Fallen Angels

Chapter Fourteen

The sound of engines woke me up. Not jeeps or tanks, something in the air. A sound I was all too familiar with. Jets. The United States was either blowing La Paz to slag or landing troops across the city. I quickly threw the blankets off me and ran outside. I saw all kinds of jets in the air. Ospreys and C-130s flew across the skies, some normally and some in fireballs. I watch as one of the Ospreys dispenses it's troops through the sky, only to be destroyed by a rocket second later. Carson bursted out of the building in front of me. 

"Another American assault! They've come for the POWs!" He yelled. "Porter, help me with the men. We are going east!" Carson and I started lifting the wounded to their feet and telling them to wait. Those who couldn't run we would help in a second. Marcelo walked out of the building beside Carson and began helping us with the wounded. I ran to a soldier that had a major leg wound and let him out his arm around my neck and began to help him up. 

"I've got this one!" I yelled. I turned my head to face the soldier I had. 

"What's your name?" I asked. The man grunted, a minor bleed spurting from his nose. He wipes it with his sleeve and looks back at me. He didn't answer me, he just looked at me. 

"Marcelo!" Carson yelled. He then yelled more Spanish and Marcelo picked up a soldier who couldn't walk. Carson picked up his brother and started yelling more orders. 

"Alright, everyone! We take a left here and another left at the end of the street! Continue down until we reach the city or friendly forces. Hopefully throw we will be able to all a medevac. On three!"

I adjusted the man beside me. He was slowly slipping. Marcelo ran up beside me, looking up at the sky and watching the burning fighters.

"One!" Carson yelled. 

"Two!"

"Three!"

Carson, Marcelo, and the five wounded men all started running down the street. There were eight wounded, three of which we were carrying. The others were able to walk themselves. We did as Carson said, we got to the end of the street to a small freeway, then taking a left. There was no one on the streets even though you could hear and see explosions and fireballs through the sky.

I watch as helicopters rope soldiers down to the ground, right afterwards the helicopter getting shot down and crashing into the landing zone. Unlucky bastards.

Then I heard something distinctive, wheels on pavement. I turn around, trying to find the noise. I could tell some of the others could hear it too. Suddenly, a building to the left of us breaks open, revealing a type-101 tank. The turret was facing directly toward us, and within a few second, the machine gun mounted began moving. 

"Back!" Carson yelled. A few second later, machine gun fire began bouncing off the road at us. Five people went to the right side of the street, taking cover behind a building. Me and my wounded soldier took cover behind a ruined car. The tank continued firing at the right side of the street, ignoring us. I thought for a second, trying to firgure out what to do. I then knew what I could do.

"Have any grenades?" I asked the man I was carrying. He nodded and motioned towards a couple of grenades on his utility belt. I grabbed two frag grenades, then gently let the man down. He looked at me with a puzzled expression on his face, but then knew what I was doing. 

"Good luck." He said. I nodded back and looked over the car. The type-101 was facing away from me at, aiming at Carson and the others. I took this chance and sprinted towards the tank, jumping onto it and climbing on the turret. I then opened it, taking off the pins and throwing in the two grenades. I then quickly shut it and jumped off the tank into the dirt. Moment later, an explosion blows behind me, and I quickly look back at the devastation. 

The tank itself was intact, but the opening to the tank was blown off and smoke rose from it. Ash flew over the tank, landing softly on the ground. 

"Tank down!" I yell. Carson looks above from his cover, then smiles. 

"What the hell did you do?" He yelled back. 

"Simple demolitions. Nothing big." I stated. I walked back behind the ruined car and saw the man I was carrying. He was smiling, his teeth reflecting off some sun. 

"Cmon. We are going home." I said, lifting him to his feet and putting his arm around my neck. 

"Carson, how far until we reach the outskirts?" I yell. He talks with Marcelo for a few second, then returns to me. 

"About two klicks. We are gonna make it, don't worry." With that we countinued making our way to the edge of the city.

We did as Carson said, evetually reaching a highway and avoiding Chinese movement. No Americans were in sight. As we countinued, gunfire grew closer and more destroyed tanks and bodies were seen. Still no Americans. 

My arm was aching from the man I was carrying. He had too much weight on me, and I felt myself falling over. Marcelo, who was carrying a man, suddenly fell to his side and dropped the man he was carrying. He then began yelling some Spanish, which Carson answered. 

"I bet we are all getting tired." He said. He then signaled us to get on the side of the highway and taking shelter in a three story building with roof access. We carried the wounded in there, the soldiers who could walk followed us. 

"Any weapons we can salvage?" I said. We searched the building, looking for supplies. After a while, nothing. 

"How long are we staying here?" I said. Carson shrugged. 

"Either when we aren't tired anymore, or when the Americans come." I sighed, resting the wounded soldier I had on a torn up couch. The man looked at me through bloodshot eyes, gripping his leg. A small trickle of blood was running down his leg. 

"Carson, this man's bleeding. Have a medic?" Carson shook his head, then looked at the other soldiers. None answered. 

"Great." I tore a bit of fabric off my uniform, then opened the Soldiers pants and revealed the wound. It was a bullet wound, probably when he tried to escape a POW encampment. There was also a large gash missing from his leg, which was producing a lot of blood. It was old, also probably gained from when he escaped. I covered the gash with my fabric, then grabbed a small strap from my belt and wrapped it around the fabric. This should hold the blood in until we reach a medic, whenever this happens. 

Suddenly, gunfire rings out. I hear glass breaking and voices. 

"Down!" I yell to Carson. He nods, then quickly makes the soldier duck under the windows. We wait out the small gunfire, then hear more voices. English. American. 

"Stay here." I said. I got up, grabbing a small piece of wood I could use as a blunt weapon. I then slowly walked out of the building, looking around for soldiers. Nothing in sight except for the usual. Smoke, fire, ruined cars and dirt buildings. I keep looking, then start walking toward a small alleyway beside the building. I take a deep breath and look down it. Clear. I begin to walk down it, the wood in my right hand and ready to take someone out. 

Someone turns the corner, weapon raised and poised on the trigger. 

"Freeze!" They yell.