The helicopter skirted the tree tops as it bobbed up and down, left and right. "Movement at one o'clock," the pilot called out to Lt. Col. Holmes. The officer looked out the right side window. There was indeed a very large object moving on the ground below. Holmes signaled for the pilot to move closer. With a slight pull on the control stick, the Black Hawk leaned over towards the object.
"Get me Col. Myers again," he ordered. The pilot matched speed with the object and flew just a few yards behind it. "Col. Myers, sir," Holmes said into his headset. "We have visual contact approximately five klicks northeast. Yes, sir, I am sure it's the Legionaire. If it isn't, we're following the world's most technologically advanced grizzly bear. At current speed, it should round the mountain range in about ten minutes. I'm sorry, sir. Could you repeat that? I'm getting static on the line."
The General walked into the control room. "What's the situation?"
Col. Myers turned with a headset pressed against his ear. He dropped the microphone away from his mouth. "It's coming in from the northeast along the mountains. It also seems as though another signal is bleeding into our communications network. Unintelligible gibberish is clogging up all frequencies."
"Don't tell me this damn thing is trying to jam our radios!" The General's face became flushed. "I've got over three thousand family members on this base. Wives, husbands, children. That's not including civilan employees." He sighed heavily as he placed his hands on his sides. After a moment he looked at Col. Myers. "Get me two Apaches in the air. Tell them that once a fireing solution is confirmed to blow that thing to Hell. I don't want it encroaching any further on my base."
As the circled around the mountain, Lt. Col. Holmes noticed two black figures crossing the skyline, coming for them. As they approached he could tell they were the new Longbow Apache helicopters. "Peel off!" he ordered the pilot, who pulled back on the control stick and moved away from the robot.
"Target acquired," the gunner of the lead helicopter called out.
"Light it up," the pilot replied. Both helicopters let loose a barrage of 30mm gun fire and Hydra rockets. Trails of grey smoke turned into plumes of black clouds along the moutain side. Each helicopter unloaded their entire arsenal into the mountain side. As the roar of the machine gun fire and rockets exploding turned from the overwhelming din to the rolling rumbling echo, the heat from the explosions mixed with the cold, damp air to create a thick fog that blanketed the area.
"Radio interferance has ceased," a major informed the General and Colonel.
The General called back to the radio operator, "Radio the Apaches. I want confirmation on the kill."
"Sir," the Col. called out as he looked over a piece of paper that had just been handed to him. "I think you want to take a look at this. We're getting reports coming in from off-duty personnel about the radio interference. Apparently, it was more pronounced on civilian radio frequencies."
"Negative confirmation on the kill, sir!" the Major called out from his station. "Current conditions are not favorable for use of thermal...." The General waved him off as he took the paper from the Col.
He read over the numerous calls that had come in about a voice on the radio and what it was saying. "I'll be goddamned."
