Desperado (Murphy's Lawless: Watch the Skies Book 2), Kevin Ikenberry [reading the story of the txt] 📗

our radios, but if they’re using something else we’re unaware of it. That’s a risk we have to be willing to accept. Any other questions?”

There were none, and Stewart continued, “The weapons on the glacis appear to be rockets and maybe some larger guns. We don’t know what their maximum effective range is, but we have to assume they’ll have the ability to reach the road network south of the fields. That’s going to be our primary avenue of approach, as the major’s going to tell you in just a couple of minutes.

“Lastly, when it comes to enemy forces, remember, we’re going to try to grab some persons of interest or high-value targets. Lieutenant Turan is inside the city working to identify those folks now. We’ll be going after their leaders as hard as we can. Someone has to know what’s going on here and in orbit, too. Those are the folks we want to locate. When it comes to locating and capturing priority targets, make sure you secure them, keep ’em quiet, and, if you can’t get them to the strike team, get them out of the city, and we’ll merge them later. Finally, make sure you’re familiar with this sand table so you can orient yourself once we’re on the objective.”

Stewart stopped and gestured to Bo, who stood and took the pointing stick. “Great job, Lieutenant. I’ll be covering friendly forces and our scheme of maneuver. I ask you to hold all questions until the end. We’ll take plenty of time to go over this and have time for rehearsals.”

The group settled more. A few knelt down to study the primitive diagram in the dirt. For Bo, the reminders of sandlot football were almost enough to break his concentration with pleasant yet bittersweet memories of long-dead friends.

“Here’s how we’re gonna get this done. We’ll be moving in two different groups. Lieutenant Stewart will take the whinnies and their riders and move out this evening by sunset. They’ll move in a big U like we used for the leader’s recon. Be careful not to follow the same route and don’t let anybody track you. They’ll move during the night and take up a hasty defensive position east of the poisonous flora we found about here.” Bo tapped the plateau on the sand table. “Once past them, there are a couple areas for cover and concealment so the lieutenant’s team can wait out the night and into the next day as we kick off phase two.

“Along the way, Stewart’s going to drop off Sergeant Fahey, Specialist Wright, and their fire team with another radio somewhere in this area here.” Bo pointed toward the southwestern corner of the plateau, roughly equidistant between their current position and the observation posts that would be the primary focus of the whinnies’ mounted assault. “They’ll act as a listening post and relay point. Our radios only have a good range of about six klicks. We might get away with a bit more than that, but it’s too risky to depend on. You guys will man the communications point and relay all the information we need back and forth until the mounted assault is complete. Be ready to rejoin Stewart and un-ass that position as soon as those observation posts get taken out.”

“Yes, sir.” Fahey nodded. The change in the young man from surly fighter to competent young soldier was nothing short of remarkable.

Bo pointed at the diagram. “I’ll have the vehicles with me. We’re going to spread out into three sections of five vehicles and try to keep a few minutes of interval between us. The idea is to look like separate caravans until the last section with the technicals moves up. Then we’re going to initiate the assault.

“Alpha Section, under Lieutenant Cook and Sergeant Cleric, is going to assault the road to the gate. There are switchbacks and the road is tight, so the smaller vehicles will be under his command.

“Bravo Section will take up a position at the junction of the main road and the riverbed. This is the firing position for the mortars. If the enemy missiles can range them, they’ll move to alternate positions and keep firing. Lieutenant Davis will lead them.

“Charlie Section is with me. Our goal is to hit the glacis with our heavier weapons and hold their attention. Between us and Stewart’s diversion, we’ll shake them up enough that Cook can punch through the gate. We’ll find a weak spot on the glacis and set charges to blow a breaching hole in the wall. From there, we’ll assault with all of our vehicles and secure the town for the strike team. Focus first on the weapons platforms and whatever maneuver units you see. Once they’re all engaged with us, the strike team will assault. Any questions?”

Fahey raised his hand again. “What if those missiles are more capable than we think they are, sir?”

Bo grunted and let a sly grin cross his face. “Well, then this could be the shortest attack in history, Fahey. But who wants to live forever?”

* * * * *

Chapter Six

Imsurmik

At first, Aliza couldn’t figure out what was bothering her. For the last several nights, sleep hadn’t come easy. So, instead of lying with her eyes open in a stuffy room filled with sleeping women and children, she rose and donned her clothes. Outside the domicile, the morning air was already warm. The sky above was almost totally clear, with only a few clouds dotting the distant western horizon.

Aliza moved through the town and followed one of her many routes, all designed to provide intelligence without seeming as if she was spying on anything in particular. But the most noteworthy detail that she noticed repeatedly as morning wore toward noon was the changed mood of the populace. The festival the night before had gone well, though it had been quieter and more reserved,