Disclaimer: Call of Duty does not belong to me. It belongs to it's respective owners, namely Activision.
A hospital somewhere in the Kamchatka Peninsular, Russian Federation.
23rd December, 1996.
Imran Zakhaev's life had depended on immediate medical treatment, and it was that fact that gave them all no choice, but to take him to this really, out-of-shape, crumbling apart, hospital that had seen better days.
And so, Viktor Zakhaev, Vladimir Makarov, Yuri Vatutin and Lev Kravchenko all stood outside an operating room awaiting for news as the doctors continued operating on their injured leader.
The waiting just seemed to last for hours, until the doors opened and out came a doctor.
Immediately, Viktor shot up and made his way to the doctor, demanding for some news on his father.
However, Vladimir could see that the doctor was very terrified of Viktor's shouting and the fact that he was gripping the doctor's collar by both hands wasn't helping.
So Vladimir, and Yuri came up to Viktor and pulled him back, saying "Viktor, calm yourself, your shouting will not do us any favours".
And despite Zakhaev's son scowling at Vladimir for daring to manhandle him, Zakhaev's protege soon turned to the doctor and calmly asked if he had any news on Zakhaev's condition.
The doctor, thankful for Makarov's calm approach and questions, then gave the answers, "Yes I do, comrade. We, erm, well, did manage to remove the bullets from his chest. Despite their shots, we managed to ensure that they did not do any damage to his heart or his lungs".
Viktor smiled and was ecstatic at the news, until the doctor, still carrying a grim face on him, muttered, "But..."
The whole attitude in the room shifted, and Makarov calmly asked, "But what?"
Gulping, the Doctor sweated and rubbed his brow with his arm, "We've had to amputate his left arm. The wounds sustained, were heavily infected, and we could have been risking his life if left untreated, so we had to cut away above the elbow..."
Enraged, Viktor launched himself at the doctor, screaming for doing such a thing to his father, which prompted Makarov and Yuri to put themselves between Zakhaev's enraged son, and the doctor, who looked absolutely terrified at all this.
Kravchenko then intervened and sternly advised Viktor to calm himself down.
It took a while for the message to get through to him, but eventually, Viktor calmed down.
Then, Viktor and Vladimir entered, despite the doctor's protests, with Yuri and Kravchenko staying outside the operating room.
Inside, Zakhaev, lying down on a hospital bed, had been stripped of his clothing (which had been ripped apart and thrown away as part of the efforts to save Zakhaev), with only hospital wear on him, various drips and a link to a ancient medical monitor that displayed the heartbeat on a green screen.
Makarov was astonished to look at how fatigued and drained Zakhaev looked, after all those hours under the care of the doctors that had saved his life. For all the years he had served with Zakhaev as his protege, Vladimir had a slight bit of envy for Imran's charisma, will and strength that enabled him to bear the weight on his shoulders of this new movement that he was building.
Viktor approached his father gingerly, until the man himself, who had his eyes closed, noticed someone close-by.
Opening them slightly, it took a good long while for Imran Zakhaev to get his bearings, and Vladimir reckoned that he must be still feeling the effects of a sedative.
But then, he managed to muster the strength to utter one word.
"Viktor..."
Immediately, Imran's son nodded his head and said, "Yes, father. I'm here".
A pause, and Zakhaev asked, "Wh..er...e, am...I?", before he tried to move, only to grunt in pain.
This prompted a doctor to rush over, and urge him not to move around, as he just had an operation.
Nodding his head, and complying, Viktor then took a seat by his father's hospital bed, smiling and said, "Don't worry, father. You're going to be alright! We've managed to save your life".
Vladimir then found the opportunity to speak up, "If it weren't for Yuri getting you straight to the hospital, we would have lost you, Imran Damirovich. I am very glad to see you are going to be alright".
Upon hearing his protege's voice, Imran turned his head slightly to look at him, seeing him standing slightly in front of his bed, before giving him a fond smile.
"Ah, Vladimir. So great to see you"
Viktor scowled at Vladimir, for diverting his father's attention directly from him straight to his father's protege, and said, "Alright, Makarov, you've seen father's well and going to be alright. Why don't you go and tell Kravchenko and your pet dog, Yuri the news, eh?", all the while sneering at him.
But then, all activity in the room seemed to stop as Imran asked, "Why can't I feel my left arm?!"
Then, both Viktor and Vladimir shared glances with one another, forgetting their rivalry for a second, before they tried to figure out how best to explain it to Imran Zakhaev.
Viktor settled for avoiding the question entirely, in favour of asking, "What do you mean, father?"
"I mean, why can I not feel my left arm, or my left hand, Viktor!? All I get, is this sort of strange feeling, like my entire left arm is gone and has disappeared".
But before Viktor can speak, Vladimir settled for breaking the news honestly to Zakhaev,
"Imran, I don't know how to put this to you in any soft way, so I'm just going to say it to you. Your left arm has been amputated".
An shocked silence filled the room, before Imran mouthed 'what?', and this prompted Vladimir to fill in the details on what had happened.
"The assassins put bullets into your chest and into your left arm, then you went down. I tasked Yuri to getting you straight to hospital, and then, I went in pursuit of the assassins, and did manage to inflict wounds on one of them. Straight into the back. But they all escaped. Despite my best efforts".
Vladimir Makarov expected Imran Zakhaev to say something, so he was quite a bit surprised when Imran just fell silent at that, and instead mused on the future of his Ultranationalist movement.
After Imran asked, "How am I going to lead a movement with only one arm, Vladimir!?", Makarov had enough and tried to muster up his leader's faltering spirits, by saying, "Imran Damirovich, you do not need a arm or a leg to bring about or start a revolution. All you will need', pointing to his head, 'is your mind', before continuing on, 'your will and spirit driving your words of inspiration for the people, and they will follow you".
"You think so, Vladimir?"
"I am certain".
Imran Damirovich Zakhaev, managed to smile, before turning to his son, who was scowling furiously at Vladimir, and said simply, "Isn't it amazing, my son, the people who stick by me even when I am wounded and on the verge of death?"
Diverting his attention from Makarov, Viktor mustered a smile for his father, even though he really did not like to phrase Vladimir Makarov one bit, and said simply, "Yes father. Even a wounded bear, is still a dangerous bear. And you are a very dangerous bear".
Smiling widely at his son, Imran's right arm came over to pat Viktor on his shoulder as he said, "Indeed I am. These assassins made a huge mistake, going into the den of the bear to provoke it", before he then spoke out loud to the room at large, "Mark my words. They think that the Ultranationalist movement is over. Oooooh, how wrong they are. We're only just getting started. It'll be years, before we make the strike, but when we do, we will become a force to be reckoned with before long. And the West will learn that it is unwise to provoke a wounded bear".
Stirling Lines, Hereford, Herefordshire, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
24th December, 1996.
After opening the door to his house, and stepping out of the cold of the windy, and snowy winter weather, Lieutenant John Price soon saw quite a change in his house, from the one he left several days ago.
The house was alight and vibrant with Christmas decorations.
Sure, Price had brought a Christmas tree as a present for Andrea before he left, but they hadn't gotten around to decorating the house just yet.
Price reckoned that Andrea must have gotten the other wives at Hereford to help out, considering her impeding due date, which must be coming soon.
Andrea, who was in the kitchen preparing for her husband's arrival and preparing their dinner, stopped in her tracks when John announced himself, "Andrea, I'm home!"
But she regained her control, holding in her joy only slightly, and even though she was a bit busy cooking dinner, Andrea responded, "In the kitchen, John!"
The footsteps grew louder and soon, in the entrance to the kitchen, stood her husband.
And thus, there was a brief pause before Andrea squealed in delight as she stopped what she was doing and moved forward towards her husband, who did the same. Then, both Andrea and John embraced each other, relieved to be within each other's arms.
Clutching her husband tightly, Andrea whispered "I missed you".
Warmed by his wife's words, Price inwardly smiled as he said back, "I missed you too, Andrea".
And indeed he did, despite them being back earlier than they anticipated, as everyone on the team thought that they'd be spending Christmas all the way over in the Kamchatka Peninsular. And the same probably went for their families.
The Tucson had manage to get Price, Mac and Gideon (along with Henry's body) to Pearl Harbor, arriving on the morning of the 23rd, and they took a flight back to the UK from Honolulu by lunchtime, arriving at Heathrow in the evening.
Taking note of the Christmas decorations and the Christmas tree, Price remarked to Andrea, "I see you've managed to get the place decorated".
Releasing themselves from their embrace, Andrea smiled, "Yeah, Gillian came around with Sally, Jane and Rachel, you know, Peter, Michael and Joe's wives? They came around on Saturday to help put up the decorations".
Remembering the wives of Staff Sergeant Peter Auster, Sergeant Michael Eady and Corporal Joe Holdsworth, who were also in the Regiment, John then looked down towards his wife's swollen stomach, and put a hand on it before he asked, "So, how's the little one been treating you?"
Andrea smiled at John as he rubbed her swollen belly, "Kicking me like a footballer, this one has. Not too badly today', before looking down and adding, 'Still, just wish he, or she, would pop out already".
Then moments after, Price felt their unborn child kicking a bit, before withdrawing his hand, and then letting silence fester for a moment as he tried to muster the courage to start off saying about Henry, thinking about Henry's ex-wife Wendy and their three kids.
"I take it that you heard the news about...", before Andrea cut in and nodded, knowing what he was talking about, "Yeah. Gillian, me, Sally, Jane, Rachel and the other wives went over to Wendy's place, when we heard".
"How is Wendy?"
A brief moment of silence, until John could hear some sniffles as Andrea continued, "Wendy may be his ex-wife, but she still took it hard. So did their kids. Oh, the news was very hard for them. They took it harder than Wendy".
Then she embraced John once again, with some slight tears watering from her eyes as she held her husband tightly, and shook slightly, indicating to him that she was quite affected by the whole thing.
All John could do, was to hold his wife close, and let her draw comfort from the presence of her husband, after being away for a good long while.
A church outside Hereford, Herefordshire, England, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
27th December, 1996.
Leaving the Church, now that the service for the funeral of Staff Sergeant Henry Finch was over, the possession followed behind the coffin and the bearer party, who were now heading to an allocated gravesite for Henry.
Amongst the possession, was the Lieutenant Colonel and his wife, as well as A Squadron Commander, the Regimental Sergeant Major and the Squadron Sergeant Major, along with a handful of other officers in the Regiment and others who had served with Henry.
Kenneth MacMillan was also there, as was his wife Gillian, while Price was with Andrea, as was Gideon.
But more importantly, Finch's ex-wife Wendy Mursell, his eldest daughter Molly, his eldest son Mark, and youngest daughter Rachel were also there.
It took a while, until the coffin reached the gravesite, and the pallbearers set it down, readying for it to be lowered into the ground.
But there were a few things that they needed to do first.
Firstly, the pallbearers removed the wreath and the beret on top of the flag draped coffin, before gathering up the flag, and folding it up, while a rifle party of five, got their L85A1 rifles ready, and on the instruction of the NCO in command, aimed and then fired, before bringing down their weapons.
Then, they brought up their weapons, aimed and fired, before repeating the action for the third and final time.
And once they were done, the NCO in charge of the bearer party took the folded-up Union Flag and went to present it to Molly Finch, who was Henry's immediate next of kin, due to his parents having died before him, and he and Wendy being divorced.
Presented with the flag, a tearful Molly wordlessly took it and held it close, before starting to sob a bit, as did her siblings (who were by her left).
Wendy, who was on Molly's right, put a hand on her right shoulder, trying her best to hold it together and comfort her daughter.
Then, as Henry's coffin was lowered into the ground, a Bugle could be heard by the possession, playing the bugle call known as The Last Post.
And as the bugler called off the notes of The Last Post, the possession stood in silence, all remembering Staff Sergeant Henry Finch.
With the funeral now properly over, John and Andrea held each other's hands, as they walked towards the parked cars that were awaiting for the whole possession to go down straight to the wake.
They walked together in silence, with only the crunching of gravel, the sounds of the birds and the breeze of the wind to fill the silence of the church grounds, until they reached the cars and headed straight to the nearby local pub, which was holding the wake.
When they reached the pub however, they saw Wendy and the kids outside, being given words of comfort from Kenneth and Gillian.
Deciding to join them, John and Andrea headed over, before they were seen by both Wendy and Gillian.
Wendy asked Gillian to bring the kids into the pub and keep an eye on them for a while, before both Andrea and Wendy got within reach of one another and hugged each other, whilst John stood to one side with Kenneth, as he let his wife speak to Wendy.
Andrea asked her friend, "Wendy! How are you holding up?"
A sniffle was her response, before some tears came, which she wiped away.
"I'm okay at the moment, thanks Andrea", before noticing her friend's husband standing off to one side, "John! It's great to see you. So glad you came!"
As Andrea let go of her embrace of her friend, John came forward and allowed himself to be embraced by Wendy, before she then let go, and thus, John, Andrea, Kenneth and Andrea all then started to chat amongst themselves.
John was the first to speak, "Oh, Wendy, I don't need to tell you how sorry I and Kenneth are for your loss".
Wendy shook her head and said, "No, but thanks anyway, John".
Price nodded, and then Andrea asked, "How are the kids holding up?"
Wendy explained at how her son and daughters were coping in the aftermath of hearing the death of their father, and various parts of the tale made Wendy slightly tear up a bit, which prompted Andrea to bring a tissue out for her, which her friend took, muttering a simple 'thank you, Andrea'.
Then, came a few more questions, until Kenneth asked Wendy, "Are you and the kids going to be okay, Wendy? If there's anything we can do for you and the kids, Wendy, anything at all..."
"Thank you, Kenneth, but we've all got it covered. There's a place in Gloucester that we've managed to get ourselves. We'll be moving in after the new year. Don't worry, we'll be fine".
A smile and "That's good to hear, Wendy. But if you do need anything from us..."
"I know". But then, she realised how much time had passed, and said to John, Andrea and Kenneth, "I'll be inside", before she abruptly left them and went into the pub.
A pause, before John said to Kenneth, "Alright, I think we should get inside while we're at it. Gillian's probably looking you, Kenneth".
"Yeah, you're most certainly right..."
The End! Happy New Year everyone! I hope you've enjoyed this last chapter of Operation Baseplate!
However, with Imran Zakhaev still alive, you can bet that we've not seen the last of the Ultranationalist movement. It might be a while, but At first, I was going to
I am really so looking forward to getting this new Task Force 141 series off the ground.
I am however, slightly a bit nervous at how I portrayed Finch's funeral and the details in regards to a military funeral. I just hope I got them right.
Anyways, don't forget to leave a review whenever you can, and see you next time!