Weekend Special Short Tales; California 2.1 Chapter 5

 

5.  

Master Gunner Stark leveled the M14 Carbine towards the sentry post on the tower. He had estimated the distance to be fifty yards on the direct path but on the ground, he was looking at seventy-five yards with five yards clearing at the sentry tower. He had detected the tripwire to the grenade and had that disabled. He kept the grenade; the M67 fragmentation grenade with a killing radius of about sixteen feet, or a wounding radius of twice that distance.

Lieutenant Diego had just crawled up to the base of the tower. He needed then was the silent climb up the wooden structure for fifteen feet. It was not easy even with the ladder at the side. He left the rifle below and drew the dagger from his right boot to place it to bite with his teeth. He then made the climb with utmost silence to every movement. He knew Master Gunner was giving him cover but shot by the other will sound the alarm and then it will be chaos.

The Lieutenant did three rungs before he could peek at the sentry. The sentry was facing the other direction. It was a small platform there, and the action had to be quick. He took the dagger and slashed at the heel. The sentry called out and then fell on his knees. It was then the Lieutenant had leaped high and pierced the throat with the dagger. Lieutenant climbed at twice the speed. He was joined by Master Gunner.

“I got a sentry. Now we have three rockets to our use.” The Lieutenant motioned to the three rocket shoulder launch units. They were the FIM-92 Stinger, the shoulder-launched missile unit was lying there.

“I can say this, your Cartel is loaded.”

“What is one Stinger when they can buy a truckload of it?” The Lieutenant smiled. “They made more money than some government. “

Master Gunner had seen the Stinger in action at the wars. Each unit was about thirty over pounds with the warhead at over six pounds in weight.

“The path to the hacienda is ahead. “ The lieutenant told the other. “We can carry the units and do some heavy damages.”

Master Gunner was looking at the surroundings. The Lieutenant cut in with his remarks.

“I am feeling that we are being watched.”

“I felt it too.” Master Gunner felt the instinct that he had horned from past encounters. “I think we are being watched. That one may be Sean.”

“If the battle is to be decided by the shooters, then I will get prepared.” Master Gunner took off his duffle bag and removed the rifle. It’s the same rifle he had used in training and battle. “

The familiar feel of the rifle on the Gunner Master’s hands made him smiled. The M14, DMR Caliber 7.62mm was modified with the M118LR 175-grain long Range Ammunition had been his sniping weapon for some years.   

“I will be your spotter.” The Lieutenant spoke to Master Gunner.

“No, this is my battle. I will seek the shooter but for now, you will take the hacienda.”  Master Gunner told the other. “Take the rocket launcher. Do some good with it.”       

Sean had used the cover of the undergrowth to watch the kill at the sentry tower. He was impressed at the other officer crawling patiently to reach the base. It took the experience and training that he had done to get into position. It was part of the sniper training. He saw the kill and then the two officers conferring there. It was then he sensed their intuition.

“The man knows I am around.” Sean saw Master Gunner removed his rifle. The veteran was still it with the relic of his. Sean had moved on soon after he completed training. The days in the Black Ops had seen drilled in the different rifles. He had tested the Accuracy Arctic Warfare with the SAS teams to the Armalite Ar-50 with the .50 BMG and seen the impact of it on the target. Of late, he had tried the Stealth Recon Scout with the .300 Winchester Magnum but he had returned the M30A5 for the familiar pull of the trigger.

Sean saw Master Gunner having stayed behind while the other officer carried two of the Stingers. He was to question that when he saw the grenade tossed in his direction. It exploded and then there were smokes. He saw another grenade tossed and it was a flash one. It exploded and momentarily blinded Sean.

Sean crawled back on his elbows and knees to recover. He knew the purpose of the grenades. It was to blind him and that allowed Master Gunner to go into hiding.

The sniping duel was on.

The explosion of the flash grenade caught the attention of the nearby sentry tower. The sentry made the call back to the main communication controller.

“Jefe, we have a loud bang east of us.” The communication officer told Michael.

“Get the alert out. I want everyone out there looking for the enemies.” Michael called out and it was then the trail of the Stinger was seen from the jungle. It was flying towards the lab.

“No!” Michael's denial was not heard when the Stinger impacted on the thin ground above the lab. The explosion tore a hole in the roofing. Then the second missile was seen, and it went inside the lab from the ground opening. The next second was total silence before the major explosion took place. The ground there shook and the roof was blown off. The fire from the explosion razed out and the coca plants caught fire which soon spread.

“Mother of God!” Michael uttered a prayer then.