"Okay, it's definitely been more than five minutes," Heliang grumbled. "Where the hell is that Yastreb?"
"It's coming down, or at least it should," Ivan reassured.
"Well can you hurry it up?" Heliang complained, "I can't feel my hand."
"That's because it was shot," Zhang Yi said as he opened a pack of food.
"Thanks, that really cheered me up." Heliang said.
"No problem," Zhang Yi retorted through a mouthful of food.
"Alpha squad be advised," the radio crackled on. "We are detecting heavy enemy movements toward your position. Recommend you take up defensive positions around the silo."
"Where's the Yastreb you promised?" Ivan yelled into the radio.
"Uh," the radio replied. "We cannot spare any Yastreb at the current moment. We're picking up Mitchell AA signals all over the city. Air support is limited as well. You're going to have to make do with what you got. Sorry."
"Any ground forces that can help us?" Ivan asked.
"Negative, all of our forces are engaged, we can't spare anyone to pick you up."
"Are you serious?" Ivan yelled. "We're stuck here without any goddamn support?"
"That's affirmative, alpha, sorry about that. Main battle group out."
"Goddamit," Ivan cursed, "how much supply do we have?"
"Not much," Heliang checked his supply crate. "A few more clips, and one more grenade. We need reinforcement."
"Call in a UAV," Zhang Yi suggested. "Then ask the commander for orbital strikes."
"I don't think he's too keen about that idea." Ivan replied.
"We should lock down the silo first." Viktor suggested.
"How?" Tanya asked.
"Simple," Viktor replied as he walked up to the control panel. "We'll weld all the connector ports so the enemy can't access it."
"Get on it," Zhang Yi ordered. "I'll cover you."
"Are you taking over the squad again?" Ivan asked angrily.
"More or less," Zhang Yi replied as he stared through the scope.
Viktor walked up to the silo and loosened the panel. Taking out the HOFF, he began welding the connector ports.
The Park rang.
"Enemy sighted," Zhang Yi breathed as an empty shell-casing fell from the rifle. "Two of them. I also see some serious heat signatures. Maybe walkers."
"Command this is alpha," Ivan spoke into the radio. "We need a UAV at our position."
"Alpha squad, where the hell are you guys?" The radio hissed back.
"Can't you locate us on the computer?" Ivan asked.
"No, you guys must be off the grid, we can't find you. We're going to have to tap into the other Titans' maps to find you."
"Make it fast, we might have walkers coming." Ivan yelled.
"Can you give us specifics on your position, so we can get help to you faster?" The radio asked.
"Uh." Ivan looked around. "We're near a silo, there's several buildings around us, most of them are two storied."
"That describes at least half the city. Be more specific."
"The street that we're on is a T shaped intersection. I can see a tower to the west of us." Ivan said.
"Tower to your west, copy." The radio hissed. "Goddamn Alpha, you guys are way off course. You're at least four klicks away from the main battle group."
"We kind of didn't have any choice." Ivan replied. "Wait, at least four? What's at most?"
"At most you'd be nine klicks away and two klicks behind enemy lines." The radio replied.
"What's the nearest Titan in the area?" Ivan asked.
"The Smolensk," the radio replied. "You can try contacting them for help. As for exact location, there's not much we could do. Try heading for that tower and putting a beacon on it. Command out."
"Oh we're boned." Zhang Yi sighed. "They got tanks, APC, and at least two walkers."
"Do they take prisoners?" Heliang wondered out loud.
"Yes, but not you." Zhang Yi fired another shot.
"Why not?" Heliang asked as he fired a burst from the Malkov.
"Because you eat too much, it's easier to shoot you." Viktor laughed as he rested the Shuko on the silo and aimed it at the coming African troops.
"Enemy tanks sighted." Zhang Yi warned. "Take cover!"
No sooner had the words left his mouth, a tank round whistled past the squad, sending a shower of dirt flying to the sky.
"Spread out!" Ivan yelled as he fired a burst.
"Walker in sight!" Tanya dove to the ground.
"Viktor, fire on the walker!" Ivan barked.
"On it, Heliang, man the Shuko." Viktor shouldered the Sudnik.
An eerie green glow lit up the night.
"Damn it, it's flaring its defense." Viktor yelled.
The walker let out a murderous stream of bullets across the landscape, shredding the street, the houses, and whatever else stood between them.
"Take cover behind the silo, and provide some covering fire." Zhang Yi yelled.
"Why, what the hell are you going to do?" Ivan yelled.
"I'm going to jack a tank." Zhang Yi replied as he took out his IT-33.
"Tank, what tank?" Heliang asked.
"Just wait." Zhang Yi replied as he disappeared.
"Oh goddamit." Heliang sighed as he fired another burst at a coming soldier.
"Alpha squad, this is command," The radio crackled. "What's your status?"
"This is alpha, we're taking heavy fire down here, we need help. We haven't gotten in contact with Smolensk, and we're running out of time!" Ivan yelled.
"Understood, can you give us a sit-rep?"
"We are faced with substantial fire from the enemy. They have walkers, APCs, and tanks." Ivan replied.
"Roger that, we're linking up with Smolensk to find you guys."
"Make it fast!" Ivan urged as he fired at an African soldier that got too close.
"Hey Heliang," Tanya yelled. "I'm out, toss me a clip."
"What's your weapon?" Heliang yelled.
"Are you fucking kidding me?" Tanya screamed. "You don't know what my goddamn gun is?"
"Look, it's a very confusing job at times. I mean, I can't be held responsible for having all kinds of ammo in my box." Heliang replied as he ducked under the silo.
"You should at least have ONE clip." Tanya yelled. "You DO have ammo right?"
"More or less," Heliang crawled to the box. "What do you need, Voss?"
"You have got to be kidding." Tanya snarled. "I USE A KRYLOV!"
"Ooh, fresh out." Heliang said. "Sorry."
"Give me the Malkov then!" Tanya yelled.
"Here!" Heliang slid the submachine gun over.
Tanya grabbed the gun, aimed at the nearest African troop, and fired.
Nothing happened.
"It's empty!" She yelled. "You at least have clips for that right?"
"Uh, no." Heliang rummaged through the box.
"What the hell!" Tanya yelled. "What DO you have in that box?"
"Three porn magazines, empty clips, and a half eaten sandwich." Viktor slid over. "Here's your clip. It's my last one."
"What?!" Heliang yelled indignantly. "I don't have porn in there!"
"The fact that you can have an argument about that while you're being shot at suggests otherwise." Viktor raised the Sudnik and fired a round toward the walker. The walker lowered itself on its legs, receiving the missile head-on with minmal damage.
"You know what," Heliang said. "Screw you guys."
Suddenly, one of the tanks blew up.
"What the hell?" Viktor asked. "There's no way that could've happened on its own."
"Hey guys," Zhang Yi's voice sounded on the radio. "Saw you guys could use some help."
"Where the hell are you?" Ivan asked.
"Check the enemy tank. I already took out the other tank and a walker." Zhang Yi replied.
"Yeah, I saw." Viktor chuckled. "That was damn good shooting."
"There's not much more. They haven't caught on yet." Zhang Yi laughed. "And now they're missing one APC. That's their armor support. Mop up the rest of them."
"S udavostvyem," Heliang replied as he trained his Shuko on the African soldiers.
Five minutes later, the attacking force had been destroyed.
"So you actually jacked this tank?" Heliang asked as Zhang Yi jumped down.
"Pretty much," he smiled. "Handles just like my old one. All we need to do is change the NetBAT ID on it when we get close to Coalition Forces and we should be fine."
"Command to alpha, we've located you." The radio cracked on.
"Roger that command, where the hell are we?" Ivan asked.
"You're about four klicks away from the statue in the city center. We're also reading an enemy tank in your vicinity."
"That's okay command," Ivan laughed. "We stole an enemy tank."
"Outstanding, we're providing you with the coordinates of the main battle group. You should be able to link up with them soon now that you have a tank."
"Roger that command," Ivan replied.
"Hey, can you ask them for a supply crate?" Heliang said.
"Command," Ivan said. "Requesting supply drop at our position."
"Negative, Orlov is not in position to drop requested supplies. We'll relay the request to Smolensk but you will have to wait."
"Understood, we know what we're getting ourselves into." Ivan replied.
"Alright, relaying request to Smolensk."
"Squad, hold this position." Ivan ordered. "We'll leave when the supply crate comes down."