Juggernauts

CHAPTER 22: Moon Over Bedzin

Tom opened the small wooden door and entered the broken down room and set his rifle next to the door. "Shawn, sit-rep."

Shawn stood up from a badly damaged laptop. "Good news and bad news boss. Command is working on the data and will update us soon."

"And the bad news?"

"They arnt sending any helos until sun rise."

Tom placed his hands on his hips then checked his wrist computer. "7 hours. Shawn, you and Al are on first patrol. Hour and a half sweeps. Twins' will take next shift."

"On it sir." Alex said as he got off a make shift bed on the floor.

He and Shawn picked up their guns and headed out the door. The moon lit the fragmented streets of the town as they walked side by side, checking ally ways and corners of buildings.

"Can I ask you a question sir?" Shawn said, breaking the silence.

"Sure kid, and you can call me Alex." Alex smiled.

"What is with Lieutenant Benson? Why does he seem to hate the Captain?"

"Lieutenant Harry Benson, never earned anything in his life kid. His parents bought his way to everything. Friends, education, even his way into the PANZER program. Tom never liked it, always felt you have to earn your way into this unit. But money does talk, and greasing the hands of a few brass was easier than earning it."

"So he wanted Tom's position? But with Tom still alive, he can't be in control of his own unit."

"Exactly kid. Tom was worried that Benson would try to kill him on an Op, doesn't seem that hes ever made an attempt though."

The two of them stopped for a moment. "Johnson, see anything on the road?" Alex asked over the radio.

Johnson scanned the area with his rifle from the top of an old church tower. "One road in, one road out. Still clear Sargent. How's things down there?"

"Empty, but if the Germans know what this team was doing here, then we have to believe they will try to stop us from leaving with this intel."

"Copy that, Johnson out."

Alex and Shawn returned to patrolling the area, when all of a sudden, Alex noticed some movement.

"Sir, we may have a situation." Alex radioed to Tom.

"What is it Al?"

"I have movement on the south side of town. Permission to engage?"

"Stand by. Johnson is re-positioning and I'm sending some of the marines to support you. Should be there in 30."

"Copy that sir, will maintain a loose follow."

"Copy, Hanson out."

Shawn and Alex moved to cover behind an overturned dumpster.

"In position. Waiting to engage on your mark Sargent." Johnson radioed.

"Moving around the West side. Start the party sir." A marine radioed.

"Copy, taking the shot." Alex said.

Almost simultaneously, everyone fired their weapons. Within seconds, all hostile forces were dead on the ground.

"Situation contained sir." Alex radioed to Tom.

There was no reply. "Tom, do you copy?"

The slight sound of gunfire in the distance grew louder and closer.

"Alex, we have a situation. Enemies pooling at the main road!" Johnson yelled over the radio.

"Shit, this was a diversion!" Alex yelled 

Shawn, Alex, and the marines made their way back to the main road to see dozens of German soldiers flooding in, this time with fully automatic weapons.

Three of the marines were mowed down before they could get to cover by Germans as Shawn and Alex began shooting back.

"We have to get back to the Captain!" Shawn yelled.

"Go! I'll cover you!" Alex replied.

Alex began shooting as the massing horde as Shawn ran back to the small stone building. 

"OK Alex, now you!"

Alex began running over to the shack when a bullet ricochet off his knee, knocking him to the ground from the weight of his armor.

"Alex!" Shawn yelled as he threw a smoke grenade into the road and ran back to Alex.

He grabbed Alex by the shoulder and dragged him back to the building.

Tom came in through the back door carrying another marine on his shoulders.

"It was a distraction sir." Alex told Tom.

"Yeah, I go that Al. How many marines did we loose out there so far?"

"Three on our side, and the one you brought in. So four sir."

"Five, I could only retrieve one body." Tom slammed his fist on the table.

"Johnson, hows it looking out there?" Tom radioed.

"Got most of them. But I think I may see a truck coming in."

"Damn, we have to move positions. Now!" Tom instructed.

"He is in no condition Captain." A marine said as he gestured to the wounded soldier on the table.

"He's right Tom. We can't move him." Ella chimed in.

"Then we will just have to fortify this position before reinforcements get here." Tom commanded

"Technical coming in sir, I'm trying to hit the driver, but it's heavily armored!" Johnson informed Tom.

The sound of screeching tires grew loud outside as the sound of spooling barrels roared over everything.

"Get down now!" Tom yelled as he threw Shawn to the ground, followed soon by Tom.

Ella and Alex both dove to the ground as bullets ripped through the stone walls and through the last standing marine.

"Damn it! Where is Benson and the twins?" Tom asked angrily

An explosion lit up the night outside as the sound of gunfire ceased. 

Tom stood up and peeked out the window to see the vehicle in flames, and Benson standing at the end of the road with an RPG.

"What?" He said as he tossed it off his shoulder.

From the direction of the road, Sanchez and Luis came back with 3 Germans at gun point. "Got a present for you Cap." One of them called out.

"Bring them over here!" Tom called out.

The three prisoners were brought before him and forced to their knees.

Without anything said, Tom pulled out his pistol and shot one of them in the head.

"Take the other two into that building over there." Tom pointed his gun to a run down shack at the end of the road.

Shawn and Alex took the two prisoners inside and stood by the door outside.

"The rest of you, watch the perimeter, make sure no Germans come back."

Tom walked over to the door and Alex stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "You're not gonna do anything that would get you in trouble sir, are you?"

"Are you going to stop me Sargent?" Tom said in a stern voice.

"Shawn, inside now."