advanced, Frost radioed command.

"Command, this is Frost."

"We copy. What's your status?"

"Some kind of supply depot is at the site. Request permission to investigate."

"Confirmed."

"Copy. Frost out."

Frost advanced to the rest of the team's position, and then, several figures came out of a trailer. Three were human, the rest were more quadruped and bird-like.

"What the hell?" Cross asked.

"NVG's. Now." Frost commanded. As the team pulled them on, Frost activated his camera feed.

"Command, Frost. We've got unknown entities at the site. Request permission to engage."

"Confirmed."

"Get ready to engage." Frost said. As the team loaded their weapons, Frost zoomed in with his Night Vision Camera. The image of four bird-like quadrupeds greeted them.

"What the hell are we looking at?" Tory said.

"I can't say." Dunn replied.

"Get ready to engage." Frost said. As the team aimed their weapons, Frost made sure the unknown beings were still talking.

"Engage!"

The sound of gunshots echoed through the stillness, and one of the beings went down. The other beings responded by shooting back, and the other humans bolted.

"Runners!" Ramirez said, attempting to shoot at them.

"Take 'em out! Non-lethal shots!" Frost said. As Ramirez fired another burst, the humans ducked behind some trees. As the shooting then ceased, Frost stood up.

"Check the bodies." Frost said, and Dunn rushed over.

"Boss! You're gonna want to see this!" He barked, and Frost rushed over. As they turned over the body, both of them gasped. A Griffon, clad in a modified Ballistic vest, armed with a rudimentary AK47, greeted them. Two bullet holes were poked in his chest.

"Command, you seeing this?" Frost said.

"We are. We're sending a squad to help. Lock down the site."

"Confirmed."

Frost stood up to see Lyle and Cross breaching the trailer. As they opened it, they gasped.

"Get over here!" Lyle yelled. Frost and Dunn rushed over, and they gasped. A ring like device, as tall as Frost, greeted them. It was swirling with green energy.

"What the hell am I looking at?' Dunn asked, dumbfounded.

"You seeing this, command?"

"Sure as hell. We're rerouting additional squads. This is now top priority!"

"Confirmed!" Frost said. As the squad split up, Frost sat down on a crate and sighed. Soon, the convoy of Humvees arrived, and soldiers streamed out. Frost and his team watched from the sidelines as the soldiers surveyed the area. A team of people in HAZMAT suits put the deceased griffon in a body bag, then they secured it in a second bag marked "TOP SECRET". Frost then heard his radio crackled.

"Command?" Frost asked.

"This is McMillan. Got an order from the President, Frost."

"What is it?"

"Go through the portal and see what's on the other side."

"Confirmed."

Frost told his team, and as they entered, the portal turned slightly white, then back to green.

================================================================

Frost awoke to the sound of gunfire. He bolted up and saw his squad camped out near a broken street. From what Frost could tell, he was in some kind of city, right in the middle of a warzone. Frost rushed over to Dunn's position and began firing.

"Who are we up against?" Frost yelled.

"The bird-things that we found at the site! They've got us pinned down!" Dunn replied, shooting down a Griffon soldier.

"Copy that! We need to move!" Frost yelled. Ramirez shot another Griffon, then a second rushed him. Frost shot the encroaching Griffon, and rushed over.

"You okay?"

Ramirez nodded and reloaded his M4. After a few minutes, the Griffons retreated.

"Check!" Frost said. As the squad readied themselves, Frost nodded.

"Let's go!'

As the squad ran through the broken streets, they then saw flashes of gunfire coming from a large building up ahead.

"Let's go! Double time!" Foley said. As they advanced, they say horses, or what they assumed to be horses, battling the birds. As they took cover behind a pile of rubble, Frost checked the area.

"No way we're getting past them. Take the right."

As the squad advanced down the alley, Frost rounded the corner only to be greeted by a punch to the face. As he fell to the ground, the other squad members raised their weapons. Frost recovered his vision to see nine other humans pointing their own weapons at his team. Then, Frost's assailant spoke up.

"Frost, that you?"

Frost gasped.

"Sandman?"

Sandman pushed his way through the crowd and pulled him up.

"Good to see you, Frost." Sandman said.

"Where's Grinch and Truck?"

"Right here." Truck said, coming out with Grinch.

"You know this guy?" Allen said.

"We do, Private Allen. He's one of our squadmates." Sandman replied.

"Stand down, team." Frost said. "What's the sitrep?"

Price shoved his way through.

"It's total bollocks, Frost. We've got Griffons on all sides. We're outnumbered and outgunned."

"We'll see about that." Frost said, turning on his radio.

"Command, this is Frost, do you copy?"

"We copy, Frost. Signal's four for five, but we copy. What's your status?"

"We've found Allen and the missing humans, that's the good news. That bad news is, the location where we are at is under attack. Requesting immediate support."

"On the way."

"Get Captain McMillan on the line." Price said, snatching the radio.

"Who is this?" McMillan said.

"Mac, it's John." Price said.

"Price?" McMillan replied. "That you?"

"Confirmed. Along with Soap and a squad of others. Ghost, Roach, Allen, and Yuri. Team Metal's here as well. We've made contact."

"Good to have you back, John."

"One more thing, Mac."

"What?"

"We can scratch Soap's name off the clock-tower." Price said.

McMillan gave a "huph."

"Sounds good, mate. See you when you get back."

Price handed the radio back to Frost, who put it away.

"Foley? That you?" Allen asked.

"Private Allen?" Foley said. "How've you been?"

"Fine." Allen replied. "You?"

"Fine. That's Dunn, Cross, Lyle, and Tory. Long story as to how we got here."

"Tell us later. We got reinforcements!" Soap yelled.

"Copy. All of you, on me!" Price said. As the humans walked out of the alley, they were greeted by more gunfire. Price pulled over a Royal Guard.

"What's the situation?" he asked.

"Sir, we're completely pinned down. They've got us flanked from all sides. The Castle is secure, but we'll need a miracle to pull out of this alive!"

"Copy that! Hold this position!" Ghost said. As the humans took up positions along the line, the Griffons kept advancing, slowly, but surely. Soon, a few guards were resorting to hand-to-hand combat.

"We've got to hold out!" Roach yelled.

Then, there was a large explosion near the Griffon lines, followed by dust plumes from bullets impacting the ground.

"What the hell?" Allen yelled.

Then, a Blackhawk flew into view, bullets spraying from its Minigun. As human soldiers rappelled down and began to engage, the radio crackled.

"Task Force 141, this is Battleaxe 2-1. Heard you needed some firepower. We've got additional units incoming."

"Copy that, just in time!" Frost yelled. Then, a large convoy of Humvees blasted out from a side street, miniguns ablaze. A soldier motioned, and the humans boarded.

"Royal Palace! Now!' Price yelled, and the driver gave a thumbs-up. As the humvees drove through the streets, Price looked over at his soldiers.

"Bloody good job. All of you." he whispered.