Time War: Onslaught Page 13

  The two French vehicles rolled out onto the road ahead, and Lecia pulled off to follow. This time they travelled at a slower pace that was safe and would not draw attention. Corwin was relieved, and it made him smile to see how much the slow speed frustrated Lecia.

  “Not everything can happen at light speed in this life, you know. It didn’t even in our own time.”

  “No, but neither should things stop altogether. Everyday we are not fighting and killing is a day our skills go to waste,” she snapped back.

  “And sometimes preparation and organisation are required to pull off something so much larger than what we can achieve on any other day.”

  “Mmm, we’ll see.”

  They followed them for maybe an hour high up into the mountains, but still under the cover of a thick forest. They eventually drew to a halt at what seemed like nothing more than another random piece of forest. But as they looked closer, dozens of wooden shacks were built amongst the trees, and a few dozen people were going about their work. The woman who Corwin had first encountered got out and approached, but she stopped dead when Rane dismounted from one of the jeeps and loomed over her. She looked from him to the women of the group who looked like nothing they had ever seen.

  “You don’t look like soldiers,” she said to Corwin.

  “Neither do you.”

  She nodded in agreement, looking down at her own dirty civilian clothing.

  “Fair enough, I am Celine.”

  “How long have you been up here doing this?” Vi asked sympathetically.

  “Since I was dropped off course. I was unable to complete my mission and have been left to help out here ever since.”

  “You aren’t a local?”

  She shook her head.

  “I was trained by your people to work in my home country for the Allies.”

  “Not ours,” muttered Lecia.

  But Corwin looked at her and shook his head. He knew they didn’t need that complication, but the French woman was keen-eyed and sharp on her hearing, and so she called him up on it.

  “What does she mean?”

  “Just that… well… we are Americans, aren’t we?”

  It seemed to pass and allow them to move on.

  “Do you know why we have come here?”

  “I know you are looking for a man, someone I can show you to.”

  “Okay…when?”

  She sighed as she looked around at the group.

  “You see all these people behind me? Two months ago there were twice as many. We fight, we pass information, we sabotage what we can, but it is starting to feel like nobody is coming to help us any more.”

  “It’s a big war, a lot of people fighting and dying.”

  “Yes, here, too.”

  “Look, are you going to help us or not?”

  One of Celine’s people handed her a steaming hot drink, and she took a sip as she thought out her response and left them hanging.

  "Come with me," she finally said.

  He carried on with Beyett while the others went for the warmth of a nearby fire. They followed her into one of the shacks and took a seat under some dry shelter.

  "You know we didn't come here to laze about and talk, right?"

  "No, and I didn't come here to keep supporting a country who is not supporting me. This is my country, and it has been cruelly taken away from us. I will not help you out of any obligation or order, for I have no reason to do so. We are all but alone here now. We haven't been supplied or assisted in anyway by the Allies for months, our food, our weapons, and our ammunition, all taken from the enemy. We are alone up here, and honestly we are in bad shape. The Germans have cracked down more and more in recent weeks. So if I am to help you, it is because you are willing to help us. Nothing in this life is free."

  "And if you knew what our mission was, you might understand that it is to help you and everyone else who opposes the Germans."

  "I know you think that, and I am sure you believe it, but that is nothing more than empty words to these people. They need help now, or they won't survive long enough to see the results of your mission."

  Corwin rubbed his chin as he tried to think over the situation. He had some sympathy for their plight, but he knew their mission was vital, and that time was not a luxury they had. He took a deep breath and knew he had to give up something.

  "Why we are here, this is not any other operation. We have been tasked with finding and killing Adolf Hitler."

  Beyett coughed and scowled at Corwin.

  "What? She has a right to know."

  "Right or not, this is a top secret operation and..."

  "I don't care!" Celine called out to bring them to a stop, and both turned to wait for her to go on, "Maybe you are going after Hitler, maybe not. I simply don't care. Food, shelter, ammunition, an extra day alive, these are the things that matter to us. Help us, and I will help you."

  "What is it that you want?"

  "As I already said, the Germans are getting closer all the time. There are still many other groups like us out there, and that has created enough chaos for us to slip through the net for now, but that luck will not last forever. An SS company has set up in a nearby town in support of the Milice and German army forces already stationed there. They are here to stay. To hunt us down until no resistance remain."

  "Okay, but what do you expect us to do about that?"

  "We can handle the regular forces, but an SS company, they will destroy us. They will torture us. If you do not know how bad things can get, then you can't have seen much of this war."

  "I have seen plenty of what men can do in war. But still, what do you want us to do?"

  "Kill them, all of them."

  "An SS company? Two hundred of the German elite?" Beyett asked.

  "They are led by Sturmbannführer Adolf Diekmann. An animal. He butchers not only those who resist but civilians, men, women, and children. You see, you have your Adolf, and we have ours. Help us, and we will help you."

  "We cannot. We do not have the time and resources for all out battle," replied Beyett.

  But Corwin ignored him and simply replied, "We'll do it."

  "What? But our mission?"

  "We expect everyone to help us get our mission done, what right do we have to ask for that when we will give nothing back?"

  "Yes, but this could destroy our only hope."

  "Not if we are quick about it."

  He looked over to Celine who seemed to have some hope in her face, enough that a little colour had returned to it.

  "How far is this town?"

  "About a ninety-minute drive."

  He rushed out of the hut with the others in tow until he reached the group huddled at the fire. They all turned and waited for what he had to say.

  "We want help from these people, and they are asking for something in return. It requires taking on maybe two hundred of Hitler's finest. Who's with me?"

  "Hell, yes," replied Porter quickly.

  "Any chance we can get to make them pay?" added Harland.

  Beyett was shaking his head, for he knew what it could cost them. Corwin placed a hand on his shoulder and whispered to him, "Don't worry, we can make this work."

  He turned back to them and everyone waited for his orders.

  "Time is what we do not have, but willpower and firepower we do. We also have the element of surprise. No one yet knows of our presence, but by sunrise they might, and a day will pass before we can do what we came here to do. So we don't wait. We don't plan. We hit them right now with everything we've got."

  "What? That's crazy. You don't even know where this town is or what it looks like," replied Nylund.

  "Nope, and they don't know who we are and what's about to hit them. If we leave now, we can reach the town before sunrise and hit them hard before they can get on their feet. I wasn't asking for volunteers."

  He looked to Celine.

  "All I need to know is that you will lead us there, and that when we are through, you w
ill help us find our man."

  She could barely believe what she was hearing, and it didn't look like her people seemed at all confident.

  "I won't risk any of my people in this."

  "And I didn't ask you to. All we need is you, our guide. Lead the way, and we'll ensure that company never comes looking for you."

  No one moved for a moment, as nobody believed he actually meant it, but Lecia knew not to doubt him.

  "You heard the Captain. Load up!" she balled.

  "Fucking 'ey," replied Porter as he enthusiastically leapt aboard the six-wheeler. Celine took a seat behind Lecia on the bike. They sped off into the distance to the amazement of all those they left behind. Corwin just noticed Beyett's face as they took a turn to lead the convoy. He looked more than a little concerned. But Corwin only smiled back and put his thumbs up.

  "You really mean to do this?" Celine asked.

  "Why wouldn't I?"

  "Because hitting a well-armed company without assessing the ground and any kind of plan is crazy," added Lecia.

  "And maybe a little crazy is just what we need at the moment. These Nazi bastards have become used to living a life of luxury. The only hardship they see is a little bit of sabotage or guerrilla action here and there. Nobody would dare hit them directly."

  "For good reason."

  "But it's also the last thing they would ever expect, Celine. We are going to strike those fuckers down before they know what's hit them."

  "I hope you're right."

  "Trust me, I don't risk my life without reward."

  "I thought you were a soldier?"

  Corwin laughed.

  "Something like that."

  They tore on through the night until eventually they could see lights on in a town up ahead.

  "Arrogant bastards, not even blacking out."

  "They don't need to. There has not been an Allied plane in the sky for a long time," replied Celine.

  "Why do you keep fighting? Seems like there isn't much left to fight for."

  He watched her pull back the scarf around her neck. It revealed a Star of David.

  "Because for some of us we cannot surrender, we cannot give up. The choice is to fight, or to die. Maybe you don't know what this war is all about, after all?"

  Corwin smiled, for he knew more than he could hope to explain.

  "Bring us to a stop," he said to Lecia.

  She did as he asked, and he stepped out to address the teams as the convoy drew to a halt, and the crews jumped out to approach him.

  "Ready your weapons. We are going in hot. Full throttle, we do not stop until they're all dead. Shock and awe, you got me? Don't spare any ammo, and don't hold back. You ready?"

  Many of them nodded in agreement, but nobody said a word as they psyched themselves up for combat, and Corwin went on.

  "I am sorry there isn't much more of a plan, but we don't have any time for it. Lecia, you go for high ground as soon as you can, and cover us from there. Everyone mind your fire. Stay in the vehicles while you can, and watch out for civilians."

  "No," Celine added, "There are no civilians here. The Germans chose this town because they are loyal. They turned on their own long ago. Do not spare them."

  There was bitter hatred in her voice, and nobody was going to argue. At least it made their work a little easier.

  “All right, one last thing, what means of communication does this place have?”

  “We will pass the telephone lines on the way into town. After that the only radios with range far enough to reach the next town will be in the town hall, where the Germans have setup their headquarters.”

  “You know an awful lot about this place,” said Beyett. He sounded suspicious of her, but she quickly answered.

  “Yes, because I am from there. Until last year it was my home. It was also home to many of those that you saw living up there in the wild. I have kept a watchful eye on this place in hope of one day taking it back. I thought we were coming close to being able to launch an attack ourselves, but with the arrival of Diekmann, there is no hope.”

  “Frasi, you take out the lines as we enter the town. Chas and Badcock, you are with me hitting the town. Porter, you brought that six-pounder along for a reason. Now’s the time, you got HE rounds?”

  “Bet your ass.”

  “Then you know what to do. There will be no hesitation, no mercy, and no stopping. We will level this place if we have to. Celine, you stay put and wait this one out. I’ll come back for you when it’s done.”

  She shook her head as she lifted a captured German submachine gun off her shoulder.

  “No, I want to see this through, and see them pay with my own eyes.”

  Corwin wasn’t going to argue. He looked back to the horizon at the first glimmer of light. It would be daylight in fifteen minutes.

  “Let’s go, go, go!”

  They leapt into the vehicles and raced onwards. The rain began to intensify and lightning flashed in the sky as they came into view of the single guard tower overlooking the main road in.

  “What a stroke of luck,” said Corwin.

  Thunder soon followed as they made out the profile of a guard in the tower. Corwin cocked the machine gun and rattled off a short burst as the thunder still echoed through the skies. A dozen shots tore through the tower, and the guard stumbled back out over the ladder and fell. If he hadn’t been killed by the gunfire, the fall certainly finished him off.

  There were no gates or fences to keep them out. The modest tower and single guard was all that stood in their way. That was an indicator of how bad things were. A token guard was all that was needed. Nobody could threaten the town, until now. A German officer casually stepped out of a house ahead and into the road, with nothing in his hands but a steaming cup of coffee. Not at all bothered by the rain, letting it seep into his woollen greatcoat as he took in the fresh morning air. It was clear that he was living the easy life.

  “Time to ruin your day,” said Corwin sadistically.

  But before he could pull the trigger, a burst rang out from beside him. Hot bullet casings showered him, and one landed on his neck. He quickly threw it off and looked back. The officer was already dead, and Celine was whispering something in French. He didn’t understand it, but it was scathing in tone to the level he didn’t need to. She pointed to the town hall ahead, but she needed not have, for it was obvious to everyone.

  “Take over!” Lecia yelled.

  She took her rifle in hand and hurtled off the bike with cat like agility, rolling perfectly to keep the weapon from touching the ground. She rolled right up onto her feet and kept running. Celine looked in horror at the lack of rider as the bike began to veer. Corwin grabbed hold of the handlebars and straightened them.

  “Move up!” he shouted at her.

  She did as he said. As she took over, two armed Germans came out of a building ahead. He could not get back to the gun in time, but he heard the thunder of one of the Brownings on the vehicles behind them. The two men were cut down where they stood. Lightning cracked again, but before the thunder could follow it, a loud crack rang out. They felt turbulence overhead as a shell flew over them and smashed into the roof of the hall. The high explosive shell ignited on impact and blew an enormous hole in the roof. Much more around it collapsed in on itself. The Browning soon joined in and sent dozens of shots hurtling through the windows.

  Corwin fired a burst himself but then stopped and looked at Celine. They weren’t slowing down. He wondered in horror for a moment if she actually knew how to ride, but she looked determined and confident.

  “What are you doing?”

  But she did not reply.

  He looked back to see the front doors being opened and let rip with a burst of fire. It cut one soldier down and forced another to retreat back, but still she did not slow down, and they headed full speed toward the partially open doors.

  “Oh, shit!” Corwin yelled.

  Another shell from the six-pounder hit the building above them
, and just seconds later they struck the doors. The speed of the bike smashed the doors open but snapped the bike sideways. They slid in through the doors and ramped up over the dead body, sliding further on before finally smashing to a halt when they hit a heavy wooden desk. The sidecar wheel lifted up off the ground and smashed back down. They were both a little stunned by the impact, but Corwin saw a line of communications desks and a man sitting there, frantically trying to reach someone.

  Corwin lifted the stock of the machine gun in front of him and held the trigger down. Almost a hundred rounds struck the man and all the equipment before finally he was out, and smoke rose from the barrel. He leapt out and drew his Colt as he ran forward to the doorway and past the destroyed equipment. He took a single step through the door but stopped and jumped back as a burst of gunfire struck where he had been.

  He pulled out a grenade and primed it before tossing it in. He waited for the blast and then ran right in. One of the Germans lay dead, but another was rising up and lifting his rifle to take aim, but it was too slow and cumbersome to bring to bear. Corwin fired two shots into the man’s chest at point blank range, rushing on past while he was still falling dead.

  An office lay ahead, and Corwin ran inside. An officer sat calmly and open handed. His pistol was still holstered, and he sat upright and proud as if expecting to somehow command the situation.

  “Adolf Diekmann?”

  The German looked arrogant and defiant as he began to reply.

  “Sturmbannführer Adolf Di…”

  Before he could finish, Corwin raised his pistol and pulled the trigger. A single shot went right between Diekmann’s eyes and out the back of his skull. Blood burst out over a portrait of Hitler behind him as he recoiled back and then slumped forward onto the desk. As his head thumped onto the wood, Celine arrived in the doorway. She looked at the body and then to Corwin in amazement as though surprised by what he had done.

  She walked up to the desk and lifted Diekmann’s head so she could see his face and know for sure that it was indeed him, then let go. It hit the table unceremoniously once again.

  “Why did you kill him?”

  “Why, does it bother you?”

  “It doesn’t, but I never expected you to be capable.”