0500 hours  ##/##/2XXX

The entire base was woken up by the Bugle call as usual, i did my usual chores and prepared myself for another boring day as tank commander in a Osorio platoon down in bumfuck nowhere Brazil,morning formation as usual, or at least it should be as usual, it wasn’t.

We couldn’t believe the news, they showed us the photos, images and radio calls. it was a nightmarish sight, down below the scorching sun we were shocked, some soldiers started crying, others were visibly stunned.

It didn’t take long for the flurry of questions to come, the commander quickly shut them all down with a big “We don’t know”, the commander gave us the orders “Prepare for combat and await further orders”  this what we’ve all been waiting for, after so many long days of training and abnegation our skills would be finally put to work, those that a few minutes ago were filled with shock and confusion were taken back together by the commander’s imperative call, we all answered in unison with “AÇO!’’.

0601 hours

We all knew where to go. I found my crew, my three best friends;
Manuel my gunner.
Bino my driver.
And Jacson my loader.

Manuel upon seeing me smiled and said “‘bout time eh seargeant” he was a short mulatto with a big smile and broad shoulders, Jacoson was with him, he was a lanky white youngman, he joined when he made 18 eager to operate the tanks, his head was low i could feel his anxiety and his concerns.

“Manuel, where 's Bino?” I asked

” At the motor-pool, he told us to meet up with you and get the guns,” I nodded. The corridors in the base were filled with soldiers running from place to place.

We moved to the Armory quickly, there was a counter at the door frame Enrique was, he was our armorer, a big old black guy with glasses, from inside the Armory you could hear: https://youtu.be/x6T_PrloR30 playing

“Seems you Osorio boys will finally use your toys, eh?” Enrique said, ending it with a quick laugh.

Jacson answered “Come on Enrique, this isn’t a joke, people are dying, my family was in Rio i don’t know if they are ok”

Enrique quickly changed his tune after that, I could see a line forming up behind us, lots of guys wanting to get their guns out asap.

“Enrique, get us our pistols and two SMTs” Enrique nodded and moved back to the darkness of the armory room.

He came back with two Taurus SMT 9s in one hand and 4 taurus PT92 in the other, he put them on the counter and said “Lemme get your ammo and knives” he returned to the darkness.

Meanwhile i took the guns and gave them out to Jacson and Manuel, they quickly stuffed them into their pockets, we still had to get our rigs

“Jacson, you get a smg, i ain’t gonna lecture on how to use it” I said, pushing a SMT-9 into Jacson’s hands

Manuel was staring at his pistol. I checked the mags on my pistol and SMG, both empty. FUCK YOU, ARMY REGULATIONS

Enrique finally returned with 2 loaded mags for each gun and 3 bayonets.
He smiled and said “Did you forget your NCO knife, sarge” he ended it with his signature laugh.

He was right, I still needed my NCO knife, I earned it in Minas Gerais after concluding my NCO course.

“You two, anything you need to get in the locker room?”

Manuel quickly answered “My music player and some other shit i leave there”

Jacson was interrupted by Manuel but quickly answered back afterwards “Some photos and my wallet”

>Motherfucker was thinking about money in the middle of a fantasy invasion, smh.

“Let’s go then” I said after picking up my magazines and loose ammo Enrique left at the counter.

0650 hours

After picking up everything we needed and preparing our rigs and magazines we returned to the Sacred motor-pool, a big photo of Osorio himself in one of the walls as if he was still watching after his boys and his tanks, row upon row of tanks in these garages.

I quickly found ours, “Legendario” choosing the name was easy we just had to use Osorio’s epithet, it had a good pristine new Brazilian 2 tone camo and a 105 L7, few tanks had the 120mm, Bino was working overtime loading up the tank with the ammo and spare parts, we moved to help him.
After 25 minutes we were ready to move alongside the rest of the squadron, Tenente Aguerres was leading the expedition. Our orders would be given in-transit to the nearby town, anxiety and expectation filled the already sulky air inside the Osorio.