The Crusaders II The stakes are raised 10.3

1.          Ford Dry Lake, Arizona

Kruger saw the bike parked next to the truck where it was. He then saw the familiar figure who stepped out from the shade of the truck. He nudged Miles to look at the new arrival.

"Hello, Clawler." Miles greet the figure who stood there. He was to stored the bow when Clawler stopped him. He then point out to Miles the scene that kept him here. Miles looked over to the place that Clawler point out to him. There are over a large group of people there; not any persons but armed mercenaries.

"Friend of yours?" Miles asked Clawer while pointing to the group. "They looked very unfriendly."

It was the Pastor who gave them the name.

"Hell-boys'. They are the worshiper of the devil." Pastor checked his ammo and reloaded the guns. "They been pestering my flocks for years, and numerous attempts to burn my church. They are here to see us die here".

Miles grabbed back his bow and cocked in the bolt. Kruger gave out his mutterings and drew on his sword. The pastor went to his truck and pulled out the long box. He opened the cover and looked at Miles.

"Help yourself. When in Hell, we fight with their weapons; when back on Earth we fight with earthly weapon." 

Miles picked up the MP40 Schmeisser with the 32 ammo clip. He has not seen one these in his years of service.

"I got them from the Norwegian Home Guards clearance. They were issued with this until the late 90's then they cleared the warehouse." Pastor Linear told Miles. "Kruger, I got this for you."

The M1928A1 or better known as the Thompson gun; saw service from 1938 to the 70's before it was phased out for the favor M16.. The one held by the pastor holds a 50 ammo drum made popular by Capone and his boys. Miles grabbed the Thompson and handed over the MP40 to Kruger.

"Kruger, this may be more of your preference." Miles smiled at the German descent. Kruger took the handed over gun and weighed it in his hand. He's no gun totting personality like Miles. Both of them each gabbed some extra ammo for themselves. Clawler walked up to Pastor Linear and hand out his hands. The pastor handed him over the heavy machine gun with the ammo belt clip.

"The MG42 machine gun would give them adequate cover on this flat plain." Pastor Linear told Clawler. He saw the expression on the later. "I stored them in the truck for this day. We may be peaceful people but sometimes to be peaceful, we need to be prepared to preserved it."

"Set it up on the truck. You would get a better view of things." Pastor Linear advised Clawler. "I will pick up the stragglers."

The Hell-boys' saw the approaching two armed Crusaders. They ran down the small mound they were standing on to their vehicles; pickups, sedans and motorcycles. There was five pickups, four sedans and five bikes. Each pickup or sedan picked up three passengers; the driver, co-driver and gun handler. Each of the Hell-boys' had an automatic with them like a AK47 or M14A1.

The Hell-boys' split into three groups; the pickups, the sedans and bikes. They split up in the sequences as described, with the sedans coming in the middle in a straight line.

Pastor Linear went for the bikers as they are fast while more mobile than the sedans. He picked the second last rider and took the shot at him. The rider shot at the head reared backwards with his bike blocking the last rider. That rider cannot see the downed biker in the dust that was bellowed up by the riders. Pastor Linear then moved for the first one and did the head shot. When the two riders at the rear fell, there must had been some communication to the others because the three riders all looked back while riding. The second shot hit the first rider in the neck and collapsed the rider with bike. The second biker still looking back did not see the first one fell, ended in the heap of fallen bikes. The middle biker braked and tried to get off his bike. That cost him his life when he kick down the bike stand. The biker twist and fell down holding onto his helmet with the blood spurting out.

"Damned family ties. I know their concern for each other very well." Pastor Linear muttered to himself. Those five were known to him from the countless times they harassed his parish. He learned then that they looked out for each other closely.

It was then Clawler with MG42 took shots at the sedans; aiming at the drivers. His firing bear results when he hit the first sedan driver and the sedan lurched to the side over a gully before overturning. Clawler moved his gun to the other cars but he had seek shelter when the bullets came close to his face. He looked out and saw the hidden sniper at the left side of the plains behind a boulder. Pastor did not see the sniper targeting him until the shot hit his left elbow.

"Aargh!" Pastor Linear went down.

It was then Miles dropped down on the ground and fired from there with his Thompson. He sprayed the bullets on the approaching sedan and switching to the pickups. It was an uphill task as the vehicles approached the Crusaders. The passengers on the vehicles used their guns to fire on the Crusaders.

"Damned! I wished we had the flying calvary." Miles cursed out loud.

The calvary did come but not in any mechanical craft but on flying horses. It the Avenging Valkyrie on their steeds that came to their rescue led by their leader Geraldine.