The engine of the armored Humr roared to life, the machine gunner on the roof pulled back the bolt with a clank, and the black muzzle swiftly aid at the giant wheel!
"Go! Go! Go! Move! Move!"
The US Army Ergency Response Team Commander roared into the radio.
Six fully ard Marine Corps mbers, clad in tactical vests, darted toward the steel gangway connecting the shore and the ship like arrows shot from a bow, at the fastest speed.
Heavy military boots stamped on the tal stairs, creating a drum-like roar with each step striking on the strings of ti.
Their M4A1 assault rifles were already loaded, muzzles swiftly scanning for any moving shadow on the ship.
Samini and the other two still capable comrades, like cornered beasts, were deaf to the closing pursuit and the deafening alarms on the dock.
Only one burning thought filled their minds—the cargo hold! That abyss filled with gunpowder barrels!
"This way! Hurry!"
Samini shouted hoarsely, having long morized the ship's structural diagrams.
He clutched the deadly "cabbage," smashed open a heavy fire door, and rushed into a narrow, oil-and-rust-slling inner passage.
The ergency lights on the passage ceiling emitted a faint green glow, stretching and twisting their shadows on the cold tal bulkheads like fleeing demons in hell.
The blood of an injured comrade dripped onto the passage floor, leaving a broken, glaring dark red trail.
The heavy footsteps and urgent tactical commands were already closing in outside the fire door!
"Clear left!"
"Covering!"
The calls of the Marine Corps mbers rang out clearly, cold and professional.
"Bang!"
The fire door was kicked open.
Two Marine Corps mbers burst into the passage with standard tactical moves, one in a squat pointing his gun to the left end of the passage, while the other swiftly moved his muzzle to the right!
"Target sighted! Ten o'clock direction! Moving!"
The right-side mber instantly caught a fleeting shadow at the end of the passage.
"Fire! Suppress!"
The squatting mber pulled the trigger without hesitation! "Da da da! Da da da!"
The sharp short bursts exploded within the narrow tal passage!
Bullets struck the bulkheads with a "puff puff" sound, ricocheting with an ear-piercing screech everywhere!
Scorching shell casings clattered across the deck.
Samini felt a blast of hot air brush past his cheek!
He swiftly pressed his body tightly against the cold bulkhead at the passage corner, heart pounding wildly.
The injured comrade beside him moved a beat too slow, "puff puff" two muffled sounds, his body jolted, and two blood blossoms burst on his back!
The "cabbage" dropped from his hand, rolling down the passage.
He let out a scream unlike any human sound, but with his last strength, he grabbed the vegetable, threw it towards the passage's depths, towards the vaguely visible stairway leading to the next deck!
At the sa ti, he twisted his body, pounced towards the direction of the pursuers, attempting to block them with his broken body!
"For Allah—!"
The mad howl echoed in the passage.
"Hand Grenade?!"
The Marine Corps mbers in front saw the rolling object, pupils contracted, shrieked a warning!
Two n retreated to cover like lightning!
The anticipated explosion did not occur.
It was just an ordinary cabbage. But this instant of delay granted Samini and his last remaining comrade precious seconds!
They scrambled and crawled towards the steep stairs leading to the cargo hold area!
"Frag out!"
One Marine Corps mber reacted swiftly, tore an M84 shock bomb from his tactical vest, pulled the safety pin, delayed one second, and hurled it towards the blind spot below the stairs!
"Boom—!"
The shock bomb exploded violently in the narrow space beneath the stairs! The blinding light and deafening roar over 170 decibels instantly swept through the whole area!
Even through the stair corner, Samini felt as if a heavy hamr had slamd his head, ears suddenly deaf, vision whited out, intense pain accompanied by nausea surged into his brain!
His comrade beside him let out a short scream, directly stunned to the ground, losing consciousness, the "cabbage" rolling away.
Samini, with mad willpower, bit down hard on his tongue, pain drawing a shred of clarity from the dizziness.
His blurry vision caught sight of a heavy watertight door at the staircase's end below, painted with large yellow danger signs and "no smoking" lettering—the cargo hold entrance!
Allah bless!
He crawled and rolled, almost falling towards the door.
The door wasn't locked, internal passages usually only lock main doors, the heavy handle turned under his sweat-and-blood covered hand!
"Clang!"
The door was pushed open a crack!
The strong unique cold scent of steel, paint, and unopened weapons mixed with the salty tang of seawater assaulted the nostrils!
The massive cargo hold resembled a steel beast's belly, deep, dark, only a few dim work lights cast weak illumination, vaguely lighting the outlines of massive military cargo containers stacked covered in waterproof tarps, like countless silent tombstones.
Target!
Right in front!
Samini's eyes flared with a terrifying light, struggling with all his might to squeeze in!
Now, just shove the "cabbage" into any gap in the cargo stack, then press the detonator...
"Drop the weapon! Hands up! NOW!"
Thunderous roars erupted from above the stairs! Accompanied by tactical flashlight beams locking onto Samini!
Two Marine Corps mbers burst in forcefully in under three seconds after the shock bomb exploded.
User Comments
0 comments from readers