“Ready, Major. Just give me the word.” There were six of the cheap radio walkie talkies on the table. Each had been spray painted a different color. Gayle picked up the green one.
All at once, over a hundred rifles peeked over the rim of the ridgeline and started shooting at us. Six trucks with SAWs mounted on them roared over the ridgeline and started firing at the towers. The “pings” and “pecks” of incoming bullets were overwhelming.
We all ducked on reflex even though the small arms fire could not reach us through the soil and concrete walls. The volume of fire did, however, keep us from rising up to look at the approach to our stronghold.
On the laptop display, Pepper and the Major watched as the two previously identified teams started racing across the open ground, making for the swell of landscape on the south side of the approach. They got about halfway to their objective when the fifty cal in the south tower opened up and cut one of the teams to pieces. I knew Jimmy and Jaime were up there operating one of the guns while Buck and Dr. Johnson, Pepper’s Dad, were on the other.
The other fifty erupted in flame, smoke and noise, ripping up the ridgeline and finding multiple targets. Most of the enemy’s cover fire ceased as the riflemen frantically scrambled back behind the wall of dirt and grass.
The second team of attackers had now reached the lee of the secondary ridge and was protected from the fury of the fifty caliber guns. The three surviving rocket operators said prayers of thanks as they snuggled behind the thick carpet of grass and dirt. Quickly, they started positioning themselves to pop up over the rim of their cover and deliver a deadly rocket attack intended to silence our big guns.
The Major pointed over at Gayle. “Now!”
Gayle triggered the send button on the green radio, and the entire hill the were hiding behind disintegrated along with the rocket team. They ceased to exist as the powerful C-4 blast did its terrible work.
Back at my station I felt the blast and figured what had happened. The volume of cover fire had diminished so I peeked over the wall in front of me and saw the thick black smoke rising. I also saw the pieces of green and red strewn across the grassy approach, but I deliberately kept my mind from registering what those bits were. A few of our M-4s began chattering as they threw bullets at the enemy soldiers who were still firing. I saw a few helmets go flying into the air. I popped off a few rounds, just enough to finish off my partially expended belt, then held out a hand to Mona. She quickly passed me a fresh one, and we executed a reload. I gave her an approving nod and, even under these conditions, she colored a little.
Pops came up the cargo ramp pushing a wheeled cart piled high with ammo crates. He went around the interior of the wall, stopping at all the battle stations until he got to mine. He was sweating as profusely as the Major, but he wore a purple do-rag on his head of all things. It was funny-looking and seemed out of place, but it did keep the sweat out of his eyes.
“Auditioning for an outlaw biker movie part?” I pointed to his headgear.
It was nice to see the grin on my father’s face. “Nope, I’m directing it, and I’m casting you as the female lead.”
Mona snorted at me having my joke turned back on me. It was my turn to show a little color.
I inclined my head toward the west. “What’s happening out there, Pops?”
He passed his sleeve over his face before answering. “Not sure, I was down below when that explosion happened. I’m hoping it was one of our traps.”
“Pretty sure it was,” I assured him. “I saw the Major give Gayle a signal, so I’m guessing they were tripping one of the traps that Buck and Jimmy planted.”
Pops was about to reply when the Major caught sight of him and called him over. He reached out to tousle my hair and this time I was off-guard and unable to dodge him. He laughed in triumph and trotted over to the Major.
Pepper came running over to us, bent over at the waist to avoid being seen over the wall even though she was far too short for that to happen.
“You get tired of operating the drone?” I knew she’d brought her helo in for recharging and been relieved by Dwayne. He had wheeled his big fixed wing over to the back gate and launched it from there so the enemy couldn”t see it take off. He sent the bird east for a mile before turning it around at maximum altitude and flying it back over the enemy positions.
“No, I’m actually disappointed to be replaced. It’s getting scary out there, and the drone video feed shows you everything that’s happening. I’d rather know than not know.” She paused to give me a quick smooch and one of her dazzling smiles. “I saw the army guys setting up out there. Looks like they’re ready to throw everything they have at us.” Her expression grew worried. “I’m scared, Virgil.”
I drew her close for a hug while still trying to keep my eyes on the avenue of attack to the castle. I was just about to try to say something soothing when a line of bullets skipped off of the top of the defense wall.
Everyone around me ducked down again, and more rounds found the top edges of our walls. I peeked over and saw the six trucks, all with machineguns bolted onto the tops of their cabins. Men in military fatigues were in the beds, and they were all firing in our direction as their drivers maneuvered them into winding paths. All were headed towards us and, behind them, I could see well over a hundred of the enemy infantry troops swarming over the top of the ridge and running at us on foot.
“Mona, Pepper, get ready to feed me bullets. This looks like the real thing here.”
I readied the M-240 and tried to guess the path of one of the strafing trucks. I threw a stream of ammunition at him, but the truck driver decided to swerve north while I was shooting to the south. Damn! I reacquired him in my sights and was just about to fire again when the automatic fire from the armed trucks was drowned out by several small explosions followed by the appearance of numerous plumes of multi-colored smoke.
Smoke grenades. Red, yellow and bright green clouds were spewing from the devices. As I watched and tried to see through the fog, more and more of them were lobbed in our direction. Most of them landed two hundred yards short, but they served the purpose of totally obscuring the rest of the battlefield and the advancing infantry. I tried to spot one of the trucks but could see nothing. Meanwhile, I knew the enemy infantry was heading in our direction.
Over by the front wall, I saw the Major pointing frantically and yelling something I couldn’t hear. Emma and three of Marcus’ people leaned over the wall and pointed grenade launchers in the direction of the enemy. Four high-explosive grenades arced up into the air with a ‘thoomp’ sound. Emma and the others quickly ducked back behind the walls, and four fiery explosions erupted out behind the concealing smoke. Even over the deafening noise of battle, I could hear screams of pain.
Emma and the other three grenadiers popped back up to lob more bombs, and a machine gun bullet hit one of Marcus’ guys in the face. The unfortunate man spun and fell head first onto the cement. The other two men paused at the sight but Emma never wavered. She aimed her weapon and fired, this time quickly cycling the big cylinder of the launcher through the remaining five grenades. The resulting explosions seemed to prod the grenadiers into action, and they too released their full remaining compliment of bombs.
The fifteen high explosive grenades turned the multi-colored fog of the concealing smoke into a stroboscopic kaleidoscope of bright flashes. In answer to our semi-artillery attack, six rockets came shooting out of the smoke straight at us. I ducked down and covered the girls as best I could as two of them impacted near the top of the defense wall close to me. Mona, Pepper and I were all pelted by rocks and dirt as they rained down on us, but the wall held.
I didn’t know where the other rockets landed, but I heard a blast over my head. I turned to look and saw the north tower was now a fractured and smoking cylinder. Flames and black soot were pouring out of the ruins. The cement and other materials from the tower had fallen on two of our people who had taken up positions on the northwest corner of th
e wall. Neither were moving.
I felt sick as I realized that at least two of my good friends, people who had been with Pops and me since this whole thing began, were probably now dead. I glanced at Pepper and could tell she realized that her father was in one of those towers. She seemed to be unable to stop staring up at the ruined structure and, as I watched, she sank slowly to her knees.
Pops rushed by us, heading for the winding staircase that led up to the towers. Sharon ran behind him, followed by two men carrying stretchers.
I wished I had time to console my girlfriend but more bullets were hitting all around us now and I figured the infantry and the trucks were getting closer to us under cover of the smoke. I popped my head up and saw that the fog was starting to clear as the winds swept it away from the approach. I could make out vague silhouettes in the haze, and I poured a full belt into one that could have been a moving truck. The last bullet fired and I was opening the action for a reload when I saw the thing I’d been shooting at erupting into a ball of flame.
“Reload!” I shouted to Mona. Pepper was still in shock and kneeling in the dirt beside us, so she wasn’t in a state to help. Mona dragged a belt free from the box and held it out to me.
“Be ready with another belt,” I ordered as I loaded and chambered my weapon and sent another full loading of .308 bullets into the fog. It was now possible to make out objects as small as people out there and I trained the stream of death from the M-240 into each one I could see. The belt ran dry, and Mona already had a fresh one ready. I sent another belt toward the enemy and opened the weapon again. This time as I reached for a reload it was Pepper who handed it to me. Her eyes still watered and wet streaks were running down her face, but she had gathered herself and was back in the fight. At that point, I couldn’t have loved her more.
I was ready to fire off another string when the steel gate, the one we referred to as the main gate, exploded inward after being hit by a rocket. I could see that it was hanging loosely from one hinge, the top of it now gone. The rest of the gate started to shudder as powerful bullets tore into it, smashing big holes through the steel as if it was made of plastic.
I knew what it would take to destroy such a structure. Something out there was shooting at us with fifty caliber bullets.
Chapter 29
Arlo and Lobo were both riding in the protected belly of the six-wheeled tank that the army had named a Stryker. Usually, Lobo would not expose himself to battle conditions, but Arlo had assured him that the armor on the vehicle was thick enough to repel even grenades and fifty caliber bullets. Knowing this, Lobo decided it would be helpful for his people to see him participating in the attack. It might also be useful in his plans to kill Arlo and insert himself as the leader of the former soldiers.
Arlo had hoped that Barrett would have been taken out in the attack on the castle, but his last radio report had dispelled that wish. The sergeant was directing the actions of the trucks and infantry via radio instructions to the other appointed non-coms. Arlo waited until he could no longer justify staying out of the fight before ordering the tank to head up the hill. After the ambush of the trucks on the driveway, the former Lieutenant decided to take the armored vehicle overland. He was now peeking his head out of the observation port on the top of the Stryker. The rolling hills were making him a bit dizzy as the front of the tank rose high into the air before cresting each hill and then nose-diving as it went down the decline. The leader of the disgraced soldiers was steadying himself by clutching the pistol grips of one of two fifty caliber Ma Deuces. The port which Arlo was utilizing did not normally carry a fifty cal there but the soldiers had salvaged the gun from their other ruined Stryker and the added firepower served to make the Stryker an armored juggernaut.
The driver of the Stryker was operating via viewing monitors which allowed her to remain protected from attack while she moved the metal beast forward. Lobo was fighting motion sickness, determined not to show weakness in front of his intended future subordinates. He had belted himself onto one of the racks which lined the interior walls. Four other soldiers were belted in around him.
Near the middle of the Stryker was a turret which allowed a machine gunner’s upper body to protrude from the top of the vehicle. This port was unique because it had a motorized circular mechanism which allowed one of the fifties to be swung around and operated in a three hundred sixty degree arc. One of Arlo’s soldiers was up there now, and the deafening report of the blasting machine gun was threatening to rupture Lobo’s eardrums. To add to the little man’s discomfort, the ammunition belt from Arlo’s gun was slapping his side each time the vehicle went over a hill.
The gunner on the mounted fifty was named Banner. They were still a half mile away from the stronghold when he first caught sight of the hilltop stronghold. The walls around the structure were too packed with dirt to allow the machinegun to be effective against it, but the steel gate was another story. A rocket had already disabled it partially, but the army needed it down. Banner pulled on his earmuffs, lined up his sights and started shooting. The explosions of dirt and rocks from the bullet impacts allowed Banner to walk his shots across the field and put them directly on the crippled gate. It didn’t take much. The big bullets acted like a stream of pile drivers, smashing the remaining structure until the tortured hinges finally gave way.
The attacking army now had a twenty foot wide open entryway.
Banner continued to pelt the area around the open gate with deadly firepower in order to minimize the defender's ability to protect it. Behind him, the machine gunner heard Arlo opening up with his own Ma Deuce. The Stryker continued its careful slog up the side of the hill, both guns throwing their terrible firepower at the exposed portions of the stronghold.
Arlo saw smoke and fire on the northern side of the castle and was happy to realize his people had scored a hit with their rocket launchers. He was about to try to add to their woes by machine gunning the other tower when he saw a flashing light from the windowed portion of the building.
Fifty caliber bullets struck the top of the Stryker mere inches from Arlo’s head, sending steel splinters into his face. The former officer screamed as he fell from his perch on the rack below him. He was sure he’d been shot, and he knew what happened to anyone unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end of a large caliber bullet. He wriggled on the steel floor of the vehicle, whimpering until he realized that he’d escaped significant injury. One of his soldiers had unbelted and was moving to render assistance when Arlo got himself under control and waved him away.
The bullets of the Hilltop’s surviving fifty cal continued to hit the armored skin of the Stryker. It didn’t penetrate the vehicle, but it did serve to keep the two machine guns from pouring steady streams of death at the castle. Banner would wait until the barrages slacked off, then pop up and send a few strings of bullets at the undamaged tower, then quickly pull his head back down when the towers answered back.
At the top of the hill, Barrett was hiding behind a collection of rocks and dirt as he aimed at the stronghold walls. He was growing frustrated at his inability to have much of an effect on the place. Even using the M-1A and top-notch optics, the walls of the stronghold were impenetrable. He would occasionally see the top of one of the defender’s head sticking out over the rim of the wall, but the distances were too great to hit such small targets.
He looked over his shoulder and was glad to see the Stryker finally making its way up the hill. The tank was their only ace in the hole, and it should have been leading the assault. Barrett knew what his former commander was doing by holding it back. Arlo hoped the Hilltop people would expend most of their ammunition on Barrett’s infantry, allowing him to then drive the tank through the opened gate facing diminished opposition. He also would not shed tears if Barrett was killed during his unprotected infantry assault.
Barrett turned his attention back to the castle. In spite of the significant firepower they had faced, the ground troops were steadily moving forward. Mo
st had reached the point where they were now only two hundred yards from the stronghold walls. Of course, that also meant that they still needed to go two football fields in length through murderous automatic fire. They were accomplishing this by sprinting from hill to hill, rock to rock, all the while remembering the booby-trapped natural features that had already killed their rocket teams.
Still, all in all, Barrett thought they were doing well. He used his radio to call a halt to their forward progress. They would wait for the Stryker to arrive at the summit of the hill and lead them the rest of the way. All they had to do now was wait until the tank crested the last peak, then it had a relatively flat terrain in which to assault the stronghold. With the infantry to support it, victory was all but assured.
It was just a matter of time.
✽✽✽
Jaime held up the heavy ammo belt, and Jimmy slammed it into the Ma Deuce taking care to keep the hot metal from burning his fingers. Both men were wearing earmuff-type hearing protectors to prevent them from being permanently deaf in the unlikely event that they survived this attack. The visibility that the tower afforded them allowed them to see the entire battlefield, but the attackers were finding some success at using the topography to conceal themselves. Jimmy had been able to use the powerful bullets of the fifty to blast through some of their hiding places and score hits, but they were now just hunkered down and waiting for the big tank-like thing to get up the hill and lead the assault. Jimmy wondered why the enemy had not done that at the start of the attack, but he didn’t have time to do much thinking. He put his remaining attention on keeping the two big guns on the Stryker silent.
A half mile is a long way for most weapons to reach. Top notch snipers have been known to make hits from distances of a mile or more, but those occurrences are rare. The fifty caliber machine gun, though, was an unbelievably effective fighting weapon. In single-shot mode, it has itself been utilized as a sniper weapon. Its abilities are the reason it is still a staple in the modern U.S. military.
Virgil's War- The Diseased World Page 46
