Soldiers of Tomorrow: Iron Legions

by Michael G. Thomas

  “It didn’t go as smoothly as hoped?” Weathers asked quietly as the crowd cheered on to drown out the news as Woody relayed it.

  “The Brooklyn cells are lost. They got hit hard.”

  “No survivors?” Lisa asked.

  Woody had a grim expression on his face. “Not that we can tell.”

  “That is the cost of fighting,” Ray said in a blunt tone.

  “Yes, but that doesn’t mean we have to like it.”

  “Still, not a single survivor?”

  “Ambushed by walkers from what I hear, Lisa. They saw ‘em coming, but I don’t know how.”

  “The Reich, they have ears everywhere, you should know that,” said Ray.

  “Not quite everywhere,” insisted Weathers.

  Ray didn’t feel convinced.

  “Those walkers, how are we supposed to fight them?” Woody asked.

  The volume died down as if they’d all heard the question and looked to Weathers for answers. He paced back and forth, studying their weary faces. Their eyes were glued to him. No doubt there was a lot of respect for their leader amongst everyone there, but they were also scared.

  “First, I want to thank you all for your work and sacrifices today, and every day that you have given to this cause!”

  Nobody cheered. They wanted more than praise. They wanted answers, and he knew he had to give it to them straight, or as much as he dared.

  “No one should be under any illusions about the uphill battle we face. None more so than Ray Barnes here!”

  Ah shit!

  Ray thought as he was singled out, knowing what was about to happen. So far a handful of them knew who he was. He didn’t want to be made into a celebrity. He didn’t want that responsibility or the target painted on his back.

  “Ray, or should I say Sergeant Barnes, he had what it took to go to England and fight the enemy there. To fight them wherever they were. He is a hero of the London Uprising. He stood up in defiance of the enemy, no matter the odds. London was a defeat, but it showed the will that exists amongst these occupied lands. There is strength left, and Sergeant Barnes is proof of that strength. Even after having lived through that terrible struggle, he is here today, still fighting the good fight. Why is that? Because he knows the price is worth paying! The coming days, weeks, and months will be trying, but when haven’t they been? The great machines that the enemy possess, they can be overcome, just like David beat Goliath. Stay strong, and follow Sergeant Barnes’ example. This war will not be over tomorrow, or in a week, or a months’ time. But I promise you, if we stay true to the cause, we can see this through, and we can take our home back!”

  They roared with excitement, but not Barnes. Now he understood why he’d been brought along. He was just another weapon in Weathers’ arsenal. He didn’t blame him for doing it. He thought like a fighting man, using every asset he could get his hands on, and he needed to. They had so little compared to the enemy, and he was milking what he had for everything he could get. Weathers continued.

  “Remember those who were lost today, but also honour them by continuing on the work that they gave everything for! Today was a skirmish, one that we won at a hard price. But soon we will fight a battle the likes of which most of you have never seen before. Sergeant Barnes, you have been through it, what words of advice can you give the brave men and women whose ranks you have joined?”

  The spotlight was entirely on Ray as all eyes turned to him. It was the last thing he’d expected, and he almost choked. He coughed to clear his throat, trying to think of a few words to say.

  “I…er…well I…I can’t say I have ever had to give much of a speech.”

  “Just a few words, Sergeant.”

  “Well, I can’t say I was exactly a Sergeant for long, and I certainly am not anymore…”

  “To us you are, and that is a rank you will hold while you fight with us. You have earned it.”

  “I don’t know about that. I didn’t come to the rank of Sergeant through achievement or effort, but survival and perseverance.”

  “Two things that are on all our minds as we go through these trying times.”

  The room fell silent as they waited for him to speak a few words, something that could raise their spirits. He wanted to tell them how bad it as going to get. Not to send them running, but to prepare them for what was to come in a way he never had when he first went against the Reich. That there wasn’t much hope, as that was the way he felt, but when he looked at their hopeful faces, he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He even wondered for a moment if they could make much of a difference. There was an air of excitement and enthusiasm about them all he hadn’t seen in decades. It was the same near unwavering enthusiasm Gerry Baker had shown during the London Uprising. Unwavering until the last few days anyway, and even then he did a good job of faking it.

  “It’s not easy, holding onto hope in the face of such horror, such evil. That is what the Reich is, evil. And evil cannot be allowed to triumph. It hasn’t yet, not while we keep fighting for something better. Like all empires, the Reich can be brought to its knees, and whether we see it in our lifetimes or not, you owe it to each other, and every generation that comes after you, to keep fighting this evil.”

  Not a single sound came in response until Weathers began to clap, and the rest soon joined in. He felt a little embarrassed. He wasn’t much of a talker, and speeches were never his thing, not that he’d ever had much call to give them. It was breaking it down into pretty simple terms, but it was what he believed. This was no ordinary enemy, this was a kind that could not be reasoned or bargained with, or respected in war. When they grew quieter, he spoke again.

  “Fighting the odds isn’t the smart thing to do. But if all I did were the smart things in life, I wouldn’t be here today. I wish you luck. We’re gonna need it.”

  Weathers patted him on the shoulder.

  “Thank you,” he whispered.

  He didn’t fully believe everything he’d said, but was glad they were all there to hear it.

  “Get some rest all of you, you deserve it!”

  They had a long time to wait until sundown, and the old, rusty metal clock on the wall allowed Ray to keep a check of the passage of time. He took a seat, but didn’t need it. He hadn’t been anywhere or done anything. He wanted nothing more than to be in the open air and get a real view of his city once again. Since getting back, he’d only seen it from the window of a car or when on the run. It wasn’t quite the same.

  “What are you thinking about?”

  He smiled at Lisa.

  “Oh, right, a freed man, what else would you think about?”

  He nodded in agreement.

  “Then this must be hell, stuck here?”

  “Oh, no, not hell. There are far worse places than this. Even smell worse.”

  She laughed, and that was a nice thing to hear. It wasn’t something he’d seen for a long time. Not just a woman laughing, but anyone who wasn’t doing it out of some twisted sense of humour.

  Several hours passed by as he became accustomed to their operations. He was in so deep he had to stick with it. Fighting was the last thing he expected to do once he was free, but in his heart felt it was the right thing to do. He couldn’t go on living in the way his country was today. He was drawn to three men rushing into the room and heading straight for Weathers. They all saw the concern on their faces.

  “The Northern cell has been attacked. The reprisals have begun, and word is spreading about the ambush of the Brooklyn cell.”

  The tone was one of panic.

  “Easy now,” said Weathers.

  The man was panting from having rushed there and flustered by all he’d seen and heard.

  “There are patrols out on the streets. ORPOs everywhere. We can’t even move out there!”

  “Calm yourself!”

  The man would not be silenced.

  “We should cool things down, go into hiding. Stay out of their way. We can’t do anything with this spotlight
on us!” he screamed.

  “We can, and we will. Nothing changes. We’ve got this far. I know it’s tough, but it was never going to be any other way!”

  The man looked past Weathers and right at Ray, as if he knew him.

  “And you? What do you think?” he demanded.

  Weathers sighed, knowing he’d brought this upon himself.

  “Well?”

  “I think without a chain of command you won’t get anywhere. Tough decisions have to be made, and I’ve always been glad not to be the one having to make them.”

  The man groaned as if it wasn’t what he wanted to hear, although it was hard to speak against it.

  “What were you expecting? An easy ride of things?” Ray asked.

  “Leave him be. He just needs to settle down.”

  “I won’t leave him be. He needs to hear the truth, whether he likes it or not.”

  Ray turned his attention to the younger man.

  “You got yourself into this fight, and this is no time to want out. You joined it for the right reasons; so don’t let the enemy cause you to waver. It’s going to get tough, a lot tougher than you can imagine. I told Weathers this was the wrong time, and I still believe that, but I’m going to give it to you straight. He is your leader, and for whatever I disagree about, he’s clearly done you a lot of good. So how about a little less bullshit, and a little more following of orders?”

  The man looked pissed off and sighed. He took a few spaces back and slumped into a chair in a huff.

  “So what’s it gonna be?” Ray asked Weathers.

  “We have a plan, and we are gonna stick to it. We have the weapons, everything we need, so it’s now or never. The operation begins in twenty-four hours! You all know what you have to do, so get to it!”

  The room erupted into a hive of activity as they got to work. Weathers approached Ray to talk more privately.

  “Thank you,” he stated sincerely.

  “That kid, not much a fan of yours, is he?”

  “You could say that. He’s my son, Mickey.”

  “Well, I’ll be damned.”

  “Who can you trust if not family, hey?”

  CHAPTER SIX

  476 5th Ave, Manhattan, New York

  16th November 2017

  A German made Mauser G88 was thrust into Ray’s hands. They didn’t have that many of them, and so a prized item as a result. Many of the others carried M14s, and several used its larger calibre replacement, the M15. They were both American-made rifles that packed a much greater punch than the Mauser, but hardly as useful at intermediate and close ranges compared to the modern polymer German weapon. He’d have taken American-made any day, but he didn’t want to offend anyone. They were on edge enough as it was.

  “You aren’t going with us,” said Woody.

  “What? Why not?”

  “Come on, you know. I like you, but what we have here has been built with caution and common sense. I don’t know you. None of us do. I want to trust you, and I seriously hope I can.”

  “Have I given you any reason not to?”

  “No.” Weathers stepped up beside them, preparing his rifle, “Look around. They’re scared, and they rightly should be. I’m leading this mission because I have to. They have to know I will be out there taking the risks I ask them to every day.”

  “And me? What will I do?”

  “Hold down the fort. I’m leaving Lisa in charge, but she’ll need you if it comes to it.”

  “You’re leaving me behind?” she protested.

  “We don’t risk all our assets at once.”

  “For a mission like this we do. This is what we have been working towards. Everything was for this one operation.”

  “Yes, but it won’t be the last. If this is successful, we’ll strike a heavy blow to the Reich, but it won’t end anything. It’s just the beginning.”

  “And if it fails? What then?”

  “Then you’ll be here to pick up the pieces and keep moving ahead. Plenty of people in this city will follow you and fight this cause, if they are shown how and given a chance. The people need to see there is another way. A better way than they have at present.”

  “And you think you know how to give them that?” Ray asked.

  “All we can do is the best we can. We are only human after all. Too long has this city, and this country been in the hands of the enemy, and some of our own people even support them. That has to stop. Someone needs to put a line in the sand, and say this is where it ends. This will be that day.”

  “I understand your will and your desire, and I get it, I really do, but don’t lead these people to their deaths for nothing. I know your heart is in the right place, but without the support of the people, this won’t work. Take it from me, I have seen first-hand what the price will be when this fails. Will you just reconsider, please?”

  The rebel leader took a deep breath as if contemplating Ray’s words and giving his suggestion some serious thought, but as he looked into his eyes, he could see his mind was made up.

  “The plan is set. It’s a good plan, as good as we can hope for in a long time. We have the weapons and the willpower, and we have more guts than those bastards out there. You know that most of them wearing those uniforms are our own people. New Yorkers, just like you and me.”

  “Yeah, I get that. I have been behind bars, not in a cave. Not until now, anyway.”

  “Then you know how bad things are. The Reich has turned our people against us, and before long, it’ll be too late to go back.”

  “I understand, but we need more time, trust me. You need to get the people of this city on board. Otherwise, all they’ll see is a bunch of fanatics causing trouble. Once the reprisals start, and the press have spun the story for a few days, the people will soon grow to hate you and this movement of ours.”

  “Ours? You are in this now?”

  “Sure, and I don’t have a problem with that, but I’m telling you, the time isn’t right. I almost didn’t get out. Give me a few weeks on the streets to get a feel for things and to see how this can be turned around.”

  “I thought you were a fighter.”

  “I used to be, but I guess I realised a long time ago that I need to be more than that. We all do. We have to do more than just fight. We need to be smart.”

  “Time is not a luxury we have. You talk about reprisals; well those bastards take lives every day. Each day that goes by, I see hope fade a little bit further.”

  Ray wasn’t getting anywhere. Their leader had made up his mind, and he didn’t blame him. It was high time somebody did something substantial, but he was certain this wasn’t the right time.

  “Thank you,” said Weathers.

  “For what?”

  “Speaking your mind. I don’t always like to hear it, and neither will I change because of it, but it’s good to know.”

  “A single piece of information or analysis can be all that is required to make the difference between life and death, or so an English friend used to tell me.”

  “And he is right, but you won’t change my mind on this. This has been a long time coming. I know they’re scared. We all are, but we are also anxious. Our people need a victory. They have to see some reward for all their efforts.”

  “I understand that, but…”

  “But nothing. I have heard your objections, and I understand them, but they don’t give me any reason to pause this operation. This goes ahead, and I’d appreciate your support. Can you do that?”

  “I’ll be with you, you know that, right?” Mickey asked.

  “I know,” replied Weathers wearily.

  “Because you know you need me?”

  “No, because I know you’d come no matter what I told you to do.”

  Mickey smiled as if in agreement. They all knew he was a hothead, but he was also enthusiastic, and that was much needed in the face of what was to come.

  “So, what now?” Ray asked.

  “We’re heading for the Public Library. Y
ou have seen the plans. You can see what we’re planning. We’re going to raise hell tomorrow.”

  “When do you leave?”

  “Very soon.”

  “You are going to travel through the night?”

  “We don’t have a choice.”

  “Isn’t that too dangerous?”

  “Dangerous to move by night, impossible to move by day, take your pick.”

  “Watch yourselves out there. You may think you’re one step ahead, but don’t underestimate the Reich.”

  “I hear you.”

  They suddenly became very aware that the room was silent, and all eyes were on them.

  “I know these are difficult times!” Weathers raised his voice, “But when have we known any different? Every one of you is here because you want more in life, more for yourselves, for each other, and for this once great nation. The fight back begins today! It is time to show these bastards there is fight left in this country, and that we, as Americans will not stand for their tyranny. Our ancestors gave everything to make this country free, and it has come to us to do the same, or their work and sacrifices would have been for nothing. Today we get to do what we have worked for all this time. We’re taking the fight to them. Are you ready?”

  They roared with excitement, and at least some of their fears were alleviated.

  “We’ve done all the planning that can be done. We have the equipment, and we have the men and women we need to make this a success. There is nothing more to plan, nothing more to say on the matter. You all know what you have to do. Remember, radio and phone silence, except where it is necessary. Move out!”

  They picked up the large weapons crates and arms. Then they moved out. Weathers stayed for a few last words.

  “If for any reason we don’t make it back, you keep fighting. Keep working for a free New York and a free America, will you promise me that?”

  “Of course,” Lisa replied.

  “Yeah, I can do that.”

  “And if I should fall, you two will take joint command and lead the remaining cells on.”

  “Me? You don’t even know me.”

  “I know enough. Your heart and your head are in the right place. Just because we don’t agree on this mission, does not mean I don’t respect your opinion. We need this, the whole city does, and I hope they see that when all is said and done, and the guns finally fall silent.”