Chapter 4: Urban Strike

By that evening I had orders for fourth battalion to the east. They were actually on a regular base with two other battalions that were part of the second cavalry. Plus there was a squadron of vertical lift attack birds or warbirds and another battalion of marines. I went to check the other quarters and packed belongings for those that had died.

Well except for weapons, those were not allowed or considered property of the dead man. I did get a cut down ten gauge magnum over and under. The barrels and receiver were white and made from titanium and it had a hundred rounds in steel cases. From the note and equipment Albert had loaded it with powdered metals that would burn extremely hot.

I also went looking for transportation since Anh could not go on a bird with me. I found the mess hover truck between the heavy equipment that had been used to dig holes. It had a few holes but ran good and the lift plates were almost new. Anh and I loaded all the trunks and our bed in the back and a couple of men going to the same place put their things in too.

We slept on the seat holding each other with a blanket around us. Once the sun was up I looked around at the piles of enemy bodies. The other battalions were burying them in the kill zone as I started the truck and headed towards the road through the dead village. Two other soldiers were in the truck.

One was sitting in the far seat with a rifle and another in the back standing up. I held the cut down over and under on my lap as I drove. The barrels were only thirty centimeters long and the stock was cut off and sanded at the pistol grip. Anh held the map and I kept glancing at it as I drove. We were halfway there when an ancient two wheel scooter pulled out.

I accelerated and swerved and it started to move to block me but it was to late. The driver glanced back and the man behind him shifted. I lifted and then pointed the cut down shotgun as we started past. The passenger on the scooter suddenly twisted and brought up a pistol. His eyes went wide when he saw the barrels of the shotgun and I fired one barrel.

Red, yellow, green and blue fire exploded out in a ball that enveloped both men. They did not have time to scream before it struck but the fuel in the scooter exploded and sent them flying. I pulled the shotgun in and looked at it before I grinned and used a thumb to push the release and opened it. I held it to the right, "take the bottom one out but be careful, it is hot."

Anh nodded as she pulled the case out and dropped it and then took a loaded one from my belt and slid it in. I closed it and set it back in my lap and kept driving. It took half the day to reach the small city beside the base and then we had to stop at the gate and check in. We got directions to the units and I dropped off the two men and their things first.

I went to my company and they did not have individual quarters. The sergeant major looked at Anh and gave me directions to the airfield. To one side was several rows of stacked cargo pods that had been converted to living quarters. They were for married soldiers and their wife or wives.

I met the old sergeant major in charge and he assigned us a pod on the second level of row four. There were six rows and each had four levels. Each level had one hundred pods and some were even linked together. It did not take long to carry our things up and it was mostly furnished.

The sergeant major had advised me to get Anh papers so we went to the base admin and security office. It was evening before we were done and returned to the pods. At one end was a very large one story building that was a dining hall for dependants. With her papers Anh could also go into the city.

That night we unpacked and made our bed and I pulled out one satchel of gold coins, "if you need or want anything use this."

She grinned, "new dresses."

I dropped it and moved towards her as she backed to the bed, "or baby furniture."

Each morning the sergeant major played a bugle to wake us before the sun rose. It gave me time to dress and take a shuttle across to my company. The platoon leader was a new second lieutenant named Fletcher. The platoon sergeant was staff sergeant Moore and my squad leader was sergeant Alexander.

Corporal Sims was my team leader and the other two privates were George and Allen, both were new. By the end of the first week a second award of a wounded lion came in. Two weeks and I was notified of a pending award of a Knight's Cross. I was also told the king had signed the recommendation for the King's Cross.

It did not mean as much to me since I knew what those medals had cost. The battalion got a warning order for a mission. I only had time to go home, kiss Anh and grab weapons before returning. I took the cut off shotgun in a holster on my left thigh. I also took my silenced pistol and the silenced enemy rifle since I had managed to get more magazines and ammo here.

The mission was to a enemy held city to the northeast of us. We were the first in battalion and two more would reinforce us after we got in and set up a defense. We were supposed to drive the wedge to split the city and they would push through and out to each side to shatter the enemy. I had learned plans rarely survive the first shot and expected something to go wrong.

I ignored the looks I got for my weapons and helped George and Allen. They still had their issue weapons but I did not say anything. When the sergeant inspected me he looked at the pistol and then the rifle, "those are not..."

My eyes went to the rifle on his shoulder and he shifted and then smiled, "yeah."

The platoon sergeant only nodded but the lieutenant took his time checking my weapons. He was grinning before he moved on and I relaxed. We moved to the airfield and loaded onto vertical lift birds. It seemed like forever before it started and then finally it lifted. I tried to relax but my mind went back to the last time I was on one of these.

Finally a lifetime later the bird landed and the ramp dropped. I came to my feet and moved towards the ramp. Once outside I moved to the right and knelt while searching for enemy. I expected them to hit us at any moment but the birds lifted and I came to my feet. I turned and moved to corporal Sims left as everyone found their spot.

We were first platoon and first squad and the corporal was point. He glanced back and the squad leader gestured and we started moving. The city was still five kilometers away and this whole area was nothing but fields with a few farmhouses. The farmers we saw stared before waving and smiling.

That could be good or it could be a trick. The closer we came to the city the wider the roads until we reached the houses on the outskirts. We started searching each but followed orders and were polite and did not break in or destroy things. The company spread out as we moved into the city and right away I noticed a difference.

There were less people and more rubble from destroyed buildings. My team was on the right side of the main street and the bravo team was on the left. The attack was probably meant as a surprise. A dozen enemy ran out from a door on the left pointing weapons. We began to react but I had been checking the shotgun dragging down my belt, it needed a second tie down.

I pulled it, pointed and fired both barrels. Huge balls of fire reached out and across the street and the enemy screamed as they were engulfed. I blinked and calmly shifted my rifle, opened the shotgun to take out the spent shells and load two more. Corporal Sims was staring at me as I put it back, "need any help?"

I lifted my rifle to my shoulder and looked at the burning bodies, "no."

I heard the others chuckle as he turned and started walking again. After that we paid more attention to each and every building. When I saw the soldier in a third floor window pointing a rifle I lifted the barrel, aimed and fired. There was the putt of the rifle firing and the crack of the bullet and then the soldier was falling out the window.

I watched the windows as the other team went in to clear the building and glanced down the street. I caught sergeant Smith who had moved up and pulled as I backed towards a door, "TANK!"

At least the corporal and the two privates were smart enough to follow before the tank fired and a building behind us was ripped open. Smith cursed, "damn it there were not supposed to be tanks!"

I snorted as I moved to a window, "who has a rocket?"

The sergeant followed to look out, "no one."

I shook my head as I thought of the shotgun and turned, "watch for me and tell the others not to shoot me."

There is a weak point on tanks, it was in the back where the engines are and where the fuel cells are. I moved out the door and glanced down the street before I rushed out and down to the corner. I went around the corner as the tank turret machine gun fired and bullets tore into the building. I dove through a window and rolled and came to my feet.

I ran towards the back and out the door. Four enemy soldiers were moving up the alley while one of the other squads fired at them. I switched to auto and swept them with bullets as I kept running. They staggered and fell as I ducked between two buildings to my right. I looked back and then ran across to the left and through a tiny yard.

I shouldered another back door open and shot a soldier point blank as he spun. I kept going and shot a second in the back as he aimed out the front window. I hit the door and turned right and ran for the next building. The tank had fired twice down the street and the turret turned towards me as I reached the next building.

My shoulder hit the door and it exploded into the room and I staggered and twisted to bring the rifle around. I fired into the two soldiers in the room and they jerked and spun before falling. I changed the magazine and took a breath and went to the back door. I looked out and opened the door and turned left.

I jumped walls and kept moving between the buildings until I reached the side street behind the tank. I peeked both ways and then turned and started for the tank. Six enemy were kneeling behind it and one had a radio. I used the rifle and they never knew they were being shot at until they were dead.

I pulled the shotgun and aimed and then fired. The ball of fire hit the back left of the tank and seemed to stick. I hesitated before I fired again and watched as the whole back of the tank burned. I reloaded the shotgun and was thinking of firing again when the turret hatch opened. I holstered the shotgun and lifted the rifle and shot the soldier climbing out.