In the past two weeks, Jacques' forces gained little to no ground. They were able to take a few streets but the fighting continued with them fighting over buildings each day. Both sides would install traps within buildings and it became a constant risk to all the soldiers who would be tasked to clear the buildings. Today, Hilbert was tasked to clear a building with men of his choice. He took a handful from his squad and requested for a medic in which Eugene volunteered to go with them.
"Are you sure? The captain might kill me if he finds out I let you come with us." Hilbert stated.
"Don't worry, I was the one who volunteered anyways." Eugene replied as he stuffed bandages into his satchel.
"Okay but stay close to us." Hilbert added as he swapped his rifle with a submachine gun.
Eugene nodded before joining up with Hilbert's group. They crawled under the collapsed ruins of a building to get to their target location. Hilbert checked the the frame of the back door to see if there were any traps hidden. After confirming the door was safe to open, Hilbert and his team slowly entered the building, quietly and carefully clearing every room in the hallway they were in.
"Don't get too close to the windows, there have been several reports of enemy snipers from Teresa." Hilbert whispered as he slowly walked towards the staircase.
"If miss Teresa reported it back then it means she's having a hard time taking them out." Eugene mumbled.
"That's why they send us out to scout ahead and occupy safe buildings with a good vantage point." Phillip whispered as he followed up the stairs.
"I'd take this job over sitting back across the border any day." A soldier added in a soft voice.
Hilbert peeked down each end of the hallway and signaled the others to split up into two groups. Hilbert took four men with him and went down the right while Phillip, Eugene and three other soldiers went down the left.
"Is it really a good idea to split up?" Eugene asked.
"Don't worry, I know what to do. This isn't the first time I've done this." Phillip answered.
"Yeah, Phillip likes to watch how Hilbert does it and he just copies him." A soldier added.
Phillip went inside a room and Eugene followed behind him. The three soldiers behind them separated and continued down the hallway. Phillip could hear the footsteps of the men as they walked further, he then heard a loud click before a loud explosion followed, knocking him and Eugene down on the floor.
"Shit! Did they trigger a trap?" Phillip exclaimed as he ran out into the hallway to see a large hole on the floor and the bloody bodies of his comrades on the floor below.
"They might still be alive, I have to check." Eugene stated before being stopped by Phillip.
"We need to leave now, they know where we are. Forget about them, we can get their bodies back next time." Phillip stated before dragging Eugene to the staircase.
Hilbert met up with Phillip and asked if they were alright, Phillip nodded and rushed to get down the stairs. On the way down, they heard loud footsteps running towards their direction, Hilbert saw the window and told everyone to jump out while he covers the stairs. Phillip broke the glass and one by one they dropped down to the outside of the building. Hilbert chucked a grenade at the bottom of the stairs before following behind them.
"Let's get moving back to our side of the town. I'll draw their attention and take the main road, the rest of you take the alleys." Hilbert ordered as he cocked his gun.
Eugene followed behind Phillip and his squad mates as they cut through the narrow alleys. As they turned a corner, Phillip bumped into an enemy soldier. Phillip quickly pushed him aside and shot the other enemy soldier behind him. Eugene froze in place and took a step back as the others began tackling each other onto the ground, Phillip struggling to drive his blade into the chest of an enemy soldier and the other Lanstonian soldiers exchanging fists with the enemies. Phillip put his weight on top of the blade as the tip of his bayonet pierced the skin of the enemy soldier, the enemy struggled as he screamed in pain. They were winning, all of them had the enemies pinned down on the ground, then an enemy soldier pulled the pin of the grenade on one of Phillip's squad mates. The soldier didn't think twice and embraced the enemy before the grenade exploded between them. Eugene fell on his bottom and trembled as the rain slowly began pouring. The ground shook and dust mixed with the damp air around them. Water dripped from his helmet and down to his knees as he braced himself against the wall.
"This is my end...I'm sorry but I can't keep my promise." Eugene mumbled as he watched the enemy soldiers turned the tables on the still dazed Lanstonians.
Phillip and his comrades were now the ones being pinned down on the ground and being strangled or punched by the enemy soldiers. Eugene couldn't bring himself to move, he wanted to pick up the knife that was inches away from his feet but fear had his grip on him. Eugene began crying as the rain soaked them all, his friends were now on the brink of death he was their only hope.
"E-Eugene! Kill this son of a bitch!" A fellow soldier shouted as he struggled to breathe from the enemy's hands wrapping tightly around his neck.
"Eugene! Shoot this fucker!" Phillip exclaimed before getting punched in the face.
Eugene's hands shook as he reached for the knife, he aimed it at one of the enemy soldiers and shouted at him to stop but the enemy soldier ignored him. Eugene pushed himself to do it, stab the soldier who was strangling his friend. He did, he stabbed the russian in the back below the shoulder blade. Eugene let go of the knife then felt a hand touch his shoulder, Hilbert pulled him aside before spraying bursts of bullets at the enemies.
"Let's go! They're just a hundred meters behind me!" Hilbert ordered as he dragged Eugene by his bandolier.
"Your timing is always so bad." Phillip complained as he helped the other three soldiers up and followed behind Hilbert.
"Hilbert...thank you." Eugene mumbled as Hilbert let go of him.
"If you can just stand and watch as your friends die then you don't deserve to be called a soldier. Cowards like you should have never drafted in the first place." Hilbert replied coldly as he lead them back to a building that their forces occupied.