Juggernauts

CHAPTER 25: The Shot Heard Around The World

The team crawled over the rubble of the wall and through the debris of buildings until they found a building that was somewhat intact.

"Inside, now!" Tom commanded.

The team entered the building and closed the door behind them.

"Jackpot sir. Map of the camp." Alex said as he held up an old paper map.

"Alright, let's have a look." Tom said.

Tom scanned the map with his eyes and pointed to a building near the main gate.

"Command center. I bet there is an underground bunker that the coward is hiding in." Tom gritted his teeth.

Tom kicked the door open and and began marching toward the building he noted on the map. Several German soldiers that had not been killed in the bombing charged him with pipes and knives.

Without stopping his momentum, he killed them one by one. Drawing his pistol, he shot one in the throat. The next one was grabbed by the throat, lifted into the air, and thrown to the ground before Tom stepped on his face and crushed it like a melon.

Blood rage filled Tom as he grabbed another soldier by the throat, lifting him into the air and with one hand, crushing and breaking the German's neck.

Other soldiers stopped in their tracks as Tom casually threw the soldier to the side and continued walking toward the bunker. The Germans looked to each other then back to Tom as they all turned and fled the camp, not wanting to face the wrath of this clearly deadly and impossible to kill man.

Tom reached the door of the bunker and gripped the handle, but it wouldn't open. Filled with rage, he gripped the handle so hard, he crushed it in his hand. He threw his rifle to the ground and began pounding on the door and kicking it.

With each hit, it slowly loosened from its hinges. After several more punches and kicks from his armored body, the door gave way. It flew across the room and down a flight of stairs. He picked his rifle back up as he and his team swarmed the building, clearing room by room.

"Basement." Tom said as he headed down the stairs, moving the crippled door from his path.

When they reached the basement, they saw several doors along a wall. "Stack up, we clear them all at once." Tom told his team.

They did as they were told and waited for Tom's order.

The world froze in time as Tom pressed his shoulder against the wall next to the door. His grip on the rifle tightened as his mind raced. His thoughts flashed back to him joining the service, his first kill, the loss of his team in an attack, then finally, joining PANZER.

"Kick 'em!" He yelled as he threw the full weight of his body into the door and swung his rifle up to meet his eye line. Inside the room was a dozen soldiers, and Takoda.

Tom swung his sights over to the commander's body, when something grabbed his gun. A German soldier pulled his rifle away from Takoda's area.

Tom let go of the rifle as he pulled out his pistol and shot the soldier. He then moved on to another soldier until he go to Takoda, who has Benson in a headlock with a gun to his bare head.

"Drop it Hanson!" Takoda ordered.

Tom fixed his pistol's sights on Takoda's head. His finger caressing the trigger, waiting for the right moment.

"You have 5 seconds Captain." Takoda threatened.

"Put the gun down or I will put you down!" Tom replied surprisingly calmly.

The rest of the team pointed their guns at Takoda as Benson began fiddling with his knife.

Suddenly, Benson stabbed Takoda in the leg. Takoda screamed in pain as he let go of the soldier. In that moment, Tom emptied his pistol's magazine into the torso of the German commander.

Even after Takoda was on the ground, Tom continued pulling the trigger, with nothing but a clicking sound following each pull.

Tom walked over to the dying German and reloaded. He knelt down and whispered to his enemy, "I'll see you in hell you rat bastard." He stood back up and shot Takoda in the forehead.