We tear down a watchtower and weld spikes to the front of the Junkers. We start the convoy and walk in silence for hours.
"Where are we heading?" Fin asks me.
"East," I reply.
"You know what, Grif? Eventually you'll have to think of a plan,"
"Like what Fin? I don't know where we are and I don't know how to get out of this wasteland,"
"Sir!" A soldier shouts from the lead Junker. "Come quick,"
I duck inside the Junker to hear a radio transmission.
"Enjoy my gift to you," A deep voice growls. "Three hundred Wretches,"
I sprint out of the Junker. "Everyone get ready. Three hundred Wretches are coming now! Junkers spread out, make sure the Troikas are ready. I want the Junkers to drive in a large circle around the foot soldiers. Beware of friendly fire. Now go, NOW!"
Everyone begins scrambling for their positions while other soldiers shout commands. A large dust cloud forms in the west. The soldiers on the troikas take a few test bursts before the Junkers begin their circle. I stand in the center of the Junkers circle, readying myself for a battle. The only problem is that no one in the center can see because the Junkers are kicking up sand and dust. The troikas start firing as the air fills completely with dust. I wrap my small goggles around my head and look around. I can only see about three feet in front of me. I squint to identify the shadow running towards me. It is a Wretch. I reach for my Gnasher, but the Wretch is already on me. I fall onto my back, one arm reaching for my snub, and one arm holding the beast by its neck. The Wretch suddenly flies off. I realize another Wretch pushed it off, wanting me for itself. It lunges at me and I shoot it in the shoulder. It falls on me and I shoot it twice more. When the second Wretch attacked the first, I had had enough time to grab my pistol.
I holster the snub and grab my Gnasher just in time to blow away the first Wretch. I look to find someone else in all this dust, and I do. A young private named Isaacs, Nicholas Isaacs.
"Isaacs!" I shout over the roaring Junkers.
"Yeah, Sir?" He yells back.
I begin telling him to round up the troops when a Wretch jumps up my back. I hear Isaac's Lancer bayonet and feel foreign blood pour all over my back. I stand up to see Isaacs smiling.
"Jackass!" I shout. I smile, but it slowly fades. "Get down Isaacs!" Two Wretches leap onto Isaacs, forcing him to the ground. I kick off the first one and blow it away with my shotgun. Then aim at the other. It is tearing into Isaacs' left leg. I bash it with my shotgun, and when it rolls safely away from Isaacs, I blast it.
I duck down next to Isaacs. He is screaming and swearing. "Isaacs! You're a medic, right? Gimme some wrap!" I wrap up Isaacs' leg and look around. I can hear men screaming, but I don't leave Isaacs because I know he is only sixteen, he lied to join COG. Tears are running down his cheeks, but now he is quiet. I grab some painkillers from Isaacs' bag and shove them in his mouth.
When the dust clears I see the damage. The circling Junkers had killed more than half of the Wretches, and the half blind soldiers had slaughtered the rest.