"The Scout" - Chapter 29

The Scout

Chapter 29

By Dwayne MacInnes

"This is Mad Momma," Julia said over the radio in a worried voice. "My dorsal gunner is reporting five tanks heading towards us. We are covering the exits to Valley City. We are going to need help to slow them down if we are to get everyone into town."

"Bumblebee and Wrangler we are going to need you up front," Scott ordered.

Bumblebee and Wrangler were both specialty vehicles and had so far been out of the thick of combat. Now it was time for them to earn their pay.

Bumblebee was a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle. Solid black paint covered the rear and as the eye swept forward towards the front, it would notice that the solid black would break into bands of vertical black stripes over a yellow body and then return to a solid black on the trunk in front. The face of a bee in grim determination covered the front of the Bug.

To further the illusion of the flying insect the barrel of a 90 mm recoilless rifle protruded out from the trunk resembling a stinger or proboscis. On the roof were mounted four loudspeakers two on the driver's side and two on the passenger's side resembling small wings.

Wrangler on the other hand was an old Brinks armored truck painted in a Holstein pattern. A set of Texas longhorn horns mounted on the hood added to the cow theme. The armor truck did not boast any visible weapons because it had none. Its sole purpose was to carry and lay landmines in the event when the convoy needed to go to static defense.

"This is Bumblebee, Roger!" the voice on the radio replied in excitement. The two men who drove and operated the Bug had a reputation of being thrill seekers. Sometimes they had a tendency to push the envelope too far. However, they always accomplished their tasks.

As usual as the bee painted VW shot off down the highway towards combat, the jazzy version of 'The Flight of the Bumblebee' used as the Green Hornet theme song blared over the loudspeakers. The music lifted everyone's spirits as it sped by. Many trucks honked and everyone yelled encouragement as the Bug drove past.

"This is Wrangler, good buddy, I'm on my way," the voice of the Wrangler said in his thick Texas draw. "Yee-haw!"

The heavy armored truck followed the Bug towards the front of the pack.

Bumblebee flew past the Armadillo in the orange twilight towards the tanks. The Armadillo started to open up its 25 mm cannon giving the small VW some cover.

With the sun setting to the west behind the convoy, the tanks were at a disadvantage for firing at their targets. The glare from the sunlight blinded the gunners.

The VW approached the first tank an M60 and fired its 90 mm recoilless rifle. The shot hit home and a muffled explosion filled the air as thick smoke poured of the tank's turret. The other tanks, all Pattons as well, tried to return fire. The big guns could not turn to meet the little bee painted car in time. However, the machineguns on the tanks did give adequate cover. Bumblebee had to swerve and dodge the incoming shots. Even though armor covered the body, its skin was not as thick as Scott's Charger.

The 25 mm shells from the Bushmaster on the Armadillo destroyed the turret on a second tank. The music continued to blare over the loudspeakers as Bumblebee readied itself for another shot. The VW fired its projectile simultaneously as the M60 it was targeting fired its main gun, both vehicles exploded in a fiery flash.

Mad Momma watched in sadness as the daring little car disintegrated before her eyes. Three tanks lay smoking on the old highway the other two started to pull back as some M113 APCs pulled up. The Bushmaster was able to take out two before Scott ordered the Armadillo to pull back into town.

The Wrangler had been racing up and down and back and forth in front of the Armadillo delivering its deadly payload. The highway now suitably covered in mines would stop the tanks for the night, as they would need to clear the obstacles before they could enter the town.

"The field is now covered in cow pies." Wrangler drawled. "I'm sorry those fellas didn't make it. I liked their style."