Battle Earth IV (14 page)

The man’s eyes lit up as he instantly recognised the name and remembered hearing of Major Taylor in regard to them. He lifted his rifle and looked up over the barricade as he relayed the information to his men through their radio systems. Two minutes later, they suddenly heard the roar of engines approaching quickly from the north. They could hear whatever was closing was skimming the rooftops, and the engines were booming through the streets.

“This is it, ready!” shouted Taylor.

A copter roared overhead and deafened them as the reverse thrusters kicked in. A dust cloud blinded them for a second, and they wondered if the aircraft even had enough clearance over the station. Through the thick dust they saw the lights of suit thrusters glare as Chandra’s troops descended quickly onto the rooftop. Gunfire rang out as they quickly overcame whatever sentries were atop the building. Mitch looked over to see the look of both shock and hope in the Frenchmen.

“Let’s go!” he ordered.

Taylor’s coarse voice roared out and was heard by most, even over the boomed engines of the hovering copter. He leapt over the car and hit the ground running. As soon as he saw the first pulses of energy rushing towards them, he wished they’d had the shields with them. Intelligence had made it clear that their missions were low risk, rapid raids and not the vicious gun battles they had become so accustomed to.

“Fuck me!” he screamed as he felt the burn of a pulse rush past his head.

He opened fire as he ran, puncturing holes in the reinforced glass of the doors to the station. The soldiers all around him joined in the action, and the ground floor of the building was devastated by a volley of fire. He leapt over the body of one of the fallen soldiers from the previous fight and ducked down at the base of the wide flight of steps leading to the entrance.

“Grenades!”

He doubted anyone would have heard him, but they’d understand. He twisted the firing cap of a high explosive charge and launched it through the entrance. He ducked down as five more were thrown through the breach. Seconds later, an explosion rang out which was echoed by several more. Smoke and dust burst out from the doorways and left the entrance in a haze.

“Advance!”

They leapt to their feet and rushed through the building entrance. Parker and several others had managed to get ahead and were already blazing away before he’d gotten through what remained of the doors. Gunfire rang out, but had already silenced by the time he got through the dust cloud. Three Mechs lay dead on the ground. He turned to see three of the Frenchmen had been killed on the assault, and two of his wounded; their lives saved by Reiter’s armour. They could hear gunfire still raging on the floors above.

“Alright, let’s get this building cleared. Parker, you are to sweep and clear the ground floor. Fournier, your task is to go to the aid of the bunker and get those civilians out to safety. We’re heading up to assist Major Chandra. Let’s go!”

The three groups quickly split apart. Only seconds after Parker’s platoon had left his sight, and Taylor could hear pulses and gunfire where they had met opposition. For just a second, he stopped and hesitated about leaving her to assist the others. He knew he had a responsibility to remain professional, no matter their relationship, but he could not help but feel cold for leaving her in combat.

“What is it?” asked Lam.

Taylor shook his head as he snapped out of it.

“Nothing, let’s keep moving.”

They rushed up the stairs at a rapid pace, covering three steps in every leap. Taylor ripped open the door to the first floor to be met by a line of a half dozen Mechs waiting for them.

“Down!” he screamed.

He leapt from the doors, just in time to miss a pulse heading for his face. Another clipped the edge of his waistline armour and burning a few millimetres from it. Williams was unconscious on the ground where a pulse had hit him full force in the chest. Mitch prayed he was still alive, but there was nothing he could do for him in that moment.

“What the fuck are we gonna do now, Sir?” shouted Lam.

He peered around to see that there was only one entrance on that floor, and they couldn’t reach the other side of the stairway without crossing the path of fire. The Mechs continued to fire odd shots through the entrance, but they didn’t appear to be advancing.

Taylor got to his feet and leapt over to the sidewall they had passed getting to the door, where several from his platoon were huddled. He tapped the wall with his knuckles, trying to estimate its strength.

“We need a new entrance.”

Lam smiled, understanding the Major’s idea.

“Clear the way,” ordered Taylor.

He and Lam trained their weapons on the centre of the wall and fired a dozen shots between them. They lowered their weapons to see they had blasted a half metre hole into the room the other side, and several cracks had spread around the breach. Without any further thought, Taylor charged like a raging bull and launched himself at the breach. To their amazement the wall caved in with his weight, and he tumbled through into the room.

“Fuck, that’s awesome,” stated Lam.

Taylor rolled onto one knee and beckoned them to follow him through.

“Clark, stay here with four others. Lay down some covering fire while we flank ‘em,” whispered Taylor.

Contented that his plan was underway, Taylor turned his attention to the room and making sure they were safe. He stood up and slowly crept up to the entrance door. A small glass window at eye level afforded him a good view beyond. The room led to a typical two metre wide corridor that ran throughout the floor. He turned back to see the last of his marines were climbing through. He signalled for them to join him.

“I reckon this corridor will lead straight to the stair and elevator hall where those bastards are dug in.”

“Think we can work our way around the floor and hit ‘em from behind?” asked Lam.

Taylor took a deep breath, breathing out through his nose with a sigh as he gave it some thought.

“Maybe. But I don’t want to risk getting hit by our covering fire, and I want this done quickly. We get out into that corridor, and we don’t stop moving until we hit them hard.”

The marines nodded in agreement. Taylor lifted his weapon, pulled out the magazine, and slammed in a fresh one. Lam quickly followed suit. Neither of them wanted to go in without the maximum firepower they could bring to bear. Mitch opened the door and stepped cautiously out into the corridor. He quickly looked both ways and could see no sign of movement. He stepped over to the opposite wall and a few metres in the enemy direction, stopping to wait for the others.

As soon as they were clear of the room, Taylor signalled for them to move forward. They clung to the sidewalls of the corridor in two columns. Taylor led the right side. He could feel his heart pounding once again. The danger was always most apparent in the calm before the storm.

Taylor reached the bend at the end of the corridor and lifted his fist to stop them briefly. They could clearly hear the pulses firing now. He edged around the corner just enough to get a clear view. The creatures were waiting in the open atrium with no cover to use at all. He smiled as he realised his plan had come together, and they had caught them utterly by surprise.

Mitch turned to his marines and nodded to give the go ahead. He lifted three fingers as a countdown. As soon as the third finger was dropped, their weapons were lifted to the shoulder, and they were ready to rush. The second finger went down and Taylor took a deep breath to calm him. Finally, it was time. The last finger went down, and he leapt from the corner into the open atrium.

There was no hesitation from the marines as they opened fire the second they had a target. Ten shots smashed into the Mechs before they had time to turn to face the new threat, and their bodies spasmed with multiple shots piercing their armour. From the stairway door, Taylor could see muzzle flashes rage, and the other marines rush in to join in the slaughter. The Mechs only managed two shots between them as they were riddled with armour piercing rounds. The pulses smashed into the walls with no effect as the creatures were killed where they stood.

Taylor’s marines didn’t stop closing the distance but rushed all the way up to the enemy position, so they could stand over their vanquished enemy and fire a few more shots into the creatures while they were down. The room went quiet for just a moment as they marvelled at their work. The silence was broken by the sounds of footsteps on the stairwell.

They rushed to the doors but could already tell that it was the sound of humans, not the brutish and bulking creatures. Chandra leapt into view with her rifle at the ready but quickly lowered it as she identified Taylor.

“Good of you to join us,” Taylor grinned.

“Sorry it took us as long as it did.”

She looked over to see Eddie amongst the marines with a rifle in hand, and his ridiculous faded red bandana still about his head.

“Finally making a soldier of you, are we?” she asked.

“Don’t get used to it. I fly for a living.”

Taylor looked around and nodded in appreciation. Rains had blended into the unit so effectively and professionally that he’d forgotten the pilot was even with them. It never ceased to amaze him quite how good an asset the Lieutenant was. His appearance would never imply it.

A radio signal cut in with loud gunfire and shouts in the background.

“This is Parker. We’re taking heavy fire in the parking garage, ground floor. Need immediate assistance!”

Taylor shot a glance to Chandra with a look of fear on his face.

“Go! Now!” shouted Chandra.

Taylor leapt to the stairs with his platoon close behind. He rushed down the stairs so quickly he almost fell flat on his face. As he took the final bend to the last stairwell, he leapt the last fifteen steps and landed hard at the base. The ceramic floor cracked under his feet. He got out of the stairway to find Captain Fournier ushering people out of the building.

“Captain! The garage, where is it?”

Fournier turned with a look of shock to see the concern in Taylor’s face. He froze for just a moment before answering.

“South west corner, follow this...”

Before the Captain could continue, Taylor turned and sprinted away in the direction of the garage. He rushed so fast that the double automatic doors in front of him didn’t have time to fully open. The shoulders of his armour made contact, tearing them from the frame. Taylor didn’t even break stride as the others ran over the smashed doors.

The gunfire was growing louder, and he knew they were coming up on the fight. He reached a side door and could see into the garage through a small window. Parker and her unit were hunkered down around several police cruisers that were in a state of repair. Pulses were flashing across their positions, and they were rarely able to safely get any shots in return.

He looked towards the enemy positions and saw a dozen Mechs dug in, defending what appeared to be a large storage container that was definitely not human. Taylor didn’t give it any more thought. He was only concerned with getting to the aid of Eli. He turned and looked down the corridor for another entrance, quickly leaping into action to find one. They rushed thirty metres down the corridor, but there was not a single entrance.

“God damn it, how the fuck do we get in?”

“Sir, I saw another entrance on the far side, but it was barricaded up. Only other way in is the doors to the road, but we’ll have a hard time getting them open from the outside,” Lam said.

He turned and looked in despair for any other options.

“Sir, this wall ain’t too strong. It worked last time.”

He put his hand to the wall and thought.

“Alright, but I don’t want to give them any idea we’re coming. What charges have we got left?”

Silva rushed up to their position and overheard the last of what they had said.

“We’ve still got two breaching charges. They’ll take this baby down, no problem.”

“Do it,” said Taylor.

Silva turned and pointed to two of his team members to come forward. They drew out satchel charges and ripped off the tabs on the rear of the charges that revealed a self-adhesive surface. They slapped them onto the wall and pressed just a few buttons before turning to the Major.

“Twenty seconds, Sir.”

“Clear out, take cover!” he ordered.

He rushed ten metres back and ducked his head down. He stared at his watch, counting the seconds. The satchel charges blew with a surprisingly quiet eruption that was a perfectly controlled charge, removing a segment from the interior wall wide enough for three marines to fit through.