The driving rain swept across the cliffs like machine guns from heaven, bombarding the cliffs with minute splashes that rode across the stone and sea like waves of bullets riding across the landscape.

The enraged lightning, like huge muzzle flashes slashed the sky into jagged fragments all around us, as the car bravely fought on against the onslaught.

"There. On the jetty"

Nestled against the seaweed clad jetty, some of which appeared to have been recently cleared, was an old industrial barge, and on it, were 3 republic troops, there Khaki coats standing out against the blank, grey sea. They quickly spotted our car, and waved their crude submachine guns to grab our attention.

I was driving, having taken a spare coat from the jeep. Jess was in the back, the story being that the other soldier had been killed in the attack on us two. Jess would pose as a civilian that had helped the soldiers track down the two 'terrorists', and deserved a medal for her efforts.

I didn't expect to have to do much explaining in this weather though...

The sea-sprayed gravel crunched, almost muted by the constant noise of the sheets of water falling from the sky, and the winds picked up, the sea. The defenders half empty tyres rolled over the drive, and onto the soaked concrete. One of guards, the remains of a cigarette desperately smouldering though the rain on his blue, cold lips, waved his hands in the direction of some wooden pallets, which the other two, murmuring complaints carried out into the Irish Sea by the stinging ocean winds began moving the pallets to the barge.

"It's safe to cross tonight?!" I yell shouting over the cacophony of angry nature at its worst.

"Well, we managed it here, sir."

The guard was a lean, stiff man, straight as a ruler in figure, and just as much in character. He had a square, almost featureless face, with the exception of two, steel, squinted eyes, a flat nose that almost seemed to be trying to hide itself, and a tiny, solid looking mouth, that almost seem to have its rationed cigarette glued into it.

The others finished placing the pallets, and I manoeuvred the vehicle onto the ever-rocking boat, as if it was trying to get away from the load that it would have to carry. Lining it up on the steel decking, I switched off the powerful engine, and braved the rain once more.

The guard spotted Jess emerging from the vehicle, and fumbled for his pistol.

"Stop! She's with me, I'll explain inside!" I yell, spotting him just in time.

Visibly frustrated with the way I had pulled my 'rank' on him, the guard holstered his gun, and waved us inside, tossing the remains of his fag over the side, into the waterfall cascading off the roof of a small office on the barge. The smell of watery coffee, diesel and wood smoke engulfed me as I ducked underneath the low doorframe, and into a small room. The other two guards had already taken some blankets from a chest in the corner, and left some out for us. Outside, the harsh winds howled at the windows, and drips of rain appeared through cracks in places.

I just hoped that the thing would hold across the ocean.

Picking up a coffee from a small table covered in cards and maps, the lean guard leant against the controls for the barge, and fixed us with a stare.

"So, what is an enemy civilian doing on a top secret military extraction craft, sir?" He said as the craft gave a broken sounding splutter, a large creak, and started off backwards out to sea.

"Roisin here helped us track down the terrorists. Caused a distraction so we could take one of them out, but the other one got Jamie. He didn't make it. She deserves a medal, she does!"

"I see." Replied the lean one, lifting his face, throwing one last cold steel glare, and took the wheel, to begin manoeuvring us out to sea.

The panel was small, with an old worn wooden wheel that had seen far better voyages. Covered in coffee rings, cards and poker chips, a small table stood in the centre of the room, surrounded by 3 similar stools. At one of the walls stood 3 identical PPS-43 sub machine guns, their worn recycled steel glinting in the light of a single bulb hanging from the ceiling. When the republic had come to power, the army decided that it needed a standard issue weapon that could be produced en masse. Out of the available mix, ranging from First World War revolver elongations to modern day bull pup assault rifles, the soviet PPS-43 came out on top for its ease of use, lightweight structure, ease of production, cheap cost and sky-high soviet style levels of reliability. Despite being a sub machine gun, it was adopted as a primary weapon, and could be found everywhere these days.

3 hours later, the wind continued to howl even stronger than before, as flickers of worry sparked across the faces of the two younger privates. A huge wave, powerful enough to carry chunks of debris and rock crashed against the glass windshield of the boat. As a huge monster of a wave struck the front of the boat, carrying it high above the waves, the crack as the straps holding the car onto the deck broke was barely audible, but perfectly visible as the 3.2 tonnes of car half slid, half fell along the soaked deck plates and with an almighty crash, broke through into the control room.

The tall sergeant never had time to so much as react, as the vehicle smashed into his body like it had no weight whatsoever, carrying him, the barge's control panel, the other two guards, their faces frozen in horrified surprise, and everything else in its path, through the back wall of the old barge with a huge scraping splash, as it hit the wall of water beneath it, and still carried on going.

As the boat reeled backwards, we were thrown against the remains of the back, seawater was already pouring in. Behind the column of water, I just managed to spot Jess beckon me to follow, before she jumped straight into the almost vertical column of water, arms spread out to catch as much water as possible, to propel her out. Just as I jumped, I caught my foot on a torn piece of metal, just as I was hit by the frozen wall of water bursting out of the hole in the boat.

I just had time to see a steel supporting girder. Rush straight into my.

Head. Before everything.

Went.

Black.