'Just received word that the fighters had a rough time, which we already know it seems.' Said Sami, nodding at the wreckage of a plane scattered up the coast. 'They're comin' full force, bombers an' all. We have to wait for our orders before we can do anymore, but they're gonna be here soon, and we ain't got any, so we're gonna station around the buildings if we can. Johnson, Brooks, make sure the AA guns are ready for a head on assault, or we've got no chance in hell of pullin' this thing off. Alpha, Bravo, you can form up around some buildings somewhere, or you can stay on the front line with me. Your choice today people, but if your man enough, I know where you'll be. Kensie, I know where you'll be, eh? Up front like the man you were born to be!' She winked at him. He gulped. The frontline was the last place he wanted to be. 'Ok, move out!' About three quarters of the men scattered up the coast, seeking cover in the urban area. Kensie stayed at the front against his wishes. He was shaking all over, forced to sit due to sudden weakness in his legs. His stomach churned uncomfortably as he waited, loading his weapon. He tried to stand up and run back, but his conscience forced him to remain on the beach. The waves sapped at the sand, crawling closer to his feet with every one. He stared at the intricate patterns formed by the water's mark on the sand. A shadow was cast over his gaze. He jerkily turned his head. Sami stood behind him, half a grin spread across her face, 'You can go. You know you can. I won't see you any differently.' She left to let him make a decision. She knew he'd go. He clambered up to the promenade and ran for the closest, largest building he could see. Suddenly he heard a sound that struck fear into his soul.
The warning siren sounded loud and clear. Kensie's heart raced. They were coming. Sami's voice screamed through various speakers through the city. '30 SECONDS UNTIL THE ENEMY COME WITHIN FIRING RANGE!' He was stuck. He wouldn't make it to the city in time. But dare he go back to the frontline? '20 SECONDS!' His face scanned the area for cover. Nothing. '25 SECONDS!' That was it. He charged at the beach full speed, staring at the floor, only looking up occasionally to ensure the he wouldn't trip. '10 SECONDS!' He reached the beach and skidded down to the remainder of his regiment. '5, 4, 3,' 2 seconds of silence. All of a sudden, the silence was shredded as the piercing sound of 22mm rounds being launched out of large AA guns, hammering in the ears of the soldiers, leaving them deafened and disoriented. The first wave of planes was in clear view now, oncoming through a thick hail of bullets. Missile batteries unleashed volleys of explosives that splayed out randomly with hope of colliding with their targets. Soon, all the infantry had joined in the firing, empty shells pouring out onto the sands and carpeting them. A plane fell into the sea, sending a wall of water flying into one of the AA guns. One of the fighters swooped and fired a missile at one of the gun. There was no escape for the crew as they were mercilessly torn apart by the explosion, sending shrapnel in all directions. Figures of Ships drew closer from the horizon. The submarines surged forwards beneath the waters, their weapons armed, prepared for frontal assault. Above water, the infantry were failing to hold the shoreline. Bombers were drawing closer now, unheard over the chaos of the guns. Sami picked up the radio, her gun held in one hand, firing a constant stream of deadly metal. 'IT'S HELL OUT HERE! I NEED RIENFORCEMENTS!'
Back at H.Q, Sami's voice could barely be heard over the gunfire. 'She's not lying.' Said Nell, stating the obvious. 'They're getting torn to pieces by those planes, and if those bombers land a hit, they're all dead. We can pull them out, or we can send Tanks in. You're call, Andy, but we haven't time to sit around.' Andy didn't need to think about it. 'Pull them out, Jones! It's like Nell said, when the bombers reach the shore, they're doomed. That's final.' Jones again proceeded to the radio, picked it up and began; 'All forces retreat! I repeat, all forces retreat! Pull out now or you will be killed! Retreat! Retreat!' Many of the infantry couldn't even hear the words. Sami began to shout as she fired; 'WE HAVE A RETREAT ORDER, EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY! EVERYONE! UP'N'OUT, NOW!' All the soldiers began to climb back up the beach; some were running, stumbling as they went; some were slowly walking backwards as they fired off steadily at the oncoming foes. There was another explosion as another rocket was fired at an AA gun before the crew could dismount and make their way back to the city. The ships were near the beach now; another minute and all hell would be let loose. As if the planes weren't hell enough.
Most of the soldiers were crossing the roads of the city, still being blasted at mercilessly by planes. Only a few saw the bombs drop. Only a few saw the helpless men on the beach erased from wars world as they screamed out in anguish and pain, their useless cries unheard over the blitz of explosives and the roar of guns. Only a handful of men looked back, the rest compelled to flee more so than ever, in fear that this battle would be their last. Two words spread from Sami's lips. 'DOUBLE TIME!' All the soldiers were hastened in their retreat, as if blessed with some new found energy that had been previously undiscovered. Another air strike hit, killing a dozen or so more of the soldiers. Andy was truly mortified. His mind was clogged with the drums of war. His voice, now mono-toned, imbued with hatred and regret, was heard by all in the room. 'Send in Max's tank division! Those infantry are already dead otherwise! What do you think they'll have in those carriers? And when they touch down… That's an order! Send in Medium Tanks!' Jones gave the order. The factory doors were raised, revealing Max and a platoon of 20 Medium tanks. 'Let's roll, people.'
There was a tremendous cacophony as the steel machines charged out of the building in single file, before forming up formation. They travelled forth through the city, trampling the shrubs and fences that they came across. The weather was terrible; a torrential downpour of cold, lashing rain, masked by a slight mist only noticeable to those trying to see it. The soaked ground hindered the tanks progress, slowing them to about half the usual speed. Max looked out the hatch in one of the tanks. 'Good job Olaf isn't here…' He climbed back into the tank and judged the amount of time they had until they came into combat on the radar. 'I reckon we've got about a minute and a half.' He took the mouthpiece. 'Bout a minute an' a half people, so get ready!' The crew braced themselves as the exhausted infantry drew into sight, running full speed away from the airborne menace. All the soldiers were dying before them, falling victim to a horrific onslaught of lead. There was another explosion and 7 men were flung into the air crying out in pain. This couldn't be the planes. This was…
Neo Tanks! They came walking after the infantry, their cannons beating them to a pulp in the rain. Then the saw Max's platoon, and their fire was instantaneously redirected. The cannons fired, knocking out 3 tanks in one hit. Max cringed. He knew he couldn't match a platoon of Neo Tanks. Unless… 'MAX FORCE!' He screamed, a surge of energy running through his masculine body. An aura of power spread from him, affecting every tank in his platoon. They began to fire, destroying all the opposing ground forces. The infantry staggered past them with hope of making it back to the safety of the barracks. Nell's voice channelled through Sami's radio. 'APCs are on the way! Hang in there!' She kept running and firing frantically, inspired by the sight of the tanks. The last friendly plane burst out in flames above the shore, as Peter Henderson and Martyn Lane ejected, their parachutes fanning out in the sky like the feathers of a peacock. Three bullets flew through Martyn's parachute, sending him spiralling down to the beach at a speed far greater than anything safe. Peter cried out; 'Martyn!' No one heard him. Nothing could be done. However, when Martyn hit the floor, the blow was less than fatal, but his legs were badly injured. One of the Eagle's commanders stepped on his legs, forcing a scream from his dry, chapped lips. He chuckled. Peter hit the ground, making a safer landing. Three enemy soldiers seized him and carried him off. The same happened to Martyn.
Eagle flew overhead above a sea of napalm falling over the Orange Star. He spotted a huge office building full of defenceless civilians, praying for their safety. He aimed directly at one of the highly polished windows and launched a high explosive missile. It pierced through the sheet of glass and detonated on contact with a table, knocking the contents of the whole story, flaming out of the window. He flew directly though the hole, clearing a path with his machine guns before exiting at the other side. The building collapsed from the hole up, falling in on itself reducing its walls to rubble. A similar building was crushed as a bomber unleashed it's cargo unto the world. The city had become site of a massacre.
The planes were only about a mile and a half from the H.Q, and nothing could be done to stop them. All the AA guns available had been stationed on the beach, and the city defences round the building weren't enough to repel the assault. There was only one option. They had to…
'SURRENDER THE H.Q!' Cried Nell over the intercom. 'If we stay here, Eagle's forces will kill us! The helicopters are en route as we speak. Please proceed calmly to the roof! That is a direct order! We are surrendering the H.Q!' Andy and Jones were escorted up a lift and onto the roof. Eagle tapped into the radio channel. 'I'm coming to get you, Runt!' His voice made Andy shiver uncontrollably. Another voice came through on the radio. 'This is the air rescue team; we've come across a problem! Erratic and dangerous weather conditions are preventing our arrival! We'll be delayed.' Nell stamped her left foot on the floor three times consecutively, the sound resounding through the room. 'We're doomed…' She said, picking up the radio. 'The helicopters have been delayed! We're trapped! Everyone find cover!' She jumped over the war table and ducked behind it. Andy sprinted to the radio on the roof. 'Nell, can't we go to the bunker?' The bunker which he was referring to was stationed directly beneath the building for such a situation. Nell replied. 'Andy, there's no time! Get into cover, now!' He peered off the edge. A flood of people had poured out of the front door. From one floor, a chair flew through the window and a man jumped out, falling to the ground like a stone. Andy withdrew. He searched the roof. Nothing but the hut containing the lift. Nell was right. There truly was no time. Andy could see Satan and his minions zooming in on the building. 'Eagle…' He muttered to himself solemnly. His voice buzzed through the radio. 'Give me a wave!' He said sadistically.
Nell peered over the table to see a missile directly ahead. It shattered the window. It hit the table. Nell was launched backwards through the wall. Jones was sucked in and expelled out of the gaping hole that had been the window. The floor around Andy cracked, prepared to cave in with the slightest touch. All the other planes opened fire now, eating away at the once mighty structure. He was stuck. He ran for the lift, his palm mashing the button, his body overcome by desperation. But the power had been knocked out. Andy thought to himself, thousands of thoughts surging through his mind. He removed a crowbar from his tool belt and lodged it in the door before levering it open. He ran in and undid the hatch inside the roof of the lift. He climbed up into the small space above the lift, removing a knife from his belt. He positioned himself in the corner. He slashed at one of the cords, severing it. The lift fell, extending the one cord that it was now connected to. As it fell, he heard part of the roof cave in, showering rubble down on Nell's head, who was now running awry for an escape route. The lift door had been blasted apart in the explosion, revealing the falling container to Nell, who spied a route out. She peered out into the shaft, looking down. The lift continued to fall. She looked up to see Andy, clipping his belt to the remaining cord. She cried out, preying that he would hear him over the sound of the building being demolished. He looked down. 'Nell! I'm coming down, but I don't know if I'll be able to save you! This place is falling to pieces!' The whole H.Q shook as the lift hit the bottom, crushed by the immense force. 'Andy, I'm stuck! Please! Do something!' Andy began to walk down, his feet against the walls and his hands firmly gripped on the cord. An explosion in the war room km knocked Nell out into the shaft. She lunged wildly at the air but found nothing. Andy let go of the cord and took his feet off the walls, gliding down, occasionally preventing himself from falling too fast by placing his feet against the sides of the shaft. He released a length of rope from his belt, struggling to attach it to the same hook that the cord was attached to. He did so, and dropped the rope. Nell grabbed it. 'TIE IT ROUND YOUR WAIST!' She fastened it around her belt twice to ensure that it was secure. Andy slowed his descent with his feet and stopped completely. He began to walk down again, faster now. Explosions triggered around them as they finally reached the wreck at the bottom of the shaft.
There was next to no room to escape the shaft; only a small opening was visible. Nell undid the rope and wormed through it, out into the ground floor, now a pile of rubble and broken furniture. She stood and ran to the reception desk. Two people were behind it. One lay in a pool of her own blood, impaled on half a tile that had fallen from the ceiling. The other was backed against the wall in an effort to avoid the blood of her colleague. Nell swallowed a mouthful of her vomit. 'We need to get out! Please! Just come! Quickly!' She climbed over and held out her hand. Andy clambered through the gap into the room. 'Nell, we have to go! Get the survivors and get out!' The shaken secretary took her hand and scrambled over the desk. There was a rumbling as the fist and second floor and their contents fell through the remains of the ceiling, followed by the rest of the building. Andy dashed to a painting on the wall. He picked it up and threw it onto a pile of rubble, revealing a small glass sheet. He smashed it with his elbow, breaking through to a keypad. Half of the room collapsed in, sending tables, chairs and computers falling into the room. Andy finished the sequence, opening a secret door hidden away in the wall. The three climbed down them and Andy hit a large button on the wall, sealing it again. They headed through an arch into a staircase that led 500 steps down into a huge room. It was a replica of the war room, but was stocked with supplies and various other necessities. There were 20 vents that led of into the countryside so as never to be found. At one end of the room there was a door but they neglected it. Shaking, Andy levered the crates open. They all took food and water as they observed the situation on the war map. The building had completely fallen; Eagle's forces had succeeded in destroying the H.Q. The infantry were still running, but resistance was futile. Most of the Neo Tanks ad been destroyed, and the enemy infantry was routing on the carriers. But the battle wasn't over… not yet.
Nell began to speak. 'That door leads to a network of corridors that link up every Orange Star Headquarters on the mainland. It's our only way out, and the only way of saving the city. But we'd need to persuade the head CO of wherever we go to provide reinforcements.' Andy agreed. 'So it's settled. We have to go now, else all our forces will be crushed before anything can be done.' They headed for the door. Another code separated them for their escape. Nell removed a swipe card from her person and dipped it into a tiny space in the floor that was invisible as it was backed up against the wall. A panel near the door opened up and another keypad was revealed. Even Andy wasn't entitled to such a combination. Nell stepped forward, her unnecessary high heels tapping on the gleaming titanium floor. She tapped in 24 digits. Andy gave her an odd look. 'Better to be safe than sorry!' She said, pressing the last button in the sequence. Andy prepared to exit through the door, but Nell turned to the east wall to see it split into two, both top and bottom half folding away into the floor and ceiling. Andy stared blankly. 'What about the door?' Nell chuckled. 'That door leads to a separate tunnel. It spans about 3 miles, and roughly half way down branches off in two directions, creating 3 routes. All lead to a room with door at the other end. If they touch the handle, we certainly won't be seeing them again. It's rigged with explosives that are more than lethal. There's 3 motion lasers so once they enter the room, the doors seal behind them, leaving no way out, which as well as trapping them means that the explosion can't get out. 1 hour after detonation, the door opens again, inviting another victim. The part with the fake door was my little idea. Hate to be cruel but if they fall for it then it's their fault for trying to infiltrate the Orange Star.' She opened the door and peered into the darkness, before leaning in and flicking a switch on the wall. The tunnel filled with light, as one by one, bulbs that ran along the whole length of the corridor lit up with a luminous aura. Andy stared down it, horrified. 'Bet you're glad I said something, huh?' Nell joked, taking note of his expression. He grunted and cleared his voice. 'Let's just go then.' He said, closing the door. Nell pressed a red button on the keypad and the tile slid back over, concealing it for what was likely to be eternity. The three headed towards the wall the hole in the room with haste so as to save the soldiers who fought valiantly 500 steps above them.
Ships continued to unload evil war machines unto the Orange Star. They were caught in a mangle of Fighter Jets, Bombers, Neo Tanks, Infantry and destroyers as they fought to protect the infantry whose hopes were constantly being crushed as they stared at what was once the might H.Q building. They had nowhere to go. Sami scanned the now barren landscape for a destination. Another building crumbled to her instant right, sending chunks of concrete skidding across the roads. Over 50 infantry alone had died already, and no end was in sight.
Beneath the war torn streets, Nell, Andy and the Secretary struggled on through the dimly lit tunnels, striving to the nearest friendly H.Q. The secretary was still too shaken to speak. Clearly, seeing one's colleague die helplessly before you is a truly horrific experience. Time dragged on relentlessly as the unlikely trio trundled on as fast as their legs would allow without running. The cities were a matter of miles. Exhaustion was the last thing they needed. Andy broke the gloom of the silence. 'So what's your name anyway?' He spoke softly to the woman, trying not to upset her anymore. But it was clear that he was making her feel weak in the tone of voice he was using. She was seemingly impossible to please. 'I'm called Donna.' She said, clearly trying to gather herself to prevent excess of embarrassment. Andy spoke up again; 'So…' He was terrible at making conversation with people he'd not previously spoken to informally. He began to pull lies out of nowhere. Now he was embarrassed. 'I had a sister called Donna once. She lives back home away from the war. It's kinda hard to avoid though, I mean, we do live in 'Wars World'. He smiled. Donna half sniggered, but Andy could tell it was to spare him a horrible feeling of awkward out-of-placeness. Nell put on a very 'get a load of this guy face' which didn't go down a storm with Andy, who had noticed and now turned a pitiful shade of pink. He had to distract them from his clownishness, so he distracted their attention to what seemed to be a miracle.
A rail-running tram system at the side of the tunnel form quick and easy travel between cities in case of emergencies such as this. They climbed in. Andy took the main seat and put his hands to a control panel. 4 arrows; 2 down, 2 up, and one block; centre. The 2 up arrows were lit. Andy scratched his head. 'It's not hard!' Nell proclaimed and continued; 'They made it simple for simpletons! Are you simple Andy?' He shook his head no. 'Well why can't you do it?' He sat there working it out. 'I tryin'! If you didn't notice, I've been spendin' a lot of time savin' your ass recently. You should know I've got other things on my mind!' He protested, reaching out for the second up arrow. The tram shot into motion at shocking speed, racing towards their destination. '2 up arrows for different speeds forwards, 2 for backwards, and one for brakes! See, told you I knew!' Nell sighed and shook her head, re-attaining her 'get a load of this guy' expression.
Back up on the field, things looked grim as the soldiers continued to run, covered by Max's tank division. People began to take cover and lay down suppressing fire from behind the wrecks. Running was over. It was time to fight like men.