The Golden Soldier (Call of Duty: WW2 Fanfiction)

Chapter 28

"Everyone gather around."
    To Turner's command, I perked up from where I sat just outside the med tent. He was coming up with Davis, holding a clipboard of sorts with information written on it. Pierson walked closer to the med tent, his eyes darting from the situation to me, a signal that I needed to get close, but not in Davis' sight.
    I stood, walking behind him before shifting off to his left. Zussman and Daniels were coming out of a nearby tent, Daniels looking sulky like he always did after rereading Hazel's letter. Aiello stood across from me directly, closest to Davis.
    "The Hürtgen is dark and nearly impenetrable," Davis stated, his voice strict and beyond serious; Pierson's voice brought more comfort than his. "Our mission," Turner handed him the clipboard and Davis showed it, "is to take Hill Four-Ninety-Three. Whoever holds the hill, dominates the valley."
    I reflected back on anything for Hill 493. There had been lots of central fighting around it and I was pretty sure many deaths had been American. I remembered wishing it had been called Death Hill or the like.
    "For lesser men, the task might seem insurmountable. But our division boasts a proud history of firsts," Davis stepped up to Stiles. "In World War One, we were first to hold off a German attack, first to launch a counteroffensive..."
    I dazed off to his words, remembering studying a little about the First Infantry division. To be a part of it now was almost alarming. I hoped I would never make it in books or photographs to prove I existed during this time. It would fuck up the future...badly.
    "Lieutenant," Davis stepped back to Turner, "tell 'em what we're all about."
    Turner raised his chin. "No mission too difficult. No sacrifice too great. Duty first."
    "I can't hear you," Davis gave him a look that sent goosebumps down my arms.
    Turner raised his voice, while also growing deeper, and repeated the words. I glanced to Pierson, who was looking like he was reminded of something painful. Had he said those words as a leader of his men at some point?
    "We move out in five," Turner announced as the group started to split.
    I scurried backwards towards the med tent as Davis turned with Turner on his heels. Pierson stayed motionless, his eyes wandering after the two higher ranked men.
    "Get your supplies ready," Pierson spoke to me quietly. "I have a feeling you're going to need them."
    I nodded and he moved off in a similar direction to Turner and Davis.
    My hands grabbed clusters of everything, making my pack weigh heavier than it usually did. I dreaded the idea that I'd have to hike up a hill with it on, but I also knew Pierson was right. There would be a lot of death and injury.
    "First Platoon, we are moving!"
    To the shout of Turner, I looked up from a double-check-yourself-Ava list of medical supplies. Aiello was already heading past me to rally up at the entrance to camp. I closed up my pack and then slung it onto my shoulder, reaching for my nearby rifle; we almost always had one near us.
    I rounded the slight curve to see a large group of men crouching and standing at the ready. My familiar group was found by my searching green gaze. Turner stood at the head, addressing the group.
    "All right. Our objective is to eliminate the hilltop artillery so we can hold the forest. First stage is linking up with second platoon at the river. Then we move out."
    Turner started moving, Daniels shortly behind as were the rest of the group. I moved into step close to last, wanting to keep a close eye on everyone. A solid, brutish figure next to me told me I wasn't the only one doing so.
    "What kind of artillery are we looking at?" Stiles wondered.
    "The heavy kind," Turner's voice was hoarse. "Bridge has been changing hands all day."
    "We're gonna help them secure it," Pierson spoke next to me, his voice surprisingly soft.
    I glanced to him in my brisk walking and his eyes shifted my direction. Without a word, I returned to looking forwards. Pierson held his gaze on me for a moment longer before copying.
    "Here she is!" Perez spoke from a lower level of the land as we curled around to get there. "Davis assembled the biggest damned armored convey ever."
    Daniels let out a huff. "If that don't put the fear 'a god in them Krauts, nothin' will."
    "Still a long drive to the Rhine," Zuss commented.
    "That's why we need to hammer those guns and keep them alive," Turner pointed out.
    We continued down the path as they spoke, crossing over a short fallen tree. I didn't hesitate to clamber over and continue on, Pierson waiting for me to do so rather patiently. I glanced back to see him bringing up the rear.
    "Watch your asses," Perez drove along nearby. "You're in the death factory."
    My skin grew cold to the term, thinking back to how large of numbers I'd read for deaths. If and when I experienced the compilation of deaths, I didn't know what I would do.
    "Hey Zuss," Aiello piped up and I could feel a taunt coming on. "Does the cold make the ol' wound act up? Cause my Nonna, she broke her hip, and every winter--"
    "Do I look like your Nonna?"
    "Now that you mention it..." Aiello mused.
    "Kiss my frozen ass," Zussman bit out.
    Aiello was quiet for a second. "I'd rather kiss my Nonna's."
    I shivered, reminded of the colder weather. "Want me to smack him Zuss? I'm sure I could reach from here."
    Zuss nodded from where he moved after Turner. Pierson shot me a warning glance and I gave him a warm look back. Whether or not he returned it with a glare, I didn't care. After my birthday...
    We moved down through a small ravine and came to the same level as the bridge. Turner made sure everyone was close and continued towards the old bridge. We came to a spread out stop when Turner caught sight of the men holding the bridge currently.
    "Marks, how you guys holding up?"
    "Sons of bitches keep hitting us. Next wave could be any moment."
    I watched Daniels and Zussman find a sense of cover on the covered bridge. Pierson stayed close to me, once again reminding me of how closely he'd walked by me before kissing me on the cheek. I doubt he would do the same now, but imagining it was entertaining.
    "First Platoon, let's help these boys out!"
    "Set up perimeter defenses," Pierson ordered and I moved to help Daniels with others. Pierson's arm subtly crossed in front of my chest and I glared up at him. "Not you."
    "What?"
    "Find cover and get ready to patch people up."
    "That's not my only job," I pushed through his arm to help with the set up of an MG Aiello was working on.
    Zussman was helping further up, glancing back to Turner. "Sir, I thought we're gonna hit the artillery at Hill 493."
    "Can't leave our lines exposed. We'll advance to the assembly point once the bridge is secure."
    "Judgin' by these craters it won't be easy," Aiello spoke next to me as the MG clicked into readiness.
"Easy's not why we're here," Turner held a firm gaze as he looked to where German forces would be coming soon enough.
I backed away from Aiello and moved around to the side of the bridge near Pierson--coincidentally. Pierson glanced once at me in frustration, but propped his gun on the sandbags protecting us as if to accept I was going to disobey him either way. At least he had it right.
"Krauts coming through the fog!"
Narrowing my eyes, I gripped my rifle tighter and focused on the incoming enemy movement. They came through the fog determined, their cries for battle echoing in German as they shot. We returned fire immediately and the once-quiet little valley was now louder than a bus station.
The MG gunners were accurate with their shots into the horde. For each shot I took, I counted the remaining rounds until I'd have to reload. It had become second nature to know how many rounds I had left in both my primary and secondary arms. The thought freaked me out a little.
"Incoming!" Pierson hesitated his firing as missiles started pouring down onto the German infantry.
The downpour took out a lot of the Nazi force, but I knew more would be coming. It took me five seconds to switch out my clips and refocus on the forming smokescreen.
"Enemy's concealin' their movement!" Daniels shouted.
From our right, two German soldiers broke down the slope to our small trench. I turned to shoot, Pierson doing the same, and we both dropped the men without second thought. I glanced to him in slight relief and then continued to fire at the soldiers I could make out.
"Fallback position! Western Bridgehead!" Turner shouted as the forces became unnecessarily difficult.
Pierson and I moved in synchronization as we pulled back from the head of the bridge. Many other men did the same, continuing their defensive fire. I climbed agilely out of the trench to jog up towards the backside of the bridge, spinning by boulders to cover Pierson and a few other men as they did the same.
"Armor inbound!" Stiles cried out as he reloaded.
"Panzer!" Aiello added with a similar shout.
"Check for mines, grenades, whatever you can find," Turner commanded, his voice that scratchiness of before.
"Shit," I looked at my chest, realizing I'd forgotten to grab grenades of all things.
I ignored the piercing glare from a certain someone next to me and then moved forwards. A harsh hand ripped through my shoulder, launching me backwards onto my ass.
A loud crack sounded and then the bare tree just in front of us slammed to the ground, split from a tank round. I panted in shock, looking upwards to where Pierson was firing like usual. He glanced away from his sights to lift me with one hand and I let out a breath.
"Last time I save your ass, Baker!" Pierson hissed.
I couldn't help but allow my lips to twitch into a small smile. "Yes sir!"
More trees fell as a second friendly rocket hurtled towards the tank. Daniels ducked back into cover on the bridge, moving to reload the launcher he wielded.
"Shit! It's jammed!" Daniels cried out.
"Anyone who has a grenade, use it!" Turner ordered, yet men kept firing as usual. "The tank is almost destroyed!"
I looked to where Pierson still had one clipped securely to his waist. My eyes drifted back to the almost-destroyed armor and then I swept up the grenade. Pierson rounded on me, his eyes fierce.
"Uh uh!"
"Try and stop me sir!" I growled at him, glaring into his calmer eyes.
He opened his mouth to argue, but I wiggled past his large form and bolted for the trench once more. As I moved, I raised my pistol to fire at incoming enemies. They dropped as I moved closer to the tank and I held the grenade closer to my chest as if I were cradling a baby.
"Enjoy this," I gritted out as I pulled the pin and launched the grenade as far as I could towards the tank.
It was a solid five seconds, enough time to let it get one more shot off in my direction, before the armor burst into a warm explosion. I doubled back, shooting at enemies who were still prevailing.
"They're retreating!" Stiles announced.
I moved to the trench, bracing to leap over it, when another body flew into mine. Gravity dragged me down to the ground on the other side of the narrow section of cover and a heavy weight landed above me as I scraped my face into the rough ground.
There were grumbles in German and the enemy above moved to flip me over. I flipped before he could even try to get his hands on my throat and jammed my knife deep into his lower gut--hitting an organ with ease. The Nazi sputtered out blood almost immediately, spraying my neck, and I twisted the knife to get more damage in.
I hated the sight of death and often tried to avoid watching the enemy die. My eyes refused to move from the man's face as his lips open and closed like a fish, his form growing heavier as he died. I traced his frozen face, open eyes, and shuddered.
Rolling the man off of me, I clutched my knife and my rifle not far away and then headed back for the beginning of the bridge. The Germans were retreating by this point, but American men still pinpointed their weapons on the wavering smoke and landscape ahead.
"First Platoon, rally on me!"
To Turner's shout, I trudged up the short hill to the bridge's level and found most of them already forming a general cluster of attentive soldiers. Turner's eyes were scanning the group as I arrived, his eyes relaxing upon seeing my flustered self.
"We're gunna split into two teams," Turner motioned to Pierson. "Pierson, you'll head north over the bridge to reach the hill. I'll follow the river with a squad to guard your advance. Assembly point will be at the base of Hill Four-Nine-Three."
Pierson gave a firm nod, moving to follow orders. Zussman said something lowly to Daniels and then began following Pierson. I paused to wait for my instructions, noticing Aiello join them as well.
"Baker," Turner caught my attention and I looked at the Lieutenant. "You're with me."
"Yes sir," I dipped my head, glancing to where Pierson was rallying up the rest of his crew; his eyes darted my direction so quickly I thought it was imagined and then he began to proceed in an opposite direction as us.
I began to follow Turner, Daniels, and Stiles, my pace catching up with them easily. We began to head through the forest, a daunting and rather curiosity-fulfilling trek.
"Hope splittin' up was the right move," Daniels suggested.
Turner continued through the forest on the tight path we were on. "If we let the Krauts cross this river, they could endanger the whole mission. That's why we're guarding Pierson's flank."
"How far to the assembly point sir?"
"We'll get to the base of Hill Four-Nine-Three soon. Just need to follow the river," Turner promised."
I found my boots getting wet as we moved partially through the water and along the rocks. My feet were dry--thank god--and the others continued like their socks were too.
It wasn't long until we came up to a German camp. There were a few dozen Germans, with some heavier firepower than what the four of us currently had. I narrowed my eyes upon surveying the land.
"We have to take them down, but we're outgunned. Gotta probe their flanks. Don't let them see you."
With his words, Turner moved to the left, crouching behind a large boulder. I followed more slowly, making sure the patrol didn't see me. Upon making sure most of the patrol had passed, Stiles moved up and slit the remaining soldier's throat.
"He's got a sniper," Stiles looked to me, nodding his head.
"About damn time I get to use one," I whispered, picking up the heavy rifle and crouching so I could survey the land through the scope without sway.
"On your signal," Turner told me.
I aimed in at one of the German's firing the Pak 40. With a deep breath in and then a slow exhale, I squeezed the trigger. The man fell to the ground with a bullet in his forehead and the camp turned into an uproar of surprised enemies.
"Advance!" Turner commanded.
I stayed where I was as they began to move down the slope to camp. My shots continued as the Germans fought, accurate in two out of three shots. The rifle was one of the easiest I'd shot yet, barely snapping my shoulder.
"They're falling back!"
More American men held hostage in the camp were beginning to fight with guns they'd picked up. I moved down the hill as the Nazi group started retreating deeper into the woods.
We entered a small valley with heavy brush and rocky footing. The trees standing were enough to be used as cover if needed and I crouched to pinpoint those behind them and snipe their form.
"Keep pushing!" Turner ordered.
I found the second clip of the sniper empty and I gently threw the useless rifle to the ground. Picking up a German weapon, I advanced downwards into the small valley. Seconds within doing so, my entire vision went white.
"Shit! It's a trap!" Stiles shouted.
Looking up to the sky as my vision cleared slightly, I saw the beginnings of mortar fire. Turner picked up the pace and then began sprinting through the trees.
"We've been spotted, come on!"
"Artillery! It's a trap!" Stiles shouted as he copied.
I ducked as a huge shot from the enemy hit a tree to my left. Daniels ran right ahead of me, his head ducking as well.
"Keep moving!" Turner bellowed as he dodged falling debris and thundering missiles.
"My leg!" a soldier shouted.
I wanted to slide to a stop and find the man who'd called out, but I found myself still moving. It was out of pure instinct to just keep moving, my heart beating faster than ever before. I didn't want to die, though I'd considered it to get back...so at least not by mortar fire.
I hopped over the fallen trees, gaining pace next to Turner. He veered to the left, announcing for us to follow up the hill. My legs were burning and my lungs were tight from the dust coming into my mouth with oxygen.
"Hurry!" Stiles was right on my heels, Daniels beside him.
"Get up the hill!"
I found myself nearing the edge of what had turned into a cliff. My legs braced to stop and turn like some of the other men had done, but it was much, much too late. A mortar hitting the ground just to my right didn't help things.
My body flung off the edge.
I rolled down the hard earth, getting smacked in the ribs with rocks and branches and stumps. My mouth opened in a cry and only received dirt. My helmet smacked a boulder hard as I rolled like a marble down the steep slope.
Multiple sharper bushes and branches attacked my arms and legs and cheeks as I finished out my roll, the mud caking everywhere and anywhere it could. My hands clutched at the air and the earth, trying to find something to stop myself before I rolled into nothingness.
I finally landed after what felt like an hour of beatings. My arms and legs were splayed out as I landed on my stomach, a root from a nearby tree digging into my gut. My mouth opened in a moan of pain and I coughed spit into the dirt, my lips quivering.
Propping myself up on my hands and knees, I wheezed out in dry heaves. I was hyperventilating and the wind being knocked out of me didn't help me do so.
I felt like I was choking.
One of my hands shakily moved to my stomach, the other still bracing myself up, and held onto the muscles there. I panted and heaved, my panicked gasps coming out in sporadic ways. My vision was spotty, as if blood had layered over my eyelids.
My head raised as I managed to look at my surroundings...nothing but forest and broken debris from the mortar fire. I was completely alone and weaponless.
    Fuck.

--•--•--•--

Apologies this is a Sunday update. Yesterday was a crazy day with no phone service 😒
Hope you enjoyed this action-packed chapter! Perhaps Ava will find the others soon? Or will her wish of dying come true?
You'll find out soon.
Song: Crack by Ben McLusky (ft. Daisy)
~MS~