We're choosing A then are we? Good good.
-Chapter 2--Streets of the Dead-
Mark knew what he had to do. He had to tell Dan about his brother. It wasn?t going to be easy, then again things like this weren?t meant to be.
?Listen Dan,? he started ?I don?t know how to tell you this.?
?Just say it,? Dan said, ?The longer you hold something back the harder it is to explain it. Is there a problem??
?Todd was killed last night in a combine raid.?
?What?? Dan?s eyes were wide and his hands started to tremble.
?It was just after you called. Our phone line must?ve been tapped.?
Dan staggered over to an over turned APC. He eased back, now leaning against the handrails on the side. He reached down into a pack hanging on his belt and pulled out a cigarette. He pulled the night watch type hat over his eyes and stood there. This went on for about 5 minutes.
?You alright?? Marks voice broke through the sound of distant gunfire and explosions silence.
?Am I Hell!? Dan snapped, tossing the butt of the cigarette across the pavement towards Mark. ?I?m sorry. This shit happens in wars right? I guess you just have to suck it up and drive on.?
Dan pulled a pistol from a holster on his right hip. He slowly clicked a round into the chamber as the sound of a helicopter reared up in the background.
?Oh no!? Mark shouted, ?If that chopper sees us we?re done for.?
?Don?t worry! We came prepared.? Said Dan.
?Prepared?? Mark pondered as the radio on Dan?s belt buzzed into life.
?Target! Air recon unit inbound! 2 Airships packing some serious heat and a dropship.? Dan ripped the radio out of his belt and to his mouth.
?Rodger that Ranger 230. Engage at will!? Dan looked to Mark. ?Follow me!?
The two men sprinted to a nearby alleyway, which led through to another street, dodging crates and trashcans while leaping over pipes and bodies. The sound of propellers was now deafening as the first gunship flew overhead. The radio kicked in.
?Damn it Danny! Hurry it up. They?re trying to strafe us!?
The two men emerged from the alleyway. Marks heart was pounding in his ears. As the sound of the world came back there was a ringing in his ears. Then it cleared to the sound of gunfire and shouting.
?Hey,? a voice shouted ?Get down!?
Mark looked down to see that he was standing dead centre in the middle of the road. He froze.
?What the Hell should I do?? He thought. He looked to his right to see one of the whale like gun ships facing him preparing for a strafing run. It moved forward firing white-hot shells into the brittle concrete. Dust and debris flew into the air and Mark had to act fast. The beam of bullets drew closer and he dove sideways behind a wrecked car.
Down the road Dan had already reached the squad. He looked back to see Mark flinching under the car. The sparks flying of the cars roofs were singeing the back of his neck.
?Damn it!? he yelled, ?Jimmy, Gregory! Come with me. The rest of you cover our asses!?
The three men set of running from cover to cover. Barrel to truck, truck to crate, crate to car. Dan gave the order for cover fire and the squad that stayed back all fired on the gunship. The bullets deflected and bounced off of its solid armoured surface. This thing was going to take more that a few machine gun clips to even slow let alone destroy. For now however, all they could do was divert its attention. It turned and began a strafing run towards the squad. The bullets smashed through the sandbags and the men ducked for cover.
?Damn it!? one man called out ?Harrison?s hit. Shit, he?s bleeding bad!?
?On the way.? Dan called back. ?Mark, come on! Run!?
Mark made a run for the three men and tripped on a wrecked axel. He staggered to his feet.
?Damn. He isn?t going to make it!? Dan yelled ?Gregory, cover fire! Jimmy! Come with me!?
Gregory fired at the second gunship, which was hovering overhead. It turned back on itself and headed towards Mark. Dan ran out and grabbed him, throwing him to the floor. The gunship fired and the shots ripped through Jimmy?s body. He continued running as the blood and bone slapped against the floor behind him. He was dead before he hit the floor. His eyes stared aimlessly into the ground with flooded with blood as he landed. Mark and Dan could do nothing but stare. Each hole wound was about the size of a fist.
?Shit!? Dan shouted.
Mark was frozen on the spot, too terrified to move. Dan reached over to the body and prised the Mp7 out of his hand. He pushed it into Mark?s hands.
?Listen to me!? Dan shouted, ?You?re going see a hell of a lot of this for the next few days. Don?t let it get to you! If you do, you?ll be the next to die. No emotion and no fear from here on! Got that??
Mark nodded timidly. He had dealt with death before. In fact the day before he had lost 2 people very close to him. This was a lot more brutal than that however. The power of the gun ship?s weaponry was too much to handle. The mound of flesh and bone that lay before him was an ugly mass of death. The fact that it was a living breathing human just a few seconds earlier was far too much to take.
?Mark!? Dan was red in the face ?Snap out of it! Move back to the barrier! We got a man down.?
Dan grabbed Mark by the arm just to get him moving. The gunship fired streams of bullets into the floor, inches behind them. Mark swayed and staggered as he ran. When they reached the barrier the gunship. Tilted and banked up over the rooftop.
?Are they falling back?? yelled one man
?I hope so.? Called another. ?I?m almost out of ammo.?
?Wait!? Dan hushed his squad.
There was a faint whirring noise just above the roofs to the left. A cinder block fell into the alley and smashed on the concrete floor. A massive drop ship curled its body down into the narrow space throwing dust and gravel all around the men. Just below the main body of the craft was an APC. The vehicle lowered and dropped down into the alley blocking the escape route. The vehicle had a machine gun and rocket turret.
?Shit!? Yelled Gregory ?Get down!?
As the men ducked behind their pathetic sandbag wall, the drop ship hovered backwards and dropped off its second delivery. 10 metro police armed with automatic assault shotguns. They bounced out of the drop pod and 2 climbed onto the APC gun turret. The resistance could do nothing but watch as they loaded a chain of ammo into the machine gun.
?Hold your fire.? Dan whispered, ?I?ve got an idea.?
What?s Dan?s idea?
A) Use the rest of our ammo on this team.
B) Sacrifice himself and let the others get away.
C) Full retreat.
D) Surrender
Argh! My fingers.