The Story of Squad 2
Prologue: Rain and Death

The rain came down like a solid sheet that blocked out the sky. They were supposed to be moving, but the relentless rain caused the Captain to call a halt. A hand reached out through a broken window, and let the rain beat upon it. A light went on that failed to penetrate the outside rain. The hand retracted.

"I liked the relative quiet darkness of the rain."

"I'd rather be able to see while I plan strategy on a map."

"I never knew you actually plan strategies Lieutenant Richard."

"Oh. Ok then. Straight into machine gun fire next time then." Richard replied.

"Leave the man be Vel," another voice put in.

"Coming to his rescue yet again Keriana?" Vel asked with sarcasm.

"I can't help it Vel." She said as she draped her arms around Richard's neck.

"Personal space please Keri," Richard ordered, more than really asked.

"You're both no fun," Keriana replied as she got up and seemed to contemplate the wall in front of her. "I bet the Imps are marching through this rain and they'll be shooting at us any minute now."

"The Captain knows best Keri," Richard admonished her.

"The Captain is only a year older than you Richard. He barely has any military experience."

"Is this because he hit on you, Keri? If it is, please leave me out of it. This is a very sincere please too." Richard said exasperated

"This is not because he hit on me."

"And have you already forgotten Rich? Keri hits on us all the time," Vel put in.

"That's different," Keriana replied as she crossed her arms.

Everyone then went into their own little worlds. Vel turned to stare into the rain again, but he then seemed to remember something. He turned his head to another corner of the room. Lionel was sitting quietly in a corner. He was reading some book about Europan history. He was always reading that.

"Hey Li, that book any good?" Vel asked.

Lionel didn't react at first, but after a few seconds he lifted his head and turned to Vel.

"It's quite interesting how the King of-"

"I don't want a summary. Have you ever heard of fiction? It's much more entertaining."

"Fiction is fake. We need to focus on the real things in life. Maybe if we did we wouldn't be having this war, and besides. I still have 593 pages left."

"Sounds like loads of fun." Vel said unconvincingly. "Hey Keri"

"What?"

"Why don't you ever hit on Li?"

"Uh, he's too… innocent and quiet."

Vel glanced at Lionel, but he was engrossed in his book again, or at least appeared to be. At that moment Jannin walked through the door, soaked all the way through.

"Ugh, you're all a bunch of lazy slobs. You're all just sitting in here while the rest of us get soaked on patrols." Jannin said angrily.

"Planning strategy here Jannin," Richard replied.

"I wasn't talking to you Sir. Come here and give me a hug Keri. You'll warm me up quite nicely," Jannin said with a grin.

"Not in that state I'm not," Keriana replied to Jannin.

Richard put his head in his hands, and then everyone just remained silent after that. Soon a boom of thunder sounded. Then another clap of thunder boomed out, which was followed by a loud crash outside. The squad perked up almost at the same exact time, down to the last second.

"Alright, squad! Grab your gear, and let's get out there!" Richard commanded

Richard grabbed his rifle, and then his tactical gear. Keriana then grabbed her sniper rifle, she was then followed by Vel grabbing his machine gun. Lionel secured his book in a backpack and grabbed his rifle and also rushed outside. Jannin was last because he had to get his lance equipment on. Outside there was the rain, and then there was a rain of bullets. Richard ran for his tank splashing through large pools of water as bullets whipped past him. The squad's tank driver, Kevin, was there taking cover behind the tank. Richard slid in next to him.

"Is the tank ready to go Corporal?" Richard asked, trying to be heard above the gunfire and rain.

Kevin nodded an affirmative, and the two then climbed in the tank. Richard was nicked in the arm, but he waved Kevin off and told him to drive.

Meanwhile, Keriana had climbed to the top of the building they had taken shelter in and went prone after setting her sniper rifle up. No fire had come directly her way, only stray bullets. She was unable to make out any clear targets in the low visibility due to the rain. The rain created so many false shapes, and she also had to worry about hitting a friendly.

Vel and Lionel had taken cover behind some hastily erected sandbags at the the start of the trail that led out of the encampment (which faced north). Jannin was right behind Vel.

"If I see a tank I'm going out there, and I want you to cover me!" Jannin yelled over the rain and gunfire at Vel.

Vel gave Jannin a look that told Jannin, Vel thought that was an idiotic plan.

"That's suicide man! Suicide!"

Lionel then opened fire dropping some enemy troops that had been advancing up the road. The rest scattered taking cover behind whatever they could. Vel took out a grenade and threw it, yelling "grenade out!" The grenade exploded sending one guy flying across to the other side of the path. It sent another enemy trooper sprawling. Vel put a shot into to him to make sure he was down. The 2 remaining troops poured bullets on Vel's position. Lionel tried to peak his head out from cover, and almost got it blown off.

A tank shell shot past hitting one of the buildings. The building then went up in a huge ball of fire raining debris everywhere. The tank shell had hit the building where the spare ammunition was kept. The night was temporarily lit up, and a sniper round thumped into the chest of one imp soldier, and then the second Imp soldier that had been suppressing Vel and company.

Richard's tank then rolled up, and fired at the enemy tank down at the other end of the trail. An enemy tank shell hit Richard's tank, but didn't cause too much damage. Richard's tank fired another shot and a distant boom was heard. Another tank shell pounded on Richard's tank leaving a sizable dent. Some smoke started to emit from it. Richard's tank then started to roll backwards narrowly missing another tank shell.

"Retreat! Fall back to another position!" Richard's voice said over the radio.

Another enemy tank then plowed through a building on the east side, and started to line up a shot on Richard's tank.

"Jannin, enemy tank! 10 o'clock!" Vel yelled out.

Jannin skidded to a halt, and fired a round before he could properly aim. It hit the enemy tank, but didn't do that much damage, but it did throw off the aim and it's attack missed Richard's tank. Richard then focused his tank on the enemy and it was destroyed. More tanks could however be heard all around, and the group started to run again. Lionel slipped in the mud, and Vel stopped and went back. He helped him up, and they started to run as a tank shell exploded right where they had been before.

"Run for the trees!" Keriana yelled down at them as she started to climb off the building.

Vel ran like he had never ran before for the trees as enemy fire of all kinds whizzed by him. He just kept running, and running, and running. Before he realized it the sounds of battle were so distant he could barely hear it. He looked around, and realized he was alone. He yelled out for Lionel, then Keriana, and then for anyone, but even if anyone had been nearby, Vel's voice would have been drowned out by the rain.