Convoy

Taken from Cpl. Hoi’s diary

PMC: Valor

Date: 6/14/11

Entry Title: Convoy

Today was… fun.

Three satellite uplink sights were detected in the Lake Bayano Spur area. We quickly loaded up into the APCs and rolled out. A few new guys in the squad had been given these strange contraptions. The new guys had shown them to us, they apparently blew out this blue smoke that healed people. I was personally skeptical that they could do anything, but these guys seemed to really believe whoever had fed them that shit. I dozed off to sleep. The multi-hour long drive being a long pattern of bumps and turns made sleep easy. After a few hours of rest I was awoken by a chorus of 67mm cannons firing. I heard a few rounds returned, one smacked into my own APC’s armor, then twin explosions went off somewhere nearby. I looked out of the firing slot behind my head. SVER soldiers were scurry about the wreckage of their APC. Grinning with these easy kills I placed my M240B into the firing slot. Streams of bullets connected with my targets bodies, knocking them to the ground dead. The platoon leader came on the broadcast circuit shouting. “I NEED MORE FIRE ON THAT INFANTRY!” I shook my head, Collins was a good tactician but a terrible leader. I continued firing short bursts as the APC continued driving. I heard a shout raised from the 67mm gunners turret, “RPG!” I swung my MG to face a mass of infantry. At least three of them simultaneously fired RPGs just as I pulled the trigger. The high explosive warheads streaked across the grassy field, connecting with the APC in front of us. My new squad leader shouted, “Everybody out! Get to cover.” I pulled my MG from the firing slot and jumped out of the back of the APC. I quickly laid down in some light brush, trying to stay out of the enemies view. I waited for the rest of my squad to be in position before I released a stream of bullets from my MG. The smacked into the SVER soldiers ripping through their flesh and killing them. The rest of my squad added to the crescendo of my MG with their own weapons. I watched a group of Valor commandoes moving in the tree line off to my right. They were almost invisible, only the help of my HUD allowed me to see them. They quickly flanked the last of the SVER soldiers. I attempted to imagine what it would be like to have a wall of bullets appear from the trees and kill all of my squad mates and myself. But that was only a fate for the SVER soldiers across from me. I stood and walked back to the APC, but the squad leader shouted to me “Were going on foot Hoi, command isn’t going to risk any more of those Infiltrators.” I shook my head, “Bastards” The squad leader looked at me, “What?”

“Faster sir, I said were going to need to move faster to get their before the competition.” He nodded and I sighed, then jogged quickly over to the APC and grabbed a gun strap; it was going to be a long walk.

I realized that Carrizo, the man who had spared my life, had given me respect for the soldiers of other Corporations. Before I had thought that they were all horrible men and women who were fighting for money and greed. He made me realize that not all of my enemies are dumb and greedy. Some of them are intelligent. I’m not sure which scared me worse, Carrizo, or the knowledge that my enemy wasn’t in fact, dumb. Finally the first of three objectives was in sight. The towering uplink sat atop a hill, surrounded by trees. I almost did a face-palm right there. It was going to be a tactical nightmare taking that position. And holding it would be worse. The squad, with support elements, moved up to take the area but apparently SVER had left its mark. As the first man entered the complex he tripped. At first I thought it was clumsy, but then I realized that his foot had been separated from his leg. I stared in shock as blood came pouring from the severed appendage.  I turned to the squad, “Watch out for traps guys, they’ll be all over.” The next hour or so was spent tediously and stressfully sweeping the complex for traps. Two more cases of razor wire were found, and three explosives were found as well. Oh, and those guys with the fancy kits? They sprayed the guy that lost his foot with it, new foot came back in a matter of minutes. I was shocked by that as well. It was never before seen, and we had that edge.