by Matt Pike
That’s when I realised the guard’s attention was behind me. The others on my flank had followed me into action and, while his fire had pinned them down in various spots across the battlefield, they were all firing on him. He took another bullet in the side and dropped to the floor.
I hit the trigger on my weapon and sent an arrow into his chest. He was already on the floor.
Beyond him, there were bodies everywhere. All the guards were down, though. I could see Zoe ushering the last of the workers back through the entrance of the compound.
I made it to my feet again, stashed my useless pistol, then called for the others on my flank to follow me towards Zoe and her team.
She saw me and frantically gestured for me to get there quickly
Just as I was making the last few metres of ground I saw the figures of another wave of redlegs nearing King William St from the pit side. One second I could see the tops of their heads rising as they climbed the sloping ground to street level, the next they had us spotted and were racing for cover then firing.
I had reached my own cover at the entrance to the compound by that point. I exchanged a smile with Zoe, then shot an arrow at the redlegs coming up from the other side of King William. I missed my target but struck the trunk of the tree she was using for protection. I knew it would have her thinking twice before stepping out to fire next time.
Zoe and I turned our attention to the others following me in, pointing out the new threat and ushering them in.
“Nice of you to show up,” Zoe said to me.
“Nice of you to be true to your word,” I replied.
Alyce unloaded some suppressing fire at the redlegs, while the rest of the team made the final charge for safety - also firing back as they went. There were bullets flying everywhere by that point. One of them hit Mark in the hip, just as the other two were through the doorway. That’s when the enemy got a little bolder; they stepped out of their cover and fired to keep us pinned in the compound. I didn’t want to lose that corner, it gave us eyes-on. I could hear Mark screaming in pain. He was probably only 50m away, but there were at least five of the enemy all over the space - I couldn’t risk it.
I grabbed the two-way and called up to Asha and Nate, to see if they had a line of sight with the enemy and to keep me updated if they did. Well, Asha. Nate was already heading to the pit site with his sniper rifle.
“Affirmative,” said Asha. “You’ve got six of them headed your way.”
The sound of sniper shot echoed across the compound. “Make that five.”
There was another shot, shortly before another update. “Four.”
I could hear their frantic calls for retreat well before I got the message from Asha to confirm they were doing a runner. I snuck a look around the corner to see it with my own eyes before making a dash to Mark, Zoe following me out. She’d upgraded her pistol to a rifle taken from one of the fallen guards. I did my own upgrade to score a functioning pistol. We soon had our new weapons trained on the road in case anyone returned.
One redleg did take up position behind the big rig but soon fell victim to another shot from Asha. I didn’t see it, but Zoe had and, judging by her reaction, it was a headshot.
Mark was covered in blood and in a world of hurt when we reached him. I told him we were going to lift him and help him get back to the compound. He fought through the pain to give a nod, then Zoe and I took a shoulder each to aid his lift. One of his legs was strong enough to hold his weight. I took the burden for him on the other side.
Things were as quiet as they had been in a few minutes as we hobbled back to safety. It was a chance to listen to the two-way radios to get a bigger picture of what was going on. The enemy chatter was all but dead. The only communication was a call-out to their missing members - the guard towers, the group Steph and Ye-jun had dealt with, and those whose bodies we walked past at that moment. The response to the call-outs was silence. They waited another minute and tried again - same result.
*
Meanwhile, our radio was full of chatter. Of the three big groups rolling through the city, the middle one (headed down King William) had been ordered to split into two, flanking left and right to join the others. Those groups were now advancing oval side of North Tce. Hopefully they’d all get on top of the action before the Fat Man had any idea they were there.
All the action was now hidden from my flank on the other side of King William Rd.
By this point, Nate was making his way past Parliament House, looking for a place to take a clean shot on at those down by the pit.
Steph was giving updates and it didn’t look good. They were gathering the workers together. She’d also seen a heated discussion between the Fat Man and one of the retreating team from our recent encounter. The underling was soon gathering numbers and headed back our way.
*
We had to hurry.
Each step was a delicate balance between not causing Mark pain but doing it as quickly as humanly possible.
Asha had the enemy group in her sights by that point and told us they were only 20m short of King William Rd. We heard a sniper shot ring out again. “That’ll slow ’em down,” she added.
I could hear the reinforcements coming down the east side of the Government House compound. It sounded like a lot of people.
This time the enemy came up at the front side of the big rig, which gave them protection from Asha’s sniper. Zoe was all over it when the first of them popped their head out from cover to scope the battlefield. She sunk a few rounds into the rig and the guy pulled back.
By that point, we were nearly back to safety. Just as we reached it, the army started flooding around the corner, directed by signals from Alyce and Kelly. I saw Jimmy from Goodwood near the front of the group. I told him to keep an eye on the front of the big rig then turned my attention back to Mark. Once we’d gotten him inside the door, we found a safe spot to lower him down. There were a number of injured there now, but some of those were at least in a state that they could offer assistance to Mark.
Once that’d happened, Zoe and I returned to join Alyce, Kelly, as well Jimmy from Goodwood and the new army.
*
Zoe and I worked with Jimmy and the others to position the army as it flooded around the corner. We used every piece of cover available, but it wasn’t enough. Many had to find the battle mark in the open, either crouched or prone.
It was too dangerous for us to advance. We had forces expected up the other flank and if we found ourselves in a position where we were shooting at an enemy pinned in between us at that range, well, that would lead to a lot of friendly fire.
We just had to be ready if any of the enemy made it back to the rig in one piece. That was their only chance now, whether they knew it or not. If they did, we’d shoot the thing up until it looked like a cheese grater. But the chance of them having an out still bugged me.
“Base. Jessie, You there?”
“Affirmative.”
“I need you to get your ass on Phoenix and get here right now. Come around the east side of the compound.”
“Affirmative.”
“Come fast.”
“Roger.”
It was all I could think to do.
*
“They’re going to kill them,” said Steph on the two-way. “I can’t get a shot from here. Nate! Nate, where are you?”
“Coming, 30 seconds.”
“Jonesy, what about your lot?”
“Nearly there. Hang tight.”
It’s the piece of communication that will haunt me for a long time.
*
As well as this.
“Oh my god, they’re everywhere!” came a voice on the enemy two-way, presumably from someone in cover near the big rig. “Hundreds of them.”
“What, where?” responded the Fat Man.
“Streaming out from behind the compound, more than I can count.”
“Fuck!” said the Fat Man, before enemy comms dropped off again.
“Here and moving in,” said Jonesy.
Shortly before Nate added “Almost in position.”
*
For me, all I remember was standing in front of a wall of people with my gun at the ready. There was nothing to do but listen to the radios and wait. Then a volley of fire rang out. For a good 10 seconds it rang out as the only sound in the city.
Then a sniper shot broke the monotone rhythm. That seemed to trigger all manner of weapon sounds.
I prayed with everything I was to anyone that wanted to listen that it wasn’t what I thought it was. But something inside told me to expect the worst.
There was something in the tone of Steph’s voice when she called it in seconds later “They’re retreating.”
The Fat Man had gunned down the workers.
*
That’s when I heard the sound of a roar. Loudest noise I think I’ve heard a group of humans make in my life. It was the army on the western flank. They were charging at the last of the Norwood crew.
The sound of gunfire and pain was everywhere.
*
The two-way went dead for what seemed like the longest time until Steph said “They’re doing a runner.”
Someone else - not sure who - added, “Kill those fuckers.”
I turned to the army behind me. “As soon as you see them hit the ridge, fire with everything you’ve got. The second you see one of our crew on the same space, you stop firing and we charge. Got it?”
“Got it,” came the response of at least 200 people, driven to make this moment change their lives.
I stood in front of them, my hand in the air, waiting to drop it to signal the start of our attack. I waited.
*
There was plenty of warning for the moment as the terrified screams grew louder by the second. Then, the back of the rig shuddered as a spray of bullets buried into it, right before the first of the remaining Norwood crew came into view.
I yelled “Fire” and dropped my hand.
One redleg was pulling something out of his bag as he ran behind the rig. When he emerged past the front he threw something in our direction.
He was gunned down before the projectile hit the ground, but when it did a big explosion tore out, showering those of us at the front with all kinds of debris.
My body stung and I could feel bits of god knows what buried in my chest and legs.
The explosion had kicked up the ash, screening the rig from our sight.
I yelled out another command, calling everyone to flank around the dust and to only open fire if there were no friendlies in view at all.
Then I ran, well, hobbled, out at an angle to position myself closer to the compound and past the ash cloud. Dozens and dozens followed behind me, while those closer to the river chased around the debris cloud on the other side.
By the time I had line of sight again, the rig’s engines had started up, same with the hovercraft. I went to fire, but a burst of fire from someone on top of the rig had me dropping to the deck. A sniper shot rang out before Asha reported “I tapped the one of the roof!”
I got to my feet again and saw the body dangling down, foot caught between some armaments.
The rig was in motion by this point.
As it left, it revealed a wrestle on the ground. I realised it was Steph and one of the redlegs in an absolute punch on. I headed in her direction but felt hopelessly too far away when he unloaded a combo of punches that felled her. He climbed on top of her and pulled a knife from within his fatigues.
I sent a crossbow shot at him. It missed.
I screamed “Nooo!” as I scrambled to reload.
Then, from the other side of the ridge, two men sprinted into frame - Maria’s boys. One had a cricket bat. He took a swipe at the redleg and hit his face flush. I’ll never forget that sound. The redleg’s body slumped to the ground and the pair finished the work that had probably already been finished by the cricket bat blow.
Steph was getting back to her feet as I hit the ridge and turned my attention to the big rig. There were two in the cabin and another one climbing up the ladder at the rear to reach the roof. He never made it that far. In front of them, the hovercraft was already nearly back across the bridge, with five of them crammed in.
We unloaded everything we could on the rig. Concentrating our fire on the tyres and the cabin. It didn’t stop the engine roaring as it accelerated away.
As it did, we chased it up to King William Rd, reaching it just as the group on the other flank did. It continued to pick up speed. The engine cried for a new gear and it started angling off the road, towards the oval.
That’s when we started to realise something was wrong.
Or, well, right.
As it neared the oval’s perimeter wall, a figure opened the passenger side door and jumped out. It was the Fat Man.
The rig continued the last few metres of its journey, ramming hard into the wall. It was loud, but a rather unspectacular end. The cabin compacted as it pushed up and angled over from the weight of momentum it had built up. The engine stayed screaming and the wheels turned around, but it was going nowhere.
The Fat Man was slow to regain his feet. His body looked broken by the fall. By the time he was vertical, the hovercraft had already turned back around in his direction. Nate reached us at the front, lying prone in the centre of King William Rd and aiming his sniper rifle. The first shot missed the Fat Man, but not by much.
It was enough to send the Fat Man to the ground again. A second shot rang out, I don’t think it hit.
By that time, the hovercraft had arrived by his side and three of the others got out to attend to their boss.
Nate’s next shot hit one of them in the shoulder. He fell to the ground just as the Fat Man was finding his feet once more. He piled into the hovercraft as the newly injured redleg tried to find his own feet through the pain.
The rest didn’t wait around for him, taking off and heading through the parklands, leaving him to face the music.
The sound of one hovercraft was replaced by another as Jessie turned Phoenix around the last corner of the compound and headed our way.
By the time he reached us, Ye-jun and Kelly were at my side, armed and ready to jump in. I called out to Nate that we’d grab him on the way through. He was ready with his sniper rifle as we did and leapt into the cabin without me having to lose much of the early speed.
Kelly, meantime, had kept her eyes on the other hovercraft.
I took the controls, cranked the fans up as high as they would go and we set out in pursuit.
“We gonna catch ’em,” said Ye-jun. “There’s no way a hovercraft carrying all that extra kit and an extra person is going to match us for pace.”
“Nearly two extra people if you count fatty,” added Nate.
Sure enough, the ground between us started to melt away pretty quickly.
They headed up to Frome St, then turned into the direction of the city again.
“They might be planning to head back to Norwood,” I said.
“That’s not going to happen,” added Kelly.
The stretch of Frome St between the university and the hospital was always going to be a problem for them. Had they any real experience on hovercraft, they would’ve known inclines slow you down at the best of times, especially if you’re carrying a full load. While it hit Phoenix’s performance too, it was barely a blimp compared to the other craft.
By the time they’d reached the top and turned east onto North Tce, their original lead was whittled down to not much more than 100m.
They must’ve known it was a matter of time now and were no doubt planning accordingly. It made heading into a blind corner - obscured by buildings - something to worry about. You could still make out the distant sound of their engine over the top of ours. It was enough to know they hadn’t stopped, but it was a risk nonetheless.
“Be ready for anything,” I said as we neared the turn.
Sure enough, we
came under fire. One of their crew had jumped ship, found a spot to camp and unloaded on us as we sped around the turn.
One of the cushion sections took a hit and lost air, but we escaped damage long enough to spot him and return fire as he was changing clips on his pistol. He fell to the ground and didn’t get back up.
Our attention turned back to the chase. We were running a little slower with the break in the air cushion, and they were a little quicker now they’d jettisoned a crew member, but we were still gaining.
They hovered past the hole they’d created in our city ash wall defence in battles past, then into the parklands. We were only 70m behind when we did the same.
The irony of passing the Botanic Hotel and how critical that had also been in battles past was not lost on me as we whipped by. It was one of the key points where the Norwood crew killed for access to our city - a move that led to so much more carnage.
Now we were back here, chasing the last of them away from our city. I knew we had to make sure it was once and for all.
With a clean run of road now ahead of us, Jonesy moved in next to me and found a comfortable spot to shoot from.
They had started firing on us by that point too - one guy was standing up and shooting over the fans, the woman was leaning out the side and shooting around them. It made them harder targets, but also must’ve increased the aiming difficulty.
It also made it tough to drive, but I couldn’t think about the bullets flying past. I just had to stay low in the driver’s seat and hope Nate’s range work and weapon were better than theirs. I got him to signal when he was steadying for a shot. When he wasn’t, I tried to move Phoenix around a little, to make ourselves a tougher target.
Jonesy’s third shot connected with one of the two firing back at us. Right in the face. His head was punched back and his body followed, right into the driver. Their hovercraft snaked around for a bit before they managed to push the body over the side.
Seconds later, something else was thrown from the hovercraft - a lump that lobbed up in the air and was coming down only a few metres in front of us. I caught enough sight of it to recognise another bomb.