Taeyeon adjusted the straps of the Kevlar vest so that it fit snug to her petite body. Pulling on her balaclava and masking her face, she armed herself with her trusty AK-47, making sure to clip on as much ammo as she could onto her belt. She checked her packs to make sure they were in order. Looking around, her teammates all gave her terse nods. All business.

Lock and load!

“Ok let’s move out!” she ordered gruffly to her teammates as she made her way out of courtyard, being sure to scan the corners before going further.

From afar, she could already hear the unmistakable ‘ra-ta-ta-ta’ of her teammates AK-47 and the returning harsher ‘bam-bam-bam’ of the counter-terrorist M4’s. Looks like the action was already beginning.

Fire in the hole!

The air was dry and arid, burning as it slowly permeated the caverns of her lungs, searing the desert air into soft pink alveoli. From her peripheral vision, she saw one of her teammates run ahead and enter the darkened archway that led to the cargo area where they had to plant the bomb. Her teammate swept the dark tunnels with the scope of the gun, trying to make sure there were no trigger-happy counter-terrorists in wait by the stairs to the right…

…but too late.

There was a cry and a few fierce flashes of orange light in the dim tunnels and her teammate was gone.

Taeyeon immediately drew one of two flash-bang grenades from her belt. She ruthlessly bit off the pin and threw it into the tunnel.

Fire in the hole!

There was an almighty bang and a blinding flash of light that lit up the entire archway, clear as crystalline day.

Taeyeon could make out the shadows of her opponent staggering around in the dark, shooting off rounds like a madman in their desperation to kill her before they were gunned down in their temporary blindness. The erratic orange flashes of the gun punctuated the blinding flash of white light, almost like an orange creamsicle colored disco ball was spinning in the depths of the tunnel.

Taeyeon took one deep calming breath…took aim…and fired.

Head shot!

She was already moving before the CT had even collapsed under her controlled hail of bullets. She quickly swept the area and moved forwards, bending down briefly with her eyes still scanning her surroundings to pick up the bomb from her dead teammate.

The mission goes on despite death.

She ran through the tunnels, swinging her AK-47 on it leather strap to her back and running instead with her knife.

It was faster this way. Increased her agility.

She sliced the knife menacingly through the air in front of her, testing its balance as she ran. The moment she was out in the open, she had already slipped her knife back into its sheath and was already propping her gun up in her hands.

There was a fleeting movement to her left, where the cargo boxes were. She swung swiftly to the side and peppered the boxes with bullets.

There was the sound of return fire.

She hadn’t hit her target.

She felt her body jolt rudely with the impact of one round that had managed to hit her, felt the slug embed itself into her Kevlar, winding her and practically kicking the air out of her lungs.

“Dammit!” she swore under her breath as she took cover behind a box to her right.

Need backup!

Taeyeon took a quick once over to check that she was alright, that the damage wasn’t too severe. The bullet hadn’t gone through and the harm was minimal…but damn…it still hurt! She grit her teeth and reloaded her gun with a new magazine, waiting for a break in the hail of bullets that was even now tearing the wooden box she was hiding behind to shreds. Just as she was about to jump out, a flash of black and dark grey streaked past and boldly ran towards the target.

“Taengoo! I’ll cover you!” a familiar high-pitched voice screamed.

GO! GO! GO!

There was a fierce ripping sound of bullets reducing wood to sharp slivers…and then a sharp cry.

It was over.

Taeyeon ran out, her chest aching from the hit she had taken earlier. She ran to the designated site. Bending down, the laid the bomb on the floor and punched in the pre-agreed-on password to activate it.

She was essentially a sitting duck right now.

Her life was in the hands of the teammate that had saved her just moments earlier.

“Come on Taeng! Get your moving!”

“Shut up Sooyeon and maybe I will! …EFFING HELL!” Taeyeon swore just a second later as her sweaty fingers messed up the code. She cleared it and tried again.

“Goddammit Taeyeon!” Jessica griped.

Taeyeon ducked as Jessica fired over her head at an opponent she could not see.

Her ears were ringing.

Dang…this is worse than Sooyeon’s dolphin scream…

The bomb has been planted.

“I got it!” she cried, quickly swinging around and joining Jessica in the shoot-out.

“UGH!”

“Sooyeon!”

“I’m ok. Just go. There are two beyond the door. One behind the wall to the right and another behind the crates close to the overpass Taengoo.”

Taeyeon nodded and ran towards the door, taking cover behind the solid wooden panel. She was about to leap out from the cover of the door when she heard the unmistakable patter of footsteps.

Someone was coming in through the little hole in the rock wall to her left.

Taeyeon moved to the crates, crouching to the side of the opening.

She drew her knife.

This was going to be in retribution for that slug she took earlier.

And for Sooyeon.

Of course for Sooyeon.

She saw a head poke out, gun already aiming for Jessica, who was to her left, out in the open.

Taeyeon lost not another second before leaping forwards and slashing brutally right at the neck.

Straight for the jugular.

Then she stabbed the person straight in the heart.

Twice.

Just in case.

“Taengoo! Was that really necessary?!”

“Yes it was.”

“I think that’s overkill babe.”

“I think I was being nice.”

Beep-beep-beep-beep-beep!

“Crap let’s get out of here before the bomb blows Taeng.”

The two girls lost no time in moving out from the bomb’s vicinity.

One more guy left.

“You think the others wi–”

“! Sooyeon! Look out!” Taeyeon cried, already turning to face the threat who was hiding behind the crates in the overpass up ahead.

Taeyeon opened fire and watched as the body jerked under the force of her bullets. When the smoke cleared, she could see the body on the ground.

Still.

Dead.

…

…

…

Taeyeon turned to Jessica to celebrate their win…

…but the younger girl was laying on the ground, sputtering and coughing.

“NO! SOOYEON! Just hang on! It’s almost over! Stay with me baby! Come on!” Taeyeon cried, cradling Jessica’s head in her chest.

“Taeng…I don’t think it really matters…”

“WHAT?! Of course it matters! You matter! You hear me?! You matter! I LOVE YOU SOOYEON! DON’T LEAVE ME!”

“Taengoo…calm down baby…”

But Taeyeon wouldn’t listen.

The shorter girl hoisted Jessica up in her arms, running somewhere…anywhere.

“There’s nothing they can do baby…healing is not part of the ga–”

“No Sooyeon…I’m not going to lose you. I can’t lose you! Just hang on! Come on-come on-come on! …Announce our win already!”

…

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