My neck tingles—DT? The opposite Patria becomes blurry for a moment as marines holler into the air. I look over my shoulder to see that Tionem is nearly before us, and I am ready, buzzed.
Peter, Love, feel invincible. Pumped with energy that defies their past twenty hours of strenuous preparation for the invasion and fighting ever since then. Their past weak selves are gone, and all for the better. There is killing to do, and Love loves killing. Vick shouts out a battle cry that is echoed by the others.
Tarnus shakes his head, chuckling.
Blocks of destroyed suburbs greet them as they approach the town. A force of aircraft arrives over the convoy. Four little bird Kiowa’s manned by a pilot and ferrying soldiers on the side rails, and a Pave followed by a wave of A-10’s.
The marines release a cheer as the A-10’s close in on the city. The first wave opens fire with their repeating cannons, then drops a payload of missiles on the entrance of the city, clearing away a path for the convoy. As the second couple of A-10’s fly over, long purple beams strike out from within the center of town hitting one of the aircraft. Its wing explodes as the tail catches on fire. The A-10 crashes in a fiery ball against the suburbs on the other side of town.
“What the fuck was that!” says a marine.
“They have AA!” says Blake.
“Operator!” says Tarnus, “You need to tell them to get out.”
“We are sir, but I think they figured it out themselves,” says the operator from his front hatch.
The A-10’s make a prolonged sweep away from the town, ascending upward into the sky. At the same time another Herculean anti-air beam connects with the slower Pave attempting to disengage. The entire side engulfs in flame as it spirals sideways towards the town. The four Kiowa’s, who are smaller and nimbler aircraft, break off and hover low over the rooftops so as to not be targeted as they come back towards the convoy.
“Fuck,” says Blake. “We’re gonna have to go in ourselves.”
“So much for an easy grab and go,” says Isaac.
“We’re pulling up towards the entrance,” says the forward operator. The convoy forms into a row with their turrets aiming down a center avenue that leads into downtown. The Kiowa’s land farther back and their paratroopers come forward. Love discovers they are British Airborne.
“What now?” Tarnus says to the Airborne Leader.
Herculean fire opens up on them as they enter downtown, halting them at an intersection. “Behind the APC’s for cover!” says the Squad Leader of Golf unit. The Patria turrets lay suppressive fire as the marines find cover. The crewmen close their hatches and Love hides behind their rears.
“The rangers are completely silent,” says the Airborne Leader. “I think they’re being jammed.”
“And not us?” says Tarnus.
“Weird I know, but this is a considerably smaller Herculean force compared to everything else we fought today. Maybe that’s all their defenses are capable of doing right now.”
The rear hatch to a carrier opens up and the operator peers out, “Captain! No air support till we take care of AA.”
“No surprise there,” says Tarnus, he turns his attention back to the Airborne Leader. “So what should we do first?”
“Well I bloody hell rather have your air support while we try to save our chaps than do it alone.”
“Right, so we need to take out their AA,” says Tarnus.
“I’ll move my men around the left,” says the Leader. “Get your men to advance down the street closer to where your rangers should be.”
“We got a man down!” says a marine. The Squad Leader of Golf has been hit and he rolls away out of cover between the carriers. One marine tries to lean out and reach for him, but a plasma round hits his wrist charring it up to his elbow as he falls back.
“Let’s get a move on Captain,” says the Leader as his paratroopers begin maneuvering left to create a flank. “Good luck with your men!”
Tarnus turns to the convoy. “Get behind the APC’s! Leave him,” he says to another marine trying to move out for the Squad Leader. “He’s already dead!” Tarnus leans to his radio to contact the crewman about the push, “We need to advance down that street a while and clear out the Herc’s.”
“Copy that. Stay behind the vehicles for cover,” says the operator, “and watch your three’s and nine’s for ambushes, we’ll get fucked in an open fire fight if they flank.”
“Love!” says Tarnus. “Guard the carriers as we move up the street, watch our flanks!”
Peter is taking cover behind a corner store on the left side of the intersection when Tarnus gives the order. He rises, readying himself to cross the gap between him and the Patria’s when he hears a peculiar uproar behind him. The paratroopers hit the wall next to Peter, and are ready to change over to next the street where he heard the noise. Peter looks down the road seeing a strangely fortified building a hundred meters down. He hurriedly grabs the Leader’s attention before he moves.
“What is it, yank?” says the Leader, his squad waiting in cover impatiently.
“Right down there, see that odd looking building just out in the middle of the road?” Peter points to the structure that protrudes from a storefront into the street a few meters. “I think there’s Herculeans in it,” he says with rising excitement.
“It does look strange, but why would you think anything is in there?”
“I think I heard them, talking.”
The Leader turns to his men, “Alright, hold here with the yank, I’ll go check it out.” He runs down the lane quickly, and inspects the structure by peering through a broken window. Immediately he probes his rifle in and fires a burst. Strange screaming replies and different colors of Herculean fire break out form within the structure. “Fuck!” He sprints back towards them as Herculean fire shoots wildly behind him. “Mother Mary! Get the fuck down!” The Leader hits the pavement breathing hard, “Maybe ten in there.”
A louder noise pierces the air as a bright blue projectile departs from the structure, and collides against the side of the left Patria in the convoy. The top hatches blow open in flames as the alien round exits the other side taking broken metal and machinery with it.
Vance, Alex, and Isaac who are hiding behind it fall to the ground from the explosion. Isaac and Alex dart away from the wreckage to the store fronts for cover while Vance lies motionless on the asphalt.
Blake peeks around the street corner. “What the fuck is going on!”
Some of the paratroopers clear the lane to the other side of buildings and take cover, firing back at the Herculean bunker. During the crossing one of them are struck down, and then again in the back with a plasma burst as he collapses face first, skidding a meter as the contents of his backpack spill out. The Leader turns around to Blake, “Get down Sergeant! The bloody Herc’s set up an early ambush.”
Herculean fire races down the lane at the other exposed marines and destroyed Patria. The marines advancing with the convoy are now stuck in a killing zone between two Herculean fire fronts. “Well take it out!” says Blake. “I’ll pull my men back inside the Bradley’s for cover!”
“Affirmative,” says the Leader, “stay on the horn till we figure things out.”
Blake runs back to the convoy alerting Tarnus as they order the troops inside.
The exposed marines rush into the Patria’s for cover as the convoy departs down the street to escape the crossfire. Vance still remains among the debris. “Shit, I need to go get him,” says Peter.
“You’re crazy lad,” says the Leader. “You break from our cover and the Herc’s will gun you down.”
“Keep them busy, I’m going!” Peter’s mind is clear and dedicated. Save his brother. Then those Herculeans will pay. Peter breaks cover and run towards Vance, nearly tripping over the dead Brit that risked leaving cover earlier. Peter dives to the ground shaking Vance. “Get up! We need to get out of the open!”