Disclaimer: This is a work of original fiction. Any names or characters, businesses or places, events or incidents, are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Chapter 5.2 -- Fall of Grand Isle Safe Zone (Part 4)

Gate 1-A, New York National Guard Headquarters, Vehicle Depot Zone 1, Grand Isle Safe Zone, Grand Isle, Vermont, USA, 8 November 2020, 0125 hrs

After breaking the lock with a shotgun, two soldiers quickly open the gate for Brigadier General Biggs and his fellow officers to enter the vehicle depot. “Start the vehicles immediately!” William orders as he and his staff of officers head towards the general’s helicopter. “Don’t fiddle around. Every minute counts! The faster we move, the higher the chances we leave this safe zone safely! Quickly fuel up my chopper!” As they are busy starting up the military vehicles, something else is watching them from the skies above the safe zone.

On the skies above the safe zone…

An AC130 Spooky II gunship flies above the safe zone in combat mode as its array of guns — points towards the vehicle depot zone. Within it, Young Templar crewmen are loading ammunition into the 105mm M102 Howitzer and the 40mm L60 Auto-cannon. Meanwhile, a Young Templar gunnery operator stares at the screen of an AC130 combat computer. “Madam, I got eyes on the ground targets. Requesting permission to engage the enemy forces.” The Young Templar gunnery operator informs the fire control officer. “Permission denied, gunnery sergeant.” The Young Templar fire control officer denies the gunnery operator’s request. “Our allied Predator drone is still scanning the ground targets to identify General Biggs, and the assigned platoons from the 14th North American Regiment were not at the site yet. So hold your fire first until we have a visual confirmation of the general and a message from our faithful brothers and sisters that they have arrived.” .

“Understood, madam.” The Young Templar gunnery operator acknowledges her order as he looks at the computer screen while holding his fire. Later, the computer screen detects several unknown figures on the ground. “Madam, I spotted several unidentified figures on the ground, and they are heading towards the enemy human soldiers. Are those our fellow brothers and sisters?” The Young Templar gunnery operator asks. Then, the Young Templar fire control officer orders him to wait for confirmation as she contacts both the drone operator and the ground troops for enquiries. Moments later, she received confirmation that those unidentified figures were Young Templars from the 14th North American Regiment. Hence, she approaches the infrared detection set operator with a new order for him.

“Staff Sergeant, I received confirmation that the unknown figures on the ground are our fellow brothers and sisters from the 14th. Please update their status to being friendly so that our gunners will not accidentally fire on them.” The Young Templar fire control officer orders the infrared detection set operator to update the status of all the unidentified figures shown on the combat computer screen. The Young Templar infrared detection set operator acknowledges her new order and quickly updates their status to friendlies. Once completed, he quickly informs the fire control officer of the new status. With everything all set, the Young Templar fire control officer heads back to instruct the gunnery operator to prepare for new fire missions.

“Listen up, gunnery sergeant.” The Young Templar fire control officer calls out to him with new instructions. “I’ve received confirmation that our fellow brothers and sisters of the 14th have arrived at the vehicle depot zone. They will be the ones to assassinate General Biggs, and your task is to destroy the enemy human soldiers on the ground using both the 40mm auto-cannon and the 25mm Gatling gun. You are clear to engage them and ensure your fire does not hurt our troops on the ground.” .

“Affirmative, madam. Starting the attack run.” The Young Templar gunnery operator heard the order and turned off the safety button before controlling the joystick with his thumb on the fire button. With the firing mode set and having a clear sight to aim at the US soldiers on the ground, the gunnery operator presses the fire button. With a thunderous roar, the 40mm L/60 Auto-cannon erupted in a cacophony of violence. Shells burst forth rapidly, hurtling towards the vehicle depot zone below.

On the ground…

“Is the helicopter fully loaded with fuel and ready to fly?” William asks in desperation as he wants to depart the safe zone in a hurry. Before the helicopter pilots can answer the general’s question, several explosions occur nearby, shocking everyone aboard the helicopter. “What the hell is going on?!” William shouts in disbelief after hearing the explosions. Immediately, he steps out to investigate. To his horror, he sees several destroyed military vehicles smoking in flames with dead or injured US soldiers beside them.

“Colonel Ruiz and Major Diaz, are the Young Templars quick enough to reach us and begin their attack?” William asks. “I don’t know, sir. I…” Before the colonel could say further, an unknown bullet flew straight into his head, killing him instantly. Within the next second, another bullet headed straight into Major Diaz’s head before dropping to the ground dead as well.

Unknown to General Biggs, the two platoons of Young Templars enter the vehicle depot zone and begin their mission to kill him. “It’s the Young Templars! Shoot them!” One of the US soldiers shouts in alarm upon seeing them. Hence, the chaotic symphony of gunfire plays out in unpredictable bursts as the fight breaks out between the surviving US soldiers and the Young Templars. Despite the best efforts of the US soldiers trying to defend and buying extra time to evacuate from the vehicle depot zone, they are no match fighting against the superior Young Templar forces. Over time, the surviving US soldiers found themselves in a losing situation as the Young Templars gunned them down skillfully. Within minutes, the Young Templars slowly advance towards General Biggs’ helicopter.

Fearing that the Young Templars are coming for him next, General Biggs rushes back to the helicopter and orders both the helicopter pilots to start the engines. “Sir! Our attack birds are not up in the air yet. If we depart now without them, there’s a chance that we may get shot down by the Young Templars on the ground.” One of the helicopter pilots warns him. “I don’t care! Just fucking start the damn engines and get us out of here now!” General Biggs roars in defiance as he forces the helicopter pilots to depart immediately. With no room to argue with the brigadier general, the helicopter pilots start the aircraft’s engines.

Within minutes, the rotors spin to the maximum speed before the helicopter lifts itself from the ground as it departs from the vehicle depot zone. Still, a Young Templar soldier on the ground saw the aircraft lifting itself into the air. “Madam! General Biggs is leaving the area in a helicopter, and we can’t shoot it down since we are facing incoming fire from the US soldiers ahead.” A Young Templar assaulter warns the unnamed Young Templar captain. “Damn it!” The Young Templar captain cursed in anger, as she knew that letting the general flee meant that she and her platoon members would fail one of the mission objectives for Operation NightStorm.

Not wanting to dishonor herself and her fellow strike team members, the Young Templar captain decided it was better to seek help from friendly air units in the skies above the safe zone. Immediately, she turns on her Communication Headgear (Attached to her ARIH helmet) to request for air support. “This is Foxhound calling in. General Biggs is trying to flee the safe zone in a helicopter and we can’t shoot it down due to us being pinned down by gunfire. Requesting any friendly air units operating above the safe zone to take down the helicopter immediately.” .

“Copy that Foxhound.” A voice comes through into her Communication Headgear. “Chaser Six will engage General Bigg’s helicopter on your behalf. We will update you once we successfully shoot that chopper down. Over and out.” Hence, the Young Templar captain felt a sense of relief as she saw the general’s helicopter departing from the vehicle depot zone. ‘Run while you can, pathetic general. You can’t outrun us with our Predator drone in the air.’ The Young Templar captain smirks as she looks forward to hear the good news of the helicopter shot down later on.

Aboard General Biggs' helicopter…

As General Biggs looks at the safe zone below being overrun by zombies and Young Templars, waves of resentment and anger enter his mind. He didn’t expect the Young Templars to be powerful enough to destroy the safe zone within less than a day. Had they not attacked the safe zone, all of his soldiers and the civilians would still be alive to depart to the West side of the continental USA. But it’s all too late for him now. He’s the only high-ranking US military officer to make it out alive, and there is no air cover to protect his helicopter since he saw destroyed helicopters on the ground. “Sir! Since we are the only helicopter to depart from the safe zone safely. Where should we go now?” The helicopter pilot asks. “Just head to the western part of the mainland US. Cover as much distance as you can before this bird goes out of fuel.” William orders in return.

Unknown to them, a Young Templar Predator drone is pursuing the helicopter from behind. As the Predator drone is within its firing range, it fires an ATAS (Air-to-Air Stinger) missile towards the helicopter’s rear. “Shit! We detected a missile locked onto us, and we had no time to evade it. Brace for impact!” The helicopter pilot warns. Seconds later, the missile explodes beside the helicopter, sending a powerful shockwave to everyone aboard. Immediately, it spins uncontrollably and descends towards the ground as its tail rotor splits off from the rest of its body. Soon, the helicopter hits the ground hard enough, which causes a massive fireball of explosion. Neither the helicopter pilots nor General Biggs survived the helicopter crash.

Meanwhile in a drone operation room…

A smirk appears on the drone operator’s face after seeing the helicopter crash onto the ground in a fireball explosion. To ensure that General Biggs died in the crash, the drone operator presses a button on the joystick to fire a Hellfire missile at the wrecked helicopter on the ground. As the Hellfire missile explodes upon contact, a sense of excitement rushes into the operator’s mind. He is glad that he successfully killed a high-ranking general of the US military. After confirming that no one is alive in the wrecked helicopter, he alerts the Young Templar captain with the following message: “Foxhound, this is Chaser Six reporting in. I successfully shot down his helicopter. Brigadier General Biggs is officially dead.” .

To be continued...

End of Chapter 5.2

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