RM Vol 3: For a World without Boundary – Chapter 62: Dig in

RM Vol 3: For a World without Boundary – Chapter 62: Dig in

"Any luck on the bus, Adam?" General Rokossovsky asked the Lieutenant who was fixing an abandoned bus.

Adam shakes his head while wiping his hands, which are coated in vehicle oil with a rag. "Well, she is not going anywhere unless we find a compatible spark plug. Other than that, the fuel tank is leaky, I slapped some flex tape on it but the hole is big enough for the fuel to leak beneath the deck. Even if we manage to find a spark plug, I'm not even sure whether the bus would be able to carry the civies back to the trainyard."

Hearing the grim analysis, Rokossovsky sighs. "Figured that it would be the case with how broken down the exterior already is. Unfortunately, without the bus, we won't be able to carry half of the people here, much less all of them."

Adam nods after discarding the rag. "I sent Tomasz out to scavenge for the spark plug... Somewhere. Hopefully, he will find one to get this thing up and running. Otherwise, we will have to do many trips to evacuate the citizens here. That or we wait for the politicians to hash out an agreement of sorts."

Tomasz is, surprisingly, a true Polanian citizen and a medical practitioner. However, since he is a Slavic sympathizer, he voluntarily exiled himself to the slum, helping the people there with his medical knowledge. It's due to his help that the civilians here haven't caught a plague yet. Other than himself, there are also a dozen other Polanians who distrust their new government and stick around to help their Slavic neighbors. Life is understandably hard for both the good-willed Polanians and the Slavs, but they've since then formed a strong bond to carry them. It has been a pleasant surprise for both Rokossovsky and Adam to see such camaraderie in this circumstance. They hope that such a bond will help them weather what's about to come.

Rokossovsky pulls out a cigarette pack before offering it to Adam. Adam declines with a shake of his head. "Never fond of smoking myself."

"Smoking kills, son. Don't be like me and smoke. You should live a long life with your fiancee." Rokossovsky said good-naturedly, earning himself a wry smile from Adam.

"How's the preparation going, General?" Adam changed the subject.Fôllôw new stories at novelhall.com

Rokossovsky turns to look around, seeing both Slavics and Polanians helping each other set up barricades and defensive positions according to instruction from the Rusviets and Belkans.

"Not good, not terrible." The Rusviet General said. "All who are able-bodied have joined us in setting up chokepoints and fortifying fighting positions. A portion of the labor force also accompanied some of your men to create booby traps. I am surprised that your subordinates have such a seldom-seen crafting experience. I've seen his works, setting up chokepoints and fighting positions in a manner that would lead the enemy straight into the booby traps. Things like punji and bear traps will slow down an entire unit. While others like the cartridge trap and spiked whip will disable or take out an enemy soldier while also damaging morale. What sorts of conflict did he fight in that warranted the development of such insidious tactics?"

Adam ponders for a few seconds before replying. "If you're talking about Taipan then the man used to be a big game hunter and tracker. Before everything, he ventured a lot into the African safari before settling down for the military for its pay. From some of his tales, Taipan had to deal with not just dangerous wildlife, and sometimes Demons, but also poachers and thieves. I reckon that was when he developed his trapping experience."

Adam suddenly sighs, sparing one last look at the bus he has spent the better part of half an hour trying to get it working. "Let us go to the front, General. By now, the Polanian encirclement should have been formed already. Best we go and make sure things are as foolproof as they can be." The Lieutenant then moves to retrieve his MP9 that is left on a crate.

"Right." Rokossovsky drops his half-burned cigarette before stomping on it. "By the way, any chance we can get more guns from Thomas?"

"Not with how the Polanians are screening who goes in and out of the slum area by the look of it. Until we pull their attention squarely on us, Captain Surbella won't be able to send the other two Humvees past the blockade without triggering a response against Thomas." Adam explained.

"Despite the train being armed, it's also our sole ticket outta here. Putting the spotlight on the train will risk it being isolated by a literal flick of a switch." Rokossovsky sighs morosely. "Quite a pickle, isn't it?"

Adam smiles wryly. "Indeed it is, General."

Rokossovsky glances at Adam with a grin on his spirited face. "No one can say for sure what will happen in the heat of battle. So, you regret involving in this pitfall with me, Lieutenant? You still have a chance to step back and return to your fiancee, you know? You can take the Humvees and speed away before they can get to you."

Adam jests. "And leave you Rusviets here, hogging all the heroic deeds? Not a chance, sir." The Lieutenant then smiles, adding with a certain steel in his voice. "If I turn my back away from this, I will not be the man Aria knows and loves. The act would be no different than betraying my morals and the values instilled in me by the Reich. I would rather die, facing the tyranny of the world first before I would ever, ever discard everything that made up the person that I am today."

Rokossovsky barks out a laugh after Adam's assertion. "Well-spoken son! Very, very well-spoken! That is how a man in this chaotic era should be, sticking to his gun and what he believes in! No matter what the outcome of today might be, you have gotten yourself a friend for life! Belka is surely blessed to have such good soldiers under its banner."

The Rusviet Genera then slaps Adam on the shoulder in a friendly manner. "And don't you worry, I'll make sure you get back to your fiancee in one piece. You need to help me pick some of the tea brands in Berlin too so I scratch your back, you scratch mine."

Adam chuckles at the vow. "One thing at a time, sir. One thing at a time."

"Heh, ain't that right then." Rokossovsky smirked. The men from two different nations take small joy in banters like that. One can never truly guess where a bullet will end up at the end of its flight, after all. Hence getting a grasp on their nerves is always a good thing, even if they're veterans.

As for whether they all can make it out alive, they can only let the Fortune of War decide.