"That's what I'm here for."
"Good. I know you have gained some strength recently, and you'll need it. I am sending you to Arras in the north. It is vital our flanks are defended."
Taylor studied the map.
"Arras, that's what, a hundred and fifty klicks from here?" he asked, sounding concerned.
Dupont sighed as he nodded.
"They are almost at the city."
Taylor shook his head.
"What is it, Colonel?"
"Why France? It started here, and it seems no matter where we go and what we do, I always end up back here."
"Yes, I am sorry to say my fair country has become the epicentre of the struggle for the World’s freedom."
"When do you want us to leave?"
"Now, time is everything."
Taylor knew what he had to do. He casually saluted, walked out the room, and tapped his comms unit. "Inter-Allied, form up and prepare to move out."
By the time he had gathered his own equipment and got back to the hangar that had become their home, the entire Regiment was formed up with Jones at their forefront. The Rangers’ ship was set in the background, and a line of copters in front. Taylor passed Rains. He was airbrushing an American flag onto the side of a well-used copter in French markings.
"See, no matter what, you always find another girl."
"Yeah, thanks," he replied sarcastically.
Taylor stopped before the troops and could see he now commanded over three hundred.
Enough to raise all kinds of hell, he thought.
"Listen up! The UEN is making advances west and covering some serious ground. I have heard, just as all you have, that elements within the US military are heading this way to help us out. That may be true. It may be bullshit. All we know for certain is that to the east the enemy is gaining ground, and General Dupont is deploying us to the northeast to stop them. We are but a few hundred in a war of millions, but let us never forget we have always punched above our weight!"
A cheer rang out.
"In the past, we have fought against Mechs; a faceless and fearsome enemy which none of you would hesitate to put down. Now we fight both Mechs and humans. Some of those humans may be Krys as well, but none of that matters. All you need to know is they are the enemy, and it your job to kill the sons of bitches before they kill you. We've got to win this war, for a far greater one is on the way. Let's do this right. Coordinates and map data have been sent to flight crews, officers, and NCOs. Load up, and good luck to you all!"
Taylor joined Jones who was heading for Rains’ copter.
"You know that idea Acosta had for ammunition to take down the aerial drones I told you about?"
"Yes."
"Well, amazingly they work."
"We taking them with us?"
He shook his head.
"Had we been able to wait a day, maybe, but time is not on our side."
"Then I guess we just hope not to meet them."
As he said it, Taylor already knew they would, but fretting over it did no one any good now. Five minutes later, they were lifting off and heading for their new destination. It would be a short journey. After twenty minutes, they felt the copter rock and Rains’ voice.
"Incoming fire!"
"I thought they hadn't reached the city yet?" asked Jones.
"That's what I was told!" replied Taylor.
He rushed forward to the cockpit. Missiles were zipping in and out of the craft as they were carried away and ignited by the defence systems of the Rangers’ advanced vessel.
"That's a hell of thing!"
"But it can't last, Eddie."
He opened a channel.
"We can't stick this out. Everyone out now, jump, jump, jump!"
Jones ripped open the door and was out before he could even pass on new orders to Rains.
"Put down somewhere safe a few klicks west and look after yourselves!"
Taylor rushed to the door as the last two aboard jumped, and he followed suit. As he hit the open air, he saw a terrifying sight. A swarm of drones were coming for them.
"Oh, shit, no!"
He lifted his shield as he continued to descend, raising his rifle using the targeter on his helmet. A shot bounced from the shield as he did so, and he returned fire with a burst at the nearest target. The last shot he fired clipped the edge of one of the rotors and sent the drone barrelling out of control. He watched it smashed over a shield of one of the troops below him.
As he fired at another target, the swarm passed through them, and he knew they were in trouble. There was nothing the copters or larger vessels could do. As one passed close to Taylor, he swung his rifle out and smashed it hard so that it burst into a dozen pieces. He felt an impact on the backplate of his armour. One of the drones strafed him. Another shot hit one of the thrusters on his legs, and he started to plummet to the ground.
Taylor looked down. He was approaching the roof of a three-storey building at a speed he probably couldn't survive. Just when he thought he was done for, he felt an impact; Jones had got a hold of his side. It slowed their descent a little, but it wasn't enough.
"Oh shit!" was all Taylor had time to scream.
The two of them struck the rooftop and burst through it with little resistance, striking the floor below, through that and the next one down again. They then hit water with a thunderous splash. Taylor just about felt his back knock into the bed of water before coming to the surface and gasping for air. He looked around and saw they had landed in a swimming baths.
"Jones!"
The Captain surfaced a few metres from him and looked around, surprised as he was. Taylor began laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation, and Jones could not help but join in, both realising how lucky they were to be alive.
"What are the odds?" asked Taylor.
"Luck just seems to follow you, you crazy bastard!"
They were clambering out of the pool when Silva rushed in through a side door with Acosta close beside him. They looked up at the huge hole in the ceiling and then at the pool. They were speechless.
"What, never seen a wet marine?" Taylor laughed.
Silva at least managed a smile as they rushed out onto the street and found a few dozen of their unit dug in.
"What's our situation?"
As Taylor said it, a column of drones flew into the street. Everyone in sight opened fire. Their targets were at least easier to track when they had little room to manoeuvre in the narrow gaps between buildings.
"Fuckers," muttered Taylor. He raised his rifle and fired a burst into one of the drones until it crashed through a window of a nearby building. As the rest carried on taking the targets down, he turned to Silva.
"We're scattered across town," replied Silva.
"Any sign of the local forces?"
"There's fighting to the east, certainly. I'd say they're cut off, or they'd be running this way right about now."
"All units advance east, sweep and clear!" he called down the comm.
Taylor led the way and took a bend to a quiet street that seemed untouched by the fighting. He crossed on over to a narrow alley which led on to the parallel street. There he found a dozen French soldiers retreating towards them. They initially raised their weapons to fire but recognised them as friendly. Taylor grabbed one who had Corporal’s stripes.
"What's the situation up there?"
"Lost," the man replied faintly.
Taylor could see the hopeless expression in his eyes. They were covered in dirt, and he had blood on him that clearly wasn't his.
"You still got people fighting out there?"
The Corporal nodded. Taylor wiped away grime on his uniform and saw a name tag that read Roux.