Living for War: The Collin War Chronicles

by W. C. Hoffman

  “This is going to be decisive. I mean, if they don’t know we have backup, then HAGS is going to be wiped out,” Koby said. “It’ll be like bringing a knife to a gun fight. They might have choppers, but we can neutralize that advantage quickly with that many people.”

  “Speaking of, Sergeant Gibbs said you some ‘innovative’ ways of dealing with the choppers. Fill me in,” Collin said.

  Koby explained the sensors and booby trapped claymores. Collin’s eyes grew wide.

  “Wow, okay ...” Collin whistled. “Things will go to hell real quick for them if it all works out.”

  “There is one more thing,” Koby said with a devilish grin.

  “I was only gone for a few days. Why are you not this productive when I’m here?” Collin joked.

  Koby shifted on the bed sitting up fully. “Well, thanks to the Maniacs we have an army, thanks to the Vipers we have a Calvary, and thanks to me, we now have an Air Force.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  Birds were chirping as leaves rustled in a light morning breeze when they heard the steady beat of helicopter rotors pounding the air.

  Collin took a deep breath to calm his nerves. He stood in the bell tower of the church in the same place he’d been when Major Logan was still in charge and they’d battled the Vipers. This time though, Brady stood beside him. Both of them carried rifles, but they had no intention of staying in the tower. Once the helicopters landed, they would get to the ground and join the fray.

  “Do you think we’ll win this one?” Brady asked.

  It was their first time fighting since the Eagles and Vipers came together. Although their overall numbers were lower, there were still experienced fighters among them.

  Collin gave Brady a serious look. “We have to.”

  Over the last couple of days, since their return from Missoula, they had put the finishing touches on their preparations. Camouflage had been added to the traps and fighting positions, ammunition counted and distributed, weapons cleaned, and battle plans gamed out and shared with the fighters.

  The defensive teams were broken up into three groups. Eagles would carry out the main attack with half of the Maniacs from Missoula, while the Vipers would defend the town and provide indirect fire should HAGS make it over the bridge. The other Maniacs would serve as a security detail inside the school where the non-fighting residents would be kept for shelter. Upon Collin’s signal they would join the fight if need be. Collin knew this wouldn’t be their last fight with HAGS, and he didn’t want to play every card in his hand if it wasn’t necessary.

  Despite his military training, Collin wasn’t accustomed to playing defense. His strength was in assault tactics and covert action. They tried to leverage that experience as much as possible, but for the most part, they stuck to a classic defensive strategy that Gibbs and others contributed to. Collin remembered it was often best to “keep it simple, stupid,” just like his instructors repeated.

  “I’m so glad we built that wall,” Collin said with a weak laugh.

  “Me too. It’ll be a big help today,” Brady said.

  The thumping rotors grew louder. Collin pushed aside thoughts of Julie and Koby, who had taken cover in the basement of the hospital, as they had following the Eagle’s Bar bombing.

  In the distance, Collin saw fast moving specks against the blue morning sky. Flying high in formation, the helicopters looped around the entire valley. There were eight helicopters. The air cavalry contained three Blackhawks and five duel-rotor Chinooks. It was clear HAGS was prepared to take the women of Goshen with them as they left today.

  “I didn’t know they had that many helicopters,” Brady said.

  “Must be quite a stockpile because we saw at least one get shot down in Missoula. I can’t imagine they’re the only survivors pushing back against HAGS,” Collin said.

  “Not after today there’s not,” Brady said, agreeing with his father.

  Looping back around, a few choppers broke off from the main formation and buzzed low over the dam. None of them opened fire or attempted to land.

  “I hope the snipers’ camo is solid,” Brady muttered.

  “Those are good guys; don’t worry about that. I’m more concerned that the helicopters will sit back out of range and strafe us to death,” Collin said. “Come on and land already, you bastards.”

  “They know it’s their weakest moment and most vulnerable,” Brady said.

  Collin grunted. He knew all the possible scenarios had already been gamed out beforehand, and they had a contingency for whatever HAGS might do.

  A short beep from an air horn cut through the noise. Two long lines of women marched out from the school gymnasium. Their footsteps marked time like the soldiers that led them toward the bridge.

  Two of the helicopters continued to circle high overhead. Another pair hovered over the forest to the south, one took up position over the dam, and the remaining three swooped down toward the fields.

  “Here we go,” Collin said.

  All three of the helicopters dropping toward the field were Blackhawks. Holding up his binoculars, Collin could see soldiers inside. He hoped Dr. Denard was among them, although he doubted the man would join in such a potentially risky operation.

  The choppers leveled out and began to descend. All of the women broke out of formation and ran for cover in their assigned fighting positions. The choppers were still a hundred feet in the air, but dropping quickly into the newly constructed landing areas thanks to the structural changes made in the harvest field. The infrared lights detected the motion and detonated the claymores.

  Collin flinched and cursed. Dirt, dust, and smoke clouded the air, quickly followed by the whine of the engines and the squeal of metal tearing against metal. The two flanking helicopters were hit the hardest in the blast, squishing the middle chopper.

  “Holy shitballs! That worked like a charm,” Brady said, patting his dad on the back.

  The attack helicopter on the left side pulled away and dropped to the ground, breaking in half as it slammed into one of the dirt berms they’d built to limit the landing area. The other two helicopters spun wildly out of control. Black smoke streamed from the engine and they lost altitude quickly. One crashed upside down at the western edge of the forest, closest to the dam. The other regained control from its spin and opened fire on the town. Collin and Brady watched as the pilot wildly shot up the buildings of Goshen with no particular aim.

  Aninth chopper broke over the edge from the rear mountain side of town. Collin was surprised to see it as they had never approached from that direction before. However, HAGS had never been hit like this, he was sure. Dropping down directly over the steeple of the church, the new chopper waited until its partner had completed the random strafing run to activate the one weapon Goshen feared more than bullets and rockets.

  The sonic weapon ignited the eardrums of the ground troops, sending them scurrying like ants. Collin and Brady watched in horror unaffected by the weapon thanks to their position directly below the chopper that housed it.

  Brady smiled and reached down into his backpack, removing the dual stick controller to pilot Koby’s Air Force attack.

  “Koby’s surprise,” Collin said.

  The RC drone packed with a piece of C4 and ball bearings streaked up from between the trees. As Brady piloted it closer, he remote detonated the payload directly in front of the helicopter.

  They watched in awe as the explosion devastated the chopper. The blast forced it to swerve wildly away from the church. It tilted violently to its side, and Collin watched a man fall from the gunner position just before the fuselage impacted against the dam. A loud thump vibrated in their chests as the chopper exploded into a black ball of smoke and intense flame, sliding down the wall of the concrete structure. The wreckage found its final resting place in the raging water that exited the bottom of the hydroelectric beast.

  Two additional transport choppers broke over the wood line in the direction from the former Viper ca
mp and sat down right in the middle of the field. Swarms of HAGS ground troops poured out from the sides and began advancing across the barren farmland toward Goshen.

  All was silent for almost ten seconds as the HAGS army crossed the field at a steady jog, in a simple V attack formation. Readying for the fight they expected to be at the bridge, the seventy-five men in full tactical gear and assault weapons were a considerable force at first sight.

  Luckily, they had anticipated a large ground force. The newly constructed dirt berms funneled them toward the bridge in tighter groups. The Eagles and Maniacs exited the foxholes Collin ordered dug into the backside of the berms.

  Coming up over the edge of the berm, the combined forces defending Goshen unleashed hell on the HAGS army. Within minutes the small arms fire cut them down. It was not shooting fish in a barrel, but Collin had just watched from above as the battle of Thermopylae replayed itself right here in the heart of Montana.

  The last remaining Blackhawk turned its gunfire from the town on to the Goshen ground forces. With very little cover, the combined Eagles and Maniacs suffered heavy losses before they scattered back into the dugout berms.

  Those caught out in the open fell as .50 caliber rounds ripped through them. Meanwhile, two Chinooks executed quick touch and go drops offloading ground troops. The side door gunners added to the devastation that played out below.

  All hell broke loose.

  Rockets rained down on Goshen. Bullets peppered the wall along the river and the trees holding the Eagle Nests. The snipers atop the dam must have started firing because one Chinook slid sideways in the air and raced away.

  As the HAGS forces crested the last berm and approached the bridge, Collin had seen enough. “That’s our cue. Out of the tower.” He opened the trap door in the floor and let Brady climb down first. He followed as quickly as he could.

  As the Chinooks circled the town from a distance, their machine guns opened up. They were laying down suppressing fire on anything that moved inside of Goshen. This allowed their last few troops to clear the bridge.

  Goshen’s residents still held strong, fighting with passion. Vipers fought alongside them and together they were holding their own, taking pot shots when they presented themselves.

  Collin and Brady raced outside to join the battle to defend Goshen. As they emerged from the church, Brady shoved Collin out of the way of a series of shots that stitched the gravel road and blasted out one of the two front doors of the church.

  Collin tripped, but rolled and came up in a crouch. “Thanks.”

  “Sure thing, Dad,” Brady said. “Let’s go.”

  A machine gun fired another long burst. This time it was their side shooting at the choppers.

  Collin could see the Eagle’s Nest closest to the bridge sending a flurry of rounds at the chopper. Unfortunately, one of the pilots had been waiting to see where the shots came from. A rocket roared toward the machine gun and exploded with a finality that made Collin’s heart sink.

  One of the helicopters targeted the snipers on the dam, peppering the walkway with rounds that kicked up chunks of concrete. Brady dropped to a knee and aimed at the cockpit of the hovering death machine. It was a long shot with open sights, but Brady was good. His single round found its mark and the pilot slumped over the controls, pointing the war bird directly into the ground where it met a fiery death.

  The two transport helicopters circling overhead swerved and changed their pattern, still firing from the gunner’s side doors. They were the only air support HAGS had remaining, and Collin was shocked they were still around since Chinooks were so vulnerable. They’d taken such devastating initial losses. Collin figured they would be out of ammo or fuel soon and pulling back was the only logical move.

  An RPG roared through the air and found its way into the bottom of the furthest chopper, courtesy of the Maniacs. The aircraft burst into flaming pieces that fell on to homes below, igniting the roofs of a few while its impact totaled one house. Collin was grateful for Tiny’s suggestion to move the unarmed masses. Families may lose their homes but thanks to Tiny, their lives would be spared.

  Collin’s let out a sigh of relief as the last Chinook disengaged and disappeared over the horizon. Nine HAGS helicopters had entered Goshen and only one left. With the air support retreating, Collin knew it was time to shift his focus to the ground battle. The silence in the sky quickly revealed the firefight raging around the bridge.

  Collin rushed around the corner and was caught off guard by the number of HAGS agents who had survived the siege and taken control of the bridge. Watching them filter over the span and enter the town one by one was evidence the fight for Goshen now was in the streets. Reaching down to his cargo pocket, he removed the bright orange flare gun and sent the burning projectile high into the sky.

  The disciplined but outnumbered HAGS agents crossing the bridge crashed like waves upon a shorewall made of the Eagles, Vipers, and Maniacs arrayed against them along Main Street.

  For every Maniac that fell to a HAGS gun, another took their place. Brady and Collin stayed tight together as their mass of firepower wore down the foolish HAGS soldiers. They maneuvered forward with the death of each enemy who wore the HAGS logo upon their shoulder.

  The amount of lead flying at the town’s combined forces slowly dwindled until the last HAGS agent threw down his weapon and dove behind the flimsy cover of an overturned wagon leaning against the remnants of a street light.

  Collin removed a silver referee’s whistle from his breast pocket and blew through it with all his might in three short blasts. He followed with a hand signal and verbal command. “Cease fire!”

  Collin and Brady slowly led the group forward as they approached the last man standing. Or cowering.

  “Come out with your hands up if you want to be granted mercy,” Collin ordered.

  The man stood up slowly, but stayed partially concealed behind the street light. Collin could only see his shadow.

  “Drop your weapon and get those hands high. You’ll be treated fairly. Come on, man. There has been enough death today.” Collin tried to coax the fighter out from his position. Collin knew they could easily rush and overwhelm the subject, but he also knew a prisoner of war could be an extremely valuable tool.

  A single gunshot rang out from behind the overturned cart, and Collin watched the shadow vanish to the ground as the dead man’s body flopped from the self-inflicted wound. Apparently the fighter was unwilling to see his time as a HAGS operative end in surrender.

  Walking around the corner and up to the man who looked to be no younger than Brady’s age, Collin was taken aback by his son’s words.

  “Well I’ll be damned,” Brady said with half a smile and an inquisitive look.

  “What?” Collin asked.

  “We know him,” Tiny answered. “Or did know him.”

  Impatience gripped his chest and furrowed his brow. “Who is he?” Collin asked.

  “Chris Pendell,” Brady said.

  “As in ...?” Collin wondered out loud.

  Tiny rolled the man’s body over and looked up at Collin. “Yep. This is your dead Pastor’s dead son.”

  CHAPTER FORTY

  “We survived an incredible battle,” Collin said. “But make no mistake, they will be back.”

  In the room that once served as Major Logan’s office, he was leading an impromptu Council meeting. With the leadership of the Maniacs present, Collin met the gaze of each of his friends and allies.

  “We can stay here and hope to defend the town again, or move on and try to meet up with other sectors to organize a real opposition force and free ourselves from HAGS once and for all. I don’t know about you guys, but I’m tired of playing defense. I say we take the fight to them.”

  Frank nodded. “Battling over the same ground is pointless. We want our families reunited. I can speak for my people when I say I’m with you on this, Collin. We need to take the fight to HAGS. Staying here means we just get pounded over and over agai
n. They won’t expect us to go on the offense. Even if we are cured, that doesn’t mean they will give up trying to destroy us.”

  “This is all well and good, but we just brought back the equipment. I need time for the serum. We can’t just pack up and run. Not yet. We won’t be free until we unshackle ourselves from BT76 and have enough supply to protect us and our allies as well,” Julie said. “Once you are out there, trying to build an army, the cure is your currency.”

  Tiny’s deep voice reverberated. “The doctor raises valid points. Perhaps we can keep a small security detail here to defend the hospital while the doctor produces more serum. However, we don’t need to keep everyone in town. I agree with Frank; we’d all be sitting ducks.”

  Collin agreed with Tiny. “Frank, have your people been in contact with anyone outside of Missoula? Delta or Echo sectors by chance?”

  “Not really. Not until we met you folks.” Frank sighed and shrugged. “But figuring it out won’t be difficult with that nifty map you mentioned.”

  Collin walked over to a green filing cabinet and opened the middle drawer. Pulling out the map, he unfolded it and spread it across the desk. Hovering over it, the group deliberated for almost an hours’ time before Jeb joined the conversation speaking his first words.

  “Collin, you ain’t thinkin’ straight. Every possible situation you have laid out in the last hour puts you in jeopardy. Your willingness to take on this battle from the front lines is inspiring and I would expect nothing less. You’re a commander and from what I hear, the town’s general. Well, sir, no general worth a pinch of snuff gonna place himself in harm’s way. No matter how brave it may be. With all due respect sir, I would like to propose an idea.”

  Collin had no reason at this point to question the man who had fought by his side. If Jeb had a better plan, then he was willing to hear what he had to offer.

  “Of course, Jeb. I’m sure someone with your experience could offer useful insight,” Collin said.

  Jeb sauntered up to the table. “HAGS will be coming back and they’ll be expectin’ to speak with you. If you’re not here, they’ll have no reason to spare the town. I’m pretty damn sure they want you, and why they do doesn’t make a lick of difference to me. I suggest you stay here in Goshen and assist the good doctor. We’ll leave you some of our Maniacs for protection. My men know how to fortify and hold a town. Hell, they kept Missoula for all these years and it was a much bigger place.”