Rhivera

~Chapter Eleven~

~Juaquin~

~Moments earlier~

The sound of gunfire is deafening. Smoke and muzzle fire fill the air. General Lena is shouting at us, trying to deliver orders, but I can’t fully hear her over the chaos.

We’re pinned down in a large room within the RLA base, struggling to find cover. Be it the supply boxes strewn about, tables, or the bodies of the fallen. Lena directs us into positions where we can defend against the enemy coming into the room. We’re doing our best to control this room, but it’s difficult with how many are coming after us.

At my feet lies the body of one of my squad mates, one of many. I step out from behind cover, making myself a clear target, knowing the Survival suit will protect me. Every bullet fired at me is a bullet that could’ve hit one of the others. I use my body to block potential gunfire from hitting Rico and Ilyana. I can’t tell how much of our squad is still alive. We won’t hold out like this for long.

Lena struggles to communicate with her forces outside of the base via radio. From what I can glean, they aren’t faring much better than we are in here. More of Miro’s soldiers appeared from nowhere and attacked them outside, just like what happened in the jungle.

We never should’ve chased after Miro. As soon as that dark figure came into view on the mountain, the General gave chase. They lured us into what must be the RLA’s base; about a hundred of us must’ve followed Lena inside. Miro and the RLA must be working together.

We’re being attacked from three separate pathways. Bodies are beginning to pile up around the left path from the intense pressure of the attack from that direction. That’s where the greatest number of enemy soldiers are coming from.

“Ilyana!” I yell over the roar of bullets pervading the room, “We should attack the left pathway!” I point that way in an exaggerated manner. She nods and orders the remaining members of our squad to focus fire in that direction. It seems to help slightly, but our numbers are still dwindling. We’re losing someone with each minute.

“Nirivo!” General Lena yells. There was distress in her voice, but she still sought to remain collected. If not for her, everyone else might’ve been lost to panic. I take a bullet to the thigh moving over to her but the Survival Suit protects me, “I need you to go down that left path. Take out as many as you can!” She orders.

Lena realized most of the enemies were coming from that direction as well. I stand and approach the pathway and am met with a blizzard of bullets. RLA soldiers stand at the opening of the path; there’s a look of horror on their face as they see I’m unaffected by them. I draw as close as I can before I return fire, and they begin to fall back.

I push further down that path and leave the rest of my squad. If I can control the flow of enemies here, the rest of the squad should be able to hold out, at least for a while.

Down this path there is no cover and I’m forced to withstand direct gunfire. I’m sure I’d be in terrible pain right now if not for the adrenaline of the situation. The RLA falls back as I press forward.

I pull the trigger again, but nothing happens. I’m out of ammunition. RLA soldiers charge towards me. I drop my rifle and take my pistol in hand. It slows them down, but the sheer number of them are too many to stop.

I look at the person leading the pack and fire at everyone besides him. I want him to reach me first and alone. Once he was only a meter from me, I shoot him in the leg and tear his rifle from his grip. As soon as I take the rifle from him, I fire at my pursuers, unloading everything until this rifle is empty as well. Screams echo through the base. In moments the bulk of them have fallen to the floor, while the others flee. If they reached me while unarmed, there would be nothing I could do.

I look down at the dead bodies of those I just killed; blank expressions and blood coursing over them. My stomach churns. I’ve killed in the past, but never so many. But I can’t linger on the thought. Not now. I pick ammunition off of their bodies. Their ammunition is compatible with our standard rifles, probably because they stole it from the military

I speak into my radio, “Ilyana, how are you all holding up over there? Do you need me to come back?”

After a worrying length of time, her voice finally comes through. Ilyana yells over the sound of gunfire, “Keep holding them back over there! We’ll handle things here!”

That’s all I need to hear and I press deeper down the path. As I continue, I’m met with almost no resistance. I can see a large room up ahead, with a slope leading to a higher elevation in the room. As I peer in, I see a dark figure with a black helmet similar to my own standing on that higher level. I see Miro.

I lunge forward and am immediately met with gunfire. Too much. I look around the room and duck behind a box of supplies for cover.

“Aim for his visor,” A deep voice says from atop the slope, “It’ll disorient him.”

It’s Miro. I stand from my cover and fire at his visor and watch him stagger from the impact. More gunfire comes in my direction and I duck down.

Footsteps draw close to me and I shoot in that direction, bringing down a man in a black and gray uniform, one of Miro’s soldiers. A mix of the RLA and Miro’s soldiers are in the room.

“Battalion E, advance to squad C’s position and support them.” Miro’s voice orders, speaking into his radio.

No one in the room is trying to approach me, they’re merely holding their position, waiting for me to come out from my cover. There are so many in the room, there’s no way I’d be able to reach Miro.

“So, are you the military’s new project?” Miro asks facetiously, “I thought my Survival Suit was the only one when we found it.”

Why is he talking to me?

“You mean when you stole it?” I respond.

Miro chuckles, “Your government has done far worse than us.”

“Our government doesn’t kill without cause like you.” I respond, “They certainly didn’t take a train station hostage like you.”

Miro pauses before answering, “My army would never harm innocents. That was the RLA.” He almost seems hurt by my accusation.

I don’t say anything. As long as I’m here, I’m keeping all of them from attacking Ilyana and the others.

“You can’t hold out forever, you know,” Miro says.

“We’ll see about that.” I quip.

I need to do something to turn things around for us. With so many people in the room, I won’t be able to get to Miro. Even if I did, with his Survival Suit I couldn’t kill him. Maybe I should fall back and help Ilyana.

...No, we’d be in the same situation we were in before. Miro is in control... but maybe I can put pressure on him.

“We should be receiving reinforcements soon. What do you think will happen then?” I ask from behind my piece of cover.

Miro doesn’t say anything for a while. He speaks into his radio, “Miguel, Trinidad, how is the battle going outside?”

Two voices came from the radio, but I can’t make out what they’re saying from here, “Good. Any sign of reinforcements?” Miro asks them. Again I can’t hear their response.

“You won’t see the reinforcements coming,” I remark, “And when they do, it’ll be too late for you.”

Miro paces back and forth for a moment. He’s try to hide it, but he’s anxious.

“Trinidad, battalions B, D, and F are to advance westward, forcing the military south. Miguel, prepare your forces for retreat but wait until Trinidad has reached you. We’ll be joining you soon as well.”

Miro and the others begin to clear out of the room, laying suppressing fire whenever I try to follow.

I need to get back to Ilyana. I sprint back down the path I came, praying that they’re still okay.

When I get back to them, all of the RLA and Miro’s soldiers are gone. Lena is on the radio speaking to forces outside. Ilyana and Rico give me an exhausted and dejected look when I return. There were even fewer of them now. Everyone besides Lena is still reeling from our near-death experience.

When we step outside, the true scope of the battle is unveiled. Hundreds of bodies beleaguered the mountainside, mostly from the military. The survivors group around the base, The RLA and Miro’s forces fled westward after the battle, and we’re in no shape to pursue them.

I step away from the others, throw my helmet to the ground and lurch over. I try to suppress the urge to throw up, but it comes anyways. My whole body is shaking.

Reinforcements finally arrive and begin to search westward to track down Miro, while we return to Joldair’s base. After mission debriefing, the remainder of our squad is given leave. We board the next available train back to Uneva. There are bruises all over my body.

We don’t say much on the train.

The encounter was referred to as the Battle of Mount Rhive, the largest scale battle our country has seen in decades. It’s been even longer since the military has suffered such great losses. Only a third of the military’s soldiers who came on this mission survived.

Although they tried, the military couldn’t keep it a secret and soon the whole country knew about the battle and Miro’s feats. Some were terrified by the news; others became hopeful that Miro may be able to bring an end to the Population Control.

I was disgusted. A lot of good people died that day, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I’ve felt that same helplessness when we failed to save hostages in the past. But this was far worse. All that needless killing. Even if I try, I can’t justify their actions.

“My Army would never harm innocents.”