“We almost have the slice of Colorado and almost have all of Kansas and Missouri,” Zhu said. “That means we only have to take seven more states.”
“Only,” Tian said. “There’s a nice word: only.”
“The Americans have lost every battle. We’re winning.”
“They didn’t lose California,” Tian said.
Zhu sat up with a puzzled look. “You are sounding defeatist, First Rank. We are White Tigers. We never admit defeat.”
“Don’t preach to me,” Tian said, angrily.
“We are White Tigers.”
“Tired White Tigers,” Tian said.
“Bold White Tigers,” Zhu said. “Our dash, our heroics will win us the war.”
Tian lay back and heaved a sigh. “You’re incurable, Soldier Rank. If our armies were filled with Zhu Pengs, China could conquer the world. Alas, we only have ordinary mortals filling the ranks.”
“Have I ever shirked my duties?” Zhu asked.
Tian turned his head and stared at him. “Sometimes I wonder if you’re the stupidest man in China.”
Zhu blinked rapidly. How had he failed the First Rank?
Tian smiled at him, reaching across and slapping him on the shoulder. “You have to learn how to take a joke. You’re too serious.”
“Yes, First Rank,” Zhu said.
“That wasn’t an order. It was a suggestion.”
Zhu nodded, too embarrassed to know what to say. It was a welcome relief when the second lieutenant of their Eagle Team platoon blew a whistle and shouted at them to gather around.
Zhu, Tian and the rest of the squad hurried to their feet. Each White Tiger donned his armor and shrugged on his jetpack.
Soon, they crowded around the second lieutenant and his aide. The angry-looking second lieutenant knelt on one knee and spread a computer scroll before them. It showed a relief map of the surrounding terrain.
“The Americans aren’t letting go of this high-rise apartment complex,” the second lieutenant said, tapping the scroll. “As long as they control it, they can observe our flame-throwing tanks and armored bulldozers moving up. HQ also believes they’re using it to spot for their heavy mortars.”
“They want the Eagle Teams to take the high-rise?” Tian asked in a sarcastic voice.
The second lieutenant looked up at him.
Zhu was surprised, because the officer peered at Tian with what appeared to be worry. He’d never heard of an officer being afraid of his First Rank before. The idea seemed ludicrous.
“Yes,” the second lieutenant said. “HQ wants our Eagle platoon to storm the top of the complex. We’re to secure a landing for helo-ferried troops.”
“A direct assault is costly in Eagle Team lives,” Tian said. “We learned that in Los Angeles.”
The second lieutenant blinked several times. “The general has given us orders,” he finally said. “This will be an all-arms coordinated assault.”
“We should fly high and then drop straight down on them,” Zhu said.
The second lieutenant and First Rank turned to stare at him.
“The battle-taxis—” Zhu said.
“We aren’t going to use helos to make the attack,” the second lieutenant said. “We’ll jetpack over to the complex.”
Tian grinned at the second lieutenant. “The Soldier Rank has a valid point. We don’t have battle-taxis, but we have Gunhawk support, I assume.”
“Yes,” the second lieutenant said.
“Then we hitch a ride with them,” Tian said. “They lift us high, three or four thousand meters. We jump out and drop onto the complex.”
“If the Gunhawks do that,” the second lieutenant said, “they’ll be out of position to support you during the initial landing.”
Tian stared at the second lieutenant. The officer had only joined them a day ago when the lieutenant had died. This officer was younger than Zhu and must have been fresh out of Officer Cadet School.
“If we fly at the prepared Americans this way,” Tian said, moving his hand toward the second lieutenant. “They will get a bead on us and shoot us down. This country is a nation of duck hunters. We know this from experience. If, however, we come at the Americans like this”—Tian lifted his hand and let it drop straight down. “Then it will be much harder for the Americans to shoot us.”
“We’re not supposed to make such long drops,” the second lieutenant said. “It is dangerous and troops can lose control of their jetpacks that way.”
“We’re veterans,” Tian said. “We won’t lose control.”
Now that he thought about it, Zhu wasn’t so sure. A long combat drop in the suits was dangerous. He’d seen many Eagle flyers tumble out of control. It was tricky falling straight down. That was the best way to do it: letting yourself drop and catching yourself with jetpack-power at the very last second. Of course, he much preferred that than flying horizontally at a machine gun nest.
In the end, the second lieutenant agreed to Tian’s adjustment.
“We’d better hurry, though,” the second lieutenant said. “The general wants us to assault the high rise in five minutes.”
“Tell him it will take fifteen to get into position,” Tian said.
The second lieutenant scowled at the First Rank.
Tian straightened and bowed his head. “This is my suggestion, sir,” he added.
The second lieutenant appeared to think about it. Soon, he nodded and motioned to his aide. The two of them walked off as the second lieutenant spoke on the radio.
Zhu turned to Tian. “You can’t talk to an officer like that.”
“I’m surprised at you, Soldier Rank. You just saw me do it. How then can you say I cannot do such a thing?”
“You should not,” amended Zhu.
“Ah. Now you’re saying something else. But tell me. Are you so eager to see Yan Luo that you want to fly into an American machine gun nest?”
“No.”
“Is my idea not better?” Tian asked.
Zhu admitted it was.
“Then why are you complaining?”
Zhu opened his mouth, but he didn’t know what to say.
“You are brave, Soldier Rank. But you need to temper your courage with foresight. We,” Tian indicated the squad, “should try to live as long as we can so we can fight for China. If you die stupidly, how does that help our nation?”
“I don’t know,” Zhu said.
“Neither do I. Now get ready. It looks like our rides on their way.”
Zhu looked up and saw two Gunhawks zooming toward the roof. They were bulky helos with heavy machine guns pointing downward near the nosecone and on each side by the bay doors.
Soon, Zhu climbed aboard through a bay door. So did the rest of the squad. The helo lurched up and up they climbed.
“Let yourself drop the first half,” Tian radioed the others. “But don’t wait too long to brake. Better to hang in the air for a short time than to splatter on the roof. Is everyone ready?”
There were choruses of yeses.
Several minutes later, the Gunhawk hovered high above the targeted complex. “Let’s go!” Tian shouted. “Jump!”
The Eagle flyers ahead of Zhu leaped out of the bay door and dropped from view. Then it was his turn. He jumped, and he made sure to aim his feet down. He had done this many times before, but it was still exhilarating.
Centennial spread out before him. For this second, it looked serene. Zhu concentrated on the high-rise apartment directly below. The landing zone was smalclass="underline" the roof of the complex. It looked like a postage stamp at this moment. He plummeted as he watched. Others plummeted with him. The attack suddenly struck him as suicidal. Look at the number of Americans on the roof. More boiled out of the stairwell. They raised their personal weapons skyward and fired.