Chapter 5: CHAPTER 5 - HOPE
Michael Steele waited outside the office of his wing commander. A wing commander has usually five units under him. Wing commander Mark Russo has unit 31, unit 33, unit 37, unit 38 and unit 39 under his command.
The teams in between were either completely wiped out or they were dispersed and absorbed to other units because of their lack of surviving members to keep the unit running.
Michael is tired and injured. His elbows covered in thick gauze. His fatigue could be read clearly from the dark circles around his baggy eyes.
''Commander Russo will see you now Mr.Steele. You may please enter'' a young lady in a flute dress who appears to be a typical personal secretary said with a bright smile. She opened the door and nodded towards Michael to enter.
Michael entered the office to see a dark haired man with thin eyes and piercing stare look at him.
''Please close the door on your way out Clara'' he motioned for his secretary to leave them alone.
Michael felt the wind of the door closing behind his back. He didn't look back to see whether 'Clara' actually left or just closed the door.
Anyway it doesn't matter because everyone heard what happened two days before.
Words spread like a wildfire and in a closed community like a bunker even more so. Everyone knows that unit 37 was attacked by five predators. They lost two people while on the field itself, one on the way back and another one succumbed to death in the medical bay last night.
And everyone also knows that UNIT 37 is finished. With only six surviving members there is no unit anymore. They will be dispersed and absorbed to other units.
Like hundreds of units before them.....
Michael maintained a straight face as he stared at his commander even though worry and panic filled his heart.
''Hmmm....You are one tough son of a b*tch Michael. I will give you that much.''
''You should be in a medicine pode by now. Tell me why are you still running around'' Russo asked Michael as he waved for him to take a seat.
''After action report sir'' Michael responded curtly to the point.
'SIGH.....' ''I told you to call me Russo when no one is around Michael.'' Russo sighed.
''Yes sir. You said it before'' Michael nodded.
''And you are not going to follow as always'' he said as if admitting defeat.
''Doesn't matter. Give me the report''
Michael handed over the Manila coloured file to his commander.
''Honestly Michael, I don't have the time to go through it. So do me a favor and tell me what happened.'' He said as he directly tossed the report to a pile of files by the floor even without a single glance.
''And give me the short version. I don't have whole day to hear your story.'' Russo said.
Michael composed himself and took a deep breath. Remembering or more correctly keeping himself from remembering the unnecessary parts like blood of his team members showering and flesh and bits flying around.
''First contact was a single predator evolved from wolf family.''
''Highly agile with short distance gliding capability''
''Reverse scale seems to be loud noises''
Michael described the first monster.
''Put down with a .50 BMG round to head. No casualties.''
''Second contact five of the same species. Probably they hunt in packs, but could not be confirmed without further contact.''
''New recruit is the first casualty. He froze and stood there. He was a sitting duck.'' Michael said without much emotion.
Commander Russo lifted his eyebrows at his comment.
''He was in post combat shock from the first encounter and stood no chance'' Michael explained.
''Continue...'' is the only word that came out of the commander's mouth.
''Retreated in two teams. One team laying cover fire slowed down the predators while the other team retreated. Repeated the same strategy until we reached AFV. '' Michael said.
Commander Russo nodded his head as if he approved of the strategy.
''Standard retreat strategy. Simple but very effective. Hmm.... then the other three casualties....'' he asked leaning forward as he knows that he is coming to the crux of the matter.
He approved the strategy. He would have done the same under the circumstance. If the strategy was done perfectly there should only be one casualty, but there three more unaccounted deaths.
''Roger's gun jammed while covering for the third retreat. Two predators advanced unchecked. One casualty and one heavily injured. He was lost on the way back to the bunker.'' Michael said.
Both of them remained silent. They both know that even if you are capable, if lady luck doesn't smile on you that day you won't be coming back.
A jammed gun could take you out of the fight, as well as a small slippery stone could lay you flat on the ground for predators to step on.
It is the reality of the battlefield. It is not your abilities that brings you home. It is your luck that brings you home.
''On the next retreat Patrick and Riyya got injured. Patrick's leg was dismembered. He was too late to turn from an incoming attack. Took it on his leg rather than on his spine.''
''Riyya neck was clutched by one and tossed her away from the retreat team.'' Michael said in a low tone. He still got the shivers while remembering his daughter lifted up by the monster.
Many things could have gone wrong there....
It could have just squeezed her to death before his eyes....
Or the fall could have broken her neck....
But nothing happened.....lady luck was with her.......in fact something happened.
She was too frightened. Under that tremendous psychological pressure she broke through the limit.....limit of being a human ....limit that kept elites different from others.
''That was when she broke through? '' asked Russo with interest. A new elite is something that interests everyone. Whether it is other units or metal corps. Everybody is looking out for new elites to recruit them to their units.
''Yeah...that is when she broke through'' Michael said. He is still scared in his mind. It was a very dangerous moment.
But as they say danger and opportunity come hand in hand.
''Patrick lost the fight yesterday. Too much blood loss doctors said'' Michael said.
Patrick was with him from the beginning. He was a member of unit 37 even before Michael became the squad leader.
Patrick rejected the squad leader position twice when offered saying that he is happy with his current position.
A good friend....reliable veteran of numerous combats.....
Life has to be lived for and with the living not for the dead.
He berated himself and got ready to make his proposition.
A hand wave from his commander stopped him.
''I know what you are going to say. You want me to keep unit 37 intact.''
''I told you Michael last time this will be your last chance. Allowing you to keep an unit of just ten people was already pushing it''
''Now you have six surviving members. What do you want me to do ?''
Russo asked. He had already done Michael a favor by keeping unit 37 last time. Not this time. Not anymore.
''We can recruit new people.........'' Michael said weekly as if he knew that is not a good argument.
''And ......and then WHAT? getting them killed again. AN UNIT COULDN'T WORK WITH JUST A DOZEN MEMBERS'' Russo screamed. His voice echoed inside the closed cabin. That was the final straw that broke his patience. He had enough of this joke.
His face was red with anger and his eyes livid. He took a deep breath to calm himself. He looked through the see through cabin window to see whether he disturbed anyone outside.
Michael sat there pale and defeated in front of his raging commander. He knows there is nothing more to say....or what could he say.
That let him recruit two or three newbies, get them killed so he could maintain his unit ?
Both men just sat there in silence.
Russo was the first one to break the silence.
''Since your unit have an elite, do you have enough credit to buy a Mecha ?'' Russo asked.
Yeah...he wouldn't learn...even after all these....
It is the sentiments towards his unit. He was also a member of unit 37 once before he got promoted. He doesn't want to see them dispersed under his watch and he also doesn't want to be the person to do it.
Michael sat there stunned. He saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Even if it is a small glimmer of light, it is still a light directing towards survival.
There is still HOPE.....
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone