Infinity—A US Army Special Forces, Black Ops, top secret military unit that provides help, domestic and foreign, and answers only to the Secretary of Defense.
Diesel
“Oliver’s down, Oliver’s down!” River’s shout came through the mic.
“Roger that, Delta team,” Infinity’s base responded and then, “Alpha team?”
“I’m on my way,” Master Sergeant Diesel Gannon growled. The M16 jumped in his hands when he squeezed the trigger, clearing a path.
He worked his way around the perimeter of the partially torn down building. Ahead of him, a burned out jeep lay resting on its side in the hot desert sun. The pepper of gunfire echoed, growing distant at his left. Rounding the corner, he reached River and Isaac next to Oliver’s prone form.
“What the fuck happened?” Diesel hunkered down next to them. Oliver’s eyes were open, but glossed over with pain.
“Multiple shots to the vest, hit his head on the way down. Possible concussion,” Isaac responded.
“Cover me.” Diesel hefted the lighter man into his arms, foregoing a fireman carry due to the possibility of broken ribs.
Isaac and River opened fire and Diesel took off at a run back toward the deserted and broken down building.
Another round of enemy fire smacked the ground next to him and dust flew. Chunks of a dirty concrete wall splintered apart, showering him as he ran beneath an overhang.
Handing Oliver over to Captain Maddox Stone, Diesel spun and returned fire, providing cover for River and Isaac. The pair sprinted past him, crouched low, bullets smacking the dirt. Gunfire erupted from the top of the building, then smacked the ground at his feet.
Diesel stepped out, aimed upward, and sent several rounds into the edge of the overhang. Stucco and debris showered him. He spat the bitter tasting dust from his mouth.
The fucker from above ducked back. Bullets hit the wall near Diesel’s head, so he dropped into a crouch.
Something hard landed on his back from above and knocked his weapon aside. The enemy’s weight took him down.
Diesel went one way and his knee went the other. His kneecap popped when he hit the ground, crumbling beneath the guy’s weight.
“Motherfucker!” he snarled. A knife flashed, and he grabbed at the guy’s wrist to keep it from reaching his throat.
The big, beefy arm of Zane came around the insurgent’s neck from behind. His baby brother sliced a blade against the enemy’s throat, killing him instantly, before yanking the dead body away.
“Fuck!” Diesel yelled, grabbing his knee and rolling to his side.
“Diesel!” Zane shouted through the gunfire, but Diesel’s breath was gone and speaking a far distant second to the pain splintering his left kneecap.
Zane lifted him, which wasn’t easy, and then Maddox was there, each with a hand beneath his arms, and he was dragged through the dirt to cover within the dilapidated building.
After he was placed on the ground, he stretched out his leg. Still buzzing from adrenaline pumping through his body, the pain in his leg became a dull thud. He clenched his teeth and allowed Ethan to cut away his pant leg and assess the injury.
“What’s the diagnosis?”
Ethan wrapped his knee, adding support, before he glanced up and spoke. “Severe hyperextension is my best guess. Probably tore your ACL.”
“Fuck.”
“Lift him,” Ethan said and stepped back.
“I’m too big to carry.” He waved them off when they tried to lift him. “Get the fuck out of here. I’ll make my way and radio later.”
“Fuck you! We are not leaving you behind,” Zane snarled.
“Zane,” he growled.
“Shut it, Diesel!” His brother’s glare could have scorched a fry pan.
Diesel bit back angry words. He’d been stupid to say it in the first place. He would no more leave them here as they would him.
“Ethan is going to give you a shot of morphine, and then we gotta make it to the jeep, you hear me?” Maddox said, crouching next to him.
He met the captain’s eyes and nodded. With the unit’s Captain Elijah Cobalt on his honeymoon, that left Maddox in charge of the team.
“I hear ya.” They typically didn’t use morphine because a medic wanted their patient talking or screaming. It meant they were alive, but since his injury wasn’t life threatening, Diesel gave an abrupt nod.
The slight prick of the needle and several minutes later, Diesel’s breath released in a long rush, the muscles in his neck eased, and he rolled his shoulders.
Zane and Maddox reached beneath his armpits and lifted him. Each of his arms were placed over their shoulders. He hopped as quickly as possible, but he knew he was fucking slowing them down.
Heavy fire erupted behind them as the insurgents sensed they were on the run and pressed their advantage.
Fuck, he was a hindrance to his team. Zane and Maddox never slowed, and when they reached the jeep, he was hefted up into the back.
Infinity leaped into the jeeps just as the enemy came around the building.
Zane handed him his M16. The cold metal of the weapon felt as familiar as his boots, and Diesel checked the clip before slamming it back home. Aiming out of the back of the jeep, he sent fifty rounds back at their pursuers. Bodies fell to the ground and the enemy dove for cover just as the jeep tore away from the compound.
Clenching his teeth, his lips drew wide and he sent several more rounds out, keeping them at bay. Take that, you motherfuckers!
He gripped the side of the jeep as it hit a pothole, bouncing them into the air. He came down hard, the bone jarring pain dimmed by the drugs. The jeep tore up and over a nearby rise and sped down the other side and on through the dusk.
With the enemy left behind, Diesel closed his eyes and gripped his weapon. Almost ten clicks later, they reached an open field. He sat in the truck while the team popped smoke. Within minutes, a Blackhawk swooped in and he and Oliver were loaded up.
It was the fucking hardest thing to do, leaving his unit behind.
“Fucking text Zane when you get stateside or he’ll be a bitch to deal with,” Isaac joked, but Diesel saw the worry in the young man’s eyes.
“I will.” He gave Isaac a quick nod and then over his shoulder, he gave his baby brother a thumbs up.
Zane, holding Diesel’s gaze the whole time, reached out and pulled Isaac away from the helicopter.
Maddox stepped closer and he held the soldier’s gaze; he’d become good friends with the captain over the past several months. They’d grown close after the cave-in back at the Triple R.
He gripped Maddox’s hand. “Bring the team home safe.”
“I will. Besides, River will have my ass if anything happens to me,” Maddox smirked, returning his hard grip.
“So will I.”
“We’ve got to go!” the pilot shouted.
Maddox nodded and then backed away from the bird.
The Blackhawk lifted, and Zane held his gaze for a long moment. Diesel felt his own eyes burn as his baby brother finally turned and ran with the rest of Infinity toward the jeeps.
The helicopter hovered and two gunners opened fire with several machine gun rounds and a few RPGs. That would hopefully give the unit enough time to make it back to base camp.
Diesel rubbed a hand over his mouth as the scene grew smaller until his team was lost from view.