Max Velocity - Patriot Dawn - The Resistance Rises

One of the men was hit and lay still. The other scrambled for the creek bank and tried to return fire. He stood, leaning against the bank as he fired rapidly into the huge body of the looming helicopter. As he did so, he was hit by a burst of fire from a SAW gunner laying in the tree line, killed instantly.

Four days later, two vans arrived back at Victor Foxtrot containing the survivors of the patrol; Caleb, Olson and six others. They were cold, wet, exhausted and starving after escape and evading back to the pick-up point.

Jack was waiting with Jim and Megan as the driver opened the side door of one of the vans and Caleb got out. The exhaustion was plain in his face.

“Hey,” said Caleb.

“Hey,” said Jack, “this is all of you?”

Caleb looked haunted, “Yea.”

“Oh no.” said Jack, before turning to Jim and Megan. “Let’s get them warm, dry and fed pronto. Megan, give them a medical checkup. Ok?”

“Roger that, Boss,” said Jim as Megan nodded, concern filling her face.

Jack turned to Caleb, “As soon as you are able, I need a report on this.”

Jack strode through the door of Major Cassidy’s office, the door flying open before banging back off the wall. The Major looked up, startled. Jack’s jaw was clenched.

“What the hell, Captain?” said Cassidy.

Jack stood in front of the desk, looking at him, scorn written over his face.

Ok, much as I want to rip his head off, don’t do it. Watch the temper, Jack, get a grip.

“Ok Cassidy, the ambush was a success. But we lost ten good men. I warned you, wrong time, wrong place. Was it worth it?”

Realizing Jack wasn’t going to come over the desk at him, Major Cassidy recovered some of his cunning. “It was unfortunate, Captain, but it was collateral damage. The mission was a success.”

“Collateral damage!” Jack roared, about to forget his attempt to hold his temper back. He realized in a flash that this is why he had left the army: He could only tolerate authority if he respected the senior officer. And too many were not deserving of that respect.

“Those were good men, the cream of our experience,” Jack said, “That was not collateral damage. That was negligence. I am giving you a week to get your crap and get reassigned, or I will beat your sorry ass you useless pile of shit.”

Jack turned on his heel and strode out, leaving Major Cassidy ashen faced at his desk.

Dealt with that well then — so much for keeping the temper in check.

Jim was outside. He raised an eyebrow at Jack. “Hey Rocky, let’s get a brew,” he said with a grin, before leading Jack away.

They found a spot to drink some coffee. Jack was still hopping mad but starting to calm down, feeling a little ashamed of his outburst.

“Look Boss,” said Jim, “don’t worry about it. The guy is a prick and he had it coming, it was only a matter of time. It wouldn’t do for him to remain in charge of this circus.” Jim fixed Jack with a look, “Thing is, they need a combat leader.”

Jack looked at him. Jim fixed his gaze, a wry smile at the corner of his mouth.

Caitlin was going to kill him.

Four days later, Bill arrived at Victor Foxtrot. He had received a message from Major Cassidy and with the backwards communication and transport systems it had taken a few days to turn around and make the trip.

He took Jack aside and questioned him on the situation: the ambush, Major Cassidy, Jack’s role, all in detail. After that, he took some time to run his investigation.

Later that day, Bill pulled Jack aside, looking serious. “Ok, it’s a royal mess. It seems plain that my faith in Major Cassidy was misplaced. He’s more of an administrative officer than a combat leader, I think. But the situation is not helped by you kicking doors in.”

“Hey Bill, I’m sorry, but the man is an ass and I warned him about the mission. We lost some good people.”

“I know, I know. I get it.” Bill playfully punched Jack on the arm, “I just forgot what you are like!” he said with a grin. “Look,” Bill continued, “I’m taking Cassidy with me. I have another role for him. But that leaves me short here.”

Jack looked at him.

Bill continued “I know we had a deal, and it still stands. However, if you’ll do it I want to make you the operational commander here, responsible for this Company.”

Jack thought for a moment.

“Look, I’ll do it. It was a hard enough training these guys and knowing I would not be going on operations with them. But I have to speak to Caitlin.”

That’s gonna be the hard part.

“Ok, head down and see her tonight. I will wait around here for a couple of days for your answer.”

Later, Bill got Jack together with Jim and briefed them about what he had heard on the network so far. Apparently Texas was leading a group of southern States in a move to secede. There was also talk of an attempt to create an independent ‘free zone’ in the area of the ‘American Redoubt’ around Idaho and Wyoming.

Bill had heard that the group of southern States, led by Texas, was becoming known as the ‘Southern Federation’. He didn’t have clear details, but apparently as the Federation had emerged there had been a lot of internecine fighting, betrayal, defections and just plain murder as allegiances were sorted out.

The National Guard units in the region remained under their respective State control, but the active duty army units in the area had been obliged by the circumstances to figure out their loyalties, with massive defections of active duty troops based in Texas and the south to the Federation forces, not without bloodshed.

Jim commented that for any sort of insurgency to work against the Regime, it had to have the right ground. It had to be in some combination of forests, mountains, hills, swamps or similar slow going back country. If you tried to operate in the deserts or the great plains, that was tank country, mobile warfare country, and you would be cut down by the more conventional and armored Regime forces.

This led them on to the attack helicopter threat. Bill let them know that MANPADs, which were shoulder fired surface to air missiles, were simply not available. The Regime was keeping a tight lid on them, not needing them to counter any threat themselves, and knowing the threat they posed to the Regime’s air superiority.

None of the Regime ground troops carried them: they did not need them to counter a threat and there was too much risk of them falling into Resistance hands. Jack reasoned that they may ultimately get hold of them through an allied group, such as from Texas if they could link up networks at some point.

They gave Bill their shopping list. In the absence of MANPADs, they wanted heavier caliber machine-guns, such as 240s and .50cals, along with the tripods to mount them on. They also wanted Barrett .50 Cal sniper rifles and 81mm mortars to equip their mortar squads with. They needed the ammunition to operate these weapon systems, which would have to fall off the back of a truck somewhere.

Once the training progressed to the right point, these weapons systems would allow them to equip a dedicated fire support platoon.

Bill already had access to a lot of these weapon systems, stolen or looted and stashed away. Some he would have to procure, as well as the additional ammunition, through his network.

Jack took a trip down to Zulu that night. As he entered the dugout, softly lit with lanterns, he passed the partitioned section where Chavez’s family lived. He caught a glimpse of a Catholic shrine with a group of candles around it in the niche, and heard the soft sobbing of a woman.

I need to go see her, in a little bit.

Jasper came running out from his family area, wagging his tail and trying to lick Jack’s face.