Be sure to read part 24 if you haven't yet

In the darkness of the enclosed cockpit, I had a good idea of what was coming, but the knowledge of the upcoming impact wasn't enough to stop the shock from the impact. One second, I was leaning back against the seat, holding anything I could, the next, everything just moved forward along with myself. My teeth hit each other at force that pained both sets, I felt aa pain in my stomach, and my head collided with the metal dashboard in front of me.

I raise my head and all I see is blurred doubles. 2 dashboards, 2 view screens. I move my head up and feel the throbbing pain in my head. I look around me and the hatch has opened. I can't see Mark and only see an unconscious Yin, head on the back of the passenger's seat.

I reach forward with my hand and shake his shoulder. "Yin" I quietly say, but he doesn't respond. All he does is grunt. He'll be fine. I reach to the empty passenger seat where my backpack was sat, but it fell to the ground in the crash. I pick it up, grab the knife and grab the wooden spear leaning against the tank wall next to it. I get up from my seat, ducking my head to avoid banging it, and I poke my head out of the hatch. The entire area around me is consisted of flying dirt, smoke, and sawdust. I can see behind the tank a large hole and nearly completely collapsed wall due to the tank. I walk forward out of the smoke and can hardly make out the images of anyone I recognize. I'm still seeing doubles. Double tank, double conflicts, and double the soldier running at me. It's not even reaction triggering my movements, just common sense. He has a spear. Sword is best, but knife won't work. Use spear. I tuck the knife in my pocket and grab my spear with both hands. He's charging, point towards me. When foot away, strafe left and knock spear out of his hands with yours. When he's the appropriate distance away, I sidestep to the right, already changing my mind. It doesn't work and the tip of the spear luckily collides with m armor plate, knocking me onto my back on the ground. I raise my spear just as the soldier raises his for an attack. He brings it down just as I hold mine in front of me. I hold mine horizontal with his vertical and as the paths are perpendicular, I use my spear to knock his above my head. His legs are planted directly in front of me. I kick at his left knee, but it doesn't budge. He's trying to get his spear. Stop him. I turn the spear around, with the non-lethal end facing him and shove him back which works. I take the chance to regain my footing, but he momentarily kicks me in my side just as I'm crouched, bending over and I fall back down. I'm still holding onto my spear and as he reaches for his, still planted in the ground, I partially get up and swing the tip at his helmet. The stone tip of the spear collides with his helmet, knocking it clean off. I bring the spear back, swing again, this time colliding with his head, knocking his out of the fight. When I look back, a fight still seems active. I take a moment to scan the base. Wooden fort with wall covering 3 sides, left, right, and back (now with a giant ass hole in it). There's a wooden command building at the back right. 2 stories. Attached to the left wall is a large building, most likely a cafeteria and in the front right are the outhouses. I look to my right at the command post and bring my vision up just as I see on the roof, an archer with his bow trained on me, arrow pulled back. I jump to my right just as he lets go of the arrow and it lands where I previously stood. If I stay lying, I'm dead. I try to get up, looking back at the archer, already with another arrow ready. When he's about to pull, a figure behind him grabs him and throws him off the roof. I watch as the archer lands on his side on the dirt ground, He's still breathing, barely. I look up and see Dave at the top of the building, surprisingly content look on his face.

"What?!" he yells. "No thank you?"

I smile and yell back "It was under control."

"Under control my ass! Get in here and grab this shit. There's some weapons in here!"

With that, he walks back down into the building. I walk to the archer and grab his bow which was in pretty bad shape, and I grab his quiver along with a few scattered arrows.

I walk forward and see Tom and Boss approach me.

"I bump fists with Tom who proceeds by patting me on the back and I half hug Boss who looks life he has ash on his face."

"You good?" I ask.

"Yeah." He replies. "You?"

"Back hurts." I admit

"Where's Mark?"

"I don't know. Where's Yin?"

"In the tank I think. Got knocked out."

"Shit."

Boss walks away and through the hole in the wall I see Mark come walking in.

"Hey!" I yell "Where the hell were you?"

"Fire Nation outside the walls. He's out."

A few minutes later, Boss and the others are walking out of the building with whatever they found. Surprisingly, my headache returned and I began to feel a sense of lightheadedness. I see Tom walk back into the fort with some of the dynamite and he comes to me and asks "Hey Luke, you hit?"

I immediately look down at my chest for blood stains but see none. I look at my back over my shoulder, but don't see or feel nothing. "No. Why?"

"Your nose. It's bleeding. A lot."

I bring my index finger to below my nose and look at it to reveal a completely bloodied finger. Suddenly, the pain in my head intensifies with the dizziness and I black out.