Author's Note: This will be the last chapter. Thanks for staying fans of this story. I'm sorry this had to take so long, but typing stories is not my thing anymore.
Chapter 6: Frosty Failure
I fired my weapon in bursts, as did most of us and the platoon of Marines. With heavy sniper fire coming at us, everybody had their AACS suits on. The only thing that gave us away to the snipers was our muzzle flash.
We used that heavily to our advantage. We would be firing and then the enemy would fire back, and they wouldn't see us flanking them until we fired at them from somewhere else. Of course, we took out some of their snipers that way, but they were pretty far.
We could see the fear in the enemy. They were panicking. We had the element of surprise, but at this rate, it would wear off. We were dealing with professional soldiers. Scared, but professional.
"Hey!" I looked to my right. Pinky was yelling to me. "Marines want me and you to flank 'em!"
"Alright!" I looked around. Barely any cover. "Get to the snipers and take 'em out! I take out some of the ones up front! Go!"
Pinky dashed across without kicking up much sand. I also went up and ran to the enemy. With my assault rifle in my arms, I silently landed in the sand next to the enemy in their hole. I mentally made a quick checklist. I would shoot them with my assault rifle until I had spent the clip, then I would go to my pistol. After that I would charge the remaining enemies if any. I pulled out the clip in the assault rifle and checked to make sure it still had bullets.
I took a breath. I moved and the enemy didn't see me. As I fired the third shot, someone took the time to notice and shout to the others. They turned to fire on me, but most of their force was gone and the bullets just reflected off my armor. I put down most of them with my assault rifle on semi auto. I pulled out my pistol and hesitated on the trigger when it came to the last man. It was an officer. He looked about 30, and a veteran of many conflicts. When he saw that I hesitated, he grinned. I moved as quick as I could, but it was too late. He had a grenade out and had pulled the pin. This time, I moved the opposite direction and the blast came a few seconds after. I had flown myself onto my gut and the front of my suit was encrusted with mud.
"Move up, move up!" I yelled. As I said that, all of the marines including the Javelins ran towards the trench I was in. What it seemed like was an army charging. I'd have pissed my pants if they were on the other side. At this points the snipers were firing a bullet a second. Pinky had managed to take three snipers out when he was overrun with lead and forced to retreat. As he was jumping into the ditch, a stray bullet has hit him in his back. The AACS suit did not deflect it. As he fell, I reacted and caught him just as he reached the ground.
I watched in horror as blood came out of the hole in his back. "Pinky! Medic! Get a medic over here!"
As a Corpsman came over, I could tell Pinky knew he was going to die. His face was completely blank, but still displayed emotion. He would never see his family, his friends, or me again. He would be dead, under some rock somewhere. The Corpsman collapsed on his knees next to the body and started working immediately. "Good luck," I said.
I returned to firing at the enemy. More snipers fell. I was God's Instrument of War. And I damn well served my purpose. As the snipers retreated, I ordered a push. I called the platoon's CO.
"Lieutenant Kruger!"
"Yeah?"
"Get your men and circle around back. Hit 'em hard and break in!"
The Lieutenant didn't say a word. He nodded and shouted to his company and they all charged right. The enemy had fallen back to their camp.
There was one thing I didn't see though. Two .50 caliber Browning Machine Guns. Outdated, but effective.
"Damn!" The Marines had started running back and losing multiple men. As Marines dropped and screamed, I lifted myself out of the trench and started firing. I didn't know what I was doing. To draw fire and buy the Marines time, I guess. I was hit multiple times, but the Marines were close to safety. I felt the Marines, the backbone of my country's modern army, were pitiful. I dropped to one knee as the pain took control of me.
I kept firing, none of my bullets scored. They say before a person dies, their whole life flashes before them. I had none of that. Just a swirl of emotions. Sadness for my comrades and the marines. Sad that I would die. Happy that because of me, Marines had been saved.
But at that moment, I felt a tug. I looked up and I saw a Marine was dragging me. He was shot in the leg and screamed in pain, but kept going. He was shot twice more, but he kept dragging me. He collapsed in the trench and when I turned him over, He wasn't breathing. At that moment, I had changed my opinion about the Marines.
"Fall back!" Kruger shouted.
I felt myself being dragged and my blood was dripping on the white snow. At the same time, the other Javelins and I were firing back at the enemy.
I felt myself fading away. I looked around one last time, all the dead and wounded were being dragged, just like me. Marines were dragging us back, all the while being exposed and vulnerable.
My vision blurred, just like last time, but I fought it. I looked at the marine dragging me. His face told me everything. He was just a scared boy who wanted to let go of me and run for his life, but even without being told to, he was dragging me.
"You're going to be alright," he said. Moments later, he was shot. He screamed and fell limp.
The last thing I saw was another Marine picking the dead soldier up. And I knew that these Marines weren't just trying to do their jobs. They were ordinary men doing the extraordinary, watching over each other, and simply trying to stay alive.