"Live free or die: Death is not the worst of evils." – General John Stark

FLASHBACK CHAPTER 2: BREAKING POINT

August 15, 2016 04:32 EDT

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

They had to move shortly after midnight. The Russians were stepping up patrols, searching for straggler National Guard squads, police and the occasional armed civilian. The group relocated to a warehouse near Palumbo Park which was a pile of rubble. They had to dodge Russian squads and avoid open areas for fear of snipers and helicopters.

Along the way they came across a wrecked Humvee that still had a working portable radio. Shinji even found a CZ-75 nine millimeter pistol along with three spare magazines, a several boxes of hollow points and a tanker-style shoulder holster in an over turned sedan. Occasionally, an explosion would rock the city as the US military either launched an air or missile strike.

"At the very least that means we're still in the fight," Newman said as they set up in the ware house. Overhead they would hear the occasional roar of jet engines as Russian and American aircraft battled for control of the air. But, partially due to the surprise factor, it was the Russians who had the upper hand.

"Yeah, but how long until we can counter-attack?" Fesperman asked.

"I imagine that the first targets the Russians hit were the airfields and major bases in the eastern US," Newman replied. "That includes Norfolk, Lejune, Andrews, Fort Dix and Drum and more than likely the Pentagon and CIA headquarters. They hit us with a massive, textbook Blitzkrieg. Most likely, units from the mid-west and elsewhere will have to be moved up first for a major counter attack. That alone will take at least a week."

"And in the meantime," Jenkins chimed in. "We're stuck in the middle. Between a rock and a hard place; a.k.a.: Jersey."

"Ba-zing," Kyle chuckled.

As Shinji, Kyle and Jenkins helped the others get settled in Sergeant Voyles got in touch with higher headquarters. "Your orders are to lay low and await further orders," HQ, codenamed 'Overlord', ordered. "Keep those civies safe and hidden. Do not risk their lives unless necessary. Confirm, Iron 2-6?"

"Iron 2-6, confirms, Overlord," Voyles replied. "Out." The group then gathered around an old card table. "Basically we're to keep doing what we've been doing for the past few hours," Voyles said. "We're only to engage the Russians in self-defense. Otherwise we stay low."

"What's the word from other cities?" Towley asked.

"Army Rangers have moved into D.C. to try and take it back. The Pentagon is in flames, the Capitol building has a huge new skylight and they're flying out as many civilians as they can but SAMs and AAA are raking the skies and killing anything that doesn't have a red star on it. Story's much the same in Baltimore, Richmond and New York. Tenth Mountain is mounting up to attempt to retake New York. The Canadian Air Force is also having issues with Russian aircraft violating their airspace. But for the most part they're staying up north."

"Damn," Shinji said. "How far spread is this invasion?"

"The Russians have landed as far south as Kitty Hawk and as far north as Hartford, Connecticut. Sub-launched missiles have hit bases as far south as Florida. They also have Boston the Massachusetts National Guard has them boxed in. In Virginia they've gone as far west as Richmond, but the SEALs are giving them hell in Norfolk and the Chesapeake Bay area. And here in Pennsylvania they're all the way to the Susquehanna River up to just outside Harrisburg then curving up to Allentown and back into New Jersey and New York. The Chair Force got their act together in time to keep them from crossing into York and taking the state capitol."

"How did they manage to get through unchallenged?" Kyle asked next.

"Damned if I know," Voyles replied. "However they did it doesn't matter. For now we just sit tight and stay alive."

"Any word on what's happening in the occupied areas?" A college aged girl asked. "I have family in Dover."

"Most civilians were not able to evacuate the coastal lying areas and areas just inland," Fesperman replied. "However there have been reports of resistance groups beginning to pop up and fight back. Command is calling them 'Wolverines'."

"Aren't those small rodents?" Jenkins asked.

"Actually they're about the size of German Shepherds," Kyle replied. "And they're tough, vicious and fearless. They've been known to take down full grown moose and even grizzly bears."

"But still, why 'wolverines'?"

"Haven't you seen the movie Red Dawn?"

"I hated that movie," Towley responded.

"It was about a fictional Russian invasion during the cold war," Shinji spoke up. "Long story short: a group of high school kids take up arms and fight back mujahedeen-style. They called themselves the 'Wolverines' after their school mascot."

"Oh," Jenkins said. "Well, I guess that kind of makes sense. Sounds cool, too…the 'Wolverines'."

"Alright," Voyles chuckled. "Calm down there, high speed."

Shinji and Kyle helped some of the others set up a safe area in the back of the warehouse in case of trouble. A few explosions ripped through the city as air strikes targeted the Russians. Occasionally they'd freeze as a chopper overflew their position. Shortly before dawn Jenkins and Towley left and brought back clothes and other essentials from a nearby thrift store. Some of the people, excluding Kyle and Shinji, wore bright colors.

They changed out of those for duller colored and even camouflage clothes so as to avoid being easy to see. Shinji chose to replace his blue windbreaker with a grey hoody sweater under an OD green combat jacket. He also donned a pair of desert camouflage pants and kept on his Rocky Aztec hunting boots. Kyle donned an evergreen fleece jacket and black watch cap to go with his black cargo pants. Both also donned a pair of black, leather, fingerless biker gloves. Shinji also managed to find a new black Camelbak hydration system.

The food Shinji and Jenkins were able to bring back wasn't much, mostly spam, Vienna sausages, potato chips and the like. Looters picked the shelves and refrigerators clean. So the group set up a system where three people would go out with backpacks to scrounge for any food and fresh water. Two would search buildings and even cars while the third kept an eye out for Russians. There were a few close calls that day but so far so good.

That would change…

XXXXX

August 15, 2016 18:42 EST

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Despite being mid-August it was getting colder with every passing day. Second Impact had thrown off the seasons everywhere on the planet. In most of the US it was autumn-like weather for little more than half of the year and in August the temperature would start to drop. Shinji had woken up from his nap still slightly cold despite the surplus wool blanket draped over him.

Shinji, Kyle and Fesperman were out scrounging for more food. Shinji had found a burst water pipe in the kitchen of a diner that looked like it had been used as a set for a John Woo movie. He filled up the water bottles and canteens in his pack as Kyle tossed some soup cans into his. After he was done with the water bottles he found some bottled drinks, orange soda and the like in a fridge. He then went about filling his own camelback. He had no sooner finished when he heard Fesperman shouting outside followed by gunfire.

The two rushed to the front of the store as Fesperman fired on a Russian squad that had set up at the intersection down the road. As if things weren't bad enough it had started to rain. "They got us pinned!" Fesperman shouted as he reloaded. Shinji took up a firing position as Kyle checked the back of the diner.

"There's at least a squad out there!" Shinji said. He fired on some troopers as they tried to set up in a corner bistro. "We got to get out of here before they bring in either a chopper or BTR!" Shinji ducked down as Fesperman resumed firing.

"There's an alley across the way," Kyle called out. "I think we can rush it!"

"Alright," Fesperman said. "I'll put down cover fire, you two make for the alley! On three!" Shinji and Kyle stacked up in the back. "One!" Shinji reloaded his AK. "Two!" Kyle got behind Shinji. "THREE!" And with that the two bolted out into the street running as fast as they could. Bullets impacted the pavement around their feet as the Russians tried to gun them down. Shinji heard Kyle say something but couldn't make it out.

When Shinji got to the alley he turned to see that Kyle was not behind him. He was writhing in pain in the middle of the street, blood pouring from a bullet wound in his flank.

"KYLE!" Shinji shouted as he ran back to him.

"No!" Fesperman shouted as he broke cover to get to the alley.

"Shinji! Don't!" Kyle screamed. Shinji was cut off by a ripple of gunfire that etched its way right in front of him, forcing him to duck behind a car for cover. Fesperman dove into a crater not far from Kyle and reloaded his M4.

Shinji popped over the car and fired, trying to put down cover for Fesperman to get to Kyle. It was not enough. The Russians had good cover and were intentionally not shooting at Kyle to use him as bait for Shinji and Fesperman. "Shinji!" Kyle screamed at him. "Get out of here!" At that moment a BTR showed up. It didn't fire but it did unload more soldiers.

"Shit!" Shinji swore as he ducked, tracers whizzed past his head as the new arrivals got a bead on him. As more dust from bullets kicked up around him the street lamp above Shinji exploded and rained glass down on top of him.

He looked up through a small break in the clouds and saw a ring of fire expanding high in the sky above. More street lights exploded followed by tremors in the ground. Shinji looked around and saw dark objects falling from the skies and crashing into the city. He looked over his shoulder and saw a helicopter gunship crash right on top of the Russians killing most of them and taking out the BTR.

He heard a loud crash and looked to see a burning Mig careening down the street at Kyle. Fesperman made a mad dash for Kyle and dragged him over to the alley bare seconds before the Mig came to a rest where he and Kyle had been.

"We have to get off the street!" Fesperman said as Shinji hooked an arm underneath Kyle's. "Let's go!" The trio raced down the alley as more explosions from crashing aircraft shook the ground like an earthquake. Rubble rained down on their heads as a Hind helicopter crashed into the alley directly behind them.

"FUCK!" Shinji swore as they felt the radiant heat of the explosion on their backs. "We're gonna get killed!"

"Just keep moving!" They reached the end of the alley and looked around for a place to hide. Aircraft kept falling out of the sky like Biblical fire and brimstone.

"There!" Shinji pointed to a jewelry store across another street.

"Move!" They darted across dodging more debris and slammed through the broken front doors. They were inside only a few seconds when a transport helicopter crashed into the street behind them. Its explosion showered them with little pellets of glass.

They cleared glass out of an area and set Kyle down on the floor and Fesperman began to render buddy aid with his first aid kit. "Kyle, no," Shinji said as he applied pressure to the wound. "Don't die."

"Easy, bro," Kyle chuckled.

"Damn it," Fesperman cursed. "He's bleeding badly."

"Can't you do anything?" Shinji started crying. The private looked up into his eyes. He didn't reply, but didn't need to. "No. No," tears began flowing down Shinji's face.

"Don't worry, bro," Kyle said placing a hand on Shinji's shoulder. "You can take care of yourself."
"No!" Shinji snapped. "I can't-! You can't die on me!"

"Shinji, ugh," Kyle coughed as he gripped the fabric of Shinji's sleeve. "Don't be afraid. Don't, ugh, ugh, don't let your, erg, fear…don't let it…control you…" And with that, Kyle let out a deep breath and stopped all movement.

"Kyle? Kyle? No! Kyle! KYLE!"

XXXXX

August 15, 2016 19:03 EST

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Shinji sat in a corner as Fesperman stripped Kyle of his ammo and covered him with a blue tarp. Fesperman donated the ammo to Shinji before the teen secluded himself into a corner and began to cry. Kyle, his best friend, was dead. The one person who had helped him adjust to life here in America, was dead. The person who taught him so much, was dead. He was dead, and Shinji was still alive. It didn't seem fair. It wasn't fair.

Shinji's head snapped up as he heard voices whispering in Russian. He looked out and saw a trio of Russian soldiers across the street walking past, dazed and confused. Two were carrying a wounded fourth one. "Motherfuckers," Shinji growled.

"What was that?" Fesperman asked as he turned. His brain had only a second to register who was outside before Shinji was unloading a magazine into the soldiers. The lead trooper dropped instantly followed by the two who were helping the fourth walk. The wounded Russian fell to the side walk and tried to crawl for cover. Shinji had emptied the magazine and pulled out his pistol. "Shinji, stop!" Fesperman shouted as Shinji marched out into the rain and strolled over to the wounded Russian.

He kicked the soldier onto his back and pointed the pistol at his face. "Nyet! Nyet!" The soldier shouted for mercy. He found none as Shinji put a nine millimeter parabellum bullet into the Russian's forehead. The bullet tore through the frontal lobe, parted down the middle of the brain, deforming and partially fragmenting as it continued. When it hit the back of the skull it broke into five pieces and ripped a gaping hole in the back of the soldier's head the size of a baseball. The sidewalk beneath the trooper was splattered with blood and brain matter as the Russian's head snapped back.

"Jesus Christ!" Fesperman barked when he reached Shinji. "Was that really necessary?"

"Fuck you," Shinji snapped as he replaced the pistol in its holster, reloaded his AK and marched back to Kyle's corpse. He paused over the body and bent down and pulled the tarp back from the head. Fesperman was walking back in as Shinji removed something from around Kyle's neck before replacing the tarp.

"We need to get back to the safe house," Fesperman said picking up Kyle's pack. "Shinji?"

"'Safe'?" Shinji growled. "Define 'safe'! The Russians are shooting up anything and everyone that moves. They destroy our monuments and landmarks, virtually desecrating the ground they rest on. Who knows what they plan to do next? But what the fuck are we doing? Running around and hiding like fucking weasels just hoping we don't get caught."

"Shinji," Fesperman said. "I know he was your friend but-" Shinji slugged Fesperman in the face.

"He was like my brother!" Shinji snapped at him.

"AH!" Fesperman groaned as he held the side of his face. 'Little bastard throws a mean right hook,' Fesperman thought before he gave Shinji a moderate powered back hand to get some sense into him. "Shinji," he said calmly as he grabbed the teen by the collar. "We have to be smart about this. We can't just go around shooting at every Russian we see. We don't have the ammo for it. Nor the man power. We have to lay low and wait for-"

"Fuck that!" Shinji yelled in his face, pushing the guardsman away from him. "I'm sick of hiding. Those bastards came here and started murdering entire city blocks! I say we make them reap what they've fucking sown." And with that Shinji marched past Fesperman. "Let's go."

He paused at the door and looked at the object in his hand. "For you, Kyle." He then draped the shark tooth necklace over his head and stepped back out into the rain.

The Shinji Ikari that had come to America from Japan was dead. He died with Kyle Norris, his best friend. The new Shinji Ikari had been reborn in his place. And he was not going to suffer any more bullshit.