Chapter 15: Long Range Strike

I had sergeant major Smythe handle all incoming men and I began going to the Cav intel to look at maps and reports. At least I still had all four of my lieutenants and platoon sergeants. At first I had a dozen possible targets but I had to narrow them down to what would hurt them the most.

Anh and Cam had opened their tea shop but half the time they did not even charge for the tea or coffee. When they closed the shop they came to my office to get me or wait which helped push me into finishing. The second day we received crates from Protection Armor Company and Kenter Arms Unlimited.

Inside were new extremely light but strong scale shirts and a new type of shotgun like I had described. They even sent hundreds of magazines and cleaning kits and a note hoping their new products worked well for us. I let McBee divide everything between the platoons and test the new shotguns.

I narrowed our objective down to one possible and began planning. Six hours and I took it to lieutenant colonel Quincy and he called major general Dunn who called the Corp commander general Montgomery. Another hour and I had all three plus a full colonel from intel looking over my shoulder.

The plan was simple but required timing and coordination with bombers, Chargers and vertical lift birds. I even had several squadrons of warbirds on standby just in case we needed support. Our target was a large ammo plant deep inside enemy territory. The bombers would take out everything above ground but the main munition plant was below in deep bunkers.

They had a battalion of soldiers around and beside the plant warehouses and I was sure there would be more below. When the Chargers came in eighty percent of the company carried shotguns. Either the new magazine fed, the prototype or the old Tomahawks. Plus each team had a grenade launcher and four belts of grenades and they still had the tri barrel miniguns.

I kissed the girls before we left for the airfield. The bombers were already in the air and would pound the area before we arrived. I was carrying my over and under and the magnum pistol with the ten millimeter under barrel helical rifle. This plant produced eighty percent of the ammo for the enemy and the bombers would only be able to make one quick pass.

The Chargers sped northwest as the sun rose and I looked out and ahead trying to think of anything I had forgotten. The first squadron of warbirds were ahead of us and I listened when the bombers arrived. They had a lot of air defense and attack planes had already made one pass to destroy them. That was fine since I had planned for ours to provide cover.

Ten minutes before we arrived all the bombers were safely returning and the warbirds were making their run. They fired more missiles into the air defense sites and dropped plasma bombs on the enemy and the warehouses. They were gone in a couple of minutes and devastation was behind them.

I looked at the sergeant major who had been listening and he grinned and held up a thumb. According to the warbird squadron commander the enemy battalion was ash and all warehouses were exploding and on fire. Ahead I saw the smoke and even over the noise of the Charger we heard the explosions.

First platoon landed first and the door gunners were already firing but I had no idea at what. Their Chargers lifted as mine and second platoon arrived. I jumped out before it touched down and moved away with my team following, "watch the flanks people!"

All around us was smoke and ash and everything was burnt black or still on fire. I gestured to the northeast and Patterson nodded and began to lead his platoon. One of the entrances was in this direction. To the northwest were several more but they were in the area of the warehouses.

Those and everything in and around them had been destroyed and had bomb craters. The battalion area was worse and nothing alive was there. Third platoon landed as first reached the shattered remains of the buildings. Those were still burning and grenades were fired into them. Finally fourth was on the ground and I saw the remaining building that had barely been touched.

With our intel of the site that had been part of my plan, "Dog One clear the building and secure our entry."

The platoon surged as I heard Patterson speak into his platoon radio. Grenades went through windows and shotguns blew the locks on the doors. I strode faster as there were a few rifle shots from inside followed by shotgun blasts. A few moments and I turned to look back and then walked into the building.

There were a few dead enemy soldiers and a couple of men from first platoon pointed the way to a set of stairs. They were wide enough for six men to go down side by side. I nodded to Patterson when I saw him, "post men to watch and secure the building and doors."

He nodded and I peered down, "Dog Two time to earn your keep."

McBee chuckled as he led his platoon in and to the stairs. He slowed and gestured and his first squad, alpha team started down with weapons ready. The first level was fifty meters under ground and all the walls were reinforce steel and concrete. I went down with Hall and third platoon.

Second platoon engaged enemy soldiers before they reached the level. The shotguns had been a good choice and since they were using buckshot they only had to point. The team leaders had orders and each time we reached a doorway or entry they tossed in a grenade. Before long second platoon was engaging constantly and all the rooms looked like labs or offices.

This did not look like a ammo plant but we were headed towards the other entrances. McBee called ten minutes after they had started clearing, "we have one of the ramps down."

I glanced back at lieutenant Hall, "the other entrance should be a hundred meters to the southwest. Take your platoon and clear the way to it. When you reach it go down and call me. If it is blocked come back here."

He nodded and I turned to head for McBee, "Dog Four move up and clear down the ramp. Dog Two hold this level. Dog One do you copy?"

The signal was extremely weak, "barely sir."

I slowed, "send your Sierra to the bottom of the stairs to relay."

I nodded to McBee when I saw him, "you do the same on the ramp."

He gestured and staff sergeant Bosk grinned as he moved towards me. I turned as fourth platoon caught up and their first squad started down. I waited and then went down with lieutenant Mendez. I checked my team as we moved down the straight ramp. Ahead we could see bright lights and machinery.

The next level was huge with a ceiling ten meters tall. Before we reached the floor enemy soldiers began to fire at us. Fourth platoon returned fire and shot grenades and spread out as they reached the floor. I walked with my rifle to my shoulder and aimed and fired, "keep moving and watch where you use grenades!"

The shotguns were devastating and the enemy soldiers could not stand up to them. I moved straight through the cavernous room and fired with my rifle on auto, "Dog Three what is your status?"

I heard explosions ahead and to the right and then shotgun blasts, "clearing the ramp and spreading out."

I fired into a dozen soldiers firing at us and rushing. I swept them and so did James and private first class Clarence my other security man. They went down and suddenly the cavern shook from major explosions. I spun and looked down the huge cavern that extended a couple of kilometers to the left.

Flames roared up and more explosions went off and I turned, "set your charges and get out!"