of the city.
“Sir, are we expecting an attack in the north?”
“I wouldn’t be putting you there if I didn’t think so, Major. Based on what we have seen the last two days, we expect a major offensive is imminent. Paris stands in defiance. If they think at all like us, they’ll not want it to stay that way.”
“Air cover, Sir?” asked Jones.
“Limited. They’ve taken a real beating this last week. What is left has little ordnance left to shoot.”
“Then we’re in for a rough ride,” Friday mused.
“Will that be all, Sir?” asked Chandra.
“Affirmative, Major. You are to take up positions at the bridge immediately. I’ll have the troops and supplies sent to you as and when they become available.”
“Sergeant Silva!” shouted Taylor.
The Sergeant leapt to his feet and to attention. He had been cleaned up, but his face was still bruised. A bandage wrapped his head to cover the worst of his wounds. Taylor knew he’d be feeling like hell, but he didn’t show it. Seeing the battered Sergeant made him realise quite how rough he himself must look to those around him.
“Grab your gear, we’ve been re-assigned.”
“Which of us, Sir?”
“Just you and me, Sergeant.”
Parker leapt to her feet.
“What it to become of us, Sir?” she insisted.
He stopped and looked across at the faces of the few marines and paras that had survived the onslaught of little over a week of fighting. They looked far from impressed by the news. Ortiz and Campbell took their place among them, not wanting to be under the glare of the troops.
“I want to thank you all! You saved my life and that of the Sergeant. However, we all have our orders! General White wants me to pursue kit that could even up the odds. I’ll return ASAP with whatever equipment I can beg, borrow or steal that I think could make a difference.”
“Sir,” called Monty. “We may not survive that long.”
Taylor nodded. It was a tough leaving his friends and companions at such a time of need.
“Survivors of the Welsh Fusiliers and a few other units will be joining you shortly to bolster your numbers. The Commander may even be getting some armour support. General White thinks we have an opportunity here, and I will not see that opportunity wasted.”
He could see a number of them nodding in appreciation of the support, but it was also a bitter reminder of the tremendous losses they had all faced.
“You will remain under the command of Major Chandra. She will see to the organisation of the new troops. Good luck to you all!”
Some of them nodded, but there was little enthusiasm about the Major leaving. He knew there was nothing more that could be said to boost their spirits.
“Silva, let’s move.”
The Sergeant hauled his kit onto his shoulder with a groan from the various bruises in his body. The two marines strolled on towards the landing zone. As they took a bend around one of the vehicles, they were met by the sight of Sergeant Parker blocking their path. She stood for a second with a saddened expression before taking flight and launching herself at the Major.
Silva turned away as they embraced and kissed. He wanted to give them privacy, just as much as he wanted plausible deniability. Taylor finally put her down and she passed off between them. He turned to watch her leave and then looked back to the Sergeant.
“You know back home you’d probably lose your command for such activity, Sir?”
“But we aren’t at home, Sergeant. We’re in a god damn hell hole and with no end in sight. It’s the very last of my concerns.”
Silva nodded.
“As long as you don’t try and kiss me like that, Sir.”
Taylor chuckled as he patted the Sergeant on the back.
Parker returned to the camp just as Chandra and Jones came to a standstill at the edge. She had gotten rid of the crutch and was supporting her own bodyweight.
“The Commander has a bridge he wants us to defend, and you can probably guess its location.”
“You coming with us, Major?” asked Parker.
“Officially, no, I cannot return to combat duties until this leg is fully recovered. Between us, I can manage a rifle, so I’ll be there with you. Gear up! We leave in five!”
The troops jumped to life. It was clear that they were still not at all content with Taylor’s departure, but her presence had softened the blow a little. Sergeant Parker strode up to her with an inquisitive look.
“Taylor really doing what you say? Looking for super weapons that could change this war?”
She didn’t much like the Sergeant’s tone, nor her lack of respect, but she sympathised with Eli.
“That is what I have been told, Sergeant.”
Chandra took a step closer so that she could speak more quietly, and the other troops could not hear.
“Taylor is going to be fine. He’ll be in a safer place than any of us. Right now you need to focus on keeping yourself and the rest of us alive.”
Parker nodded as she grit her teeth. She knew she was letting her emotions get in the way of her job and acting in an unprofessional manner. After all that she had been through, it was difficult not to have Taylor at the centre of her thoughts.
“We’ll make it through this, Eli. I just need you to do your job,” whispered Chandra.
Eli smiled as she lifted her shoulders a little higher and regained her composure.
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“That’ll be all, Sergeant.”
It was not long before they reached the bridge they had fought over just a day before. The wreckage of the Mechs was still on the site, though it had been hauled out of the vehicular route by the armoured units in the area. It was as desolate and quiet as when they had arrived the first time. It was clear to Chandra that they had few troops to divert to the defence of the northern districts.
“I want trenches either side of the bridge! Fortify the buildings this side!”
She beckoned for the two Captains to assemble at her side as the others got to work.
“You think we can hold here?” asked Jones.
“Your guess is as good as mine, Captain. We have our orders, and we’ll do our utmost to fulfil them.”
They looked across the bridge to the wreckage of the Mechs and down the long empty road before them.
“What kind of strength do we anticipate them to come in?” asked Friday.
Chandra shook her head.
“No idea, Captain. Dupont believes that an attack will come. The resistance Taylor faced yesterday would support that.”
“And if we can’t hold?” asked Jones.
“We’ll do what we can. Worst case, we move further in towards the city. If we can’t hold onto Paris, it does not bode well for the rest of Europe.”
“Perhaps you should have returned home. The channel has saved you many times throughout history,” said Friday.
“We stand together or not at all, Captain. No one nation can stand against the invaders. I can’t deny I’d gladly return to England, but it would only delay our fight a little longer.”
“And when the fight goes to America, what will you do Friday?” asked Jones.
“I’ll fight wherever I am ordered, or wherever I may be. We don’t fight as nations any longer. We are a world united.”
