Fly Chapter 16

CHAPTER 16

Hans launched the spotter drone while Kurgan watched and I flew it out to the minefield.  While I was en route a second motion sensor went off. The drone was flying along at top speed and closing on the objective when the signal started getting jammed. Horizontal lines appeared across the controller screen and the picture quickly got worse. I threw the drone into reverse and tried to pull away from the source of the interference, but it came on too quick. The signal flickered in and out then I lost all control and the visual feed cut out.

Fucking assholes, I said in disbelief, that drone was brand new. I pinned the location on the map.

Kurgan and I shared a brief moment of confusion. There’s no way they got a vehicle that close. The drone had been jammed less than a mile away from our location. Kurgan said, let’s try another, just keep your distance. He went to the back and pulled out another spotter drone and brought it outside to launch, once it was in the air, he and Hans came back in.

The second drone started flying back to the location until the lines crept into the screen and the signal connection just started to be disrupted. This time I reacted quicker and pulled back to safety, unsure of what we were dealing with. I made the drone climb high into the sky and zoomed the camera out as far as it could see. There, I spotted the movement of men moving along the tree line. Kurgan stood over my shoulder squinting at the pixellated image of the intruders.

You feel like going out there? I asked my trusted friend. He said, oh yeah, I’m gonna tell them to get off my lawn. He went to the armory corner of the bunker and lifted out a heavy rifle wrapped with strips of camoflage fabric. Then he grabbed an olive drab hardbox. He slipped the hardbox into his rucksack and gave the rifle a quick lookover. He released the magazine and glanced down at the stack of .50 caliber bullets inside, then he pushed the magazine back into place.

He pulled on the heavy pack and hefted the monster rifle. I’ll keep eyes on you, I said. Let’s see what they’re up to.

The big warrior walked up the stairs and out of the bunker. I did what I could to keep sight of enemy soldiers, but the powerful jammer signal kept forcing me to fall back. While I watched the approaching soldiers I told Hans to load two other rifles and prep a kamikaze drone. 

We watched for ten minutes. Finally Kurgan called in, he had found a sniper perch and he was setting up his equipment. The ANDRL was an ai powered targeting unit that did the job of a spotter. It looked like a monoscope on a short tripod, but the powerful computer synched with the rifle to calculate all the important factors involved with a long range shot.

Oh you’re not gonna believe this, Kurgan said into my earpiece. He captured a still frame from his viewfinder and sent it to my laptop. I opened the image and found myself looking at an Indian infantryman with a large boxy backpack. Sticking out of the backpack were branches of radio antenna. Jammers were becoming common on equipment, but this was the first mobile infantry jammer we had seen since last year. 

Kurgan spoke quietly into the mic even though he was still three quarters of a mile away from the soldiers. I’ll drop Mr. RadioShack then maybe you can help me clean up the rest. Ok, I’ll get a bird out there as quick as I can, do you want to wait to engage? No, Kurgan said coldly, I need the practice.

I left the observer drone hovering outside the jammer range, then I grabbed an anti-personel drone and brought it outside.I armed the explosive charge and turned the battery on before setting it in the launch cradle. Then I hurried back inside and told Hans to get his goggles on and be ready.

Kurgan spoke, Mr RadioShack is down. I cautiously flew the drone closer to the invaders and didn’t encounter any interference with the signal. Nice work Kurg, the jammer is offline. Kurgan said, Hang on just..a..CRACK! Through my earphones I heard the powerful rifle go off. Then Kurgan said, two down. CRACK! Three.

I swept the drone over what remained of the team sent to hunt us. I count four runners heading back the way they came. I flew closer, one of the panicked men stepped on a large mine. OHH hoho! I laughed, that mook disappeared into a puff of smoke like a fucking ninja.

Shrapnel from the explosion hit one of the two survivors.  It knocked him to the ground, but he got up again and started fast walking with a limp. Then he stopped and sat down, the other soldier came and huddled next to him. He scanned the sky with his rifle, I saw him look right at me, but he missed the tiny black dot in the sky. If the wind blew the right way, he could probably hear the buzzing drone, he definitly knew I was here. Hans fire up that one-way, but let's try not to use the drone if we don’t have to. I’d much rather have Kurg put some lead in him than use up a good drone. Kurgan said, yeah hang on, I’ll move to another position.

 Hans flew the armed FPV out to the site at full speed and I pointed out which stand of stripped trees the soldiers were hiding in. He made one fast pass at the men and they broke from cover like rabbits. I brought my unarmed drone down like a diving falcon as Hans flew the FPV within a meter of the men before pulling it back in a loud whir of blades. The terrified men ran blindly crashing through deep puddles of mud and falling over splintered logs. The limping man stopped and dropped his rifle, he looked up at  me. I stopped the drone and hovered a few meters above him. He held his arms to me pleading, then a massive bullet ripped through his torso and he crumpled like a sock puppet.  The other soldier looked down at his companion stunned, and before he could realize what happened, he fell too.

My drone hung in the air gazing down at the dead soldiers, I watched Han’s FPV drone drift into view on my screen, he was much closer. He panned from one corpse to the other, neither so much as twitched. I looked over at Hans, With his goggles on he couldn’t see me staring at him. His hair and complexion was the same color as the two two dead men on the ground. If he kept growing out his beard he could look a lot like one of them.

I pulled my drone up above the thin trees to get my bearings. Then I flew back to where Kurgan started his massacre. The man with the radio jammer had fallen face down. I brought his massive backpack into focus on my screen. It was a black plastic case with four tubular antennas sticking at least a foot above his head. The center of the case flowered out of a jagged hole where Kurgan’s bullet had exited. Damn Kurg, it looks like you took a hole puncher to this guy. Kurgan said, headshots are so overrated.

 While I was taking still photos of the contraption the FPV showed up, hovering nearby. 

Whoa! That's the jammer? Hans asked. And he’s still alive? What? I exclaimed as Ieaned forward towards my controller screen. Hans said, his hand, see it? I panned over and watched his fingers extend and retract then he made a fist. Oh, I said. 

Can I uh, you know? Hans asked. Yeah, finish him off. 

I logged the location on the map and then started flying the spotter drone back to us. Hans pulled off his goggles and wiped his eyes with his sleeve. Then he pressed his palms against his eyes to hide his tears. I think I had my goggles pulled too tight, he said with a shaky voice. They really hurt my eyes that time. I said, yeah, just loosen them up a bit, you don’t want ‘em giving you a headache.

I went outside to retrieve my drone and wait for Kurgan. I pulled on my armor and helmet, then I grabbed a drone detector about as big as a walkie talkie and clipped it to my harness. I went outside and looked up at the sky. I walked over and picked up the spotter drone. I held the power button down until it chimed and cycled off. How’s it going out there Kurg? I said into the headset. This thing didn’t feel so heavy when I was hiking out with it. Came his reply. I need to come up with better straps for the pack. oh shit, my detector just went off. That’s not you? I said no, it’s not us. Get to cover. 

An automated woman’s voice said, drone detected medium signal strength. 

 I looked at the detector on my harness, Three red lights lit up. I hurried back to the bunker entrance carrying my spotter drone. You got a good place to hide? I asked Kurgan. I’m working on it.

The warning repeated, drone detected high signal strength. I went down into the bunker and picked up a pump action twelve guage leaning against the wall, Pointing the shotgun out the doorway I crept halfway up the steps. Our bunker was well camouflaged, but if the drone was close enough it just might find us. I heard a faint whirring of rotors high above off to my left.

Hans walked up behind me and poked his head out, What’s going on? He whispered. There’s an enemy drone looking for us and Kurgan is still out there. I said as I squinted down the barrel of the bird hunting gun.

There it is, I said. The enemy drone was a small black dot in the sky moving farther away from us. What if it finds Kurgan? Hans asked. He’s pretty crafty. I said, then I rapped my knuckle against the walnut stock of the shotgun.

Drone detected low signal strength, the emotionless voice said. Tense minutes ticked by, then Kurgan said over the radio, I think it’s gone, I’m coming in. I walked outside with the shotgun and waited for him. Eventually he came walking out of the devastated forest lugging the heavy backpack and rifle.

Fuck me, he groaned. This thing is heavy, and I forgot my water. Nice work out there, I said. Kurgan said, yeah, it was alright until that drone showed up. Then he set the sniper rifle on the bench and shrugged off his backpack with the targeting system in it. He picked up his water bottle and took a long drink. Water ran down his neck leaving a trail through dirt and sweat. He took off his helmet and sat down on a crate. The armored groin flap hanging off his chest piece swung back and forth. He was exhausted.

Hans was sitting on his cot watching Kurgan with admiration. Hey Hans, I said, can you go into the ammo crate and grab the box of .50 cal? He nodded eagerly and moved quickly to the task. Kurgan got up and chose an MRE from the box, he opened the vacuum sealed package and poured some of his water in. Then he set the meal pack on the table as the water reacted inside and caused the food to start heating up. I said, that was some newer version of a mobile jammer. It was definitely more powerful than the ones they tried last summer.

Kurgan grunted in agreement, he shook the warmed package of food and opened the top, stirring it with his fork. 

Hans opened a cardboard box and pulled the waxed paper from one of the massive bullets. He held it up and looked at it, it was nearly as long as his hand, then he asked. So how far was that shot? Kurgan looked up from his food, the guy with the box was a little more than two kilometers away, those other guys were a little closer.

Whoa, what’s the farthest shot you’ve made? Two point nine, Kurgan said with a raise of his eyebrows. What’s the record for the longest sniper shot? Hans asked. Back in the Ukraine war a sniper made a shot three point seven k, the bullet was in the air for nine seconds. But he was a real sniper, he didn’t have this puppy. Kurgan affectionately patted the case for his ANDRL spotter hardware.

Hans was confused, you don’t think you're a real sniper? I didn’t even qualify for my marksman badge, Kurgan said with a shrug. How did they teach you to shoot like that? Kurgan took a last bite from the bag and rolled the foil packet into a tight tube. They didn’t teach me to shoot, they taught me how to use this targeting system and I listened really closely. Here’s the thing about our generation…Kurgan paused and cocked his head at Hans. Do you know anything about our generation?

Hans was caught off guard, he chuckled nervously. Are you guys um, baby boomers? Kurgan and I both burst out in groans of disgust. I said, fuck you man. Kurgan said, we are Not fucking boomers! Hans was unfazed, millenials? no wait, they taught us about this, you’re the Generation X’s.

There you go, Kurgan said. So the thing about us is that we started life without computer technology, but we’ve learned to use it as each new technology comes out. Boomers were hopeless, they could’nt even set the clock on a VCR. What’s a VCR? Hans asked. Doesn’t matter, I said.

So back to this big hole puncher, Kurgan said as he stood up and walked to the table. The massive Barrett M95 was held up by two bipod legs extending down off the forestock. Ribbons of camo fabric were tied randomly down the frame and barrel. Mounted on the top was the ANDRL active digital scope. I know I’m not that good a shot, I never tried to convince anyone that I was. He tipped the rifle up and tried a few times to release the magazine before it unclipped from the bottom of the weapon.

But they want me to use everything available to protect you guys, so they taught me how to use this aiming system. I read the manual cover to cover, whenever I encountered something I didn’t know, I asked questions from someone who did. My first step toward becoming a sniper was by saying, I don’t know how to do that, can you show me? They put me through a three week class with ten other students, four of them were women. One day we’d have an expert marksman teaching us proper breathing and trigger pull. Then the next day we’d have technical advisors from ANDRL teaching us how to load updates into the operating software.  Now, can you fill this mag back up for me? He set the metal ten-round box on the table with a clunk.

Hans said, I don’t know how to do that, can you show me? Kurgan grinned, so did I.

Kurgan pointed to the box of .50 caliber bullets and said, open that up and pull one out. Hans opened the cardboard box and removed a massive bullet as long as his hand. Each bullet was wrapped in oily brown paper. Kurgan pulled out another, slid the paper off, and held it in front of the boy. Before you load one of these I want you to inspect it., Kurgan said. His tone was kind, but firm. Hans watched with full attention. Look at the cartridge, look for any dents in the brass or any scratches of defects on the lead. Sometimes these things have a pretty rough ride getting to us. This one’s good.

Kurgan reached for the metal magazine box and held it on the table. Now, to load the Barret, set your round flat on top of the feed lips and push straight down. Kurgan did this and the round snapped easily into the metal box on a stack of rounds already nestled inside. You try, he said, pushing the box in front of Hans. Hans repeated the motion, then inspected and loaded another round and the mag was full again.

 Hans asked, so you don’t think using this ANDRL system is cheating? He leaned over and tried looking through the scope, but the digital screen was turned off and black.

Ha! Cheating? In war? Kurgan chuckled. The first cave man that got hit by a rock said the other cave man was cheating.

 Ok, maybe not cheating, Hans backpedaled. But, say you use  a gun like this to shoot farther than that Ukranian who didn’t have ai targeting assistance. Will that be a new record? Or will it have an asterisk by it?

You can put an asterisk by any of my shots, Kurgan said. And if they offered me a lazer gun tomorrow, I’d use that. What? You think I should be some kind of purist? That’s funny, maybe I’ll be more traditional and start using a musket.

Kurgan took the magazine from Hans and set it next to the M95. Then he picked a box of smaller ammunition from the crate and gathered several empty mags for his M7 assault rifle. He set them in front of Hans. Here, now fill these up, I’m not too concerned with these little guys,he said. Just get them all facing the right way. Hans opened the box of loose bullets and started sliding them into the spring loaded mags. For a few minutes the room was quiet, I typed away at the computer filling out our after action report. Kurgan organized his equipment and Hans refilled ammunition. He pulled out his vape and took a big smokey puff. 

Hans coughed lightly. I looked over at him, ready to give him shit for his nasty habit, instead I paused and watched him for a moment. He was focused on the task, as he slid one of the 6.8mm  rounds into place it snapped up and folded his fingernail back. He grimaced and shook his hand in the air to wave the pain off. I felt an intense sadness for the young man.

Sorry you have to be here Hans, this is a shitty way to spend your eighteenth year. He turned to me, it's fine, I’d probably be in a basement playing video games anyway, so this isn’t much different. I chuckled, Kurgan said, that’s so fucking sad.

Hans looked at him, seriously? Are you gonna hassle me for playing video games? All the best FPV pilots in this stupid war are here because we are good at video games. I don’t see any FPV wings on either of you. Hans knitted his eyebrows in anger, God! I thought if I did something important like defending my country I might finally get some respect for being skilled at operating a controller. But no! Instead you sound just like my dad.

Kurgan spoke, his tone was steady and controlled. He was intimidating in the way he struggled to not sound intimidating. Hang on kid, I thought you were making a joke about yourself being in a basement like this, using a controller like that. I have nothing but respect for drone pilots, don’t be stupid. You know how many times a friendly drone has saved my ass? That’s why I chose to take this position, protecting drone pilots. Maybe I didn’t say it right, but it is sad that you have to be here. It’s not fair to you, and it took a huge amount of courage to join the army in the middle of a world war.

You belong in a pretty small group of kids who turned eighteen right when shit was going down. You can stand proud with a bunch of kids who were your age in 1918 and another generation of kids your age in 1941. It sucks though. I mean, I got into war at your age, but it was a pretty stupid war for no reason. And I sure as shit didn’t bring any skills to the war like you did. Unless you count getting into fist fights outside of Metallica concerts.

Why would you get into a fight at a concert? Hans was totally lost on the concept. Concerts are fun, weren’t you there to have a good time? 

Kurgan said what he thought was obvious. ‘Cause I was an asshole. It was just something metalheads did back then. Hans laughed, a meta head? 

Kurgan enunciated Metal Head. Hans said, I have no idea what that is. Kurgan said, you know, a headbanger.  Hans laughed even harder, he turned to me. Is he making this stuff up? I said, oh I only wish. No metalheads were real. Hans asked, were you one too? I shook my head. God no, I was a skate punk, head bangers hated us.

Kurgan added, Headbangers hated everyone except other headbangers.

Hans asked, you would fight other head bangers? Kurgan said, yeah but that was just for fun. Hans whipped his phone out and started thumbing it. The device held a condensed offline version of wikipedia. I just have to make sure this isn’t a joke you guys are playing. Oh no way?! Did you have long hair? He looked at Kurgan, down to here, the big man held his hand at the small of his back. And did you wear one of these jean jackets, oh holy shit those look so tuff.

Mine was a vest, and it had a big Master of Puppets patch on the back.  Hans did an image search and went, ohhh, in awe. 

He looked at Kurgan again. So you listened to this band Metal..ica and you were a metal head. That's so …metal. Exactly, Kurgan said then he held up the devil horn fist. Aww tuff, what's that? 

It’s the metal salute, I said and gave double horns while banging my head. Can it be our salute? Hans asked. Done, I answered.

Hans was delighting in this new knowledge and he was getting a whole new understanding of Kurgan as he read further down the page. Then he stopped and asked me, so you guys didn’t know each other back then, but you knew other metalheads? The term rolled out of his mouth in fun new unfamiliarity.

Oh, I knew metalheads, I saidin disgust, and they were something to be feared. Hans laughed. I continued, so remember Kurgan is five years older than me, real headbangers for me, were always older and bigger and scarier. Me and my friends would be hanging out at the Kmart parking lot grinding on the parking blocks and ollieing down stairs and stuff. You had skate kids in your high school right? Hans said, yeah, some of my friends skate. 

Right, skateboarders haven’t changed much, except your friends are probably ten times better than we were. So, we’d be out there minding our own business. Then you’d hear some squealling tires and some crappy muscle car or.. I pointed to Hans’ phone, look up 1985 IROC Z.

Kurgan said, those are sick. Hans looked at the image and laughter escaped his closed mouth. Kurgan said with pride, I had a ‘71 t-top camaro with a 350. Hans googled that. Kurgan said, I got so much pussy with that car, one time this chick Theresa...

I rolled my eyes and cut him off, Anyway this car would come blasting into the parking lot aiming right for us and we’d run for our lives. They would chase us because they knew we’d run and it was fun for them, sick sadistic fun, I guess. Kurgan grinned. Hans was appalled, and what would they do if they caught you?

Well, I held my hands up. uhh, stomping a skateboard in half was pretty standard. I saw that happen a few times. We got really good at climbing over chainlink fences or hiding, running into the woods. Would they really beat you up? Hans asked, concerned. I puffed up my cheeks with a breath and slowly blew it out while I considered my response. I never got caught, but yeah, my buddy Toad ran into a blind alley and they caught him, three of them. They punched him  in the gut and he went to the ground, then they each took a turn kicking him, then they spit on him and walked away. Me and Frankie Martell hid behind a dumpster. We didn’t do anything to stop them,  we were like fourteen or fifteen.

I heard Kurgan snickering. Heh heh heh  Damn I miss that car.

Hans looked at both of us shocked. He asked Kurgan, so you went from being a headbanger into the army? Kurgan said, yep, they  cut off that awesome long hair and gave me a buzz. 

Hans looked a little sick. So that was childhood for you two? We both nodded. This sounds weird to say right now, but I’m glad I’m with you guys. I mean, if I have to go to war.

Kurgan said, you don’t want to be against us.