IC - Desert Conflict

[Gonzalez]

The night fell, and the stars could clearly be seen in the desert night. Sunders was still dusty and sweaty walking the city streets, checking that the guards were doing their job, checking that the snipers were scanning the streets and gibing some words of encouragement to some of the guards.

The UN troops weren't so bad, after all, they were highly trained professional soldiers. The imminence of the bombing had seem to get that to light again, the lack of action had been the killer.

"Hey! lieutenant." Mike turned his head to Sunders as he called him. "You are in charge of the patrol patterns, right?" "Yes sir, I am" "Wat is your name lieutenant...?"

 

[Gunslinger]

Taysir and his men walked down a narrow canyon, their second day of traveling well behind them. It was a mute relief to know where they were going, but not knowing when they would reach their destination left a glimmer of anxiety in their steps.

"Taysir," whispered on of the guerillas at his side, "they are still following us."

Taysir did not turn his head. "I know," he said in Arabic.

Since yesterday, Taysir had noticed the four or so men falling in with them, leaving a distance of just a few yards between them. The interlopers were stealthy but Taysir had been familiar with their sounds of shifting sand and their looming shadows at sunrise.

Now, Taysir was leading them into the canyon, hoping to trap them. The canyon was a familiar landmark to the Arab Liberation Army and many a skirmish had been taken place there in the past. The narrow strip of flat land passing through the closely pressed walls forced superior numbers to funnel in close together. Of course, this advantage would be of no use against just four men. But Taysir knew the layout of the land and he knew how to use it in his favor.

They walked deeper into the heart of the canyon. Taysir began a conversation over trivial matters in Arabic. Hopefully, the four men following them would be put off and let down their guard. They walked further in until they saw the galleries carved high up into the mountain walls. The cutouts had served as command posts and sniper perches when the canyon outpost was still in use. The canyon widened out at this particular junction. Several boulders were placed around the mouth of this opening, allowing the ALA to make cover and turn against their pursuing enemies.

Taysir, still speaking nonchalantly in Arabic, motioned for the eight guerillas to spread out, hiding among the rocks. He find his own cover, propping the wooden foregrip of his AKM on a boulder.

He turned around and saw Ahkmed and whispered, "Don't fire until all four infidels are exposed. Kill them all with one strike."

He caught the attention of one of the ALA guerillas who was armed with a Dragunov rifle and ordered, "Aim for the man furthest away. Ensure that none escape."

They waited there for a few tense moments. There was little sign that the four interlopers had taken the bait. Then, they heard timid footsteps heading in their direction.

Taysir pulled back the cocking handle of his rifle and waited.

 

[SuAside]

"Michiel De Vos, sir, but most call me Mike." He answered.

"Tell me about these patrols, Mike." Sunders asked.

"I've set up standard patrol routes around the town, at the gates and others concentrating on the field hospital, the school, the marketplace and the places of worship. The IDF & Nahal barracks will not be guarded by us, they should be able to provide for their own security... I've also send out dynamic patrols to prevent the ALA from documenting our patrol patterns. I've also tried to set up an auth system to identify the members of the Nahal militia, I hope it will work. However, we are extremely shorthanded. It is almost impossible to secure the entire village." Mike explained.

 

[Gonzalez]

"Excellent work lieutenant, you seem to be good for this kind of work, I am glad that you are in charge of the patrols, Muhelhoff didn't made a mistake by choosing you." Sunders half smiles and taps Mike in the shoulder. "I am going to take a shower now, and then to sleep, I am leaving you in charge until the morning. I have been running since 0700 yesterday and I want to be sharp for tomorrow... well today, it is over one o'clock already. I know we are few but we have to do with what we got, they are not bad soldiers as everyone seems to think, just make sure everyone is doing his work and that should be enough. I suggest we take a bit of the offensive by making some investigation work, but we'll leave that for the morning. If anything, ANYTHING at all happens wile I am sleep, don't even doubt to wake me up. Is that understood lieutenant?" "Yes sir" Mark salutes and Mike salutes back. "See you in the morning Mike". Sunders walks away leaving the responsibilities to Mike for that night.

 

[Gunslinger]

When the four interlopers finally came, they struck mercilessly.

Four of them, all pale-faced American devils, sprung into the canyon opening with their black rifles firing. Their aim was devastating; not a single moment was wasted in looking at their surroundings. In the mere seconds after they had leapt into the open, two of Taysir's closest men were shot dead.

The rest of the ALA were still in a stupor. And the Americans made use of it. Still moving, their barrels trained to seek new targets. Taysir watched helplessly as Ahkmed was riveted by infidel fire.

Sloppily, Taysir sweeped his AKM's barrel on one of the SpecForces commandos. The gun jerked in his shoulder as he tried to level out the fire. The trail of bullets caught up with the commando he was aiming at, raking across both of the infidel's knees. The commando went down, unnervingly silent.

The fall of the enemy caused the rest of the ALA to return fire. With the element of surprise gone, the ALA were in control with fire superiority. Six angry men with full automatic weapons were a grievous group to encounter.

One American's face disintergrated into a mass of pulpy flesh as three slugs drove heartlessly through his head. The remaining to began retreating, firing their M-16's from their hips.

Taysir shouted to the ALA guerilla with the Dragunov rifle, "Do not let them live!"

A sharp, bloodcurdling boom answered Taysir's cry as the Dragunov let fly its deadly charge. The round caught one of the retreating Americans in the chest, toppling him over onto his back. Seeing his comrade fall, the remaining American dropped his rifle and fumbled into one of the pouches of his vest.

Taysir and his men frantically snapped round after round at the unmoving infidel. Miraculously, none of the rounds managed to hit the American.

The SpecForce commando found the grenade he was looking for. He threw it overhand into the air just as a bullet entered his heart.

"Duck!" cried Taysir, as he followed his own advice. The grenade exploded in the air, raining down shrapnel on the remaining six ALA men. Taysir gritted his teeth as the jagged metal bit into his unprotected back.

He stood up momentarily, his back aching and his ears ringing from the explosion. He brushed the shrapnel off of him, suffering only shallow bites. Some of his men were not so fortunate. All had taken shrapnel wounds but one in particular had to have his arm binded in a tourniquet to stop the bleeding.

The four Americans had sold their lives dearly. In the end, three of Taysir's men lay dead and the rest wounded.

"Bury the dead," he ordered. He looked balefully at the riddled corpses of the commandos. "But leave the infidels to rot."

 

[Gonzalez]

It was 0700 and the alarm clock sounded next to Sunders bed. The Major never liked that sound. He could barely belive it. It was time to wake up again and a full load of responsibilities was waiting for him right there to get his heavy weight in Sunders back.

Sunders gathered strength, dressed up and headed to the mess hall for a coffee. "What the hell you make this coffee with private? Dirt?" Sunders said while he was drinking his coffee in the mess hall. "Sorry sir" the private attending the bar answered.

After having his coffee Sunders headed to see Mike. "Mike!", Sunders called him while he was checking one of the gate guards. "Sir?" "You can go to rest now if you want, I'll be on patrol again for another couple of hours. You can go to rest now and let the responsibility to Muhelhoff if you want, or wait until I come back if you feel like you have any energy remaining."