"The Scout" - Chapter 32

The Scout

Chapter 32

By Dwayne MacInnes

The rumble of steel treads on broken concrete grew closer. The convoy officers in charge of the town's southwestern fortifications berated and coerced many of the panicky civilians back to their posts. Once they were again ducking into their fire pits and trenches in front of the convoy trailers, many started to fire their weapons blindly.

This led to more cussing and berating from the officers until order returned. The silhouette of the heavy armored vehicles with many a buggy and modified car leading the way rumbled towards the defenders. The thick cloud of dirt roiled into the air behind the large force.

The veteran forces held their fire as the newly recruited civilians started to fire their weapons again. The bullets bounced harmlessly off the thick hide of the three APCs leading the new assault. The gunners on the trailers finally opened up with their twin .50 machineguns when the vanguard came within range.

The APCs halted and returned fire as the lighter vehicle poured around the metal giants and raced towards the fortifications. The officers finally gave the order to return fire. Bullets of all calibers zipped and popped back and forth. Occasionally, there was a thunk, as a round entered a body or the explosion of a waster's vehicle succumbing to destruction.

The APCs still held back and returned fire. The gunners worked their guns onto the trailers trying to sweep off the defenders. The trailers however were well constructed and the gun emplacements were well armored. Still a defender would fall to an enemy round from the M2 machineguns leaving only the wreckage of a body.

Smoke, fire, dirt, bullets, and mists of blood filled the air. From along side the road a 75 mm recoilless rifle protruded from a house. The round fired and struck an APC. The metal beast flashed into flames and the gunner disintegrated. However, an M60 tank pulled out from behind the burning APC and fired its main gun into the structure. The house collapsed and then burst into flames.

The Anarchists in the smaller vehicles made their way towards the fortifications. The slaughter they endured was great, but no matter how many the defenders mowed down another took its place.

Meanwhile on the east side of town and across the river, another battle was brewing. Anarchists were exchanging fire with the defenders from houses across the Sheyenne River. Some were trying to get boats into the water amidst the bullets of the defenders. Many sank before they left the shores.

The one bridge still standing on this front was the scene of a bitter and costly battle. The trailers with their gun crews mowed down waster after waster who tried to force a crossing. They could not use their vehicles for debris and obstacles were cluttering its span.

So, the Anarchists decided to dismount and try to take the bridge from the defenders on foot. The wasters soon found out that behind every obstacle a defender lay in wait to unleash his or her deadly arsenal. It was not long before the machineguns and rifles of a multitude of calibers riddled and pock marked the bridge.

Scott had chosen to bulk the majority of his green troops on the eastern fortifications. He figured that the wasters would concentrate on breaking through on the west. However, the ferocity and tenacity of the Anarchists on this front was more than even he anticipated.

Scott was in the middle of the defensive zone coordinating the defense of Valley City. He would relay orders over the CB radio in the Charger or he would send runners out to assess the situation. The center of the defensive zone was almost as chaotic as the battles raging on both sides of town.

"Sir," a convoy officer ran up to Scott. "The western forces are starting to break. We need reinforcements."

Scott looked over at one his runners, "Are the wasters attacking the north bridge from the interstate?"

"No, there are a lot of mines still in place on that section of road as well as the bridge."

"Good, grab half those people and have them join the secondary defenses on the western fortifications," Scott ordered.

Both the officer and the runner ran off towards the north. Another runner quickly ran up from the east.

"My God, look!" the young man panted as he pointed towards the eastern horizon. Over the tops of the buildings and houses in the east and between the black smokes of the burning debris rose a grey ominous cloud.

"The wasters are getting reinforcements!"