12 Minutes (#2 in Military series)

Chapter 36

Chapter 36

The command room was silent except for the radio transmissions coming from the soldiers in the helicopters, their radios linked with the speakers so that their voices filled every pocket of air in the large room. Strong, Truro and Wallace stood on the floor in front of the screens as they watched the footage from the drone as it observed from a distance. Strong had his knuckles in-between his teeth and was biting down on them whilst Truro had his arms crossed over his chest and Wallace simply stood steadfast with her hands clasped behind her back. The telephone resting on the ledge behind them crackled as the line remained open with the prime minister, who was watching the same thing across London.

With the drone footage set to night-vision they could clearly see the helicopters on the far left of the screen and the many heat signatures that encompassed them which could only be Langdale, his team and the children, but on the opposite corner of the screen there was another large group of body heat signatures heading towards them which could only be insurgents. They appeared less than a hundred metres out.

The air in the room felt charged with electricity as they heard the helicopter pilots reporting over their radios, "Control, this Bird 1," The pilot digressed his call sign, "We have the package and are exfiltrating now."

Wallace and Truro physically relaxed beside Strong as they heard that the "package" - a.k.a. the prime ministers niece, Jasmine - and main target of the operation, was safely in the first helicopter which was lifting off and exfiltrating the danger zone. Their main objective had been successful but whilst Strong was happy that the young woman and the children were being airlifted out he was still anxious to hear about his team. He could see that the second helicopter was still on the ground until a few moments later when the pilot of that aircraft informed control that they too had indeed lifted off with full capacity on board. The tension in the room began to lessen as everyone heard the news as two out of the three helicopters were almost away to safety.

The voice of Bird 1's controller, a calm female voice, came over the speakers providing him co-ordinates and orders when the pilot replied they had a casualty on board and were requesting emergency medical attention upon landing. When he heard this Strong dropped his hand from his mouth and turned to look at Wallace and Truro.

Wallace saw his concern and after a moment of judgement lifted her hand from behind her back to reveal a black transmitter which she held to her lips and said, her voice echoing out around her over the speakers, "Bird 1, what is the identity of the casualty, over."

There was a moment of silence before the reply came that it was Marc Langdale and Strong clamped his jaw shut in anger.

"He's not looking too good ma'am. He's lost a lot of blood, over." The pilot added.

"Thank you," Patricia licked her lips, "Over." Her eyes conveyed sympathy to Strong but her lips would never say it as she turned around and spoke to someone behind her, "Make sure the medical team at the base are informed and standing by."

Strong saw this and nodded his head in thanks to Wallace before they all turned back to look at the screen. There was nothing they could do for him now and whilst they knew he was safely in the air the third and final helicopter wasn't.

"Why aren't they taking off?" Patricia asked as she raised the transmitter to her lips to ask Bird 3 for an update but they called it in first.

"Control this is Bird 3, everyone is accounted for and finally taking off. Over."

On a normal day the room would have erupted in a chorus of cheers and exhilaration as another mission was completed but not today. The attacks that had taken place over London were weighing heavily at the backs of everyone's minds and so instead of cheering there was a collective release of air around the room as everyone let go of the breath they had been holding.
Strong wanted to relax but he knew he couldn't, not fully, until his team were back on British soil and he could see them for himself.