Fire and Steel

by Gavin Magson

  Contents

  Legal

  Books by the same author

  Konar City Stories

  Foreword

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Legal

  Fire and Steel

  A Konar City Story

  By Gavin Magson

  Copyright © Gavin Magson 2018

  Note:

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopied, recorded, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright holder, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Books by the same author

  Konar City Stories

  Ajax: Rebirth (May 2015)

  Ajax: Relinquished (October 2015)

  Fire and Steel (November 2018)

  Foreword

  For those of you who have waited 3 years (really, that long?) for this book, I will make the foreword short.

  I don’t want to make excuses for taking my sweet time delivering the sequel to Ajax: Relinquished, I’m sure I have said enough over the years. Just know that a combination of work life, degree studies, procrastination, and boyfriend duties can take some of the blame, the rest was down to my inability to start any proper momentum in terms of writing.

  In 2018 I wrote more than two thirds of this book and spent merely a month editing, that is what happens when I finally pull my finger out. I hope that what I have learnt from each iteration of the writing process will make me a swifter writer for future works, thus reducing frustration and the amount of “Is it bloody finished yet?” questions that I get.

  Again, points to all those that can identify any and all errors that slipped through my critical eye. Please feel free to report those, @GavinMagson or direct Facebook messages for my FB friends.

  Without much further ado I present to you all book 3, titled Fire and Steel.

  Thank you for being patient and enjoy the book!

  Gavin Magson.

  Chapter 1

  The explosion catapulted Miles backwards, throwing him from his crouched position behind the window to crash against the wall opposite and land in a heap upon the floor. He struggled to see through the blood that trickled into his eyes, and the cacophony of sound that had torn through the room was now muted by the piercing ringing in his ears.

  A figure lurched into the room, the familiar outline of Jerry appeared from his vantage point further along the building. He almost overshot the crumpled figure of Miles, so fixated was he on the gaping hole spewing in thick snow where a wall had been moments ago. Calloused hands gripped whatever they could on Miles' jacket and began to drag him along the floor. He did not protest, a heavy weight seemed to sit on his chest and Miles could only suck down small lungsful of air.

  A rattle of bullets punctured the floorboards nearby, burying themselves into the ceiling overhead. As Jerry pulled the man clear from the room he headed left, soon passing the crouched figure of Rex, who had his gun trained on a staircase at the corridors furthest end. As sound finally returned to Miles, he could hear the gunfight taking place lower down in the building.

  "Miles, can you stand? You ain't got time to bleed!" Jerry screamed over the constant gunfire, yet Miles could only just hear the man.

  "Yeah, give me a second. Fucking rocket came out of nowhere." Miles slowly rolled over onto his front, his movements groggy. He managed to move both hands under himself and push up into a kneeling position, causing the muscles in his arms to vibrate heavily under his weight. Jerry slipped his arm under Miles' armpit and help the man to his feet. "Thanks, I've got it from here. Just a little winded. How many of them are still left?"

  Before Jerry could answer heavy boots clattered on the stairwell as a fellow mercenary came into sight. No sooner did he reach the top step than a hail of bullets ripped through his body in a spray of gore. His body hit the floor with a thump, dead on impact.

  Rex dropped his gun, unpinned two grenades, and threw them in an arc that bounced them from the further wall into the stairwell. He grabbed his gun and was running towards the two men faster than they could react.

  The explosion rocked the floor underfoot, removing all chance of survivors and decimating the wooden staircase. When the noise ceased none of the trio could hear a single human sound from beneath.

  "Great idea, Rex, ruin our only escape route. Got any greater ideas whilst you're at it?" Jerry threw caution to the wind and all but shouted at the man.

  "Keep it down, those below us might be dead but there are plenty left who want to see us join our fellow mercs. I do have an idea to get us out of here, and if we are lucky no one will see us escape. Now, follow me."

  Jerry and Miles scooped up their guns and followed the retreating figure as they put distance between themselves and the ruined staircase. When Rex reached the corridors end he stopped beside the tall window. He ignored the closed doorways to either side of him and gripped the rotting wood of the window frame. Slowly he raised the window, allowing in a flurry of snow which all but blinded him.

  Outside of their building the snowstorm still raged on, several days since it had begun. The men had thought themselves safe to ride out the storm, until the morning’s attack that culminated in this moment.

  "So, what is your master plan, genius?" asked Jerry, one hand shielding his eyes from the wind and snow.

  Rex took one final look outside of the window, satisfied by the sight that greeted him. "It's simple; we jump. Snow that thick will cushion our fall, and three storeys isn't enough to kill us if we fucked up."

  Jerry stared at the man slack jawed, not allowing himself to believe the idiocy on display. He slowly popped his head out of the open window and peered down through the snow at what awaited anyone foolish enough to jump. Even from his vantage point it was obvious that the snow was piling high at the buildings base. He cursed, the words lost over the noise.

  "Let me phrase it this way. If we don't do something now by nightfall we, or even this whole fucking building, will be eviscerated by the berserkers that are doing their utmost to kill every last one of us. I'm not volunteering to go check but it seems to me that we are the only survivors, which probably means we are outnumbered by, at best, twenty to one. We haven't got long left of daylight, so either we make a break for it now or spend the night and risk being turned into human paste." Rex shouted to be heard over the noise, yet he managed to remain icy calm under pressure.
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br />   Miles put a hand on Jerry's shoulder and squeezed it in an attempt to both calm and reassure the man. It was a viable plan, one he wished that he had thought of himself. If it weren't for the explosion doing its best to silence him permanently Miles was sure he could have concocted a far less risky escape route.

  "Fine, but you are jumping first." replied Jerry.

  "I've no problem with that. Fasten your gear down and try to jump arse first. When you land we will wait until Miles has jumped and then head across to the building opposite. I can’t see signs of life within it, so we might yet be in luck; no point in formulating a plan until we can see more of our surroundings." and with that Rex stepped onto the window ledge and in one fluid movement leapt clear of the building.

  Jerry snapped the clasps of his shotgun together, checked that he had nothing else loose, and stepped up to the window. Miles was also ready and queuing being him, leaving little option than to follow.

  He placed a heavy boot onto the ledge, stepped up and looked down at the drop, feeling his body rebel at the thought of leaping out. Jerry could see the blanketed figure of Rex emerge from the deep pile of snow, struggling, at first, to free himself. When he finally pulled himself free and waved up at Jerry a slight wave of relief washed over the man. Jerry took a deep breath, looked forward so that he could not see what was to come, and jumped.

  It was over in a second, yet it seemed so much longer to Jerry as his body slowly rotated. He seemingly could do nothing to correct himself as he plunged head first into the pile, one arm extended in front of him. Jerry heard the faint noise as Miles followed behind, but now he was buried deep in the snow and struggled to fight his way clear.

  Panic and fear overwhelmed as he fought and clawed at the snow, not knowing which way was up as he feverishly tunnelled at the snow. He could not breathe, only a choking sound greeted him as he tried to suck down air.

  Suddenly a hand grabbed at one of his flailing feet, yanking him backwards. Momentarily he fought it before common sense could take over. Jerry relaxed and felt himself pulled through the snow until glorious sky could be seen overhead.

  Rex and Miles both grabbed at the flailing boots and tugged with all their might, pulling the man free with enough force to send him in an arc of sprayed snow and curses. Jerry landed with a soft thump and spluttered through a mouthful of snow in a bid to continue swearing.

  “If you want us all dead before nightfall continue running your mouth; I would prefer to see another dawn. Now grab your gun and bring up the rear.” Miles’ voice was barely above a whisper, yet it left Jerry instantly silent.

  His gun took more time to find than any of the men would like but Jerry was soon following the distant figures, pacing backwards to scan the building they had left for signs of any following assailants. After only a few paces Jerry could no longer make out the building through the incessant snow that was blanketing the sector.

  Jerry closed the gap to Rex, who was all but a blur in the snowstorm until up close, and took a loop of flexible cord from his belt that he attached to the rear of Rex’s jacket. Rex took the cue and sped up his paces until he could do the same to Miles. Once the three men were connected they allowed the cord to let out enough that they weren’t too bunched together.

  After several minutes of walking Miles became concerned that they had not stumbled upon another building. He had thought them to be heading towards the adjacent buildings that Rex identified, yet he had not seen anything in the storm so far. He was loath to turn the tablet on, for fear its light would be a beacon for anyone searching for them, yet he had no other choice.

  Miles stopped and waited for the two men to catch up before informing them that he had to check his tablets map to confirm where they were. Rex and Jerry stood either side of Miles as he crouched down, the men above him facing away and vigilant against a sudden attach. Miles dug a small pocket out of the thick snow and placed his tablet within, building up a lip of compacted snow to try and minimise any escaping light.

  When he turned on the tablets screen the sudden, harsh light left him squinting to make out the map; he cursed his stupidity for not easing his vision into the change. The map showed that they had managed to walk several streets over from the building they had unconventionally vacated, somehow without spotting one of several nearby structured.

  Miles manoeuvred the tablet to confirm the compasses heading and lined himself up with the nearest building. Once confident they couldn’t miss the destination he turned off the tablets screen and once more stashed it deep within his jackets pocket.

  “We are very close to a building, stay alert and make sure not to cross each other; we don’t want any more injuries tonight. Jerry, hook onto me and take the left, Rex can take the right. Follow me.”

  Miles forged ahead through the snow, Jerry and Rex a couple steps behind and little more than an arm’s length distant on either side of Miles. The building appeared so suddenly that Miles barely had time to stop himself, and only his quick action to tug on the cords attached to his jacket stopped his men from doing the same.

  “Rex, move to your right and try to find either a door or the edge of the wall. Don’t take big steps and make sure to hit the ground if either Jerry or myself start shouting.”

  Miles made sure to relay the message quickly to Jerry and followed the man now in front of him as they walked the buildings perimeter. When he reached a corner Rex took a step back and waited until he felt Miles’ hand on his left shoulder.

  “No doors or windows, but we are at the corner of the wall. What do you want me to do?” asked Rex.

  “Turn the corner, slowly, and tap my hand if you think it safe to proceed. We need shelter soon, keep an eye out for an entrance or threat. Small movements.”

  Rex took in a few deep breaths to steady himself, his heart beat had slowly risen whilst skirting the building and he needed to remain calm in order to not do anything rash.

  When he felt himself relax enough Rex raised his gun and slowly rounded the corner at a half crouch, his gun’s muzzle making quick, calculated movements as its owner searched for any signs of life. Despite the swirling wind whipping snow in all directions this side of the building provided some shelter, which meant his visibility was marginally improved. There was less snow built up alongside this edge of the building, which he hoped meant there was some shelter above that signified the buildings front.

  Happy that he could see farther Rex moved his body around the corner, keeping his left shoulder a fingers length from the rough brickwork. His steps were small, and he made sure to keep his breathing quiet to better listen out for any noises above the whistle of the wind.

  Rex stopped suddenly when the wall ended, replaced by a tall wooden doorframe. He took a few more steps forward before stopping once more, this time because of the shattered door and small mounds of snow building up that signified something buried. He crouched down and brushed away the snow, revealing a thick wooden plank that was cracked and bowed by whatever had broken through the door.

  Miles pulled up short of Rex, surveying the damage done to the thick door. Whatever had caused the damage had come from inside of the building but did not appear to have left behind any scorch marks to signify an explosive force.

  Miles crouched down until he was close to the man’s ear and whispered, “This damage is old, at least a few days judging by the covering of snow; I’m praying that means any residents have since made their escape. I’ll enter first, and take the right side of the room, you the left. Jerry will cover this entrance, unless we need him immediately. I’d assume that we will be going in dark, so be aware of each other at all times.”

  Miles advanced slowly and brought up the pistols barrel, turning the gun left and right in a tight grip as he stepped through the doorway and searched for signs of life. When Rex followed behind him Miles headed left, methodically pacing through the rusting metal shapes barely visible in the gloom, as Rex checked those on the right.

  Jerry carefully foll
owed into the building, moving out of the makeshift doorway but keeping his weapon ready in case they were followed. The search of the ground floor concluded without any signs of life, with Miles and Rex meeting at the buildings rear.

  Miles signalled Rex towards the only staircase in sight and followed behind the man. Jerry took note of their actions and positioned himself at a crouch behind the staircase, his shotguns oval magazine resting on his left thigh as he trained it on the open doorway.

  One floor up Rex and Miles stepped out onto a wooden corridor. In front of them was an imposing metal door barring them further access, and a plain wooden door directly behind at the foot of a second staircase. The next staircase continued up to the final floor of the building or would have if the planks had not rotten away some time ago.

  Rex moved towards the nearer, metal door, and waited until Miles was in position to cover the opposite door. The handle turned under Rex's grip, yet the door jammed with a metallic clang almost instantly when opened.

  Miles turned his head at the noise and regretted doing so instantly. He more felt the change in the air than heard the door in front of him open, but there was no mistaking the noise of a gun being cocked.

  Chapter 2

  Miles lowered his pistol toward the floor and turned around slowly, preparing himself for the sight before him. To his surprise he did not see the shaking, nervous form of a junkie, nor the questionable attire of a gang member. Instead, before him was a tall woman, lean, pale, and with her long straw blonde hair tied tight in a ponytail that Miles could just see disappear down her back.

  There were two sights before him that surprised Miles, the first being the ridiculous bore of the two-handed weapon pointed towards him; he had seen smaller take out vehicles. The second was the young boy that peered around the doorframe, large blue eyes staring straight at Miles.