Chapter Text
“So, you’ll see the township as we loop ‘round. Not much more than a few fences to keep the Z’s out, tiny little island of humanity. I still don’t know how they live like that. Well, I guess they won’t be living like that for much longer.” The pilot of the Helicopter spoke to him through the headset. “So, I expect you’re not allowed to say what you’re being brought into the township for, huh?”
The comms channel stayed quiet, mostly because he didn’t even know why he was being sent there.
“Nah, I thought not. I know how it works. They don’t even tell you until you get there”
Wow, the pilot already knows more about their protocol than I do.
CHRRRT! “Achievement Township, Achievement Township, this is Jolly Alpha Five Niner from Rage Military Base. We’re five miles out approaching from the east, at one thousand, one hundred feet. Bringing in some med-supplies, backpacks, shelters and a temporary loan of one of our people. Achievement Township, Jolly Alpha Five Niner requesting permission to land.” CHRRRT!
CRRRRRRRK. “Echo that… err… I mean Roger that! You’re clear to um… yeah, you. Come on in.” CRRRRRK.
What a stupid accent. Must be some British kid.
CHRRRT. “Roger, Achievement Township, coming down now.” CHRRRT.
Finally!
The pilot was talking to him again. “I can see clear as day that we haven’t got half the supplies we usually bring.” Silence. “Yeah, I know—You don’t know anything. Project GreenShoot? Need-to-know basis? Briefing to follow at Achievement?”
Well they definitely know more than I do. Besides, even if I did know more, as they said, ‘Need-to-know basis’. Obviously that wouldn’t include the fucking pilot. Idiot.
“Sorry, couldn’t help over hearing as they loaded the supplies. We’ll be at the township soon, then you’ll find out what the real mission is.”
Why do you care? You Are Fucking Pilot. Not a Military operative.
“You know, if you and me pooled info,” Not fucking happening, “Maybe we could— what the hell? They’re shooting! That’s not coming from the Township.”
Hearing that, he tightened the safety harness strapping him down, while still trying to get a visual on the assailant the pilot was seeing.
“Who the hell has a rocket launcher in this sector?”
A ROCKET LAUNCHER?
“Who that hell has a—“
BOOM!
HOLY SHIT!
“We’re hit. Across the tail Rotor. CHRRRT. Mayday, mayday, mayday! Jolly Alpha Five Niner is going down three miles east of the Township, two souls on board. Aircraft is grey, with black lettering and trim. Going in hard. Brace, Brace, Brace!”
Fuck, Fuck, FUCK!
The blurry, spinning colors of the trees raced by as the Copter lost altitude.
The radio crackled again, bringing back that stupid British voice. Of course that’s the last thing I’ll hear before I die. Because the entire world hates me.
“This is Achievement Township calling, this is Achievement Township calling. Supply Copter, can you hear us? Nnn, they’re going down fast… Uh, okay, can any of you hear us? …. Jump… JUMP….” CRRRRRT! CHHHHHH…..
The sound of the failing engine, emergency beeping and helicopter blades were loud in his ears, but louder than even that was the rushing of his blood and the pounding of his quickening heartbeat. Despite wanting to know when they were going to hit the ground, he closed his eyes, bracing for the impact about to occur.
Then the screeching noise of ripping metal, and cracking tree branches invaded his adrenaline enhanced hearing; and blood dousing the air around him. He did his best to keep his muscles loose, to soften the impact as much as possible. Glass shattering, body thrown against his harness, then nothing.
*******
Pain brought him awake, as well as the searing heat he could feel near his lower right leg. Rolling carefully to his left made him realize his harness no longer held him to the seat and that his headset cord was wrapped around his neck and left shoulder. Carefully untangling himself from the device he sat up, looking around. Yep, in the middle of Buttfuck Nowhere. It seemed as though his seat ejected itself from the helicopter just before impact. How that happened was a mystery, but he guessed it was just a lucky break. The pilot on the other hand…
The image of the pilot, with their legs, no longer… attached. Was difficult. It’s not like he hadn’t seen death before; he had. It’s just, usually he doesn’t know them, or wasn’t there when it happened.
Now he really needed to get out of there fast. How much time would he have after the loud crash. Who knew how many adversaries were just waiting for someone to appear.
Grabbing one of the only intact backpacks from the crash, he packed up two unbroken water bottles and a single granola bar, zipping up the bag and slinging it up over his shoulders. He gave a small wince of discomfort before adjusting it in a way that won’t irritate his stressed muscles. He turned towards the trees.
CRRRT. “Hey… Hey, I, uh… This is Achievement Township calling. Over.” CRRRRT.
Is that… One of the Comms devices must still work! He listened carefully following the accent until he found a working earpiece. Problem was, there was no mic to respond with, but the only other headset was too large to take without slowing him down, and the corresponding mic was cracked off, hanging from the pilot’s headset on a single, frayed wire.
“Uh, they’re not answering. Their comms equipment could’ve been fried.” CRRRRT.
Then nothing. He waited a moment, hoping the Brit would say something else, but after waiting as long as he thought he could without hearing anything more, he started searching the dense forest for a path to take him out. He wasn’t having much luck and knew he’d have to pick a direction. He just hoped the direction he ended up choosing wouldn’t get him lost. He started forward.
CRRRT. “Listen, if you’re alive, if there’s anyone alive, this is Gavin Free from Achievement Township. I’m the… Well, I’m just the radio operator man. And I-I’m not supposed to handle this kind of stuff.” CRRRT. CRRRT. “You’ve come down in a nest of hostiles. They’ve heard the noise. They’re coming.”
Gavin Free? What the fuck kind of a name is Gavin Free? A stupid one, to match his stupid voice. Wait, shit. Of course the hostiles heard the fucking crash. It was the loudest fucking thing they’ve probably heard in weeks. Months even. How dumb is this kid, to think the crash wouldn’t be fucking heard. Why else would he be trying to get away from the crash site ASAP?
“There’re thirty, no, forty…. Uhhg, chump monkies.”
The fuck?
“Your only safe path is towards the tower. You should be able to see that from where you are. If there’s anyone still alive down there, just run.” CRRRRT. He could see the tower and was lucky enough to have already started in that direction and—Shit, he could hear them behind him now. He sped up.
CRRRRT. “RUN!”