The General: Reunions

Chapter 26: Retaking the Castle

"Mines placed!" someone yelled to Garvey, leaving the hole in the western wall.

"Good. Good," Garvey said, pulling out a radio he'd found in the diner, having given Heather and the General both one. "General, Morgan's placed the mines in the eastern wall. Awaiting orders."

"Wait on standby," the General ordered. "Waitin' for Taylor and Douglas to finish placing the explosives."

"Roger that," Garvey said before turning to his squad. "Alright, you remember the plan. We're going to set up a firing line on the shore. Let's move out."

"Black!" the General called out as he saw Douglas coming back from laying out a minefield. "You can fire that weapon?"

"Not against living things," he remarked. "I'm good with my fists though."

"Alright, then stay with Falsir," he remarked. "Keep her covered. If a mirelurk gets too close, deal with it."

Everyone looked at the General in surprise, still not believing him and Black not only shared names but looks as well. They could see a clear difference as he stood there in his armor, helmet in his hand. They seem to share personalities, but the General seemed more... experienced. Like he'd seen more than the rest of the people in the Commonwealth would. And he'd taken the time to get to know them. Figured out where their strengths and weaknesses lied.

"Kim! You know what direction to point that?" The General said, speaking to someone who couldn't be older than seventeen.

"My older brother trained me," the boy replied. "I can hit a mirelurk in the legs."

"Alright," he said as Douglas approached him. "Mines planted?"

"No shit," she remarked. "Can't think of another reason to come back."

Sighing, Mason closed his eyes as he took a deep breath. He was going to have to break them of that habit.

Putting his helmet on, he hit the radio button with his chin. "Casdin, how are things on your end?"

"Mines planted," she remarked. "We're ready over here."

"Alright," he said, looking up at the walls of the place. "Garvey, this is the General, engage targets at a distance."

"Roger that."

"Casdin, this is the General, engage targets at a distance."

"Yes sir," she responded cheerfully, something that confused him.

Turning to the others, he let them know it was time.

"Here they come!" Mason yelled, garnering the attention of the people on the impromptu squad. The six people with either combat or assault rifles got down on one knee, Falsir laid on top of the diner's roof with Mason below her, and the General stood behind them.

As the General gave the order to fire, they began to shoot at the mirelurks coming out, remembering what the General had told them.

~~~~~

"You need to aim for the legs when they come," the General said as he addressed the room. "I'd say go for the face, but with as fast as they move, you need to aim for something easier."

"So if they're close enough, aim for the face?" Mason questioned as the General finished going over the weak points.

"Yes. But you have to make sure every shot counts. We have a bit of ammunition, not an infinite amount."

~~~~~

"That's a fair point," Kim remarked as he fired his rifle, something his oldest brother gave him when he joined these guys. "But it's still hard to hit the legs."