A Dance of Two Worlds

A Desperate Plan

Chapter Thirty-Six

A Desperate Plan

Some "Ifs" bring some stories to a tragic end.

Elisium

5L 21/19/5/12

"Were these trucks toppled in the same way as the trucks in that ambush four years ago?"

HighCommander Christopher asked looking at the toppled vehicles.

"Yes sir," Commander Simon replied. "If anything it was worse than that, but thankfully this time they didn't break open the door to shoot. Our soldiers inside the truck were injured but survived the attack. No one knows what hit them but everyone is sure that the enemies were on foot and they did not have any machines to topple these vehicles."

"Then how did they topple the trucks?"

"No idea sir. The trucks flew then bounced and flipped multiple times before coming to a halt. The soldiers felt as if they were inside a giant football that had been kicked by a monster."

Christopher's family had vowed to protect the legend. He knew what made these trucks fly. "If they had the guts to enter our security perimeter and take a stroll in these fields, then we should be wary of them. Tell me how did we come to know about their presence?"

"Someone amongst them must have accidentally triggered our security alarm."

Christopher shook his head. "But it did us no good. They escaped and we lost around a hundred men."

"Yes, we lost a few men but due to this incident, we came to know that they have secret access inside our security perimeter. That could have been a vital blow to our defenses if it came down to a war. But by following their trail, we were able to locate that hidden entrance."

"What! You mean to say, you have been able to find out how they entered our perimeter?"

Simon's chest puffed up. "Yes sir, let me take you there."

Simon guided Christopher through the bushes towards the entrance of the tunnel. Two hundred soldiers were guarding it. "In their rush to escape they left behind a trail that led us to this tunnel."

"Did you send men down the tunnel?"

"Yes sir. And this is not a single tunnel but a series of interconnected tunnels. Its two other exits open inside the Ruins, but its farthest exit opens on the riverbank outside our security perimeter. They might have used that opening to trespass into our territory."

"What was there on the other side?"

"Just like we are protecting the exits on our side, they are now heavily guarding that entrance on the riverbank. The moment our men exited the tunnel, enemies showered them with Star-Rock pellets."

Christopher paced back and forth inside the tunnel. "Rather than guarding the exits, we must seal the tunnel. Get your men to work and seal the tunnel midway, so that they can't access any of the three exits that open inside our security perimeter."

"Okay, sir."

"I had always been intrigued that from where were they getting the Star-Rocks to use in their ammunition? I have my answer now. And with this tunnel gone, their weapons manufacturing will be severely crippled."

"Yes sir, this will be a big blow for them."

Christopher returned to the farms and looked around. "I don't think they were out here for a stroll. They must have been planning something big but were caught wrong-footed. Still, they managed quite a mayhem. They came so close to our headquarters and we can't rule out the possibility that they were planning an attack on the Ruins. Keep all our forces on high alert and recruit extra troops to guard these exits until the tunnel is completely sealed."