[FIC] Class Act (part 21)
Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2004 2:43 am
When the divider fell, Sousuke thought that the hammer would soon follow. Kaname was standing only a foot away, chest heaving, hands on her hips. There was anger flashing in her eyes, but there was something more. Sousuke wasn’t certain what it was. He didn’t know what to do when Kaname started trembling slightly, her lip twitching once, twice, then once more.
They stayed that was, in total silence, for a number of minutes. Kaname spoke first, slowly and quietly.
“Is that how I seem to you, Sousuke?” She didn’t elucidate.
“Kaname?”
“A bitch, Sousuke. Do you see me as a bitch?” Her eyes were no longer angry. There was a sadness there, an old and bitter regret. “Others did, once.”
“I do not understand, Kaname. But my first response was the closest to the truth. I think highly of you.” Sousuke was not making an attempt at comforting Kaname. He was merely telling the truth. That meant more to Kaname than any false play at sympathy. “You are not a bitch, Kaname.”
“That’s kind of you, Sousuke. But, sometimes I *am*. I’ve had to be pretty strong in my life, but sometimes I’m not as strong as I think.” Kaname sat down cross-legged on the floor.
“Why?”
“I should be able to deal with anything, but I can’t. There’s this boy who follows me everywhere, uninvited. It creeps me out, sometimes. Other times it just makes me angry.” Neither needed to hear the name spoken. “He’s reckless, bull-headed, and clueless, and he gets me into a lot of trouble.”
“I see.” Sousuke did. He was no stranger to his own faults. Good or bad, he was who he was.
“But, he’s kind, dedicated, and would never abandon me during my times of trouble, whether or not he caused them. When I’m around him, I seem quite capable of causing trouble myself. That’s not my biggest problem. I also have ample opportunity to learn things about myself, Sousuke. I don’t always like what I see.”
“The same is true for me, Kaname.”
“I *know*. Believe me, I know!!!” Kaname actually laughed, before going solemn again. “But it’s different. I’m worried about image and fitting in. I can’t handle things that disturb my neat and tidy world. You don’t seem to let such things bother you Sousuke. I envy you. Things blow up in your face, but you deal with it and move on.”
“It’s not a gift, Kaname. It is a means to survival. I did not choose my childhood, but wished to live through it. Image was never an issue, because being seen meant you could be hurt. I do not worry about fitting in, but I probably should. Other boys do. There is too much I don’t understand.”
“O! I never looked at it that way before. That makes it sound so horrible!” Kaname blushed, following that thought one step further. “I’m sorry, Sousuke. Maybe we should make a deal.”
“Deal, Kaname?”
“Yes, you promise to get me in trouble on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays only. I promise to try and be more understanding, and to help you make a little more sense of things. How’s that?” She flashed a very brief smile.
“But Kaname, one cannot schedule trouble. I…”
“SOUSUKE!!!” Kaname stood up and glared, before settling down some. “This is exactly the kind of thing I was talking about. Sometimes people say things to make a point, without meaning exactly what they say. Sometimes people make a joke. Sometimes they use sarcasm.”
“Why?” Sousuke’s face showed a low level of curiosity, nothing more.
“ARRGGHH. It had to be ME!” Kaname said, shaking her head. “Sousuke, it’s just the way that it is. You have to accept that. It’s like a military operation. You need to gather intelligence. You need to adapt.”
“Yes. I see. You are correct. I suggest a slight change in plans. Mondays and Fridays are better days for trouble. Can we switch to those, and add Wednesdays?” His voice was completely deadpan.
“Sousuke Sagara! Did you just make a joke?” Kaname was shocked. Of course, he might be completely serious. With a dyed-in-the-wool otaku, who could tell?
“Negative, Kaname. I was merely adapting.”
Kaname smiled. Maybe there *was* reason for hope. She stood up and began looking around the driver’s area, noting some of the changes.
“Sousuke, what are all those buttons and switches for. And why are you wearing those glasses? The sky is overcast now….”
“Uh….” Sousuke couldn’t help himself. He knew “Uh….” was like honey to a bear with Kaname. But, as Fate would have it, he was saved having to answer. The only question was ‘Is it Good Fortune, or Bad?’
The bus actually shook a little when an eighteen wheel tanker truck sped by very close, moving at a speed far beyond the speed limit. Its trailer swerved hither and yon, and Sousuke wondered if the driver would be able to maintain control. He looked over at a panel he was shielding with his arm. A red flash pulsed on and off. The threat detector, He needed to put his headset back on.
“It looks as if we have a potentially hazardous situation here, Kaname. I think it is wise for you to return to your seat. I will need my full concentration now. That fuel truck is a serious accident waiting to happen.”
“OK, Sousuke. I feel better, now. I’m glad to know I’m not a bitch.” Kaname pushed her hair away from her eyes.
“I did not say that. I only reported that I did not see you as a bitch. As you know, my judgment is suspect.”
“SOUSUKE!” Kaname’s fists were clenched again.
“Kaname. You need to learn to adapt!”
For a moment, she had a strong urge to strangle him.
***********************************************************
When the divider had closed again, and Sousuke was once again effectively isolated, he established a connection with the A.I. As it turned out, the fuel truck was not the only threat detected nearby. There were two ther large trucks in the nearby vicinity, matching speed with the bus.
‘A.I., provide details on the nearest threat.” Sousuke looked at the thermal scan projected on the HUD. A large flat-bed 18-wheeler had a cargo covered by a tarp. Multiple small heat sources were present under the tarp.
‘AFFIRMATIVE. NEAREST TRUCK HAS A DENSE FABRIC COVERING. UNDERNEATH IS A METALLIC OBJECT, WITH FOUR PARALLEL PROJECTIONS, TWO TO A SIDE. PERCENTAGES FAVOR A WEAPON. SMALL MOBILE HEAT SOURCES ARE LIKELY HUMAN BEINGS.’
“Understood. Provide details on the second threat.”
“AFFIRMATIVE. OTHER TRUCK IS AN 18-WHEEL CARGO HAULER. THE TRAILER IS EMPTY, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A SMALL NUMBER OF SIMILAR HEAT SOURCES. STRUCTURE OF THE TRAILER IS ANOMALOUS. THERE IS DOUBLE THICKNESS SIDING. CONJECTURE WOULD BE ARMOR PLATING, DROP AWAY PANELS, OR BOTH.’
Sousuke did not need to ask for clarification. ‘Drop away panels’ suggested a possible way to change the external appearance of the truck, making tracking difficult for law enforcement personnel. Witnesses might describe one truck, whereas the truck in question could be made to look drastically different.
“Agreed. Provide data on earlier threat moving at high speed.”
‘WORKING. DATA RETRIEVED. 18-WHEEL TRUCK WITH FLUID-FILLED TRAILER. ENCLOSURE FILLED NEAR TO FULL CAPACITY. VAPOR ANALYSIS INDICATES PETROLEUM PRODUCTS. ONE DRIVER. NO PASSENGERS.’
“A.I., access local highway map. Locate areas of significant reduction in lanes, construction delays, or with characteristics indicating potential for significant bottle necks.”
‘WORKING. ACCESSING MAP FILES. MULTIPLE AREAS EXIST. FIRST AREA 10 MILES AHEAD. LARGE BRIDGEWAY PASSES OVER ROAD. COLLAPSED, IT WOULD PRESENT AN INSURMOUNTABLE IMPEDIMENT TO TRAVEL.'
The area was highlighted on a very detailed map projected on the windscreen.
'WORKING. SECOND AREA LOCATED FIVE MILES FURTHER. CONSTRUCTION OF NEW EXIT RESULTS IN REDUCTION OF LANES TO TWO. LENGTH NARROWING EQUALS THREE-QUARTERS OF A MILE.'
The second area was added to the map. It's GPS coordinates were recorded for possible transmission.
'WORKING. THIRD AREA LOCATED FIFTEEN MILES FURTHER THAN SECOND. QUARRY AREA WITH DIRECT ACCESS TO HIGHWAY. HEAVY VEHICLE TRAFFIC POSSIBLE. MOBILE BARRICADE MUST BE CONSIDERED.'
A small screen within a screen started showing satellite pictures of the general area containing the working limestone quarry.
'WORKING.’
“Cease current query. Project full ammunition stores and weapons status on the HUD. Run a quick function check on all items listed.”
Sousuke had a good idea what he would find. The ammunition stores would be low after two battles. He would not be able to pose much of a threat to an enemy by himself. At least not for very long. He may need to drive to a site where Arm Slaves could be dropped in to provide cover. Timing would be the crucial issue.
‘ALL WEAPONS ARE AT PEAK EFFICIENCY, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF INCINDIARY DEVICES. HEAT DISTORTION OF FLAME GUN NOZZLES IDENTIFIED IN PORTS FIVE…EIGHT…AND TEN. SLURRY RESIDUE REPRESENTS POSSIBLE SOURCE OF CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IN PORTS TWO AND SIX. AMMUNITION STATUS DISPLAYED.’
“Take flame weapons number two and six off line. Establish connection with Mithril satellite *Delta*. Patch communication through to TDD-1. Attention Lt. Cmdr. Kalinin. Secondary contact, Captain Testarossa.”
‘WORKING.’
Rubbing his chin, Sousuke looked at a map he brought up. The first danger would be bridge collapse. A tanker would not be well suited for that, unless it contained a highly explosive mixture. The area of narrowing could provide an ideal site for an ‘accident’ caused by a speeding fuel truck. As quarries often contained massive equipment, a mobile barricade could easily be formed across the road. A large open space such as a quarry also provided opportunities. Driving around such an area may provide sufficient delays for Sgt. Major Mao and Sgt. Weber to land their M9’s undetected, set up positions, and direct the bus’s movement.
‘CONNECTION ESTABLISHED.’
“Sgt. Sagara, this is Captain Testarossa. Are you in the middle of serious difficulty. Please report.”
Sousuke described the situation fully. Tessa put him on hold while she consulted with Cmdr. Mardukas and called Lt. Cmdr. Kalinin out of a briefing. Quickly, decisions were made. Sgt. Major Mao would get aboard her Arm Slave, already situated within its transport missile. Launch would take place the moment a clear window opened. Sousuke would head for the quarry. If he could not reach it, the M9 would still be in the general vicinity. If trouble struck soon enough, her landing point could be altered. Sgt. Weber’s M9 would be held back until the exact nature of the potential threat was established. They could afford only one false alarm.
Sousuke left the connection open, so that the A.I.’s data and concerns could be directed to the necessary personnel aboard the TDD-1.
Sousuke ran through a number of mental exercises, trying to put his mind at ease while he waited for the likely battle. He wanted to save all his focus and energy for the fight. Success, and they would all make it home alive. Failure, and his classmates would be held captive, if they survived. He shook pictures of a bound and gagged Kaname out of his head. Images of her blind-folded, being shot in the head, kept him on edge.
It was then that his life as a soldier became more difficult. He had been the consummate warrior. His skills continued to grow, while many other mean hit the wall. No matter what his orders entailed, he had always followed them. Mithril’s priorities had been his priorities. But now, he knew the bitter taste of indecision. To protect the organizations anonymity, and safeguard its effectiveness, he would be expected to let the students die if there was no other recourse. It was a brutal necessity. If they were trapped, with no escape, he would try to get his classmates off the bus, then destroy it utterly. If need be, he would destroy it with himself and the others onboard.
Could he do that? Would he let Kaname die? He was beginning to have serious doubts.
*******************************************************
With a final conflict brewing, and lives on the line, the students remained ignorant of the danger they all faced. The bus was getting ever closer to home. A few still slept. Some continued reading or listening to music. One group huddled around a small portable DVD player. Anime freaks discussed the finer nuances of dozens of shows. Kaname sat deep in thought, thinking about the days she spent in Japan immediately after returning from overseas.
Most of the guys and gals refused to let one gender or the other have the last word.
“Alright dudes, let me tell you a story about three people with their lives on the line. Two guys from the swimming team, and a girl from the softball team. They had all been captured by terrorists.” Kaname looked up at that, thinking of Sousuke again. It looks like he was having more of an influence on everyone than they realized. Was that something to take comfort in, or see a psychologist about?
“Like *that* would ever happen!” Ryo interjected with some disgust.
“Chill, dudette. The guard brings the first swimmer outside, and asks if he has any requests. He says ‘No.’ The executioner shouts out ‘Ready!…Aim!…’ and the dude yells *EARTHQUAKE!!!*’ Everyone is started and drops to the ground while he escapes.” The swimmer nods his head when two of his teammates give him a big thumbs up.
“That’s a *stupid* story,” Mizuke put in. “Who would fall for a trick like that?”
“Probably someone who would think a guy who dumped her would track her down and call her at the Heidan Inn.” The guy who pulled the prank call on Mizuke smirked. Mizuke nearly swallowed the gum she was chewing.
“The guard is pissed off, and brings the other swimmer out. He asks again about last requests, and is told the dude has none. Again he shouts ‘Ready!…Aim!…’ and the swimmers yells '*TORNADO!!!*’ The guards all ran around in fear, looking for a place of safety. The guy got away.”
“Yeh, the guards were probably guys.” Maya sneered.
“You’re probably right,” one of the wrestlers countered. “If they were girls, they would have grabbed a latte, complained about how fat their uniforms made them look, and worried about what the wind might do to their hair.” His buddies slapped hands with him.
“Idiots!” Ryo said.
“Jerks!” Maya added. “Right, Kaname?”
At first, Kaname didn’t answer. She hadn’t really been paying attention. When Maya went as far as to give her the whistle back, she mumbled “Right, Idiots. Jerks.”
“Any way,” the swimmer continued. “By now, the softball babe has it all figured out. She knew just what to do. When the guard heard she had no requests, he did his thing a third time. “Ready!…Aim!…’ and the girl yelled *FIRE!!!*”
The guys got up and did a short dance routine. They were stoked. Their side was up by one.
A girl from the drama club asked for everyone’s attention. It was her turn. In a dramatic voice, she began her tale. “A girl from the drama club sat watching the afternoon news. Against her wishes, a member of the rugby team joined her. There was a story about a wrestler who had strapped dynamite to himself and got on board a bus.”
“Hey, why not make it a train or something,” one of the basketball players called out.
“Why, is our big strong boy afraid something might happen to our bus? Superstitious?” Mizuke felt better now.
“Of course not! When’s the last time anything ever happened to a bus?” the boy answered, feeling a bit sheepish.
“Nah, how about making it a Gundam fan!” The wrestler’s suggestion almost swayed the story teller.
“The girl turns to the boy and says ‘I bet you $100 that the fool blows himself up.’ The guy thought about it for a minute, then accepted the wager. Sure enough, there was an explosion.”
“Alright! One less blockhead!” One of the Gundam fans had finished his favorite manga. He was feeling his oats.
“Stuff it, freak!” One of the wrestlers retorted angrily, throwing popcorn at the other boy.
The girls looked at each other, shook their heads , and smiled.
“Looks like all boys are trouble, right Kaname? Not just Sousuke.” Kyouko wasn’t certain that she liked her friends prolonged silence.
“You’re probably right, Ky.” Kaname said, a little more animated than before. “Though he certainly takes the cake.” Kyouko’s forced conversation actually made Kaname feel a bit better. It was true. Boys WERE trouble. It wasn’t as if Sousuke was unique in that regard. “I guess you could say he’s an overachiever.”
Ren looked back at Kaname and smiled.
“The rugby player offers the money to the girl, but she refuses to take it. ‘I can’t accept this. I cheated. It was on the news when I was eating breakfast. I saw the boy blow himself up.’ The guy shook his head and said ‘No, you have to take it. I watched the early news too, but I never thought he’d do it *again*!’”
The girls got up and did their victory strut. They were in the lead again. Naturally, their success counted more.
“That was actually pretty realistic,” Mizuke mentioned. “Just how many times has Sousuke blown himself up?”
“How many times has he blown *other people up*?!” Ryo added.
“We’d probably all be better off if he blew himself clean off the planet!” One of the rugby players laughed.
Kaname’s eyes narrowed. For a moment she felt defensive. Usually she would have been the first one to applaud.
The next story brought Kaname most of the way back. The boy had decided to make things personal. “Kyouko, Kaname, and Ren go into a bar, and one of them says to the bartender ‘A round of drinks for me and my friends. We’ve had the greatest success of our young lives.’ They get their drinks, raise their glasses, and drink after Kaname says ‘To 39 days!’”
“Yeh, that’s how long it probably took them to choose what to pack for this trip!” The track star’s joke was met with a roar of approval.
Kaname looked at her whistle. She actually smiled. ‘Not yet.’
“Kyouko asked the barkeep to set them up again. She goes on to say ‘We *are* truly amazing, the brightest of all the girls. To 39 days!’ They all drank up again.”
“No, that’s probably how long they spent in the bathroom getting their make-up ready, dudes!” The swimmer’s quip also went over well---with the boys.
Kaname stroked the whistle. She tossed her hair a bit. ‘Wait.’
“Ren goes on to order a third round, after she had to be reminded what they were all talking about. It was tough being a chick. The bartender said that he had to know what the toast meant. Kaname, who always seems to have a need to hear herself speak, answered ‘We just finished a jigsaw puzzle. One the box, it said *Two To Four Years*, but it only took the three of us 39 days!’”
Now.
Before the boys could bask in their triumph, a familiar sound struck terror in their hearts. *Tweeee eeee eeeeee e eeeeee eeee ee e eeeeeee eeeeee e ee eeeeeeeee eeeeeee eeeeeeee e ee eeeee eeeee eeeee eeee eeeeeeee eeee eeeeee eeeeeeeeee ee ee e eeeeeeeeeee eee ee ee ee eee eeeeeee e eeee ee e eeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeee eeeeeee e eeeeee e eeeeeee eeeee eee!!!*
Kaname felt better now. She was ready for anything. She was even ready for Sousuke.
************************************************************
Sosuke was ready when the assault began. They had indeed made use of the fuel truck, just not in the fashion he had expected. There was no wall of fire waiting for him, causing the bus to come to a halt.
‘EMERGENCY…EMERGENCY…EMERGENCY…TANKER TRUCK LOCATED…LARGE AMOUNTS OF PETROL FLOODING ROAD…PASSING THROUGH IT IN 5...4...3...2...1...NOW!’
Sousuke looked at a video replay from one of the external side cameras. The truck had pulled in behind one of the support pillars of an overpass, close to the beginning of the reduction in highway lanes. The valves were full open, and gasoline was flooding the roadway. The terrorists were going to use a wall of fire to keep traffic from following. There would be no witnesses. There would be no assistance coming from that direction.
Lightning quick, Sousuke thought of one potential grand slam move. *He* could ignite the fuel himself, *now*. That would catch the two pursuing trucks. But, he would also be responsible for the deaths of any motorists who also found themselves caught in the sudden conflagration. As a youth in Afghanistan, he would have already thrown a match out the driver’s window. He had more sophisticated means of starting a fire today, but could not bring himself to walk that path.
The bus drove through the pooling fluid, splashing the pungent mixture up on large concrete dividers. Sousuke gunned the engine, racing impetuously through a narrow stretch of drivable road. The faster he got though, the quicker the others would. The quicker they got through, the sooner someone would torch the barrier. Fewer innocent people stood a risk of getting trapped that way.
‘NEXT TWO VEHICLES FOLLOWING ARE LARGE THREATS. A SMALL NUMBER OF CARS ARE NOT FAR BEHIND. A TARP IS NOW AIRBORNE.’
Sousuke relaxed slightly when the bus passed back onto the full width highway. He did not diminish his speed. He would let the enemy show his cards at high speed. It was a good thing Kaname was not up here now. But, he was still concerned. The bus felt as if it were barreling down the highway. The chassis vibrations would not match the idyllic scene on the PFT.
‘THERE IS A LARGE AMOUNT OF FIRE AND SMOKE. THE PETROL HAS IGNITED. TWO CARS HAVE BEEN DESTROYED BY UNKNOWN MEANS. THE TRUCKS ARE NOW PICKING UP SPEED, ONE TO A SIDE. THE FRONT TRUCK IS PULLING WIDE AND FALLING SLIGHTLY BEHIND.’
“A.I., leave rear cameras on. Direct full attention to forward view, long range. Announce any and all obstructions or threats immediately. You have control of the turret.”
‘AFFIRMATIVE. WORKING.’
Sousuke spoke aloud. “Sgt. Major Mao, a little help would be appreciated.” His squad leader should be airborne now, reaching the quarry area about the same time he would, if neither of them was held up. He actually hoped that the enemy would set up a barricade near the quarry. It was a clever move. It would play right into his hands. There was time before he would near the quarry. If he drove too quickly, he may limit his options and arrive before the M9 was in position. If he took too long, he might never get that far. He still didn’t know exactly what he was facing.
A look at the view screen showed the flatbed moving at a tremendous clip. It would catch up soon. The tractor trailer held back some. No doubt, the other truck did not want to get caught in the line of fire. Odds were that it was intended for the transport of captives, not a gun battle at high speed.
‘WARNING. MULTIPLE SMALL VEHICLES HEADING IN THIS DIRECTION FROM QUARRY AREA. SIZE AND MOVEMENT CHARACTERISTICS ARE SIMILAR TO THE SMALL CARS ENGAGED PREVIOUSLY. PREPARING WEAPONS SYSTEMS.’
Sousuke cursed. Things were not probably going to be easy in the first place. Now, they got even worse. He had wanted to coax his ammunition stores along, using the best weapon for each opportunity that presented itself. Now, he would need to do whatever was necessary to reduce the total number of threats. If the cars succeeded in stopping him a good distance from the quarry, Sgt. Major Mao would reach his side too late.
“A.I., maximum ammunition conservation. First priority is destruction, not dissuasion. Make every shot count.”
‘AFFIRMATIVE.’
“How many laser guided missiles remain?”
‘THREE.’
“How many radar guided missiles?”
‘ONE.’
“Isolate one laser-guided missile for my use.”
‘AFFIRMATIVE.’
“Assuming temporary control of the turret.” Sousuke brought the turret around and sighted on the flatbed. He launched the missile. He could still simplify things considerably with a kill shot here.
The missile flew straight and true. Then, without warning, it broke in pieces and fell to the ground. As the enemy vehicle drew closer, Sousuke could see why. There *was* a weapon on the flatbed. He zoomed in, then cursed again. It was an old weapon, World War II vintage. A left-over souvenir from one of the Pacific islands.
Sitting on a two-wheeled undercarriage, chained to the bed of the truck, was an M55 Anti-aircraft weapon. The American device, still in its original olive drab, sported a hideously painted demon face on the front housing. A snarling mouth and wicked eyes were not out of character. The M55 mounted four .50 caliber heavy machine guns, two to a side. Each gun carried a huge ammunition drum. That weapon could easily tear the side off of the bus if the gunner’s intent was to kill.
It had knocked the missile out of the air. *Lucky shot! Incredibly lucky!* Sousuke considered using additional missiles, but could not afford to risk them being knocked down the same way as the first. The driver was no doubt better informed than his compatriots on the motorcycles were. He stayed out of flame thrower range. He did not need to get too close. The M55 had considerable range, if questionable accuracy at a distance.
The driver of the other truck was waving a red towel out of his window. He was signaling for Sousuke to surrender, or face the full consequences. There was merit in stopping, pretending to surrender, then blasting the truck with every weapon available. But, his classmates would be at much greater risk, and he could easily be swarmed by a pack of small cars.
Sousuke gave his answer, a quick geyser of flame from one of the incendiary devices. He would try to escape, attempt to lead them into a trap, or duel. He would not acquiesce.
“You can’t fire that beast over the cab, can you?” He spoke to himself. “Good thing there are height restrictions on this highway. If I can keep in front of you, I can’t be targeted. If you get too close, I have presents for you.” The cars were probability going to drive in a fashion designed to force Sousuke off of any path of his own preference, allowing the truck to line up for a full broadside. Things were about to get tight.
The cars were all accelerating as they came, darting to and fro like an angry swarm of bees. The lead vehicles sped at the head of two lines of car, one to each side of the highway. Three cars to each side. No doubt they were the snipers, preparing to target the tires.
Another group of cars headed straight for the bus, in a lopsided wedge configuration. They were playing a dangerous game of ‘Chicken,’ intent on forcing Sousuke into a collision, or on a track away from the truck.
The A.I. dad not been sitting around twiddling its computational thumbs. Two laser-guided missiles sped on their way, hitting and destroying the lead cars in the central group. One additional car was taken out of action, flipping up over debris and ending on its back, the driver unable to avoid the shattered car in front of him. The remaining two missiles were fired at the lead cars on the periphery, with equal effectiveness. Still, a fair number of cars still remained.
Sousuke made a snap decision. Some degree of risk was necessary, if he wanted to have any chance at survival. Pushing the pedal to the floor, he pulled the bus in front of the truck, a number of body lengths ahead. Red lights indicated that he rear box was out of smoke and oil mixture. Additional red lights gave notice that the mines and caltrops had been exhausted. But, a row of small blue lights told a different tale.
The technicians had assembled an odd but highly effective weapons system: ten Steyr TMPs were fused together on a simple aiming rod, all linked to a single trigger bar. When the back of the luggage box folded down, the guns could be brought to bear. There wouldn’t be much by the way of sustainable fire, but for a few short seconds, the weapon would be capable of tossing out a frightful amount of lead.
Sousuke punched button # 11. The front windows of the truck exploded inward, hit by large numbers of 9mm rounds. Smoke began to pour out of perforations in the grill. Coolant trailed out away from the cab. The truck kept coming. The driver had acted quickly, ducking down. When the wheel jerked, a number of men were thrown off the rear bed to their deaths. Others hung onto the M55 for dear life.
“A.I., use the gatling gun to plow the road.”
Heavy projectiles flew from the top turret. Brass casings ran down the sides of the bus and skittered across the highway. Parts of cars blew skyward, but eager drivers were ready to take their fallen comrade’s place. The multi-barrel weapon continued spinning a short while longer, out of ammunition.
The first group of cars passed, two to a side. Machine gun fire struck its target, but the self-sealing run-flat tires maintained their integrity. Sousuke drove on without any need to slow down.
The A.I. allowed those cars to pass unharmed. The mini-gun was near empty. Ditto, the micro-gun.
‘LONG RANGE RADAR SUGGESTS HEAVY EQUIPMENT ON THE MOVE FROM THE QUARRY AREA.’
Sousuke nodded his head, tightening his grip on the wheel. His hands were slick with sweat. He had a muscle cramp in his right foot. *The Barricade. One more thing to worry about. Melissa, did you make it?* There was still a chance. All he needed was for a few things to go his way. Unfortunately, a quick glance at the road ahead filled him with a sense of pending doom.
The highway was split into three narrow rows by large concrete dividers. Two of the partitioned lanes were for traffic. The third led to a series of unfinished exit and entry ramps under construction. No matter what lane he chose, the truck would no doubt take the other. Blessed with greater speed, it would be able to pull along side him in no time. There was no more opportunity for evasive maneuvers. He---and his classmates---were highly vulnerable. *Kaname, I’m sorry!*
The 18-wheeler pulled along aside the bus. With a series of obscene gestures, the gunner brought the quad barrels of the M55 on target. Any moment now, the bus would resemble a fine Jarlsberg cheese. But, salvation came. From an unexpected source.
Driving up one of the incomplete ramp ways---her eyes intense, and a huge smile on her face---officer Wakana jumped her police cruiser onto the deck of the flat bed truck. Coming to an abrupt halt against the overturned M55, she sat momentarily stunned, a trickle of blood running down from her forehead. When she tasted that blood, her smile grew wider yet.
Two terrorists had been mangled by the abruptly moving AntiAircraft gun. One survivor clung as best as he could to a handle on the truck cabin. He lost his grip and his life when Wakana pumped four shots into him from her 12 gauge. The lights on top of her car continued to spin and flash, painting her face with an unearthly glow. The siren’s wail went on and on.
As Sousuke watched, taken entirely aback by the appearance of his one time foe, he saw a number of men pull themselves up onto the roof of the cab. Each terrorist carried a sub machinegun.
“A.I., Assume control of the steering on my mark. Reduce speed to a maximum level conducive with continued passenger safety. Mark.”
‘AFFIRMATIVE.’
Sousuke grabbed his weapons bag and quickly spilled its contents onto the floor. Opening the bus door, he was momentarily frozen by the view of the passing partitions. The men had snuck up on an unaware Wakana, preparing to send her to the next world. Sighting carefully, Sousuke fired, emptying the clip of his Glock. The two men fell from the truck. Before he tumbled away, one man had begun to shoot. His bullets tore into the cab, killing the driver.
Obviously, the dead man’s foot was still on the accelerator. The truck raced headlong, bouncing off the dividers on one side and then the other.
‘BARRICADE AHEAD. CLOSING RAPIDLY. INITIATING EVASIVE ACTION.’ The A.I. reduced speed as soon as the bus and truck both passed out of the ‘cattle chutes’ and into virgin highway.
“A.I., belay that. Drive as close to the truck as possible.” Sousuke leaned out of the door, catching Wakana’s attention. He pantomimed an imminent collision. He made motions for her to jump.
Not able to make a jump for the bus cars and Sousuke’s outstretched hand, the police officer climbed up on top of her damaged car. With a crazed laugh, she leaped from one speeding vehicle to the other, just managing to grab hold of a luggage rack at the side of the turret.
Sousuke jumped back in the driver’s seat and regained control. Watching as the truck barreled on past, he slowed the bus down and began to drive parallel to a line of huge Earth Movers, Crawler Tractors, Excavators, and Loaders that were lined up two-deep across the roadway. The truck never slowed as it crashed into a large yellow Sumitoma earth mover. The tremendous impact threw parts from both vehicles in all directions and turned the truck into a raging fireball. Ammunition from the mangled M55 went off, sounding like popping corn.
The most dangerous crisis had been averted, but Sousuke and his unsuspecting classmates were not out of harm’s way. Men with guns and heavy weapons began to run out from behind the barricade.
‘THE SMALL CARS HAVE TURNED ABOUT AND WILL SOON BE UPON US.’
Sousuke had only three choices. He could stay where he was, hope the enemy would try to capture the bus unharmed, and wait for Sgt. Major Mao. He could drive the bus into the quarry and take his chances their while he tried to kill some time. He could turn the bus around, hope to get past the cars, and head back the way he came. *Is the Sgt. Major anywhere in the vicinity?*
The answer came just as the first of the small cars rocketed out of the chutes and the men on the ground finished setting up a TOW-derived Type 79 *KAM 9D* ATGM on its tripod. Devoid of their own ECS system, Standard missiles flashed into view, accurately tracking the moving car and the ones that followed. A number of explosions threw tires, hoods, doors, engines, and human remains skyward. Shots from an unseen 57mm gun took out the terrorists readying their missile for firing.
Sousuke projected an enhanced radar image on his HUD. The ghostly outline of an anthromorphoid shape stood out. An M9. The Arm Slave soon moved towards the rows of heavy equipment. The remaining terrorist ran for their lives, seeing a mammoth Hitachi steam shovel fall over on its side for no visible reason, followed by a Nissha crawler tractor standing up on its nose before falling over. Melissa was making a passageway for the halted bus. More cars approaching, she paused in her task to wipe them clean off the face of the earth. Their drivers could easily be picked up with a sponge.
“A.I., search entire bandwidth---find the frequency for Urzu-2.”
‘WORKING…… WORKING…… WORKING….. LINK ESTABLISHED.’
“Hey, Sousuke! You got any beer on that bus of yours?” Sousuke didn’t need to hear the voice to know who *that* was. Melissa bypassed any pretence of a greeting and went on straight to the important stuff.
“Uh…… No, Sgt. Major.”
“*S-H-I-I-I-I-T-T-T*. Tessa told you I was coming, didn’t she?” Melissa did in fact seem a touch peeved.
“Uh….”
“*W-e-l-l-l-l-l….*” But, there was impending laughter in her voice.
“Uh….”
“Guess we’ll have to deal with that when you return home to Danaan. That better be *soon*. That f@cking Weber had been getting on my nerves more and more. ‘Sis’ that and ‘Babe’ this. If he tries to touch me again, we’re going to have to break in a whole new teammate!”
“Yes, Sgt. Major.”
“O! When you come back from Tokyo the next time, bring some tranquilizers. The strong kind. Visit a farm. No, make it a point to stop by a *zoo*. Get some of the stuff they use on big cats, hippos, or even a rhinoceros. Got me?” Melissa let out an exasperated sigh. “If I can’t sneak it into Weber’s food, *I’ll* take’em all. You can guard my door while I rest!”
“By your command!”
“Now, let’s get to the debriefing, so to speak. You and that Chidori girl get naked yet?” There was a wicked sense of mischief in Melissa’s tone of voice.
“Uh….”
“Is that the *I don’t know* ‘Uh,’ or the *I’m too embarrassed and clueless to talk about it* ‘Uh?’” Melissa laughed openly. She really DID wish she had a beer. This was fun.
“Uh….”
“*REALLY???*” There was a period of silence. Melissa must be checking on a potential danger, or could be receiving a transmission from the TDD-1. Sousuke looked on his own communications console. An icon was flshing. Someone had tapped into the secure line.
“Kurz, shut down the f@cking link!” Melissa must have identified the eavesdropper.
“But Sis….” Yes, it was Sgt. Weber after all.
“NOW, Weber. Or I’ll hand you both of your balls to wear as earrings when I get back!” She sounded quite serious.
“But…Sousuke…Chidori…*naked*….” There was a true hint of pleading in the long-haired soldier’s voice.
“Kurz, do you want to know what I’m going to tear off your body and hand to you as a corsage?” Melissa wasn’t laughing. Kurz killed the link immediately after that.
“Thank you, Sgt. Major!” Sousuke said, glad to be off *that* subject.
“Don’t thank me, Sousuke. Give me the damn answer!” Melissa was relentless. That was nothing new.
“Uh….”
That’s an *O-R-R-R D-D-E-R-R*, soldier.” There was a pregnant pause. “Maybe next time you will remember the beer!”
“Uh….”
“I *can* bring you before a review board on charges of insubordination, Sagara.” Sousuke doubted that she really would. *Still…*
“She saw me with my shirt off once.”
“And?” Melissa now had no doubt there was *something* Sousuke wanted to hide.
“Also, she saw me once in a dancer’s apparel.” There was definitely a story behind THAT one.
“Go on, Sousuke!”
There was a period of silence. Looking on the external camera, Sousuke noted that Wakana had climbed down from the bus. She was staring at the overturned vehicles, wondering just what the hell had happened.
“On the balcony, she stepped outside with no clothing on her torso. In the pool, I saw her naked from behind, from inside the air duct. She once wore a dancer’s outfit, as well.”
The silence continued, this time on Melissa’s part. When she spoke, she purred like a cat who found the door to the canary cage unlocked. “Thank you so much, Sgt. Sagara. You can’t imagine how much I can make peddling that information to Sgt. Weber, one bit at a time. Do you have any pictures?”
“Uh….”
“Looks like you a visitor. It’s time for me to get a move on---my work here is done. We'll revisit that topic when you return to Danaan. Mao, signing off.” Sousuke saw the radar image of the M9 begin to walk towards a predetermined point where a transport truck would meet her.
There was a knock at the bus doors. Sousuke opened them. Officer Wakana stood there. “Permission to come aboard?”
************************************************************
End of part 21
They stayed that was, in total silence, for a number of minutes. Kaname spoke first, slowly and quietly.
“Is that how I seem to you, Sousuke?” She didn’t elucidate.
“Kaname?”
“A bitch, Sousuke. Do you see me as a bitch?” Her eyes were no longer angry. There was a sadness there, an old and bitter regret. “Others did, once.”
“I do not understand, Kaname. But my first response was the closest to the truth. I think highly of you.” Sousuke was not making an attempt at comforting Kaname. He was merely telling the truth. That meant more to Kaname than any false play at sympathy. “You are not a bitch, Kaname.”
“That’s kind of you, Sousuke. But, sometimes I *am*. I’ve had to be pretty strong in my life, but sometimes I’m not as strong as I think.” Kaname sat down cross-legged on the floor.
“Why?”
“I should be able to deal with anything, but I can’t. There’s this boy who follows me everywhere, uninvited. It creeps me out, sometimes. Other times it just makes me angry.” Neither needed to hear the name spoken. “He’s reckless, bull-headed, and clueless, and he gets me into a lot of trouble.”
“I see.” Sousuke did. He was no stranger to his own faults. Good or bad, he was who he was.
“But, he’s kind, dedicated, and would never abandon me during my times of trouble, whether or not he caused them. When I’m around him, I seem quite capable of causing trouble myself. That’s not my biggest problem. I also have ample opportunity to learn things about myself, Sousuke. I don’t always like what I see.”
“The same is true for me, Kaname.”
“I *know*. Believe me, I know!!!” Kaname actually laughed, before going solemn again. “But it’s different. I’m worried about image and fitting in. I can’t handle things that disturb my neat and tidy world. You don’t seem to let such things bother you Sousuke. I envy you. Things blow up in your face, but you deal with it and move on.”
“It’s not a gift, Kaname. It is a means to survival. I did not choose my childhood, but wished to live through it. Image was never an issue, because being seen meant you could be hurt. I do not worry about fitting in, but I probably should. Other boys do. There is too much I don’t understand.”
“O! I never looked at it that way before. That makes it sound so horrible!” Kaname blushed, following that thought one step further. “I’m sorry, Sousuke. Maybe we should make a deal.”
“Deal, Kaname?”
“Yes, you promise to get me in trouble on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays only. I promise to try and be more understanding, and to help you make a little more sense of things. How’s that?” She flashed a very brief smile.
“But Kaname, one cannot schedule trouble. I…”
“SOUSUKE!!!” Kaname stood up and glared, before settling down some. “This is exactly the kind of thing I was talking about. Sometimes people say things to make a point, without meaning exactly what they say. Sometimes people make a joke. Sometimes they use sarcasm.”
“Why?” Sousuke’s face showed a low level of curiosity, nothing more.
“ARRGGHH. It had to be ME!” Kaname said, shaking her head. “Sousuke, it’s just the way that it is. You have to accept that. It’s like a military operation. You need to gather intelligence. You need to adapt.”
“Yes. I see. You are correct. I suggest a slight change in plans. Mondays and Fridays are better days for trouble. Can we switch to those, and add Wednesdays?” His voice was completely deadpan.
“Sousuke Sagara! Did you just make a joke?” Kaname was shocked. Of course, he might be completely serious. With a dyed-in-the-wool otaku, who could tell?
“Negative, Kaname. I was merely adapting.”
Kaname smiled. Maybe there *was* reason for hope. She stood up and began looking around the driver’s area, noting some of the changes.
“Sousuke, what are all those buttons and switches for. And why are you wearing those glasses? The sky is overcast now….”
“Uh….” Sousuke couldn’t help himself. He knew “Uh….” was like honey to a bear with Kaname. But, as Fate would have it, he was saved having to answer. The only question was ‘Is it Good Fortune, or Bad?’
The bus actually shook a little when an eighteen wheel tanker truck sped by very close, moving at a speed far beyond the speed limit. Its trailer swerved hither and yon, and Sousuke wondered if the driver would be able to maintain control. He looked over at a panel he was shielding with his arm. A red flash pulsed on and off. The threat detector, He needed to put his headset back on.
“It looks as if we have a potentially hazardous situation here, Kaname. I think it is wise for you to return to your seat. I will need my full concentration now. That fuel truck is a serious accident waiting to happen.”
“OK, Sousuke. I feel better, now. I’m glad to know I’m not a bitch.” Kaname pushed her hair away from her eyes.
“I did not say that. I only reported that I did not see you as a bitch. As you know, my judgment is suspect.”
“SOUSUKE!” Kaname’s fists were clenched again.
“Kaname. You need to learn to adapt!”
For a moment, she had a strong urge to strangle him.
***********************************************************
When the divider had closed again, and Sousuke was once again effectively isolated, he established a connection with the A.I. As it turned out, the fuel truck was not the only threat detected nearby. There were two ther large trucks in the nearby vicinity, matching speed with the bus.
‘A.I., provide details on the nearest threat.” Sousuke looked at the thermal scan projected on the HUD. A large flat-bed 18-wheeler had a cargo covered by a tarp. Multiple small heat sources were present under the tarp.
‘AFFIRMATIVE. NEAREST TRUCK HAS A DENSE FABRIC COVERING. UNDERNEATH IS A METALLIC OBJECT, WITH FOUR PARALLEL PROJECTIONS, TWO TO A SIDE. PERCENTAGES FAVOR A WEAPON. SMALL MOBILE HEAT SOURCES ARE LIKELY HUMAN BEINGS.’
“Understood. Provide details on the second threat.”
“AFFIRMATIVE. OTHER TRUCK IS AN 18-WHEEL CARGO HAULER. THE TRAILER IS EMPTY, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF A SMALL NUMBER OF SIMILAR HEAT SOURCES. STRUCTURE OF THE TRAILER IS ANOMALOUS. THERE IS DOUBLE THICKNESS SIDING. CONJECTURE WOULD BE ARMOR PLATING, DROP AWAY PANELS, OR BOTH.’
Sousuke did not need to ask for clarification. ‘Drop away panels’ suggested a possible way to change the external appearance of the truck, making tracking difficult for law enforcement personnel. Witnesses might describe one truck, whereas the truck in question could be made to look drastically different.
“Agreed. Provide data on earlier threat moving at high speed.”
‘WORKING. DATA RETRIEVED. 18-WHEEL TRUCK WITH FLUID-FILLED TRAILER. ENCLOSURE FILLED NEAR TO FULL CAPACITY. VAPOR ANALYSIS INDICATES PETROLEUM PRODUCTS. ONE DRIVER. NO PASSENGERS.’
“A.I., access local highway map. Locate areas of significant reduction in lanes, construction delays, or with characteristics indicating potential for significant bottle necks.”
‘WORKING. ACCESSING MAP FILES. MULTIPLE AREAS EXIST. FIRST AREA 10 MILES AHEAD. LARGE BRIDGEWAY PASSES OVER ROAD. COLLAPSED, IT WOULD PRESENT AN INSURMOUNTABLE IMPEDIMENT TO TRAVEL.'
The area was highlighted on a very detailed map projected on the windscreen.
'WORKING. SECOND AREA LOCATED FIVE MILES FURTHER. CONSTRUCTION OF NEW EXIT RESULTS IN REDUCTION OF LANES TO TWO. LENGTH NARROWING EQUALS THREE-QUARTERS OF A MILE.'
The second area was added to the map. It's GPS coordinates were recorded for possible transmission.
'WORKING. THIRD AREA LOCATED FIFTEEN MILES FURTHER THAN SECOND. QUARRY AREA WITH DIRECT ACCESS TO HIGHWAY. HEAVY VEHICLE TRAFFIC POSSIBLE. MOBILE BARRICADE MUST BE CONSIDERED.'
A small screen within a screen started showing satellite pictures of the general area containing the working limestone quarry.
'WORKING.’
“Cease current query. Project full ammunition stores and weapons status on the HUD. Run a quick function check on all items listed.”
Sousuke had a good idea what he would find. The ammunition stores would be low after two battles. He would not be able to pose much of a threat to an enemy by himself. At least not for very long. He may need to drive to a site where Arm Slaves could be dropped in to provide cover. Timing would be the crucial issue.
‘ALL WEAPONS ARE AT PEAK EFFICIENCY, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF INCINDIARY DEVICES. HEAT DISTORTION OF FLAME GUN NOZZLES IDENTIFIED IN PORTS FIVE…EIGHT…AND TEN. SLURRY RESIDUE REPRESENTS POSSIBLE SOURCE OF CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IN PORTS TWO AND SIX. AMMUNITION STATUS DISPLAYED.’
“Take flame weapons number two and six off line. Establish connection with Mithril satellite *Delta*. Patch communication through to TDD-1. Attention Lt. Cmdr. Kalinin. Secondary contact, Captain Testarossa.”
‘WORKING.’
Rubbing his chin, Sousuke looked at a map he brought up. The first danger would be bridge collapse. A tanker would not be well suited for that, unless it contained a highly explosive mixture. The area of narrowing could provide an ideal site for an ‘accident’ caused by a speeding fuel truck. As quarries often contained massive equipment, a mobile barricade could easily be formed across the road. A large open space such as a quarry also provided opportunities. Driving around such an area may provide sufficient delays for Sgt. Major Mao and Sgt. Weber to land their M9’s undetected, set up positions, and direct the bus’s movement.
‘CONNECTION ESTABLISHED.’
“Sgt. Sagara, this is Captain Testarossa. Are you in the middle of serious difficulty. Please report.”
Sousuke described the situation fully. Tessa put him on hold while she consulted with Cmdr. Mardukas and called Lt. Cmdr. Kalinin out of a briefing. Quickly, decisions were made. Sgt. Major Mao would get aboard her Arm Slave, already situated within its transport missile. Launch would take place the moment a clear window opened. Sousuke would head for the quarry. If he could not reach it, the M9 would still be in the general vicinity. If trouble struck soon enough, her landing point could be altered. Sgt. Weber’s M9 would be held back until the exact nature of the potential threat was established. They could afford only one false alarm.
Sousuke left the connection open, so that the A.I.’s data and concerns could be directed to the necessary personnel aboard the TDD-1.
Sousuke ran through a number of mental exercises, trying to put his mind at ease while he waited for the likely battle. He wanted to save all his focus and energy for the fight. Success, and they would all make it home alive. Failure, and his classmates would be held captive, if they survived. He shook pictures of a bound and gagged Kaname out of his head. Images of her blind-folded, being shot in the head, kept him on edge.
It was then that his life as a soldier became more difficult. He had been the consummate warrior. His skills continued to grow, while many other mean hit the wall. No matter what his orders entailed, he had always followed them. Mithril’s priorities had been his priorities. But now, he knew the bitter taste of indecision. To protect the organizations anonymity, and safeguard its effectiveness, he would be expected to let the students die if there was no other recourse. It was a brutal necessity. If they were trapped, with no escape, he would try to get his classmates off the bus, then destroy it utterly. If need be, he would destroy it with himself and the others onboard.
Could he do that? Would he let Kaname die? He was beginning to have serious doubts.
*******************************************************
With a final conflict brewing, and lives on the line, the students remained ignorant of the danger they all faced. The bus was getting ever closer to home. A few still slept. Some continued reading or listening to music. One group huddled around a small portable DVD player. Anime freaks discussed the finer nuances of dozens of shows. Kaname sat deep in thought, thinking about the days she spent in Japan immediately after returning from overseas.
Most of the guys and gals refused to let one gender or the other have the last word.
“Alright dudes, let me tell you a story about three people with their lives on the line. Two guys from the swimming team, and a girl from the softball team. They had all been captured by terrorists.” Kaname looked up at that, thinking of Sousuke again. It looks like he was having more of an influence on everyone than they realized. Was that something to take comfort in, or see a psychologist about?
“Like *that* would ever happen!” Ryo interjected with some disgust.
“Chill, dudette. The guard brings the first swimmer outside, and asks if he has any requests. He says ‘No.’ The executioner shouts out ‘Ready!…Aim!…’ and the dude yells *EARTHQUAKE!!!*’ Everyone is started and drops to the ground while he escapes.” The swimmer nods his head when two of his teammates give him a big thumbs up.
“That’s a *stupid* story,” Mizuke put in. “Who would fall for a trick like that?”
“Probably someone who would think a guy who dumped her would track her down and call her at the Heidan Inn.” The guy who pulled the prank call on Mizuke smirked. Mizuke nearly swallowed the gum she was chewing.
“The guard is pissed off, and brings the other swimmer out. He asks again about last requests, and is told the dude has none. Again he shouts ‘Ready!…Aim!…’ and the swimmers yells '*TORNADO!!!*’ The guards all ran around in fear, looking for a place of safety. The guy got away.”
“Yeh, the guards were probably guys.” Maya sneered.
“You’re probably right,” one of the wrestlers countered. “If they were girls, they would have grabbed a latte, complained about how fat their uniforms made them look, and worried about what the wind might do to their hair.” His buddies slapped hands with him.
“Idiots!” Ryo said.
“Jerks!” Maya added. “Right, Kaname?”
At first, Kaname didn’t answer. She hadn’t really been paying attention. When Maya went as far as to give her the whistle back, she mumbled “Right, Idiots. Jerks.”
“Any way,” the swimmer continued. “By now, the softball babe has it all figured out. She knew just what to do. When the guard heard she had no requests, he did his thing a third time. “Ready!…Aim!…’ and the girl yelled *FIRE!!!*”
The guys got up and did a short dance routine. They were stoked. Their side was up by one.
A girl from the drama club asked for everyone’s attention. It was her turn. In a dramatic voice, she began her tale. “A girl from the drama club sat watching the afternoon news. Against her wishes, a member of the rugby team joined her. There was a story about a wrestler who had strapped dynamite to himself and got on board a bus.”
“Hey, why not make it a train or something,” one of the basketball players called out.
“Why, is our big strong boy afraid something might happen to our bus? Superstitious?” Mizuke felt better now.
“Of course not! When’s the last time anything ever happened to a bus?” the boy answered, feeling a bit sheepish.
“Nah, how about making it a Gundam fan!” The wrestler’s suggestion almost swayed the story teller.
“The girl turns to the boy and says ‘I bet you $100 that the fool blows himself up.’ The guy thought about it for a minute, then accepted the wager. Sure enough, there was an explosion.”
“Alright! One less blockhead!” One of the Gundam fans had finished his favorite manga. He was feeling his oats.
“Stuff it, freak!” One of the wrestlers retorted angrily, throwing popcorn at the other boy.
The girls looked at each other, shook their heads , and smiled.
“Looks like all boys are trouble, right Kaname? Not just Sousuke.” Kyouko wasn’t certain that she liked her friends prolonged silence.
“You’re probably right, Ky.” Kaname said, a little more animated than before. “Though he certainly takes the cake.” Kyouko’s forced conversation actually made Kaname feel a bit better. It was true. Boys WERE trouble. It wasn’t as if Sousuke was unique in that regard. “I guess you could say he’s an overachiever.”
Ren looked back at Kaname and smiled.
“The rugby player offers the money to the girl, but she refuses to take it. ‘I can’t accept this. I cheated. It was on the news when I was eating breakfast. I saw the boy blow himself up.’ The guy shook his head and said ‘No, you have to take it. I watched the early news too, but I never thought he’d do it *again*!’”
The girls got up and did their victory strut. They were in the lead again. Naturally, their success counted more.
“That was actually pretty realistic,” Mizuke mentioned. “Just how many times has Sousuke blown himself up?”
“How many times has he blown *other people up*?!” Ryo added.
“We’d probably all be better off if he blew himself clean off the planet!” One of the rugby players laughed.
Kaname’s eyes narrowed. For a moment she felt defensive. Usually she would have been the first one to applaud.
The next story brought Kaname most of the way back. The boy had decided to make things personal. “Kyouko, Kaname, and Ren go into a bar, and one of them says to the bartender ‘A round of drinks for me and my friends. We’ve had the greatest success of our young lives.’ They get their drinks, raise their glasses, and drink after Kaname says ‘To 39 days!’”
“Yeh, that’s how long it probably took them to choose what to pack for this trip!” The track star’s joke was met with a roar of approval.
Kaname looked at her whistle. She actually smiled. ‘Not yet.’
“Kyouko asked the barkeep to set them up again. She goes on to say ‘We *are* truly amazing, the brightest of all the girls. To 39 days!’ They all drank up again.”
“No, that’s probably how long they spent in the bathroom getting their make-up ready, dudes!” The swimmer’s quip also went over well---with the boys.
Kaname stroked the whistle. She tossed her hair a bit. ‘Wait.’
“Ren goes on to order a third round, after she had to be reminded what they were all talking about. It was tough being a chick. The bartender said that he had to know what the toast meant. Kaname, who always seems to have a need to hear herself speak, answered ‘We just finished a jigsaw puzzle. One the box, it said *Two To Four Years*, but it only took the three of us 39 days!’”
Now.
Before the boys could bask in their triumph, a familiar sound struck terror in their hearts. *Tweeee eeee eeeeee e eeeeee eeee ee e eeeeeee eeeeee e ee eeeeeeeee eeeeeee eeeeeeee e ee eeeee eeeee eeeee eeee eeeeeeee eeee eeeeee eeeeeeeeee ee ee e eeeeeeeeeee eee ee ee ee eee eeeeeee e eeee ee e eeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeee eeeeeee e eeeeee e eeeeeee eeeee eee!!!*
Kaname felt better now. She was ready for anything. She was even ready for Sousuke.
************************************************************
Sosuke was ready when the assault began. They had indeed made use of the fuel truck, just not in the fashion he had expected. There was no wall of fire waiting for him, causing the bus to come to a halt.
‘EMERGENCY…EMERGENCY…EMERGENCY…TANKER TRUCK LOCATED…LARGE AMOUNTS OF PETROL FLOODING ROAD…PASSING THROUGH IT IN 5...4...3...2...1...NOW!’
Sousuke looked at a video replay from one of the external side cameras. The truck had pulled in behind one of the support pillars of an overpass, close to the beginning of the reduction in highway lanes. The valves were full open, and gasoline was flooding the roadway. The terrorists were going to use a wall of fire to keep traffic from following. There would be no witnesses. There would be no assistance coming from that direction.
Lightning quick, Sousuke thought of one potential grand slam move. *He* could ignite the fuel himself, *now*. That would catch the two pursuing trucks. But, he would also be responsible for the deaths of any motorists who also found themselves caught in the sudden conflagration. As a youth in Afghanistan, he would have already thrown a match out the driver’s window. He had more sophisticated means of starting a fire today, but could not bring himself to walk that path.
The bus drove through the pooling fluid, splashing the pungent mixture up on large concrete dividers. Sousuke gunned the engine, racing impetuously through a narrow stretch of drivable road. The faster he got though, the quicker the others would. The quicker they got through, the sooner someone would torch the barrier. Fewer innocent people stood a risk of getting trapped that way.
‘NEXT TWO VEHICLES FOLLOWING ARE LARGE THREATS. A SMALL NUMBER OF CARS ARE NOT FAR BEHIND. A TARP IS NOW AIRBORNE.’
Sousuke relaxed slightly when the bus passed back onto the full width highway. He did not diminish his speed. He would let the enemy show his cards at high speed. It was a good thing Kaname was not up here now. But, he was still concerned. The bus felt as if it were barreling down the highway. The chassis vibrations would not match the idyllic scene on the PFT.
‘THERE IS A LARGE AMOUNT OF FIRE AND SMOKE. THE PETROL HAS IGNITED. TWO CARS HAVE BEEN DESTROYED BY UNKNOWN MEANS. THE TRUCKS ARE NOW PICKING UP SPEED, ONE TO A SIDE. THE FRONT TRUCK IS PULLING WIDE AND FALLING SLIGHTLY BEHIND.’
“A.I., leave rear cameras on. Direct full attention to forward view, long range. Announce any and all obstructions or threats immediately. You have control of the turret.”
‘AFFIRMATIVE. WORKING.’
Sousuke spoke aloud. “Sgt. Major Mao, a little help would be appreciated.” His squad leader should be airborne now, reaching the quarry area about the same time he would, if neither of them was held up. He actually hoped that the enemy would set up a barricade near the quarry. It was a clever move. It would play right into his hands. There was time before he would near the quarry. If he drove too quickly, he may limit his options and arrive before the M9 was in position. If he took too long, he might never get that far. He still didn’t know exactly what he was facing.
A look at the view screen showed the flatbed moving at a tremendous clip. It would catch up soon. The tractor trailer held back some. No doubt, the other truck did not want to get caught in the line of fire. Odds were that it was intended for the transport of captives, not a gun battle at high speed.
‘WARNING. MULTIPLE SMALL VEHICLES HEADING IN THIS DIRECTION FROM QUARRY AREA. SIZE AND MOVEMENT CHARACTERISTICS ARE SIMILAR TO THE SMALL CARS ENGAGED PREVIOUSLY. PREPARING WEAPONS SYSTEMS.’
Sousuke cursed. Things were not probably going to be easy in the first place. Now, they got even worse. He had wanted to coax his ammunition stores along, using the best weapon for each opportunity that presented itself. Now, he would need to do whatever was necessary to reduce the total number of threats. If the cars succeeded in stopping him a good distance from the quarry, Sgt. Major Mao would reach his side too late.
“A.I., maximum ammunition conservation. First priority is destruction, not dissuasion. Make every shot count.”
‘AFFIRMATIVE.’
“How many laser guided missiles remain?”
‘THREE.’
“How many radar guided missiles?”
‘ONE.’
“Isolate one laser-guided missile for my use.”
‘AFFIRMATIVE.’
“Assuming temporary control of the turret.” Sousuke brought the turret around and sighted on the flatbed. He launched the missile. He could still simplify things considerably with a kill shot here.
The missile flew straight and true. Then, without warning, it broke in pieces and fell to the ground. As the enemy vehicle drew closer, Sousuke could see why. There *was* a weapon on the flatbed. He zoomed in, then cursed again. It was an old weapon, World War II vintage. A left-over souvenir from one of the Pacific islands.
Sitting on a two-wheeled undercarriage, chained to the bed of the truck, was an M55 Anti-aircraft weapon. The American device, still in its original olive drab, sported a hideously painted demon face on the front housing. A snarling mouth and wicked eyes were not out of character. The M55 mounted four .50 caliber heavy machine guns, two to a side. Each gun carried a huge ammunition drum. That weapon could easily tear the side off of the bus if the gunner’s intent was to kill.
It had knocked the missile out of the air. *Lucky shot! Incredibly lucky!* Sousuke considered using additional missiles, but could not afford to risk them being knocked down the same way as the first. The driver was no doubt better informed than his compatriots on the motorcycles were. He stayed out of flame thrower range. He did not need to get too close. The M55 had considerable range, if questionable accuracy at a distance.
The driver of the other truck was waving a red towel out of his window. He was signaling for Sousuke to surrender, or face the full consequences. There was merit in stopping, pretending to surrender, then blasting the truck with every weapon available. But, his classmates would be at much greater risk, and he could easily be swarmed by a pack of small cars.
Sousuke gave his answer, a quick geyser of flame from one of the incendiary devices. He would try to escape, attempt to lead them into a trap, or duel. He would not acquiesce.
“You can’t fire that beast over the cab, can you?” He spoke to himself. “Good thing there are height restrictions on this highway. If I can keep in front of you, I can’t be targeted. If you get too close, I have presents for you.” The cars were probability going to drive in a fashion designed to force Sousuke off of any path of his own preference, allowing the truck to line up for a full broadside. Things were about to get tight.
The cars were all accelerating as they came, darting to and fro like an angry swarm of bees. The lead vehicles sped at the head of two lines of car, one to each side of the highway. Three cars to each side. No doubt they were the snipers, preparing to target the tires.
Another group of cars headed straight for the bus, in a lopsided wedge configuration. They were playing a dangerous game of ‘Chicken,’ intent on forcing Sousuke into a collision, or on a track away from the truck.
The A.I. dad not been sitting around twiddling its computational thumbs. Two laser-guided missiles sped on their way, hitting and destroying the lead cars in the central group. One additional car was taken out of action, flipping up over debris and ending on its back, the driver unable to avoid the shattered car in front of him. The remaining two missiles were fired at the lead cars on the periphery, with equal effectiveness. Still, a fair number of cars still remained.
Sousuke made a snap decision. Some degree of risk was necessary, if he wanted to have any chance at survival. Pushing the pedal to the floor, he pulled the bus in front of the truck, a number of body lengths ahead. Red lights indicated that he rear box was out of smoke and oil mixture. Additional red lights gave notice that the mines and caltrops had been exhausted. But, a row of small blue lights told a different tale.
The technicians had assembled an odd but highly effective weapons system: ten Steyr TMPs were fused together on a simple aiming rod, all linked to a single trigger bar. When the back of the luggage box folded down, the guns could be brought to bear. There wouldn’t be much by the way of sustainable fire, but for a few short seconds, the weapon would be capable of tossing out a frightful amount of lead.
Sousuke punched button # 11. The front windows of the truck exploded inward, hit by large numbers of 9mm rounds. Smoke began to pour out of perforations in the grill. Coolant trailed out away from the cab. The truck kept coming. The driver had acted quickly, ducking down. When the wheel jerked, a number of men were thrown off the rear bed to their deaths. Others hung onto the M55 for dear life.
“A.I., use the gatling gun to plow the road.”
Heavy projectiles flew from the top turret. Brass casings ran down the sides of the bus and skittered across the highway. Parts of cars blew skyward, but eager drivers were ready to take their fallen comrade’s place. The multi-barrel weapon continued spinning a short while longer, out of ammunition.
The first group of cars passed, two to a side. Machine gun fire struck its target, but the self-sealing run-flat tires maintained their integrity. Sousuke drove on without any need to slow down.
The A.I. allowed those cars to pass unharmed. The mini-gun was near empty. Ditto, the micro-gun.
‘LONG RANGE RADAR SUGGESTS HEAVY EQUIPMENT ON THE MOVE FROM THE QUARRY AREA.’
Sousuke nodded his head, tightening his grip on the wheel. His hands were slick with sweat. He had a muscle cramp in his right foot. *The Barricade. One more thing to worry about. Melissa, did you make it?* There was still a chance. All he needed was for a few things to go his way. Unfortunately, a quick glance at the road ahead filled him with a sense of pending doom.
The highway was split into three narrow rows by large concrete dividers. Two of the partitioned lanes were for traffic. The third led to a series of unfinished exit and entry ramps under construction. No matter what lane he chose, the truck would no doubt take the other. Blessed with greater speed, it would be able to pull along side him in no time. There was no more opportunity for evasive maneuvers. He---and his classmates---were highly vulnerable. *Kaname, I’m sorry!*
The 18-wheeler pulled along aside the bus. With a series of obscene gestures, the gunner brought the quad barrels of the M55 on target. Any moment now, the bus would resemble a fine Jarlsberg cheese. But, salvation came. From an unexpected source.
Driving up one of the incomplete ramp ways---her eyes intense, and a huge smile on her face---officer Wakana jumped her police cruiser onto the deck of the flat bed truck. Coming to an abrupt halt against the overturned M55, she sat momentarily stunned, a trickle of blood running down from her forehead. When she tasted that blood, her smile grew wider yet.
Two terrorists had been mangled by the abruptly moving AntiAircraft gun. One survivor clung as best as he could to a handle on the truck cabin. He lost his grip and his life when Wakana pumped four shots into him from her 12 gauge. The lights on top of her car continued to spin and flash, painting her face with an unearthly glow. The siren’s wail went on and on.
As Sousuke watched, taken entirely aback by the appearance of his one time foe, he saw a number of men pull themselves up onto the roof of the cab. Each terrorist carried a sub machinegun.
“A.I., Assume control of the steering on my mark. Reduce speed to a maximum level conducive with continued passenger safety. Mark.”
‘AFFIRMATIVE.’
Sousuke grabbed his weapons bag and quickly spilled its contents onto the floor. Opening the bus door, he was momentarily frozen by the view of the passing partitions. The men had snuck up on an unaware Wakana, preparing to send her to the next world. Sighting carefully, Sousuke fired, emptying the clip of his Glock. The two men fell from the truck. Before he tumbled away, one man had begun to shoot. His bullets tore into the cab, killing the driver.
Obviously, the dead man’s foot was still on the accelerator. The truck raced headlong, bouncing off the dividers on one side and then the other.
‘BARRICADE AHEAD. CLOSING RAPIDLY. INITIATING EVASIVE ACTION.’ The A.I. reduced speed as soon as the bus and truck both passed out of the ‘cattle chutes’ and into virgin highway.
“A.I., belay that. Drive as close to the truck as possible.” Sousuke leaned out of the door, catching Wakana’s attention. He pantomimed an imminent collision. He made motions for her to jump.
Not able to make a jump for the bus cars and Sousuke’s outstretched hand, the police officer climbed up on top of her damaged car. With a crazed laugh, she leaped from one speeding vehicle to the other, just managing to grab hold of a luggage rack at the side of the turret.
Sousuke jumped back in the driver’s seat and regained control. Watching as the truck barreled on past, he slowed the bus down and began to drive parallel to a line of huge Earth Movers, Crawler Tractors, Excavators, and Loaders that were lined up two-deep across the roadway. The truck never slowed as it crashed into a large yellow Sumitoma earth mover. The tremendous impact threw parts from both vehicles in all directions and turned the truck into a raging fireball. Ammunition from the mangled M55 went off, sounding like popping corn.
The most dangerous crisis had been averted, but Sousuke and his unsuspecting classmates were not out of harm’s way. Men with guns and heavy weapons began to run out from behind the barricade.
‘THE SMALL CARS HAVE TURNED ABOUT AND WILL SOON BE UPON US.’
Sousuke had only three choices. He could stay where he was, hope the enemy would try to capture the bus unharmed, and wait for Sgt. Major Mao. He could drive the bus into the quarry and take his chances their while he tried to kill some time. He could turn the bus around, hope to get past the cars, and head back the way he came. *Is the Sgt. Major anywhere in the vicinity?*
The answer came just as the first of the small cars rocketed out of the chutes and the men on the ground finished setting up a TOW-derived Type 79 *KAM 9D* ATGM on its tripod. Devoid of their own ECS system, Standard missiles flashed into view, accurately tracking the moving car and the ones that followed. A number of explosions threw tires, hoods, doors, engines, and human remains skyward. Shots from an unseen 57mm gun took out the terrorists readying their missile for firing.
Sousuke projected an enhanced radar image on his HUD. The ghostly outline of an anthromorphoid shape stood out. An M9. The Arm Slave soon moved towards the rows of heavy equipment. The remaining terrorist ran for their lives, seeing a mammoth Hitachi steam shovel fall over on its side for no visible reason, followed by a Nissha crawler tractor standing up on its nose before falling over. Melissa was making a passageway for the halted bus. More cars approaching, she paused in her task to wipe them clean off the face of the earth. Their drivers could easily be picked up with a sponge.
“A.I., search entire bandwidth---find the frequency for Urzu-2.”
‘WORKING…… WORKING…… WORKING….. LINK ESTABLISHED.’
“Hey, Sousuke! You got any beer on that bus of yours?” Sousuke didn’t need to hear the voice to know who *that* was. Melissa bypassed any pretence of a greeting and went on straight to the important stuff.
“Uh…… No, Sgt. Major.”
“*S-H-I-I-I-I-T-T-T*. Tessa told you I was coming, didn’t she?” Melissa did in fact seem a touch peeved.
“Uh….”
“*W-e-l-l-l-l-l….*” But, there was impending laughter in her voice.
“Uh….”
“Guess we’ll have to deal with that when you return home to Danaan. That better be *soon*. That f@cking Weber had been getting on my nerves more and more. ‘Sis’ that and ‘Babe’ this. If he tries to touch me again, we’re going to have to break in a whole new teammate!”
“Yes, Sgt. Major.”
“O! When you come back from Tokyo the next time, bring some tranquilizers. The strong kind. Visit a farm. No, make it a point to stop by a *zoo*. Get some of the stuff they use on big cats, hippos, or even a rhinoceros. Got me?” Melissa let out an exasperated sigh. “If I can’t sneak it into Weber’s food, *I’ll* take’em all. You can guard my door while I rest!”
“By your command!”
“Now, let’s get to the debriefing, so to speak. You and that Chidori girl get naked yet?” There was a wicked sense of mischief in Melissa’s tone of voice.
“Uh….”
“Is that the *I don’t know* ‘Uh,’ or the *I’m too embarrassed and clueless to talk about it* ‘Uh?’” Melissa laughed openly. She really DID wish she had a beer. This was fun.
“Uh….”
“*REALLY???*” There was a period of silence. Melissa must be checking on a potential danger, or could be receiving a transmission from the TDD-1. Sousuke looked on his own communications console. An icon was flshing. Someone had tapped into the secure line.
“Kurz, shut down the f@cking link!” Melissa must have identified the eavesdropper.
“But Sis….” Yes, it was Sgt. Weber after all.
“NOW, Weber. Or I’ll hand you both of your balls to wear as earrings when I get back!” She sounded quite serious.
“But…Sousuke…Chidori…*naked*….” There was a true hint of pleading in the long-haired soldier’s voice.
“Kurz, do you want to know what I’m going to tear off your body and hand to you as a corsage?” Melissa wasn’t laughing. Kurz killed the link immediately after that.
“Thank you, Sgt. Major!” Sousuke said, glad to be off *that* subject.
“Don’t thank me, Sousuke. Give me the damn answer!” Melissa was relentless. That was nothing new.
“Uh….”
That’s an *O-R-R-R D-D-E-R-R*, soldier.” There was a pregnant pause. “Maybe next time you will remember the beer!”
“Uh….”
“I *can* bring you before a review board on charges of insubordination, Sagara.” Sousuke doubted that she really would. *Still…*
“She saw me with my shirt off once.”
“And?” Melissa now had no doubt there was *something* Sousuke wanted to hide.
“Also, she saw me once in a dancer’s apparel.” There was definitely a story behind THAT one.
“Go on, Sousuke!”
There was a period of silence. Looking on the external camera, Sousuke noted that Wakana had climbed down from the bus. She was staring at the overturned vehicles, wondering just what the hell had happened.
“On the balcony, she stepped outside with no clothing on her torso. In the pool, I saw her naked from behind, from inside the air duct. She once wore a dancer’s outfit, as well.”
The silence continued, this time on Melissa’s part. When she spoke, she purred like a cat who found the door to the canary cage unlocked. “Thank you so much, Sgt. Sagara. You can’t imagine how much I can make peddling that information to Sgt. Weber, one bit at a time. Do you have any pictures?”
“Uh….”
“Looks like you a visitor. It’s time for me to get a move on---my work here is done. We'll revisit that topic when you return to Danaan. Mao, signing off.” Sousuke saw the radar image of the M9 begin to walk towards a predetermined point where a transport truck would meet her.
There was a knock at the bus doors. Sousuke opened them. Officer Wakana stood there. “Permission to come aboard?”
************************************************************
End of part 21
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