Day One
Late Afternoon
1520 hrs
The lunch crowd was trying to get back to their works in some areas where the streets are jam packed. Cars are honking and irrate drivers are getting the urge to knock some one. But the sight of the rain would had cheered many is a bane in this traffic conditions.
The first sight of trouble began on 5th Street when five members of the Krigs in their cadillac saw the Prized SUV on the left lane turning into theirs. Marco ‘Dodi’ brother died in a shoot out with the Prized a year back in some off road trail, and today he is seeing those darned Prized so close here. He raised his AK47 and push the lever to full burst. He told his driver member to do a right lane turn now and shut up. Pedri, the driver did as he was told swung the car onto the oncoming traffic and clipped his bumper on the expensive cadillac. The other driver, a lawyer by profession saw the hit on his car but when he saw the looks on those occupants in the car, he kept his curses to himself.
The cadillac swung in parallel with the SUV and Marco did the honorable thing; he took vengeance for his brother’s death. His AK 47 spun out the 30 rounds in seconds, and he threw the rifle down to pulled out his M1911 to shoot but he was shot by the other side’s retaliation in AK 47’s too.
Pedri was next and his feet never left the accelerator so the car hit the one in front. Unknown to them, the third car behind the Prized one was another one of theirs. The four youths with AK47’s came running out to shoot at the Krigs in the cadillac.
That was the first shoout between the gangs with the guns provided by the Mahua Gang.
But the Mahua Gang was not be excluded.
Jose, the local gang leader for this section of the city under the Mahua was having his haircut when the Krigs came in and shot him in the barber shop. His three bodyguards shot it out with the Krigs before they were killed too. In total, three Krigs died there from the ten gunmen that came to do the job.
It was also another ‘I owe you brother’ deal.
The Street War has just started.
There were no policeman on the streets except the few in the smaller stations. The Station Sargeant kept his men in their station secured while he keep calling up the Central Station but no one is responding. Even the car radios’ are not tuned in or being listened. The ten smaller Station with an average of ten men kept themselves in the station for protection with all doors and windows closed.
So were the traffic division in their own Station or some were hiding in the basement of the building where they are patrolling.
Sargeant Danu of the Station on 3rd Street was getting impatient so he decided to rouse up those soiders. He took the patrol car and drove to the Barracks but could not get in or get any responses. He thought that probably the army has gone for training or could had died in there, he muttered to himself. He then drove over to the Central Station. He did managed to get out of the car before he was gunned down in cold blood near his car. He was only two weeks to his retirement day.
Meanwhile the rain picked up pace and the drops are getting closer. So was the wind now raising up the dirt on the streets.
1551 hrs.
Those bastards do not respect the rules and are now having a war of their own. Even the Mahua members are involved now. I have asked the lieutenants’ to rope on the men in but they themselves are uncontrollable too. So be it, let them fight and soon I will ruled over all eventually.
‘General, Coloner Mathew wants to speak to you.’ I looked at James and he took back the comms set. James told the Colonel that the general is in the bathroom and will comm him back.
‘James, round up some of our men and get them here to protect this place. You can never know what these youths will do next.’
‘Yes, sir.’ I trust James to know what is needed to be done.
I walked into my bedroom and opened my closet. Inside there was my old uniform, firmly pressed like in the old days. Above it at the shelf are my personal accessories including my army baton. And of course my M1911 with the gold plated finishing.
A present from the President himself during my retirement ceremony.
1559 hrs.
Its good to know the General is worried as it was his plan to armed the youths, which I told him not to. But trust the needed will be done soon. I never liked generals; they are as obsolete as old rifles, good for the museum.
‘Tell Lieutenant Ziva, I want them found and fast. We are running out of time.’
It was then the Governor walked into the library. He looked rather forlorn,.and I am sure he would be. He stands to spend another ten million for my overtime. I looked at him squarely in the face and he nodded.
So we are on the new extended hours. Perhaps another scotch on the rocks will do fine.
Bloody rain coming in fast and hard. I wondered if the crafts can take on such weather. If they don’t we can always go in hiding among the mangroves.
1600 hrs
It took me an hour plus to get here when in normal days it will be about half of that even on worst traffic days. We has to detoured twice to avoid street fights and bad non-moving traffic. There was some roadblocks by gang members but we shot our way through some of them or just rammed the SUV on those filmsy barricades. That helped us to cleared some distances but most times I had to rely on my alleys knowledge.
Plaza D is in front of us now and the front section of the building is empty except for some dead bodies and a few AK47’s lying in he rain soaked street I guess the gang arrived too soon and got a hot reception from those army personnels. I can see some more of the gang members, probably Krigs at the opposite street behind some bullet riddled cars. I counted twenty of them with AK47’s and they are holding a siege on the place. The glass partitions on the front of the buildings are gone or about to collapse anytime. That means the soldiers are holding inside the lobby area.
Further down I can see some more youth running and watching the City Commuter Station too. There was some shooting but there was returning shots from the Station. Those shooting looked like Mahua to me and that means they are shooting at moresoldiers over there. I don’t know how many of these shooters are here but it likes a major fight is going on here.
The rain coming is of no help except to makes things more slippery. And visibility poor to the ones which does not have googles.
1601 hrs.
Its becoming like hell here here with all these gangs out there with their guns. There been three attempts to rush us in the building but we manage to hold them back. No one brief us on this possible events but we paid the cost with Private Didier when he went to confront them. The gang shot him point blank and tried to rush in but the others were ready for them. I called in the rest of the squad to reinforced and provide fire while I tried to drag Didier cleared. But those youths slammed in more rounds into the wounded soldier.
This is not war but murder and this is not what its like in my twenty years of military career.
‘Lieutenant, we got the ground lobby covered with Squad Six. Squad Seven is down by two men are in the rear side.’
‘Who is covering the prisoners?’ I have got two hundred over hostages upstairs and they are all on the sixth floor. They are employees of the companies here. We do not kill civilians unless they retaliate against us.
‘We locked the doors and they won’t dare to come out or squeak like mices on us.’
I liked Corporal Martin reply. His cockney accent is a blessing to hear at times if you can make out his full statements. But I liked is his confidence in the works done. He is the demolition man, and one of the best I worked with. He used to say he can blow my arse off and leave my pecker intact.
‘If you are asking about the bombs, they are in place. Sir.’ He knew I won’t asked but he had to taunt me on that.
‘Get to your position, Corporal. We may have to fight it out here. Our best bet is to run over to the Train Station.’ I pointed at the bulding where the other men are stationed. There they are trains which we can ride out on.
‘Commuter Trains; they called them that here., I was here before in my holidays.’
‘Freeze your balls, Corporal and get me a plan to run over.’ I disliked when they tell me of their holidays.
I haven’t had one for years since Mildred died of cancer. My free time is with her ailing mother who is also now dying of cancer.
1613 hrs.
Its also hell in here at the Commuter Station. And we are outnumbered by the arriving crowds of commuters to the Station. Bloody good it did for me to closed the damned side gates and told the crowd over the public comm of bomb threats and suggest they leave immediately on disembarking.
Soon I got an empty station with one train scheduled to come in later. That was when shooting started and I got the men to their positions. It was only at the next Building, but ours soon became a siege too with those youths armed with AK47’s. The began shooting at the Commuter Station while the men retailiate in kind with more accurate fires. But its the haphazard firing i am worried about, as you can never tell where they going to shoot next. Or whom. It like friendly fire; you don’t expect it and it comes on its own time.
I looked at my watch and we are two hours to evacuation time. If I am the loony Lieutenant, I will make a run for here to consolidate and ride them trains out. Forget the bloody building and as we got the data downloaded as told to me by the hacker guy. I know the Lieutenant is concerned on the hostages which is why he is still staying there. That is also why I called him loony, but I would had done the same. We are professional soldiers not murderers.
‘Sargeant Mick, I could drive the truck over and picked them up in no trouble.’
I looked at Private Ian’s offer and I know he can do it. He did drive us here and as a cab driver of the big city in the main continent, he is one of the best driver to have around.
‘Sorry, Ian. The Lieutenant just called in to hold position. I wished I had them 50 calibre here now and I will mow those bastards down like over grown grass.’
Such sucks to be a soldier with limited firepower. But thank god, them youths don;t know how to shoot well too.
1614 hrs
I am not sure if Marcel got it right or wrong, but here we are climbing onto a open window at the height of fifteen feet with the help of my shoulders. Marcel has managed to reach the ledge and is now climbing in slowly. As he slide his body in, he let loose the belts which we strung together to make a longer belt. He is through and I think I can hear him fall. That must had hurt bad, but we are short of time. He slung the belt over the window over to me.
I had Melanie next to go up and over, followed by Alicia. Then I tied the bags to the belt and climbed up myself using the belt. Marcel is holding it on the other end and I ma making my way slow. I managed to make it to the window edge and peeked in. I saw the bruised look on Marcel’s face and hands. I inched my upper body in and let myself topple over. As I slide down, Marcel broke my fall by catching hold of my shoulders. Once I cleared my legs, I swung them to the side and got into a side fall with Marcel’s assistance. Melanie helped by grabbing my legs and lowering me down.
The two of them slowed my downwards descent. Then they pulled in the bag slowly. We left the grenades in the SUV but I did keep two smoke grenades for emergencies.
Marcel hand me my MP5A3 and Glock 17 while Melanie gets her Uzi. He took the other MP5A3 to use and placed the Uzi’s back into the bag. He then took my lead to go up the staircase with our eyes on the levels above. We do not want any more surprises from snipers.
We ascend quietly up the flight of stairs until we reached the seventh level. I opened the firedoor of the stairwell to peek into the corridor. It looks empty of any occupants or soldiers. We can hear the gunfights downstairs and its sounds like it getting more heated there.
I signalled Marcel that I am going in but for them to stay back here. I half crouched and ran along the corridor to the nearest doorway. Its a double glass door that says ‘Smith’s Geographical Company’ with the reddish logo of SGC. I smiled as the logo reminds me of some TV series. I pushed at the door and found it to be locked. I raised myself up to standing position and looked at the electronic lock panel.
Why can’t they just used key and locks like the old days? Then we can picked it with our paper clips or nail brush.
That was when someone tapped my shoulder.
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