Bullet 4 - Part 8

1000hr

I stopped the bus and before we can react, the whole bus was surrounded by a group of rebels with their rifles aiming at us. The children started screaming and crying on seeing the armed men, but the priest hushed them down. He alighted from the bus and walked up to one of the armed men. The man he was talking to is a short man with a cigar in the mouth, and dressed in military fatigues. The priest and the man hugged like long lost brothers and then he motioned to his men to lower their weapons. The priest brought the man towards the bus and showed him the children. When the cigar man saw the soldiers, he went berserk and raised his rifle but the priest stopped him from shooting them. The Sarge and his men had also reacted and grabbed their guns too. Suddenly the bus was surrounded again by armed men.

"Benny, these are my friends. They helped me to ship the children to safety. They are no enemies nor are they allies to you but they are to me. I need your help to cross the jungle here to the town. My bus cannot do it but you can help by pulling it. You have the tractor to do it. I will pay you in some guns and ammo I got. For old times sakes, Benny. I am just passing by." The cigar man now known as Benny looked at the priest.

"Sean Paddy, you are my sworn brother and you saved my life many times. I would do your favor but they all stayed in the bus. No one comes out. And next time we see each other, I see only you and no others." Benny walked away and motioned one of his men to bring out the bulldozer. I was surprised to see the bulldozer coming out of the jungle and heading here. It stopped at the front of the bus and a tow rope and winch was attached to the bus. The dozer pulled us along into the jungle and I saw why the need for it. The ground here is steep and soft, where the traction of the dozer tracks was sufficient to hold it firm.

"We can lighten the load if we get down to help and push it." But the priest said no.

"Benny meant what he said. No coming off this bus or they will kill us all." I can see the armed men on both side of the bus as the dozer pulled us up the jungle hill.

"How long?" I was curious.

"Two hours max, as we done it before with the trucks. Once over the hill, we cut short our journey by half, and we are near the town of Chuko. From there to the manor is another three hours of driving. Its the King's territory and I believed you have the media for us to pass through." I am not sure of the last line as Henry is the leader of this mission.

Benny called the priest; Sean Paddy. I heard of Sean Paddy before; mercenary turned hit-man, and then disappeared for almost a decade. He has still a contract on his head for one million for the failed coup on the Isle Government No wonder he was assumed dead as he is now a priest. Soon we reached the top and the dozer had a easier pull as we are going downhill. When we came to a clearing near the foot of the hill, I can see Benny rushing down in a Land Rover. That's when I know we have new trouble.

"Henry, get ready. Dion, shelter the children. Sarge, the two sides." I can hear the clicking of the guns and the men are getting into position. I have the AK47 grabbed earlier at right of driving seat. The Rover stopped in front of the dozer and Benny alighted with two other men. Beside the three, there is the dozer driver and five men on either sides of the bus.

"Kingfisher, start the bus, and I will release the rope. If need be, don't wait for me." The priest asked for my SIG and is out of the bus and went forward to release the rope on the bus front.

"Sean, what are you doing? I did not asked you to release the rope." Benny was shouting at the old man but he has just completed the task of releasing it.

"Benny, you are here not because of me. You know what I mean. Don't do it, Benny. Its not worth your effort. I will stopped you.' The two men facing each other on the downward slope.I looked at the ground and see its solid here. It will hold the bus weight if we speed down but it may slide too much for me to control its descent. Without any warning, the priest had shot Benny with the SIG 226. He grabbed the dying man by the shoulder and used him as a shield on the other two guards. The two guards was slower to react on seeing their leader held in front of their firing target. But the priest had a clear field and he fired at the two guards in the chest. Meanwhile the Sarge and his men had stood up and fired from the window of the bus. The ten man were caught unaware and the gunfight was over. The dozer man who was unarmed has ran into the jungle.

The priest discarded the dead man in his hands and board the bus. I released the brakes and went down the slope. Its not far but the bushes are thick here as a forty seater bus come speeding down.

"Keep the wheel straight or we will skid on our side." I tried to hold the wheel straight as we plummet down and managed to hit the road below without skidding onto the side. But we ended up on the opposite side of the road which was flat terrain allowing us to stop the bus. I looked back and we were like fifty yards from the road but the engine is still running. I tried the steering and its able to move but slow. I reversed the bus up onto the road and went towards the town of Chuka. We may need to find alternative transport as this one is going to go soon.

We drove for about a mile when he saw an abandoned warehouse. He told me to park behind the warehouse.

"Dion, get the children to jungle, and Sarge, get your men into position in the warehouse. Henry you can set your 'Minnie' inside the warehouse through that door. Kingfisher and myself will take  a walk to the town which is about one mile away." The priest was giving instruction to everyone.

It was then Henry spoke up. "Sean Paddy.....Is that really you? Sean? Tell me its you."

The priest nodded but he is grabbing the AK 47 rifle to walk to the town. I followed suit with the Remington and the SIG is tucked into my waist.

1200hr

The priest and myself was soon at the edge of the town. We stopped before the bridge that is the entrance to the town. We can see the police station just across the bridge and then the row of shops. But the town is not deserted. At the other side of the bridge is a road block manned by the rebels. I counted two sedans, three pickup and the super-bike. There are about eight men out there.

"You know them too?" I asked the priest and he nodded.,

"Same faction as Benny's. That's Benny's cousin, Diego. Your contract was why Benny turned on me. The amount is too big to resist and it can add a lot to their strength. I am sure Diego knows you are coming here, but by what they do not know. Diego will want your head and mine now. We got to take them down. There will be more in the town, but these one's first. I know you are good with the rifle. Find a good shot and take them while I do the diversion in front." I had spun around with my SIG to the back on instinct. Its Henry with his "FN Minnie".

"I thought I told you to stay at the warehouse. What are you doing here?"

"Well, I thought you might need help here. More than that, Minnie is itching for a good fight." Henry will add to our firepower, and so I sneak away. I needed a good vantage view of the road block and the station. I am sure there are more people in there.

I found my ideal spot; a large tree with a heavy spread out canopy of leaves. I climbed up like twenty feet and rested on a large branch for my shooting gallery. I unslung the Remington and cradled it to my right shoulder. I looked through the view and estimated my distance at about 400 yards. I adjusted the lens and got a clearer view of the targets.

I heard the gunfire from the road block towards the bridge. I looked back and see the priest pinned down at the bridge on our side. I can see Henry's tracer fire as he fires at the men behind he sedan. I took my aim at the station front as I was expecting reinforcements. And they did come running out. The two men who came running out was shot in two successive shots from the Remington. As the FN Minnie ripped at the cover which the men at the bridge took cover, I picked the next target; a rebel loading his clip on the AK47. The shot I took hit him at the left ear and out his right eye. By then they realized there is a sniper out there. They took in more cover but it bought time for the priest to run across the bridge. The priest then threw in two grenades towards the barricade and it blew clear the barrier. The priest followed through with the killing of the survivors. By then Henry was running over cradling his FN machinegun. Henry was behind the barricade now and setting up his FN on the buildings in the town. I was climbing down and moving forward to the same location as Henry.

"Priest was walking to them with a truce flag on his rifle when they fired at him. We had to reply in equal fire but looks like we won the first round. But I saw two of them ran away before the explosion." I turned to see the priest running into the station with his AK47. There was no gunfire there and then he peeked out of the station door to motioned to me to join him.

"What's up, Father Seab?" I asked of him when I reached the station. He point to the holding cell which has six dead military officers inside.

"The rebels executed the officers there. These are the works of Diego & Benny's boys. They control the town now. And our route is through the town and we also need new transport which is in the town. The bus is a write off. " I nodded my understanding but something still baffle me till now. Every part of our journey has been marked and met with resistance. It looked like we have been monitored and information fed to the resistance on the route.

My thoughts were interrupted by the priest to look at the road ahead.

"That's Major Dias, ex-army commander and currently the leader of the Red Scaff faction. He is looking to talk to us. I am not surprised that he is behind all the attacks and he also works for the Cartel."I looked at the tall man dressed in the army fatigues and sporting a red scaff.

The leader walked up near the bridge and shouted for Sean.

"Sean, you left your sanctuary and is now in mine. We agreed I would not harm you there but out here there are no promises. More to it, you have another I want; Kingfisher. Surrender yourself and him, and the rest can go free. I ain't into killing children but I would if need be. You know that as well as myself, but that is in the past. So Sean, you got one minute to decide. We have not much time." I can see more men spreading and moving into cover among the town buildings facing t eh bridge. .

Sean took up his AK47 and released it on the cartel men. He got two of them before the rest found cover and returned fire. I jumped aside from the window ledge when the returned fire sprayed the station. Sean has hidden himself behind a overturned metal desk.

I can see five men running towards the bridge but Henry took them down before they can get any nearer.

I looked over the window and see the Major has taken cover in a nearby building. I passed my Remington towards the priest and the some ammo clips. I signaled to him that I am flanking them from the side of the town. I would prefer my SIG 226 in this situation. I ran out through the back door into the side alley way and moved towards the town building. I circled back from the alley to the nearest building. I went in the back door and was walking through the kitchen into the living room. 

I saw the rebels there first just rushing in with his AK47 slung on his back and carrying another in his hand. He saw me and tried to raised his rifle when I shot him with the S&W Model 36 since I have given my SIG to the priest. back. The dead rebel was also carrying a bag full of grenades which I counted to six of the units. I pulled the dead man's rifle off him and slung it on my back. I took the other rifle and moved to the front entrance of the building. Then I heard the shout from the other room.

"Mico, did you get the grenades?" So the dead man compatriot is in the next room. I unpin two grenades and rolled it into the room. Then I ran to the rear kitchen and out of the back door when the explosion came. I was already running down the alley towards the end of the block. So far no one saw me but there was a lot of gunfire in the front of the shops. I reached the corner and peeked over the edge. I saw three men crouched there shooting at the bridge. They have rigged up a 50 Browning machine gun and firing it while one other feed it with the ammo belt.

I pulled the pin of one of the grenade and rolled it to the back of the three men. Then I sneaked across to the other block and continue my run. The explosion must killed the three men but it attracted the others to my position. I soon find two men at the other end of the alley and they are shooting at me. I jumped into a nearby doorway and tumbled into the kitchen. I got up in a hurry and ran for the front entrance.

I could see two more rebels there sitting behind the sedan. They saw me and reached for their rifle but I shot them first. I then crouched down as the two rebels chasing me from the alley came to kitchen doorway. I turned and shot at them but they are taking cover behind the wall. I threw over another grenades at the kitchen and jumped out the front door. I crouched next to the dead rebels I shot earlier as the grenade ripped the kitchen and its occupants.

I took up firing position behind the sedan. I can see the group of men on the street firing at the bridge and I let off with my AK 47 at them, I took two more down before the rest ran for cover or was shot dead by Henry from the bridge. But the fight was over, as the remaining men took for the other side of town and left us alone.

I saw a three tonne truck nearby and I checked the engine. Its still able to run and the tank is half empty. I sat in the truck and drove it over to the bridge. I picked up Henry and the priest to drive back for the rest.