Chereads / Bear of the East / Chapter 2 - Interception

Chapter 2 - Interception

At first glance the convoy of trucks passing through the town seemed inconspicuous, as if they were normal delivery trucks en route for their shipment. However inside each truck were sixteen men dressed in old Soviet attire, equipped with black balaclava masks to conceal their identity while adorned with SSh - 60 helmets. They were all uniformed with 6B5 Uleji vest, while there was variance in armament between them. Some preferred the AK - 74 due to its reliability and versatility, others the RPK light machine gun due to its ability to last longer in a firefight thanks to its seventy five - round drum magazine. Some could even be seen holding a PPSh - 41 submachine gun, idle for close quarter combat in urban settings. 

In total the convoy contained ninety men. Sixteen men in the back while two sat in the front, whose responsibility was to drive the truck and to maintain communication between the other teams.

One thing that could be agreed upon examining the company of men is that they meant business.

They, like Victor and his platoon who were currently stalking them, are former soldiers of the Soviet Union. After its dissolution in 1991 many left the armed forces in search of work. Some chose to work as public servants such as police officers or firefighters. Others opted to work construction, however the few who couldn't leave the lifestyle of discipline, order and challenge became mercenaries. They were loyal to no one and only followed money. Whatever their employer asked of them, they would accomplish.

Victor and his platoon of men were employed by a private pharmaceutical company named N.A.R. or New Age Reverts, whose goal was to find a way of lengthening the average life span of seventy - five to the ages of seemingly fictitious characters from cultures around the world, whose lifespans ranged from centuries to a millennia, they wanted to revert humanity back to its unblemished state.

In this particular mission, Victor alongside his companions are tasked to intercept a convoy from an unknown group who held an unfinished serum which reportedly could extend the average persons life span of seventy - five years to the age of a hundred thirty - five. Although unfinished, the serum could break the bottleneck in research and testing that N.A.R. was currently in. Therefore it was imperative that they succeeded in acquiring the serum.

-------

Back to the 2nd floor where Victor was housed in.

"Wait for the leading truck to pass by the 10 meter mark" whispered Victor to Andrei, as he eyed down the driver through the scope of the SVD. 

3 meters

6 meters

As the leading truck continued to approach the 10 meter mark, Andrei followed along through the iron sight of the RPG as he observed through a sizable hole that faced the right flank of the convoy of trucks.

Aiming towards the front of truck with the intention of halting the convoy, Andrei slowly steadied his aim.

Now, he thought, squeezing the trigger.

FWOOSH 

The rocket propelled grenade flew towards its intended target before exploding the entire front end of the truck. Instantly killing the driver and front passenger leaving them perplexed as to how they died.

BOOM

With that shrapnel and debris flew around, and with Andrei's preemptive strike the sound of RPG's from T1 down the street could be heard targeting the trailing trucks.

BOOM

BOOM

A strategy employed in World War Two, the Korean War and countless other conflicts that involved armored vehicles was an effective measure that Victor and his platoon used. By neutralizing the leading and trailing trucks of the convoy, the three remaining trucks in the middle would have no room to escape, as they were trapped. The only thing they could do was to fight. 

Shouting could be heard from down the street. With both ways blocked by the fiery remains of the trucks the armed escort opened the rear door of the truck scrambling for cover under the intensive gun fire from the adjacent buildings on the street.

Bullets zipped and ricocheted near and far from the convoy. Muzzle fire could be seen from two, three story buildings to the right of the halted convoy.

"GET OUT, WE'RE UNDER FIRE FROM TH-" before the second lieutenant could continue a lone 7.62 cartridge struck him on the right temple area of the head. The force of the bullet knocked him to the side leaving him dead under a pool of his own blood, his vacant eyes staring as his troops are ripped to shreds by the suppressive fire of a PKM light machine gun.

While some were unlucky to be shot the moment they jumped off the truck, others were able to return fire at the estimated locations of the enemy.

"THERE THE SECOND FLOOR, THERE'S MUZZLE FLASH" shouted a man to his companion before aiming down the sights of his AK - 74 and shooting.

BZZT

THUNK

As the man shot towards the second floor, some rounds strayed off and wailed into the concrete wall, soon after the muzzle flash disappeared on the second floor of the building. It appears that the man was able to eliminate the threat from the second floor.

Due to the large gap of men between both groups the fight appears to be even. Although the convoy was ambushed they initially outnumbered their opponents three to one. Even after some men were killed, the armed escorts still had a a relatively large majority of their original company alive.

-------

As the fight continued a pair of eyes could be seen watching the bloodshed occur from the left flank of the convoy on a three - story building. The armed escorts could be seen taking shelter to the left side of their trucks, while returning fire to the opposing buildings. 

Ivan Amvrosiy, the team leader of T2, was tasked to wait and let the armed escorts focus their attention on T1 and T3. When they're too preoccupied with the front, his team would rain hellfire upon them from the rear. Due to the task given Ivan and his team were all outfitted with PKM general - machine guns and a single DShKM heavy machine gun to ensure none would survive.

For perspective T3's building is alongside the street heading westwards, while T1's building was on the same side however a building apart. T2's position was on the other side of the street directly in the middle of T1's and T3's location. T2's position gave them a one hundred - eighty degree field of view of the situation below.

Hmph Ivan quietly grunted as he carried the DShKM from the back of the room towards the opened window.

Mounting the gun on top of its tripod, he silently went to work as he chambered the one hundred round belt filled with 12.7 x 18mm ammunition. 

The DShKM's original purpose was to be apart of anti - aircraft installations or used against heavily armored vehicles because of its deadly penetration powers, however Ivan and his team repurposed the heavy machine gun to be used on practically defenseless people as the 6B5 Uleji vest can do little in face of 12.7 x 18mm projectiles. 

Taking aim, Ivan found a man shouting in a radio behind a truck riddled in bullet holes.

"Seems like your luck has run out today" smiled Ivan as he pushed down on the butterfly trigger.

Along the street buzzes, ricochets, and tat-tat-tat-tat could be heard as each side shot at each other.

Suddenly a thundering noise in sporadic burst occurred in the rear of the armed escorts.

THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD

THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD

Anywhere the gun pointed men would fall like flies, their bodies beyond recognition. Bodies with multiple holes larger than a man's fist could be observed. Torsos, faces, legs, arms none was spared. Brain matter, organs and a copious amounts of blood could be seen surrounding the fallen men.

The radio operator turned into a pile of mush as he was sprayed down by Ivan.

As the DShKM began to fire, the other men waiting alongside their PKM light - machine guns began their symphony of death as well.

TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT

TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT

TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT

TAT-TAT-TAT-TAT

The escorts were caught completely off guard. They believed that the enemy was centered around to their right that they forgot to be wary of their surroundings. As a result they were completely massacred. 

Some were given mercy as they were instantly killed by the cross fire from both sides of the streets. Others would slowly bleed to death as either they were missing a limb or suffered a fatal wound in the chest area. 

It was a horrid sight, terrible for the faint of heart.