I?m sorry for the wait guys. I?ve been busy with the mods and work. Anyway
Kaufman considered the two routes but decided they were both too risky for the squad. He continued on into the quiet base and eventually came to what looked like a landing field. There were the remains of a burnt out chopper in the centre and shipping crates around the outsides making an impassable wall. He then set his eyes on a body in the centre of the landing field, blood still seeping from the neat hole in the eye. It was a metrocop and it didn?t look like he had been there very long. Kaufman went to approach the body but suddenly froze on the spot. Something has just moved inside the chopper. He darted back behind the wall just as a chunk of concrete was smashed out of the wall inches from his face.
He listened as somebody shuffled out of the chopper and a set of footsteps ran towards the corner. He took out the wet screwdriver and got ready the jump on whoever passed him. He waited and nothing happened. He peered round the corner to see the butt of a rifle. It smashed him in the face and cracked the glass lenses of his mask.
He opened his eyes. He was lying on the floor facing up and 2 men and a woman were staring back at him. The young woman bent down and lifted his head off of the floor.
?Sorry Kaufman? she said.
?What?? yelled one of the men ?Amber? You know this traitor??
?Keep your fucking voice down.? Said the other.
?He isn?t a real metrocop? said the woman. ?He?s an agent like me. This is the sergeant I told you about. The one who taught me how to use a rifle.?
?It?s captain.? Said Kaufman, wiping blood from his lip.
?Hey? You got a promotion?? she said ?Where?s your rifle?
?I lost it when the combine raided the warehouses. That?s where I got the uniform and my crossbow.?
?Enough small talk.? Said the first man ?Why the hell are you wondering around a combine base??
?I?m finding a through route for my squad.? Kaufman turned to him as he climbed to his feet. He pointed to the hill behind them ?They?re waiting out on that hill.?
?Well we?ve covered half of it for you but we?re headed the other way back to the city. Your best bet would be to climb those crates. We got over using a ladder on the other side. You can pull it over so the others can climb up.?
?Thanks.? Kaufman said. ?Good luck. I?ll head back to the hill with you.?
Tracking back through the base was a lot easier with all this firepower now behind them. However this was just a means of feeling safe and the best option was still to go stealthily. Passing the APC that Kaufman had stuffed his victim in and around the back of the crates. Kaufman picked up his crossbow and the four climbed down the ladder and crossed the river to the hill.
?Thanks.? Said Kaufman he then called up the hill ?Hey guys! We?ve got a way through.?
The men poured over the top of the hill and dropped into the riverbed. Some men lost their footing on the way down and landed smack down on their faces. Fitz was one of them. One of the resistance soldiers walked over and helped him to his feet.
?Thanks.? Said Fitz and then he froze. ?Shit! Dan??
?No way!? Dan was smiling like a Cheshire cat. ?Bloody hell! Gregory!?
The other man turned around.
?Fitz!? Gregory was just as surprised and happy. ?We thought you were d-?
?Quiet.? Dan interrupted. ?So what are you guys up to??
?We?re headed to Eli?s to help out with this assault.?
?Ah yeah we heard about that.? Amber said ?Unbelievable timing. We were taken there by some resistance guys when they found us.?
?Found you?? Mark butted in
?Yeah, me Dan and Gregory all got attacked by a horde of crabs and zombies. Completely wiped out. We had no ammo and our squad was almost totalled. Then a truck pulled up besides the road where we were sitting and took us to Eli?s. We rested, stocked up on ammo and left. The combine stormed it just after we left.?
?Spot of damn good luck.? Said Gregory
?Look from what we?ve heard there isn?t much left of Eli?s labs. Hell even Freeman?s vanished now. Rumour has he?s gone to Ravenholm.? Dan said
?Which means he?s a dead man.? said Gregory
?The point is that there isn?t much point heading to Eli?s labs. There?s nothing there for you except death.? Amber added.
?Well,? Kaufman said, not ready to accept that there was no hope in his mission ?I?m still going on to the labs. Come on guys.?
Dan pulled Fitz and Mark to one side. He looked over to Kaufman who was pacing, waiting for his men to follow.
?Are you really going to let that guy lead you to your death?? Dan asked
?He seems to know what he?s doing.? Said Fitz ?Besides his rank overrules yours Dan.?
?News flash Fitz,? Dan sounded pissed ?I?ve been promoted by Colonel Odessa Cubage himself. Well over a radio at least.?
?Come on.? Said Fitz ?You know as well as I that Cubage is no more a soldier than he is British. The Hall brothers are British and they know he?s a fake.?
?I don?t care. I?m a Captain now. Mark. What do you want to do??
?Well??
A) ??I?m going back to City 17 with Dan?
B) ??I?m carrying on to Eli?s place with Kaufman?
C) ??I don?t want to do either. What else is there??