August 28, 2015

Worth Fighting For - Entry VII: In Defiance

http://freedomfighters.wikia.com/wiki/Union_of_Soviet_Socailist_Republics
Entry VII: In Defiance
Location: Manhattan Movie Theater
Date: Friday, October 17th, 2003

We didn’t rest long before we were on the move again. Chris, myself, Miguel, Charlie, Steven, Tony, Daniil, and Nikolay refreshed our supplies and then headed to the Manhattan Movie Theater. It was there that the Soviets grounded their fleet of helicopters. That fleet created a protective hold around the power plant. Chris hoped that grounding the air patrols would allow us to reach the power plant and strike the fatal blow. Phil, successful with his previous mission, was holding a barricaded position in front of the movie theater. He would keep the SAF busy while Chris sneaked the team into the vacant field behind the theater where the Red air fleet was kept.

We crept through dark alleys towards the movie theater, silently killing the few patrolling soldiers. We were only a few blocks away from the theater when we heard the fighting between Phil’s team and the Reds. Chris motioned up towards a fire escape on a nearby building. With the intelligence we received from Mr. Jones, Chris knew that we could climb up to the roof and make our way by rooftop to the back of the theater. Most of the SAF guards were down on the ground, so we should have little resistance taking this route.

We ascended the rickety fire escape as quietly as we could. It led us to the top floor of the building but no farther because the upper portion of the ladder was destroyed. Chris and I propped open the window and ushered Tony and Nikolay inside. Without a sound, they neutralized two Reds while the rest of the team swept the floor for any other enemies. When we reached the rooftop, Chris pulled out his high powered sniper rifle, it was similar to the one he used when we attacked the Brooklyn Harbor and he had already proved then that he was deftly suited to the weapon. Chris took point and scouted our path ahead. We would have to use wood planks to bridge the gaps between buildings, but it was doable, as long as you weren’t afraid of heights.

It took a bit of weaving and winding around the rooftops to reach the movie theater but we eventually made it. Looking down from our position, we could see Phil and his team still battling with the Reds in front of the theater. Nikolay wanted to open fire but Chris had ordered us not to engage the enemy. We needed the element of surprise and firing now would just give away our position. We snaked around rooftop vents and debris until we could see the open field that housed the SAF air fleet. The guards were quite relaxed even though we all could hear the sounds of the battle raging in front of the movie theater. We scurried into position, making sure not to be seen or heard and then waited for the signal.

The loud boom of Chris’ sniper rifle ripped through the air and a Red standing next to a chopper fell to the ground, dead. We all joined in, aiming carefully so that we would hit our targets. Our barrage of gunfire couldn’t have lasted more than a few minutes. We easily eliminated the two dozen or so SAF soldiers in the now empty field. We climbed down the fire escape and I handed Chris a bag of C4. The rest of us stayed back, safe from the blast, and waited for Chris to plant the explosives and return to us. He led the team down an alley towards the side of the theater, then he pushed the detonator and sent the Soviet air fleet up in flames.

As we ran towards the front of the theater, we saw Phil and another soldier coming towards us. He informed Chris that the explosion caused the Reds to scamper back into the theater. Phil was going to lead his team and assault the front of the theater but recommended that we try and fight our way through the back. He introduced his companion as Katherine Cutter, or Kat for short, who was familiar with the layout of the theater and would be able to lead Chris to the upper levels so he could eliminate the officers who resided there. After quick introductions Kat led Chris and the rest of us to the back entrance of the theater while Phil rejoined his group for what we hoped was the final assault.

We sneaked in quietly and with Kat as our guide; we were able to make it to the upper levels of the theater without being noticed. Once there, we eliminated the remaining officers, reached the rooftop, and replaced their flag with ours. The Manhattan Movie Theater was now in the Resistance’s hands. Phil and his team made short work of the lingering Red soldiers while Chris and I searched for any intelligence that might be helpful. Isabella and her team made a surprise appearance and she conveyed her disappointment for being late to the party. She did have surveillance of the warehouse district and informed Chris that the SAF had added floodlights and electric fencing all around the perimeter. We now had no choice but to attack the power plant if we wanted any chance of rescuing the POWs.

http://freedomfighters.wikia.com/wiki/Battle_at_the_Power_Plant
Worth Fighting For
Location: Manhattan Power Plant
Date: Saturday, October 18th, 2003

With food, rest, and Isabella’s information; we were now prepared to attack the Manhattan Power Plant. Isabella had recommended that we focus on the transformer tower, destroying it would cut power to the warehouse district, allowing us to finally rescue the prisoners being held there. There were nine of us in total now, including Chris. Miguel had been one of the first to follow Chris, along with Billy who we lost in the last mission. Charlie was the first POW to lend aid to our cause with Steven and Tony following close behind. Daniil and Nikolay were SAF soldiers until they refused to slaughter innocents. They were to be executed but Chris rescued them in time and they have followed him since. Kat was the newest member who joined our team with Phil’s blessing. Though no one wanted to admit it, we needed a replacement for Billy and she had proven to be a capable fighter.

Our goal was to use the monorail tracks which ran above a portion of the power plant as our entry point. It was dark and the autumn air nipped at any skin that was exposed. We had to navigate down a side street and go under the monorail overpass before we could reach the maintenance ladder that would get us to the tracks. We encountered little resistance and quickly made our way to the tracks above us. Isabella and Phil were both leading their own teams on separate operations which occupied the majority of the Soviet forces in the area. After traversing along the tracks for some time, Chris split the team in two. He, myself, Tony, and Kat would locate the transformer tower while Miguel, Charlie, Steven, Daniil, and Nikolay blew up the power lines. Chris hoped that with both destroyed, it would be near impossible for the SAF to repair the damage. After a few quick orders from Chris we split up with Miguel leading his squad down a maintenance ladder and Chris leading us further down the tracks.

The monorail tracks ran parallel to the backside of the power plant, giving us an easy access point to our target, or so we thought. When we left the tracks and climbed down to ground level, we found that the entire plant was protected by an electric fence. Chris located the power source but the only way to diffuse the fence was to blow it up. There goes our element of surprise. We still had plenty of C4 left from our raid on the diner a few missions back and Chris wasn’t hesitant to use it. We scampered to cover while Chris blew up a hole in the fence, large enough to get us all through. An alarm began to sound but we realized that it was coming from the other side of the plant. Miguel and his squad must have attacked the main gate, which meant that we needed to move quickly.

It wasn’t hard to locate the transformer tower but we were surprised to see it so heavily guarded when the main gate of the power plant was being attacked. We all broke formation and found cover behind concrete pylons before returning fire. Kat yelled out that there was a civilian with the Reds. I peered down the sights of my gun and saw that she was right. A woman dressed in what looked like a power plant uniform was cowering near a large wall. I could see a tool bag nearby, with tools strewn across the ground. She must have been doing repairs to the transformer tower before we had arrived. Now the stakes had changed, we controlled our rate of fire and carefully chose our targets.

After we had eliminated the enemy and secured the area, Chris helped the woman to her feet and asked her to tell us what happened. She told us her name was Chelly Ouma and that she and her husband, Ryo, worked at the Manhattan Power Plant. The Reds captured them and had been using them to maintain the plant. She begged us to rescue her husband and the other prisoners who were being held in the Manhattan Warehouse District. Chris stated that their rescue was our next mission but before we could help them, we had to disable the transformer tower. She showed Chris where to plant the explosives to ensure that the tower would be destroyed. As we headed to a safe distance, Chelly grabbed a gun from a dead SAF soldier. We all gave her a skeptical look but she said she was quite familiar with the use of firearms and that there was no way we were going to stop her from joining us. There was no arguing with a woman with a gun so Chris detonated the explosives and we hurried to meet up with Miguel and the others.

We killed the remaining opposition as we ran through the power plant towards the main gate. There were only a handful of soldiers in the plant as most had left to either pursue Phil’s and Isabella’s teams or to fight off the assault from Miguel and company. His squad was already inside the plant and they were clearing the way for us to exit via the main gate. We kept moving and hurried towards safety. The alarms had been blaring the entire time and now the engines of Soviet transport trucks could be heard in the distance. We ran as fast as we could onto the main road and towards the monorail overpass. The Reds were gaining on us though and soon shots were being fired at our backs. Heavy reinforcements had arrived and now it seemed like the entire Soviet army was chasing us.

Miguel reached the maintenance ladder for the monorail tracks first and helped Nikolay and Daniil up. Charlie and Steven were next, followed by Chelly. I called out to Miguel and motioned to the tracks. He realized what I was trying to say and raced up the ladder. Once above us, he organized the others up on the tracks to lay down suppressing fire, buying the rest of us time to reach safety. But the Red reinforcements were too numerous and it was only a matter of time before we were overrun. As the others straggled in behind me, I helped Kat up the ladder. She hesitated a moment and told me she was afraid of heights, which I quickly responded that she should hate bullets more. I scampered up the ladder behind her and joined in the effort to suppress the Reds.

Chris and Tony were the last ones to the ladder. A Soviet bullet grazed Tony in the leg, staggering him for a moment. Chris stopped and was about to help when Tony quickly got to his feet and yelled at Chris to get to safety. Chris was reaching the ladder when I heard Charlie shout for them to hurry. I looked down the road just in time to see a Soviet tank pull to a stop. Its turret slowly began to aim at us. We had to fall back down the tracks or we would all be killed. I grabbed Chris’ arm and hoisted him up. Chris turned around quickly and reached his hand down to Tony but no one was on the ladder. Tony looked at us and gave a small shrug; it was too late for him. With the injury to his leg he would never be able to climb the ladder in time. He gave a salute to Chris before he turned and began walking towards the Reds. Chris pulled me and we began to run but I looked back for a moment to see Tony firing at fifty SAF soldiers. Tony Ramos, the lone freedom fighter standing in defiance and making the ultimate sacrifice. Suddenly, there was an earsplitting din and a burst of heat as I felt molten air and debris fly by me… then there was only darkness.