The convoy kept moving, but I didn't give up. I reloaded and fired another bullet. It pierced another bark, but missed the SUV and hit the jeep behind it. My mind was able to comprehend the existence of one decoy. But both of them were decoys. My tactic of revealing the real enemy was used against me to find us. If this is the case, then Argen is somewhere he can see the whole valley. And from there, he is moving his pieces on the board.
I got up, picked up my HK416, and placed the M95 on my back. Suddenly, a bullet came, barely missed me and hit the tree. I went prone. The soldiers from the first decoy convoy were engaging us. According to Barnett, the second decoy has moved out of the valley. Probably to cut off our escape route.
"Martin, you alright?" Alfred asked me as he fired the enemy below.
"Yes, yes," I responded, and retreated some steps.
Barnett came down from the hill and joined us.
"What to do now?" She asked me while firing.
"Let me think!" I responded.
I aimed and fired at the enemy. One by one, they were getting eliminated. I reloaded the gun, took aim and began to fire again. As we were fighting, a blast occurred near the position of Valkin and Ferry.
"Ferry, Valkin!" I asked through my mic.
"We are alright," Valkin responded. "It was an RPG."
"Multiple hostile forces are coming from the northeast," Ferry informed me.
"You two engage with them, and the three of us will deal with the convoy."
"Roger," Both of them answered.
The fire exchange dragged on for about ten minutes. We killed many, but there was no end to them. More of them kept coming and coming.
"There are too many of them; we have to do something." Ferry reminded me.
I responded with a yes and continued my firing.
"At this rate, we will run out of ammo," Alfred warned me.
"Yes, I know. Let me think." I answered.
After five minutes, a plan came to my mind. It was risky, but I had to take the risk. That was the speciality in Argen's moves. He always took necessary risks.
"Valkin, the enemy on your side is using RPGs, right?" I asked him.
"Yeah," He responded.
"Try to snatch one from them."
"Okay,"
After fifteen minutes of fighting, Valkin finally responded.
"Martin, I have got one."
"Okay, Valkin, be ready. When I give you the signal, take down the front jeep."
"Alright."
"Barnett, Alfred. We will move slowly and slowly and clear the enemies around the third jeep, and take it."
"Roger,"
"Okay…MOVE!"
The three of us began to move forward, slowly but steadily. With each step we were taking down an enemy. When the distance was half, I gave Valkin the signal. He saw it and fired, taking down the front jeep.
I then rushed towards the enemy, attacked his abdomen with my rifle. Took out my brother's knife and slit his throat.
"Valkin, Ferry, come here." I shot an enemy. "Valkin, take the wheel."
After a while, they arrived, Valkin took the driver's seat, and we boarded the jeep. He started driving, ran over an enemy, and we managed to escape the heat of the gunfire. However, they soon began to follow, as expected.
"Where do we go?" Valkin asked.
"Move towards the east and climb the mountain range."
"Why are we going deep in their territory?" Barnett asked.
"They have the escape routes in their control. We will first escape from Argen and then devise a retreat plan."
I reloaded my gun and fired some bullets at the rear window.
"Ferry, engage them through here. Alfred, you support him. Barnett, you rake the right, and I will take the left."
"Got it!" They responded in unison.
We took our positions and began to fire at the enemy. An enemy jeep came from the left. I targeted its front tyre, fired, and the jeep flipped over. Another jeep came from behind it. I reloaded my gun and first took out its gunner. After that, I targeted the driver, and the jeep came to a halt. They kept coming, and we engaged. Ferry took down a jeep as well. So did Alfred and Barnett. As we kept taking down the enemy, an APC came from the back and opened heavy MG fire on us.
"Everyone get down!" I warned, and we got inside the jeep. Valkin began to drive in zig-zags to avoid the fire. The bullets went through the rear window and broke the front shield. Valkin had ducked and was still driving.
"We have to do something, or it may destroy the jeep." Said Valkin.
"Martin, use your AMR!" Ferry gave an idea.
"The jeep is not steady, and the APC will easily take me down," I responded. "Moreover, I don't have enough bullets to risk a miss. I have only three TMAP left."
We hid inside, avoiding the MG fire. And in that moment, an idea struck my mind. I examined the jeep and the surroundings.
"Valkin, on my signal, brake, and get behind the APC."
"Okay!" Valkin shouted.
I took out my AMR, loaded the next bullet. I wedged the barrel into a crumpled bracket; the barrel stuck out.
"Ready, Valkin?"
"Yeah,"
"Okay, 1…2…3…BRAKE!!"
He braked, and the rear tyres locked up. And just as the APC came in front of me. I exhaled, aimed low at the hull's rear heat vent, and fired. The bullet smashed through the back and pierced all the way to the engine. Hence, exploding it. The gun's recoil rattled the jeep. Valkin then hit the accelerator. And we were able to escape.
"Good job, Valkin, good job. That was smooth." Alfred complimented.
"Thank you."
"Martin, how did you know that there would be a decoy convoy at the other road, and there would be a sniper in the snow?" Alfred asked me.
"Well, from the notes of the colonel. I found out that Argen uses the terrain a lot. So I didn't know exactly that there would be a sniper, but I took a precautionary measure. The scope I placed was higher than my position. So the sunlight shone on it first, and the sniper took the bait. And for the decoy. There was another road further ahead. And it had a thin tree line before it. So I thought that they would use it."
"But, both were decoys, and he used your tactic against you." Ferry continued.
"Ambush in an ambush. Expected from the second-in-command of an army." Barnett added.
"What now?" Alfred asked.
"We will find a cave or a hiding spot. And then…"
Suddenly, I heard a sound. It was a TTC. Its shell came all the way from five kilometres. And struck the front wheel on the right side of our jeep.
Once again…the enemy's script dominated.