(The title is inspired by an SCP: Secret Laboratory streamer who whenever he tries to kill his girlfriend in-game, he calls it Operation: Ice Cube, I just thought it was funny.  A little note about the illustration, the vests and guns are based on ones that were actually used during the cold war, and Poland's flag is actually that of the Polish Underground State, a secret organization established in 1939 that fought against the Nazis and the Soviets.)

(Slight graphic warning towards the end)

It was a quiet night out, the moon shining down on the forest below where everything was still.  That stillness was suddenly shattered by a shadow sneaking through the trees, then there was another shadow, and another after that, until about a dozen shadows were all sneaking through the forest.  The soldiers were being led by MA and Poland, who were riding in a military truck.  Normally rescue missions didn't take so many soldiers, but this was a very high-risk rescue and if things went south, MA and Poland would need an extraction team.  Once they were about three yards from the forest line, MA told the driver to stop and signaled for his men to get down.  MA exited the truck with Poland and they quietly made their way to the edge of the trees to look out into the clearing where the base was.

"I can't believe we're really doing this." Poland shakily whispered, "this is so nerve-wracking."

MA turned to him, "You didn't have to come Poland, I know you haven't been on a mission like this before, and you've already been such a big help up to this point.  I won't judge you if you want to stay here with the truck." he said, but Poland shook his head.  "No MA, I want to do this.  You and Mandy were there for me when I was in desperate need, this is my chance to repay you both."  

MA smiled and nodded, he then raised his arm and motioned for the soldiers to surround the building and wait for the signal.  Once they were in position, MA, Poland, and two soldiers headed to the back of the base.  The backdoor lock was easily picked and the four of them made their entry, guns drawn.  After making sure the coast was clear, MA had the two soldiers stand guard while he and Poland did a wing sweep.

"I'm not feeling him, are you?" Poland asked after a few minutes.  MA remained silent, focusing on trying to feel for any vibrations in his feathers that would tell him if Mandara was nearby.

"I ... can't ... tell," MA finally said, "I am feeling someone, but the vibrations are very weak and unfamiliar, I don't think it's Trigger but I'm not sure."

After a moment more, MA motioned for everyone to follow him as he headed in the direction he thought the winged country was.

Sneaking through the base was surprisingly easy, with the four of them only running into a few night security guards who were all easily dispatched.  However, the lack of guards and other nighttime workers was making MA very nervous, why would Ussr leave Mandara so under-guarded while he was gone?  MA stopped in his tracks as he pondered that thought.

"Why are we stopping sir, is something wrong?"  One of the soldiers asked, but MA ignored the question and instead took out his radio.

"Attention all units, this is is Thunder Bird speaking.  Due to the lack of Russian contacts we have been making, I have reason to believe that this mission has been compromised.  Have all personnel conduct a ten-meter perimeter check around the base, any soviets found are to be disposed of quickly and quietly.  Once certain that the area is secured, report back to your positions and resume waiting unless ordered otherwise, Thunder Bird out."

"Y-You really think this was a trap?"  Poland asked nervously.

"Yes I do Poland," MA responded as he put his radio away, "but we don't have time to talk about this, we have to-" he was suddenly cut off by the vibration returning to his wings, stronger this time.  At first, MA thought that Mandara was close, but then he realized that whoever this country was, they were moving towards his team.  Before he could tell the others, however, they all heard Russian voices coming from just around the corner. 

MA pushed Poland so their backs were against the wall, his two soldiers doing the same.  MA aimed his rifle up to shoot whoever came from behind the corner, but no one did.  All four of them stood there waiting, it was obvious that whoever was talking before knew they were there and was hiding on the other side of the wall. 

After a few more tense minutes, a voice came from behind the wall, "Не стреляйтеb (don't shoot), we aren't going to hurt you!"

MA and his team didn't say anything, but he did feel a sense of reassurance enter his wings.  MA looked behind his shoulder at Poland, who nodded to say that he felt it too.  The silence was then broken by a different voice,  "We know you're there Mandara Army, just lower your weapons and I promise we won't kill you."

"Россия!!!  That is not helping!" the first voice said

"Казахстан we are trying to negotiate with your capitalist friend's brother and militant entity to not shoot us, this is not a situation we can sweet talk ourselves out of."

As the two voices bickered, MA took the chance to switch to his handgun, which is a better choice for close combat.  After loading it, MA signaled for the others to wait behind the wall while he confronted the two Russians.  MA scooted to the edge of the wall and, after counting to three, jumped into the middle of the hallway and aimed right at the people.  MA didn't shoot though, he instead slightly lowered his gun when he saw that he wasn't up against two soldiers, but rather two countries.

When MA jumped out at them, the smaller country yelped and took cover behind the larger one, who raised his hands in surrender.  The first thing MA noticed was that neither of them was armed, which further surprised him, but he still kept his gun trained on them.

"Well, I certainly didn't expect to see this." MA said, but it was more of a mocking tone than surprise, "jugging by your flags, I guess you two are Soviets kids?"

"да, we are" the larger country calmly answered, hands still in the air "I'm Russia and this is Kazakhstan, we are the ones that sent you those papers."

MA harshly raised his gun, pulling back the hammer, "I KNEW IT!" he shouted, which made Russia flinch and Kazakhstan hide further behind him. "I knew this was a trap!"  he then pointed to his soldiers waiting behind Poland, "You two!  Go retrieve the men, this mission just-"

"NO, WAIT!!!" Kaz yelled as he jumped out from behind Russia, everyone turned to him.

"Kaz, what are you doing?!" Russia exclaimed, but Kaz ignored him and instead stepped in front of his brother so he was facing MA, who still had his gun pointed to them.

MA looked at Kaz confused, now that he was out from behind Russia, he could see that this country was just a teenager, which made him feel guilty about holding him at gunpoint, but he didn't lower it yet.

"Please Mr. Mandara Army, this wasn't a trap, папа really doesn't know that you're here, I swear," Kaz said.  MA raised a brow in disbelief, Kaz could sense his skepticism so he continued pleading.  "Please, we honestly did want to help Mandara get out, I couldn't stand seeing папа treat him so horribly, so I had Rus help me gather those papers to help you, I swear on my wings we just wanted to help."

MA's gun quivered slightly as he struggled to keep it trained on Kaz.  His military mind telling him that Kaz was lying, but his moral side was saying that he was just a kid.  Never had MA been so conflicted before, he knew that he was wasting time interrogating the countries and that the professional thing to do would be to just shoot them and continue on, but he couldn't bring himself to do it, especially since the kid swore on his wings.  After a few frustrating minutes of internal conflict, he started slowly lowering his gun so it wasn't pointed at Kaz anymore, but he didn't put it away just yet.

"Come out you three." MA said to Poland and the soldiers, who wordlessly obeyed.  Once they were by his side he turned back to Rus and Kaz, "Alright, I don't completely trust you two, so I am giving you a chance to prove yourselves, take us to wherever Mandara is being held, and we might let you go unharmed."

Kazakhstan audibly gulped but nodded and turned to Russia, who looked like he was about to protest, but when Kaz looked at him with pleading eyes, Rus just sighed and moved so he could take the lead.

Walking to Mandara's cell was a very tense experience, the team was constantly checking over their backs to make sure they weren't being followed and were on high alert for anything suspicious.  Kaz tried to ease the tension with small talk, but MA instantly ordered him to stay quiet, so he did.  After a few more minutes of walking, Russia stopped at a corner and waved for everyone to get down.  MA moved up next to him and he mouthed "over there" while pointing beyond the wall.  Understanding what the Russian meant, MA quietly attached a silencer to his handgun.

"Wait, what are-" Kaz begun to ask, but was instantly silenced by Poland covering his mouth.

MA didn't acknowledge him, instead, he crept up to the corner and peered out.  Two guards were standing on either side of a door.  'Perfect' MA thought.  Then, faster than the blink of an eye, he stepped out from his cover and fired.  One shot and it was over, both guards fell in unison from the through and through.  MA signaled for everyone to come out, then rushed for the door.

"Trigger, Trigger are you in there? Say something!"  He shouted to the door while one of his soldiers grabbed the keys from the guard's body.  There was no answer, MA knocked several times but no movement came from inside the cell either.  MA begun to panic, were they too late, he tried to feel for his brother's wings, no vibrations.

"No! no, no, no, TRIGGER!!!" he screamed, he was about to try and bust the door open, but the soldier finally found the right key and unlocked it before he could.  MA literally threw the door open to get inside but stopped dead in his tracks. 

In front of him was Mandara, facing away from him, lying motionless in a small pool of blood.

To be continued...