Chapter Two

In the Middle

Russian Airspace
Chechnya
Shalinsky District
C-  130J
August 7, 2001
21:09 hour

Inside an unmarked grey transport plane C-130J humming sounded compartment illuminated with red lamp, Nate, in full black battlegear, fully armed including a 23 inches ninja sword strapped on his black backpack, is sitting alone on passenger seat. He is only accompanied by 'Bob', an SAD officer and two aircrew.

" Understand?! You'll be on your own down there. Get to the ridge ASAP and call us." Asks Bob

" Understood! What's gonna be my cover?" Asks Nate

" Nothing. Depends on guns you'd take with you."  Answers Bob

Suddenly, one of the air crew comes to them and reports, " Sir. Drop zone in five minutes."

" You hear that, Nate? It's about time."

Nate checks all of his gear and reports to Bob, " All's ready!"

" Drop zone in one minute!" Shouts an air crew.

" Come on, Nate! Time to go!"

Nate stands up and walks toward the ramp door. It starts to lower little by little. When it is opened widely, cold air and wind barges. Nothing is seen from the earth below, everything's dark. As he approaches to the ramp end, Bob gives him a good bye saying, " Have a nice party down there, Nate. Be nice."

" See you around, Bob."

" See you around on the ridge. Good luck!"

" Thanks Bob. Let's do it."

Then Nate walks to to the lowered ramp door edge and jumps to darkness below.

As he is falling free from the sky, he is waiting for lower altitude to open his parachute. At the altitude, Nate's opaque parachute opens. Opaque coloring was chosen to prevent detection by blending it with its background, the night sky. Slowly, he lands and when he reaches ground, he hits it hard. He finds himself in a steppe near a borear forest. Immediately Nate releases himself from his parachuting tools, runs inside the forest and digs a hole with a compact spade and bury them. He is in an alert states, looking at all direction to detect any threat. But everything is quiet, tranquil. No people and animal is around. Seeing safety, he contacts the headquarter through his radio:

" Headquarter. This is Nate. I'm on ground. What's my next move? Over."

The headquarter answers, " Nate, what's your status? Over."

Nate answers, " All clear. Zero threat."

He is replied, " Locate our missing agent at her last position at Kyilba Village. 10 clicks from your position to the north.,within Grosnensky district border bordering Shalinsky and exfiltrate her to Vakhyita ridge on Achkhoy-Martanovsky district."

" Understood. On my way." replies Nate

After preparing his armaments and utility on his backpack and checking his map with GPS, he walks his journey to the village under darkness through the forest. In his journey, he meets with wolves, but they just do as far following him closely. Apparently, these animals now what power Nate has. Morning has come, Nate removes his balaclava and covers his black battle dress with civilian jacket and trousers. He hides his weaponry including his ninja sword under his thick grey jacket. He also has planned whenever people ask about him, he will say he is a Mongol named Piotr lives in Grozny and is having his travel.

Nate takes a three hour rest inside a small inn he sees on a village nearby. Suddenly, just one and half hour he sleeps, his resting is interrupted by sudden gunfires outside. Nate jumps and grabs his silenced micro- uzi and ninja sword. Upon peeking from his windows,  he sees Russian soldiers below.

" Igor, Go there!"

Gunfires pop around.

" Cover me!"

" On that house!"

Two blasts are heard.

There is a clash between Russian MVD troops and Chechen soldiers near the village. Civilians running around screaming. Suddenly, running steps are heard aproaching Nate's windows. Two Chechen rebels carrying an SVD Dragunov sniper rifle and another carries an AK74 barges inside Nate's room. Both sides freeze staring each other in surprise. When one of the rebel suddenly cries, Nate vomits his ammo clip content at the two rebels. Behind the falling bodies, the inn keeper shrieks in fear and tremble. Nate walks to downstairs and when passes him, he stops then he asks the inn keeper to be silent.

" Shhh.."

Then he reaches rubels from his pocket and pays his lodging. The ninja evacuates the house from the backdoor wielding his micro uzi and ninja sword. Gunfires and grenades blasts are heard around. Nate then tries to escape the village through narrow streets. He kills every rebel he runs into with his swords and hides himself immediately whenever Russian troops are near him. Several Chechen civilian bodies are strewn on streeta nd alley. Both Russians and Chechen overrun the village streets, building and alleys. Nate manages to evacuate from the village by breaking the rebels' line on the north leaving bodies with slitting, stabbing and slashing wounds.

Nate in disguise, keeps walking through small forest and quiet country road. Occasional Russian army patrols in armored vehicles and jeeps, civilian cars, other few pedestrian and  mules carrying goods accompanied by its owner passes Nate. After three hours journey, Nate reaches the village outskirt but can't reach it further. Russian soldiers and Chechen security personnel are guarding the now scorched village. They are viewed by civilians standing around the village. Some of them are weeping.

" Headquarter. This is Nate. I have reached the village. It is now in ruins. Scorched to earth. Russian soldiers and Chechen security personnel around the village. No signs of Agent Rose."

" Understood. Make sure she isn't there then report to me."

" Yes, sir."

At night, when there's less people around and Russian forces have left the village. Nate infiltrates the scorched village to find out Agent Rose's whereabout. He searches for her house by house that are actually not houses but ruins of structures. Suddenly, a stepping sound is heard. Nate immediately hides behind a destroyed wall. The sound approaches at where he is. When the sound owner appears in front of Nate. He charges him and pushes him to a wall and sticks his sword blade at the person's neck. The person gasps and in fear mutters in Russian,

" Don't kill me.. Don't kill me.. I have nothing. I'm only a bum."

Nate understands what he says and releases him. The old bearded man in ragtag clothing bows and coughs. He then addresses the man in Russian,

" I'm sorry, sir. I thought you were.."

" (Cough).. Why don't.. (Cough) you at least say (Cough) who are you?"

" Can I ask you something?"

" Go ahead (Cough), young man."

" What happened to this village?"

" A group of rebels led by Movkar 'The Butcher' were pursuing a foreign woman to this village. The woman came to the village and dissapeared. The rebels accused the villagers they hid the woman and burnt the village. It was later known the woman run to Nokovko forest on the north. The rebels are heading that way too."

" How are their strength?"

" Many men. many guns and vehicles."

" Thank you for the info, sir. Here I have something for you as a compensation." Nate gives the man an amount of rubels.

" Spasiba, young man. Who are you? Don't go there. It's too dangerous. They are angry now."

Nate answers politely, " Sir, I'm Piotr, a traveller. I won't go there. I beg you not to tell anybody about me. I am never here. You never see me. Do you understand, sir?" Asks Nate.

" Aga, young man. You are never here. I never see you."

" Spasiba, sir. I am leaving."

Nate leaps to darkness leaving the wondering man in the middle of the village ruin and heads north toward Nokovko forest.

To be continued

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Disclaimer: All contents are fiction.