Jake called in the radio that we were moving towards the bridge and they could pick us up on the way out.
If other parts of Maggotville dark with clouds, we benefitted in sunlight, and the maggots, despite their frenzy, stayed hidden. As for the APC, we could hear it sputtering and coughing. Hurt but alive.
Near the bridge we stopped and waited. I took a look up the bridge and saw that Deeds was watching us, then he'd change focus to watch something else. Probably the APC which we couldn't make out from this angle.
There was a security leak, certainly. But where? It wouldn't have been hard for a Grey spy to figure out what was going down in the vil. Not with both Spengler and our crew heading off on the same mission. Security at the vil had been lax.
But they had gone a long way to find us, far from traditional Grey territory. And they had caught us when we were vulnerable.
The rig pulled up eventually with the rest of the crew, except one.
"Zeij?" Asked Jake, noticing his missing kin.
Aaron shook his head. "He took a shot at the tank, but the rocket bounced off the turret. Then as we were getting back, the gunner cut him down."
Jake was thinking about going back for the body. You don't leave people behind, not even the dead. But he knew that it was probably too late. The maggots would have already claimed the dead.
I let Jake have his moment of peace. "Alright, back up the hill. Let's collect our shit and get out."
Reik kicked the rig up, the steal ram now a bit dented and twisted with the abuse we had given it. Fires were smoldering on the bridge but the barricade was nearly knocked clear.
The APC gave us a parting burst from the autocannon, hoping to catch us on the bridge and perhaps hurt us like we had hurt it. We were moving and it was firing as it moved up the hill, the range was long. Still, we all hit the deck except Gally who had turned the .50 around to return fire.
The machinegun fire came short. One shell tore through the side panel of the rig, through the rear bed, and out the other end, near Gally's leg. Another shell blew through the back of the compartment, near Rama's head. Then we were off the bridge again, and moving up the hill.
When we got to the top I was about to say something to Jake, but he quickly said,"I'll finish up with the turbine." and went about his work. The rest of us spread out and I went to watch the APC.
I noticed that Maddy Stowe, who was helping with the turbine, watched me. I couldn't tell if she was releaved or not.
Deeds had enjoyed a spectator's view of the battle but the rocket launcher I'd left him was still loaded.
"Winged him." Said Deeds watching the APC which was still burning black.
"Yeah, he got lucky, but we lost one." I said.
"They lost more." Said Deeds, "But there will be more of them."
I didn't comment.
The APC went up to the overlook that we had used the previous days and parked. The crew bailed out and using fire extinguishers put out what remaining fires they had. The commander removed his binoculars and was watching me.
I wondered if he had used his radio and how many more of them would come. A glance at the sky. It was mid afternoon.
The work was finished about an hour later, the tinker cart was loaded and we hitched up. We lit fires near the site to obscure the last of our work. Jake rigged a makeshift broom behind the cart that would hide our tracks.
Then everyone stopped for a bite and a respite. They were tired, and the adrenaline high was coming down. I continued to watch the APC crew work while their grunts provided security. Very professional and time was on their side. Below us parts of maggotville were still afire, but most of the fires would burn out. The town was a bit more in ruins than it had been, but our visit had done little to hasten it's long term fading away.
At night the maggots would be back in control. They always are.
As the afternoon slipped into early evening dusk, we fueled the fires and then gave a toast to our fallen comrade, Zeij, who had always drunk to much anyway. Then using what light remained, we rolled away into the growing darkness.
Like a shadow the dark would hide our movements. Jake drove, carefully, glad to be using his mind on something other than grieving for lost kin. When it became impossible to see much further he flicked the lights and continued. Over the roar of the engine, we could hear the Dire howling after us.
THe APC crew would either move further away or would batten down inside their tank for the night and that would be enough to keep them safe from the night creatures. In the morning they would come out again from their metal shell, and they would be coming after us.
