Chapter 9

9

SCARLETT

S carlett and her platoons desperately tried to fix the generators that had been taken out in one of the first hits. The whole base was in disarray, and without power, they wouldn't be able to coordinate any sort of resistance or call for aid.

After taking out the power, the insurgents had been able to breach the front gates and storm the complex. The base was vast, however, and the insurgents were massively outnumbered. Scarlett had no idea what their aim could possibly be. Packs of insurgents roamed the base, taking out equipment and unsuspecting soldiers wherever they could. Were they really convinced they could take the base? Or was this all just vengeance for their comrades killed by Ros and her rescue team? Scarlett had never thought it would escalate to this.

The sharp rattle of bullets firing caught her attention to the left. Raising her hand, she signaled the enemy presence to her officers. The sound came from behind a shed-like structure not far from them. Her eyes narrowed as she scanned the area where the gunshots originated. The insurgents were getting bolder, pushing deeper into the base and targeting critical infrastructure. She couldn't let them succeed. The generators were their lifeline. Without them, Fort Independence was sitting on a powder keg with a lit fuse.

"Stay sharp!" Scarlett ordered, her voice cutting through the chaos.

Her platoon, already on high alert, tightened their formation around the generator, their weapons raised and ready. The men and women under her command were some of the best, but even they seemed shaken by the brazenness of the attack.

Scarlett motioned for her second-in-command, Lieutenant West, to move closer.

"We need to secure that shed. If they're planning to sabotage the generator from there, we're screwed."

West nodded, his expression grim. "I'll take a team around the left flank. We'll flush them out."

"Go," Scarlett replied. "But be careful. We can't afford any more losses."

As West and a small group of soldiers crept around the left, Scarlett took the rest of her team and moved to the right, her weapon held steady as they advanced. They approached the shed cautiously, the silence between the gunfire bursts unnerving. Scarlett signaled her team to spread out, covering all possible angles of attack.

Just as they reached the shed, a barrage of bullets erupted from the structure. Scarlett dove behind a stack of crates, the wood splintering around her as the enemy opened fire.

"Return fire!" she shouted over the din, her team quickly responding with a hail of bullets.

The air filled with the deafening roar of gunfire as both sides exchanged shots, each fighting desperately for control of the area.

Scarlett peeked around the crates and saw an insurgent as he reloaded behind a broken window. Without hesitation, she squeezed the trigger, her bullet finding its mark. The man dropped out of sight, and Scarlett felt a grim satisfaction—one less threat to worry about. But there were more, and they were determined.

"Lieutenant, now!" Scarlett called into her radio.

West's team burst out from the left flank, catching the insurgents by surprise. The attackers, suddenly outgunned, faltered. Scarlett saw her chance.

"Push forward! Don't let them regroup!"

Her platoon surged ahead, overwhelming the insurgents with sheer firepower. Within moments, the remaining enemies were either down or retreating. The gunfire died down, leaving an eerie silence in its wake. Scarlett didn't allow herself to relax yet, though. They'd won this skirmish, but the battle for the base was far from over.

"Clear!" Lieutenant West called out, confirming the area was secure.

Scarlett stood, brushing dust from her uniform as she surveyed the scene. The shed had taken heavy damage, but more importantly, the generator was still intact. They'd managed to hold the line—barely.

"Good work," Scarlett said, though her tone lacked the usual confidence. She couldn't shake the feeling that they were fighting a losing battle. "Get those generators back online now! We need power if we're going to stand a chance."

Her engineers immediately set to work, their hands moving with practiced efficiency. Scarlett stayed close, keeping watch as they worked, her senses on high alert for any sign of further threats. She could hear the distant sounds of gunfire and explosions echoing across the base, a reminder that the fight was far from over.

As the minutes ticked by, Scarlett's thoughts drifted to Ros. She knew the general would be in the thick of it directing the defense of the base. The memory of their last conversation—the painful breakup—still lingered, but now wasn't the time to dwell on it. They had to survive this attack first. Everything else could wait.

"Captain, we've got power!" one of the engineers shouted, pulling her out of her thoughts.

The lights around them flickered back to life, the hum of the generators returning with a reassuring steadiness. Scarlett let out a breath, feeling more relieved. With power restored, the base's defenses would stand a better chance.

"Get word to command," Scarlett ordered. "Let them know the generators are secure and operational."

One of her soldiers relayed the message over the radio, and Scarlett took a moment to collect herself. They were holding on by a thread, but they were still in the fight.

"Let's move," she said, her voice steady. "We've got more ground to cover."