Easy meat.
Captain Paterson ordered her vehicles to a full stop. The IR spots she'd seen bouncing into the sky as the road rose and dipped were headed their way. This deep in the Margraf's territory it should be his men and thus safe. Still, she hadn't been able to hail them on the radio frequencies she'd been given. Better to wait on their approach than startle them into a fight by driving full speed at them.
Leo looked back at her from the UAZ. He made an exaggerated shrug, "what to do?"
She held out her hand, level, and waggled it back and forth, "not sure."
Leo searched through his duffel in the backseat, emerged with a tube and blanket, and sat back down.
Llywellyn looked over at him. "Feeling cold?"
"Da," Leo replied, "I curl up with friend." The tube of the RPG18 disapeared under the blanket. "Want to share?"
"Ah, no thanks."
Leo lifted the RPG tube under the blanket suggestively. "But I glad to see you!"
In the distance, the spots illuminate their targets. The tail BTR performed a quick halt and covered the vehicles with the turret mounted KPV. The point BTR slowed and continued to approach. The gunner stood in the turret hatch and waved as they drove forward.
The trailing APC kept their vehicles illuminated as the point man advanced to within shouting distance. Their turrets were centered on the truck. Katriona smiled through gritted teeth. Real friendly of them.
"Identify yourself!" came the shout from the leader. In English. They knew exactly who they were dealing with.
"Captain Paterson and troops."
The BTR continued to roll forward. The accent wasn't right for a Pole. Sounded more Germanic to her ear. "State your business in the Margrave!"
Damn, right I'm telling you our business or who we're carrying. "Personal business of the Margraf. I have authorization papers for travel." I do know that voice.
The leader halts some 20 feet from the truck, still pointing the KPV at us. "It will not be necessary to see your papers."
It is that smug German sergeant, Otto something or another. "I'm to take receipt of your package and provide escort to the Baron for debrief."
Package? You don't have a clue what we're doing. Thank god, this isn't a backstab. This is petty, local politics. "As I said, we are on personal business of the Margraf and report directly to him. I would be pleased for your escort to Raciborz." The sidearm, unbuttoned in the holster, fills my hand. Just give me a chance.
The sergeant sighs theatrically and leans forward in the small turret. "Captain, I don't think you understand the current situation, but as tou are an American and not expected to comprehend the subtleties..."
He put both hand on the hatch rim. A fast smooth draw, my instructor would be proud, and he's staring down the barrel of the heavy .45 automatic. "Hands up."
He hesitates. "If you reach down, I will kill you and damn the subtle consequences." He decides to slowly raise his hands and try to talk his way out. Before he can gather any headway we all hear the clang of the trialling BTR's passenger hatch slam open.
"Leo! Do it!"
The crew in the trailing BTR can clearly see things are going to hell. Their men begin to disembark, but they're all focused on me, my gun and their sergeant. Leo barely registers as he stands and the RPG tube goes up to his shoulder. The thin skinned BTR comes apart at the seams as Leo's shot slams into it. Over the explosion there's a cheery, "Buh-bye!"
Donald and Doc stand in the bed of the truck and sight on the rear hatches of the BTR. No one is moving.
"Now, sergeant, I want you to inform your crew that you are going to transfer to our vehicle. They are to remain onboard lest something unpleasant happen to you or them. You shall be the guarentee of their good behavior. Do you understand?
He just nods.
"Good. Please slowly climb down, keeping your hands visible at all times." He complies, slowly. He can be trained. "Doc, please secure our guest and see to his comfort."
I raise my voice. "I want to be clear. I don't give a good god-damn about your lives or your political games. I'm not killing you as a courtesy to our mutual host the Margraf of Silesia. You better think hard on where you're standing. Good night!"
We get moving. Long after we've left, the IR spotlight on the BTR goes on and it swings around to follow us. It doesn't appear to be closing.
Doc's sitting, literally, on the sarge. I've been trying to hail Raciborz. The hand radio probably doesn't have the range, but they've got some big antennas on that hill. They'll hear me further out than I can guess.
Not so easy.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
016: Ed Writes
Eddie writes:
Four went in five came out. Cap says he's our man. We're heading back ASAP.
*****
"Doc, how's he doing."
"Good enough. The vest and trauma plates stopped most of the rounds. I've got two penetrators. One went in, hit a rib, and came out his side. The other's still in there. Judging from the bleeding it didn't hit anything vital."
"We can move him?"
"....Normally, no. Given where we are? Sure. I'll keep monitoring. Donald's a match. Can I tap him if things go south?"
*****
Leo caught a bit of friendly fire. Doc told me he's lucky. Alphabit had a set of bad reloads. They didn't even punch the vest.
*****
"If you even point that thing to me I gut you like pig. Clear."
*****
"You sure they didn't punch Doctor?"
"Positive, you're back is split open along the rib lines and you've lost some blood, but no holes. You're golden.
Doc walks away while Leo picks up his vest. He fingers the three neat holes in the back of the vest before slinging it on. They weren't there yesterday.
*****
Cap gave Moon-Pie and I some gold and silver coins. Told us that's for us. The others already got a share. She's keeping back a stash for the group. I think they found more than they're saying down there.
*****
"We're just going to leave her here?"
"Leo, where would we take her? She's a hell of a lot safer down here than in the back of our truck."
"She should go back to the people."
"Find me a people to keep her safe first."
"The Margraf would pay..."
"We need to make sure he pays us for him first. She'll been safe here for a long time. She'll keep a few more days."
*****
Drove into the night. Saw no one in the haunted forest or near Lubliniec. There were light, electrical and headlights, moving in Dobronittzin. Cap pulled us back and made a big circle around the town. Established radio contact with the border post and came on in. The border boys looked over our "orders" and told us they'd radio ahead to Raciborz. Home stretch.
*****
Otto scans the approach. The American Captain and her crew should be arriving soon. The Baron says to take whatever they have and bring them to him. Foreign troops are his. Julian needs a reminder.
They have a truck and a jeep. He's got two BTRs, 16 men and the Margraf's colors. This should be easy.
Four went in five came out. Cap says he's our man. We're heading back ASAP.
*****
"Doc, how's he doing."
"Good enough. The vest and trauma plates stopped most of the rounds. I've got two penetrators. One went in, hit a rib, and came out his side. The other's still in there. Judging from the bleeding it didn't hit anything vital."
"We can move him?"
"....Normally, no. Given where we are? Sure. I'll keep monitoring. Donald's a match. Can I tap him if things go south?"
*****
Leo caught a bit of friendly fire. Doc told me he's lucky. Alphabit had a set of bad reloads. They didn't even punch the vest.
*****
"If you even point that thing to me I gut you like pig. Clear."
*****
"You sure they didn't punch Doctor?"
"Positive, you're back is split open along the rib lines and you've lost some blood, but no holes. You're golden.
Doc walks away while Leo picks up his vest. He fingers the three neat holes in the back of the vest before slinging it on. They weren't there yesterday.
*****
Cap gave Moon-Pie and I some gold and silver coins. Told us that's for us. The others already got a share. She's keeping back a stash for the group. I think they found more than they're saying down there.
*****
"We're just going to leave her here?"
"Leo, where would we take her? She's a hell of a lot safer down here than in the back of our truck."
"She should go back to the people."
"Find me a people to keep her safe first."
"The Margraf would pay..."
"We need to make sure he pays us for him first. She'll been safe here for a long time. She'll keep a few more days."
*****
Drove into the night. Saw no one in the haunted forest or near Lubliniec. There were light, electrical and headlights, moving in Dobronittzin. Cap pulled us back and made a big circle around the town. Established radio contact with the border post and came on in. The border boys looked over our "orders" and told us they'd radio ahead to Raciborz. Home stretch.
*****
Otto scans the approach. The American Captain and her crew should be arriving soon. The Baron says to take whatever they have and bring them to him. Foreign troops are his. Julian needs a reminder.
They have a truck and a jeep. He's got two BTRs, 16 men and the Margraf's colors. This should be easy.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
015: Underworld III
Leonid
Got him in a hole. Short tunnel lined with candles, arches ahead and on the right. Irish has moved up behind me in the rush. Cap tells Doc to take up rear guard. Forward.
Another fucking wire across the right archway through a ring and off to the far arch. I risk a quick peek. There's a tapestry hanging across the just a few feet in. I gesture at Cap and she starts extinguishing candles. Glad she's following my lead. Once done I'll not silhouette on the tapestry. I cross, stepping over the wire to check the trap.
No grenade soupcan. He's got a homemade ballista sitting on a MG tripod. Screw this. Irish is clear. I pull the wire. The bolt richochettes off the wall and through the tapestry. I half expect a hail of bullets to answer it. I am disappointed.
Back to the wall, I slide to the tapestry. AKR ready, I snag the far corner and lift it away, no wires. Push through into a small room. Crates stacked against either wall and the smell of human waste from a chamberpot. Another old rug hangs to my front. Irish and I flank the tapestry. He's back to the wall and I repeat my trick. No wire, but light flickers ahead.
I give him one last chance. "I have grenade. Come out, hand high or Mr. Grenade comes in."
Old Sergeant Walczak nods. If the grenade misses the sump he'll take it. For the Lady.
"Leo, no..." starts Cap. A little late, or I'm a little deaf, I roll it under the rug. It rolls across stone and makes a strange clink before detonating. I forget, underground everything is tight, the blast bounces around the corridor and room.
Deaf and half stunned I push forward. One step through the tapestry and the floor is gone. I manage a hopping jump and clear a two foot gap in the floor. Sharp, twisted rebar lines the bottom of his grenade sump. Steady and swing the AKR around.
Dead paras, weapons at port arms, stare at me with empty sockets. Taunt grins on sunken faces. In the flickering candlelight they begin to move. I socket the AKR to my shoulder, take the right under fire, once, two, three. Heads snap back and the entire line jerks into violent motion.
One's in the room. Pistol out, almost touching as he targets my men, and one to the head. Still up, step and knife to the gut. Push him back into the spikes.
Donald
I shake the fog from my head. Leo hard charges forward. I rip the tapestry down as muffled shots push throught the ringing in my ears. Rifle up, engage left. Zombies! One tearing into Leo, others rushing forward in the light. Ahhhh! I scream and stagger back into the Captain. "They're coming!"
Leo's pushed back and I meet the snarling face of the ghoul we've been hunting. Blood's on his mouth and he's coming for me next. I lock the trigger back. Three rounds into Leo's back.
Bastard isn't down, he catches the frame. Pulls himself into me. His gun's caught between us and I grab it.
My rifle flies away and Captain Paterson wraps her arms around my torso and dead lifts me off my feet. The room swirles as she turns and puts me into the corner. I curl and cradle my head. "Sorry, sorry, sorry."
He shoves the rifle out. So strong! It comes right out of my hands as he snatches it back in. Muzzle flash.
He's down on his back. The men gather round. Tell him to hold on. The Lady? The Lady? She's safe they say. Old Sergeant Walczak's haloed by darkness. There's a picture in his hand. Wha? Yes, that's Julian. Julian's coming. Good, he'll watch her while I get some sleep.
"Doc!"
Got him in a hole. Short tunnel lined with candles, arches ahead and on the right. Irish has moved up behind me in the rush. Cap tells Doc to take up rear guard. Forward.
Another fucking wire across the right archway through a ring and off to the far arch. I risk a quick peek. There's a tapestry hanging across the just a few feet in. I gesture at Cap and she starts extinguishing candles. Glad she's following my lead. Once done I'll not silhouette on the tapestry. I cross, stepping over the wire to check the trap.
No grenade soupcan. He's got a homemade ballista sitting on a MG tripod. Screw this. Irish is clear. I pull the wire. The bolt richochettes off the wall and through the tapestry. I half expect a hail of bullets to answer it. I am disappointed.
Back to the wall, I slide to the tapestry. AKR ready, I snag the far corner and lift it away, no wires. Push through into a small room. Crates stacked against either wall and the smell of human waste from a chamberpot. Another old rug hangs to my front. Irish and I flank the tapestry. He's back to the wall and I repeat my trick. No wire, but light flickers ahead.
I give him one last chance. "I have grenade. Come out, hand high or Mr. Grenade comes in."
Old Sergeant Walczak nods. If the grenade misses the sump he'll take it. For the Lady.
"Leo, no..." starts Cap. A little late, or I'm a little deaf, I roll it under the rug. It rolls across stone and makes a strange clink before detonating. I forget, underground everything is tight, the blast bounces around the corridor and room.
Deaf and half stunned I push forward. One step through the tapestry and the floor is gone. I manage a hopping jump and clear a two foot gap in the floor. Sharp, twisted rebar lines the bottom of his grenade sump. Steady and swing the AKR around.
Dead paras, weapons at port arms, stare at me with empty sockets. Taunt grins on sunken faces. In the flickering candlelight they begin to move. I socket the AKR to my shoulder, take the right under fire, once, two, three. Heads snap back and the entire line jerks into violent motion.
One's in the room. Pistol out, almost touching as he targets my men, and one to the head. Still up, step and knife to the gut. Push him back into the spikes.
Donald
I shake the fog from my head. Leo hard charges forward. I rip the tapestry down as muffled shots push throught the ringing in my ears. Rifle up, engage left. Zombies! One tearing into Leo, others rushing forward in the light. Ahhhh! I scream and stagger back into the Captain. "They're coming!"
Leo's pushed back and I meet the snarling face of the ghoul we've been hunting. Blood's on his mouth and he's coming for me next. I lock the trigger back. Three rounds into Leo's back.
Bastard isn't down, he catches the frame. Pulls himself into me. His gun's caught between us and I grab it.
My rifle flies away and Captain Paterson wraps her arms around my torso and dead lifts me off my feet. The room swirles as she turns and puts me into the corner. I curl and cradle my head. "Sorry, sorry, sorry."
He shoves the rifle out. So strong! It comes right out of my hands as he snatches it back in. Muzzle flash.
He's down on his back. The men gather round. Tell him to hold on. The Lady? The Lady? She's safe they say. Old Sergeant Walczak's haloed by darkness. There's a picture in his hand. Wha? Yes, that's Julian. Julian's coming. Good, he'll watch her while I get some sleep.
"Doc!"
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
014: Underworld II
Leonid
Fucker is not doing that again. Cap-Cat takes the bolt out of her liner while I cover the breach. She's done. He hasn't popped up. We go in.
The dead stare at us. The madman was right, she has an honor guard.
She went down. Another took her place. He sees the beam sweep the passage. Let them.
He scampers silently away on bare feet. Down the side pasage to the first wire. Tighten it up and pull the pin. Grenade surprise, yum, yum. He wishes he had set them on the main passage. But the brothers did not approve. It will have to do.
They'll come slow, time to set the other tripwires.
I ghost down the tunnel. The others, not so quiet. Not good hunters.
We secure the first intersection. Each way lies a short tunnel length, archways, and more cross tunnels. Place is a maze.
Cap and the others guard the intersection. I slow walk down to the left, AKR drifting from archway to tunnel to archway and back around. Hold position. Something's not right. I kneel. There, about ankle height, stretches a wire. One end ties off on a nail in the archway. In the other archway, grenade in a can. Wire cutters fix that.
Report back to Cap. Down the other passage. Same thing. Consistancy good. Snip.
He talks to the men. Orders understood. They will guard her to the last. He will make it so that does not happen. The Amerski are in the passages with the brothers. He nods to himself, they would hold them hostage as they advance. The rifle and the grenade would take too many of them as well as the invaders. He has one option left. Don't forget the mask.
Nerve wracking. We move up and secure. Check for trip wires. Repeat. Where is he?
We should be cats hunting a mouse. Maybe we are the mice.
Something flies out of the cross tunnel. It bounces from the dead, skulls clatter to the floor, and rolls right by me. Fuck!
"Grenade!" screams Cat. I'm dropping. It won't matter. We're too close. The stone too tight. We're dead, so I look.
Miller and Irish are dropping. Not the Cap. She pivots around, takes two strides. She kicks out and the grenade takes off down the hall. It starts spewing smoke. Cap's riding high on adrenaline and shouts, "Gas!"
It's done. He hears the Amerski's paniced calls. He tightens his grip on the pistol and knife. A wall of billowing gas fills the catacombs. May the brothers forgive him for their pain.
Soon they will retch and weep. In the darkness he will go to them and end this.
"Alphabit"
Cap made sure of him, Eddie and any other troop that fell under her command. Keep your gear together. Keep it clean, secure and ready to go. Then, damnit, timed them. Woke them and timed them. Made them fit helmet, vest and mask from a dead sleep. Always reminding them how men died in the mines due to stupidity and carelessness. Worse, were those who'd died because they hadn't cared to learn theitr safety equipment.
As the wall of white smoke engulfed me my mask was already in place. I could feel a low burning in my hands and the back of my neck. I clutched the M16 close and covered our rear. Can't see anything.
I hear a muffled order, "Sound off."
"Leo"
"Doc"
"Alpha"
"Hold tight."
Nothing. He's tight and ready. There's nothing. He should go. They cannot see. Anyone he touches is the foe. They, they won't be so sure. Yes, he should go.
Unless... no, don't wait. Go!
What if it is one of the brothers he finds in the dark? Who takes his knife. Not again...
Screams fill his head.
Cap speaks low and firm. Hold position. The gas will disperse (eventually). Meanwhile, I'm blind with sweat dripping into my eyes surrounded by the angry ghosts of dead Poles.
My imagination's running away with me. I'm waiting for rounds to fill the corridor. Just ignore the itching and wait it out.
He pulls himself from the floor. Too much time has passed. Too late to go out after them. Fool, he curses himself. Clear headed for a moment he knows the brothers are dead, the men are dead. It is just her and ...
He hears the order, Fall Back. "Tak, Colonel. All units fall back to phase line Sobieski. Acknowledge!"
The gas thins. Doc's blurry shape snaps her fingers at me and waves when I look. Take a deep breath Donald.
Last man out.
Check the rear.
Leo's gun roars in the confined space. "Saw him, saw him." We're all running.
And then, we're out of straight ahead. Leo peaks out from under his IR set. Turns to us with a feral snarl.
"Lights"
Fucker is not doing that again. Cap-Cat takes the bolt out of her liner while I cover the breach. She's done. He hasn't popped up. We go in.
The dead stare at us. The madman was right, she has an honor guard.
She went down. Another took her place. He sees the beam sweep the passage. Let them.
He scampers silently away on bare feet. Down the side pasage to the first wire. Tighten it up and pull the pin. Grenade surprise, yum, yum. He wishes he had set them on the main passage. But the brothers did not approve. It will have to do.
They'll come slow, time to set the other tripwires.
I ghost down the tunnel. The others, not so quiet. Not good hunters.
We secure the first intersection. Each way lies a short tunnel length, archways, and more cross tunnels. Place is a maze.
Cap and the others guard the intersection. I slow walk down to the left, AKR drifting from archway to tunnel to archway and back around. Hold position. Something's not right. I kneel. There, about ankle height, stretches a wire. One end ties off on a nail in the archway. In the other archway, grenade in a can. Wire cutters fix that.
Report back to Cap. Down the other passage. Same thing. Consistancy good. Snip.
He talks to the men. Orders understood. They will guard her to the last. He will make it so that does not happen. The Amerski are in the passages with the brothers. He nods to himself, they would hold them hostage as they advance. The rifle and the grenade would take too many of them as well as the invaders. He has one option left. Don't forget the mask.
Nerve wracking. We move up and secure. Check for trip wires. Repeat. Where is he?
We should be cats hunting a mouse. Maybe we are the mice.
Something flies out of the cross tunnel. It bounces from the dead, skulls clatter to the floor, and rolls right by me. Fuck!
"Grenade!" screams Cat. I'm dropping. It won't matter. We're too close. The stone too tight. We're dead, so I look.
Miller and Irish are dropping. Not the Cap. She pivots around, takes two strides. She kicks out and the grenade takes off down the hall. It starts spewing smoke. Cap's riding high on adrenaline and shouts, "Gas!"
It's done. He hears the Amerski's paniced calls. He tightens his grip on the pistol and knife. A wall of billowing gas fills the catacombs. May the brothers forgive him for their pain.
Soon they will retch and weep. In the darkness he will go to them and end this.
"Alphabit"
Cap made sure of him, Eddie and any other troop that fell under her command. Keep your gear together. Keep it clean, secure and ready to go. Then, damnit, timed them. Woke them and timed them. Made them fit helmet, vest and mask from a dead sleep. Always reminding them how men died in the mines due to stupidity and carelessness. Worse, were those who'd died because they hadn't cared to learn theitr safety equipment.
As the wall of white smoke engulfed me my mask was already in place. I could feel a low burning in my hands and the back of my neck. I clutched the M16 close and covered our rear. Can't see anything.
I hear a muffled order, "Sound off."
"Leo"
"Doc"
"Alpha"
"Hold tight."
Nothing. He's tight and ready. There's nothing. He should go. They cannot see. Anyone he touches is the foe. They, they won't be so sure. Yes, he should go.
Unless... no, don't wait. Go!
What if it is one of the brothers he finds in the dark? Who takes his knife. Not again...
Screams fill his head.
Cap speaks low and firm. Hold position. The gas will disperse (eventually). Meanwhile, I'm blind with sweat dripping into my eyes surrounded by the angry ghosts of dead Poles.
My imagination's running away with me. I'm waiting for rounds to fill the corridor. Just ignore the itching and wait it out.
He pulls himself from the floor. Too much time has passed. Too late to go out after them. Fool, he curses himself. Clear headed for a moment he knows the brothers are dead, the men are dead. It is just her and ...
He hears the order, Fall Back. "Tak, Colonel. All units fall back to phase line Sobieski. Acknowledge!"
The gas thins. Doc's blurry shape snaps her fingers at me and waves when I look. Take a deep breath Donald.
Last man out.
Check the rear.
Leo's gun roars in the confined space. "Saw him, saw him." We're all running.
And then, we're out of straight ahead. Leo peaks out from under his IR set. Turns to us with a feral snarl.
"Lights"
Monday, September 19, 2011
013: Underworld
Silence broken after the rains come. The storm sewers fill with clean water and the sounds of surf fill the catacombs. He remebers the Baltic shore in the warm summer. Waves curling in. The water would be cold, he knew, but not the land and sun.
Too soon, the water flow trails down and takes the summer sun with it. He slings the crossbow and takes the broom. He'll start near the sewer today. The whisk of his broom a counterpoint to the murmur of the water. She'll like that.
Leo first, then me, Doc and Alphabit. Leo'd got that short AK readied. He'll drop to a knee to give me a firelane for the M60 if we contact anything. Doc and Alpha are packing M16s. They're to keep checking our trail. We all have IR with clean emitters and lenses. No lights. Last instructions, then we move down as quiet as we can.
The tunnel leads down to a sewer main. Judging from the size and water level, it was a storm sewer. We spread out a bit along the walkway, searching the far side. Leo spots it first. Across the main from us brickwork spills down onto the matching walkway. There's a greater darkness behind.
Alphabit claims to be our best swimmer. We rope him just in case he isn't and down into the water he goes.
"Only waist deep. Bottom's slick and there's a bit of an undertow." He has some trouble getting out at the far end, nearly going under once, but recovers quickly and ties the line off.
The broom and this floor are old friends. Swish, swish, listen. She needs a clean house. Swish, swish, listen. For the child. Swish, swish, listen. He's the only one allowed out anymore. His men must stand their post. Keeping them safe, even the new ones.
Occasionally during the work he reaches out, touches one of the brothers. Silently they assure him that noone has passed.
So the day passes. Silent work and satisfaction. They are safe and alone. Swish, swish, "...Bit of an undertow!"
We take a loop of rope through our webbing. One at a time, we secure it to the safetly line, and cross. Leo pokes his head into the wall breach. "They're all dead in there." We swap spots. The walls are lined with niches. In every niche a skull the rest of the bones piled behind.
"Just what we wanted, Leonid. These'll lead under the shrine and"
Alphabit yelps, drops to his side and lets out a rapid scream of Gaelic curses. I can see a shaft sticking out from his side. Leo shifts to cover right, I cover left. Doc crouches by Alphabit.
"Leo, you see anything?"
"See shit."
"It came from your side, you can't see anything."
"No, fucker pop-up pop-down." Silence then, "How you know was this side."
I keep a steady scan as I answer. "Alphabit's back was to us, arrows in his right side. QED." I interrupt his followup. "cuz that's how I'd run the ambush."
Amerski. He lets out a low moan. While he'd recruited the two, another had gotten away, and now he'd brought back more. He moves quick int he dark, back and over to cover the breach. The old IR goggles slip over his eyes. The emitter bulb is long dead, but he can see the flicker of their's as they move around. Sight in and wait for the light to shine bright.
Nothing has come at us from the left or the right. Might only be one man or someone taking a shot and running back for reinforcements. Well, they know we're here. I work the words around in my head. Polish is not my best language.
"Hello! We come to talk!" No answer. "I looking to Fabian Filipowitcz! Brother Julian sent me!" Still silence.
Lying bitch. Lying, lying, lying. Almost he shouts back his defience. Julian would never turn his coat and work with the Americans! They'd followed the bastard Deutch into this war. His brother, he must be dead. Yes that was it. Dead. They'd used his personal papers to know he was with the 6th, here at the Shrine. They were here for her.
"Don, it barely broke your skin." Doc shows him about an eighth of an inch of bloodstained quarrel. "Damn thing was tangled in your vest and gear." Alphabit ducks his head sheepishly.
"Please, we want to talk!" Echoes.
"Leo, you think anybody is actually listening?" He shrugs. The sniper probably ran away to get help. I risk a peek though the breach.
There she is. He's too eager and jerks at the trigger. Her head snaps back and away.
I hold the helmet in my hands. The bolt missed my head. The damn thing is caught between the helmet and nylon webbing. An inch to the right and it would have been my eye. Ok, probably just the IR system. The thought doesn't make me feel any better.
Leo, laconicly, "They no want to talk."
Too soon, the water flow trails down and takes the summer sun with it. He slings the crossbow and takes the broom. He'll start near the sewer today. The whisk of his broom a counterpoint to the murmur of the water. She'll like that.
Leo first, then me, Doc and Alphabit. Leo'd got that short AK readied. He'll drop to a knee to give me a firelane for the M60 if we contact anything. Doc and Alpha are packing M16s. They're to keep checking our trail. We all have IR with clean emitters and lenses. No lights. Last instructions, then we move down as quiet as we can.
The tunnel leads down to a sewer main. Judging from the size and water level, it was a storm sewer. We spread out a bit along the walkway, searching the far side. Leo spots it first. Across the main from us brickwork spills down onto the matching walkway. There's a greater darkness behind.
Alphabit claims to be our best swimmer. We rope him just in case he isn't and down into the water he goes.
"Only waist deep. Bottom's slick and there's a bit of an undertow." He has some trouble getting out at the far end, nearly going under once, but recovers quickly and ties the line off.
The broom and this floor are old friends. Swish, swish, listen. She needs a clean house. Swish, swish, listen. For the child. Swish, swish, listen. He's the only one allowed out anymore. His men must stand their post. Keeping them safe, even the new ones.
Occasionally during the work he reaches out, touches one of the brothers. Silently they assure him that noone has passed.
So the day passes. Silent work and satisfaction. They are safe and alone. Swish, swish, "...Bit of an undertow!"
We take a loop of rope through our webbing. One at a time, we secure it to the safetly line, and cross. Leo pokes his head into the wall breach. "They're all dead in there." We swap spots. The walls are lined with niches. In every niche a skull the rest of the bones piled behind.
"Just what we wanted, Leonid. These'll lead under the shrine and"
Alphabit yelps, drops to his side and lets out a rapid scream of Gaelic curses. I can see a shaft sticking out from his side. Leo shifts to cover right, I cover left. Doc crouches by Alphabit.
"Leo, you see anything?"
"See shit."
"It came from your side, you can't see anything."
"No, fucker pop-up pop-down." Silence then, "How you know was this side."
I keep a steady scan as I answer. "Alphabit's back was to us, arrows in his right side. QED." I interrupt his followup. "cuz that's how I'd run the ambush."
Amerski. He lets out a low moan. While he'd recruited the two, another had gotten away, and now he'd brought back more. He moves quick int he dark, back and over to cover the breach. The old IR goggles slip over his eyes. The emitter bulb is long dead, but he can see the flicker of their's as they move around. Sight in and wait for the light to shine bright.
Nothing has come at us from the left or the right. Might only be one man or someone taking a shot and running back for reinforcements. Well, they know we're here. I work the words around in my head. Polish is not my best language.
"Hello! We come to talk!" No answer. "I looking to Fabian Filipowitcz! Brother Julian sent me!" Still silence.
Lying bitch. Lying, lying, lying. Almost he shouts back his defience. Julian would never turn his coat and work with the Americans! They'd followed the bastard Deutch into this war. His brother, he must be dead. Yes that was it. Dead. They'd used his personal papers to know he was with the 6th, here at the Shrine. They were here for her.
"Don, it barely broke your skin." Doc shows him about an eighth of an inch of bloodstained quarrel. "Damn thing was tangled in your vest and gear." Alphabit ducks his head sheepishly.
"Please, we want to talk!" Echoes.
"Leo, you think anybody is actually listening?" He shrugs. The sniper probably ran away to get help. I risk a peek though the breach.
There she is. He's too eager and jerks at the trigger. Her head snaps back and away.
I hold the helmet in my hands. The bolt missed my head. The damn thing is caught between the helmet and nylon webbing. An inch to the right and it would have been my eye. Ok, probably just the IR system. The thought doesn't make me feel any better.
Leo, laconicly, "They no want to talk."
Monday, September 12, 2011
012: Czestochawa, July 18th and 19th, 2000
Captain Katriona Paterson
I've left Eddie and Moon Pie to guard the vehicles. Eddie gave me an earful about exposure limits, safety precautions and where not to go under any circumstances. He tells me the only hot spot should be the crater, although we should do our best to not breath in any dust or stir it up. Fortunately for us we're not headed into the craters.
We're planning to climb to the remains of Jasna Gora. Once upon a time it was the Shrine of the Lady of Czestochawa and the spiritual heart of Poland. Later, during the war, it served as a lynchpin in the city defenses and the HQ for Fabian Filipowitz's paras. Adom's man spoke of halls of bones and an honor guard of the dead. Ties right into the shrine, Julian spoke of the deep catacombs holding the remains of mediavel monastics and would have served again as a supply store or shelter during the war. We're going up.
----------------
It is rough going. The remains of buildings fallen into the street. Rubble piles make worse going than snowdrifts. Occasionally, we disturb something. Bugs rush from beneath distrubed debris. A rat the size of a Maine Coon hisses a challenge before scuttling away. Other than that there's just our breathing versus the oppresive silence.
It'll be night before we reach Jasna Gora. Leo and I pick out a 'good' spot with a partial wall sheltering us from the north wind and no overhang to fall on our heads. We settle into a cold camp. Doc and Leo try to sleep. Donald and I watch. We'll give tham six and swap over for the night.
----------------
We come out of the ruins after two hour's struggle to the base of the hill housing Jasna Gora. Before us skeletal copses of trees dot the hillside their bare branches clawing at the sky. Towards the hillcrest stand trunks, branching once or twice, before being sheared away. This used to be a park. And it still stands in the lee of the hill. No wonder Adom's man snapped.
"Doc, stick with me. Leo, Alphabit, spread out to the north. Let's go looking." Here, in the lee of the blast, we're most likely to find a way into the hill. Whether it is a maintence tunnel or a sewer grate, it will go down. Down among the dead.
The Old World isn't just cities. The cities grew on top of oldler cities and they rest upon towns and villages. And those abide on ruins older still. The modern infrastructure was built under, beside, and through those remains. Here, under the shrine, the shockwave and three years of neglect, would have opened those old ways. If the Poles hadn't done it themselves during the war.
"Kapitan, here!"
Leo's found an inspection tunnel built into the side of the hill. The door stands worn and firmly shut against the world, but he points out raw iron along the hinges where the door had been opened recently. Adom's man or whoever cut him up has been through here. Time to go.
I've left Eddie and Moon Pie to guard the vehicles. Eddie gave me an earful about exposure limits, safety precautions and where not to go under any circumstances. He tells me the only hot spot should be the crater, although we should do our best to not breath in any dust or stir it up. Fortunately for us we're not headed into the craters.
We're planning to climb to the remains of Jasna Gora. Once upon a time it was the Shrine of the Lady of Czestochawa and the spiritual heart of Poland. Later, during the war, it served as a lynchpin in the city defenses and the HQ for Fabian Filipowitz's paras. Adom's man spoke of halls of bones and an honor guard of the dead. Ties right into the shrine, Julian spoke of the deep catacombs holding the remains of mediavel monastics and would have served again as a supply store or shelter during the war. We're going up.
----------------
It is rough going. The remains of buildings fallen into the street. Rubble piles make worse going than snowdrifts. Occasionally, we disturb something. Bugs rush from beneath distrubed debris. A rat the size of a Maine Coon hisses a challenge before scuttling away. Other than that there's just our breathing versus the oppresive silence.
It'll be night before we reach Jasna Gora. Leo and I pick out a 'good' spot with a partial wall sheltering us from the north wind and no overhang to fall on our heads. We settle into a cold camp. Doc and Leo try to sleep. Donald and I watch. We'll give tham six and swap over for the night.
----------------
We come out of the ruins after two hour's struggle to the base of the hill housing Jasna Gora. Before us skeletal copses of trees dot the hillside their bare branches clawing at the sky. Towards the hillcrest stand trunks, branching once or twice, before being sheared away. This used to be a park. And it still stands in the lee of the hill. No wonder Adom's man snapped.
"Doc, stick with me. Leo, Alphabit, spread out to the north. Let's go looking." Here, in the lee of the blast, we're most likely to find a way into the hill. Whether it is a maintence tunnel or a sewer grate, it will go down. Down among the dead.
The Old World isn't just cities. The cities grew on top of oldler cities and they rest upon towns and villages. And those abide on ruins older still. The modern infrastructure was built under, beside, and through those remains. Here, under the shrine, the shockwave and three years of neglect, would have opened those old ways. If the Poles hadn't done it themselves during the war.
"Kapitan, here!"
Leo's found an inspection tunnel built into the side of the hill. The door stands worn and firmly shut against the world, but he points out raw iron along the hinges where the door had been opened recently. Adom's man or whoever cut him up has been through here. Time to go.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
011: Journal July 17?, 2000
Eddie's Journal
July 17th, 2000 maybe
Bad day all round. Full body aches and blinded by the light. Reved up like a deuce a-motoring in the night! Doc isn't sure what it is. Leo thinks the rain washed some nerve agent remnants out of the trees. I think its aliens. Leo's probably right. More comforting than I don't know.
We waited out our eyes, it took a few hours, and went back on the road. We found the remains of our marauder friends about half an hour later.
Two UAZ jeeps, one flipped on its side in the mud, a MG ripped off it's mount and thrown high into a tree and much blood. A torn up trail led off into the woods. Alpha and I got stuck checking the UAZs. The Cap and Moon-Pie that's what she's calling Lewellen went to check the trail. The came back not long after with a smashed rifle and a boot with the foot still in it. She told us the trail broke into three parts and there were bits and pieces of man, uniform, and gear scattered all over. After that we finished out job in a rush; taking one of the UAZs and stripping the other before heading out.
---------------------
Czestochawa.
Those memories have already been jogged enough. Getting here is a slap in the face. I was held way back from the battle itself, but after wards I drove these roads. All older and torn up now, but still somehow familiar. Then we crest some hills and see the city. The things I've done.
Not a city, just fields of broken teeth all the way to the river.
I've tried to rationalize it over the years. It was just property. We'd held the city for months. When the Soviets pushed back we told the populace what we were going to do. I'm told they all left. I know some stayed. Some always do.
The things I've done. Fucking maudin You always remember your first.
--------------------
Crazy Poles.
I guided us around the big minefield east of the city and there they are. Two wagons and about 10 men. Crawling around, safing and pulling mines out of the field. Damn dangerous work.
Leo and Moon-Pie got to go forward in the lead UAZ. Got to talking. Cap decided to give them marauders UAZ for info and as a good will gesture. The lead man, Adom, says they're entrepreneurs out of Krakow. There's good cash in mines.
He asked if we had a doctor. One of his men had an accident and all Adom had was a barely trained field medic. So she volunteered ours Hearts and Mines!
We all went to their cap in a nearby copse. A few tents, latrine, and cook site. Cap, Doc and Leo followed Adom to one of the tents. Leo filled me in on it later.
One of their guys went off into the big city a few days ago. Treasure hunting. He came back out of his mind and without his eyes. Looks like he clawed them out. God damn. Leo says he kept hysterically ranting about the Lady and her child. How he wasn't worthy. Doc gave him some of our dwindling supply of sedative and they talked once he slowed down.
Short story -- he went into the city hunting for the TREASURE. Instead he found tunnels with all the bodies of those the Americans had murdered. He found soldiers guarding the Lady and her Child. The soldiers turned on him b/c he wasn't worthy of beholding their holy glory. So he ripped his own eyes out to give to her in repentance. The soldiers took him back to the world and he came here.
Adom says this guy never was right in the head. Would tell anyone who would listen that this was the Tribulation and Jesus would be coming soon. That we were all destined for the fires.
Doc says his self-inflicted the eye trauma, but his arms are marked with defensive knife wounds. Sounds so sterile that way. Cap thinks he really saw something under the city. He couldn't take it and snapped. She thinks he found an entrance near or under the Jasna Gora. If there's any way Fabian Filipowicz is still alive, it would be guarding the Black Madonna.
July 17th, 2000 maybe
Bad day all round. Full body aches and blinded by the light. Reved up like a deuce a-motoring in the night! Doc isn't sure what it is. Leo thinks the rain washed some nerve agent remnants out of the trees. I think its aliens. Leo's probably right. More comforting than I don't know.
We waited out our eyes, it took a few hours, and went back on the road. We found the remains of our marauder friends about half an hour later.
Two UAZ jeeps, one flipped on its side in the mud, a MG ripped off it's mount and thrown high into a tree and much blood. A torn up trail led off into the woods. Alpha and I got stuck checking the UAZs. The Cap and Moon-Pie that's what she's calling Lewellen went to check the trail. The came back not long after with a smashed rifle and a boot with the foot still in it. She told us the trail broke into three parts and there were bits and pieces of man, uniform, and gear scattered all over. After that we finished out job in a rush; taking one of the UAZs and stripping the other before heading out.
---------------------
Czestochawa.
Those memories have already been jogged enough. Getting here is a slap in the face. I was held way back from the battle itself, but after wards I drove these roads. All older and torn up now, but still somehow familiar. Then we crest some hills and see the city. The things I've done.
Not a city, just fields of broken teeth all the way to the river.
I've tried to rationalize it over the years. It was just property. We'd held the city for months. When the Soviets pushed back we told the populace what we were going to do. I'm told they all left. I know some stayed. Some always do.
The things I've done. Fucking maudin You always remember your first.
--------------------
Crazy Poles.
I guided us around the big minefield east of the city and there they are. Two wagons and about 10 men. Crawling around, safing and pulling mines out of the field. Damn dangerous work.
Leo and Moon-Pie got to go forward in the lead UAZ. Got to talking. Cap decided to give them marauders UAZ for info and as a good will gesture. The lead man, Adom, says they're entrepreneurs out of Krakow. There's good cash in mines.
He asked if we had a doctor. One of his men had an accident and all Adom had was a barely trained field medic. So she volunteered ours Hearts and Mines!
We all went to their cap in a nearby copse. A few tents, latrine, and cook site. Cap, Doc and Leo followed Adom to one of the tents. Leo filled me in on it later.
One of their guys went off into the big city a few days ago. Treasure hunting. He came back out of his mind and without his eyes. Looks like he clawed them out. God damn. Leo says he kept hysterically ranting about the Lady and her child. How he wasn't worthy. Doc gave him some of our dwindling supply of sedative and they talked once he slowed down.
Short story -- he went into the city hunting for the TREASURE. Instead he found tunnels with all the bodies of those the Americans had murdered. He found soldiers guarding the Lady and her Child. The soldiers turned on him b/c he wasn't worthy of beholding their holy glory. So he ripped his own eyes out to give to her in repentance. The soldiers took him back to the world and he came here.
Adom says this guy never was right in the head. Would tell anyone who would listen that this was the Tribulation and Jesus would be coming soon. That we were all destined for the fires.
Doc says his self-inflicted the eye trauma, but his arms are marked with defensive knife wounds. Sounds so sterile that way. Cap thinks he really saw something under the city. He couldn't take it and snapped. She thinks he found an entrance near or under the Jasna Gora. If there's any way Fabian Filipowicz is still alive, it would be guarding the Black Madonna.
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