Juggernauts

CHAPTER 20: Separated

The helicopter pitched wildly to avoid the incoming rocket, throwing Tom against the wall and Shawn slipping down the platform toward the rope.

"Shawn!" Tom yelled as the helicopter tried to steady.

Tom scrambled over to Shawn and began pulling him up to his feet. "You ok kid?"

Shawn nodded as the radio spoke again. "Another RPG! You guys have to get down now!"

Tom could see Shawn hesitate at the rope. He grabbed the young soldier around the waist and leaped at the rope. With one hand around the rope, and one arm around Shawn, he slid down the rope. 

"Brace for impact!" The pilot yelled as the rocket plunged into the side of the helicopter.

The Mi-8 began spinning rapidly as it flung Tom and Shawn around and around.

Tom's grip loosened on the rope as he and Shawn flew through the air and into the window of an old office building.

The two soldiers slowly pulled themselves off the floor as they stumbled to regain their balance and their focus.

"Shawn. Shawn are you ok?" Tom said quietly.

"Yeah, I'm good. Where are we?"

"I'm not sure, but we need to-" Tom quickly crouched near a door as a German soldier came in with a rifle and a flashlight.

Tom pulled out his knife and pistol as the soldier passed right by him and pointed his gun at Shawn. In an obvious panic, Shawn raised his hands to seemingly surrender. 

Quietly, Tom came up behind the German and wrapped his arm around the soldier, plunging his knife into the chest of his enemy. Tom then pressed the end of his suppressed pistol into the temple of the soldier, and pulled the trigger.

Tom re-sheathed his blade and holstered his pistol. "You know how to use your blade kid?"

Shawn nodded and pulled out a k-bar. "After you sir."

Tom readied his rifle as he peered through the door and around the corners. 

He and Shawn slowly made their way down, floor by floor until they heard a large group of soldiers start coming up the stairs. "Back up Shawn. To the roof." Tom commanded.

They hurried their way back up until they found themselves in a sniper nest. Two German soldiers were laying down, looking through large holes in a wall while another slept in the corner.

Tom pointed to the sleeping soldier and made a throat cutting gesture to Shawn. Shawn nodded as he slowly approached the sleeping soldier.

Tom used the sounds of the sniper's shots to conceal his footsteps as he crept up to them.

He looked over to Shawn to see him cover the mouth of the sleeping soldier as he stabbed him repeatedly.

Tom knelt down next to the two snipers and said in a clear voice. "Evening gents."

The two soldiers looked up at him as he grabbed them by their shirt collars and smashed their heads together, before throwing them out the window.

Tom picked up the sniper rifles and handed one to Shawn. "Take a look and see if we can't find out where we are.

They looked through the scopes and began scanning the area.

After a moment of looking around, Shawn spoke up. "Sir, I see the marines I think."

Tom swung the rifle over to where Shawn was looking to see a group of dead and wounded soldiers. "Not looking good man. We need to get to them soon." Tom said as he noticed a sparkle in the distance.

"What the hell is that?" Tom looked through the scope to see a glint from a piece of glass several hundred yards away. Suddenly, there was a second flash. Very brief and very distinct. 

Breaking the silence, a piece of concrete exploded several feet from Tom's head.

"Sniper!" Tom called out as he tackled Shawn to the ground and a second round went through the wall. "We need to get to the roof and try to get out of here." 

The two of them continued up several flights of stairs to the roof where they found several German soldiers moving crates of RPGs. They quickly disposed of them as more sniper rounds hurled toward them, getting closer and more accurate each time. 

Tom and Shawn hid behind some of the crates that were scattered along the roof. Shawn looked over to Tom and called out "I have and idea sir."

Tom shifted over to look at Shawn "I'm all ears kid."

Shawn quickly stood up and grabbed a rocket launcher and a rocket. He sat back down behind the crate as another round flew over his head.

He loaded the rocket and Tom followed his lead, grabbing a launcher and rocket. They both stood up and fired at the building that the sniper was in.

One rocket landed short and the second too high. "Again!" Tom commanded as a shot hit the case he was next to.

They loaded, aimed, and fired again. This time, both rockets hit the building and sent it collapsing into rubble. 

"Good work kid. That was some quick thinking." Tom complimented as he tossed the launcher off of his shoulder.

"Thank you sir." Shawn smiled under his mask. 

Suddenly, Tom's radio came to life. "Sir, where are you? We are pinned down by MG fire near the drop point!" Alex called out over the coms.

"Shawn and I got sidetracked with the chopper going down. Making our way back." Tom replied. "Come on kid, we have work to do."