Chapter Three
The convoy lay silent as they moved into the area. Approaching from the eastern perimeter were Ludovick and Malone.
"Area is secured, Sir." Malone said, addressing the situation.
"Where are the others? The ones with the convoy?" Vaughn searched their tired faces for the answer to his question.
"Dunno, Lt. We didn't find anyone." Malone hesitated watching as the Lieutenant flipped down his visor to confirm the
answer he was given. No movement. No signs of life.
"What do you think happened to them?"
"Bugs," Von Konig whispered, pointing to the melted frame of a transport truck. Campbell swallowed hard. His eyes
locked on the smouldering remains. Cidney placed her hand on the trooper's shoulder.
"Whatever happened here has been finished for some time, Private. The air smells to fresh."
"Too fresh?" Campbell wore a puzzled expression.
"After a fire fight you can smell the fumes from the weapons. Shells that were fired. Exploded ordinance..." He paused,
slapping the kid on the back. "Damn! You really are a cherry." The others smiled. Campbell was trying hard to match the same expression
they all wore.
"Transport's going to pick us up outside the city. About 20 klicks." Vaughn announced as he rejoined the squad. "A wooded
area. Should be a break in the trees large enough for a transport to land." A sigh of relief escaped through the lips of several soldiers.
Everyone wanted to get back to the Valley Forge. They were tired and cold from the constant rain that beat down on them.
"Okay you apes! Let's move out!" Falling into formation they pushed past the destroyed convoy and out of the deserted city.
The heavy rains had started to deminish and a thick blanket of fog was silently stalking them through the forest. Fallen rain-drops had
shorted out much of their equipment. Leaving them blind and wondering without a guide.
"Hold up!" Vaughn ordered as he checked the perimeter with his visor. No movement was caught by the scanning
instrument. "Cid, do a check."
"Yes, Sir!" Off-loading her weapon she turned to face the troopers. "Ludovick?"
"Serge!"
"Malone?"
"Here!"
"Von Konig?"
"Yeah?"
"Bayonne?"
"Serge!"
"Kenzie?"
"Serge!"
"Campbell?"...silence...
"Campbell?" Everyone turned to look at everyone else. Von Konig's frantic yell cutting through the silence.
"CODE GREEN! Lieutenant... WE HAVE A CODE GREEN!" The soldier swallowed hard. He'd been bringing up the
rear and hadn't notice that the Private was missing.
It had been almost 15 minutes since Campbell had seen any of his squad members. He's tried to raise them on the comm-link
but the only answer to his pleading voice was static radiating from his headset. It wasn't until he heard the screeching cries of bugs that he
felt his stomach knot. Crouching down behind a tree he raised his morita, his wide eyes searching for the source of the sound. The darkening
sky overhead adding to the fear that coursed through his tired, aching body.
"Lieutenant? Serge?....Anybody?...Do you read?" The soldier could feel his heart sink at the sound of unresponding static.
"ANYBODY?" Panic was beginning to invade his voice. "Somebody... I... I need help....!" The only human response was his own pleading
cry. "OH GOD! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"
The convoy lay silent as they moved into the area. Approaching from the eastern perimeter were Ludovick and Malone.
"Area is secured, Sir." Malone said, addressing the situation.
"Where are the others? The ones with the convoy?" Vaughn searched their tired faces for the answer to his question.
"Dunno, Lt. We didn't find anyone." Malone hesitated watching as the Lieutenant flipped down his visor to confirm the
answer he was given. No movement. No signs of life.
"What do you think happened to them?"
"Bugs," Von Konig whispered, pointing to the melted frame of a transport truck. Campbell swallowed hard. His eyes
locked on the smouldering remains. Cidney placed her hand on the trooper's shoulder.
"Whatever happened here has been finished for some time, Private. The air smells to fresh."
"Too fresh?" Campbell wore a puzzled expression.
"After a fire fight you can smell the fumes from the weapons. Shells that were fired. Exploded ordinance..." He paused,
slapping the kid on the back. "Damn! You really are a cherry." The others smiled. Campbell was trying hard to match the same expression
they all wore.
"Transport's going to pick us up outside the city. About 20 klicks." Vaughn announced as he rejoined the squad. "A wooded
area. Should be a break in the trees large enough for a transport to land." A sigh of relief escaped through the lips of several soldiers.
Everyone wanted to get back to the Valley Forge. They were tired and cold from the constant rain that beat down on them.
"Okay you apes! Let's move out!" Falling into formation they pushed past the destroyed convoy and out of the deserted city.
The heavy rains had started to deminish and a thick blanket of fog was silently stalking them through the forest. Fallen rain-drops had
shorted out much of their equipment. Leaving them blind and wondering without a guide.
"Hold up!" Vaughn ordered as he checked the perimeter with his visor. No movement was caught by the scanning
instrument. "Cid, do a check."
"Yes, Sir!" Off-loading her weapon she turned to face the troopers. "Ludovick?"
"Serge!"
"Malone?"
"Here!"
"Von Konig?"
"Yeah?"
"Bayonne?"
"Serge!"
"Kenzie?"
"Serge!"
"Campbell?"...silence...
"Campbell?" Everyone turned to look at everyone else. Von Konig's frantic yell cutting through the silence.
"CODE GREEN! Lieutenant... WE HAVE A CODE GREEN!" The soldier swallowed hard. He'd been bringing up the
rear and hadn't notice that the Private was missing.
It had been almost 15 minutes since Campbell had seen any of his squad members. He's tried to raise them on the comm-link
but the only answer to his pleading voice was static radiating from his headset. It wasn't until he heard the screeching cries of bugs that he
felt his stomach knot. Crouching down behind a tree he raised his morita, his wide eyes searching for the source of the sound. The darkening
sky overhead adding to the fear that coursed through his tired, aching body.
"Lieutenant? Serge?....Anybody?...Do you read?" The soldier could feel his heart sink at the sound of unresponding static.
"ANYBODY?" Panic was beginning to invade his voice. "Somebody... I... I need help....!" The only human response was his own pleading
cry. "OH GOD! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"
