Lieutenant Lanner provides over-watch for Madman:
Lieutenant Linda Lanner crept over the last few rocks near the top of the rocky spire that jetted out from the snow covered woodland. It gave her the best line of sight over the entire valley to provide sniper cover for a GDF team on the ground. The GDF team, callsign Madman, was to infiltrate an SRA outpost in the valley to extract Intel. Lanner and her JOD partner Captain Cainan Hoffe slid into a defendable location, flat enough to lie down and shoot, but not so open that they’d be easily spotted. She unpacked her heavy sniper, a Ranged Tactical Sniper Rifle (R-TSR), a classic favorite among marksman teams. Its ability to utilize different ammo types makes it the top pick for skilled shooters and amateurs alike; it has a built in, customizable Tactical Interface Scope (TIS) that has thermal and night modes, as well as an electric scanner that monitors ammo within the mag and a range finder.
She pulled the rifle from her bag and set up the bipod and scope, ranging her targets while her spotter unpacked a small drone. He popped it into the air and quickly flew it over the icy valley, stopping above the GDF team on the ground.
“Madman Actual, this is Armageddon zero five. We have your team in sight, standing by for green light to Charlie Mike.”
“Armageddon zero five, Madman Actual. We are go for mission. Good hunting. Out.”
Lanner slid her rifle along the rock and placed her cheek against the buttstock, partially squinting one eye and watching over Madman through the scope with the other. The GDF troops became outlined with blue squares as they moved through the woods.
“Linda.” Hoffe said quietly as he used his handheld scope to mark the SRA base. “Target location is ranged at nine two zero meters due North. Wind …one point five knots east to west, full value.”
Linda gently eased her scope over the small, walled outpost in the distance and with minute movements, she sighted her targets, leaving the scope over them for a few seconds before moving to the next. They highlighted as faded, red boxes when she tagged them. Listening to her spotter, she dialed in her clicks on the scope and eased her breathing.
“Madman one one, Armageddon zero five.” Hoffe began again. “Target OP is tagged. Tangos should be on IFF.”
“Solid copy zero five.” A new voice came through the headset. “We’re two zero meters south east of target OP, ready on your say. Over.”
“Standby. Over.” Hoffe placed his eye back to the scope. “You ready L?” He whispered.
“Mhm.” She mumbled as her scope fell over the chest of a target.
“Madman one one, you are go.”
“Solid copy. Moving up.”
The snipers watched as the small team moved into position below the wall, using suppressors to take down the guards along the east side. They quickly stepped into the outpost and out of view. Hoffe quickly used the drone to monitor the team as they entered the complex. SRA targets became marked as they drone spotted them, allowing the GDF team to take them down with ease. They moved fast but careful through the few guards that stood outside during the winter evening.
“Armageddon zero five, Madman one one. Perimeter is secure but the door is locked. We’re breaching in.”
“We have your six one one.”
The team breached the door of the OP, engaging in open combat with the hostiles inside, although most of them were caught off guard. The snipers remained silent as the faintest cracks of gunfire occasionally echoed in the valley.
“One one you need to shut them up. We can hear their fire from here.”
There was a silence over the radio for a few moments while Madman cleared the buildings.
“Zero four we’ve got a runner! Exiting west tunnel.”
“Copy.” Hoffe said as he scoped in on the left side of the base.
Linda shifted her rifle to the left most door, waiting for the target to step outside. She steadied her breath again as her finger crept the trigger, gently squeezing it a quarter of the way. The door began to open and she fired. The blast of the heavy 50.cal shot echoed through the valley as the bullet glided subtly back and forth in the wind. The SRA soldier fired a flare into the sky but as he pulled the trigger, Lanner’s bullet tore through his chest, knocking him to the ground in a splatter of blood. She shifted her eyes over her scope, seeing the bright red flare falling from the sky.
“Zero five, good shot. But that flare made it up.”
“One one standby.” Hoffe said as he clicked another button on his mic. “Madman Actual, Armageddon Zero five. SRA tango just popped a signal flare. Intel suggested no other OP’s in this region. Can we get some confirmation on that? Over.”
“Armageddon zero five, standby, over.”
“There has to be another OP.” Linda said to Hoffe as she looked around the valley. “He wouldn’t have fired a flare if there was nobody around right?”
“Yeah no shit. We need to…” He stopped as he noticed a truck moving in the distance to the West. “Possible contact. West, approximately two point five klicks, moving east. Eyes on?”
“Yeah I see it.” She replied. “Call it in.”
“Madman Actual, I’ve got eyes on a fast moving vehicle coming from the West. Moving East at roughly … eighty miles per hour. Can drone footage confirm target as SRA.”
“Zero five we are getting eyes on the target now. Wait one.”
The truck moved quickly as it drifted along the snowy roads.
“That’s an armored truck.” Linda mentioned as she got a clear look at it.
“Zero five, Madman Actual. We are confirming that technical to be SRA - we’re going to moni… wait one.” The officer went silent for a moment, but then returned with a more urgent tone in his voice. “Armageddon team we are seeing several more SRA ground vehicles leaving a cave to the West. Madman one one is going to continue extracting Intel from the OP but it’s going to get dicey. I need you with your best shots right now. Over.”
“Solid copy Actual. Out.” Hoffe ended the conversation as he returned to his scope.
Armageddon zero five, Madman one one. We only need about two mikes before exfil. Over.”
“One one we have you covered. Take that first truck right away. If we can convince the followers to dismount early, we’ll take them out. Over.”
“Solid copy zero five. We have a good defense in here. Out.”
Lanner followed the truck as it approached the compound. As soon as it rounded the corner, a rocket streaked through the trees, knocking it off the road and flipping it on its side. Lanner kept her scope on it as a door gently opened, revealing a wounded soldier. She squeezed the trigger, firing a loud and deadly shot into the forest. After a few seconds, the bullet split through the man’s chest, dropping him back into the truck, dead.
“That’s one confirmed.” Lanner said quietly as she maintained her sight on the sideways truck. Another door at the back of the truck opened, but the SRA soldier ran from the truck and ducked behind a tree, hiding from the compound. Lucky for the snipers, he had his back to them.
“Eight seven zero meters.” Hoffe mentioned. “No wind. On your time L.” He added.
Linda pulled the trigger once again, echoing her shot across the valley. The bullet dropped elegantly until it smucked into the soldiers’ spine, tearing through his body and painting the snow red.
“One one. Two Tangos down.”
“Copy. We’re just about done.”
Lanner kept her scope on the flipped truck while Hoffe followed the other trucks on approach. As they neared the other vehicles location, they slowed down, clearly seeing the heavily damaged truck. Before they could stop, another rocket streaked through the trees; this time the rocket rammed directly into the front of the forward truck, exploding on the hood and sending it off the road near the other one. The second and third trucks halted, dismounting their soldiers. SRA troops fled into the woods, taking defensive positions to engage the compound. Again, Lanner took advantage of their unawareness to her. She took a shallow breath and exhaled slowly as she pulled the trigger. The loud boom echoed over the horizon as another bullet soared through the air to an unsuspecting target. The bullet ripped through his waist, splattering more blood into the snow. Several of the other soldiers near him heard the shot echo over their heads, making them move and hide again.
Lanner waited for them to stop moving, lining up her shot and firing again.
“Armageddon Zero five. One one. We’re wrapping it up here. Falling back to the East about five zero zero meters. Over.”
“Copy one one. Haul ass. Over.”
As the others spoke, Lanners’ bullet spiraled into yet another vulnerable soldier. The SRA now began to move more frantically, avoiding staying in one spot for too long.
“L.” Hoffe blurted urgently. “SRA gunship moving on our position.” He added whilst pointing.
“Fucker. We need to get the fuck out!” She said, pushing herself up and grabbing her rifle.
Hoffe did the same, grabbing his rifle and turning around. Together, the shooters scooted over the jagged rocks, sliding through a large crack and exiting on the back of the rock formation. With no hesitation they slid down the icy cliff, tumbling from side to side but maintaining control. As they got near the base of the cliff, the aircraft circled over the top of the spire, searching for them. Lanner and Hoffe quickly ducked below a wedged log in the rocks, hoping to evade the thermal spotting.
“Madman Actual…” Hoffe panted. “…this is Armageddon zero five. We have an SRA gunship on top of us. Any chance of fire support? Over.”
“Zero five, Madman Actual. Negative, fire support has not been authorized in this AO. Standby while we try to figure something out. Over.”
“Fuck.” Lanner said in annoyance as she stuck her head out to search for the aircraft. It continued to patrol the area, but clearly hadn’t spotted them in their hideout. “Thank God we saw this on our way up.” She laughed, finding the silver lining.
“Yeah. We need to move though.” Hoffe said as he too peeked his head out. The Aircraft shifted back to the other side of the spire, giving them their chance. “Fuck. Let’s go!” He yelled, darting from cover.
Lanner pushed herself from the little hideout, following Hoffe into the snowy forest.
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