Chapter 13: Getting a Ride

Dear Director, our laws are not designed to outline every possible infraction that takes place! However the spirit of the law is clear. Blatant disregard for the safety and well-being of our citizens, in any form, will always be a punishable offense, regardless of how well or by whom that offense has been justified.

XXX

With their ultimate goal clear, Washington took the Reds and Blues back to Valhalla so they could borrow two of their vehicles for their trip to Command. Once there, the Reds insisted that they could get the transport without difficulty, but the moment they drove off in the first jeep, they were immediately spotted by the Recovery forces who quickly gave chase...

Simmons clung on tightly to the machinegun turret and watched the Warthog driving towards them, "Here they come!"

"Simmons, what are you waiting for?" Sarge bellowed, "Shoot them!"

"I can't," Simmons called back, "The stupid gun is jammed!"

"Step on it, Grif!" Sarge ordered.

"Yeah, no kidding!" Grif snapped, slamming his foot on the accelerator.

Behind them, the soldier on the turret opened fire while his partner picked up the speed.

"Whose idea was it to steal a jeep from these guys anyway?" Sarge cried.

XXX

On a cliff by the Red Base, Washington watched the chase through the scope of Church's sniper rifle and let out a sigh, "I knew this plan wouldn't work."

"We all knew this plan wouldn't work," Church scowled, "None of our plans ever work."

"That's why we carry guns," Caboose added.

"'We can get a car, no problem,'" Wash muttered, mocking Sarge's voice, "We're better with vehicles than the Blues, let us handle this.' Why did I even listen to them?"

"I told you not to," Church replied.

"Yeah well, I already stopped listening to you three bases ago," Wash retorted.

Caboose glared at the Freelancer. "Well, that's not very-"

"And I never started listening to you!" Wash cut in.

XXX

Meanwhile, the pursuing Warthog was catching up to the Reds until it drew up alongside.

"Force them into the wall!" Sarge yelled.

"On it!" Grif swung the wheel round and smashed the other jeep towards the Red Base until it zoomed into the doorway of the lower level and disappeared.

"Where'd they go?" Grif cried.

"Did ya lose them?" Sarge gasped.

"Looks like it," Grif chuckled, pulling the car to a stop on the other side.

"What in Samuel L. Jackson?" Sarge spluttered, "I don't believe it."

"Well Sarge, I guess you owe me an apology," Grif beamed, "Turns out I'm not such a bad driver after-"

He trailed off as the enemy jeep drove out the doorway right in front of them.

"...all."

The driver of the other jeep revved the engine and the man behind the turret cocked the gun and pointed it right at the Reds.

"Oh come on, what the crap?!" Grif cried.

XXX

On the cliff, Caboose watched through the sniper scope as the Reds spun their jeep round and sped away from the enemy vehicle.

"Oh man," he gulped, "That jeep has a really big gun."

"Don't get any ideas," Church warned, snatching his rifle back.

"Well, I guess I'd better get down there and save them," Wash sighed, "I'm really starting to hate this part of the job."

"Well, at least you're getting good practice at it," Caboose commended.

"Don't patronize me," Wash scowled, setting off into the valley.

"You know," Rhode called out, "If we let one or two of 'em die, we could probably all squeeze into one car. Just saying, you should think about it."

"Oh, and if enough of us die, we can fit on a motorcycle!" Caboose added.

Church watched as Wash ran towards the Reds then smiled and turned back to his teammates, "Alright good, he's gone. Caboose, Rhode, you stay here, I'll be right back."

Caboose gasped in dismay, "You're leaving?"

"Yeah," Church replied, stepping out of his body, "For some reason he doesn't want me to see Tex's body. I'm gonna go try to find her."

"I'm not sure if that's a good idea..." Rhode said.

"Um, don't leave me here with your body," Caboose added, "It stares at me and I don't like it."

"You'll be fine," Church reassured, running off towards the Blue Base.

Caboose sighed and looked out towards the valley in silence.

Then Church's body started to make a loud humming noise, "Stop it!"

XXX

Back in the valley, Simmons fiddled with the machinegun for a few moments then some shots rang out from the gun, "Got it!"

"Great, you unjammed the gun?" Grif yelled, "How 'bout you shoot 'em?"

"Grif, just get us out of this!" Sarge bellowed, flinching as the enemy opened fire at them.

As they drove past a precipice, Grif suddenly turned and drove towards the cliff edge.

"Hold on, I wanna try something," he told the others, gunning the engine, "I think I can make this jump!"

"Are you insane?" Sarge yelled.

"Yeah, forget this, brakes!" Grif slammed his foot on the pedal and the Warthog swerved round and just stopped on the edge of the cliff, "Uh, we're really high."

Behind them, the other jeep couldn't stop in time and went flying over the cliff. Simmons chose this moment to open fire at the fuel tank in its underside, blowing up the jeep and sending the drivers plunging down to the river below.

"Yeah, got him!"

At that moment, Wash came running up and glanced down to see the burning wreckage crash down on the bodies of the soldiers.

"You idiots!" he yelled, "We needed that jeep!"

"Uh yeah, and we needed not to die?" Grif replied, "What's your point?"

"There's still six of us," Wash reminded them, "Where are we gonna get another vehicle?"

Right on cue, there was a loud whooshing noise and the Reds stared wordlessly at the Hornet-Class gunship rising up from behind the cliff.

Seeing the looks on their faces, Wash turned round and stared at the ship, "Oh."

"Hey dude?" Grif scowled. "In the future, don't ask for stuff!"

XXX

At the Blue Base, the two guards outside the main doorway watched the scene with growing intrigue, none of them aware of Church slinking up behind them.

"Looks like the Hornet's gonna get them," the first guard chuckled.

"Yeah," the second one sighed, "They blew up our jeep though. That kinda sucks."

"And they killed two of our friends, right?"

"Oh yeah, that too."

"Still I think-" But the guard got no further as Church leapt into his body and took him over, "Heagurgurk!"

The second guard spun round in alarm, "You okay?"

By then, Church had taken over and looked round.

Me?" he asked in a mix of his and the guard's voice.

"Yeah you, what was that noise?"

"I didn't hear any noise."

"It sounded like-"

"I sneezed."

The second guard raised an eyebrow, "You sneezed."

"Yeah," Church replied, backing slowly towards the doorway, "So anyway, I'm gonna go in the base now, gonna do some patrolling in there. You know how it is, standard ops stuff. Okay, see ya."

"What are you talking about? The CO said to stay out here and make sure no one gets in the base."

"Oh it's okay. I uh, I spoke to the Sergeant. He gave me special orders."

"Okay, yeah," the second guard replied then he frowned, "Wait, you mean the Captain?"

"Huh? Yeah right, that guy, whatever," Church called back.

XXX

In the valley, Grif reversed away from the cliff and zoomed away.

"RUN!" Simmons yelled as the gunship gave chase.

Wash ducked behind a boulder and peeked out to watch the chase. Then he looked towards the Blue Base and spotted one of the guards running inside.

"Come on..." He then looked to where the Blues were waiting and switched on his radio, "Caboose, what is Church doing?"

"Oh, uh, doing?" Caboose glanced nervously at Church's body before replying, "Uh, why, nothing, Agent Washington. He's just standing next to me watching you get killed by the giant spaceship."

"Oh really," Wash replied suspiciously, "Can you put him on then?"

"Oh I don't think so," Caboose lied as the gunship's missiles hit the cliff he was standing on, "Um, we're playing a game uh, called 'who can hold still the longest.' So far, Church is winning. Um, it's a fun game we-"

Suddenly the cliff shuddered again and Caboose heard a loud clang behind him. He looked round to see that Church's body had fallen over backwards.

He gulped in alarm and got back on the radio, "I'm going to have to call you back."

XXX

Great job Caboose. I think he's convinced... Till next time guys!