56. Chapter 56 - Magnus

Lochinvar and I checked our watches, I unpacked the drone and used my knife tae carve intae the paint on the bottom.

Lochinvar said, "What are ye writing?"

I showed him. It said:

Tae Ass-gall, from Magnus I

He said, "Och, tis verra grand, that might be the best thing ye hae ever done."

I laughed. Then said, "Let's suit up, in case, as Colonel Quentin would say, this goes South."

Lochinvar said, "What does it mean?"

"Not entirely certain, but I daena argue, if he says tae suit up, I do it." We put on our bullet-proof vests and our helmets.

Then when twas time I flew the drone from the woods, hovering a distance away.

Lochinvar watched through the binoculars. "Hold, hold... hold..."

Then tae our right, a verra loud explosion. Lochinvar yelled, "Go!"

Using the screen I flew the drone forward, I was not verra good. I had practiced before, but not in a long time. It swept tae the left and right, staggering as it approached the wall. I asked, "How does it look, Lochinvar?"

"They are still looking at the smoke cloud."

He called Fraoch on the radio, "Count tae three then do another."

I flew the drone up the wall and over. "All good?"

"All good, nae one noticed."

I flew the drone down the other side and along the ground. Lochinvar said, "Halt."

I pulled it up short. "Someone is looking. Hold, hold."

Then there was another explosion.

He said, "Hold!" Then, "Go!" I flew straight toward the building, around the corner, skirting it, and I was behind the building where I hoped there would be a window. There was... I flew the drone in, there was Ash, lookin' directly at m'screen.

I said, "Lochinvar, come speak!"

He scrambled over tae where I held the screen. "How do I?"

She looked frightened, looking at the drone.

I pushed the microphone on. "Speak."

Lochinvar said, "Ash, I am coming?—"

"Lochie? Oh my God, Lochie? You're here?"

"How long hae ye been there — should I come now?—?"

"Come right now, Lochie, now!"

Lochinvar said, "Aye, I am comin'."

She startled and turned to the door, "Someone's here?—"

A man stormed through the door. He was yellin' in Scottish Gaelic.

I dove the drone tae the floor, but it had already caught his eye.

Our screen showed Ash's shoes. Her voice emitted from the speaker. "Nothing, I don't know what it is, leave it alone!"

The drone was picked up. A man's face peered on the screen as he twisted and turned the drone around. Her voice. "I don't know what it is!"

Lochinvar spoke intae the radio tae Fraoch, "They found the drone."

Fraoch's voice, "Och nae."

I asked, "Dost we give them time tae relax, or attack now?"

Fraoch exhaled, then said, "...attack now."

I pressed my finger tae the microphone on the drone. Lochinvar said, "Ash, get tae a safe spot. We are coming."

I tossed the monitor intae my weapons satchel and strapped on my gun.

Lochinvar said, "Colonel Quentin was right, tis a good thing we had our armor on already."

"Aye, we are ridin' intae battle." I mounted Dràgon. Lochinvar had already jumped on Cookie.

We left our camp and rode at a tear down the hill towards the village. Across the grassy valley I could see Fraoch on Thor barreling from the trees, so he would arrive at almost the same time.

Gunfire sounded.

Lochinvar and I turned our horses out of range.

I said intae m'radio, "Fraoch, fire at the east wall near the chimney." He jumped from his horse and yanked the grenade launcher from his bag. I jumped from Dràgon and aimed my rifle. I began shooting at the men on the walls.

Fraoch fired a grenade, knocking the wall down, sending up smoke and fire. Men were coming from the gates. Lochinvar and I shot them as they came, Fraoch fired on the section of wall behind it, and shot again farther along. The section of the east wall was in rubble.

Lochinvar and I left Dràgon and Cookie there in the field and began tae run toward the gates. There was nae gunfire, Fraoch's explosions had moved them back from the walls, and once I made the gate, we had cover, but next we had tae go intae the compound and fight man tae man.

I said, "Ye ready for this?"

Lochinvar said, "Aye, I am ready, follow me."

I heard another of Fraoch's explosions on the southern wall. "Good, go go go!"

He rushed through the gate. I followed with my gun up, made it tae the gate, then raced behind him across the courtyard toward the main building — a flash of gunfire. I dove behind a wall. Lochinvar crouched behind a rail. He and I both had our guns up, I scanned the buildings with m'scope. I said intae m'radio, "Fraoch, ye see the chimney on the west wall?"

"Aye — one two three." The roof of the building exploded and burst intae flames. Lochinvar scrambled tae his feet and raced toward the door.