Shattered Boundaries Ch. 09

Ch.9"It is at the point of crisis that a man shows his true worth" unknown

"Contact! Incoming fire, right side!"

"Tango down!"

The shouts were barely discernible over the din of weapons fire as Sergeant Scott and his men fended off another attack. The militiamen they fought were inexperienced and made for easy targets, but their numbers and persistence were more than making up for it. As soon as it looked clear the Sergeant gave a hand signal for his men to continue moving. The sun was still a good distance from the horizon, so they could not have been at this long, but it felt like days.

No sooner had they begun running than a deafening roar shook the earth and dirt started raining down around them. Those damn mortars would begin targeting them as soon as their new position was found. Scott did not know what kind of piece of shit equipment the enemy was using, but he was beyond grateful for their ineffectiveness. The explosions would always take a few minutes to start up and they were always a good distance off target. Hell, they were proving to be more of a danger to theirown men than his.

Regardless, they had to keep moving. He could not understand how anyplace could have so little cover. Hadn't northern France been famous for centuries old hedgerows? They sure as hell weren't anywhere to be seen now. He would have given anything for the forests of Central America at that moment.

The Sergeant ground his teeth as they came in sight of the farmhouse they had left behind only hours ago. It was inevitable, The enemy forces would keep popping up in any other direction they tried to take. The only reason they had managed to come back this way was because they were able to slip around a particularly oblivious group of enemy militia. If those men had been the enemy's professional soldiers instead, the scouts would have been surrounded and making their last stand right about now.

Scott was angry at himself for not anticipating something like this. They had spent an entire night and half of a day sitting in that farmhouse, and yet he had stupidly thought... goddamn it, he didn't know what he had thought. They had gotten into firefights, taken captives, and yet they had not seen any kind of pursuit. No armed group in the world would have just let that lie, especially not one this well organized.

Chiding himself on what was already done and in the past was no help though. He needed to keep everyone alive here and now. The Sergeant glanced at the house, evaluating and dismissing it quickly. If they tried to hold any position they would be overwhelmed eventually, not to mention that those mortars would tear through the wooden structure like tissue paper.

They could not run forever though, especially with the numbers of their wounded increasing. They had already abandoned the captives to keep what little speed they could. Goddamn it, he needed something to work with. The forest was well out of their range and everything around them was plains and low hills. He...Wait a moment. A memory gave the sergeant pause.Before we reached the farmhouse, Cameron and Reichert reported a military instillation...

Calling a sudden halt, the Sergeant turned and sought out the two soldiers.

"Cameron, Reichert! Up here, now!"

The two soldiers ran up to him, a note of question evident on their features.

"That instillation you reported yesterday, where was it?"

Realization dawned on their faces, but one's expression was quickly replaced by apprehension before he caught himself. The Sergeant did not notice the change though, so intent was he on the possibility of salvation.

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Corporal Anderson and PFC Jonathan White were well experienced soldiers. They were not fully trained due to the NAU's need for large amounts of manpower as quickly as possible, but after countless battles they had learned their trade well. And that trade was death.

There was no sugar coating it. In a world that that had stared into the abyss, only to step away at the last moment, death was something that everyone understood and dealt with on a daily basis. Only a small number were insulated.... Only a small number would not shed tears over the body of a loved one as the light in their eyes faded to nothingness... Only a few would not know the sight of a man's blood flowing out between his fingers, as he desperately hoped he could somehow stem the flow of his life's essence...

By no stretch of the imagination were the two soldiers amongst those privileged few, but they had sworn in their hearts that they would protect those who were. It had been their mission as soldiers of the North American Union to defend their homeland. To keep the horrors of the world at bay so that such innocence still had a place to bloom... And they had kept that promise...

In an army where the average life expectancy of a soldier was measured in weeks, they had kept to their oath for far longer than anyone could rightfully expect of them. But now... it seemed that they would be fulfilling that vow for the last time...

They had no illusions. Their end would not be glorious.... They would not make some grand last stand... and their remains would not be found surrounded by the legions of enemies that they had felled. Instead, they would die one by one. Gunned down as they kept moving, trying to protect the two young ladies until the last of them had fallen....

But that was as it should be. There were no cowards among them. Any who valued their lives more than their duty would have slipped away long ago. It was a simple matter to just... disappear... with the scouts' armor. One of their number had already been forced to do just that. They would all have stayed given the choice, but one of them had to report back, to tell the others of the enemy that hid amongst the forests and ruins. With tears in his eyes and heaviness in his heart he had given them his final goodbye. One last salute in honor of those that would soon fall...

Certainly, there were no cowards among them... They had all known that this day would come... and they chose now to face it... not as bastions of defiance or seekers of glory... Simply as soldiers.

Though, each did harbor their own regrets.

For White, it was that he would never get that little house in Montana to share with his beautiful Annabel. They would never stay up all night together to watch the sun rise above the Great Plains.... He could never introduce her to his family... or watch on as his mother taught her all her recipes... He would never come home to find his sweet young bride waiting for him... And certainly, they would never share a smile as they sat around the fireplace and told their children the story of how they first met...

For Anderson, it was how he had spurned Seraphina. That night... she had given herself body and soul to him. Now he believed he somewhat understood her nature, though it was far too late to take back the words he had spoken... She was a caring soul, he could see that from how she always stood near her sister, making sure her presence warned away any but White or himself. That is likely why she seemed so cold, to protect herself... Any person that gives their heart to another, risks having it handed back in pieces... just as he had done to her. After that morning she had closed herself off. That smile she wore... it was as cold and lifeless as any mask he had ever seen. But the truth was in her eyes. They had been full of fire and defiance before, but now they were empty and emotionless... The eyes of one who felt nothing. He wanted to apologize... If necessary, spend his remaining days trying to mend the heart he had broken... but he did not have days left.

Despite the tendrils of despair that threatened to overwhelm them, the two soldiers knew that there was one last gift they could still give the young women.... Another chance at life.

The scouts did not have long to live, but they would easily accept that if it meant the girls could continue to do so.

All they had to do was keep going. Sooner or later they would come on a spot where the girls could hide. After that it was a simple matter to keep the enemy's attention and lead them away. The women would then be free to continue on to the Bleu lines. It was not a perfect plan, but it was their best chance.

They ignored the heaviness in their heart and were filled with a grim determination. They may not survive, but the girls would.

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Damn it. Corporal Anderson turned his face away from the others as a grimace of pain flashed across it. He looked down at a wound in his side. A lucky piece of shrapnel had managed to strike in the small space between the plates of his armor and lodge itself in him. Thankfully it was on the side facing away from the others so no one else had noticed the dark stain spreading around it. He had no idea when he had received the wound. With the adrenaline rushing through him he had not even felt it before. He glanced quickly at his implant's health readout. For the moment it looked about normal. That was good, the passive scans were always slow on the uptake. As long as he did not perform an active scan, it would not alert anyone else to his condition. It just had to stay quiet for a little while longer, until they reached the bunker.

From what they could gather, the enemy's main pursuit force was right behind them and would overtake them soon. There were not going to be any other chances. If the structure was unusable or they couldn't reach it, then it was over.

As Anderson swept his rifle across his sector, there was a slight hitch in his movement. As he realized why that was, his urgency increased. His hands had begun to feel cold, and there was a slight numbness in his fingers.Shit, shit, shit. I just need a little more time, he desperately thought. How much farther away was it? Shouldn't they already be...

"There it is Sir."

The whispered call was easily heard by the group of silent soldiers. Finally! They had at long last reached their destination. Sergeant Scott quickly began issuing orders, and as the rest of the squad formed a defensive perimeter, Anderson, White, and the women walked over to where the Sergeant stood.

Scott had been debating his course of action for a long time. Unlike the two more pessimistic soldiers standing before him, he originally had every intention of getting them all out alive. Now he was not nearly so sure that was possible. Looking at the entrance to the structure it was obvious that it was meant to be more of a fallout shelter than a military instillation. It was built into the side of a hill, with a single long corridor running down into the earth. It would be impossible to defend the entrance. He should have asked his men for more detailed information on what they had seen. Just another mistake to add on to the pile of those he had already made...

"What do you think boys? Beautiful piece of shit isn't she?" he bitterly joked

"...Sir, the enemy is going to be here soon. We need to move quickly..." replied Anderson.

Nodding his head, the Sergeant asked, "Any suggestions?"

The soldiers were flabbergasted. The Staff Sergeant was always decisive in battle, always having his next move planned out well in advance For him to ask such a thing... at such a crucial time... was just... inconceivable.

Recovering from their shock, the two scouts looked at each other. Anderson made a slight motion towards the girls and White nodded his head. They were both in agreement.

"...Sir, we should hide the girls here and try to lead the enemy force away... It'll give them a chance to get to the Bleu lines..."

Behind them, the two soldiers hear a gasp before Annabel began speaking indignantly.

"Master! Surely you do not believe we would leave you to face your enemies alone?!"

The scouts kept their eyes on the Sergeant, not daring to look back at the women.

Scott considered their words. It was not ideal by any means, but what other options did they have? At least this way some would survive.

Activating his headset, he spoke to all his men.

"We don't have much time so I'm going to keep this simple. We are going to use the shelter to hide the ladies. After that we are going to lead the enemy away. You have all performed above and beyond the call... So now I give you this choice. You can stay on with us, or you can try to escape. Any of you who choose to go will not have it held against you. Like I said... you have all performed your duty beyond anything that can be expected of any soldier. You will be officially ordered to retreat and so can not in anyway be disciplined or otherwise punished when you get back to the Division. As for those of you who stay... I think you know what that means. The enemy has shown that they will give no quarter... and none will be expected this day. Some may survive, but it is not a hope you should cling too. Make your decisions now gentlemen, the enemy will not wait."

The Sergeant paused, waiting for his men to decide.

Not a single soldier moved from where they stood...

A small smile spread across the Sergeant's face.

"Gentlemen... It has truly been an honor to serve alongside you."

Looking at the two soldiers in front of him, the Sergeant gave a slight nod of his head. With that, Anderson and White turned towards the girls.

They had known that this would be the most difficult part, but they had not known just how difficult it would be. Tears streaming from her eyes, Annabel clung to White, pleading with him not to leave them behind. White's resolve was already cracking, but he had to protect her at all costs... As for Seraphina, her smile was long since gone, and her once empty eyes were filled with fear and worry. She did not plead with words, but the look she gave him almost broke Anderson's heart. After all that had happened she still did not want him to leave...

Unfortunately there was no time to convince them that this was the only choice they had left. Rather than arguing, they picked up the girls and carried them to the shelter's entrance. Setting them back down, they spoke their final words to them.

"Annabel, my love, please understand. If we could live a thousand years, I would devote each and every day to making you happy. I would give you anything you wanted and do anything you asked of me. But I do not have a thousand years, and I can only give you one gift. Please do not cry, I know it hurts now, but the pain will fade in time and you will fall in love again." White quieted her as she tried to deny his words. "This chance is all I can give you and I give it with all my heart. All I ask is that you allow yourself to be happy."

"Seraphina... I know I don't even deserve to speak your name right now, but listen. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for what I did to you and I'm sorry that I cannot take back those words. I'm sorry for what I could have done and didn't and I'm sorry for any pain I have caused you... but most of all I am sorry for the days that will never be. It would be cowardly of me to ask for your forgiveness now, but please do not let my mistakes taint your heart. You will find someone that will understand your true worth someday, and shouldn't allow a dead man's words to ruin it for you. Take good care of your sister, as you always do. She'll need you to be there for her more than ever after this day."

They had said all they could say and Private White moved to the door's control panel. Quickly typing in the necessary commands, he set the shelter to seal itself until midnight. They would have the best chance to escape under the cover of darkness.

As they began shutting the door, Annabel tried once more plead with her Master, but he only gave her a gentle smile and shook his head. Beside her, Seraphina had stood quietly, not quite knowing what to do. That was when she noticed the blood staining the Corporal's side. She finally understood. The two soldiers were not just leaving them behind... They were going to protect them... with their very lives.

Tear's streaming down her cheeks, she finally cried out just as the door closed, "Master! Do not leave me!"

Anderson's heart almost shattered at those words. But they had no choice. Tears welling up in his eyes he turned away from the door that his love had disappeared behind.

"Sir, We are ready."

Sergeant Scott could only nod his head. What words were there that he could speak to the two soldiers? They had just had to leave the women they loved behind so they could march to their own deaths.

Activating his headset once more, he spoke to hi men, "Its time. We'll be heading in the direction of the forest. We'll make it look like we're trying to run to safety..."

Looking at White and Anderson, he felt the need to say something... anything. His words might not be worth much but at least...

"Contact!"

The alert was repeated all around them as their comrades weapon's burst to life.

Horror dawned on the faces of the three men that stood before the shelter's door. If they fell here, surely the enemy would break in, looking for any survivors that might have hidden there. But they were surrounded, they had nowhere to run, no chance to lead their foes away.

"We'll have to break through..."

Anderson's words were barely heard above the din of battle, but the others knew that he was right. If their plan were to have any chance of succeeding, they would have to fight their way through.

Looking around, they tried to estimate how many opponents they would have to face.

Too many.

The thinnest point in the enemy line looked to be made up of three or four squads at least. Many of them were still marching up though, or the scouts would already have been dead. But they had to do it. For the sake of the two women hidden in the shelter, they had to fight through. Understanding and agreement passed between the three quickly.

"We're going to have to charge through! Everyone form up and follow us!" the Sergeant shouted through his headset.

One and all, those that were still able to, followed the Sergeant straight into the heart of the enemy. Their weapons blazed around them and many fell before their desperate charge... but it would be a lie to say that their foes parted before them.... To say that the enemy could not stand before the courage and ferocity of the North Americans.

The line held.

As the scouts crashed into it, many of their number already lying on the field behind them, the battle devolved into a melee. Rifles were fired at point blank range, blood and flesh painting the uniforms of the two sides the same color. Anything that was at hand was used. Spent weapons became clubs, and knives that had only ever been used for cutting meals, suddenly found themselves imbedded in human flesh.

Anderson had lost sight of the others.

He found himself trying to fend off multiple attackers in hand to hand combat. With his proximity to their friends, none of his opponents had dared to use their firearms. He knew he would not last more than a few seconds though. He was surrounded and exhausted. Each of his movements seemed to grow slower and slower. Attacks which he could easily have countered before were increasingly difficult to simply dodge. And the wound in his side... at every hit, every jarring motion, a fresh wave of pain would wash over him. No, he would certainly not last much longer. If he could just get lucky though and find a gap between them he could...

A loud sound echoed near him, the report of a rifle being fired.

Who is the idiot shooting into a crowd? Anderson wondered in annoyance.

Wait. Why are they all staring at me?

The attacks had stopped and his enemies simply stood around him, staring and waiting for something. Confused, Anderson looked down at the point on his chest that they all seemed to be focused on.