Nathan Jones - Determination

Trev supposed that was a good way of looking at it. He thought of the blockheads Matt had ambushed on the slope a mile south of here, who’d been practically crawling through the trees to avoid notice. Meanwhile the ones his squad had attacked had been moving cautiously but openly on the ATV trail.

Davis’s scowl became something else, almost a worried frown. “General Erikson and General Lassiter are being pushed back to the north and south,” he continued quietly. “General Erikson had to abandon several of his positions over the last few days, and Lassiter lost over four thousand of his soldiers to hold on to his. A very big part of their problem is this valley.”

He pointed vaguely eastward. “The enemy controls it completely. They can send troops north or south as needed along the roads down there, as well as supplies, and can also keep reinforcements stationed where they can quickly move where they’re needed. Folks, those thousands upon thousands of enemy soldiers down there aren’t for our benefit.”

“Are you saying you want us to go down there and attack them at their own fortified positions?” Vernon asked.

Trev didn’t miss the slightly contemptuous look Davis shot the man’s way. “I’m saying that while Sergeant Harmon leads our defenses, me and my Marines will be making attacks into the valley. We’ve been instructed to destroy any roads we can, and do everything possible to disrupt the movement of troops and supplies through this area.”

He waved at the volunteers. “As for you guys, I’m giving you all enough extra fighters that you can guard your areas, and have some free to rest or find other things to occupy yourselves. We’re guarding a stretch of almost twenty miles here, people. That’s a lot of room for potential mischief. From this point on I’m strongly encouraging you to take any opportunity you see to hit at the enemy, like Smith did yesterday. Be smart about it, and be careful, but do it. We need to make them bleed.”

Davis looked them all over, then glanced back at Harmon and nodded. The other sergeant stepped forward. “Before I dismiss you back to your duties, I’d like to talk about responding to the changes. First off we need to change how we go about reporting activity. We’ve relied on this camp, which is near the southernmost part of the area we’ve been assigned to guard, as a central hub. It’s slowed us down, especially closer to Aspen Hill Canyon. I’d like to have two more hubs, six and twelve miles north of here, to streamline our operations.”

He turned to nod to Davis. “We also need to assign two squads to take the place of Sergeant Davis’s Marines as quick responders. As well, I’d like to assign another group, one to three squads, to serve as quick responders in the event that the Sergeant’s squads need assistance or reinforcement. This will stretch us thin, but with the reinforcements I brought it should be doable. And it’ll be worth it, because this area will be much more secure afterwards.”

Harmon paused and looked around. “I look forward to working with you, and I’ll be speaking with all of you in the next few days. Until then, dismissed.”

Trev glanced at Matt, who shrugged. “Can’t say I mind the thought of hitting back,” his friend said. “Looking forward to seeing what kind of trouble Davis and his guys manage to stir up out there.”

“Not too much for us, I hope.” Trev started for the exit. “Let’s get our people to the southern slope. With both our squads there we should have plenty of extra people for hunting.”

“Including some blockhead hunting in the valley?” Matt asked, following him.

Trev hesitated, feeling a wrench in his gut. “Maybe.”

His friend caught his shoulder just as they stepped around the tarp. “Hey,” he said quietly. “It won’t be like last night again. We won’t rush into anything… we’ll be more careful.”

“We were careful,” Trev shot back. At Matt’s concerned look he relented. “We won’t rush into anything,” he agreed. “But let’s worry about that once we’ve got everyone settled.” His friend nodded, and they started circling around the mess tent to head up the slope.

They’d only gone a dozen or so steps when one of the other volunteer leaders called for them to wait up. Trev recognized Harvey Fredrickson, who’d been part of the group Trev’s squad had trained.

“Hey Trev,” the older man said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “I just wanted to offer my condolences for your loss. Miles and Tom went out of their way to help my people while you were training us, and we’re in their debt. The world lost five good men yesterday.”

Trev nodded, fighting back his emotions. “I appreciate that.”

Harvey dropped his hand, but hesitated and lowered his voice, glancing back at the tent. “Is it true Vernon didn’t help you when you needed it?”

He also glanced back at the tent, wondering if it would piss Davis off if he told the truth. “I asked him to help me with the attack and he refused. Then when things went bad for us I called in for help again, and he wouldn’t budge from his place in the canyon.”

“I see.” The volunteer sighed. “I don’t know if you knew, but his men have been badmouthing you and the other Aspen Hill volunteers at every opportunity.”

“We knew,” Matt said sharply.

Harvey shrugged, looking uncomfortable. “I didn’t pay much attention to it since it’s none of my business, but if he’s not going to have my back when things go wrong that’s something I do have to consider.”

Trev shook his head. “I can’t tell you whether that’s the right choice. I don’t want to cause problems in the camp, especially not when we’re all relying on each other to survive. But I know for sure I don’t trust him anymore. My people will be keeping our distance.”

“I don’t blame you.” Harvey nodded to them, then strode off towards the trail leading north to where his squad was set up.

Once he was out of earshot Trev glanced over at Matt. “Going to tell me to try to get along?”

“With Vernon? F that guy.” His friend started up the slope again. “Come on.”

Over the next five days Lewis received reports of Davis and his Marines wreaking havoc to the south.

It was a careful sort of havoc, though. The sergeant and his people took great care to avoid blockheads entirely, escorting their demolitions specialists to important roads and planting explosives, then just as cautiously extracting. From the sounds of it they took out key sections of seven roads in that time, including Highway 10 along a couple points.

Sometimes, when they thought it was safe, they’d remote detonate when a convoy was passing and do some damage. Just as often they’d simply destroy the road and walk away, leaving enemy vehicles to find another way around.

Lewis had a feeling that at some point Davis would set up on one of those alternate routes and hit a convoy, if the sergeant thought they could get away afterwards and the damage was worth the risk. At least, it was a strategy he would try if he was destroying roads.

Surprisingly the helicopter didn’t make an appearance in spite of the nuisance the Marines were making of themselves. Lewis wasn’t sure if the blockheads had been spooked off by the near missile hits, or if it was being used elsewhere. It might’ve even been destroyed without him hearing about it. Either way, he was glad it didn’t show up.

Because Lewis was causing his own problems around the area of Aspen Hill.

Since he’d quieted down his attacks the blockheads below had been shifting manpower away from defensive emplacements, and that exodus had doubled when Davis started making noise to the south. Lewis figured that was a good time to get his volunteers back in action, so they’d resumed their sniper attacks both north and south of the canyon road.