No soldier ever turns down a ride.
The six of them climbed aboard, and a moment later the vehicle had rejoined the convoy.
"Well what do you know? A free ride," said Silva with a smile.
Taylor was glad they were on top and didn't have to communicate with the crew, but he couldn't help but feel exposed. They were on full view to all they passed. They were on the road for close to an hour when the convoy came to a slow grind. Jones tapped Taylor's shoulder and subtly pointed to where they were heading. Mitch turned to see a line of US MPs up ahead and checking the occupants of each vehicle.
"Ah, fuck," he whispered.
"No way we'll make it past them. They know what we look like," said Silva.
Taylor looked around for possible options, but they were few. He gestured for them all to come in closer to hear what he had to say.
"We can't make it through there. We're gonna have to make a break for it. We can't be far away now. When I say, we jump and head west. As far as the troops here are concerned, we're the MPs’ problem until we start shooting, so nobody fires unless you absolutely have to."
It felt like a last desperate attempt to get free, as criminals always do from the police when under pursuit, and so rarely successful.
"Once we hit the ground, you run. All of you," ordered Taylor. "You run and run until you get across the border, and if we don't meet again, it was an honour."
Taylor looked back to the MPs. Two of them were already taking an interest in the group. He knew they were on borrowed time.
"Good luck to you all," he whispered. "Now!"
He jumped from the stopped vehicle and hit the ground running. He glanced quickly to one side. He could see the MPs frantically trying to get their rifles in hand, but the six of them were already down a side street before they could open fire. He looked around to see the group was still together and following him. They took a bend and kept up a sprint, despite none of them knowing how far they were from friendly lines.
"I feel like a kid again, running from the cops!"
"Yeah, but cops don't shoot kids. These ones surely shoot marines!" yelled Taylor.
It was motivation to keep up the pace, but as they took a bend up ahead, they saw they had run themselves into a dead end with a brick industrial building that stood twenty metres high. It had been a heavy goods vehicle access road that overtime had been blocked for whatever reason.
Taylor looked down at the display on his suit. His boosters had almost no power left at all. He ran and jumped, hoping for the best, but he barely got five metres off the ground before smashing into the wall and landing hard on the concrete below.
He was quickly back on his feet and looking for anyway out, but there was none. The others all looked to him for options, but there was only one left to them.
"Take up positions and prepare to fire!"
They went thirty metres back the way they’d come to the nearest cover of a few walls and large industrial trash cans.
"So this is what it has come to?" asked Jones. "Backed into a corner by MPs. How lame."
"We aren't finished yet. Do not fire unless fired upon!"
The MPs took the bend up ahead and came into full view, but Taylor and his comrades did not fire. Their opponents quickly found any cover they could until the alleyway went silent. It became a standoff.
"This is Major Martin. You are under arrest! You are ordered to lay down your weapons immediately!"
They recognised the voice. It was the same officer who had tried arresting them the day before, and Taylor knew he would not be very forgiving after the punishment Jones had dealt out.
"You have five seconds to lay down your weapons and come peacefully!"
"You know this guy is really getting boring," said Silva.
"It's only a few cops playing soldiers. We can take 'em," said Rains.
Just as he said it, they watched in horror as a Mech strode into view beside the MPs. It was followed by a dozen more.
"Oh, shit," said Eddie.
"They must really want you out of the picture," said Jones.
The Mechs lined up in the open ready to fire.
"This is your final warning!" screamed Martin. "Lay down your arms and no harm will come to you!"
Nobody said a word.
"You have five seconds! Five...four...three..."
Taylor prayed for a miracle, but it seemed pointless, considering he'd never believed in a god to begin with.
"Two...one! Fire!"
The Mechs and MPs fired simultaneously, peppering the entire area. Taylor put his rifle around the corner of one of the huge trashcans and fired a burst. Two of the shots hit a Mech, and it tumbled down dead. He tried to fire again, but his rifle was hit and wouldn't fire. He ducked fully back into cover and pulled the rifle up close. Two shots had hit the barrel and front receiver, rendering it useless. He threw it aside and drew his pistol.
A scream rang out. He turned to see gunshots penetrate a hole in the wall and hit Rains. A few were absorbed by his armour, but one passed through his upper arm and another the side of his neck. He dropped down to the floor, trying to cup his wounds. Before anyone could do anything, a grenade flew overhead and landed between Herrera and Acosta. They turned to move out the way, but the blast still caught them. Acosta was hurled against a wall and knocked unconscious while Herrera took shrapnel to the legs and hit the ground face first.
All seemed lost, and not to the alien invaders or even their agents, but to a bunch of MPs with their Mech dogs. But then an engine roared overhead. It brought the firing to a stop. Everyone looked up to see a transport close to the size of the Deveron swoop in overhead and cast a shadow over them all. A US flag adorned the hull, and Taylor shook his head. He knew it was the end.
Several doors opened either side of the ship and troops jumped out. A few dozen landed on the rooftops either side of the alley, and twenty dropped in to where they had come to the dead end. They were indeed US troops and fully equipped in Reitech equipment.
Taylor, Jones, and Silva had their weapons trained on them but had made no attempt to fire. The troops didn’t take cover or even kneel; they knew as much as Taylor did that it was over. An officer strode forward from the middle of the group without even a weapon raised. He wore Army Ranger insignia, as did all who had arrived with him, and bore the rank of Captain. He stopped ten paces from Taylor and looked down at the wounded before turning back to his troops.
"Medics!"
Taylor lowered his weapon, nodding to the others to do the same.
Medics rushed forward to help the wounded, and Major Martin came striding past the cover from the other direction.
"Thank you, Captain. We'll take it from here!"
The Captain looked up at the MP Major with a disgusted look on his face.
"You keep your filthy hands to yourself, Major!" he boomed.
Martin was stopped in his tracks and utterly shocked by the condemnation.
"Captain, need I remind you I have direct orders to detain these men and bring them back to the United States for trial?"
The Captain spat in front of the Major and replied, "Pack up and piss off."
Taylor didn't recognise the Ranger officer, but he liked him already.
"You are way out of line, Captain. Hand over the Colonel and his men and back down, or you will be placed on a charge!"
The Captain ignored him and raised his comms link and simply said, "Prepare to fire."
The Rangers at his back and along the rooftops trained their weapons on the MPs and Mechs. Martin's face turned to stone.