“In two words, uncle. Side. Trips.”
“You mean the buildings?”
“Ahh, yeah. Have two men send RPGs into a few buildings to try to get anyone’s attention that might still be hanging around.”
Phoenix studied the restaurant about fifty yards in from the gates. The gaudy sign, tacked above the main entrance, announced that you were entering Randall’s Restaurant.
“Take out that Randall’s Restaurant right there. Pick another building further in. See if it stirs any ants.”
“Yes, sir.” Larry Reed ordered the strike. Within seconds, two shoulder-fired missiles raced into the town hitting buildings, causing spectacular explosions. All braced for the town’s reaction. There was none. Fires began to burn.
“Hmm, I think we have us a veritable ghost town, uncle. I wonder—let’s try to make our way through Main Street. Again, no side trips.”
“I’ll order the men to do as you asked.”
“Hah! You do that. But, stick close to me on this. I’d like to keep you around for awhile longer. Hell, you too, Tippy. Watch and learn.”
“Yes, sir.”
Larry Reed and Tippy Cup left Phoenix mulling over future battle plans. Thinking hard, Phoenix figured to absorb at least a five percent loss of men simply pushing through Perryopolis. Based on his interest in military history and recent experience, he knew any town takedown was risky. And, a fresh ghost town scenario had its own peculiarities. In his bones, the current circumstances left him uneasy. In his gut, he sensed that he was dealing with a cold, and calculating man heading up the Rat Pack. Smiling, he realized a formidable opponent was playing the game against him. But, always the risk taker, Phoenix was willing to test the waters.
“Nicely done,” muttered Phoenix, “You may take your pound of flesh.” He watched his men flow into the town, knowing there would be an unfortunate surprise that would befall the weaker minded of his men. “Survival of the fittest. Can’t be helped. Darwin at his best.”
Phoenix laughed at his own thoughts, sitting back to watch the progress of his army. Comfortable in one of the three white trucks held in reserve behind the men on foot, he critiqued the small town, strategizing. With ease, men poured into the town like water through a sieve. Unfortunately, he was not surprised, when the majority of his men were halfway through the town and the first huge explosion came. Using binoculars, Phoenix studied the aftermath, seeing the newest building on fire. The bright red sign above the building said all that was needed: Saloon.
“Nice!” Phoenix laughed so loud many men near the truck thought him crazed. He continued to speak softly to himself. “Of course the men would enter that precise location despite orders. My compliments, Colonel Rat. What’s next?”
Giddy, Phoenix read the signs above the many buildings off the main street pushing through town. Refocusing the binoculars, he was drawn back to a sign that said Gold & Jewelry. “Shit!” he grabbed the radio, “Uncle, radio the commanders! Keep the men out of the jewelry store. Do it! Do it, now!”
Larry was frantic in his radio communications, but despite his best efforts, two more loud explosions pulsed past them with a volume suggesting many men had fallen.
“Fuck!”
Larry listened, responding to the radio. “Commander Kaiden says he’s made it to the southern gates. He’s opened them. We have an exit.”
“Instruct everyone to double-time it to the gates. Ignore any assholes that deviated from the road and into the buildings. Those pieces of shit deserve what they got!”
The three white trucks barreled through town, following the army to the gates. Phoenix ignored the bumps on the dirt road through town until another explosion boomed right behind them. Steadfastly refusing to look, Phoenix smiled at the misadventure of those men. “Uncle! We got us a man among men in that Rat Pack colonel—let’s push beyond this gate. And, when we’re clear, I sincerely want you to blow the complete fuck outta this shit town.”
“We have injured men scattered behind us Phoenix, we need to stop and assist.”
“Negative! They dug their own graves by disobeying a direct order. And you know what? Now we received a bonus handed to us by none other than that Rat-pack prick. Oh, yeah! Now, we just cleared the stupid outta our ranks. Where’s Luke?”
“Um, up near Kaiden—Phoenix?”
“Yeah?”
“You’re one crazy bastard, you know that?”
Phoenix laughed at the insult. “It’s how you manage men in large packs, uncle. Patton taught me that.”
“General Patton?”
“Once again, is there another Patton worth talking about?”
“Guess not.”
The bulk of the army made it through the town, converging in a large field beyond, waiting for stragglers. Once everyone was there that was going to be there, Phoenix issued orders to form up. The emerging plan was for the men were to assault the town with everything they had, razing any building to a height of no more than six inches. Larry Reed nodded in understanding and gave final orders to destroy the town.
“This town’s gonna cook for days by the time I’m done, Phoenix,” said Larry. He was angry at the loss of men. Caught in the fury of planned destruction, Larry grinned at Tippy Cup who suddenly dropped to the ground with his head snapped sideways. Seeing the event occur, Phoenix dove into the open door of the truck. Larry Reed scrambled to the other side, doing the same. Ducking down, Phoenix cranked the engine, shifted in gear and stomped the accelerator to head south and away, bumping around and back onto Route 51.
“Issue orders to fall back from the town and follow me, now!”
Larry Reed yelled into the radio, raising his head to peer out the rear window. More men were firing into the town at random targets. Three men on horseback slumped from headshots, tumbling off before the men operating the .50 caliber started firing off indiscriminate rounds from the pickups. A man in the bed of a pickup launched an RPG toward the town, only to snap sideways and over the side.
“Get’em moving! Now! Regroup. Outta range! Over that small ridge!”
Larry Reed radioed instructions and, at his insistence, the men nearby took off on foot, running. Surprisingly, the men on foot were untouched but, the trucks took heavy fire, as they sped away in a dust cloud. The horses scattered away and Phoenix was boiling mad. The Brigade commanders established a rear guard and over twenty sets of binoculars searched the town and surrounding fields for movement. Next to each man, another lay prone with a rifle, waiting for any sighting. Out of the truck, Phoenix went to each commander, instilling a sense of fury not ever seen before. His wrath galvanized the men to reform into a seriously pissed off army, ready to rain death and decimation onto the small town.
“We need a head count, Larry, before we go back at it.”
“Sure. Hold.”
Larry sought out the commanders, obtaining a sit-rep. His face was grim.
“We lost nineteen men total. Four horses. One truck. One quad.”
“That all?”
“Is that all?”
“Including our little trip through town?”
“Yeah.”
“Good, that’s within parameters,” said Phoenix. He smiled, staring at the town they’d just survived. Deep in thought, he ignored the astonished look of Larry Reed.
“We lost nineteen men, nephew—”
“Yeah, I hear ya. Nineteen men. And they were mostly the stupid shitheads that couldn’t follow orders. C’mon! How obvious is that, huh? Trying to sneak into a bar or jewelry store for fuck sake.”
“Damn! I see. You’re talking about the ninety percent compliance rate—”
“Exactly. Though, I do put Tippy Cup and those cavalry men in the heavy loss column.”