longer until we're safe?"
"Not much further. The pinch point is just ahead." Remy replied.
Georges dared to look ahead. The mountains on either side closed in like pincers, but didn't quite meet. The narrow low point that was the gap between them was the pinch point. Beyond that, there would be people waiting for them, ready to lay down covering fire and mop up their pursuers.
As Georges looked at the gap, it was filled with a yellow and orange fireball.
* * *
The road block up ahead came into view just in time to disappear again behind fire.
They had turned off the old, major roads to head in this direction, and were now following a track that ran straight through the middle of the flames. The road was straight and flat, they could get through the burning barrier quickly. Hopefully, there was nothing too dangerous on the other side.
Spread across the space between the truck and the fire were shapes, moving quickly. Motorbikes, buggies, larger vehicles, all running toward them. Something flickered on the roof of a van, and bullets started hitting the front of the truck.
The windscreen broke into stars as the bullets hit it and were stopped by the layers of laminate. Up above, Fabien returned fire, and the bright dots of tracer danced around the van until it started to slow.
"I'm out." said Fabien, dropping into the cab. "I'd reload, but that bastard clipped me."
The bullet had hit Fabien's body armour where it looped over his left shoulder, breaking bone with its impact and punching a hole through to gouge a nasty wound in the muscle. His feet slid from under him, and he slumped, held up by the harness. Justine was with him immediately.
Remy couldn't see the road ahead so well, now the windscreen was frosted with bullet damage. He moved all around to find the best view. "Hold tight everyone, I think I see the best way through."
One of the buggies that was closing with the truck dodged another car, cutting right in front of the truck. The collision barely registered in the larger vehicle, and the buggy was little more than a tangle of metal when it was thrown aside.
Now, all the vehicles that had been charging away from the fire were behind them. With luck, they were causing chaos amongst the pursuers. The truck drifted away from the track, heading for the edge of the fire ahead. It pushed a wave of flame ahead of it, and sucked long tails after it when it had passed through.
Ahead, the track passed between rows of houses, then carried on up a gentle hill. If the ambush was going to happen as planned, the truck wanted to go between the houses. Remy slowed, and aimed as best he could with his limited vision. "Get ready. We're going to block the road."
The truck scraped render off buildings on its right hand side as it entered the hamlet. It started braking harder, coming to a halt on the cross roads in the middle of the hamlet. The last crazies of the Raiders followed it in.
* * *
Even after the extended chase they had been on, with all its chaos and carnage, there were still Raiders willing to charge through the flames and follow the truck. Some had the sense not to follow it into the hamlet, and peeled away, to go around or go back. Some of them tumbled and crashed, picked off by snipers on the slopes above.
The Raiders who followed the truck were caught by surprise when it came to an abrupt halt. Some hit the rear of the trailer, or were crushed against it by the vehicles that followed them. The pack that was left was big enough to fill the road two houses back.
They milled around behind the truck, some with the berserker rage of battle on them, trying to climb aboard the vehicle as they had been ordered, others attempting to get out. Right at the back of the queue was a pickup, the cork keeping the smaller vehicles in place. It reversed into clear ground, then lurched as it was hit by a heavy projectile, and came to a halt.
Maxine pushed herself upright, as best she could with an injured leg, braced the
"Not much further. The pinch point is just ahead." Remy replied.
Georges dared to look ahead. The mountains on either side closed in like pincers, but didn't quite meet. The narrow low point that was the gap between them was the pinch point. Beyond that, there would be people waiting for them, ready to lay down covering fire and mop up their pursuers.
As Georges looked at the gap, it was filled with a yellow and orange fireball.
* * *
The road block up ahead came into view just in time to disappear again behind fire.
They had turned off the old, major roads to head in this direction, and were now following a track that ran straight through the middle of the flames. The road was straight and flat, they could get through the burning barrier quickly. Hopefully, there was nothing too dangerous on the other side.
Spread across the space between the truck and the fire were shapes, moving quickly. Motorbikes, buggies, larger vehicles, all running toward them. Something flickered on the roof of a van, and bullets started hitting the front of the truck.
The windscreen broke into stars as the bullets hit it and were stopped by the layers of laminate. Up above, Fabien returned fire, and the bright dots of tracer danced around the van until it started to slow.
"I'm out." said Fabien, dropping into the cab. "I'd reload, but that bastard clipped me."
The bullet had hit Fabien's body armour where it looped over his left shoulder, breaking bone with its impact and punching a hole through to gouge a nasty wound in the muscle. His feet slid from under him, and he slumped, held up by the harness. Justine was with him immediately.
Remy couldn't see the road ahead so well, now the windscreen was frosted with bullet damage. He moved all around to find the best view. "Hold tight everyone, I think I see the best way through."
One of the buggies that was closing with the truck dodged another car, cutting right in front of the truck. The collision barely registered in the larger vehicle, and the buggy was little more than a tangle of metal when it was thrown aside.
Now, all the vehicles that had been charging away from the fire were behind them. With luck, they were causing chaos amongst the pursuers. The truck drifted away from the track, heading for the edge of the fire ahead. It pushed a wave of flame ahead of it, and sucked long tails after it when it had passed through.
Ahead, the track passed between rows of houses, then carried on up a gentle hill. If the ambush was going to happen as planned, the truck wanted to go between the houses. Remy slowed, and aimed as best he could with his limited vision. "Get ready. We're going to block the road."
The truck scraped render off buildings on its right hand side as it entered the hamlet. It started braking harder, coming to a halt on the cross roads in the middle of the hamlet. The last crazies of the Raiders followed it in.
* * *
Even after the extended chase they had been on, with all its chaos and carnage, there were still Raiders willing to charge through the flames and follow the truck. Some had the sense not to follow it into the hamlet, and peeled away, to go around or go back. Some of them tumbled and crashed, picked off by snipers on the slopes above.
The Raiders who followed the truck were caught by surprise when it came to an abrupt halt. Some hit the rear of the trailer, or were crushed against it by the vehicles that followed them. The pack that was left was big enough to fill the road two houses back.
They milled around behind the truck, some with the berserker rage of battle on them, trying to climb aboard the vehicle as they had been ordered, others attempting to get out. Right at the back of the queue was a pickup, the cork keeping the smaller vehicles in place. It reversed into clear ground, then lurched as it was hit by a heavy projectile, and came to a halt.
Maxine pushed herself upright, as best she could with an injured leg, braced the
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