"Junior and I will scout ahead for a path," I said, resolutely. Piper nodded in agreement, his face a mask of determination. As we reached the corner of an alley, Junior and I paused, cautiously peeking around to assess our surroundings.
To our right, we spotted a patrol group moving through the debris-laden street. To our left, a grim scene unfolded: a firing squad executing two small families in cold blood. A wave of disgust washed over me, tightening my chest. I gestured to Junior with a hand signal, urging him to follow. "We need to move across the street," I whispered, trying to suppress the rage boiling within me. The infant's cries had quieted, an unsettling calmness enveloping the area that set my instincts on edge.
When we finally reached the other side of the street, the medic's voice pierced through my thoughts. "We need to hurry!" he reiterated, his urgency palpable. We nodded in agreement, knowing we had about half a kilometer to reach the safe house. "We'll get a message to HQ," I assured everyone, glancing back to ensure Junior was still with me.
We navigated through the ruins of abandoned homes and grocery stores, the stench of decay hanging in the air, thick and suffocating. Just then, an explosion erupted nearby, sending shock waves through the ground. I ducked instinctively, feeling the blast as debris flew past my ear. Peering through the haze, I saw a tank looming ominously, its turret swiveling as it scanned for targets.
"Piper, lead them to the safe house!" I shouted over the chaos.
"What about you?!" Piper's eyes widened in alarm.
"I'll lead the tank away! Just go!" I urged, determination hardening my resolve. Piper hesitated for a moment before nodding, reluctantly moving back around the store with the others.
Turning back to Junior, I realized he lay unconscious on the ground, a gash forming on his head, though it didn't look too deep. Panic surged in my chest. With no more time to waste, I quickly pulled out my Mk2 grenade and threw it toward the tank. The explosion kicked up a cloud of dust and debris, creating a temporary smoke screen.
With the smoke lingering, I dashed toward the next street, adrenaline coursing through my veins. A tank commander popped his head out from the slightly opened hatch, his eyes locking onto me. They gave chase. I pulled my Beretta pistol from its holster and fired three blind shots behind me, the bullets ricocheting off the metal of the tank and around my ears.
Desperation took over as I dove behind a ruined delivery truck, praying for some semblance of cover against the hail of bullets from the tank's machine gun. The driver, sensing my position, pivoted the tank and charged toward me, trying to run me down. I sprinted, my heart pounding in my ears, losing all sense of time as I fled from the monstrous steel beast.
Just as I thought I had evaded it, I threw myself into an alley, barely escaping the gunner's fire as bullets tore through the space where I had been. The corner of the building crumbled, sealing off my way back. I needed to regroup with the others, but the way ahead was shrouded in uncertainty.
With my pistol raised, I edged down the alley, keenly aware of every sound around me. I pulled my combat knife from its sheath, ready for whatever came next. Arriving at a fork in the alley, I peered right and saw a tall fence loomed in the distance, leading to a set of stairs that rose into the dark. To my left, a parking lot opened up, seemingly deserted, but I could not tell if it was safe.
I had to choose quickly. The sound of the tank's engine was fading behind me, but I knew I couldn't linger. I took a deep breath, weighing my options meticulously and trying to recall the last time I had seen our team. Whatever decision I made, it had to be swift and decisive—the clock was ticking, and failure was not an option.