---Part 1---

The year is 2066 and we have been fighting for over 12 years....

     I find it harder and harder to remember the old days. I try holding onto the memories of my wife and my kids. We used to have so much fun before.... that day. In my sleep I hear the cries of my children calling out for my help as the bombs rained overhead, I remember looking at my wife and in an instant.. she was gone. As I lay in that closet I could smell smoke entering my nostrils all while my mind was racing in thousands of directions. The sweat was trickling down my face and I couldn't force my arms to wipe it away. I was too stunned at the sight of my wife just "vanishing". It had happened in an instant, she was there, in front of me..and then nothing. All that was left was a dark stain where she had once lain. Then, all of a sudden there was silence, yes, total silence. My children were no longer screaming, there were no explosions, just...silence. After fifteen minutes I managed to force my body up and into the hallway. I stammered from doorway to doorway towards my childrens' room. I made it into their room and vomited, there lying in the center of the room were my childrens' remains. Twisted corpses of those I once held so dear. I couldn't stand the sight and collapsed again. I sat there and just wept, I wept and wept until there were no more tears left to shed. All I knew was I had to leave this place, leave and get my revenge against the barbarians that had done this to my family. That day, I joined the army and vowed my revenge against any and every member of the Rebels.

     "Ben!" exclaimed Captain Powers. "Stop daydreaming and get your ass in gear, we're supposed to be setting up an ambush for the Rebels not sitting on our asses thinking of bullshit!". "Sorry sir" I said. "Sometimes I just lose myself in the moment, it won't happen again."

     "Ah, Powers is always full of shit Ben, you should have known that after all you've been here for 5 years." said Johnson who was planting a mine alongside the road.

     "Yeah, I know but I still like to make him feel important." I said with a wide grin.

     Our squad was in charge of an ambush that was to take place near a major supply route used by the enemy. Powers, Johnson, Rutter, and I were to place some mines around the road while Calhoun, Majors, Howard, and Nathans setup a roadblock and other fortifications for us. Each of us carried an M77 Semi Automatic Rifle that was capable of punching holes in light armor and a trusty P33 pistol on our belts. The only exception to this was Johnson who carried a modified version of the old SAW, and Majors who carried a M65 Grenade Launcher. I was always envious of Johnson's SAW44 which could cut through enemies like a hot knife through butter.

     After we made our final preparations, we settled into our fox holes and patiently waited for the enemy. I had a feeling that we were going to encounter quite a formidible foe but one look at our old family photo had me pumped up to kill some rebels... As I placed my photo into my pocket the first enemy jeep came into view. I could see the rest of the caravan rolling over the hills, this was gonna be one hell of a fight.......

---Part 2---

My palms were sweaty as I watched vehicle after vehicle traverse over the hills. The M77 in my hand rattled uncontrollably as the first vehicle approached the roadblock. I could see three people in the jeep as it edged about a hundred feet from the debris. Johnson was setting up his SAW44 while Rutter pulled out a grenade. I could see the confusion in the driver's eyes as he studied the roadblock. Another Rebel in the second truck hopped out and headed towards the first jeep. I could see his rifle carelessly slung around his shoulder, unaware of our presence. He was motioning to the lead jeep to back out and try to go around... a big mistake.

     The jeep edged it's way towards the outside of the roadblock when all hell broke loose. The jeep's tire triggered a mine that killed all three men instantly. I could smell the charred bodies along with an unbearable puff of smoke. The smell almost made me throw up when our foxholes lit up. I could see our muzzle blasts ripping into the convoy, tearing apart metal and flesh wherever the bullets struck. Rutter threw his grenade into a truck full of Rebels, the blast shook the hills and set body parts everywhere. I saw a Rebel running out of the truck on fire, his skin was melting right before my eyes and he collapsed on the ground. I swung my rifle up towards a fleeing Rebel and his brains splattered onto the road. Johnson was firing in short bursts towards a group of resistors. His bullets made their bodies dance and their limbs flailed around.

     There were nine vehicles in the convoy when the fight started. Now, only two of the vehicles managed to flee the site. The remaining seven vehicles were either on fire or riddled with hundreds of bullet holes. The fleeing Rebels were quickly taken out by Johnson's gun. I saw two Rebels that were crawling towards a ravine to my left and decided to take them out myself. I leveled my rifle and squeezed off a short burst on the first Rebel. His body jerked upwards for a brief moment then settled into the hot sand. The second one, surprised by my shots, jumped up to his feet and tried to make a break for it. He was inches from the ravine when my bullet pierced the back of his head. Blood gushed from his head as the bullet ripped through his skull. He stammered for another step then collapsed.

     After doing a thorough inspection of the vehicles and eliminating the survivors we were ordered to meet with Alpha company about ten miles from our position. From there we were supposed to be loaded onto choppers and infiltrate a village to our west. This was going to be a long walk to the site and I'm sure the Rebels will be looking for us.

    "Move out!" yelled Powers....

---Part 3---

We started our ten mile walk to the pick-up zone with caution. We knew the enemy would be on it's way to intercept us after the incident at the ambush site. Everywhere we looked there was sand, I couldn't believe that people actually lived in this place. The air was thick with sand and other debris and it was hard just to breathe. Johnson and I were at the rear of the line, while Rutter was at point. We were all scanning the horizons for any sight of the enemy. We were within three miles of the pick-up zone when the sniper fired it's first shot.

     The bullet had struck Calhoun right in the chest and immediately knocked him down. We had to find cover quick or else parish from the sniper. There was a little ditch about a hundred yards in front of us, it was our only hope. Johnson grabbed Calhoun and we all sprinted towards the ditch. The sniper fired a second shot which narrowly missed Rutter's arm. All of a sudden I felt an immense pain culminating in my leg. My balance was lost and I stumbled to the ground. That's when I realized that I was shot, I had been shot in the leg. Blood poured from the hole in my uniform and it made a small puddle beneath my leg. I screamed out for someone to help me and Powers grabbed my arm. He pulled me the remaining distance into the ditch and collapsed.

     Nathans, the medic, was checking Calhoun's wound while the rest of the squad prepared their weapons. We were all afraid to poke our heads up and expose ourselves. Powers pulled out his bayonet and used it as a mirror to see over the top. After scanning the dunes for a few minutes he saw the sniper. The sniper had been laying prone at the top of a dune. The plan was to shoot a short burst at the sniper to force him to back off, or it would kill him. Johnson swung his SAW44 up and strafed the top of the dune. The sniper backed off the top and waited for the firing to go away. Meanwhile, Majors readied his Grenade Launcher and focused it where the sniper had been. When Johnson finished his burst we saw the sniper make his way back to his old position. Majors squeezed the trigger and the grenade soared right on top of the unsuspecting sniper. Blood gushed from the hill as the impact ripped away the flesh and limbs of the poor victim.

     We continued our march toward the pick-up zone with two wounded soldiers, and I still couldn't believe I was one of them. The walk was painful, but I managed to proceed. I was glad that Calhoun was wearing his body armor or he would have been a gonner. There was a small dent in the armor where the bullet had struck. We didn't talk much the rest of the way there. I guess we were all scared of what had happened. Johnoson, who never stops talking, was silent for once.

     Everyone heaved a sigh of relief as we grouped up with Alpha company. We knew we would get about a days rest before we were to infiltrate the village. Nathans said my leg was barely hit and would be fully healed within a week. The bullet only skimmed the side of my leg, which was very lucky. I was quickly regaining feeling in it and walking became much easier. Although, we all knew that the next day would be an intense experience for us all. The choppers would arrive at 0100 to take us to the village and there we would meet up with our most elite special forces.....The Night Walkers

---Part 4---

----- 0100 hours -----

     The time had finally arrived to get on the choppers. Two squads would be sent on four choppers and arrive just outside of the village. Once we landed we were to rendevous with The Night Walkers and infiltrate the village. Our target was Alzar Morit, a high ranking Rebel official. We would set up a perimeter around Alzar's house while The Night Walkers silently creep inside and eliminate him. From there we would watch the roads for any resistence while The Night Walkers were evacuated.

     We boarded the choppers and began our journey to the village. We were completely shrouded in darkness and it was impossible to see anything on the ground. The pilots of the choppers were equipped with special headgear that let them see in the night. I was completely paranoid whether or not the enemy knew we were coming. I was afraid that an RPG would strike the chopper and end my life right here. When we finally touched down, the paranoia disappeared and we made our way towards The Night Stalkers.

     The gear they wore was very different and sleek. They were wearing all black suits that made them undetectable to infrared and I quickly became jealous. They also had a modified version of the M77 that was slightly shorter and a silencer at the end. They also carried a silenced pistol and a very sharp knife around their waists. After a brief introduction we proceeded towards the village under a canopy of darkness.

     We were all told to keep a slight distance between each of us and to stay low. We followed along the side of a small road for a couple hundred yards when we came to Alzar's house. It was a three story house with two guards posted on the roof. I saw two of The Night Stalkers aim their rifles at the guards. Both bullets struck their targets and the guards fell helplessly to the ground. We then started to form a tight perimeter around the house.

     Johnson and I watched a dark road for any movement while the rest of the squad scanned the rest of the village. Once our perimeter was complete The Night Stalkers quietly slipped into the house. After two minutes there came a loud scream immediately followed by three shots. Everyone knew that the person screaming was Alzar.

     Just as the last Night Walker stepped out of the house, an alarm went off. The sound blared throughout the whole village. The night sky lit up with dozens of muzzle blasts and Rebels came pouring out of buildings and into the streets. Johnson opened fire on a nearby house and silenced the gunner inside. I raised my rifle up and blasted a Rebel that was aiming at Johnson's position. I could hear Majors' grenade launcher firing into the buildings along with heavy M77 fire. Each of us knew that we had to get out of there fast and make it back to the extraction point. We started to move towards the edge of the village when a small group of Rebels opened up from our flank. I could hear their AK-47s homing in on us. We ducked behind a wall and tried to assess the situation. That is, until we noticed Howard. He was lying on the ground with a pool of blood around him. He had been shot in the neck and blood was squirting all over the place. I turned away as he started to cough up heaps of blood. Nathans rushed to his side, but by the time he arrived, Howard was already dead.

     I saw Powers, his face was twisted in anger. I even noticed several tears running down the side of his cheek. We all stared in awe as Powers rushed to his feet and charged the group of Rebels. He was screaming and howling like a mad man while firing his weapon on the enemy. When he ran out of ammo, he dropped his M77 and reached for his pistol. We watched as he killed the whole group within moments. Blood was pouring from their uniforms where Powers' bullets had connected. I even noticed a young Rebel with only half of his head. His brains were strewn on the pavement and on his comrades' bodies. One of his eyes even dangled out from the socket and his nose was just a bloody glob. After regaining our senses, we quickly moved out of the village and near the extraction point. Johnson and I carried Howard's body to the chopper and everyone piled in. That night, we all lost a brother at the hands of the enemy. The sight of Howard's body made me start to cry, I couldn't believe that one of my "brothers" had been killed. When we arrived back at our base, Howard's body was airlifted home.

     We would get another full days rest before the next mission. I wonder what we'll have to do next....

---Part 5---

After seeing Howard's body get shipped back home, we decided to just relax. That night had taken a major toll on all of us. We also received a replacement to join our squad. His name was Evans and he was just transfered from Charlie Company. He was about twenty-five years old and had been in the service for around three years. I also noticed that he wasn't carrying a rifle like the rest of us. Instead he carried an M22 Shotgun. It was also painted camoflauge to mix in with the desert surroundings.

     Later on, we received word that we were going to be relocated to a base fifty miles to our north. Three squads were to protect a huge convoy leading from our current base to the new base up north. Powers told me that I would be in charge of a .50 cal gun atop a Humvee, along with Calhoun and Rutter. The rest were to be loaded in trucks and would be called out only if needed. We also had the aid of an M1A2 Abrahms tank. The huge gun on it could easily knock any vehicle out of contention. It also had a .50 cal at the top for extra firepower. Once we got into positions we were told to move out.

     I scanned the horizon looking for any signs of an ambush. I knew that the enemy would try to disrupt us any way they could. I could see Johnson sitting in the truck ahead of me. He waved at me then continued his conversation with Nathans.

-----BOOM!-----

    An RPG struck the truck behind me. Metal flew everywhere as the explosion ripped into its side. Bodies flung from the truck and blood covered the ground. I was horrified when one of the soldier's head smashed into our Humvee. His eyes were wide and blood was dripping where the neck should have been. The driver came to a sudden stop and I opened fire. The Rebels had surrounded our convoy and started firing from all directions. I watched my tracers as my bullets sliced through the enemies bodies. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw an RPG aiming right at me. I swung the gun around and opened up. My bullets strafed along the ground and struck his leg. He lost his balance and fell to the ground. I continued to fire at him and watched as the bullets pierced his chest. Once I knew he was dead I moved onto the others.

     Johnson and the others were also doing their share. I could see their victims fall before them. Majors grabbed his Grenade Launcher and started lobbing them towards piles of Rebels. I saw one grenade decimate four Rebels. The fifth one was lying on the ground, his leg was completely blown off and he was covered in blood. I aimed my .50 cal towards him and ended his life. Johnson strafed the top of a dune. He struck one of the Rebels and his body slid down. Our tank was aiming it's guns towards a Rebel jeep and fired. The blast immediately disintegrated everyone inside. All that was left was a few scraps of metal.

     After witnessing the tank's power, I saw Evans doing his work on a Rebel. The Rebel was charging the convoy in a suicide run. He was going to try and blow up the truck near me. Evans ran towards the Rebel and blasted his head off. When I say blasted his head off, I mean that the Rebel had a head for one second then, he had no head. Blood came running out of his neck and encircled his body.

     The Rebels started a retreat and we finished off anyone that tried to take another shot at us. We lost two trucks, luckily the second one only had supplies in it. I was still in awe of what happened to the one behind us. Everyone hopped back in their vehicles and we continued on our way. The rest of the way there, I was haunted by the sight of that soldier's head landing on the Humvee. It all happened so fast and unexpectedly.

     After unloading the supplies at the base we were told to get some sleep. The next day we were going into a Rebel City.

---Part 6---

   After yesterday's incident with the ambushers, we were all on our toes. Always on the alert, even inside our base. We were all sitting in a tent, when Powers told us our next mission. We were going to be sent to help evacuate Delta Company. They were pinned down in a small village and we were going by chopper to aid them. We would go over in three transport choppers with four attack helicopters for support. We all felt a lot safer knowing that we were going to be guarded by Apache Death Hawks. Once we were updated on our mission, we were loaded onto the choppers and off to Delta.

     During the trip, Johnson was cleaning his weapon to make sure it didn't jam up. Everyone else sat in silence just looking out the window. I was watching one of the Death Hawks most of the way there. It had two high-powered machine guns and six missiles to help us in our fight. The pilot glanced over at me and offered a faint nod.

     "Alright, listen up people!" said Powers. "We are about to reach Delta Company's positon. Once there you will immediately disembark from this chopper and move towards them. You will lay suppressing and covering fire while they are evacuated on chopper 1xB. These Apaches will focus on the Rebel's armor and other vehicles while you take out any infantry."

     We all prepared our gear during the descent and as soon as the chopper touched down, we all jumped out and rushed towards cover. Bullets came in at all directions and I started to get disoriented. I saw a Rebel tank rolling onto our positions. The heavy gun was rotating towards Delta Company. One of the Apaches saw the tank and fired two missiles. The missiles ripped into the tank and sent metal flying. One of the pieces of metal had been flung straight at another Rebel soldier. The metal shard sliced through his neck and he collapsed. He was nearly decapitated. Johnson was firing on a Rebel group that was trying to flank us. His bullets slammed into them and they quickly retreated. Majors lobbed a grenade at a jeep and everyone inside was immediately killed. Their body parts were sent flying all over the street. I could hear the heavy machine guns on the Apaches start to strafe the oncoming Rebels. The bullets mowed down any attacker that got in its way. The impact of the bullets was so strong that it even ripped limbs off. I even saw one guy get both of his arms torn off from the bullets. He was lying there struggling to get help. I watched as his fellow soldiers ignored him as if he weren't even there. Finally a fellow Rebel pulled out his pistol and shot him in the head.

     I started firing my M77 at any Rebel that I could see. Bullets streaked by my head as I continued to unleash clip after clip into the enemy advance. As I turned to run towards Delta Company, I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around and a Rebel soldier was charging at me with a knife. I tried to swing my rifle around but he knocked it out of my hands. I landed hard on the ground and quickly pushed myself back up. I slid my knife from my belt and we faced off. He slashed at my face and I pulled away, I quickly stepped towards him and cut him in the leg. He fell to the ground with pain but quickly lunged at me. He was on top of me and he tried to push the knife into my chest. I pushed as hard as I could and threw him off of me. I picked up his knife and threw it at him. The knife soared through the air and struck him in his left eye. He fell the ground with a thud. I picked up my rifle and shot him three times in the chest, to make sure he was dead.

     I then started my way towards Delta. The Apaches overhead were keeping the Rebels away for the moment and we quickly started the evac. We put down some covering fire and Delta made it to the chopper. They had eight people with them and two were wounded. The medic on the chopper started to mend the wounded once we put them on. We made our way towards our chopper and quickly hopped on. The engine started to whine and the blades picked up speed. Once in the air we started to head back to base. The Apaches fired their remaining bullets and missiles and left.

     The whole trip back I was thinking about the up-close encounter. How he could have easily killed me. We all sat in silence until we finally touched down. Delta company thanked us and offered to buy us a round of beer once we got leave. But until then, we still had a lot to do.

---Part 7---

This blog is going to differ from the other ones because it won't be told by the narrator. Instead I will list each character and their backgrounds. Hope this will clear things up for you.

---Ben Stevenson---

Ben is the main character in the story and joined the army after the death of his family. They had lived in New York until the Rebel army destroyed the city. He was the owner of a small restaraunt and lived a middle class life. During the bombing, Ben lost his wife Carol and two kids Adam and Mike. After joining the army he was placed all over the middle east on mainly pacification missions. During the story he was transfered to Beta Company that is his company throughout the story. He has training in assault rifles (primarily his M77), sniper rifles (such as the M27), and light assault bots (examples are the G55 Destroyer and the L25 Panther). Although, the company is still awaiting the arrival of the assault bots. Johnson is his closest friend and they always stay near eachother. Due to the escalation of Rebel activity in the area, Ben may start to use his other weapons in order to combat the new threats.

---Michael Johnson---

Johnson is another native to New York and grew up in the harsh streets. He was picked on during most of his life due to his black skin. These hardships strengthened him and made him try harder for what he wanted. He is 28 years old (Same as Ben) and joined the Army when he was 22. He joined the army because he was running into financial trouble and needed a steady job with good perks. He had a girlfriend back home but tragically lost her during the bombing. He was planning on proposing to her that year. Johnson has honed his skills with the SAW44 and other Heavy Machine Guns. He is also trained with assault rifles and medium assault bots (such as the K22 Big Man and the S12 Tiger. You can count on Johnson being in an assault bot when they get the new shipment.

---Frank Powers---

Frank was born into a military family in North Carolina. His father had fought in the war on terrorim (around 60 years ago) and he has continued the fight. After High School he joined the Army to continue his family's tradition. He is 31 during this story and has been in the army for just over 12 years. He graduated from officer school at the age of 26 and was sent to lead Beta Company. He is a master of strategy and has been known to get his squads out of sticky situations. He is also fearless when it comes to any combat situation, no matter the odds. His leadership skills and relationship with his squads is almost unparalleled. He has been trained with nearly every weapon except for assault bots. He says the bots hinder his movements too much and doesn't give him the free movement that he wants. Expect to see Powers doing incredible feats to help his squads.

---Andrew Nathans---

Nathans is a very intelligent man and extremely skilled with his work. After graduating from college he joined the army. He wanted to use his medical skills to help the men and women that are protecting his country. He is 27 during this story and is always respected. His fellow squadmates are always thankful that they have someone like Nathans to take care of them. Nathans only weapon that he carries is a pistol that he keeps around his waist. The reason is so that he has more free space to carry medical equipment. Beta Company is the fourth company he has been in. He is constantly being transferred and is getting used to the new faces. Expect to see Nathans in situations where friendly soldiers get injured.

---James Rutter---

Rutter was born in Madison, Wisconsin and joined the army after the bombing of New York. He joined at the age of 19 and is 24 during the story. His parents raise dairy cows and he constantly writes to them, in order to stay in touch. He is a hard worker and never leaves until the job is done. He is very loyal to his squad mates and is known to risk his life for others. He has been trained in assault rifles, shotguns, and sub machine guns (such as the MB22 and MB25). Expect to see Rutter make crucial decisions and turn the tides in the battle.

---Kyle Majors---

Majors is the youngest in the squad at 22 and has just recently joined. He has only been in the squad for six months. He has been trained in Grenade Launchers, assault rifles, and small assault bots. He was raised in Atlanta, Georgia and has yet to finish college. He joined the army so he could afford college. He wants to go to college and get a degree in Business Management. He is a very smart individual and graduated at the head of his class. Once he finishes two years of service, he will quit the Army and continue his education at the University of Georgia. Expect to see Majors using his trust M65 Grenade Launcher. He may occasionally use an assault bot, but it isn't too likely.

---Alex Calhoun---

Alex is a white American that was raised in San Fransisco. He grew up in a wealthy family and lived a good life. He was very successful throughout his life and was living good. He was married and had one child. He joined the Army a year after his wife divorced him. He joined because he needed to get away from his problems and wanted to do something progressive. He is 26 years old during the story and has been in the squad for nearly two years. His training is primarily in assault rifles and sniper rifles. Yet he has also been trained in one of the older assault bots. He is a dedicated soldier and is always there for his squad. He is capable of implementing new strategies and is always aware of the situation. Count on Calhoun to assess the situations in the future and implement new strategies for the squad to follow.

---Part 8---

After the evac of Delta Company, we were sent out on another rescue mission. Two squads from Alpha Company were pinned down near our old base. Once again we headed towards our choppers. On the way, I noticed an M27 Sniper sitting on a crate. I ran over to it and switched weapons. For some reason it felt good to have another sniper in my hands. I remembered the long and extensive training that I had to go through to use it. I hopped on the chopper and began inspecting my gun. The gun was in excellent condition and I had picked up the extra ammunition for it. This gun would definitely give me an advantage in the upcoming fights. The flight was taking a long time and darkness was slowly covering the landscape. Pretty soon, it would become pitch black.

     Then, I heard a very loud whistle and then an explosion. An RPG had struck one of the Apaches. The helicopter started to lose control and the tail started spinning in circles. The Apache careened towards the ground and exploded with a huge bang. The remaining Apaches started to fire their weapons blindly towards the ground. I could hear the heavy machine guns strafing the sand. Another RPG was fired! The grenade zoomed towards our choppter and exploded into the tail. Our chopper had been hit! The pilots tried to regain control but the tail was practically blown off. Our chopper dipped to the left and started to fall. We then began to zoom downwards in a huge spiral. The pilots pulled up at the last second and the chopper landed with a large thud. We were fortunate that there was a large dune here or we would have died. We started to pour out of the chopper and ran away from it. The helicopter's tail was on fire and it was spreading towards the gas tank. The last passenger managed to get off moments before the chopper blew up.

     There we were, by ourselves in unknown territory. The darkness was so thick and none of us could see. We felt our way towards a small ditch and settled in. We would have to stay low and out of the enemy's sight. We were all scared, none of us knew what to do. That is, until I remembered my sniper. Each M27 was equipped with a normal and infrared view in the scope. I pulled the scope to my eye and switched the view. I could see hundreds of enemy troops marching towards us. We must have been next to a major Rebel road. I told the rest of the squad what I saw and they all tensed up. We knew that we would have to wait in this ditch until they passed or risk getting caught if we ran. I continued to watch their advance until it was no longer safe. We all settled down into the ditch and tried to make as little noise as possible.

     We heard the first soldier's foot stepping right next to us and it nearly stopped all of our hearts. The stress was so amazing that I could hardly bear it. They were marching slowly and talked in hushed voices. We could also hear vehicles go by. Although, the scariest moment was when we heard their assault bots. I hadn't even known that they had assault bots until that moment. As the last soldier passed us, I slowly crept up from the ditch and had another look. There was yet another group coming towards us, but they had much fewer numbers. I could see nearly forty men coming our direction. Powers told us to split up into two groups, one on each side of the road. He said that we were going to ambush these Rebels and try to steal one of their radios.

     Once situated in our respective ditches, Powers told me to take the first shots. Since I was the only one that could see. I crawled up to the top of the ditch and aimed by rifle at the first Rebel. They were within two hundred yards of our position. I aimed at the Rebel's head and pulled the trigger.

---Part 9---

I pulled the trigger and the Rebel collapsed on the road. The rest of the squad started opening up and I could see several Rebels start to fall to the ground. Majors' grenade ripped into the middle of the group and sent several bodies flying. Johnson was firing his SAW44 into them with a bloody outcome. I aimed my sniper at a running Rebel and shot him in the back of the head. He managed to take two more steps then fell. This sniper was giving me such a great advantage and I took every opportunity. Every single time a Rebel stuck up his head, I blew it off. Powers told us all to throw grenades at them so I ripped mine off and hurled it at the nearest group. The explosion teared into the bodies and sent one of their arms careening towards me. His arm had actually struck me right in the chest. I started to freak out and quickly threw the arm to the side. I could feel the Rebels blood still on my chest. After I calmed down, I looked in my sights and saw three Rebels running back the way they came. I leveled my sniper and shot the first one in the back. He sank to the ground and I adjusted towards the second one. My first shot missed, but my second struck him right in the back of the neck. I then took aim at the third Rebel and shot his leg. He fell to the ground and tried to crawl towards the ditch. I brought my sights towards his head and fired, direct hit. After the fight was over, we started to search the bodies for a radio. We had killed about thirty five out of the forty Rebels that were in the group. While the rest of the squad searched the bodies nearest us, I checked on the three that had tried to flee. It turns out that the third one, that almost made it away, had the radio. I picked it up and took it over to Powers.

     Powers was on the radio for over twenty minutes trying to find help. He checked station after station for any signs of a familiar voice. Finally, we could hear a fellow soldier responding. Powers told them of our situation and they said to stay tight. They were going to send some friendly choppers to rescue us. I laughed at the irony of the situation. We had been sent on a rescue mission and now we were the ones that needed rescuing. After having a good laugh with Johnson about this, we settled in to the ditch and tried to get some sleep. We would each take turns watching our surroundings while the rest got some sleep. Luckily, when it came to be my turn it was light out. I could see that we were pretty much in the middle of nowhere, the only sign of civilization was the road next to us. It had been a rough night for us all and the light was a beautiful thing to have.

     My shift was boring, so I decided to clean my gun. I started to reminisce about the old times back in the states and the fun I'd have with my family. I remembered playing with my sons in the park, those were better times. Then, something caught my ear. I could hear the choppers coming for us and I started to wake everyone up. We all started climbing out of the ditch when we realized that the sound wasn't a chopper. We looked down the road and our hearts completely stopped. There, coming at us, were four B22 Assault Bots. We rushed into our positions and prepared for the battle. These B22 Assault Bots were an older version of our Assault Bots, but lethal nonetheless. They have two forms that they form into. They have their Blitzkrieg mode and Assault Mode. The Blitzkrieg mode transforms the Bots into an extremely fast vehicle that can travel at around one hundred and fifty miles per hour. The Assault Mode transforms the Bots into a bipedal war machine. It shifts onto it's two legs and two machine guns make up the arms. They have even been known to carry missiles in case of helicopters or other vehicles. I was so scared that I couldn't move, just the sight of them made me tense up. Powers signaled to Majors to use the M65. I took aim at another Bot and searched for any weakspot. I noticed that the driver's head stuck up just enough for a shot.

     I steadied my sniper and put my finger on the trigger. I waited for Majors to fire first, then I would take my shot. I could see Johnson setting up his gun out of the corner of my eye and I could see Powers pull out a grenade.

Majors fired.

---Part 10---

Majors fired.

     His grenade soared towards the oncoming Assault Bot and exploded. The blast bore into the Bot and sent metal fragments everywhere. Simultaneously, I squeezed the trigger on my sniper. The bullet zipped towards the driver and struck him in the head. His brains flew against the rear of the Bot. The Bot swerved uncontrollably and careened into the ditch. Johnson started laying down heavy fire on the third Bot. The bullets glanced off the outer plating. The Bot picked up speed until Johnson shot the front tire. The tire flew off the rim and sparks flew everywhere. The Rebels started the transformation. The sides slid down to become the legs and two huge gattling guns started to home in on us. Their guns started turning and bullets flew everywhere. They were pinning us down into the ditch. Powers threw his grenade high into the air and it landed next to one of the Bots. The explosion ripped off one of its guns. The Bot turned our direction and started spraying right by us. I looked up to see hundreds of tracers streak overhead. I clinged to the side of the ditch and waited for any opening for a shot. I could hear Majors firing his M65, but I didn't think it was doing anything. I started to crawl backwards to where we killed the Rebels. Maybe they had something useful on them. I searched their bodies and found what I was looking for. The sight of it made my eyes water. I picked up the RPG and started to crawl back to our position.

     Powers saw me with the weapon and thought of a way to distract them so I could fire. He pulled out a flash grenade and lobbed it towards the Bots. The grenade exploded and disoriented them for enough time. I aimed the sights at the weak Bot and fired. The grenade zoomed in a spiral and connected. The grenade had pierced the armor plating and exploded the Bot. The blast shook the ground and sent scraps everywhere. Unfortunately, I only had one grenade and the last Bot started to advance. It was firing straight at our position. The Bot was within fifty yards and closing. I knew we were gonners. I could picture in my head, the Bot right on top of us, just decimating our bodies.

SHHHHOOOOO............BOOM!

     The explosion threw all of us onto the bottom of the ditch. I looked up over the edge of the ditch and quickly fell back down. I got down on my knees, closed my hands, and thanked God. Our Apaches had blown the Bot up. Their CAD missiles hit their mark with deadly accuracy. We got up and started to cheer until I noticed Rutter. He was hit very badly in the shoulder. There were several bullet holes from his chest to his shoulder. His vest had protected his chest from the bullets, but his shoulder was bloody. I yelled for Nathans and he came running over. Nathans started to bandage Rutter's shoulder and we lifted Johnson onto the chopper.

     When we returned to base, Rutter was sent immediately to the medical tent. Nathans was in there with several other doctors to inspect the damage. When Nathans came out I asked him on the status. He said that Rutter was injured very badly, but would survive. He was going to be shipped back to the States. I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that he was fine. Yet, I was overwhelmingly sad with the knowledge that Rutter was going to leave. He was always a good kid to depend on throughout any fight. I told the rest of the squad the news and we went to see Rutter. We exchanged words about how lucky he was to go home and we joked. Although, everyone was sad and putting on a false smile.

     The next day, we watched Rutter get sent back to the States. We each shook his hand and vowed to meet up someday. I gave him my number and told him to call me anytime. After his plane took off we went back to our bunks. We all just wanted to sleep and so we did. We knew that tomorrow we were getting a replacement.

---Part 11---

The next morning came way to quickly. I felt as if I hadn't had any sleep. I kept seeing that Bot walking towards us. I could picture it aiming the guns at us and opening up. We would have been dead if it weren't for those Apaches and I'll never forget them.

"You had a rough night too?" said Johnson. "Yeah......yes I did" I replied softly.

     We started towards the mess tent and grabbed some breakfast. We all knew that the replacement would be here soon. We all talked about the good times we had with Rutter and Howards. Those were much better times than now. I pushed the bacon on my plate around with my fork. I wasn't all to hungry this morning.

"Say hello to Private Jenkins everybody!" exclaimed Powers.

     Jenkins was a young kid, I'd say nineteen years old. He walked hastily towards us and shook each of our hands. We looked him up and down and knew he was just another newbie. He started to question us all about the war and the conditions around here. He just kept talking and talking and talking. Finally, I had enough and left the tent along with Johnson. We just had to get away from that kid's constant questions. We headed towards our barracks when our jaws dropped in awe. There, right in front of us were twelve battle ready Assault Bots. I nearly shit my pants at the sight of them. I went up to one of the Panthers and started to study it. I remembered all the training that I had undergone to use this bad boy. It was similar in design to the old version the Rebels were using. It had the same two transformations, but the armament was much different. In Blitzkrieg mode, there were two .50 cal machine guns mounted on each side. This made hit and run attacks very effective. The Assault mode transformed the Bot into a bipedal machine. The two arms housed two ACD Gauss Rifles. These Rifles could fire high energy bursts towards a target with a deadly result. The burst would cause a large explosion capable of decimating any vehicles and infantry. Johnson studied one of the Tigers which was a more powerful Assault Bot. The Tigers had the same transformations as the Panthers yet on a larger scale and with much heavier weapons. The Tiger could carry eight GYU Missiles along with two Heavy Gauss Rifles. The missiles could track enemy vehicles using radar to ensure pin point accuracy. The Heavy Gauss Rifles fired extremely large bursts of energy. These bursts pretty much ensure instant death to anyone within a twenty foot radius. Although, the cooldown time was much longer than the Panthers.

     There were several other models, but I was only focused on mine. That is, until Powers walked up to us. He told us that the Bots were sent over for the three squads in camp to share. Powers was able to reserve us a Panther, Tiger, Raven, and Thunderhawk for our squad. We all knew that this would mean more frequent missions and patrols along our perimeters. I didn't care what I had to do, I was yearning to get in the cockpit of that Panther.

     Later that night, we received orders for Johnson, Majors, Jenkins, and I to intercept an enemy convoy. We climbed into the cockpit of our respective Bot and strapped in. We turned the Bots on and headed out. This was going to be too easy.

---Part 12---

We left the base at around 0400 hours and started our way towards the enemy convoy. We knew that we could easily destroy their vehicles and run off before they had any time to retailiate. I was in my Panther, Johnson was in the Tiger, Calhoun was in the Raven, and Jenkins was in the new Thunderhawk. The Raven and Thunderhawk were much different then our Bots. Instead of having a wheeled vehicle transformation, theirs hovered off the ground. They used air pressure to lift the Bot off the ground enough to drive safely over the terrain. In their driving form they had two SSA missiles and two .50 cal machine guns. In the Assault mode, the Raven had two "shotgun rockets". The gun fired four "RPG-like" rockets at the enemy. The Thunderhawk had Massive Gattling guns on each arm. It could spit out one thousand rounds in thirty seconds.

     We traveled along the road going nearly one hundred thirty miles per hour and closing on the enemy very fast. They were transporting four trucks of explosives towards a major Rebel base. Now try to imagine this. Rockets+Explosives= some motherfuckingawesome fireworks. We knew that the explosives would most likely be guarded by several tanks and possibly helicopters. My palms started to get very sweaty when I saw the lights from the trucks. We were within one hundred yards when I signaled for Assault mode. The vehicle lifted itself onto two legs and I took control of the trigger. I locked onto the lead Tank and unleashed a flurry of energy blasts. The explosion threw the tank onto its side. The crew inside started to pile out of the wreckage. I fired a second shot and it struck the ground right in the middle of the crew. The explosion literally disintegrated every member. Johnson fired a huge blast into the second tank. The tank exploded in a huge ball of fire. The fire soared into the air and vanished. Jenkins was unleashing thousands of rounds into the vehicles and decimating any fleeing Rebel. Their bodies crumbled to the ground as the bullets pierced their flesh. Calhoun launched a deadly salvo of rockets towards one of the trucks. The explosion was immense! Fire lept into the air as high as I could see. Metal rained on the vehicles below and impaled several jeeps with the deadly debris. I saw a metal scrap descend on a Rebel. The metal scrap sliced through his entire body, I watched as he collapsed in two halves. I saw an RPG zoom towards our position, but it veared off to the left and missed us. Jenkins zoned in on his position and lit him up. His body jerked in the air as the bullets made his body dance. An enemy helicopter started to strafe us with it's guns but Johnson fired two rockets which sent the chopper down. The chopper landed into a ravine and exploded, killing all the passengers immediately. Another RPG soared towards us and.......I was hit.

     I woke up at the bottom of the ditch. My leg was hurt and I was badly bruised in several places. I looked over the edge...and no one was there. I was alone. My Bot had been reduced to a pile of debris in the middle of the road. I struggled to my feet and looked around, there was no sign of anyone for miles. The only thing I had on me was a canteen of water and my pistol. It would be a seventy five mile walk back to base. I let out a long, drawn out sign and started my walk.

---Final---

The harsh dessert sun beat down on my head with full fury. My eyes constantly scoured the dunes for any sign of humanity. My canteen became light very quickly. My throat kept yearning for a feel of the soothing water. The road ahead is so long and I took off my flak jacket to make the travelling easier. I try to listen for a chopper or anything coming to rescue me. During my walk I started to cry. I cried about the incident last night, about my position, and what could have happened to my squad. I wondered why they left me here and what happened to them. Did they get blown up too? Did they just abandon me on the side? Were they forced to flee? I said so many questions floating through my head. Then, all of a sudden, I could see some dark spots coming down the road. I felt so happy, they had come back for me. I started to run towards the dots and waved my hands in the air. Then, a question came up. What if it wasn't my squad, what if they were enemy vehicles? I quickly ran towards the ditch and hopped in. I poked my head over the side to get a glance at the vehicles. They were travelling very fast and I immediately realized they were Assault Bots. They came within two hundred yards when I saw the emblem on the front of their Bots. I sank into the ditch and let the Rebels pass me. I stayed in that ditch for about ten minutes just crying my eyes out. How I wished it to be Johnson or Calhoun.

     After that cry, I started out again. I had traversed about forty miles and I was nearly there. I couldn't wait to get back to the base and ask about what happened. I was so curious as to what occured. The only thing I remembered seeing was the RPG spiralling towards me. The vision quickly vanished and I focused on where I was going. I walked another ten miles when I heard voices. Rebel voices. I could see a small bunker to my right. I heard about three different voices and a radio. Yes, a radio. I crept up towards the outside of the bunker and pulled out my pistol. I approached the door and prepared myself for the attack. I was glad that the door of the bunker was open and I slid into the doorway. The three Rebels had set up a .50 cal machine gun to watch the road while the other two had what appeared to be two stolen M77s. One was sitting at a desk listening to someone talk over the radio while the other two looked out at the road. I aimed my pistol at the Rebel on the radio's head. I put my finger on the trigger and shot him. Blood and brains splattered on the wall in front of him and I quickly took aim at the other two. They swung their rifles around, but not fast enough. I let loose a full clip of ammo into their bodies. Blood flew everywhere as my bullets struck their bodies. I stepped over the dead bodies and picked up the radio. I remembered the channel Powers used to call in the choppers.

"Hello, anyone, I am Sergeant Ben Stevenson in need of immediate evac, over!"

     I listened closely for any reply. I waited several minutes before I repeated. This time I heard a reply.

"Hello, Seargeant Stevenson. This is Alpha Company, what are your coordinates."

     I told them my coordinates and they were calling in my squad to save me. I couldn't believe it, it was as if it were a dream. I was so glad that someone was coming to save me. I picked up on of the M77s and watched the for my squad. I waited nearly a half hour before I saw friendly jeeps coming towards me. I ran out of the bunker and headed towards the jeeps. I could see Johnson manning the .50 cal and I smiled at him. I was just about in the jeep when I was shot. A sniper had shot me in the stomach and I started to bleed. I could tell that I was hit badly. Calhoun jumped out of the jeep and started to drag me into cover. I saw Johnson swing the .50 cal towards the sniper and kill him. I held my hand over the wound and noticed the large amount of blood that was coming out. Nathans ran towards me and started to bandage me up. They lifted me onto the back of the truck and took off back to base.

     Once we got to base, they lifted me off the jeep and into the Medical Tent. Doctors started to probe me with several different utensils and tried to bandage up the wound. They injected me with a weird looking substance and I started to drift off to sleep. I awoke a while later and called for a nurse. The nurse came to my side and I told her to fetch me a journal. I wanted to write about my time here in case I died. I also asked her to bring in my squad, I wanted to ask some questions. I learned that when I was hit, they all thought I was dead. The blast completely obliterated my Bot, but somehow I managed to survive. They said they were going to search for my body but several enemy Bots were entering the fight and they had to retreat. I don't blame them for what happened and I'm glad to know the truth. The doctors came in recently and told me that I might not make it through this night. After I received the news I asked a nurse for Johnson to come back in. He walked up to my side and sat in the chair. I could see that he was crying and I started to cry too. We sat their reminscing about the old days and all the fun we had. I grasped his hand and squeezed it as tight as I could. We both knew that I might not make it much longer. He sat there, holding my hand, until he fell asleep. Neither one of us wanted to let go. Now I sit here telling you all what could be my last thoughts. Johnson is asleep next to me and I know the doctors will come in soon to operate on me. My tears are running off onto the pages and I can't stop. I don't want to die. I only have a thirty percent chance to live and I'm praying to God. Wait! The doctors are here, I'm going into surgery now and I don't know if I'll live or

Congratulations if you actually read it all the way. I also hope you enjoyed it and I thank you for taking your time for this long read.