man’s face, but he no longer had the time to convince every soldier that they had hope. He turned and grasped the huge wheel locking the door shut.
Martinez and the others watched in suspense as the Commander spun the lock around until the door opened just a millimetre. Kelly didn’t show any caution. He knew he must be confident and forthright. With his weapon still slung across his back, he took the door wheel in both hands and hauled it open. The half-metre thick door creaked as it swung its hinges and rocked back against the wall.
Commander Kelly strutted confidently and triumphantly out into the dusty tunnel without a weapon in his hands. He turned back and looked at the troops who peered on in amazement. They were roused by his seemingly unflinching confidence. A cheer rang out as they rushed forward to join their fearless leader.
Kelly turned on the spot and lifted his weapon. He suddenly became aware that he no longer felt like the old and creaky desk worker close to retiring that he had done. A rationed diet and regular combat had conditioned him. He had shed kilos of weight in the last few months. Gone were his chubby cheeks, replaced by a sharp and grizzled jaw. His armour fitted right. His body felt right, and his troops could see the resolve in his eyes. It’s our time, he thought.
“Let’s take these bastards down!” he cried.
Gone was their calm concern and caution. They got to a jogging pace and rushed down the corridors. The stomping of hundreds of boots echoed down the empty cavities. Kelly turned a bend to find a single Mech stood gazing in awe of the noise and frozen in utter shock at what it saw. Before it could react, the Commander and five others lifted their weapons, releasing a hail of gunfire that killed the alien in seconds.
The troops cried in a bloodthirsty frenzy as they rushed past the body of the invader without even breaking stride. Gunfire erupted in the distance where Chen had made his entrance. Kelly smiled as he recognised the volley of human weapons.
“That’s our lads!” he yelled.
They had cut down another four Mechs without any injury by the time they reached Martinez’s designated corridor. He nodded in recognition to the Commander, lifting his rifle and leading his troops off at the fork. They had maintained a jogging pace through half a kilometre of tunnels and found only a few enemy guards.
“Is this really it? Are we finally taking it all back?” asked Perera.
Kelly turned to see the officer was at the front and by his side.
“This has gone on long enough, and it’s our time,” replied Kelly.
The Commander could see new life in the Lieutenant’s eyes. The hope that had been lost so long ago had returned within minutes. It was all the motivation Kelly needed. He no longer felt tired and beleaguered. It was as if he had awoken a different man that day. They were no longer the hunted.
When they finally reached the rendezvous point, they could see the same rush of excitement amongst all that fought beside them.
“Status report!” shouted Kelly.
“Corridor is clear, one wounded,” replied Martinez.
“Clear, one dead, two wounded,” shouted Chen as he rushed towards them.
Kelly’s smile grew wider. He never liked losing a single soul, but a single death after all the devastation they had witnessed was a better result than any of them could have hoped for. He spun around to see the faces of the troops around them. They were not panting, and they were not downtrodden. Smiles and excitement filled all their faces. Kelly knew that it was an opportunity he must take advantage of.
“Colonel Chen. You felt we may better clear this ground if we fought further afield. Are you still confident with that assessment?”
Kelly deliberately shouted it loud enough for all near them to hear.
“Yes, Sir!” Chen yelled back.
“I’m heading north, Martinez, east, and Chen, west. Let’s clear these bastards out of our land!”
The troops thrust their rifles into the air and cried with excitement. Kelly could hear the applause ring out through the corridors around them. He could not relay his words to their armies, but they knew well enough that success was in their hands.
“Let’s do this, forwards!” cried Kelly.
Chapter 7
Chandra walked past lines of billets with a sombre tone. She walked without meaning or purpose. She knew they had just a few hours until the main enemy attack, and that there was little else to do.
“Major!”
She looked up to see Sergeant Silva approaching. She responded in a dull and lifeless manner as if she had lost all care in the world. She wondered why they were even bothering anymore. So many of her friends were now lost. Their own side seemed to be the cause of as many of the losses as the enemy. She had always told the Company how they were fighting for the human race, but she now felt like she was in foreign lands more than ever.
“What is it, Sergeant?”
“Captain Jones! He’s been cleared for duty and will be reporting back to the Company within the hour!”
A glimmer of hope appeared in her eyes, but it was soured by the thoughts that rushed to the front of her mind.
“He’s being returned to us now? He can’t be ready for it. What, are they emptying all the hospitals or something?” she insisted.
The Sergeant looked taken aback by her response.
“This is Captain Jones we are talking about. You have wanted him back since Amiens, and we need him now more than ever.”
“No, we need the Jones that we knew months ago. I am not sure that man exists anymore. Have you not seen him since his return?”
Silva shook his head. He had seen the horrors at the prison camp where they had rescued Jones, but he had assumed that the Captain would quickly recover.
“I think you have gravely underestimated the trauma that Charlie has been through. God knows I would have done anything to avoid it, and anything to have him back. Schulz is emptying the hospitals of any soldier who can hold a rifle, but he isn’t ready to be back here.”
“Sorry, Ma’am, but I’d rather have half the man the Captain used to be stood beside us, than not at all.”
She glared into the eyes of the Sergeant. For a moment she was furious with him for talking back at her, but she took a deep breath and calmed herself. Silva had become a great friend to her, more than she could have imagined or her military discipline would approve. Officers and NCOs were always a world apart for her, as she had been taught. But times had changed, and Silva felt her equal more than ever, proving as such on a regular basis.
“Major, we need all the help we can get.”
She nodded in agreement. She never saw what Silva and Taylor had on that frightful night of the rescue, but she had seen the Captain since and knew enough to be concerned.
“I can’t put Jones back in any position of command, not until we know he is up to the task.”
“Yes, Ma’am.”
“Your platoon is without an officer. I will attach Jones to your unit, on the basis that you remain in command until I say otherwise. Jones will be in a liaison officer position only. I need him looked after, Sergeant.”
“Understood.”
“Charlie is one of the best men I have ever known, and one of the best officers, but God knows what the last few months have done to him. Whatever horrors we have faced, they are belittled by his. Keep a careful eye on him, and keep him safe. I don’t fear for our own lives, but for his.”
Out of the corner of her eye, the Major caught a glimpse of a familiar face, that of Legrant, the Mayor of Amiens.
“Excuse me, Sergeant.”
