Chapter 9

I assure you, we are working tirelessly to get the Mars colony the supplies it requires. The second relief rocket exploded in Earth's atmosphere and we are working closely with NATO to construct another, safer, vessel for the mission. At this moment in time, the colony has enough resources to sustain itself for two years. We will reach them before then.

-Vladimir Zheng, Chancellor of the Eastern Alliance, October 24th, 2085 CE

"I'M GONNA LOOK."

"I advise against that, sir," Mad said, frowning at Hack. "We don't know what we're dealing with."

"And we won't know unless I take a peek," Hack said. "Steady, soldier. This ain't my first rodeo."

"Sirª" protested Mad, but it was too late. Hack peeked over the small, icy ridge the squad had taken cover under. He looked quickly back and forth, scanning the area, but to Mad it seemed as if his head was turning in slow motion. Frigidum's cruel, freezing wind whistled against her ears, sounding more akin to a scream.

Hack ducked back under the ridge, and Mad let out a quiet sigh of relief.

"Nothing," Hack said. "I didn't seeª"

The ice above Hack shattered, and his head snapped back with substantial force.

"Sniper!" Mad called as she watched Hack's limp form fall to the ground. "Find cover and weed him out! Go!"

Mad's squad dashed over the ridge and headed for the base of a stout, snowy hill. More shots skipped past Mad's ears as she raced to take shelter. Some soldiers cried out in pain as bullets pierced their flesh and others fired their rifles wildly in hopes of discouraging the sniper.

"Cease fire!" hissed Mad. She pressed herself down into the hill, sweeping her rifle horizontally across the terrain.

The gunshots stopped momentarily and Mad scanned the squad until she found who she was looking for.

"Cobb, get over here!"

Taps Cobb was the best shot in the squad and was apparently uninjured, exactly what Mad needed.

"Yes, sir?" Cobb asked when he had crawled close enough. He was roughly her own age, his close-cropped brown hair hidden under several knit hats.

"Listen. You're the best shot we've got and I need you to take out the sniper. Can you do it?"

Cobb's eyes narrowed. "Sir, Iª"

"Is it a yes or is it a no, Cobb?"

Cobb clenched his jaw. "Yes, sir. I can take him out, but I need to know where he is."

"Okay. Let me see what I can do." Mad said as she turned to speak to the squad. "Listen up, boys! Cobb here is going to kill that sniper. We need to lay down a line of suppressing fire in every direction in front of us to give Cobb time to locate the sniper. Find a good position and wait until I give the order to open fire. Go!"

There was a great shuffling in the snow as the soldiers moved to climb the hill or skirt around one of its sides. Mad took the place directly beside Cobb near the top of the hill and waited until all movement ceased.

"On the count of three we are going to open fire!" Mad shouted. "One!"

"Two!" she took a deep breath and brought up her weapon.

"Three!"

Make sure Hack's killer catches a bullet.

"Open fire!"

Mad and her squad rose all at once and began to fire in different directions. Her ears rang, but she kept her finger on the trigger. A few of Mad's men suddenly fell to the ground with holes in their chests.

"Cobb!" Mad yelled, hunkering down to reload her rifle. "Can you see him?"

"Yeah!" Cobb said. He adjusted the sight on his gun. "I need one more minute to take the shot!"

"Good!" Mad rose again and sprayed gunfire. She hoped one of her shots would hit the sniper and let her avenge Hack herself, but her inner tactician knew that wouldn't be the case. Cobb had the shot. He would kill the bastard.

Mad heard Cobb fire from beside her and stopped shooting to glance at him. He leaned back from his rifle's sights and gave her a nod.

"Cease fire, boys!" Mad shouted over the gunfire. "We got him!"

"Hoorah!" They roared back, taking their fingers off their triggers and whooping in joy. It was short-lived, however. Some of the soldiers found their friends dead in the snow beside them, eyes staring blankly at the gray sky above.

"You did get him, right?" Mad asked.

"Yes, sir," Cobb said. "Target is down."

"Good work," Mad said, her knees suddenly weak. She sat down at the top of the hill, her breath steaming the air before her. "I told him."

"Told who what, sir?" Cobb asked, slinging his gun over his back.

"I told him not to look."