SS Odysseus

Chapter 9

I whirled around and shot randomly.

Ha. You probably thought I had a master plan or something.

It may have worked, as I heard a few voices cry out in pain, but they returned fire, and we all scurried to get behind cover. I ran to the car and climbed in through the trunk. I looked around frantically.

No grenades or random bombs to explode in their faces. Great.

I jump up into the turret, seeing how much ammunition was left in the gun, and I groaned when I saw the amount of ammunition. Only a few rounds.

I quickly checked the other turret and groaned again when I saw the same thing.

Great. I thought, looking around the car. Trapped in here.

Immediately, I heard the sound of gunfire hitting the car, and I ducked to the bottom of the car, cursing wildly and attempting to find a way out the damn car, but of course, nothing came up.

I heard loud knocking on the car door, and I looked tentatively out the window, seeing a few men in full black.

I kicked open the door and jumped out, punching one man in the jaw, and he stumbled back, surprised. I quickly lunged at the next one, who had had a rifle trained on me, hitting the rifle downwards and tackling him, and I punched him the face multiple times, before turning around into the barrel of a shotgun poking me in the back.

I quickly ducked down and swiped out his legs, and he hit the ground with a sickening crunch, and I took the shotgun quickly, dodging bullets. I slid next to Adira.

"Please tell me you have a plan?" I said desperately and she shook her head.

"Nope!" She said and peeked over a log, firing randomly.

"Damn, they have the car." She whispered to me and lobbed a grenade over the log, ducking as it exploded.

"I know. I was there." I mutter, and I looked up and cursed when I saw them hop into the turret.

"Damn. They have the turret." I said to Adira as the car revved to life, and the turret shot into the trees, narrowly missing us.

We ducked farther down, and I began a slow army crawl away from the log, and I peeked over the log hesitantly.

I saw the men in black masks quickly pointing the car towards the road, and I took this as my opportunity.

I leapt up to my feet and quickly threw a few grenades around the car, and I ducked quickly as the forest burst into explosions, and I pulled Adira over the log, charging the car.

~-~-~-~

I realized that my grenades had actually done what they were supposed to do. The area around the car was strewn with bodies, and the men inside the car were stumbling out, obviously disoriented.

Adira quickly took out 3 of them expertly - one shot in the head for each. We quickly ran to the car, and she dove into the passenger seat, and I dove into the driver seat.

Immediately after, Kay, Abby, Dylan, and Andreas got in, Dylan and Andreas up in the turret.

"Let's go!" I yelled, kicking the car into gear and quickly pulling off, screeching onto the main road and racing down the highway.

~-~-~-~

I quickly drove along the highway, darting in and out of the traffic, and I was vaguely aware of a few helicopters circling above - obviously looking for us.

"Damn, they were out to get us, hm?" Kay piped up and I nodded, frowning.

"Probably mercenaries. That means that one of Boreas's generals is probably coming. No other reason why there would be enhanced security." Adira responded, and I nodded briefly before turning my attention back to the road.

A huge shape appeared in the corner of my vision, and I turned my head in time to see the car explode through the door.

I shouted in pain as the car rammed into my leg, and we went swerving wildly off the road.

I tried to control the car, grabbing the wheel and trying to have some control, but it was no use. We spun in circles, and another car from the other side hit us, sending us flying over a railing and down the mountain, hitting a few trees.

All of the sudden, I felt the door fly from the hinges, and I heard Andreas yelling as he fell out of the turret, flying through the air.

I began panicking, as I felt myself sliding down the seat and towards the open air, and I tried to hold onto something before realizing.

I had nothing to hold onto.

I yelled as I flew out of the door, and I remember smacking the ground and an explosion before it all went dark.

~-~-~-~-~-~-~

I woke up a few hours later, and I blinked a couple of times, clearing my vision.

I looked up, and I was absolutely horrified by what I saw.

Remember the van?

Me too. It was a charred piece of metal. The door were yanked out, and I saw the unconscious bodies of my friends inside.
Except for Andreas.

He was on the ground a few feet from me, blood seeping out of his head.

My stomach lurched at the sight of him.

Was there a chance he was alive? Probably not. He fell even farther than I did. However, I still checked his pulse, and I was greeted by a soft pulse. Very unstable.

My hands shook, and I slowly stood up, stumbling as the world seemed to turn upside down.

Okay, bad idea.

I fell back to the ground, letting darkness overtake me.

~-~-~-~-~

"Nielsen, get up." someone mutters, and I open my eyes hesitantly.

"We need to go!" Another voice hisses and I see Kay and Abby supporting Andreas on a stretcher and Dylan supporting Adira with one arm.

"We're leaving Andreas here. We sent up a flare. Nielsen! Pack up and get ready to move." Dylan says and I nod, sitting up and standing shakily before stumbling back to the car.

Once I'm at the car, I quickly look through the wreckage, pulling what I can salvage. I end up carrying a rifle, a backpack with food, water, medical supplies, and knifes, and a pistol.

"Ready to go?" I ask the group cheekily, and they nod, setting Andreas nearby for the rescue crew to come and get him.

They nod, and we quickly run off towards the woods.

~-~-~-~-~

"Come on, we need to get near the mountain. Remember, I'm planting the bombs." Adira says impatiently to us and I groan, staggering in her direction, my prosthetic leg not helping.

"Chill." I groan. "Wasn't the mission to get Liam?" I ask, and Adira clucks her tongue.

"Boreas's minions probably have him." She responds.

We've been walking for 12 hours. Not an easy feat for a man with a prosthetic leg.

Finally, we see the crest of the mountain nearby, and Adira sighs, slumping over.

"Set up camp."