Iter Per Astra: Volume 2 - Fearless Commando

Astral 14 - Escape

On the back of the building was a small garage that was completely overgrown in foliage, on the inside were two CRN jeeps that the bandits had stolen, they appeared to be used as reserve vehicles in case the others were destroyed.

"You two keep watch while I try to turn this thing on," Joseph said. "I sure hope this jeep turns on."

"You know how to drive these things?" Rosalina asked.

"I do." He answered as he turned the keys on the jeep and the familiar sound of the internal combustion engine turned on. "Got it! It was easier than I thought. Melody, can you drive?"

"On it." She answered.

"Rosalina, you get in the passenger seat, I'll handle the turret on the back."

Melody nodded as she climbed onto the driver's chair and accelerated the jeep while having it on neutral. Rosalina climbed on the opposite side, and Joseph jumped onto the bed, removed the safety of the turret, and pulled back on the turret's charger.

"Turret primed," Forrest said.

"Moving," Melody answered.

As the vehicle slowly moved forward, three soldiers came around the corner, maybe they were going to pick up one of the vehicles.

"Hey!" One of the soldiers called. "Stop right there!" They aimed their blasters at them.

Joseph turned the turret towards the soldiers, flicked a switch on the handle, and fired an explosive shot in the middle of the group. Sending them flying.

"Go Melody, GO GO GO!" Joseph shouted.

"Hang on!" Melody responded as she switched off the hybrid engine of the vehicle and turned the gas engine on for the vehicle to have more power.

As they came around the building, they were instantly covered by laser and bullet fire.

Melody stepped on the accelerator, the jeep stalled for a second before getting into lower gear and accelerating faster.

"Rosalina Get down!" Joseph shouted as he pulled the trigger and a rain of bullets fell on the bed of the jeep as a seemingly infinite stream of bullets hit all the vehicles surrounding the small building, they were in.

The bandits struggled to respond back as many of them tried to seek shelter from the thousand-bullet-per-second turret.

"Where are we headed to?" Melody asked.

"Head for Mirror Lake," Joseph told Melody. "We can hide there and call father."

"Copy," Melody answered. "Just keep the Bandits off of us."

Leo was confused about all the sudden chaos that occurred; he then entered the building he found Constantine getting up from the floor.

"SIR!?" Leo said. "What happened? Are you all right?"

"Don't worry." He said. "Have your soldiers follow a renegade vehicle heading out of this location."

"Done."

"But tell them to wait... I will go with them."

"Sir?"

"There is something else I want you to do. I want you to personally deliver the weapons."

"I can do that. But it will cost extra."

"We will pay you anything you want; just do what I ask."

"As you wish."