The Tank

The Tank, Chapter 14

Bullet Magnet roared through the night, climbing Hill 57’s steepest slope like a giant tarantula. As it crested the ridge line, Cordite ordered the crew to stop: “Hold up here.”

The tank churned to a halt, its engines idling, as Cordite stood up in the commander’s hatch and scanned the distance with night vision binoculars. Tex’s voice crackled over Cordite’s com-system. “What’re you looking for?” the gunner asked.

“Lacey,” Cordite replied.

“Lacey? Wouldn’t Axel have killed her when he captured Cagney?”

“He would have, but he didn’t.”

Ratchet interjected to explain. “We spotted her hiding in those woods while those gunmen were refueling.”

“It’s how I knew Cagney wasn’t a traitor,” Cordite said. “If she really had joined up with Axel she would have brought her dog with her.”

“But why?” wondered Maverik. “What good does getting captured do?”

“She’s not captured, she’s infiltrating. She knew the farm would never be free until we attacked the prison and took Axel out once and for all. And she knew we didn’t have enough fuel to get there. This was her way of getting us that fuel.

“Then I got a better chance of spotting that dog than you do,” The turret began to swivel back and forth as Tex used the Abrams’ thermal optics to search for Lacey. Sure enough, Lacey’s thermal image appeared on Tex’ visual display. The dog was hiding in the underbrush, her black and tan coat blending perfectly into the night’s shadows.  “Spotted her,” Tex announced.

Cordite, his head and chest still sticking out of the tank turret, clicked his tongue and called out to the dog. “Where’s Cagney, Lacey? Where’s Cagney? Go find Cagney!” The dog moved like a shadow as it abandoned her hiding place and bounded forward into the darkness.  “Follow the dog – she knows where to take us."

Maverik didn’t have to be told twice. Smooth as silk he put the tank in gear and rolled after the running dog.

Meanwhile Cagney, Axel and over a dozen Gunment were waiting by the Penitentiary’s main gain. A guard in the watchtower lowered his nightvision binoculars and called out: “Contact!”

“Light ‘em up!” Axel commanded.

 Search lights burst to life, their beams cutting through the darkness to illuminate two mechanical beasts of prey: the remaining Korean MBT’s. The search lights’ beams tracked the progess of the Type-99’s as they approached the main gate.  Lt. Lin, commander of the lead tank, called up from his commander’s cupola. “What is going on?”

“Change of plans,” Axel explained. “We’re gonna ambush the Abrams here.”

“You think he’s coming?” the Chinese Lieutenant wondered.

“We know he is!” Cagney assured.

Lietenant Lin looked over the penitentiary, scanning its concrete buildings with approval. “Much better plan. Easier to kill an Abrams in a closed environment.”

“Told you so,” smiled Cagney.

Axel frowned. “Women always love to say ‘I told you so’.” He looked back at Lin. “Get your tanks inside so we can douse the lights. We’ll switch to nightvision and the watch towers will alert you when the Abrams appears. Axel then pulled Mac, a fat bear of a man with a shaved head and scraggly beard, aside. “Arm the javelin and bring around  the Humvee.” Axel nodded toward Cagney. “And make sure someone’s watching her. I still don’t trust this bitch