Chapter 5

"I think we have a tail." Gibson stated as he looked out the window.

"Nothing behind us." Max replied, checking his mirrors. The roads had been clear, all the locals seemed to prefer staying off the street at this hour.

"Above us, that helicopter is tracking us." Gibson replied with concern in his voice. Well above them a civilian helicopter slowly flew circles round their vehicle, trying to be inconspicuous.

"10 minutes to safety, let it." Max started to reply as he turned a corner. "Ahh crap road block ahead."

300 yards ahead the Black Warriors had made no effort to disguise who they were, the centre piece of their road blocking being a tracked APC.

"Back up, back up." Gibson shouted as warning shots were fired at them. Max threw the car into a J turn, flooring the accelerator as they sped back the way they had come.

"Spaceport then." Gibson stated. "If we can get to one of our dropships we're in the clear."

"Why?" William asked.

"Because where there are dropships you'll find Marines!" Gibson replied with a wild grin.

The car careered down the street as Max pushed his driving skills to the limit, dodging road blocks and trying to stay one step ahead of the encircling forces of the Black Warriors. Each extra turn added distance between the small party and safety as the net grew tighter as more and more routes were cut off.

"This is it, last chance." Gibson commented grimly as they turned a sharp right hand bend. Max slammed the breaks on as their headlights revealed another road block and a Wyvern Battlemech standing over watch. "Oh that's just cheating." Gibson swore as Max backed up, ignoring the warning laser shots melting the tarmac around the car.

"Any ideas?"

"Just one." Gibson replied. "In there now!" he pointed at the gateway to a warehouse's yard. The car shot across the road, bouncing up the curb and smashing through the gates.

"This is a dead end!" Max shouted as he got out of the vehicle.

"Not for both of us, take the kid through the warehouse, stay in cover, get him to the spaceport." Gibson replied as he ran round the car. He pulled a box out from under the drivers seat and passed the contents to Max.

"Flare gun, Red means SOS, White means stop shooting at me. Fire it once you're at the boundary fence and help will find you."

"What are you going to do?"

"Something stupid." Gibson replied as he got in the driver's seat and drove the car back out onto the street, right in front of the pursuing Black Warriors.

"Crazy fool." Max growled as he grabbed William and propelled him into the warehouse. "This way Sir."

Gibson drove like a madman, erratically swerving from side to side as he did everything in his power to draw attention. If he looked desperate, well he was, the only reason he was still alive was the apparent reluctance of the Black Warriors to risk killing their hostage. But the noose was tightening as he found road after road blocked and with a number of local 4x4's chasing after him his time was running short. Swearing he drove his car through an open gateway into a courtyard. Popping his last smoke grenade, he bailed out of the car and ran towards the door of a large factory unit. Two quick laser blasts took out the doors hinges and he burst through just as the first of the 4x4s pulled into the courtyard behind him.

The factory was open plan, single story with brick walls and a tin roof. The factory floor was filled with metal working machines of various kinds and it was behind one of these that Gibson took cover, taking aim at the doorway. He didn't wait on any ceremony, the moment the Black Warriors showed themselves he opened fire. The first didn't make it through the doorway, the second hesitated and paid for his mistake as Gibson's second shot hit him in the arm. But the third didn't hesitate and pushed his wounded comrades and into the cover of the machine space. More Black Warriors flooded through behind, as suppressive fire forced Gibson to duck back into cover. It turned into a deadly game of cat and mouse inside the gloom and shadow filled factory floor. Gibson darted between cover, firing a few shots and then relocating. At first he held the advantage, his enemy had to be aware of where their friends were as they haphazardly advanced, while he merely had to fire at anything that moved. But, despite mounting casualties they kept pushing forward, forcing Gibson back into a corner. Finally, trapped behind a lathe, with nowhere left to move to Gibson settled into a firing position and resolved to sell his life as dearly as he could. The grating sound of metal being torn apart caused him to look up. The Wyvern had torn aside a great chunk of the roof and now loomed through the gap, its flood lights illuminating Gibson as he stood up, too surprised to react. The Wyvern's lasers locked onto his position and Gibson heard the tell-tale sound of their capacitors charging up, he closed his eyes and wait to die.

Moments later he heard the sound of the laser's discharge and was amazed to still be alive, he opened his eyes to see the Wyvern stumble backwards, armour plate melted on its left side. Another volley of laser fire smashed into it and the pilot decided he'd had enough, activating his jump jets and disappearing over the buildings into the next street. Another mech, stepped into gap and Gibson's heart soared to see it was a Thunderbolt in the purple colours of House Marik.

"This way Sir." A corporal wearing the combat uniform of the old Lyran Commonwealth Marine Service stepped up behind Gibson, the rest of his squad fanning out and laying down suppressive fire against those Black Warriors who hadn't started running when their Battlemech did. "We'll get you back to the compound."

"No." Gibson responded. "Get me back to the spaceport! He's going to need some help."