The Big Push

News has been sent out to everyone that a council has formed to help lead the country through the rest of the war. This could be good or bad news. On one had we have more opinions on what to do for our people. On the other hand it could take longer to make the choices we need. I folded the paper and put it away.

The morning was clear as the fog itself has started to vanish from around the country. This was a good sign and it means we may yet live long enough to have a war without these cursed masks. The breakfast was served within the closed off tents as normal, but after being stationed outside of this city for three months we are starting to run out of food.

The men are also starting to get bored as neither side has made a move towards the other since we first attacked. The only thing we do know is that no one has gone out of the city to it's southern side. To the east is the ocean and to the west we have no men as it was reduced to a wasteland during the first few months of the virus. Fighting broke out between the national guard and rioters causing everything in the west to burn and become unlivable for anyone who is not a nomad.

What is left of our country must fight if we are to rebuild it for the future. With the fog lifting I feel that we have a future coming for us. If it is a kind one or not is a whole different question.

"Sniper fire has been reported from inside the city!" The words came from one of the guards who had been placed last night.

A sniper is not a good sign for us. They could pick us off all of us if we don't move on the enemy now. After the man was calmed down I went to find the commanders. When I finally found their command tent they had been arguing over the command passed down from the council currently in power.

"What do you want?" One of the commanders asked with anger in his voice.

I cleared my throat before speaking. "I would like to take a unit of men into the city and fight these people head on sirs."

They talked amongst themselves before responding to me. "If you do that then we with need to relay the action to the council. With that being said you do what you must. Just know what can happen if the council doesn't like it. We will tell them you went against orders as did the people who went with you."

"I understand what could happen." I saluted and left the building.

In the dining tent I picked up any men willing to with me into the city. I made sure they knew the risks of going with me. They all understood and came anyway. We took three days worth of rations and ammunition. I don't know when we will be back. I don't even know if we will. I just know we need to find the sniper and kill him along with anyone who sits on the riverside watching us.

I could feel the blood starting to pump harder as we got closer to the deployment. We made our way to the shield line ready to leave. We took six shots to the shields before artillery dropped on the buildings causing the fire to stop. When the artillery stopped we stormed from the shields and to the rubble. We dropped into a crater before the smoke cleared away.

My radio surged to life with one of my men speaking to me. "What do we do from here?"

I thought before speaking. "We are going to run to a nearby building and hopefully the sniper won't see us."

I threw a smoke grenade with my throwing theirs shortly after mine. I jumped over the edge and sprinted for the building. I busted through the glass door without thinking. No one was on the other side of the door thankfully. I started to breath a sigh of relief before I heard the sickening crack of the snipers bullet. I looked around and saw all of my men standing in the building.

"I was afraid that one of us had gotten killed. Thank goodness he is a bad shot." I let out a small laugh.

Shortly after talking one of my men collapsed choking.