Taylor replied.
They both laughed as they soared towards the city. Their faces turned sour as they spotted two thin wisps of black smoke arising up ahead. Taylor turned back to see the grim but professional faces of all those with them. Eddie was the only one among them who smiled. Taylor wondered if he’d just not experienced the horrors they had yet, but he suspected it was more a brave face put on for the others’ benefit.
Up ahead, they caught a glimpse of a police cruiser at the side of the road with two officers stood in the road. Parker brought the vehicle to a halt. The brakes squealed and hissed and made them wonder if she’d even tried them out during the entire trip. The two cops looked in surprise as the vehicle drew up in front of them, and they could make out the soldiers on top of the trailer. They walked around to talk to the driver, but Taylor shouted down from above.
“Major Taylor, 2 nd Inter-Allied. We’re here to help.”
The two cops were stunned for a moment as they tried to comprehend what they could see.
“This all? You all that’s coming?”
“For now. We were shot down en route to you.”
“That was you? So much for reinforcements.”
Taylor groaned at the lack of appreciation. “If you don’t mind, we’ve got a job to do.”
“By all means, but you’re going to need more than your bunch to fight this battle, Monsieur.”
Taylor nodded with gritted teeth. He wanted nothing more than to jump down and punch the man’s teeth out, but he restrained himself.
“Parker, let’s go!” he shouted.
The truck rocked forward with just enough time for the two cops to step aside and marvel at the rusting hulk trundling past. The marines glared at the men who wouldn’t show them an ounce of gratitude or respect. Hall wanted to spit on them for their ignorance and rudeness, but he felt Taylor’s hand on his shoulder and knew he must remain civil.
“What have those fuckers been doing the whole war? Waiting for us to turn up and do all the bloody work?”
“It sucks, but look at it from their perspective. They expected their country and their government to protect them. They have lost almost everything they have. What is the upside? Would you be all cheery in their shoes?”
“I think I’d show a little fucking gratitude. This isn’t even our God damn country!”
“I hear, ya,” replied Taylor.
They passed through dozens of quiet streets, seeing only a handful of civilians here and there. Then Parker’s voice rang out from the cab.
“Major! Take a look at this!”
He stood up on the top of the trailer that stretched up over the roof of the truck, grasping the rail beside him as the vehicle glided towards the horrific sight ahead. They could see a dozen filled body bags at the side of the road and medics working a way beyond with several dozen more casualties. A number of other wounded and bloodied soldiers and policemen lay about on benches and walls all around. Parker drew the vehicle to a halt once again as they reached the bloody scene.
Taylor leapt from the high trailer, descending five metres. He hit the ground hard but balanced, and with the suit taking the impact from his joints. Several troops looked up in curiosity. It was clear they had never seen such advanced equipment before. He looked to the doctor who was busy patching up a wounded woman.
As he panned quickly across the scene, he spotted one soldier with sergeant’s stripes whose arm was bound up, but otherwise he looked okay. Mitch quickly strolled up to the man. Few seemed to care to utter a word to them.
“Sergeant, we’re here to help, but we need to know the current situation.”
The man looked up with staring eyes. Taylor could see straight into the man’s troubled mind. He’d given up and lost hope. He didn’t even try to utter a word. Mitch had no tolerance for his attitude. He could already tell he wasn’t going to get anywhere with words. He took two brisk paces forward and slapped the
They both laughed as they soared towards the city. Their faces turned sour as they spotted two thin wisps of black smoke arising up ahead. Taylor turned back to see the grim but professional faces of all those with them. Eddie was the only one among them who smiled. Taylor wondered if he’d just not experienced the horrors they had yet, but he suspected it was more a brave face put on for the others’ benefit.
Up ahead, they caught a glimpse of a police cruiser at the side of the road with two officers stood in the road. Parker brought the vehicle to a halt. The brakes squealed and hissed and made them wonder if she’d even tried them out during the entire trip. The two cops looked in surprise as the vehicle drew up in front of them, and they could make out the soldiers on top of the trailer. They walked around to talk to the driver, but Taylor shouted down from above.
“Major Taylor, 2 nd Inter-Allied. We’re here to help.”
The two cops were stunned for a moment as they tried to comprehend what they could see.
“This all? You all that’s coming?”
“For now. We were shot down en route to you.”
“That was you? So much for reinforcements.”
Taylor groaned at the lack of appreciation. “If you don’t mind, we’ve got a job to do.”
“By all means, but you’re going to need more than your bunch to fight this battle, Monsieur.”
Taylor nodded with gritted teeth. He wanted nothing more than to jump down and punch the man’s teeth out, but he restrained himself.
“Parker, let’s go!” he shouted.
The truck rocked forward with just enough time for the two cops to step aside and marvel at the rusting hulk trundling past. The marines glared at the men who wouldn’t show them an ounce of gratitude or respect. Hall wanted to spit on them for their ignorance and rudeness, but he felt Taylor’s hand on his shoulder and knew he must remain civil.
“What have those fuckers been doing the whole war? Waiting for us to turn up and do all the bloody work?”
“It sucks, but look at it from their perspective. They expected their country and their government to protect them. They have lost almost everything they have. What is the upside? Would you be all cheery in their shoes?”
“I think I’d show a little fucking gratitude. This isn’t even our God damn country!”
“I hear, ya,” replied Taylor.
They passed through dozens of quiet streets, seeing only a handful of civilians here and there. Then Parker’s voice rang out from the cab.
“Major! Take a look at this!”
He stood up on the top of the trailer that stretched up over the roof of the truck, grasping the rail beside him as the vehicle glided towards the horrific sight ahead. They could see a dozen filled body bags at the side of the road and medics working a way beyond with several dozen more casualties. A number of other wounded and bloodied soldiers and policemen lay about on benches and walls all around. Parker drew the vehicle to a halt once again as they reached the bloody scene.
Taylor leapt from the high trailer, descending five metres. He hit the ground hard but balanced, and with the suit taking the impact from his joints. Several troops looked up in curiosity. It was clear they had never seen such advanced equipment before. He looked to the doctor who was busy patching up a wounded woman.
As he panned quickly across the scene, he spotted one soldier with sergeant’s stripes whose arm was bound up, but otherwise he looked okay. Mitch quickly strolled up to the man. Few seemed to care to utter a word to them.
“Sergeant, we’re here to help, but we need to know the current situation.”
The man looked up with staring eyes. Taylor could see straight into the man’s troubled mind. He’d given up and lost hope. He didn’t even try to utter a word. Mitch had no tolerance for his attitude. He could already tell he wasn’t going to get anywhere with words. He took two brisk paces forward and slapped the
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