Andre Davis Sci-Fi

Iron Angels: Wide Lanes (Ep1)

I was leading a squad of Metal Jacks through Machida, heading to LZ-4. We’d been re-tasked to flank an inbound enemy column heading for the base. Not too big; easy enough. Getting there was the problem. The city was hot, and there were at least fifteen blocks between us and the intercept point. It was like running a gauntlet, hostiles all over the place—on the rooftops, in the alleys and windows, under cars, inside abandoned buses—just every damn where. 

We hammered down the street, loping along at a steady 30 kph, ignoring the constant ping of rounds bouncing off our plates. Unless they were rocking 50-cals, bullets weren’t a concern. RPGs, on the other hand… Shit, everyone had their eyes peeled. It only took a second to make your last mistake, and we all had better things to do that day than die. 

Topper was out front, leading the way. She hooked a left at Tadao, then made a right onto Haramachida. Hell…even rooks know not to run a straight line. We had five blocks to go, when we came across a damn wide-lane. Shit! Must have been Route 16. 

Camden spotted the threat as soon as we trotted into the intersection. “RPG!”

It was too late to turn back. 

“Go, go, go!” I sent the others through, while slowing to make myself the better target. It was the right thing to do. I was running rear—no one to obstruct if my Jack went down. 

I turned in stride, just in time to see a rocket whiz by. It missed my chassis by half-a-meter and struck something behind me, something close. I felt the impact from inside the cockpit and knew I’d gotten lucky. Smoke and dust flooded the street. Debris rained down on my Jack, clanking against the armor. I sighted up on the hostiles, huddled behind the tail of an abandoned car fumbling with the launcher—still trying to reload. Should have thought ahead. 

I zeroed in and let my cannon rip, two short bursts, shredding the rust-ridden shell like a block of Swiss. I stood-fast, watching for movement. It was just a formality. 

“All right Bravo, we’re clear. Keep moving—five to go. I shook my head and picked up the pace. “And Topper…? You keep us out of those goddamn wide-lanes, you hear me?”  

“Copy, Boss!” Topper’s voice crackled through the comm, a wry note of embarrassment in her tone.

Rooks… No matter how good they were there was always something they needed to learn.

A low static hum drowned out her next words. I felt a twinge of unease as the visual on my screen glitched and looked up. Three elongated shadows were descending from the sky, sweeping across the ruined cityscape. Drones.

Shit! We all had better things to do.