Up in Arms

Trevor tuned out all the gunfire going on around him, while quickly surveying the room. Birdseye stood, backed against a far wall, away from all the windows. Women and children were positioned at every opening, making it a harder shot to hit just the intended target. Counting the heads, there was double the number of children than indicated. The small lens caught the soldier on the other ledge, just caddy corner to where he stood. Trevor touched his ear piece, giving them a silent signal he was ready, knowing Rylie and his commanders could see through his helmet. Carefully placing his lens on the ledge, Trevor angled it to still see most of the room. He pulled his weapon from his vest and positioned himself. Birdseye grabbed a very pregnant girl, using her as a human shield. She screamed out in fear, and Birdseye gathered his fist, punching her in the side of the head. She fell to the floor, and then he kicked her hard in the stomach, pushing her away. Trevor caught the whole action through his helmet and, boy, didn’t that just completely piss him off.

Trevor didn’t hesitate. He knew the reason they picked him for this job. This guy was going down by his hand. Trevor took aim. When he fired off his shot, Grisby, the soldier on the other side fired just seconds later. Birdseye was hit with perfect accuracy in the middle of his forehead, dropping immediately to his knees. The sounds of gunfire filled the small room. Trevor’s helmet showed an unidentified insurgent charged forward after seeing his leader lying lifeless on the floor. Instinct told Trevor this wouldn’t be good for those inside, and he ripped the rope from his chest harness while trying to take aim. The insurgent screamed. He began firing on the women and children. Mass chaos ensued. Trevor didn’t hesitate. Unable to get a good shot, he barreled through the window, landing on his feet. He took a bullet in his shoulder meant for the small girl under his window. Trevor spun around, weapon in one hand; he freed another pen lens from his chest armor, and for the second time in a matter of moments, Trevor was thoroughly pissed off.

Running backward, the insurgent grabbed a child to his body before ducking away from the door. Trevor followed, dodging screaming women and children, not letting himself be distracted by the injured. He knew the other soldiers would begin the care they needed. Hitting the door, Trevor fired off several rounds, using his lens to gage distance. There were several cover points along a narrow hall. The sounds below indicated more fighting, but Trevor wanted the little fucker who opened fire on these children. Firing his rounds again, Trevor stepped out of the room. Across the stairs, several shots were fired back at him. Trevor didn’t slow down, but fired in their direction while sliding behind a banister. Slowly he picked off everyone he could find hidden.

The floor was quiet again. He ran in the direction the cowardly insurgent had. Coming to a door, Trevor kicked it open, jumping aside. Several bullets flew past him, missing him completely. Trevor continued to ignore the bullet wound in his shoulder, but the dripping blood now made it down to his hand. The weapon slipped in his grip. After another moment of quiet, Trevor used his lens to find the insurgent. The man stood ready to fire. Trevor knew he would be faster, hopefully able to grab the child crying just a few feet away. Quickly turning the corner, Trevor fired, hitting the insurgent square in the chest. Trevor dove for the child, grabbing the little one to him as he saw the live grenade lying in the man’s hand. Rylie yelled in his helmet, and Trevor took off running, but only made it a step or two before the grenade detonated and the floor flew out from underneath him.

From the corner of Trevor’s eye, he saw the soldier from the window rounding the corner. He threw the child in his direction, praying he would be caught. There was no time to know for sure; everything fell out from under him, hurtling him through the three story building. Shots whizzed past him as he fell, several making contact in his leg, shoulder, and arm. The pain slammed into his body with each bullet, but Trevor forced it all out. There was no time to let it register, because he needed to brace himself for the fall.

Trevor fell through two floors. The impact of each floor slammed his body hard, but slowed him down until the floor gave way, sending him flying through another. Finally, Trevor landed hard in a basement room. His back and right leg landed on a mattress, his left leg slammed to the ground. He could hear the break in his foot before he even felt it. Debris came crashing down on top of him. Trevor tried to shove himself away from the gaping hole in the ceiling, but was helpless as flying wood pieces and boards struck him over and over again. He realized his weapon was still palmed in his hand. He lifted it to the gaping hole in the ceiling, trying to protect himself from the insurgents. The house began to shake; the floor underneath Trevor quaked. The entire side of the compound began to crumble around him. Concrete and steel beams fell, burying him in rubble.

Chapter Twelve

“Trevor man, wake up! Can you hear me?”

Jarring himself awake, Trevor saw several members of his team looming over him. His body hurt like a son of a bitch. Rylie’s face came into his line of vision. For the first time, he realized how much Rylie looked like Reed.

“He’s lost a lot of blood,” someone said. Pain shot through him when he tried to move from the awkward position he lay in.

“It’s going to take too long to get this off of him. The leg’s shattered. We have to move out before the Chinese authorities find us.”