04:00

  I stopped waiting for Glass to respond. More gunshots followed, each one a final answer to a scream of pain or a moan of despair. The killzone had performed its function; it had outlived its usefulness. Soon, it would be left behind.

  We march on.

  Drones are the next threat. I swung open the cylinder of my launcher. Spent casings automatically popped out, landing in the muddy snow. I began dropping fresh 40mm radar-proximity-fused shells into the empty cylinder and looked around. Carbide was frantically disassembling the HMG position while Wire covered him, scanning the killzone for stragglers. Rain started dashing toward my location, reloading his weapon on the move. I thought I heard the whine of gas turbines from the LZ, but I wasn’t sure.

  I was exhausted, hungry, cold, and afraid—but not stupid enough to admit any of it.

  Comms: “Ambush troops, pack up and assemble at the HEMTT! Support element, pack up! Launch the radar and EWAR drones! Attack bird, cover the extract! TRANSPORT BIRDS! ETA!?”

  Comms: “Condor 2, ETA approximately two minutes, Major.”

  Comms: “Drones airborne!”

  Comms: “Condor 1, prepping for takeoff.”

  Rain didn’t look at me; he hastily stashed arms and ammo into bags. I started tearing down our concealment.

  “Rain! Glass is—”

  “Never use the comms unless you've got intel! Follow fuckin’ orders!” He slapped my helmet.

  “Acknowledged!” I tore away the camouflage and thermal insulation, shoving it into my bag. Grenades went into Rain’s bag. He started passing me unused RPGs; I slung them over my back.

  03:20

  “Leave that shit! Fucking run!” He slashed the air between us and the two large ammo boxes left in the cutout.

  I picked them up anyway. He snatched my arm, panting, and we started sprinting toward Carbide’s position. Carbide and Wire were struggling to pull the HMG from its tripod, both cursing. Carbide smirked at Wire’s last remark about “Deep-fried cockroaches, New York style” as they stole a glance at our handiwork down the road.

  I passed the ammo boxes to Wire and yanked the HMG from the tripod. I didn’t notice the hot barrel burning my palm until I smelled it. HMG on my right arm, tripod in the other.

  “More cargo!” I screamed.

  “What!?” Wire shook her head in disbelief.

  They slung two rucksacks onto my back. The weight itself was outweighed by fear. The smell of burning corpses was smothered by fear. I had never felt more afraid.

  I smiled. Fear means you have something to lose. Fear means you are not hollowed out.

  What was left of the arsenal was shared between Rain, Wire, and Carbide. We dashed down the slope toward the captured logistics truck without another word. Their steps were nothing like they had been three hours ago; they were heavy and stumbling. Gas turbines echoed in the distance, accompanied by the buzz of friendly drones whizzing overhead.

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  Carbide led the formation, followed by Wire, then Rain. I was last. A narrow, descending path led to the road beneath us. I stepped exactly where Carbide stepped, only on solid rock. Mistakes will not be repeated. Each of my steps sounded more like an exosuit’s. I was hauling close to half a ton. Every so often, they all glanced back to check my status.

  Watch: 02:30

  Ahead lay a ten-meter strip of snow before the road. No rocks. Carbide walked onto it and sank up to his neck.

  “Fuck!”

  We stopped. Wire’s body shook. Carbide flailed uselessly. Rain grabbed my harness and led me away from them, shaking his head.

  “No! No! Fetch the fucking line!” Wire hissed, dropping an ammo box. It burst open, spilling ammo into the snow. She tore through a rucksack slung on my back and yanked out a length of yellow paracord.

  “Catch!” She threw one end to Carbide. Rain and Wire pulled, but it was useless.

  “Leave me! Hurry to the extract!” Carbide let go of the rope and winked at Wire with a half-smile.

  “No! You cockroach-fucker! No!” Tears burst from Wire’s eyes as the rope hung limply from her shaking palms.

  “Leave him. Let’s go,” Rain whispered in my ear, pulling me away.

  Jetzt reicht's!

  I set down the HMG and the tripod. I yanked the rope from Wire’s shaking hands and stomped on the boulder I was standing on. Solid. I took a deep breath. The wind sighed in the burned valley.

  I paced back two steps. The road was ten meters away. My sight switched to thermal automatically. Time slowed.

  Wire wiped away her tears and nodded sharply. Rain concentrated, his jaws clenched. Carbide’s eyes were locked on our extraction site, 730 meters away.

  “We haven’t finished our duel, Commander.” A biomechanical groan erupted from my lungs. The body I controlled finally felt useful. It felt right.

  I dashed, and then... I jumped.

  The impact echoed in the valley. The pavement cratered underfoot, my combat boots torn to shreds. I threw the line. Rain caught it.

  Assault Squad 1 held on.

  I pulled.

  Their resistance was negligible. Seconds later, they reached me; only the heavy machine gun had been left behind. Carbide and Wire’s palms briefly touched. Rain gave a double thumbs-up.

  Watch: 01:20

  I picked everything back up.

  We ran.

  I did not dare check the status of my feet; the pain was unbearable. I think I heard my flesh tearing. The stench of death almost overpowered the smell of blood.

  The HEMTT was at 12 o'clock, 500 meters away. One of the transport helis was directly overhead and closing on our extract location. The second one broke off from the formation and banked toward the opposite mountain face, toward Glass’s position. Its doors were slung open, Geiger manning the door gun; a fast rope was hanging from the side. The attack heli was hovering a click above us.

  0:50

  Numbness started crawling up my knees.

  Everything in my vision started to narrow; only the logistics truck was now visible. My platoon holding the perimeter and the helicopter about to land next to it were visible no more.

  I wanted to scream.

  So I did.

  Instantly, Rain’s tiny palm brushed my back.

  “Onward!” Carbide’s voice echoed.

  100 more meters.

  Numbness was crawling up my knees with every step. Every so often I looked back at Rain, at my new allies, to regain my might. I ignored the trail of blood I was leaving behind.

  I accelerated.

  The first transport heli landed next to the truck. Someone was already guiding a fuel hose to the fuselage. Some stared at my feet with wide eyes, their features a blur.

  No matter; I delivered.

  I delivered my cargo at the heli. Two allies helped me transfer and secure the cargo. Why could I not distinguish their faces? I think it was Bug and Semex...?

  Sleepy.

  Watch: I couldn’t see the number.

  My allies, my platoon, were calling for me, gesturing at my feet and screaming something. They sounded so far away.

  Darkness was creeping into my vision. It felt like home.

  The people I killed appeared in my peripheral vision; Holger joined them. They stood and watched. They pointed at me.

  “Zero Two, have you proven your function?” the burning corpses asked.

  “Rain! I feel funny,” I tried to scream. I whispered instead.

  Eyes. Heavy.

  Two people approached quickly. One alive. One dead.

  I tried to salute them. I fell.

  “Mission…”

  I felt myself being picked up. Someone held my palms. Injection, right thigh. Pain gone.

  “Mission successful, soldier!” said Rain.

  “Was that your mission, Edelweiss?” asked Holger.

  Darkness.