Flashback

"Approaching the village now." - says Chalk One.
This phrase makes me stay in alert.
For all the travel I thought about one person: Adler Russel. This guy slowly took control of my mind and I can't get free. Or maybe I don't want it.
The way he angry stared at those soldiers at the Camp... He's clearly jealous.
But it can be also just a protective attitude.
After all it is his job to save people and prevent disasters.
Stop thinking about that, Bell, I tell to myself.
If you will be distracted thinking about Adler for all the time and not shooting on the enemies you can say goodbye to him and all your feelings.
Focus.
I stretch my back and hold more solidly the machine gun. Still no movement on the ground. I don't know if it's a good sign or not.
The Viet Cong could jump from their hiding places and lure us into a trap.
From the chopper I can see many cheap houses
between the vegetation: they all have a red roof and white or yellow walls.
All those people live in poverty and they even started a war.
The village is surrounded by high mountains and rocks.
A piece of sea touch the sand near the houses, that's because some of them have stilts.
"Roger that. Moving to establish an AZ." - reply Chalk Two.
The Adler's chopper is still in front of mine and I can see him clearly sitting on the edge: he doesn't have any sign of fear on his face, doesn't he has fear to die?
He's so brave. And when he reassured Sims... that was very nice. He suit the leader title.
Suddenly he turns around and observes me.
He knew I was watching him. Did it was that obvious?
And now he's smiling... to me?
But this moment doesn't last for long.
"RPG!" - cry Adler.
Fuck! If they will hit even one time the chopper will fall. And we with it.
God, please, if someone has to die today make him stay alive.
Sims looks down, worried.
"C'mon Sims, we can do this." - I wishper to him, so no one can hear us.
He watches me with grateful eyes and takes his weapon.
"Chalk Two, light 'em up!" - orders Adler.
I hear two big explosion on the rocks behind us: the RPGs started to fire.
A missile flies over my head.

"There! In the bell tower!" - says Adler to me.
Damn, the people are so little from up here that I don't even see them!
But I trust Adler so I started to shoot on the top of the tower bell wich explodes with a big noise.
"Fuck yeah." - says Sims.
He's better now and his face doesn't show any sign of fear anymore.
From little and cheap houses the village suddenly become big with many constructions.
"Eyes open! They can hide everywhere!" - I say worried.
Another missile flies down the chopper. So close.
"Focus fire on the backyard!" - suggests Adler.
He knows every hide places! How he can do that? Yeah, he's so smart and strong, I have to admit that.
I shoot in the spot Adler suggested me and it immediately takes fire.
I light two other RPGs while our chopper tries to fly over the village and find a place to land on.
"Nice shooting, Bell!" - says Sims.
"See? It's not that bad, we already mad-".
A big explosion from the behind makes me fall on the floor. I hit my head and now it hurts so bad. Two hands hold my face.
"Bell!" - a voice calls my name.
My blurred vision become clear again.
Sims is above my head, looking at me.
"I'm... I'm alright. Don't worry." - I say.
He takes me on his legs and touch my body to see if I have anything broken.
"Does anything hurt?" - he worried asks to me.
"Ugh... No, only my head." - I stand up on my feet. The mission must go on.
"Bell! I hope you're fine. And for god sake, Sims, stop touching her!" - I hear Adler's voice through my headphones.
"But I was just- Nevermind." - replies coldly Sims.
What? Adler is jealous again?
It's not the moment to think about that, Bell.
I immediately reach the machine gun again while Sims tries to individuate the enemies with fearful eyes again.
"Goddammit! More RPGs on the rooftops!" - says Adler.
"I can't see them, we're on the wrong side!"- I notice.
"Hold on, swinging around!" - says Chalk Two.
When the chipper finally change position I fire on the flammable barrels and the RPGs takes fire. Only idiots would keep near them flammable barrels.
All these noises and explosion surely has alert the other Viet Cong.
In fact I can see many soldiers on the streets from up here.
It will be a long day.
"Visual on LZ. Taking us down." - informs Chalk Two.
Our chopper land on a clear side of the village.
"You and I, Bell. Let's do this." - says bravely
Sims.

He seems more calm to fight with his feet on the ground.
He climbs down from the chopper and I follow him.

The street is full of cover places like old cars, bags of sand and wheelbarrows. Good.
The Viet Cong come to us in a few seconds, allerted by the chopper's propellers.
"Are You sure about this, Adler? Streets ain't exactly empty!" - exclaims Sims taking cover.
We start to shoot on the enemies.
"Your priority is securing any intel." - says Adler from the chopper above us.
He's giving air support killing everyone.
Observing around I can see many traditional things like red lamps on the houses, posters and Vietnamese decorations.
After all they're just people and I feel kinda sad killing them. But if we won't kill them, they will kill us.
I take cover and keep shooting.
Finally the first street is clear.
"Our source eyeballed the Soviets at a building in the center town." - informs Adler.
"Let's go, Bell! You're on point!" - Sims seems excited.
I go first and check the inside of a house.
After killing two person I stole some ammo.
"Hey, Sims!" - I call him. "Take some."
"That's good!" - say Sims reloading his weapon.
Then we go on the second street and kill again a bounch of Viet Cong.
"Easy." - I smile.
"Don't say that." - jokes Sims.
"Keep pushing forward. You're getting closer." - Adler interrupts us.
"Oh, right. We need to locate Soviet intel."
We run to the end of the street.
A big building appears in front of us.
"This must be it." - I observe.
"How can you tell?" - asks confused Sims.
I pointed with a finger the many Viet Congs under the building coming to us.
"Oh right. What an idiot."
This time they're more numerous than before.
"Sims. Bell. That's the building!" - announces Adler.
Sims and I keep shooting but the enemies keep coming.
"Keep your heads down. We got this." - Adler starts to fire.
Sims seems more calm.
"Relax. We have air supp-".
A bullet penetrates in my leg and I scream.
"Bell!" - Sims takes me to cover.
"What's happened?" - asks Adler from up there.
"A bullet hit me in my left leg. But I think we can extract it out." - I explain.
"Alright but... Sims, don't touch her too much this time."
"Yeah,yeah." - sighs Sims.
Fortunately the bullet hit me superficially, so he can easily take it out.
"You can walk?" - he asks pulling me up.
"Yeah, don't worry. It's just a little cut, I will fix it at the Camp."
Adler kills the last enemy.
"Area clear. Okay. Get inside. See what we got." - he orders.
We enter the building from a big red open door with Vietnamese decorations and orange turned on lamps, one for each side.

The inside would be pretty nice without all that dust and... other enemies.
"Go, Bell. I'm right behind you." - says Sims.
I go ahead and kill some people in the house.
Silence.
I look around and notice old armchairs, vases, paintings... and the fresh enemies' blood.
Then a notice some stairs going up at lead to a corridor: there is no other option but climb them.
Carefully, Sims and I go up.
There is still a big silence.
But my foot land on the wrong step wich makes  a cracking noise.
Fuck.
Immediately a Viet Cong run over me but I'm faster and kill him instantaneously.
"I hope there is no more of them." - wishpers Sims.
Attracted by the noise two other Viet Cong appear so we light 'em up.
"Why don't I shut my mouth?" - asks ironically Sims.
We slowly reach the end of the corridor.
"Easy." - he wishpers.
"I got this." - I say looking through my weapon.
I make another step. Still nothing.
"I think they're g-"
Sims is interrupted by a man, who opens the door in front of us and made a somersault, point his gun to our heads.
I froze him immediately with one shot.
"Damn!" - exclaims Sims.
"Shh! Be quiet!"- I reply angrily.
"Sorry, I'm just nervous."
"This man... is not a Viet Cong!" - I observe the dead body.
He wears a military uniform with a black balaclava.
"Shit! The Russians soldiers are here!"
I run ahead and take cover.
"Ia viëdvïegaiuš!" - says a Soviet soldier.
"They're only two! One for me and one for you!" - I say to Sims. "Ready? Go!"
We come out and kill them.
The corridor ends and another starts.
This one is shorter, without enemies and with a big red door.
Behind it we should find what we are looking for.
When I'm trying to reach the door my vision becomes white and blurred.
This red door... is familiar...
"...like looking for a needle in a haystack..."
"Ugh..." - I scratch my eyes.
"Bell? What's happening?" - asks worried Sims.
My vision becomes normal again.
"Did you say something?"
"What? No, I didn't. Bell, are you sure you alright?"
But if it wasn't Sims, who said that?
"Yeah, don't worry. I think it's due to the bullet I took before."
We hear a voice coming behind the red door.
"You hear that?" - he asks. "It's on you, Bell. Open the door."
He takes a guard position.

I open it with a kick and immediately a Soviet soldier try to hit Sims who smashes his head against the door.
"Vrachogh!" - exclaims surprised the last Soviet soldier.
Sims kill him too.
The room we are in is tiny and claustrophobic for my tastes. There is a computer and some documents on  a desk and the walls are covered by Russian posters. It's dark, with no windows and the only light comes from a lamp.
But finally we can take what we need.
"Adler. We confirmed it: Soviets on site."- says Sims to the radio on his pocket.
"You sure?" - replies immediately the Adler's voice, clear and excited.
"Well, I'm staring at two bodies that sure as hell don't look Vietnamese to me."- he close the radio.
"Bell. Grab that comes log. Let's see who the fuck they've been taking to." - adds Sims.
He started to search more information on the second desk.
I reach the first one and pick up the files.
On the cover there is the sign of a bloody hand. Creepy.
I open it and see many Russian words that I can't read.
"Mission accomplished. We have the Intel. Let's bug out." - says Sims to the radio.
"Good work. Hang on to that intel. We're coming in to pick you up." - says Adler.
He seems satisfied.
I don't know how I feel right now, but all want is to look again in those blue eyes.