[b]The Bleeding City.[/b] CPO Fraser had finally reached Hindu Gangster Park, the rally point, about midway into Flood Lin. The Northernmost positions were done for, and Undergroundica was building temporary bridges over the river to bring across even heavier units. The river was now choked with Undergrounican Boats, ferrying troops and supplies from one bank to the next. Almost all Floodian Anti Air capabilities had been knocked out, besides troop-carried ground-to-air launchers. And because of that, Undergroundica was flying constant Helicopter sorties over the city, trying to dissuade concentrations of Floodian forces. CPO Fraser and what was left of his twelve man squad were dead on their feet. The Undergroundican Infantry had swarmed over the minefield, dismantled the tank traps and generally cleared the way for heavy armour pieces. His people in the Heart Ford Turbine factory had been well equipped, and had taken down over a dozen amphibious armour pieces, showing General Guscon he’d have to pay dearly for entry into Flood Lin. The Steve Irwin heavy Infantry Division and the company of supporting Cookie Ninja tanks had managed to hold onto their sector for over an hour before breaking. As CPO Fraser’s squad had begun to run low on anti-tank rockets and ammunition in general, they were attacked from behind by Undergroundican infiltrators. Probably dropped in via Helicopter, they were playing havoc. Nevertheless, the Steve Irwin Division repelled attacks on both sides, holding on for relief forces. However, calls on the radio for support soon became useless. Someone on the other side of the river had decided they’d had enough with this obstruction and called in a massed bombardment. Helicopter screamed in overhead, launching rockets, shells hit Floodian positions and even tanks on the other side of the river opened fire on the Steve Irwin strong points. In the cover of the bombardment, enemy infantry worked it’s way forward again and stormed the Floodian positions. CPO Fraser, like many Floodian officers that day, had to organise his people and get them out of a hellish, blood-drenched hand to hand combat. Somehow, CPO had managed to drag the last remains out of the confines of the factory. He had lost contact with the last of the division, but at least he knew where the rally point was. He and four others had escaped the clutches of the Undergroundicans And hitched a ride on the very last Cookie Ninja tank to escape. As the tank trundled through the obliterated streets, they caught up with another two Cookie Ninja tanks of the same company, and half a dozen more Heavy Infantry troops of the Steve Irwin Division. Together, they trundled along, heading south for the Hindu Gangster park. But along the way, Undergroundican infiltrators ambushed the small convoy at every turn. CPO came to learn that every window, every building, every manhole and every roof wasn’t as innocent as it first appeared, and that it almost always harboured a lethal enemy. Nevertheless, the fleeing convoy managed to reach Hindu Gangster park. The once magnificent open space was ruined. The trees, once lush and verdant with greenery were now dead and ill. The grass had been churned into mud by grinding tank tracks. The ancient, ornamental fountain sat in ruin, the beautiful engravings shattered and chipped. In the buildings around the park were military personnel, there was a Field Hospital packed to capacity with wounded and dying. Another building operated as a forward command centre, with another one acting as an impromptu armoury. “OK, driver, I want you and your tanks refuelled and ready for immediate action, understand?” CPO called out into the driver’s section from the troop carrying section in the centre of the tank. “Yes sir.” The driver said back to him reluctantly. “Steve Irwin Division! Dismount!” He shouted into his radio, and the ragged collection of soldiers opened the side hatches of their tanks and jumped out. “Move into cover, now! I want that street watched! You! Get to the armoury and get everyone some more ammunition! I want anti-tank rockets, rifle ammunition, whatever!” He shouted hoarsely over the sound of shells exploding, and the soldiers moved on. The park itself was protected by barricades on the two southbound roads, and the buildings overlooking the two roads were manned by dozens of men with anti-tank weaponry and Heavy Machine Guns. As CPO jogged across the sludge-like ground the tanks rumbled on towards the nearest refuelling station. Eventually, he reached the command centre. “Who might you be?” Asked an officer as he entered through the now-nonexistent front wall of the building. The place was packed, with computers and radio sets, military aids trying to set some semblance of control over the fiasco. A noisy petrol generator sat in the back of the room, chugging away and powering dim lights hanging around the room. “Corporal CPO Fraser, sir. I just came from the Heart ford Turbine factory. I bring three Cookie Ninja tanks and around ten men from the Steve Irwin Heavy Infantry Division.” “Excellent. Are there any other troops from the Steve Irwin Division coming?” The officer, a Colonel apparently, asked. “I can’t say sir. The Cookie Ninja tanks were once twelve strong. I can’t say where the rest have gone. The North Western area was hit hard, sir. Heavy shelling, and the enemy infantry stormed us. Do you have reinforcements?” CPO asked, exhausted. “Ten people, that’s all. You get them.” The Colonel said, pointed at a group sheltering by the side of the park and turned away. CPO jogged over to inspect the group. The closer he got, the less he liked the look of things. The majority looked like civilian conscripts, ageing around 16 or 47, either too young or old for the legal age to join. The group had six being civilians with ill-fitting second hand equipment. “Who’s in charge here?” He asked. “I am, sir.” Said a woman, standing out from the group. She wore the grey uniform of a vehicle unit. “Why aren’t you with the rest of your unit?” He asked. “They’re dead, can we move along?” She said roughly. “This way.” He said, heading where he had last left his people. “Sir, please understand two of my people are deaf because of shells, they can’t hear you.” The woman said, catching up with CPO. “Who are you?” He asked, still heading towards his unit. “Tinos, sir.” She responded. “Make sure they do as I say, then I don’t care, Tinos.” He snapped. [Edited on 9/9/2006]