Oreos went at a steady 40km per hour as he looked out at the streets. Some small time shops and bars had their windows smashed. Most of them were closed. A few squirrels were walking the streets.
No reds said 'hi' to the greys, no greys looked at the reds. No greys helped the old red squirrel cross the street. No reds helped the little grey squirrel who lost his mum. Sarge's voice came on the radio.
" I can see the school now. Where's your location?"
" Almost there, everything is on schedule--" Oreos was cut short.
An explosion interrupted Oreos. It was a small one just a few meters in front of the Hummer. The tires screeched as he stepped on the gas, veering right to dodge whatever it was.
" Sarge! We're getting ambushed here. We're on Main St. approaching Charles--" Another mini-bomb, rocket, whatever the hell it was went off, closer then the last one. Red Storm, who was the most exposed, tried his best to duck under cover.
" I can't see where's it coming from!" Red yelled from above.
At the same moment Mon yelled to Oreos from the back seat. "JUST GO!"
Oreos noticed that suddenly there wasn't anyone on the streets. No civilians around at all. His attention diverted, he let another bomb go off and this time it hit. Nobody had time to scream as the transport violently lurched forward. The front left tire blew off instantly in a screen of smoke and the Hummer flipped. It slid on the pavement for quite some distance until it ground to a halt against a street lamp.
Oreos was upside down but conscious, still strapped into his seat by the seat belt. "Who's still alive?!"
Serena called first. "We're ok!"
CG sounded almost astounded, " Looks like seat belts do save lives." or maybe sarcastic.
The 99ners piled out one by one, quickly finding cover from the assailants. Oreos kneeled beside the downed vehicle, able to grab the radio.
" Sarge, come in. Our transport is down. Unknown enemies. Do you read me?"
No answer.
Oreos threw the radio back in the wreck and joined his teammates. They found cover behind a building in an open parking lot. Oreos sneered. "Fucking hell, it's a trap."
" What about Sarge's group?" Chael asked.
" No answer. Dunno what happened to them."
Serena caught everyone's attention, her eyes staring at what was behind them. "Guys... we have a problem..."
It was a mob. Even worse, it was a mob of grey squirrels with AK47s and 4x4's. One masked grey squirrel led all of them, and he stood out pretty nicely. Oreos looked at him keenly and then realized something.
"That's platoon gear. He's from the 97th."
He was the only one from what Oreos could tell. He held a megaphone to his face.
"WE ARE THE REVOLUTION! THE MONARCHY IS CORRUPT. THE ARMY IS CORRUPT. DEATH TO CONKER! DEATH TO ALL WHO OBEY CONKER!"
As the blaring speech echoed out into the rain chilled air the mob roared in approval.
Mon cursed. "What the hell happens now?"
Oreos stood, ever so slowly. "We run. Head to the school."
Only a few of the mob had any sort of firearm. Oreos counted two pistols and a stray AK47. The rest armed themselves with 4x4's.
Soon Oreos realized to run would be to die. At least one of them would. It wouldn't take long for the few that had a gun of some sort to fire.
'THE REVOLUTION IS UPON US ALL!!" Declared the renegade with and ardent vigor. The crowd cheered, raising their weapons with a similar enthusiasm.
It was that moment, while the men (and some women) of the mob had their guns high, that Oreos gave the command to fire.
Like any leader, he went in first. Taking out the skull of the squirrel that held custody over the AK47. His brains spread on the faces of his comrades behind him.
Strangely enough, Mon was the second to start shooting. He did not pick any target. In a break from his level of expertise, he closed his eyes and pulled the trigger repeatedly, feeling the heat of the cartridges as they leaped from the gun and onto his body. He could not watch. The duets of death were thereby joined by the rest of the squadron.
The Crowd was in disbelief for a brief moment. Then they dispersed in several activities. Some got busy fleeing. Some got busy dieing. The 97th platoon soldier drew out a pistol and was promptly taken out. When Oreos gave the command to cease fire, he counted a total of six dead.
The silence broke in after that. They all drew breaths and saw the bodies.
The breathed and saw them again .
Yep, still there.
Sabine retched to the side.
"Come on." ordered Oreos bluntly "this isn't a picture show. Hustle, the 97sers at the school probably heard the shots. We need to act fast. Mon, you look after Sabine."
He got up and lead the squad, Mon using a mixture of verbal encouragement and physical help to get Sabine along. "Yeah yeah, kid, it was like that for most of us, the first time."
But all in his thoughts he just kept thinking.
We've done it now. No going back. If we're damned we're damned.
The platoon went in silence. Partly out of listening for enemy movement. Partly out of reflection.
Chael was confused. When the order to fire had been given he watched his compatriots' actions. They shot with little hesitation. It's true it was a life and death situation, but surely they could have created a diversion and got themselves out safely. Weren't these victims the very people the Platoon risks their lives for to protect? Could it have been because of this racial hatred? Chael couldn't understand those sorts of feelings. True he had the memories of his forefather's childhood and the backlash his look received. But his entire existence had left him surrounded by himself all the time. Some of his brethren still did have this sort of hatred for one another, fighting because the felt superior due to what type of body they had or the abilities they possessed. Is this where his society was heading? He would have to converse with the mainframe when he returned.
Chael continued to move at a slow jog behind the others running ahead of him. Even with his augmented body, the weight he carried would wear him down quickly if he ran.
Slosh Slosh-Slosh Slosh-Slosh Slosh
Tiny little rivulets of rain dribbled down, to get tossed off tear-stained glass and into the muddy gutters the Hummer roared alongside. Sarge rolled the window down, leaning slightly towards it.
"How are you holding up out there?" He called over the rain. Pyst clutched the turret between his fingers like a prized toy. The hood on the rain-cheater he had donned was lowered, and he was lavishing the feeling of rain stinging at his eyeballs.
"I'm bored!" he called back. "Are we there yet?"
Sarge quickly rolled the window back up, far too tired to go through THAT one. Besides, they were now approaching the schoolyard. He flicked on the radio.
"I can almost see the school now. Where's your location?"
"Almost there" Oreos crackled back over storm and static, "Everything is on schedule"
With that the feed died. Sarge flicked the transmission switch, but to no avail.
"What's the problem?" Dark asked from the passenger seat.
"Radio's out."
"Is it ours' or theirs'?" Zeta called.
WWW coughed.
"Those radios...aren't...err...top notch."
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Sarge demanded, starting to let up on the gas, sliding into a more subtle gear.
"It means that... Well, you know that funding I asked for the Tech. department?"
"Yeah?"
"I sort of lost the money."
Carrie grabbed on to Twisted as the Humvee swerved out of control. Twisted raised an eyebrow, and Carrie sort of giggled. Sarge had spun round in his seat, driving blind.
"You what?!"
"It was the Stateside Lottery! $80 million was up for grabs! I figured that with more tickets I'd have better chances...and then I'd pay the money back when I won..."
Sarge's broad hand was still scrambling for Triple W's throat.
"I'll kill you! You son of a-"
"Sarge!" Dark warned, yanking the wheel. Again the Humvee swerved, this time almost to a complete right angle, Sarge slammed on the brakes, gritting his teeth. The Hummer tipped... Those inside held their breath (Pyst on the other hand was swearing loudly and profusely - but that is another story) With a gratifying squelch the wheels landed back in the mud. Sarge popped the door open and jumped out.
"What the hell was that all about?!!" Pyst growled, frustrated, muddy and bruised. He followed Sarge's enraged gaze.
The school building was visible behind them, grey and drab like most schools are. A gravel causeway lead to the main entrance, which subsequently, through a broad courtyard, reached the auditorium where the hostages were being held. Still, what made Sarge's blood boil, and forced the former occupants of the car to emerge in shock, was the sight of a six-foot plastic pole spiked into the ground, with a half-naked, shivering and terrified child tied to it roughly by its wrists. In its paws the child held a two-way radio. Zeta dashed forward, eager to help what was, albeit a muddy, but still, a Red in need. He froze as he felt a sniper bolt tear past his ear. The radio crackled, and a muddy voice was heard.
"We will not negotiate bull shit."
"Nobody move!" Sarge hissed.
"I can't see the sniper Sarge! He could be anywhere..." Pyst's eyes darted across rooftops to no avail.
"Consider this a token of our appreciation...and the gravity of the situation."
There was a muffled murmur, and seconds later a second gunshot.
Carrie, highly attuned and bio genetically engineered, heard it first and cried out in anguish.
"No - Don't!"
But it was far too late. The bolt was shot, and the Red child was terminated with the coolness and accuracy of a professional.
Dark's hands shook, never one to stand for injustice. He lunged forward, gripping the radio - squeezing the connection open.
"There will be NO negotiation..." He threw the radio to the ground, crushing it under his boot. Zeta untied the tiny corpse, covering it respectfully with some lose tarp. He fought back tears.
Sarge brushed his hair out of his eyes, facing the building. It was time - time to decided how they were going to deal with...killers, yes...but their own species. His throat felt parched. All eyes were on him.
"Sarge?" Twisted asked.
The pause felt as endless as the rain that spattered across their uniforms. At last Sarge spoke.
"We take no prisoners..."
Those words alone sent a shiver down all their spines.
---
Sabine's eyes darted everywhere. She was upset at herself for going sick but she couldn't help it. Knowing, in the back of her mind that she had a very strong chance of killing...well someone...but an innocent civilian?
No wait. No...they were not innocent. They would have attacked if Oreos hadn't given the command to fire. But maybe there could have been a better way. And now the vision of dead bodies in the street were very stubborn about leaving her mind. On they went and the chipmunk kept looking up and down the streets...It all looked normal-no wait... completely deserted streets are not normal.
"Calm down Sabine calm down..."
The dead bodies in the road made another unwanted appearance in her mind.
"Stop thinking so hard!" she argued quietly with herself, hopefully nobody heard her. Praying that her stomach would behave, which it would most likely, she had already lost most of her breakfast that first time. The school was close now. When everything blew up, or whatever was going to happen took place, Sabine knew that she would have to have a clear head to think and follow orders. And try not to be scared.
Rage boiled inside of Dark as he smashed the radio with his heel, shattering the plastic covering and grinding all of the contents within into dust. He shot a glare in the general direction of the upper levels of the school building, hoping to catch even a small glimpse of reflection off of the sniper's scope. The blood of the small child that had just been executed profusely flowed down from the wound, gravity claiming it and bringing each droplet crashing downwards. The enraged feline turned on his heel and set his gaze upon his unit, his friends, his family. They had a mission to complete, and they knew that there would be casualties. They knew that there would be innocents caught in the crossfire. But they had not prepared to see an innocent child purposely executed, especially by someone who had not even the guts to do it face-to-face. Instead, he was cowering behind a high powered rifle. Death would greet him soon enough, however, as the Platoon moved quickly and quietly towards the main entrance.
The sniper had undoubtedly moved to another location, for fear that he would be discovered and end up like his latest victim. But his death would be much worse, much more gruesome. The execution of an innocent child warranted a slow, painful death - something that Dark knew quite a bit about. His expression was more stoic than usual, with not even a slight grin at the prospect of slaughtering these terrorists. He had shone no emotion other than pure anger at what had taken place, but even that had faded away. He was calm, collected - a well-oiled killing machine. His back against the dull gray wall, he poked his head around the corner. No sentries in sight. He slipped around the corner, sweeping the immediate vicinity with his M4A1. Nothing.
"Clear." Low, raspy. Guttural. Emotionless.
But then something caught his eye. A slight glare, a shimmer. He rolled onto his back and flipped up into the air, landing on his feet just outside of the courtyard when a bullet slammed harshly into the end of the gravel causeway. Bits and pieces of rock were launched into the air, leaving small nicks about Dark's jaw, but the small stinging pain did not bring out a change in him. Still, he remained calm. He remained collected. He knew where the sniper was, but there was currently nothing he could do about it. He intended to take that bastard to Hell and back, so a quick kill was out of the question. The panther gripped one of the large blue cylinders upon his vest, pulled the pin, and launched it up towards where he spotted the glare. Smoke quickly spewed from the grenade as it bounced off of the window pane and into the building.
"Let's move."
Deja was late for another mission yet again. Always moving from country to country, it was hard for the platooners to get a lock on her location, which is why she invested in a hand-held, GPS coordinator that kept a lock on the locations of the team and alerted her of any mission activity. Right now, it was beeping. Mission time.
Coordinates memorized, Deja mounted her black and sleek Suzuki Heyabusa thirteen kilos heavier than what she should have been. Strapped to her back was her M16 rifle with attached M203 40mm grenade launcher under-barrel, and holstered on her thighs were the M4 Carbine and Stiler 9mm. Inside her leather calf boots contained her family heirloom serrated hunting knife, and in the other boot her trusty garrotte.
Surprisingly close to the mission location, Deja reached Windy in under half an hour. Finding the 'tooners wasn't at all hard as Deja had presumed. A 99th Humvee was overturned, the windows blown out and the front left tire (or what was left of it) had caught fire. Deja revved the motorbike and headed straight. As she rounded the corner of a building, she caught sight of Serena. Actually thankful for the sight of the girl, Deja ditched the bike and jogged in her direction.
Staying out of sight from the platooners, Deja counted six of them : Oreos, Mon, Red Storm, CG, Chael, Serena, and someone she did not recognize. The mischievous squirrel that she was, Deja thought she'd make an entrance. Seeing as Serena was the last one in the line with her back facing Deja, Deja hooked her arm around Serena's neck and rested the Stiler on her temple.
"Don't even think about taking another step, or I'll blow her head off." Deja yelled out. Oreos and the rest of the group swung round and unanimously trained their gun, half-squeezing the triggers, on the captor and her hostage.
"Put the gun down!"
"Get your freakin' hands behind your head!"
"Release the hostage now!"
"Hands off, mother fucker,or it's my fucking bullet in your mother fucking head!"
The shouts from the group made Deja chuckle. She threw her gun, safety on, at Oreos' feet. CG yanked her head back by her hair and it was Deja's turn to have a gun at her temple.
"Woah, WOAH, guys relax." Deja raised empty palms. "It's just me. Thought I'd make an entrance." She laughed harder as she looked around at the faces of her comrades. Mouths hung open and eyes unbelieving. Mon was the first to speak.
"Geez, Deja! We could've killed you! What the hell were you thinking?!"
"Yeah, nice to see you too, Mon." Deja replied sarcastically. "You can release me now, CG."
"Oh yeah…sorry, D." CG released her and she pulled him in for a hug and gave each of the familiars of the group a hug in turn.
"It's great to see you all again. Finally, another mission, eh boys? What's it this time? Escort Conker through Windy? Take down a few Tedi helicopters?...What?" Oreos shifted his weight uncomfortably.
"Actually, it's a civil war this time, Dej'. And terrorism from the 97th Platoon. We're on our way to rescue squirrel hostages from a local school. And to top things off we don't have communication with the other group."
"And the problem is…" Deja wasn't catching on.
"The problem is we have to kill our own kind."
"THAT'S the problem? What are we, a bunch of sissies? If we have to kill our own kind to save our own kind, then what's the big deal?"
The men (and woman) stared at the newcomer incredulously.
"What?!"
Sabine gave a shaky sigh and lowered her weapon. She leaned against a near by flag-pole to regain her breath. She still felt nervous. If anybody was going to mess things up for the others, it would be her. And to the chipmunk's guilt, she hadn't been alert for a surprise like that.
During the brief reunion Sabine just stood by the light-pole and looked off in the direction of the school. They were almost there. She did not hear much of the other's conversation, other than a loud exclamation and something about being sissies...or was it wussies...oh well, her attention was stayed on the school.
After a short while the conversation died down and Sabine's attention went back to her group.
"We should get going." said Oreos, when Deja finished talking about wussies and stuff.
They ran, hugging the buildings, and heading to the school in a diagonal way. The adjacent road to the school was lonely, it just lacked the bushes rolling and all the dust to look like a western movie of some sort.
"This is too quiet for my liking." said Mon
"Maybe that is because no one's here." said Sabine
"No...remember that these guys are as well trained as us." said Deja
"Yeah...maybe there are a bunch of guys here and we haven't noticed...you never know." cautioned CG
"Actually...there's only one." Chael stated. "But he's very well armed."
"What do you mean?"
"We should duck for cover"
WHISTLE
"Oh...rocket launcher...shit!"
Scrambling for cover,they separated and ducked behind various buildings. They all found a hiding spot just a moment before the rocket hit, throwing rock, dirt, and everything else in its path up into the air at high speed.
"Where is he?!" yelled Oreos
"In the yellow building!" yelled Chael back
The group had split into two. Mon, CG, Sabine and Red Storm were in the left side, and Chael, Serena, Deja and Oreos were on the other side. They were inside some buildings that lined across the street. The yellow building was at least five blocks away from their current position.
"Let's start running towards him until we're close enough to throw a grenade in!" yelled Mon to the radio.
"I can reach that place without being as near as you guys" said Chael. "But to be sure of getting it in, I need to be a block and a half away...at least"
"Ok" said Oreos. "Deja and CG will run over that side of the street and shoot at the bastard so that he won't get time to shoot at us, while Chael and I will do the same over this side"
"Yessir!" said CG
"Don't say that again..."
"I'm joking I'm joking"
They started to carry out the plan. As they were running towards the desired place for Chael to throw the grenade, the others were covering them, as they moved. The plan was carried out perfectly, until CG had to reload
"Out of ammo!" yelled CG as he kept running
"Stop and take cover" yelled Oreos
They were two blocks away from the building.
"Can you throw it from here?" asked Oreos
"I can, but the grenade I'm going to use will blow up in mid air" said Chael
"Done!" yelled CG
As soon as they blew their cover, their former comrade managed to fire a rocket towards them.
"SHIT!"
In an instant, CG got out his handgun and fired at the rocket. Maybe it was some kind of power that descended to CG's hand, or some hidden ability that he had, or just sheer luck, but the bullet hit the tip of the rocket, making it blow up before hitting the destination
"WHAT?!" Yelled the 97th platoon member "It can't be!"
Chael, the only one who had kept running managed to throw the grenade at the terrorist's window.
Boom
Variable grenades are expensive ordinance. You pay for just one as you pay for six single purpose grenades. If you're only carrying one or two grenades, though, it's worth the money to be able to throw the damage you want. Chael thumbed one to six before throwing it at the building.
Setting number six yields an explosively expanding cloud of nearly-fusing plasma, which will deposit far more heat on armor plating and building materials than they can compensate for.
As Chael took cover after throwing the grenade, the others followed suit. They could hear the damage being done by the grenade and came back out when it was done.
Four stories of the building were partially exposed, the concrete actually melted away. Inside all furnishings were destroyed and if the assailant had been close enough to the blast the body would have been as well.
Chael walked back a little and hoisted his cannon back on his shoulder. He turned to the others.
"Lets get back on the move."
Sabine stared up at the building's insides. It all looked so ripped apart, destroyed and still, no one could have possibly survived.
"Well I suppose that takes care of him." she said with her mouth slightly agape. She could imagine the body, or what was left of it, buried under thousands of pounds of concrete and debris. But her imagination didn't run with it anymore as the group got back on track. And much to everyone's relief, there were no more interruptions from there to the school.
AN: (And this concludes chapter 2. I apologize for its shortness but I couldn't find a better chapter break than this unless I went much further along. But as you can see things are already starting to blow up and only half of the group has made it to the school! Expect more destruction and excitement in chapter 3.)