A New World: Awakening by John O'Brien Read Free Book Online Page A

look.
    “I’m looking for Sergeant Connell,” I said.
    “You found her,” she replied.
    “Jack Walker,” I said extending my hand as best I could lying pressed into the dirt.   She returned the shake lightly and quickly.
    “What’s the situation, Sergeant,” I asked.
    “Well, we are pinned down on three sides by at least company strength.   There are some blocking our route out to the east.   The fire has been increasing so I think they’re being reinforced,” she answered.
    “Casualties?”   I asked.
    “Three indigenous KIA with seven wounded.   Two soldiers wounded but mobile,” she replied.
    “Anyone unable to move?   I mean besides the KIA,” I asked apparently full of questions.
    “Four.”
    “Fuck.   That’ll make it harder.   “What freq are you on?   We tried calling,” I said.
    “The radios are out.   Both of them have taken hits.   And who are you again?”   She asked.   “Any idea when our support is showing up?”
    “You’re looking at it,” I replied.
    “What?   Just you?”   She asked with a measure of shock recording on her face.
    “I’m all you need,” I answered chuckling.   “Okay, way kidding.   I have a team to the east just in the tree line.   We took out the blocking force there.”
    “So, how is it you are here?”   She asked.   “Don’t get me wrong, we could use the firepower but I was expecting a little more.”
    “We were in the area and heard there was a party here,” I answered.
    “Aren’t you the funny one.   Seriously, they only sent you guys?”
    “Apparently you pissed someone off at some point so they sent us,” I replied not able to help myself.
    Her blue eyes and face, although covered in sweat and dirt, were quite attractive but the sound of the rounds buzzing overhead kept my thoughts in line.   A line stitched its way across the top of the rise pelting us with dirt clods and dust.   I buried into the dirt trying to actually get my back flush with the ground.
    “Viper Six, Viper Five,” I barely heard the ATL say over the radio.
    “Viper Five, go ahead,” I answered as the shower of dirt ended.   I was thankful there weren’t mortars at this point or the only thing left of us would be picked up and put in buckets.
    “We have visitors coming up on the east side from the south, platoon strength,” Viper Five said.
    “Roger that.   Pull back and set up behind them.   On my way shortly.   Viper Six, out,” I responded.
    “Well, crap!   There goes our way out,” I said.
    “What do you mean?”   She asked.
    “Tangos in platoon strength coming up on the east side from the south,” I answered.
    Sergeant Connell turned and yelled, “Corporal Hedges, we have unfriendly company coming on the east side from the south.   Keep their heads down.”
    “What unit did you say you were from?”   She asked turning back to me.   The soldiers around us were sending semi-automatic fire out to the tree lines on all sides.
    “Yeah, let’s cover that some other time, shall we?”   I answered.   I looked around as best I could being pressed down.   The circle of troops was closest to the north tree lines so I thought that may be our best way out.
    “Okay, our goal is to get to a landing zone a few klicks to the north,” I say showing her on the map.   “I’ll leave you my radio and head back.   We’ll circle around to the north and clear a hole for you.   Try to get the wounded that aren’t mobile onto stretchers.   The cheek beating will have to be intense and we’ll have to move fast.   We have helicopter assets on standby but for some stupid reason, they can’t assist with keeping our backsides clear.”
    “Okay.   The wounded are already on ponchos.   We’re getting low on ammo so it’ll have to be soon.   I’ve already given the order to conserve but we’ll lay down cover fire for your dash out of here,” she said.
    “Viper Five, Six here,” I said into the radio.
    “Go ahead, Six,”