“I don’t think we can win, I know we can, and it’s about time you starting thinking it, too.”
“I…I just can’t see it anymore.”
“We’re gonna make it through this. It may take us months, years or even decades, but we will win!”
She nodded rather unconvincingly. Taylor knew that the only thing that would change her mind was to see him return safe and sound from the mission. He pulled in close and kissed her. He prayed it would not be for the last time, but he was far from certain. The Major knew that if he ever shared his doubts with those he was in command of, then they would be as good as dead.
Mitch let go of Parker and watched as she walked away with a slow and sad stride. He thought back to the mission and that he had just a few hours to catch some much needed rest before they left. He turned and stepped up into the dormitory room. It had been cleaned for them earlier that day, but the paint was rough and the rooms empty. They laid out their beds on the bed frames, the only furniture left.
The building had previously been used as short term accommodation for a platoon during exercise on base. Sharing with the rank and file in open quarters was a far cry from the luxuries he had been afforded as an officer. After days spent in trenches and ruins, it did not bother him. The room was almost silent as the marines were mostly sat or lying on their beds. A small group in the corner played a sullen and quiet game of cards.
None of the marines had yet managed to get to sleep. He could see they were expecting to die that night and had little left to say about the matter. Taylor unclipped his belt and threw it down on the nearest bed that had already been made up for him. A number of the troops turned to acknowledge him but said little more than a mumble. He took a step back and waited for them to take notice.
“I know a lot if being asked of you, and I thank you all for volunteering. This isn’t the end for us. We aren’t going there to die. We’re going to blow that place to shit and watch it burn on the way home.”
The marines had turned to face him, but they remained silent.
“Sir, what do you really put our chances at? No bullshit,” asked Ortiz.
“I figure no different to any other day. Since this war began, I’ve been waiting to take the fight to the enemy, and to ram it down their throats. We’ve just been given the chance to take the first punch, to ram a nuke up their asses! I think that’s going to be something worth celebrating when we get back, am I wrong?”
Several of the marines grunted in agreement.
“Alright! Let’s catch some Z’s. I want every man on top form!”
“Oorah!” shouted Silva.
The called was bellowed back around the room as Taylor took a seat on his bed. He knew there was little chance of getting much sleep in the few hours they had, but he would take any rest he could get.
Taylor awoke to the sound of his alarm and several others ringing around the room. He felt clammy and weary, but he was surprised that he’d dropped off to sleep to begin with. Within five minutes, the marines were falling in outside. They could see lights silhouetting Eddie’s custom copter a few hundred metres away and a truck parked up beside it.
“Let’s move!” shouted Taylor.
They carried little equipment besides sidearms and canteens. It was a cold and clammy night but refreshing after the little sleep they had gotten. Aside from the vehicles up ahead, the base was silent. There were too few personnel to guard the interior, all personnel being diverted to the border to defend the west.
As they approached the copter, Taylor could see Eddie making a final visual check of his craft. Despite his haggard look, the Lieutenant never seemed to get tired. He was as bright and chirpy as any other day of the week.
“’Morning, Major!” he roared.
Reiter and several assistants appeared from the truck that was parked up. They wheeled racks of equipment out for the marines.
“Everything is ready for you, Major.”
Taylor turned back to the group. They had been drawn from two under strength platoons, and he had little idea how to identify them anymore.
“For the duration of this mission, the men under my command shall be Alpha. Those under Lieutenant Suarez will be Bravo. You know the plan and what you have to do! We need a volunteer to carry the nuke!”
One of the marines immediately stepped forward. He was a hulking man who had previously been equipped with the light-machine gun for his section due to his strength. The company knew him affectionately as ‘Sugar’. He stood taller than most and stronger than all of them.
“I will carry it.”
Several grunts of approval rang out as Taylor smiled at the enthusiasm.
“Let’s get kitted up!”
Within fifteen minutes the group were fully equipped and loaded aboard the modified Eagle FV. Nobody was there to bid them farewell but Reiter. It was a solemn departure for what they all knew could be the last mission they ever made.
As they lifted softly off the ground, Eddie put the power down and jolted the craft as it launched into a tremendous turn of speed. The marines were thrown about from the acceleration, but there was little space to move. They were packed shoulder to shoulder. The seats had been removed to allow such a capacity. Had it not been for the new engine, they would likely not have got off the ground.
Taylor was pressed up against the main door and could see the terrain below was zipping by. It was a relatively short journey to their destination, but it felt like hours. The Major fell into a daze as he mindlessly watched the blurry scenery from a small porthole. He snapped out of it hearing Eddie’s words.
“This is it!”
Taylor looked up to see the glimmers of alien craft flying by in the distance. They paid no attention to the copter at all. At any moment he expected them to turn and open fire. The forward thrusters kicked in and were drawing to a quick halt as the craft raced over the blast wall of the complex, quickly descended within.
“How on Earth did we make it?” asked Taylor.
“Guess they really are arrogant enough to believe that we aren’t all that clever,” replied Silva.
Taylor smiled. He wanted to believe that the enemy had underestimated them, but so far they’d suffered badly at the hands of the aliens. The copter rocked as it came to a rough and quick landing by the vast domed structure towering over them. The Major hit the door switch and gasped as fresh air flooded in. He stepped aside and allowed the marines to pour out and turned to Eddie.
“Remember we’ll be out of communication here.”
“I got ya, Sir. You’ve got three hours, and I’ll be here for you.”
Taylor nodded in agreement. It was a strict schedule to keep and didn’t allow much room to manoeuvre, but they had little choice. He watched as two of the marines hauled out the mining equipment that would normally require six to move. He turned back to Eddie one last time and gave him a salute before jumping from the door.
The marines watched as the copter lifted off and left them once again in darkness. Taylor turned to see that the tunnelling equipment was already active. He was surprised and relieved to hear that it was barely audible over the construction work going on there. He turned and panned around.
Eddie had put them down in a secluded site that had to be some kind of buffer zone between the defensive walls, as it seemed to serve no other purpose. The Major hoped that would mean there was a small chance they would be left alone. He turned back to the marines and whispered.
“Take up a twenty metre perimeter. Do not engage any targets unless absolutely necessary.”
Lights panned past above their heads as the enemy searched the skies for movement. The sound of passing fighters was almost constant. Taylor shook his head, amazed they had even got that far.
“I guess they don’t have night vision after all,” he said.