X17: Ambush Squared

The rocket smashed into the building. Bullets started to fly. Debris flew up into the air. Civilians down on the street were caught in the crossfire of shrapnel and rubble. Smoke and dust kicked up and engulfed the AO. A collage of chaff and rockets spewed up forth, colliding with the buildings - sending debris, dust, concrete and blood up into the air.

Kazuki calmly ordered, 'Engage. All forces engage!'

Through the chaos and the dust and smoke, gunfire ignited. A simple glance at the reader on his aug-glasses showed high casualties from the initial salvos.

'No life signs on Cassia. KIA, continue with the mission.' said Archius. 'They'll try to reach the bridge. The other side is Kanrasa territory, let's not get shot down today.'

'Come on… Kaz…" muttered Eliza, not realising that everyone could hear her on the uplink. He ignored her words of encouragement. Putting her a screen away from him might prove to be problematic, he thought, this… will be embarrassing.

Smoke erupted from Claire's launcher as a projectile smashed into the electron-shield of one of the vans. She threw the launcher aside as the vans started to pick up speed. As the vehicles sped up, the rear hover-vehicle of the trio of vans was slammed directly with a hail of rockets, sending it up in molten lead and fire.

But before this small victory could be savoured, the clambering of steel behind them all stung at Kazuki's mind. A combination of senses caused his body to jerk to the side. He twisted around as he threw himself and Claire to the roof floor. And just as they made contact, Loyalists streamed up from an emergency staircase opposing them.

"Behind us!" Kazuki shouted.

Pandemonia ensued. Kazuki took the lead Loyalist out with his SMG. All the while, he scrambled upwards and off of Claire as bullets flew past him. O'Hara placed himself directly in the line of fire to protect Riharia. Claire staggered up as she joined in. But with every Loyalist killed, another took their place.

'Shit! Ambush!'

'They're here!'

Reports from the uplink gave it away, this was a set-up… a setup? Who leaked? No. This can't be a leak… His paranoia clashed with the necessity to fight as he glanced at Riharia. Was it even a leak? Did someone predict this whole operation? It… felt familiar. But no: correlation is not causation.

She was firing her rifle point blank at the Loyalists as they took cover behind large air ducts. O'Hara was dead.

'Shit! Watch out! Fuck…' Eliza trailed off. 'Riharia! Check on O'Hara."

He was dead. Died to give Riharia enough time. Kazuki wasn't filled with any feelings of sadness, just another dog tag to the collection. He quickly dragged himself behind cover as Claire snuck under a hail of bolts to join him.

Reloading her rifle, Claire sprayed erratically above as she suppressed the Loyalists, allowing Riharia to drag both herself and O'Hara's corpse behind a radiator exhauster.

'Hunter's dead! Leave him.' said Kazuki, over squad communications to Riharia.

'Dammit!' Riharia said, looking down at O'Hara, just then noticing the small pool of blood exiting from his open neck. His visor was cracked, showing Kazuki his splattered face. He spent a split nano-second prying his eyes off it.

'Vallé, intercept the convoy,' ordered Kazuki, a bullet whizzing past overhead.

Lilly, Vallé, responded, 'On it. Leave us with a few to kill when we get there.'

'Kaz, they're moving up on your position.' said Eliza.

It seems like she didn't get the memo about codenames - but he took her advice. He could feel the exhaust system kick into gear as he pumped cocktails of drugs into his bloodstream. He twisted up and leapt over cover, pushing his body forward as he kicked into the first Loyalist. An exchange of bolts sent bullets flicking off his armour, whilst his SMG peppered their armour with high-velocity explosive rounds.

Riharia raised her head out of cover and, with Claire, gunned down the rest of the Loyalist hounds sent on them. Kazuki immediately turned to Riharia. "Gambit, assist the other teams. Fight off the ambush."

"And you?"

"We'll go after the cargo. Get going!" said Kazuki, turning to Claire.

She nodded as they started chasing the vans. The extra endurance the exospines gave them helped. Greatly. Kazuki held onto the grip of his SMG with one hand. "We'll approach from behind. Keep up."

"And you don't get shot, m'kay?" said Claire. The remark skidded past Kazuki as he started into a run. His lacklustre response didn't amuse Claire as she ran after him. But what was she expecting from him? He never cared enough to indulge in useless small talk when unnecessary.

The two ran across the rooftops, jumping over alleys and running through the bacteria-infested puddles that lingered on the roofs, most of which had started to freeze. Loyalists clambered up buildings to try and stop the two, though none were able to match the experience of the two contractors. It was taking its toll, though. With each passing round from Kazuki's muzzle, he could feel his exospine slowly exhaust itself.

Luckily, their ambush location had far too many twists and turns. Kazuki looked down onto the streets. The vans were trying to make it towards the Sub-District bridge. They continued to slither along the road as the duo got closer.

Just as they turned the corner, a single missile smashed into the second van.

'The cavalry's here!' introduced Lilly, shouting loud and on the uplink.

'They're nearing the bridge…' Sato said worryingly 'Do not let them cross it!'

'You guys can do it!' Eliza added on.

Hesitation lingered. She was clearly out of her depths, Kazuki thought. Perhaps he misjudged bringing her. But once again, the logistics situation was a living nightmare. His bland observation led him to believe that Eliza was trying. Trying to help at best, trying to fit in at worst.

At least running an insurgency was far easier than running a small-army capable of bringing down nations.

'Get after that final van,' said Kazuki, watching as a shuttle skidded down onto the rooftops. The gunners and escort drones turned any Loyalist that tried to fire at the shuttle into red mist as Kazuki and Claire jumped on board.