Completely un-edited but I got carried away! :)
“It looks like your commanders have abandoned the sinking ship.” He said softly. He leant up and tapped the screen. “These…these are Leshan elite, this base…that is it. They are too close now.” He grabbed her arm. “What would you have me do?” She was trembling under his hand, her eyes wide. “Lara Daniels, come on, tell me.” She licked her lips, her mouth dry and he felt her jump as an alarm went off in the control room.
“Help me, some people might be saved if we…” she shook him off and jumped up, the door to the armoury was open and she looked around, swearing under her breath. “Take your pick, arm yourself.” He hesitated, watching her as she shrugged into a vest, securing it tightly and slinging a webbed belt around her hips in the same movement. She rammed a pair of semi-automatics into the belt and hitched a rifle onto the shoulder holster she wore. “We’ll take a car.” She added as he began to gather his weapons of choice. She dropped to her knees and started pulling boxes around, searching. “Here, take this.” She slid a heavy box across the floor towards him and he crouched to throw back the lid. “Just do it.” He nodded and picked it up. She grabbed a handful of keys from some hooks by the door and cocked her head to him to follow her.
The hallways were filling with people now, beginning to panic, as they fought their way through the melee of people someone grabbed her arm in a tight grip.
“Lara!” She faltered and whirled round.
“Will!” She threw her arms round his neck, he was dishevelled, fresh from patrol.
“Fuck, Lara what’s happening? I just got in, been to the East.” He gasped, holding her at arms’ length.
“To the West…from the front there are Leshan forces coming.” He nodded and looked to control, it was in darkness and his question didn’t need to be asked. “They ran.” She said bitterly. “Come on, we can make some time.” He nodded and fell in beside her. She took them down to a basement with a ramp and vast doors leading to the surface. “Get Luke and Joe down here…anyone else who’s close and get a message broadcast out to evacuate to Base 105.” She tossed her radio to Will who nodded and turned away to get to work. Jay put down the box and she looked at him. “Here.” She ripped a tarp off a row of dirtbikes. “Unlock them.” She tossed him the keys and he set to work unlocking them. In minutes Luke and Joe arrived, Joe drew Lara into a quick hug. “I’m ok. We have to give them time, the other people.” She panted, he nodded and she kicked the side of the box. “Get these mounted.” He nodded and levered the box open, inside were two automatic rifles on mounting plates. She stepped back, hands on her hips breathing hard, four other men joined them and half an hour later they were ready to move. Nine of them all on dirtbikes. Lara got the doors open, hacking into the coding box and looked at Joe. He nodded to her.
“Take the lead.” Luke whooped and punched the air.
“She’s back!” Lara balled her fists.
“Ok, we’re going to get as close as we can, rig a line of explosives, no time for a mine field but a line will do something. I’m taking out some tanks so when we get out there I want five on the mines and four to drive on and wreak some havoc.” There was another boom and the building shuddered, something crashed above them and Lara looked up. “Ok move.” She jogged over to Jay and swung a leg over his bike. “I’m with you soldier boy. You better be what you say.” She said in his ear as he gunned the engine, they shot out of the basement and rocketed towards the line of troops ahead of them. As the neared the lines Lara half-stood and motioned the five men to lay mines, the others to follow her. They split out of formation and Lara crouched back behind Jay. “Take the tank.” She yelled, he nodded and drove towards it. “Take me to the right of it.”
As they neared he could feel her tense, he could hear the spattering of machine gun fire as the mounted guns were put to work, the air around them was thick with smoke and he felt a bullet graze his cheek. He brought the bike to a skidding halt and Lara was off it, she had a gun in each hand and she strode towards the tank firing at anything that moved, she took a short run up and he got to his feet to cover her as she clambered up onto the tank, slapping an explosive to the side of the metal beast and sliding down the other side. There was an almighty, crushing explosion and Jay ducked before gunning the bike again to take it round to her. The tank opened up and as he reached her she lobbed a grenade into it, jumping up behind him, still firing. “Go!” He circled the bike and drove them out of range back to the explosives line. “How many done?!” Lara shouted as they reached them.
“We have fifteen…seven left!” She nodded and ran for the box, snatching up two boxes and a length of wire. Jay ran to help her and found that he was shaking, his fingers not functioning properly.
“Lara we have to go.” He said in her ear. She looked up, the line of jeeps was bearing down on them again.
“Tell the others to go.” She snapped, arming the mine and moving along to the next one. There was a clatter of fire and the earth around them was thrown up as bullets landed. Jay signalled to the other men to get clear and several of them shot off back towards the base.
“Lara come on!” Joe’s yell made her look up for a second but she put her head back down to finish the explosives. “Fuck! We have to move!” He yelled again, Jay got back on the bike and circled it to bring it closer to her, as he neared her he skidded to a halt and climbed off. He grabbed her and dragged her to the bike.
“Get on.” He shouted, she hesitated and he slung her onto the bike, climbing on behind her and revving the engine, they flew across the uneven ground towards the base and he was aware of Lara’s body shuddering against his chest. He followed the path Joe had taken round the base and into the streets of the civilian units, stopping at the men’s house. There, he climbed off and bent down to Lara. “Are you hit?” She shook her head and got clumsily off the bike, staggering a few steps away. She dropped to her knees and retched onto the concrete.
“Get her in the house!” Joe called, Jay nodded and crouched down beside her, laying a hand on her back. She was ashen and sweaty, her body wracked by waves of shakes.
“I’m fine, go in.” She panted, vomiting again. He eased his hand under one of her arms and drew her gently upright.
“Come inside.” He said softly, in the distance there was a vast explosion and she gasped, one of her hands instinctively tightening around his arm. He eased her towards the house and she stumbled along beside him. Inside her knees gave way and Jay caught her.
“Get her on the couch.” Luke snapped. “I take it you’re her ‘mentee’?” Jay nodded and Luke shook his hand swiftly. “Get her some food.” He pointed to the kitchen.
