Desperado (Murphy's Lawless: Watch the Skies Book 2) by Kevin Ikenberry (any book recommendations txt) 📕

the chaos of explosions, dust and bodies flew widely and the remaining troops scattered. Some tried to fall back to the nearest battlement to their east, while others fled west along the glacis. Bo heard a sharp cry from his left and saw many indigenous soldiers jumping off their vehicles, weapons in hand, making for the ragged breach that had been made by the big, dual guns of his largest, turreted AFV. The indigs pressed toward the hole in the wall even though mortar rounds continued to fall. Bo’s Lost Soldiers—now officers and NCOs—held them back with frantic screams and arm motions.

Bo grabbed his radio. “Tequila Sunrise, cease fire! Cease fire!”

A few seconds later the barrage lifted, and his infantry charged in. The lead elements disappeared through the gap in the glacis, well ahead of their leaders who frantically gave chase. Bo could see his heavier vehicles in the main effort wouldn’t puncture a large enough hole in the thick wall to pass through. And the odds of their climbing the rock-strewn incline wasn’t that great, either. He’d overestimated the maneuverability of the assault vehicles and the thickness of the glacis. Punching a hole was possible, but not on the scale he’d hoped. A few of the scout vehicles might make it through the rough gap, but he’d have to shift them from their position at the gate. He had to trust that infantry and the remaining scout vehicles could push through the entrance and accept that the heavy vehicles might not make it up the slope as planned. If so, then entering the Inner City on foot was their best chance to maintain the initiative.

Bo motioned to the other nearby vehicle commanders to get their infantry and nonessential crew dismounted to join the attack through the breach. As they did, the vehicles kept hammering at weak spots in several other places. The enemy, though, had gathered atop the wall to the east, and they began raining down an impressive sleet of fire. It forced Bo to duck into the cupola, and he could not see what was happening. He grabbed the radio handset.

“California, this is Desperado Six. Tell Fastlane we’re on our way. We’ve encountered heavy resistance, but we’ve breached the wall.”

The response from Fahey came immediately. “Desperado Six, this is California. Fastlane secured the site and is en route to your position now.”

Bo snapped, “He can’t get through the tunnels. That’s suicide.”

“They’re not going through the tunnels, Desperado Six. Expect to see Fastlane with Alpha Section from the east anytime now. Bravo Section has entered the city on foot. Their whinnies are moving east along the back side of the outcropping and are heading your way.”

Bo didn’t have time to argue. A flurry of weapons fire from outside caught his attention. The militia soldiers on the glacis above had pivoted their aim. Some appeared to be firing into the city itself.

“California, can you see the western side of town from your position?”

“Negative, Desperado Six. We can move to the edge and look.”

Bo swore under his breath. “Get there now. I want you calling in fire from the mortars onto the wall. Tell me if the scout vehicles have made it through the gate. You’re gonna have to guide the choppers in, Fahey. And get the mortars firing again!”

“Done it before, sir. I’ve got it.” He heard Fahey breathing hard as he ran. “Moving now.”

“Guidons, anybody have eyes on Fastlane?”

There was no reply from Fahey. Instead, there was a hiss of static, and Stewart yelped, “We’re coming around the mountain in a blue hurry, sir. Something’s got the whinnies riled up!”

* * *

Davis didn’t wait for the command post to relay instructions. As his own de facto fire direction center, he consulted his hand-drawn chart and called down the unconventional fire commands to the individual gun tubes.

“Gun 4, fire TRP 3, six rounds!”

“Gun 3, fire TRP 6, six rounds!”

“Gun 5, fire TRP 8, six rounds!”

Ahce continued monitoring tubes 1 and 2 as they pounded the gate and largest shelter atop the wall at the far western side. As the tubes resumed firing one round every eight to ten seconds, he couldn’t help but grin.

If it’s stupid but it works, it ain’t stupid.

Davis proudly noted rounds accurately falling on the top of the wall. But every round that fell inside the city made him wince. Collateral damage was inevitable, but Colonel Murphy’s orders were to minimize it as much as possible. If the attack went well, they’d be sleeping within the walls tonight. Being surrounded by live and happy citizens was imperative to the mission. No one knew how long they’d have to hold Imsurmik.

“Drive the militia out but leave enough of a city we can defend,” Major Moorefield had said.

The first of the tubes reached the end of their fire mission and looked to him for a new target. Davis raised his binoculars with one hand and studied the town. He held his other hand palm out to the guns, telling them to wait.

* * * * *

Chapter Nine

Imsurmik

Stewart held on for dear life. As soon as Olympia landed atop the reinforced tunnel exit from the city to the cache site, she leapt to the dirt floor and made a hooting noise. The other unmounted whinnies followed her to the ground where they rendezvoused with the riders of Alpha Section and turned east.

“Lieutenant Stewart?” Andrechyk called. He rode up on a smaller, silvery whinnie named Frost. “None of our guys have come through the tunnel. Looks like the J’Stull are holding it. There’s a squad of them deep inside with some kind of crew-served weapon.”

“Forget them,” Stewart replied. “If nobody’s coming through to fight us, there’s nothing here they give two shits about. We’ll sort it out later. The attack’s gonna stall if we don’t