As Long As I Have You // A. Ghale

A Key to the North

"We don't have access there, but we do here, you see." Amita was talking to a Golden Path soldier when Ajay and I walked into the room.

"Amita, do you have something for us?" Ajay asks, walking closer to Amita and the soldier.  

"Actually, I do. We've been able to free the people in the south, but the north has been cut off from us because of Pagan and his King's Bridge. It is time we take the battle to Pagan's doorstep and free the north."

"So, how exactly do we do this?" I ask, crossing my arms in front of my chest. It sounded a little out there, I mean, it wasn't going to be easy.

"The bridge is heavily defended. The main gate is made of blast resistant concrete; forget conventional explosives and C4. The defenses will shred any frontal attack."

"Okay, but what would blast open the main gate at that kind of magnitude?" Ajay asks, and Amita smiles. Of course, she had a plan for everything that could possibly happen.

"There's a convoy with a chemical truck. I want you to secure it, drive it down their throats, and blast open the gates. It will get us reunited with the north and you one step closer to Yuma." Amita tells Ajay, and walks him out the door. She walks over to me, and grabs my shoulders.

"Protect him at all costs. Be his second pair of eyes." Amita was telling me what I already knew. I had grown fond of the Ghale man. He was like my best friend and my rock. We had been through hell and back together. You cant just throw that away.

"You got it." I tell her, and head out the door, following in Ajay's footsteps. We began the long journey to the King's Bridge. It was about an hour away, but we had managed to get there in the nick of time to obtain the truck and blast open the gates to the north.

"On three, we jump out." I nod and Ajay starts to count down. I was starting to shake and get nervous. I was breathing slowly, and my heart rate was rising. 

"THREE." We both yell as we swing our doors open and roll onto the hard pavement. Looking at the explosion with dust glazing in my eyes.

Royal Guard soldiers arrive from the base beyond the newly destroyed wall. We decided its best to stay close to the walls to protect ourselves from the mounted gun straight ahead, the mortar in front of the green hut to the east, and one of the sniper towers. Ajay was breathing heavily and so was I. This was intense.

Hiding against the wall isn't brave, but it might kept me from dying. More importantly, Ajay. I knew to not to underestimate the Royal Guard, they're tougher and better equipped.  

Once the post was cleared, we enter the mortar shack to broadcast the victory message and prepare for more enemies to arrive from the east. 

"Listen, people of Kyrat, Ajay Ghale, hero of the Golden Path, has captured the bridge and has reunited the lost comrades in the north. This is a historic day for Kyrat, for the liberation of our country and for the blow against Pagan's tyranny." Amita explains, and Ajay and I share a look of pure satisfaction. All the work we had done to get us to this point was not taken for granted. It was eerily satisfying to hear the message and know it would be broadcast to all of Kyrat.

After that, we meet the Golden Path soldiers celebrating at the entrance. It was so nice to know that we had opened another door for Kyrat's freedom. It really was a historical day for Kyrat. One that we'll never forget.

"Congratulations! You can now access Northern Kyrat." The Golden Path members yell in unison. we hugged and began to plan the next day and the next and how it would all pan out.