Chapter 12 Outskirts

Cayce

July 12th, 2017

10:29 AM

San Francisco, Califonia

Lower Haight

Present day…

My head is weary, my ears are ringing, and my vision is blurry tempting to recover from the crash. Now I'm coughing dust having landed on my back from the impact through the building. Another happy landing. Just like Seattle, right?

"Hey, wake up!" Kristine muttered as I actually woke up. Finding myself waylaid in the hold of the downed VTOL.

Kris helps me up with her hand when I'm fully conscious and on my toes. Ready to use them to take my boots back in the field.

I could see David and Mason already out of the downed bird and our pilots in the cockpit KIA. One of these days an RPG rocket is gonna blow us into oblivion without a disabled landing. No question.

"Shake it off, Valor!" David ordered. "Clear the crash site and let's move."

I step out of the derelict VTOL with Kristine to join David and Mason outside the crash site. Resuming the mission.

"Mason, casualty report," ordered David.

"Pilots are killed in action, Madsen," replied Mason. "Everyone else is checked in and accounted for."

"HQ, this is Valor One. We've crash landed in Lower Haight and our VTOL and pilots are DOA. How much farther to City Hall?"

"City Hall is just five clicks ahead of you. But be advised, you have multiple ConDef closing in on your twelve. They definitely know where you are where you're headed."

"Copy. Do you have a sitrep on Valor Two?"

"Valor Two just barely survived the RPG ambush and have crash landed in Hayes Valley. No casualties on the ground team and they're on route to City Hall as we speak."

"Wilco. Valor One out."

When we proceed into the outskirts of San Fran, it's a nightmare. Totaled cars, crumbled buildings, scorched roads, skyscrapers from afar lighting up like chimneys during Christmas time, and no survivors. And this all happened three days ago?

"Look at this place," said Kristine. "I thought Portland had it bad three years ago. I can't even compare that to this. I was born in San Fran you know. I used to love it here."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Kris," I said. "I used to come here too."

"We can talk grievances later, Kris," said David. "Right now, we get to City Hall and get Senator Amber out of there. Mason tracking gear still online? Are we on route?"

"Affirmative, Commander," said Mason. Looking at the tracking map. "HQ was correct. We're still only five cliques away. We can cut through the alleys for a quicker window."

"Then that's our route. Let's move Valor. Into the alleys. On me."

David takes point into the alleys and the three of us follow his lead. Captain Cage and the rest of Valor Two crash landed in Hayes Valley as HQ said. That's only down the road ahead. Maybe we could catch up with them there?

When we've entered the alleys, we could hear a sudden whoosh noise above our heads. Coming from the rooftops. We raise our guns up high to investigate.

"What was that?" Kris asked.

The whoosh noises came closer and closer. I believe I know that noise from anywhere and it wasn't good.

Suddenly, two soldiers in heavy hazmat armor with electromagnetic backpacks zoomed into our path like the speed of lightning. ConDef strikers were now in front of us opening fire.

"Strikers! Get down!" Mason warned.

We take evasive action and get behind cover when the bullets from the strikers' SMGs open fire. No more than three minutes deployed on the ground and we're already fighting strikers. I've fought enough of these fuckers already back in Bolivia and Portland. The ones from El Eterno and Neo-Chrys. Now my worst nightmare is in league with ConDef. Just what I need.

We couldn't just here sit behind cover. We had to fight back. And we did by open firing with our rifles to fight back against the strikers. Before they advance next to our cover with their thruster packs like they usually do.

David ordered us to fire back as we did. Before they could advance on us. I shoot on striker down in front with ease, but the other dashes straight into our cover to advance and shoot us by the side. Not before David could shoot his thruster pack apart to his knees and pop his head in with a single bullet. Close call, Commander. Close call.

"God, I hate those things," I said.

"Better get used to them, Corporal," said David. "Cause next time I might not think fast enough to save your skin. Move out."

Pushing through the alleys are like any other skirmish I've ever been in my years in Chrysalis. ConDef soldiers come running through the alleys like rabid dogs and come shooting at us one by one. The four of us get behind cover against a dumpster or concrete fences and shoot back at the opposing force.

Even more strikers join in with the squadron of ConDef troopers to give us more leverage in the alleys. This time, David doesn't take care of one for me like he did minutes ago. I handle one myself.

When one of the pacts of ConDef soldiers are neutralized, radio chatter from one of ours comes on. It was from Valor Two.

"Commander! Come in, Commander! This is Private Wheeler! Over!"

"Flint, is that you?" David asked. "Where are you?"

"I'm pinned down by multiple ConDef in Hayes Valley! They're all over me!"

"Is Cage with you?"

"No! I got separated from the others in the crash! I can't hold them off alone! Oh shit!"

"Hang tight, Private! We're coming to ya! Valor, double time! Now!"

David

July 12th, 2017

10:41 AM

San Francisco, California

Hayes Valley

The four of us sprint through the alleys double time responding to Flint's distress call from Hayes Valley. Running between the buildings in the outskirts of San Fran, gunfire was heard closer and closer to our ears and we weren't gonna stand back let it be music to our ears. We had to help the rook fast.

Once we've reached Hayes Valley, we could see the private hiding back behind some sandbags blind firing his rifle at the swarming ConDef forces advancing to towards him. As well as the downed VTOL was riding in with Cage and the other three in the team.

"Look! Down there!" Cayce shouted. "Behind the sandbags!"

We got a bird's eye view from a corner in the alley adjoining the courtyard in Hayes where Flint was in distress from ConDef.

"Jesus, he's all alone?!" Kristine muttered. "Where the fuck is Cage?! Where did everyone go in the crash?!"

There was a turret mounted on another wall of sandbags closer to use. We could use it give Flint some support and ConDef some leverage.

"Kris, get on that turret to help Flint!" I order. "Cayce, Mason, let's get down there!"

Kristine hurries to the turret and gets on it when she does. The rest of us sprint and hustle to Wheeler keeping his head down and give him suppressing fire with our rifles to make sure we're not shot on the way down and Flint doesn't lose his head.

Eventually, we all reach our positions. Cayce, Mason, and I taking cover next to Flint and Kristine on the gun for support on her end.

"Aren't you a sight for sore eyes, Commander!" Flint praised. "I thought I was done for on the first mission!"

"Better fight harder if you want to live, greenhorn!" I shout. "Kristine, light 'em up!"

"You got it!" She responds.

While the four of us behind the sandbags shoot back at the ConDef infantry, Kris lights up the LMG and opens fire to flank the enemy. Mowing down every tango in sight faster than we do.

Even with one wave of ConDef down, another spawn in with striker reinforcements this time. At least the strikers are no match for Kris's gun like the infantry before them. And even though the strikers are quicker than the next wave of infantry supported by them, the turret is stronger and more powerful than them. Which doesn't compare to the enemy more power than turrets and strikers.

When the wave of strikers and infantry are neutralized, a door down in front on the far side of the courtyard is kicked down by heavy bruisers in heavy armor carrying heavy weapons with their heavy ass hands. Two ConDef juggernauts were now knocking on the door and when the juggernauts come knocking, they come spraying bullets out of their LMGs.

"Juggernauts, get down!" I order.

The four of us tuck our heads down as the bullets flicker past us faster than a hurricane. Chipping on the concrete and dinging on the metal of the downed VTOL.

Before we let Kristine do anything about the gabbling brutes, a grenade from above us is thrown down in the courtyard between us and the juggernauts. The grenade tossed rolls down towards them and ignites a chrononic pulse that traps them in a stasis field. It was a time grenade that was thrown at them.

Then suddenly, a rocket is fired above our hairs and blast the juggernauts into inferno dust. Killing the two more instantly than Kristine's gun could.

When the juggernauts are scorched earth, we look above us to see Major Heard with an RPG at her trigger finger. As well as Cage, Logos, and Newblood standing on the rooftop on top of us with her.

"Ya know, the kid was your responsibility, Madsen," said Heard. "Not ours."

All sarcasm aside, Valor Two all slide down some ropes to the ground floor in the courtyard to regroup. Kristine took notice of them when the rocket was blasted to where the pair of juggernauts feet were and formed up with all of us when they did.

"Major Heard, Captain Cage, what the fuck were you thinking leaving the kid behind like that?!" I muttered. "He would've been killed without our help!"

Valor Two got off their ropes and Cage walked in front of me to scold.

"He was unconscious when we crashed, Commander!" The captain muttered back. "We weren't just gonna leave him behind."

"And yet you did. Good soldiers don't leave good men behind."

"Noted, Madsen."

"Let's settle down, kids," interrupted Heard. "We've got bigger fish to fry than leaving the greenhorn to die. Don't ya think?"

"She's not wrong, Captain," said Newblood. "We've got our mate Senator Amber to save still as matter of fact. Not opinion."

"Alright, Madsen, why don't you take the kid this time," said Cage. "Like Heard said. He's your responsibility. Mason, you come with us."

"Yes, Captain," said Mason.

"Okay, Valor. Listen up. HQ has tracked ConDef posted all of City Hall. They're holding hostages their including James Amber. We're gonna need to approach stealthily if we're gonna take him alive. Any open assault approach and Amber and the other hostage will wound up dead. Lieutenant Mason, pull up the map on your tracker."

"Understood," he replied.

Mason projected a map of city hall on his tracker screen to show everyone what to do.

"Since we can't take any chances guns and blazing," says Cage. "Valor Two will sneak in from the rear of the compound while Valor One will sneak in from the front. Suppressors and flashbangs are necessary if need be. Anything else and the mission is compromised. Once we've secured Amber and the other hostages in the Hall, we'll need to clear the vicinity of ConDef so evac can arrive to extract them to SF Spectre."

Mason switched off the projection on his tracker when Cage's briefing wraps up.

"You know your orders, Valor," continued Cage. "Above all, protect the senator. There and back again. Ooh-rah?"

"Ooh-rah, Captain," replied Flint.

"Mm-hmm. Let's split up Valor. To City Hall we go. Mason, come with me. Wheeler you go with, Madsen. That's order. Move out!"

Mason goes with Cage while Flint is split with my team as ordered. The captain's team marches down back into the alleys while Cayce, Kristine, Flint, and I say our prayers before we split up to our window.

"I got to say," said Kristine. "I love it when Heard is feisty with her artillery. Especially with the new time grenades and an RPG combined."

"Tell me about it," said Cayce.

"Let's move out, Valor," I said. "This is where the excitement begins."