Chapter 13: Infiltration

The silence of the night was broken by bursts of small arms fire from both sides. The Reds who are encamped in their camp and the government forces that surrounded them. There are forty government soldiers in the area that is surrounding the opposition. Illumination like flares were used by the enemy to guide themselves in the darkness of the night. Government forces returned fire with disciplined bursts at the enemy's position. Others used the vegetation as concealment to maneuver across the area. The light of the moon did not help as it illuminated the area which helped the enemy spot them.

Luis and his men hid behind every cover they could as the enemy are furiously raining fire on them. They got pinned down and in need of support. He has to think of an idea to break through the enemy's defenses. While looking for a chance to maneuver he found a small trail south east to his position. He may need a plan to get through there without being shred to pieces by enemy fire. He remembers that in this operation he and his men were not using power armors.

He decided to divide his men into two, first five men will remain in the position to distract the enemy, while he and the remaining four will maneuver. He waits for a while trying to update H.Q. of his plans and finally he got a reply.

"Very well, be extra careful."

Using the thick vegetation of the jungle for concealment, Luis then devised his plan and headed to the small trail. The remaining five provided cover fire for them and followed them shortly afterwards. Time is against them and Luis is doing all what he can. He cautiously follows the trail that lead to a small passage. He signals his men to hold in order to check out the situation.

"Hold, it looks like a passage to a tunnel." Luis said to a sergeant behind him. "We need to make sure that it is clear. Turn on your infrared sensors, it may help you in the darkness to spot the hostiles."

"Roger!" His squad mates replied and did what Luis ordered them to do.

One of Luis' men volunteered to go ahead to check the area. The other's moved to formation with two men ahead of the squad.

"Whenever your ready sir, give the command!" The sergeant said with his sub-machine gun pointed in front of him.

Luis gave the signal by tapping the soldier before him three times, the two then charged inside the entrance and sees no one in sight. They looked for every nook and cranny and saw no one hiding and decided the area was clear.

"Area is clear sir!"

"Roger!" Luis replied and proceeded with the rest of the squad.

"Area looks secure sir, probably the enemy are focused with the fighting from outside." The sergeant said to his commanding officer.

"Probably, check for any secret passage or entrance. It may lead us inside the camp." Luis answered.

While looking for a passage inside the camp, the H.Q. contacted Luis through transmission and asked where he was. Their comrades the commander said have already approached close to the enemy camp and they are not to be seen. Luis explained where he was and said.

"We found a secret passage leading to a tunnel sir. We are currently investigating where will this area lead to."

The commander sounded like he was puzzled and asked him where he is, "Where the hell are you exactly?"

"We are five hundred meters away southeast from our former position. Like I told you before, we found a small trail that lead to a underground tunnel that leads to the base."

"Is that so?" The commander asked and added, "For a makeshift camp, it looks complicated. But nonetheless you are there to apprehend the targets. Find a way inside the base and make sure you I.D. them. If possible take them alive with you."

"Roger that!" Luis replied and the commander ended his transmission.

"What now sir?" The sergeant asked him thinking that the tunnel leads to a dead end.

"We keep searching, Romulo." Luis replied to him.

Romulo and Luis and the rest of the squad looks for a secret passage but could not find any. There were a lot of propaganda books, documents and papers that are lying in the floor. Some were collected by Luis' men thinking that it may help with the intelligence gathering. While looking, Luis had forgot that there was a strange looking cabinet. It is large enough to fit an average person, there was wind that is coming out from the cabinet. Luis and two of his men tried to move the cabinet but to no avail it was heavy to move.

"What now sir, the cabinet is too heavy..." Romulo asked Luis behind him.

With nothing else he could think of Luis decided to open the cabinet. It is empty and looks like termites have feasted on it. The cabinet that is made of wood looks very weak and a simple use of brute force may shatter it. Luis then decided to use the butt of his rifle to pummel the wooden cabinet. Seeing this his men take turns in breaking the cabinet down that blocked a passageway to inside the camp.

"We are wasting too much time here. Let us go!" Luis said and ordered his men to follow him.

Luis and his squad carefully moved forward through the narrow passageway. The sound of gunfire and explosions could be heard from outside. It seems like the fighting is still going on and they have been away for fifteen minutes at least. They continued on their way until they saw light from a distance. It is the enemy and are trying to escape through the same passage way they are taking.

"Hurry up, this way!" One of the Reds said moving to Luis' position.

Seeing Luis and his men before them with their flashlights, the other Reds with the flashlights attempted to point their guns before their enemy.

"It's the enemy!" One of them said and fired a burst of rifle fire that luckily missed.

Luis and two of his men retaliated with accurate bursts of fire towards their enemy eliminating them.

"Area clear!" Luis said and decided to move double time thinking that their target may have taken the other passageway inside the camp.

Nearing his way to exit the passage, Luis ordered his men to hold their position. The enemy may have waited for them. He calls two of his men ahead while he coordinate the others to follow.

"Flashbangs, ready!" Luis said to the two in front of him.

"Roger!" The two replied in unison and threw the flashbangs before the exit of the passage.

"Fire in the hole!" Luis said and ordered his men to charge the area after the flash bangs exploded.

The enemy was blinded and disoriented by the sound, unable to react to the lightning reaction of Luis and his men before them. They quickly fell down to accurate bursts of rifle fire against them. The firefight took at least five seconds eliminating every enemy in the area.

"Ceasefire! Area clear!" Luis ordered and squats down.

After clearing the area, the commander from H.Q. contacted Luis again for an update with his situation.

"This is H.Q., Omega squad what is your status?"

"We are inside the camp, we have cleared an area. No enemies for now, over!" Luis replied to the commander.

"That's good, intelligence have said that a secessionist leader Feliciano Zamora is present in the base. Command wants him alive, however, you are allowed to use force if he resists."

Luis paused for a while hearing of Feliciano's name and then replied moments later, "Roger that H.Q., we will make sure that he shall be brought to justice!"

After the transmission, Romano taps Luis' shoulder asking him if he is alright. Luis nodded and said he is and organized his men for their next step. The firefight is still going on from the outside and the enemy is oblivious that Luis and his men have infiltrated the base through the confusion.