[Hider=Hirsch]Afghanistan, June 8 2012.

'I need to shit' he thought to himself as he strode down a dirt road. Ten meters to his right a five foot stone wall, collapsed in areas, ran parrallel to him. Beyond lay fields of wheat, beans, peppers, hardcore fucking drugs that'd make any lucky son of a bitch richer than Oprah, so long as he found a way around customs.
"Mhm, drugs..." he said to himself, remembering his glory days in high school. Captain of the wrestling team, blow on hand, and any slutty cheerleader he wanted was his.

Life was fucking wicked sweet.

Then came the failed piss tests, the three abortions, rehab, assault charges, probation, relapse, assault charge, rehab, high speed police chase(while on speed), AND HES ONLY 17!
His 18th came around, a judge gave him a choice, four years in the corps, or six years in federal.
He chose the Corps, anymore he wishes he had chosen the jailtime, at least then he wouldn't be stuck in this butthole of a country.

Lance Corporal Joeseph Madeline Hirsch, 0311, SAW gunner USMC. Joe stand at five feet and ten inches, last weigh in he was at 220lbs. All muscle baby! In his words "Eat big, Lift BIG, drink, fuck, and fight OORAH!"

To his left were the bundle of houses surrounded by a ten foot tall courtyard wall, made of mud and stone essentially. It was a hot and muggy morning, he was already sweating through his blouse, good thing the bandanna he wore under his Kevlar helmet kept the sweat from dripping into his eyes. He shifted in his gear and re-positioned the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon(SAW) sling accross his armor. He looked around, the squad was in a stagger formation, his team was point, he was second from the front.

A small whistle was heard, he looked back, his team leader gave his team the hand and arm signal "keep your head on a swivel." 
'Oh snap, Wolfey boy must be gettin one of them straaaaange feelings again,' he thought to himself. Wolfe always tended to get weird.... Right before shit goes down, always, the guy's a regular freaking Spider-Man. 

'ugh, need to-' A crack overhead and gunfire in the distance
"-SHIT! Contact right," He yelled as he moved toward the wall, he saw where the fire was coming from.
"Tree line, 200 meters!" he yelled back. Once set he loosed 20 rounds toward the enemy, gain fire superiority allowing friendlies to maneuver in. During that time the rest of the squad was at the wall returning fire. Rounds from Terry* began impacting close to where the squad was post up. 

"Zero us in Hirsch!" Wolf yelled, Hirsch had more tracer rounds than anyone else, so the squad can track his fire and to where enemy forces may be, or at least his impact areas, and Hirsch was a crack shot, behind Wolfe that is.

He really couldn't see anyone in the tree line, sun was in his eyes, and Terry were concealed with foliage, but their muzzle flashed gave away their positions, amateurs. But, they seemed to have more machine guns than The marines did. Good.


"RAPID FIRE, RAPID FIRE, PICK IT UP YOU FUCKS SHOW TERRY NOT TO FUCK WITH THE CORPS!" Sgt. Vice yelled, their squad leader. The rates picked up. Hirsch and the two other SAW gunners extended their bursts toward the enemy. They may not have been that accurate, but it sure as shit kept those savage fucks from moving.

Three audible THUNKS! followed by three explosions in the tree line, enemy fire slowed.
The more THUNKS!  three more explosions, no more enemy fire.

"Cease fire! Cease fire!" Sgt Vice yelled.  
"Wolf pack, ACE report," Wolfe said to his teammates. Wolf Pack was the call sign for his fire team.  Hirsch always thought he was a total tool, but he was his best friend too, so he was a lovable tool.
"Green across corporal," said private Heuly. 
"Green as well," private Sanders said. 
"Ya I'm good brokski," Said Hirsch.  
"Team leaders report," Sergeant Vice commanded. 
"Wolf pack is green." 
"Reapers green." 
"Black Death green," 
All the teams rogered up. Sgt. Vice sent Wolfes team to check out the enemy position. Team Reaper will follow in trace 50 meters, third team will stay static and be a base of fire if needed. Sanders, the point man was first on scene, the result was 9 bodies all dead. 
"Echo 5 Victor, this is Wolf pack, on site of the ambush. 9 KIA." Wolf said into his radio. It took a few minutes but Sgt. Vice responded, "Roger that, head back, we are getting re-tasked." 
"Roger that, Oscar Mike," Wolf said. 
"Aight gents, pick up, and let's move back, Sanders your point," Wolf said heading back.

***

A few hours later the squad was riding on board a V-22 toward some mountain range near the edge of their AO**. Something about the local goat fuckers being afraid of Casper the afganni ghost, or some bullshit, Hirsch didn't really pay attention to the snap brief.... He still had to shit.

The aircraft landed and what the marines saw stopped them in their tracks. Coming up to a de-elevated spot on the mountain side, it looked almost bowel shaped. On the other side of the bowl was a cave opening, small, could maybe fit one marine in gear. Before that cave entrance though, was something else, bodies. 
Bodies everywhere, at least over twenty. Some looked to be torn to shreds, others were whole. What hit the marines first was the smell. The sound of gagging and vomiting came from behind Wolfe, one of the newer marines, a private lost his lunch. 
"Jesus, jumping, mother of Mary," Sgt Vice uttered. 
"What the fuck? What the fuck happened here?" asked another team leader. 
Hirsch looked to wolf, "yep, looks like a smoking accident...damn cigarettes, they'll kill ya!" he said stepping up to a corpse, "Aint that right mister mussie?" Using the barrel of his weapon, he tapped the chin of the corpse, making it look as if it were talking and said in a high pitched voice "That's right Mr. Marine, we should have known better but we were to busy fucking our goa-" 
"Stow that shit," said the squad leader who was talking to command on the radio. 
"Check it out, almost all these guys are wearing robes, like ceriomonial, definitely not Islam." Wolf said kneeling down close to one of the corpses.
"Command wants these bagged and tagged, the Osprey has what we need, let's get to it." Sgt Vice came back with a pile of folded body bags. 
It took two hours and three marines lost their breakfast, but all the bodies were loaded up onto the bird and carried away. Another helo this time a Chinook picked the marines up and returned them to their FOB.  

***
The debrief took almost two hours, Hirsch was bored throughout, he caught himself drooling a few times, only to slurp it back and have annoyed eyes looking back at him.
"What?" he reply.
Afterwards he finally got to take a shit, feeling better he sat in the smoke pit and lit a cigarette. Wolfe came out with a cigar and the two puffed away. They sat in silence for a few minutes, until Hirsch flicked his butt away, and lit another one.
"How much longer we got in this butthole of a country?" Hirsch asked trying to blow smoke rings, and failing. 
"About 5 more months, if we aren't extended," Said Wolfe, who blew out his own smoke ring, far better than Hirsch. 

 'Fuck him in his stupid pretty well chiseled face.'

"All I knows is when we rotate back to the world, gonna get me some ass, first thing," Said Hirsch nodding. 
"You mean man ass right?" Wolfe said with a smirk. That bastard.
"Man, fuck you." Hirsch said. 
"No thanks bro, I like women...  Not a man dressed like a woman." 
"Dude fuck off, I was drunk, and she was really convincing, or he, or it, or fuck I dunno, and fuck you man!" Hirsch said getting red faced. Wolfe was laughing hard now. 'Hate him soooo much...'
"She, she....wait" he began between breathes and bout of laughter,"she said," and then he made his voice deeper, " My name's Karen, Hahahah," Wolfe almost fell off the sand bag he was sitting on. 
"Whatever you're the one who talked to her the longest," Hirsch said defensively.
"Yea well I had to apologize to her on your behalf you unclassy white trash bastard, you flipped out when you realized she had a dick. So I bought her a drink, and apologized, because my best friend is a transphobic, homophobic, alcohol syndrome baby." 
"I'm gonna murder you in your sleep." 
"That's the only chance your gonna be able to get, cause we all know your bitch ass can't do shit with me awake," as soon as Wolfe finished his statement he hopped to the side, as Hirsch was going to tackle him, which he did. The scuffle lasted for about a minute, until Wolfe was on his back, Hirsch on top of him but his back facing Wolfe. Wolfe had his legs wrapped around Hirsch's legs, while Wolfe had him in a figure 4 choke. When Wolfe arched his back in, it caused Hirsch to bend back, causing him to choke and some pain as well, he tapped out. 
Hirsch rolled off and coughed, 'fuck again!' Hirsch takes pride in knowing he is an outstanding ground fighter, and martial artist, he had been practicing since he was a small child, but he could never, ever get close to beating Wolfe. It ain't even like Wolfe was that good. Hirsch can easily beat those that can beat Wolfe, just not Wolfe himself. As Wolfe put it.
"Its ok man, the reason why you can't beat me is cause your my bitch, biologically speaking."
Which infuriates Hirsch to no end. But...Wolfe is his boy to hell and back.
"Corporal Wolfe!" someone called out. Wolfe stood up and waved. It was sergeant Wyatt, 2nd platoons platoon sergeant, he was currently acting as SOG, sergeant of the guard. It was 2nd platoons turn to stand post. While 3rd platoon, Wolfe's platoon, was on mission. 1st platoon was the QRF(Quick react force). The platoons switch every 2 weeks.  
"Hey, someone is here to see you in the COC," Said Sgt Wyatt. 
Wolfe, confused, stood up. "Roger that on my way," slinging his rifle he looked back at Hirsch, "Hey make sure our guys have clean weapons... And make sure they get some chow."  
"Yea good to go man," Hirsch said. He picked up his SAW and headed back for the hooch(living space).  

Once inside he moved toward where his teams racks were, Heuly and Sanders were watching a movie on Sanders laptop.
"Hey fuckers, clean those fucking weapons." Hirsch said sitting on his rack, he began to break down his saw and grab his cleaning gear.

"Aye lance corporal," they both said and began cleaning their M16s. After forty three minutes Hirsch had the team go get some chow. They were good kids. Sanders was 18, Heuly just turned 18 a week prior. Guess his parents let him pin at 17. Hirsch was mean to them constantly, but it was a front, to be honest he cared deeply for the guys in his team they are family. Heuly and  Sanders were the kids, Wolfe was the daddy, and Hirsch the creepy perverted uncle. It worked out pretty well.

***

About 2 hours later or so the squad was gathered toghether in the briefing room. The LT had a mission planned. Hirsch barely paid any attention to the brief, he paid close attention to the map and the main objectives, but the rest was fluff, mainly for team leaders and the squad leaders.
Although, Hirsch noticed the LT seemed a bit off. He seemed spacey, as if he just came down from  four day coke fueled binder.
They were to return to the mountain range that had all the massacred bodies, and look for something out of the ordinary, yes becuase twenty two bodies torn to shreds atop a spooky mountain is fucking ordinary- regular fucking Tuesday in the 'Stan. 
'Fuck me, I hate this bullshit country. Everyone smells like shit, the countryside smells like shit, this whole place is shit. And, AND, all the possible fine ass primo poon tang has to be concealed and covered up hidden away from all. Why couldn't the US invade a socially progressive nation.... Like Norway, women are fine as hell in Norway- strong...independent...firm yet supple and soft and-"
"HIRSCH!!" a voice yelled.
"Aha-ya?" He's stammered snapping out of his fantasy. 
"Hurry the fuck up, squads waiting." Wolfe said.
"Oh yea...time to do marine things, and by marine fashion, fucking up any savage non enlightened third worlders for my corporate and banking masters, Rah?"
"God fucking Damnit you enigma just go..."
Hirsch stopped and stared mouth agape.
"How dare you use the N word on me, that is racist Wolfe, pure and simple racism, I ain't black either..."
"Not nig-" Wolfe almost played into Hirsch's trap. He grit his teeth, glared at Hirsch fist clenched.
**
Three minutes later the squad was getting ready to board the bird, Hirsch bringing up the rear, holding his eye.

***A few hours later

"Hitting the LZ eta 20 seconds," the pilot said over the comm. The Osprey landed, the marines moved out. Within 3 minutes the bird was gone and the marines were moving back to the location  they found earlier. Hirsch was beginning to get nervous, Wolfe looked like he was ready for something to happen, the ride over was quiet-too quiet. The lieutenant was acting weird, normally the guy was a wiener, in Hirsch's opinion. Over educated scrawny college boy, nothing ever seemed to bother him, always smiling and shit, Hirsch swears the man lacks a nervous system. Now? The man was stone faced, looking like he was comming down from something, he seemed paler.
Once there, the LT had them single file through the small cave, once outside, they found themselves facing the remains of an old temple, or castle.  
"Wolfe, your team," the LT said, then sniffed the air, "mmmmm yes, definitely your team with me," he began to head toward the building. 
"Dude, something aint right, LT is acting strange, Sgt Vice has said less than  three words since we landed," Hirsch said. 
"I know, I got a really bad feeling man, make sure you're alert, I don't want any surprises."


They made their way inside the building, it was desolate, fallen beams, caved in ceiling. The only open path was further down. 
"Down...we must go," the LT said. 
"Hey sir, maybe we should get the rest of the squad up here and... Sir?" Wolfe trailed off, the LT was already walking down the stairs. 
"Mother fucker." Wolfe said through clenched teeth. They hurried to follow. The stairs down seemed to go on forever, and the temperature began for rise. Soon they began to pour with sweat, but the LT wasn't even damp.  
A red glow was seen nearing the end of the stairwell. Once to  the bottom they began to hear chanting, and then wailing. They quickened their pace, except for the LT. They entered into a small landing and took cover behind  fallen pillar. What they saw would haunt them the rest of their lives. Hirsch once saw a snuff/porno once in the internet when he was a kid, it screwed him up for an bit, but this, this made that video seem almost therapeutic by comparison.
Eight men, standing around a woman, who appeared crucified, were all chanting, the eighth man stood in front of the woman, he held a large two handed sword. Behind the woman, was a huge red crystal that seemed to pulse with a blood red light. Using the sword the eighth man sliced the woman. from her sternum, to her pelvis, and stepped back, the chanting became louder, her screams became louder. The LT casually walked passed the marines toward the red glow mumbling to himself. Wolfe seemed to be lost in the sauce staring at the whole scene, that scared Hirsch, he's never seen his team leader freeze before, much less even stutter, he just let the LT go...
"What the fuck is he doing?" Hirsch leapt to grab him, when he touched the LT, he turned, his eyes completely black, and hissed at Hirsch with distorted sharp teeth. He stumbled back, and  tripped over Heuly, the LT turned to move back toward the group.  
They didn't notice him, if they did, they did not seem to care. That's when the screams became frantic, and high pitched. The sound of breaking bone and flesh ripping drew their attention to the woman, who was now sputtering and gurgling on her own blood.  
Her stomach bulged, blood and stomach acid sprayed out, then what looked like a large muscular arm with a clawed hand pushed out, then another one.  
Next they saw horns pushing through. 
Not wasting any more time Wolfe leapt over the pillar they had taken cover behind, flipped the safety off his M203 and fired a high explosive round at the group. The grenade impacted the woman. All 8 men were killed. The  woman was blown apart, and that thing was gone. The sword clattered the floor next to Wolfe, he just stood there staring at it.
The LT was alive, bloodied and mangled, but alive. He got up  limped toward the crystal. 
"SIR DON'T TOUCH-" it was too late. The lieutenant placed his hand on the crystal, it pulsed once and a large shockwave exploded from the crystal. The LT was vaporized. Wolfe and his team were knocked back. The structure began rumbling. The crystal turned white, and without warning exploded in a sea of white light. The team tried to get out but it was too late, they were engulfed. Hirsch ran to help Wolfe, as  the wave hit him, it took Hirsch next.
Then silence, blackness, just his breathing.

***

Hirsch awoke, slowly, he felt groggy. His vision cleared, a female nurse was attending to him.
Oh no... Did he get blown up?
"Oh god, Jesus in heaven Mary protect me, doc, doc please..." He said weakly.
Concern washed over her, she crept near, sympathetically she asked,"what's wrong?"
"Oh god...please...please tell me... Is my dick still there?"
Her face went from concern to a stern frown.
"Yes," she said irritated.
"It is? Oh thank you Tom Crusie.... So...doc... Since your here an all...should we make sure it still works-?"
"And I think your fine, SECURITY!" she called, a large man in black enetered.
"Tell doctor Frasier Mr. Hirsch is ready," she said again in an irritated voice.
From there Hirsch was dressed in hospital garb, placed into an interview room. He was explained to that it was now the year 2016, he is underwater, and this is some secret government organization-typical.

A few hours later he met up with Wolfe, who had a gnarly white streak through his hair now. Otherwise he still seemed the same, more tired than usual? He looked like he'd been to hell and back. It was good being toghether though. His yin to Hirsch's yang.

They made their way to a confrence room, where he was repetedly "reprimanded" by Wolfe. Until he saw...her.
Red hair, piercing eyes, strong jaw... 'be still my aching heart for I doth found mine koolaid' he thought to himself. 
The meeting continued and Hirsch kept trying to get Reds attention, but she didn't even know he existed. Wolfe got up and started drawing on the board. At first Hirsch was paying attention, then he thought about Red, the food, the Red eating food.
"You got anything to add Joe?" Wolfe asked
"You got real purdy eyes," he giggled.
Whack! Wolfe hit Hirsch in the back of the head.
"Fraggin moron!"
Before Hirsch could speak his eyes widened.
Something just walked in the room.
"Holeeeshit! It's ma'fucking Goliath! Bruh I loved your show as a kid!"
WHACK! This time it was harder.
"Owww man! Whiskey tango foxtrot asshole!?"
"Stow that shit you simple dumpster baby."
Hirsch scoffed and sat back down.
Wolfe walked up to the large creature, his eyes conveyed two things to Wolfe, intelligence, and kindness.
He held out a hand to the creature, "I apologize for my SAW gunner, he's a idiot with no filter, but probably the best human being to have on your side in a fight. My name's Wolfe, Corporal Wolfe, but you can call Wolfe, and that's Hirsch, as I call him numbnuts."

Hirsch shrugged it off and sat down, Wolfe came over a few minutes later
"So...when's This thing over with? I'm getting friggin hungry," Hirsch said "I need real food, not these snacks. I need meat, potatoes and-"
"Check that, should be done soon, then we can get some chow, I know I am getting ansty as well, just tough it out for now."[/hider]


Wolfe sat back and took in the rest of their conversations, for he had no input. Until one of the others spoke up about going back, and giving out weapons.
"I"m all for that, it would be good to get back to the surface, investigate Whats going on." 
He looked at Hirsch.
"Hirsch and I would like to get our gear back, we can provide security, we both have extensive combat experience"
"Plus with Goliath on our side, who the hell is gonna fuck with us? Bona-fide killer trio right here" he said throwing up some random gang sign.
"What my idiot friend means is our appearance-" he nodded towards Vaughtar "would be a pretty solid deterent."Wolfe said. Trtuh be told he was begging to feel claustrophobic, and anxious, he wanted to find out what is going on, get some action underway, and eat some food, maybe a full nights rest as well.

*What coalition forces called the Taliban. Terry the Taliban.
**AO Area of Operation