Retired

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Our first drop was two weeks later. Our platoon was going in first. Our job was to establish the safe landing zone on Fanfier III. We hit the ground in a fast drop shuttle. The craft was on the ground for less then three seconds as our cargo pod was dropped.

My men moved out and established a watch perimeter. We could not detect any activity in the area. We sent the call up and several fast drop shuttles were dispatched. These had the prefab building that would become our temporary base and the general's headquarters.

The shuttles were arriving at the clearing before the sound of their atmospheric entrance reached me. Then the radio bob in my ear spoke. "Shielded bunkers inside lines..." whoever was calling quit talking as soon as he spoke.

I activated my bob. "Get the package off the ground! The site is not safe!"

"It is too late, the package has been delivered and shuttle is in return mode." The voice that spoke sent chills down my spine. This group of Spinners had some pretty sophisticated gear. We were in trouble.

I turned to run back to the clearing. "Recon, we are on the hunt. Terminate all suspect hostiles with extreme prejudice."

I pulled my service sidearm as I saw a hidden bunker opening in front of me. I ran up and leaped on the top of the trapdoor as it rose. My sudden weight caused the man below the surface to fall off his ladder.

I rolled past the door and pulled a torque grenade. I remained silent as I heard someone else coming up the ladder. When their hand touched the trap door, I let go of the grenade handle and started its five-second countdown.

The door lifted and I rolled the grenade into the crack, then I fired my pistol into the insurgent's face. As I rose to run the grenade detonated below the surface. There was a muffled boom, and the trapdoor flew up and out.

"The rats are in holes. Move back to cover the package," I said over my bob.

I ran into the clearing to see several of the others from my platoon entering from different directions. I only counted fourteen at a glance. "All recon, return to nest, rats are in the henhouse. Launch control, get a shuttle down here for the package."

I saw General Tainer trying to cover behind a set of crates. The problem was that only covered him from one direction. I ran towards him as a trapdoor opened on the edge of the clearing. It was on his unprotected side. I dove over the top of the crate firing into the trap door. My free hand lashed out and pushed the general aside as the insurgent fired. I felt the round rip through my shoulder and into the crate exactly where the general's head had been a split second before.

I rolled up onto my feet as the adrenaline surged through my system. "Get in the cargo module!", I shouted as I drew another grenade.

My toss was perfect. The grenade arced through the air and passed through the opening as a second insurgent opened the trapdoor. He tried to scramble out but only the front half made it. His back half arced through the air and landed among the trees on the opposite side of the clearing.

I stood as my men started to open fire at the insurgents. That was when I saw the second trap door opening. Three steps put me between the general and the trapdoor. I barely made it in time. The slugs ripped into my body as I returned fire. By now my left shoulder was useless. My arm had quit responding.

My men did their job and turned the terrorists into mush inside that trapdoor.

I sat up as the general's evac shuttle cleared the trees. Then fast attack craft zipped over us and started to open fire. The jungle around us turned into shredded vegetation. I looked around the clearing as my head started to get woozy. I counted heads. Forty-one, my men were all here. One was either wounded or dead but he had not been left behind. My corporal was dragging him towards the shuttle.

With great effort I lifted my arm and fired at two insurgents entering the clearing. Then I closed my eyes for what I thought was the last time...