Du Bois (Frozen Apocalypse Book 1)

by T. J. Mines

  If only Ismael could spot the sniper. Then he would be able to take him out himself and eliminate the danger for now. He gets his rifle from his back and sets it on the ground before him. Next he rummages in his backpack for his scope and fits it onto the weapon. He lies down next to the crate he was hiding behind and takes off his goggles. He steadies his barrel onto a piece of tank and looks down the scope.

  Ismael must assume the sniper uses infrared to see them and the way he is positioned now makes him stand out better than when he was crouched behind a piece of wood. Also, his scope is not electronically augmented making it hard to see anything in the absolute darkness of the parking garage. The only way to bring the advantage to himself is to bring more light into the garage.

  Throw a flare, Ismael instructs on the wrist communicator.

  "What?" the soldier replies out loud.

  "Do it, now," Ismael hisses.

  The soldier grabs a flare from his pack and lights it, throwing it away as soon as it ignites. He ducks further behind the box he was sitting behind as projectiles scream over him.

  Ismael now has illumination and the heat of the flare masks their relative cold bodies from the thermal imaging devices used by the sniper. Ismael steadies his breathing and scans the area where he would hunker down if he'd be the one picking off people.

  The wrecks in the corner of the garage seem like the best hiding spot. The metal of the vehicles can prevent bullets from entering the soft bits of a human. There is a short type of vehicle with round fixtures where the headlights would've been and a grille that seems to smile at him. The remnants of white paint cling to the metal underneath. The top of this car contains a perfect rectangle of a hole, it used to have a rag top, makes this car a bad choice for the sniper to hide in.

  Next to it is a large van like vehicle with large openings where the windows once were. It's hood is popped open and bits and pieces fall out of it like it was gutted a long time ago. The plastic hubcaps dropped next to the steel rims when the rubber of the tires disintegrated. Ismael would've dismissed this car too as a potential spot to snipe from, so he moves over to the next.

  This is better. The low vehicle has had only small windows and two doors. There is a rectangular hole in the roof for a skylight, but that would only be of minor concern to Ismael. This would be a good choice except for one detail: the interior is filled with debris from other cars. It's like this was deemed the best spot to store engine parts, exhaust manifolds and even whole doors. There is no way anybody could be hiding in that junk.

  His wrist communicator is vibrating. Without the goggles Ismael can't read the output while searching for the sniper. Next to him the soldier starts typing on his device, looking over at Ismael as he scans the other cars littered around the parking garage. The flare starts to burn out and the intensity of the light dims down. At the last possible moment Ismael sees movement from behind one of the cars. It's the low vehicle with all the trash stored inside.

  Though his scope Ismael can see the light of the flare reflect off of a tarp like the one he saw up top. Underneath the fabric he sees the barrel and scope of a sniper riffle he's never seen before. The barrel is a rectangle and has blocks of metal spaced in increasing intervals along the length. Close to the scope the blocks are almost touching. At the end you could fit several blocks between the last two. There is no magazine as far as Ismael can see. What he can see is a cable coming out of the back of the weapon. It disappears behind the sniper manning the gun.

  Intrigued by the strange looking weapon he aims for the person holding it, pointing his barrel at the top of the enemy's head. He lets out his breath and squeezes the trigger. A loud explosion, much louder than he would expect from his gun, follows. The soldier next to him jumps at the sound and rolls into the line of sight of the sniper. Just before the bullet from Ismael's gun hits the other person, a projectile is shot from the weapon he's holding. It speeds towards the man next to Ismael at incredible speeds and hits him in the nose, burrowing through the head and out the back where it hits one of the supports of the rack behind them with enough force left to break it. Ismael scrambles to get away from the tumbling boxes, crates and shelves as the thing comes crashing down onto his now dead parter.

  Ismael dons his goggles again and looks at the spot where the enemy sniper was hiding. The impact of his bullet lifted the tarp enough for him to now see the man, convulsing in the last throws of death. Ismael turns on the thermal imaging and scans for other people hiding. Other than the residual heat of the flare, the two soldiers lying dead at his side and the sniper he killed himself, nothing can be seen.

  Confident he is alone now in this part of the garage his curiosity gets the better of him and he walks over to the sniper nest while scanning his surroundings for movement or danger. At the spot behind the sports car Ismael lifts the tarp to reveal the other sniper and his equipment. Ismael pulls the body off of the weapon and inspects it. The long barrel is connected to a black box. At the top is a transparent tube with metal balls the size of a pea. The cable is connected to the back of the box and runs to a large battery pack. The charge indicator shows a blinking red bar. How the weapon works Ismael can't begin the fathom, but he wants to have it. The silence shots and instant death are like nothing he has encountered before. The possibility of defending his city without waking his fellow city dwellers in the night is priceless.

  Ismael puts his rifle back on his back and picks up the cumbersome equipment used by the dead sniper. He leaves the battery pack but takes the cable. With it he walks back to the impromptu camp site, leaving the bodies of the mates where they are for now.

  While Ismael tried to retrieve the rover, the rest of the town's guards regrouped. More squads joined the force and plans were made to take the lower level. Without the remote controlled vehicle, the tactics would rely on assumptions. The Du Bois forces do have an array of other gadgets to help them in their cleanup. The tech department supplied remote camera's and radar arrays to map the area's they'll be fighting in. To operate the complicated equipment a contingency of technicians joined the guard force in the underground parking garage. Close to the entrance they've set up a rig to monitor all communication, camera and radar feeds. Connecting it all to the servers in the city is a hard line, rolled out around the city walls.

  Up top several support and assault vehicles surround the hole Ismael and his team entered through. More vehicles patrol the area around where the parking garage sits underground to sweep up any enemy forces trying to exit the lower level. None have been found. Neither has the entrance through which the tank and the tons of weapons and ammunition came through. This makes it even harder to phantom how the Al Bari forces achieved all this. The Captain, while arranging his men and women to assault the lower level, keeps thinking about the possible ways they could have prevented this near-invasion. How could he have foreseen that this parking garage, which has been here for a long time, could pose such a threat to the city. How did the Al Bari forces get in here? Why hasn't anyone seen it coming?

  With Ismael back with the reports of the sniper and the lost rover done the Captain rallies his people.

  "OK, we are ready to find out what lies beneath," he starts, "You all know what you have to do. We've trained for an assault like this so let's play by the book. We don't know what they have in store for us. The only thing we know is what they could have down there. Everything up here is what they can't throw at us, so that's a blessing.

  Tech will guide us when we're blind, you will report anything you see to tech," the Captain continues, "We can do this. Some of you may fall. If you do, may your God guide you to your final resting place. The rest of us will not leave you, no matter what."

  The Captain looks at the people closest to him. One by one they show resolve and calm. He knows that will change in the heat of the battle. For now he is pleased.

  "Team up and go get the bastards!" he finishes his speech.

  Team leaders round up their squads and disperse. Eac
h has a specific section assigned and will support the operation to their best abilities. Ismael joins The Captain and their initial squad. Their task is to scope out the enemy below.

  At a signal all lights go out. The only illumination left comes from the rig where the tech guys are monitoring it all, way back from where the action will be. Everybody quiets down. No movement can be heard except for the occasional scuff of boots on the concrete floor. Ismael and his team are closest to the entrance to the second level. Ismael concentrates on the dig site and the hole in front of it. After a while he can hear the low hum of engines idling down there.

  They still have functioning equipment, he types in the team channel.

  I hear it too, Chitra answers, What could they have down there?

  At least a generator, Sander says, something should be generating electricity for their lights we saw earlier.

  Xabier, the Captain types, are you tuned in?

  Yes sir, comes the reply from the technician, how can I help?

  Send us a drone, the Captain asks, and send the feed to us too.

  From behind a high pitched soft whine indicates a drone powering up. At the same time a small screen opens in the team's goggles to show the camera feed from the now active drone.

  Are you getting this? asks Xabier. The rest of the team acknowledge the feed is received. The drone zips just below the ceiling towards the entrance to the second level. The night vision camera shows the husks of old cars and the shelves full of hardware. The occasional pocket of soldiers waiting to spring in action looks up at the drone. Their assigned tech warned them that the drone was coming, preventing any friendly fire at the expensive equipment. The drone slows down approaching the concrete wall shielding the ramp down. It stops just shy of crossing the wall. A glimpse of the upper part of the ramp is visible. Up there the ruined tank blocks the way for anything bigger than a bike. Several body shapes litter the space around the tank. The vehicle is still smoking from the inside, obscuring part of the dig site. Xabier switches to infrared. The tank lights up where Ismael hit it with the RPG. The dig site itself stays dark.

  This level is clear, Xabier types, moving over the ramp.

  The camera feed switches again, the hot spot on the tank is gone. Xabier nudges the drone around the entrance, trying to stay out of the line of fire while catching as much as possible from below. More of the ramp can be seen. The sides are fenced. Through the fence more old cars are visible. What's inside the cars is not clear from this distance. The drone stops moving again. It is now above the tank and still active. It has a view of the end of the ramp to the second level but can only see a few feet of the lower floor.

  Nothing, Marjory types, move lower.

  Xabier directs the drone to lose altitude at a steady rate. The camera shows more and more of what's below their feet. A metal object comes into view. Xabier stops the descend. It looks like the grill of a military vehicle once known as a Humvee. The distinct slots and wide set round headlights betray it's heritage.

  That's not good, the Captain types.

  Why? Lee asks, It's just a car.

  No, the Captain answers, it's a armored vehicle used in wars a long time ago. I wonder where they got it. It looks to be in a very good condition.

  Can't we blow it to bits, Chitra joins in, like we did to the tank?

  We could, Ismael types, if we could target it.

  A person enters the feed, walking with his eye on the scope of his rifle. Xabier moves the drone up to avoid being detected but it's too late. The enemy soldier shoots and the drone drops out of the air. The sudden noise shakes the troops scattered around the parking garage. As the drone drops the camera keeps sending video showing how the drone spirals down. Xabier tries his best to make it a controlled descend and keep the entrance in view. Each time the flying machine makes a full circle more of the barricade below is revealed. Ismael can see glimpses of three armored vehicles facing the ramp. He can also see one gunners nest to the side with at least one large caliber gun. Then a second shot and pieces of plastic and metal shower the ground, cutting the feed.

  The teams on the first level move in on the ramp. They got the all clear from their technicians after the images from Xabier's video feed were analyzed. Covering their team mates each team moves into position. Ismael and his team arrive first and wait with their backs to the low wall for the support teams to stop moving. On the other side of the ramp Alpha team takes the lead. The tension mounds.

  All set, comes the signal on the global channel. While the squads moved more drones came with them, showing video feeds to their team leader and monitoring the surroundings. No drone dares going over the ramp though.

  Ismael takes a peak around the wall separating him from the hole in the concrete. Still no lights are on but his goggles see plenty down there. In the short glimpse he saw nothing more than what the drone showed him.

  What's the plan? Ismael asks on the team channel.

  We have the high ground, so in theory we have the advantage, Lee types.

  Yes, Sander says, but they are dug in and ready for an all-out war.

  Can you create a smoke screen? Ismael asks.

  Why? the Captain replies, what are you planning?

  I'm going to get me another of those RPG's, Ismael answers, and blow the hell out of them.

  Smoke won't mask your heat signature.

  I know, but the tank's residual heat will.

  The Captain looks at Ismael. After a short internal deliberation he nods. Ismael gets up and hurries to the back where he saw one of the teams with the rocket launchers he needs. Meanwhile the Captain coordinates a smoke attack with the other teams. All squads surrounding the entrance to the lower level are to throw smoke grenades down so that Ismael can get to the tank during the initial confusion.

  Ismael returns with a launcher and sits down at the end of the wall.

  Ready? the Captain asks. Ismael gives him a thumbs up. On the Captain's mark all teams throw the smoke bombs down the hole. Ismael gets up, ready to sprint to the still hot tank. The reaction of the people below however stops him. As the projectiles fall down to the lower level and the first shells hit the concrete the enemy soldiers start shooting. Tracer rounds streak past Ismael and bullets impact the tank where he would have gone just moments before. Several cannisters get hit by a bullet and explode in smoke, starting the smoke screen before the timing mechanism ignites them. A few seconds later the bulk of the grenades explode in a thick black smoke. A large column of it pours out of the hole obscuring everything that's happening below while obscuring operations above too. The shooting stops. A few bursts of the mounted guns are the last they hear.

  Go! the Captain types in the private channel to Ismael, but keep silent.

  Ismael gets up and makes the short sprint to the tank. One shot is fired from down below but hits nothing. Then he is leaning against the tank. The metal is still hot. Careful not to burn something Ismael finds the best spot. Switching to his thermal imaging he puts the aiming mechanism of his launcher to his goggles. He can see the faint heat coming off of the humans below. The metal barrels of the mounted guns light up better. The people down the second level are dispersed so that Ismael must choose the best place to get the most of the one shot he has. After he fires the grenade he can't stay in his spot because all hell would break loose again. To the left are the least number of heat signatures. He makes the snap decision to aim right of the center and squeezes the trigger. The rocket lights up and leaves it's launcher, pushing Ismael hard against the hot tank. As soon as the fins on the grenade deploy Ismael drops the launcher and starts running. Bullets from below hit the tank where he was just standing. One enemy soldier aims wide and a bullet grazes Ismael's heels, leaving a gash in his boot and a world of pain in his heel. He dives for safety behind the concrete wall where his team drags him further into cover.

  The grenade's impact is massive. The roar of burning explosives fills the garage and the first level floor shakes. The smoke column co
ming from the hole between the two floors is blown out towards the dig site, dispersing against the back wall and leaving a thin mist behind. The heat emitted by the explosion can be seen in the yellow light of fire. The sound of the explosion dies down and screams take over. Wailing wounded men and women are joined by curses and yelling.

  "Man down, man down!" they hear from below among other cries for help. To add to the chaos several squads on the first level lob down a few cluster grenades which bounce down the concrete ramp to explode and ignite more screams of people who got hit by the lethal shrapnel. An engine is fired up, then another one. Lights are turned on. Where there was a column of smoke before now shines a beacon towards the end of the garage, illuminating the digging tools and tank left behind not long ago. Two beams of light intensify and the sound of an engine revving comes closer. Shouting is heard below followed by screams of pain. The Humvee is coming.

  The engine sounds overwhelm the sounds made by the wounded and dying on the lower level. The driver guns it and speeds up.the ramp, sending a beam of light towards the dig site. Grating sounds of metal on concrete follow in it's wake. The hood shows and all of the squads waiting on the first level around the way down ready their guns. They can see a blackened part on the front of the vehicle, evidence of the explosive properties of the RPG. Then the roof enters into view, showing one soldier with a machine gun in a hole through the roof. He aims his gun at the back wall and looses a salvo of bullets towards the men there. Surprised by the sudden onslaught several squad members take a hit and are down. Others dive just in time. The soldiers along the sides start firing their own weapons, killing the top gunner in seconds.