Searing pain, and the sound of laughter filled the campsite.
His boot moved again and struck me in the side. A new flash of pain and anger rose within me, making me catch what was left of my breath. The man I presumed to be the leader of the three men that had returned to the camp began to strip off his leather harness equipment and drop them to the ground. Apparently, I wasn’t much a threat for him to worry about.
The other two were laughing and sharing a bottle they had scavenged. It wasn’t one of the home-made ones found throughout the region, or so it appeared. The bottle had a label and the original screw on cap. Their focus should have been on the low drone in the background. I thought it sounded like one of the SUV’s that dotted the countryside, some of which were actually armored and equipped with a GE Mini Gun in 5.56.
The boot flew again, and I rolled closer to the belt he had dropped. Looking and waiting for an opportunity to pull the machete sheathed and buckled to its length. He stamped down, attempting to crush my head and I moved to one side. I had no idea if the sound of the approaching SUV was friendly, or part of a returning group. I had already decided that I wasn’t going to wait and see.
Pulling my knees under me, I tried to make it appear that I was wretched in pain, and doing everything I could to protect myself. The man laughed with his comrades and reached for his friends outstretched hand holding the liquor bottle. It was just what I had been waiting for, It was my opportunity.
Reaching for the belt, I sprung for my feet and drew twenty-plus inches of sharp steel from its sheath that was clipped to the belt I grabbed on my way up. I kicked dirt and sand into the face of my closest adversary and spun, using the momentum to move my opponent between me and the closest man that was armed.
The steel bit hard, and then moved cleanly. The flesh of his neck parting quickly under the pressure of my strike. Using my left foot, I kicked his dying body into his friend and began my roll to close the distance to grab the rifle that had fallen from his friends shoulder.
It was about that time that I heard the gate of the compound smash apart under the weight of the SUV. Metal screeched, and I heard the unmistakable sound of the mini-gun spitting death. The two men close to me were spraying blood as their bodies disintegrated under the 2000 rounds per minute wall of copper ripping into their bodies.
I dropped to the ground, trying to duck the fire when I heard the truck, and the mini-gun go silent. Looking up, I saw the drivers door open, and a pair of boots hit the ground. A tall man wearing a green balaclava stepped out and peered at me.
“You ok pal?” my old friend Lead asked me. I rolled onto my back and took a breath. “Better by the moment my friend…thanks!”
Leroy looked at me from the side of the mini-gun. Smiling he said ” It’s been too long Shadow!”
Indeed it had.
Bandits & Heros 