Squirrelpaw and the rest of the patrol squad were walking through the ruins of the city a few days later. According to intelligence, the N.V.A. had pulled out area to positions across the river. The patrol was sent out to investigate. They were moving carefully as they would stumble upon a hornets nest with one very angry hornet.
Crazy Earl looked ahead as he saw the place was smoldering. He noticed a kit's toy laying on the ground. He soon turned to the squad.
"Stay here and let me investigate." Crazy Earl told them as he got up and began to walk to the toy. Squirrelpaw voiced her concern to him.
"Do you know if the toy is safe like it isn't being set like a trap or something?" Squirrelpaw asked him as he got close to the toy.
"Of course it is. It would be dumb if we set the toy up to be a trap of some sort." Crazy Earl responded as the tom got close. He soon picked up the toy as he knew it was completely harmless. "See nothing at all." Soon the toy exploded triggering a trap. Crazy Earl was flown across the battlefield landing right near their trench. He was critically injured. Doc Jay, Mothwing and Leafpaw ran over to try to treat him.
"Face outboard and take cover! Do it!" Cowboy ordered as they all ducked. Doc Jay was trying to give him some air. Mothwing and Leafpaw were trying to stop the bleeding. But their efforts were in vain. Cowboy and Squirrelpaw ran over as they Doc Jay turned to them.
"He ain't gonna make it." Doc Jay shrieked as he knew that his life was quickly slipping from him.
"Shit." Cowboy muttered to himself. He soon ran to find the field radio as he began to dial it as he wanted the assistance for the help. He soon picked up the phone to the radio as he began to speak. "Hotel One Actual, this is Cowboy." Doc Jay continued CPR to try to get Crazy Earl to breathe. Hotel One Actual, this is Cowboy!" He repeated louder wanting their attention.
"Hotel One. Over." Firestar mewed as he was on the other side of it.
"Firestar this is Cowboy. Craze is hit. Booby trap." Cowboy shouted to him what the situation was. Firestar soon spoke.
"Roger. Understand. Wait One." Cowboy was looking around nervously as they were in the need of the help. Firestar spoke to Cowboy. "You're senior N.C.O. You take charge and continue on with the patrol. Call in at the next checkpoint. Over." Cowboy was now put in charge of the situation.
"Roger. Out." Cowboy hung up as he was scared himself. He turned to Squirrelpaw. "I'm ssquad leader now. Squirrelpaw punched him with her paw reassuring him.
"I'll follow you anywhere scumbag." Squirrelpaw responded as Doc Jay looked up as Leafpaw and Mothwing followed his lead. It was the situation of Crazy Earl's life.
"He's dead." Doc Jay announced. The five cats stare at the body. They needed to move on.
The cats soon approached the area of a destroyed factory. It looked desolate enough to take with ease but there was going to be a thorn in their side. Eightball was looking at the map as Cowboy halted the patrol. Eightball gestured for Cowboy to move up while the others got down behind some of the rubble.
"Cowboy." Eightball whispered to Cowboy. Cowboy looked at him nervously.
"What's up?" Cowboy asked Eightball if he knew what was going on. Eightball got Cowboy the map as the two cats were beginning to study it. It was clear that they were lost.
"I think we made a mistake at the last check point." Eightball mewed as they were studying the map. They were looking over it as they knew they needed to be in a certain location at a certain time. "Here… see what you think. I think we should be here." Eightball handed Cowboy the map as they knew they needed to be right by the canal but they were a mile due north. They were heading east instead of northeast.
"We're here?" Cowboy asked as he pointed to the map on where they were. Eightball nodded.
"Yeah." Eightball responded. Cowboy soon spoke again.
"We should be here?" Cowboy asked pointing to another location on the map as it was a spot located to the north of the map.
"Yeah… yeah… that's right." Eightball responded. Cowboy felt confused and scared as the others moved up right behind him. Cowboy got out the compass as he knew they needed to head north. He soon got out a pair of binoculars as he looked out across the wall to the deserted factory. It was clear it could provide a shortcut across to get to their destination.
"Fuck… what do you think?" Cowboy asked if he thought that this was a good idea. Eightball soon nodded.
"I think we should change direction." Eightball came to the conclusion. Eightball didn't know what to do either but Cowboy needed to agree with him if they were to change direction. Cowboy soon agreed with him.
"Okay. We'll change direction." Cowboy responded. The factory seemed promising to providing a shortcut. He soon motioned for them to move up and take positions up behind the wall. Squirrelpaw came to Joker.
"What's up?" She asked him if he had an idea.
"Changing direction." Cowboy responded as he knew that the factory was a promising shortcut to get through. Squirrelpaw soon asked him.
"What, are we lost?" Squirrelpaw asked. Joker turned to her as he spoke.
"Yeah we are. The factory might be a shortcut for us to cut across and get to our position. We don't know what lies in there but by the looks of it. We suspect no one is in side." Cowboy responded. Squirrelpaw nodded as Cowboy turned to his squad. "Okay! Listen up! Can everyone hear me?" Cowboy asked them if they could hear him. They nodded.
"Yeah!" They whispered loudly. Cowboy smiled as he soon announced his plan.
"Okay, we're changing direction. We're heading over that way." Cowboy responded by pointing to the wreck of buildings that was to his left. "Eightball's gonna go out and see if he can find a way through. Everyone else stay put until he returns." Cowboy ordered. Cowboy soon excitedly got to his paws. "Got it?" Cowboy asked them.
"Yeah." They whispered to him. Cowboy nodded as he soon turned to Eightball.
"Eightball… let's dance." Eightball nodded as he got his M16A1 ready as he prepared to move out.
"Put a kittypet behind the trigger." Eightball slyly remarked to himself as he hopped over the wall to get a scout around the area. Contrary to their belief, the area was in fact mostly deserted except for one thorn. They hesistated to open fire seeing how there was no one fighting but if something happened to Eightball. They would open up so he could escape and give them something to be firing at. Cowboy watched Eightball from a distance as he was beginning to investigate the area.
Eightball continued to wander through the wrecked factory. Soon he didn't know what was going on but in one of the buildings, a Czechoslovakian Vz. 58 rile became visible as it belonged to an amateur sniper. Concealed in the wreckage of the 2nd floor building, it looked around as it saw Eightball peer into view. Cowboy could see Eightball and so could the sniper. The rifle was slowly aimed at Eightball. It was waiting for Eightball to feel a sense of all clear to see if they could move up. Eightball continued to look around before turning back to the squad.
"Hey Cowboy, the area is clear. We should begin moving the troops through…" But before Eightball could finish his sentence, the sniper fired, striking Eightball in the leg. Eightball screamed before crumbling to the ground. The squad began to open fire as they were trying to locate where the threat was. The bullets were heard as they were spraying all over the place. Spiderpaw fired his grenade launcher at the building while Ashfur fired his M72 Law at the factory taking out a good chunk of the factory. Cowboy knew they had to stop firing.
"Cool it, Damn Starclan! Cool it! Cease Fire!" Cowboy ordered them as the gunfire was soon reduced to nothing. Squirrelpaw and the others decided to use the time to reload as Cowboy wanted to gather their wits together.
"Okay, listen up! Did anybody see a sniper? Did anybody see anything?" Cowboy asked them as he was wondering if they saw anything. Spiderpaw soon turned to the others.
"Did anybody see a sniper?" Spiderpaw repeated after Cowboy. Everyone nodded no as the Sniper was further down into the factory.
"No." Doc Jay replied.
"Nothing." Crowpaw spoke out.
"Negative." Rafter-man spoke out.
"Nothing." Spiderpaw spoke as the rest of the squad continued to reply no. Cowboy soon looked at them as he soon gave further orders.
"Okay, then save your ammo! Nobody fire till I tell you." Cowboy gave the instructions. They knew they had to keep still and wait for orders as they wanted to see what would happen to Eightball.
The sniper was looking down the sights as Eightball was beginning to crawl back to the front lines to get some medical attention. The sniper soon shot at Eightball striking him in one of his front legs. Eightball screamed in pain as the squad opened fire on the building again as they wanted to get the sniper out of there.
"No, no!" Cease fire! Cease fire!" Cowboy shouted as they all ceased their fire except for Cloudtail who was still firing away with his M60 Machine gun. "Cloudtail, cease fire!" Cowboy shouted at him as Cloudtail stopped. He didn't want to overheat the barrel as he ceased. Steam was hissing from the barrel was it was hot from the firing. Crowpaw soon grabbed the radio.
"Cowboy, its Firestar." Crowpaw mewed to him. Cowboy took the radio as he began to speak into it.
"This is Cowboy. Over." Cowboy called out to Firestar.
"This is Firestar. What is your present position? Over." Firestar asked him. Cowboy soon knew he had to call in for back up.
"Firestar, we're receiving enemy sniper fire." Cowboy told him as they needed the back up. "Eightball is down. Our position is about half a klick north of checkpoint four. Believe possible strong enemy force occupying buildings in front of us. Request tank support over." Firestar soon spoke over the radio.
"Roger. Understood. I'll see what I can do over." Firestar responded. Cowboy nodded as he soon finished.
"Roger. Over and out." Cowboy mewed before he hung up turning to Crowpaw. "Stay close" Crowpaw knew he wasn't moving an inch with Leafpaw by his side.
"Got it." Crowpaw mewed as Cowboy began to think. He knew that there might be more than just a sniper as he was preparing to fall back. Cowboy soon turned to the others.
"Okay, listen up! I think we're being set up for an ambush. I think there may be a strong enemy force in those buildings over there. I requested tank support. We're gonna sit tight until it comes. If they decide to hit us, we'll have to pull back fast." Cowboy gave their instructions but the sniper had other instructions. It soon fired into Eightball who was still alive as he was shot in one of his paws. He shrieks as all the cats sprang up and began firing away again at the buildings as Cowboy needed to silence them again.
"Damn Starclan! Hold!" Cowboy shouted at them as they stopped firing except for Cloudtail who was still spraying away with the M60. Cowboy needed to silence him again. "Cease your fire Cloudtail! Cease your fucking fire!" Cloudtail stopped to give his M60 some time to cool down. Doc Jay had enough of this.
"Cowboy!" Doc Jay told him he prepared the medical equipment. Cowboy turned to him.
"What? Cowboy turned his head to Doc Jay who was ready to run.
"We can't leave him out there!" Doc Jay told him as they didn't want to Leave Eightball to bleed to death. Cowboy was reassuring him that they weren't going to abandon him.
"We're not leaving him! We'll get him when the tank comes up." Cowboy told Doc Jay that they weren't going to leave Eightball out there.
"He's hit three fucking times! He can't wait that long!" Doc Jay shouted at Cowboy. Squirrelpaw was listening as she was all for supporting him. Cowboy knew how the situation was playing out.
"I've seen this before! That sniper's just trying to suck us in one at a time!" Cowboy told them as he knew how the situation was playing itself out. The sniper fired again hitting Eightball in the thigh as he screamed. His cries echoing back to the front lines. Cloudtail began firing away madly.
"Damn Starclan! No!" Cowboy shouted as the rest of the squad began to fire away to see if it would lure the sniper out there. Cowboy had to control the squad.
"Damn Starclan, cease fire!" Cowboy shouted as the fire dwindled down to nothing.
"He's out there alone!" Cloudtail shouted as he wanted to go retrieve him. Cowboy knew he had to keep them put.
"Stay put until the tank roles up and supports us." Cowboy told him. Doc Jay completely snapped at that moment as he knew he couldn't leave Eightball out there alone.
"Toms, fuck this, fuck this shit! I'm going out to bring him in!" Doc Jay shouted as he prepared to retrieve Eightball. Cowboy soon wanted him to stay put.
"No! You stay the fuck down!" Cowboy shouted at Doc Jay. Doc Jay ignored him as he prepared to make a run for it.
"Cover me!" Doc Jay told them as they all sprang to their paws and began to open fire as he ran out there. Cowboy was losing control of the squad. Doc Jay zig zagged along as the squad covers him as he soon got their safely and dropped out of sight for a moment. Cowboy wanted control of the squad.
"Damn Starclan! Damn Starclan! Okay, cease fire! He's there!" Cowboy called out. Soon their firing stopped as Cowboy spotted Doc Jay working his way to Eightball. Doc Jay grabbed Eightball and began to drag him back.
The sniper was looking out of its post seeing Doc Jay drag Eightball back as he wanted to bring him back alive. The sniper soon fired a clean shot hitting Doc Jay in his joint in his back leg. Doc Jay fell as the squad opened fire again wildly spraying away. Cowboy turned his head as he wanted them to be silence.
"Hold your fire! Hold your fire! Cease Fire! You can't see the sniper! Save your ammo!" Cowboy shouted at them as they soon stopped. Cowboy wanted a firm control on them. "Nobody fire till I tell you! Nobody! Cowboy shouted at them. Cloudtail was wondering what they do now.
"What the fuck do we do now, Cowboy?" Cloudtail asked him wondering what they do. Cowboy turned to Crowpaw who was huddling by with Leafpaw.
"Give me the fucking radio." Cowboy ordered Crowpaw. Crowpaw scuttled the radio over as Cowboy picks it up.
"Firestar, this is Cowboy. Over." Cowboy began to speak to Firestar over the radio. Firestar soon spoke.
"This is Firestar over." Firestar responded. Cowboy was wondering what was going on as he spoke to Firestar.
"Firestar, we're in some deep shit. I got two cats down. What's the story on that fucking tank? Over." Cowboy asked Firestar on what his story was on that tank. Was it coming? Where was it. Firestar spoke back with a reply.
"Sorry, Cowboy. No luck so far with the tank. Will advise over." Firestar spoke as there was no luck with the tank. Cowboy knew that things weren't going his way but he had to accept it.
"Roger. Out." Cowboy hung up the radio passing back to Crowpaw. "Numbnut bastards!" Cowboy muttered to himself. He soon thought about his squad as he turned to them. "Okay, listen up!" Cowboy began. Spiderpaw passed the message.
"Listen up!" Spiderpaw shouted to them. Cowboy soon made the announcement.
"Can't afford to wait for the tank. I think they're gonna hit us any minute. When they do, we won't have time to pull out. We gotta do it now. Let's get ready to move." Cowboy announced as he they were getting ready to pull out from the situation.
"Get ready to pull out!" Spiderpaw shouted to them. Everyone was divided on leaving or staying. Cloudtail soon spoke.
"Wait a minute! Hold it! Hold it! Nobody's pulling out! There's only one fucking sniper out there!" Cloudtail ordered as pulling out would show that they were wimps. Cowboy had to keep the squad in line.
"Back off, Cloudtail! I'm calling the plays! I say we're pulling out!" Cowboy told him that they were leaving and that was final. Cloudtail wasn't going to leave the two of them out there.
"Yeah, well, what about Doc Jay and Eightball?" Cloudtail asked as he knew he couldn't leave them behind. Cowboy soon spike.
"I know it's a shitty thing to do, but we can't refuse to accept the situation." Cowboy mewed as he knew they needed to fall back thinking that there was a much larger force in there but in reality, it was just that one sniper.
"Yeah, well, we're not leaving Doc Jay and Eightball out there!" Cloudtail mewed as he wanted to get them and bright them back home. Cowboy wanted to argue with him thinking he was wrong.
"Doc Jay and Eightball are wasted! You know that!" Cowboy shouted at Cloudtail as Cloudtail was still in denial.
"Bullshit! Come on you cats! We gotta go bring 'em back! Let's go get 'em! Let's do it!" Cloudtail tried to rally them together seeing how they should race up and try to retrieve them. Cowboy was boiling as he knew Cloudtail was going to get himself killed.
"Stand down Cloudtail! That's a direct order!" Cowboy shouted at Cloudtail as he was telling him his option was better. The sniper fired into Doc Jay's front leg wounding him again trying to drag Eightball out of there. Cloudtail had enough of it at this point as Doc Jay screamed in pain.
"FUCK YOU COWBOY! FUCK ALL YOU ASSHOLES!" Cloudtail shouted as he sprang to his paws firing away with his M60 as he began to run to their positions. They soon sprang up as they began firing away to support him as he ran to Doc Jay and Eightball. Fucking son-of-a-bitch! You motherfucker! Aaagh! Whooo!" Cloudtail shouted firing in wild bursts with the M60 using the recoil to balance the gun's weight. He was soon firing it with one paw and using the other one to hold the belt of ammo feeding it. Cloudtail continued charging as he soon reached some cover as He dropped at his location as he fired away at the buildings as he stopped. The barrel to his M60 Machine gun was boiling considering how much ammo he shot off. He soon turned to Doc Jay upon him and Eightball were barely alive. "Doc! Doc! Doc!" Cloudtail called out to Doc Jay. Doc Jay turned his head. "Where's the sniper." Doc Jay could barely speak as he couldn't move that well. "Doc Where's the sniper." Doc Jay pointed in the direction of the sniper as automatic gun fire opened up as they were riddled with bullet fire from the sniper killing him and Eightball instantly.
Cloudtail's eyes widened with horror as he knew that the sniper was nearby. Cursing under his breath. He soon began to sneak up to where the sniper was. Soon a shot was fired as the shot ricochet off the side of the building just inches from Cloudtail's head. Cloudtail turned as he began working his way back. He carefully moved along as he stuck to the side of another building of the factory. He soon approached the door holding his M60 up as he looked inside. He saw nobody was inside as he turned to Cowboy.
"Hey Cowboy!" Cloudtail shouted to him as he was wondering what was going on.
"Yeah?" Cowboy shouted as he was wondering what the news was.
"Doc Jay and Eightball are wasted! There's only one sniper, and nothing else. Move up the squad! You're clear up to here! Come on!" Cloudtail shouted as they were clear up to where he was. Cowboy knew that he had to risk more of the squad to clear out the sniper.
"Son-of-a-bitch." Cowboy muttered to himself as he turned to see what he could do. He soon turned to the squad.
"Okay listen up! Leafpaw, Mothwing, Crowpaw, Whitepaw, Spiderpaw. You come with me and We'll take a look. The rest of you, stay put and cover our asses! We may be coming back in a big hurry!" Cowboy ordered them. Squirrelpaw saw that Leafpaw was going in there alone so she wanted to come along with her.
"I'm going with you." Squirrelpaw admitted as she volunteered for the task. Her friend turned as he wanted to come along.
"I'm coming too." Rafter-man responded. Cowboy nodded as he looked to the others looking for more volunteers.
"Okay. You all set?" Cowboy asked the cats wondering if they were set for the task.
"Yeah!" The cats cheered. Cowboy nodded as he began to lead them away.
"Let's move out!" Cowboy ordered as they hopped over the wall to support Cloudtail.
"Let's do it!" Spiderpaw cheered. They now had one mission and one mission only.
Killing the sniper.
[A/N]: Might as well cut it here since this chapter is mighty long as I want to leave the climax for another chapter.
Also happy Valentine's day for those that celebrate it and I hope you enjoy yourselves. I'll see you in the next chapter when they kill the sniper.