A/N- I know that for those of you who've been reading this story, it's been a good long while but I am back with a new update for you. So, here's the first part of a two part chapter.
A/A/N- Please do remember that most chapters of this story will be quite short, with some exceptions.
Chapter 10a- F.O.B
Ivan began infiltrating the perimeter of the ruined fortress with a few dozen soldiers in the dead of night. All that could be heard for several dozens of metres was the squeaking of numerous insects and the many animals trying to attract mates in the dark and near impenetrable jungle.
The fortress was guarded by only a couple of dozen guards but, unlike most of their comrades, the guards holding the fortress were elite special forces soldiers, who were armed to the teeth with assault rifles, machine guns and mortars. Furthermore, they had good communications with their commanders. Just as importantly, the fortress and their positions around it were located on a hill that dominated the surrounding areas, enabling them to overlook critical positions.
"Keep quiet and watch out for mines." Ivan quietly ordered. Ivan and his soldiers were aware that mines were a possible threat to them but they weren't sure of how many there were, where they were or if there were any around in the first place. It annoyed Ivan that they were unable to use their mine and metal detectors for two reasons. The first reason was that the defenders liberally sprinkled the soil with flakes of metal so that attackers couldn't tell what was a mine and what wasn't.
Ivan and his group of soldiers crept towards the ruined fortress, taking care not to make too much noise, which was easier said than done considering that pretty much everything around them could create an unwelcome noise. The jungle floor had lots of fallen branches on the floor and the greenery and plant life concealed animals, ranging from exotic to mythical and from insect sized to small mammals and large reptiles and all of it could give the attack away because of a misplaced step.
Ivan and his team managed to sneak to within a couple of hundred metres of the ruined fortress when all hell broke loose. One of Ivan's soldiers stepped on a mine and alerted the defenders. "Oh bloody hell!" one of Ivan's soldiers exclaimed in anger as they were gradually pinned by gun and mortar fire. Machine gun fire shredded leaves and tree branches and mortars wrecked the trees, sending tree splinters of various sizes, in addition to shell fragments, flying through the air. Many of Ivan's soldiers became wounded and some were even killed during the fighting. The uninjured soldiers, including Ivan, crawled forward at a snails pace.
"Ivan, I don't want to alarm you but we've just received word that the defenders in that fort have summoned reinforcements. You need to hurry up and capture that fortress." Kurt said over the radio.
"Kurt, I appreciate what you're saying but we're crawling along here. They've pinned us down and almost half of us are dead or wounded. We can't capture the fortress without reinforcements." Ivan barked down the radio before adding, "Some vehicle support would be nice as well."
"I'll be sending the backup teams and some of the teams still available near the bridge to back you up." Kurt informed Ivan.
"What about some vehicle support?" Ivan asked urgently and pointedly as the mortar fire became more accurate. Bullets whizzed past him, striking the ground and vegetation around him.
"I'll see what we can spare. I might be able to get a couple of tanks and an armoured car to assist you."
"Get it done as fast as possible because otherwise, I'll be shoving this jungle up where the sun don't shine!" Ivan said angrily before cutting the transmission. "I knew we should've brought some smoke grenades with us." He then remarked bitterly to himself.
About an hour later, Ivan had had enough. Gene's garrison had received their reinforcements and their firepower had become punishing. Furthermore, Ivan could hear the sounds of tank engines now lurking in the background of the fortress. He was about to call for a retreat when a welcome voice came through on the radio, "Ivan, sir, we've arrived to back you up. Tell us what you need us to do." It was the commander of Ivan's reinforcements.
"Thank god for your arrival. It came just in time. Send about a third of your men to my position, we're having a rotten time here. Send the rest of your men and your vehicles in circle around the fortress clockwise and counterclockwise to cut off any escape from there." Ivan ordered and soon enough Ivan was joined by almost three dozen soldiers who immediately began turning the tables on the defenders. The elite defenders began to sense they were about to be caught in a trap and, having regrouped, began to plan their escape. They failed to inform their reinforcements of their plan and escaped the fortress without their backup. The remaining defenders began panicking as Ivan's soldiers and their backup enveloped them and cut off all the main escape routes. The drivers of the vehicles they'd arrived at the fortress in and the crews of the tanks that were meant to back them up had all fled and left them on their own. The remaining defenders fought on desperately but increasingly inaccurately until they ran out of ammunition. Unable to stave off defeat any longer and feeling abandoned by their comrades, the remaining defenders surrendered and promptly defected.
Ivan surveyed the scene shortly after the battle and it was a mess. The dead were buried outside the fortress with rudimentary wooden headstones. The surrounding jungle had been torn apart and riddled with bullets. The fortress itself was peppered with bullets but it was more or less intact.
"Sir, we've inventoried every bit of equipment and have compiled lists for yourself, Kurt, Roy, Natalia, Johnathan and Harry, of course." One of Ivan's soldiers informed him as he looked at the bridge, smoke burning from recent fighting there.
"Just tell me what the most important things were that you found. I'll read the list later." Ivan replied tiredly, still exhausted from the recent battles.
"Yes boss. Our big prizes are about eight military trucks of various makes, two Sd. Kfz two five ones, two Sherman tanks and one M-three Stuart. In the fortress we also found a compact radar but with parts and other essentials missing."
"So... what you're saying is that until we can find the parts for it, we're essentially have a piece of junk in addition to some glorified giant cigarette lighters on our hands?" Ivan said incredulously.
"Yes Ivan. Kurt is trying to get his hands on some more enemy equipment before he comes here. He says it's to make sure that this place can't be recaptured by Gene's goons and make sure that this place is worthy of being called a fortress." The soldier told him.
"Get in contact with him and tell him that his teams need to find portable radar parts as soon as possible." Ivan grumbled before trudging his way into the fortress. "If anyone needs me, I'll be resting in the fortress and hopefully catching up on some sleep."
A few minutes after Ivan went into the fortress, the soldier he'd been speaking to then spoke with another soldier, "Was this place worth it? Look at our casualties, most of us were wounded in some way and some were killed. I don't even think that we caught the whole garrison."
"It wasn't worth taking but if we can get this place up and running, then it will be worth holding." The other soldier replied optimistically.
"How did you guys get here if you don't mind me asking, especially with the tanks?"
"Those of us who weren't on this side of the river already managed to bluff our way past the bridge guards. Turns out that they're able to reoccupy positions very quickly."
"They sure can be speedy with their responses, I can agree with that."
The two soldiers looked into the distance, watching as convoys of trucks and armoured vehicles kicked up dust trails that could be seen for miles around. And in the sky, rain clouds began forming.
And elsewhere, Harry, Johnathan and their team were camped outside the harbour they'd been directed to.
A/N- Please review and I hope you have enjoyed this chapter. Harry will return in the next chapter.