Secret War: Warhammer 40,000 by Ben Agar (reading eggs books TXT) 📖

up cover behind the barriers and pillars. I had to admit, the Mimic's plan had worked extraordinarily well. Perhaps It was worth leaving alive after all.

With the three from before, I moved up and pushed my back against the furthest left pillar, gaining a better view of the place. I could see the massive staircase leading to the balcony above now and the further three fortifications at its base. Nine enemies took cover behind them, three behind each. Six more were on the balcony, raining fire down on us with their excellent angle and elevated position. The sound was deafening as it echoed through the vast, cavernous room, and even the barriers were little protection as six of us were quickly cut down, and the rest were forced onto their bellies, pinned. Only those of us behind the pillars were immune, still pinned, but we were safer.

I clenched my jaw and sighed, glancing around the left side of my pillar as I struggled to think of a plan. I saw that the two-metre tall wall extended to each room's width that another pillar sat atop it. I could climb the wall easily, but beyond that, maybe a wall of fire that not even I could sprint through. I also suspected more mercs on the balcony above, waiting for us to advance to catch us in a crossfire. I glanced up, seeing the balcony finished just near the staircases but extended about five metres more beyond on my side.

"What do you think we should do?" asked one of the mercs, his expression hidden behind his helm, but his voice sounded dishearteningly young.

I shrugged. "I really can't see how we can get through this without losing many more of us! This place has been designed to be defended, and our enemy knows how to defend it, damn it!"

"You could try to run through it as you did before!" said another.

I growled and glanced around again. "I think I've tried my luck enough for today!" I exclaimed. "Hell! I'd say I'd tried my luck enough for a frigging lifetime! Besides! I'm pretty sure they've got more men on the balcony above us, and the only reason why I've done so well is that they've only shot from the front or the sides! Not from all around!"

The plan was for us to converge on this room; most of the paths on the ground floor led here, the enormous building's epicentre. Just over my head, on the balcony, was the entrance to a large circular staircase that climbed up through the remaining seven stories, zig-zagging to the main chambers on the top floor and where we thought Edracian might be.

A few elevators were scattered throughout the building, but we'd found them shut down by the defenders before we got here.

That thought sent a shiver up my spine; what if the enemy reactivates them, then use them to flank us? As I thought this, I remembered that there were more of us advancing and securing the building in our wake. I clenched my jaw; I saw there was nothing we could do, not now anyway.

I sighed and turned to the three mercs. "I don't see any other way to get around this than wait for the rest of the force then rush them; there's nothing we can do."

"Yeah, thought as much," said the third merc.

I cursed savagely and activated my comm link to the 'general' channel. "This is Attelus Kaltos of the western advance force! We've made it to the ballroom but meeting heavy resistance! I repeat heavy resistance! We're pinned down!"

As though to emphasise my point, a merc only about a metre way took a bullet in the neck, exploding the poor bastard's throat in a shower of blood, and he fell, clutching at his neck, despite the cacophony, I could still hear him gurgle as he spasmed and struggled for breath.

"We need reinforcements now!" I snarled.

"Acknowledged, Attelus," said Wesley over the vox. "We are on our way, meeting heavy resistance ourselves! Will be there in approximately five to ten minutes!"

I clenched my teeth, wanting to swear back profusely, but held my tongue and said instead. "Yeah, got you, over and out!"

"Nothing?" asked the first merc.

"Yeah, nothing," then an idea hit me, and I turned to Garrakson.

"Jeurat! I need the schemata data slate, now!" I bellowed.

Garrakson didn't need any more prompting as he lay on the floor, behind the sandbags, and he slid it over to me.

I snatched it up and began looking over it; my plan was risky and more than a little bit insane, but it might work, and any plan was better than where we were now. Quickly, I found what I was looking for, the perfect place and switched my vox link's channel.

"Major!" I snapped over the vox, seeing Olinthre behind the furthest pillar glance my way.

"Yeah? What?" It said.

"I've gotta plan! I'm going to need at least ten men and a shit ton of frag grenades and a distraction! Can you acquiesce?"

"What are you scheming this time, apprentice?"

"What I'm scheming?" I said with a smile despite myself. "No, this was all your idea; I'm just refining it a bit."

"Okay, sure, tell me what it is you've got."

I told 'Olinthre' my plan; needless to say; it made it quite happy. The bastard.

 

 

I finished the last enemy by embedding my throwing knife through his visor and firing flurries wildly; he fell to the floor. Just my frigging luck that the room I'd decided on using just had to have frigging enemies holed up in it.

"Nice throw," said one of the mercs. "I'd say you are better at throwing them than shooting a gun, but that's not saying much."

Many of the nine others sniggered heartily at that.

I shrugged. "Well, none of us is perfect," I said and approached the left side wall, placing my ear against it. I could hear nothing of the firefight on the other side, which didn't bode well.

I clenched my jaw.

"So how are we going to play this one out?" said the same merc. "You use that fancy power sword to cut us an opening, and we'll rush in just to get mercilessly cut down?"

"Yeah, pretty much," I muttered. "But without the 'mercilessly cut down' part, hopefully. That's what we got all those grenades for."

"Has anyone ever told you, you're insane?" said another.

I smiled. "Yes, many times, actually. Even once very recently."

The merc sighed.

"Alright!" I yelled, pulling out the bandoleer of grenades. "Take one each!"

"There's thirteen here," said one.

"Yeah, three for me," I said, then pointed to the wall. "I'm gonna cut through there! I need five of you on each side."

They shared glances that looked confused, even with their expressions hidden.

"Uhh, right," said one hesitantly.

I sighed, really wishing Garrakson or Torris had come as well. "look! The more time we waste, the more chance more of our comrades are going to die! Once I cut open the entrance, I need each of you, one by one, to throw your grenades at the enemies behind the sandbag walls on the floor; they'll be right in front of us. After that, just provide cover fire for me. I'll need you to pin down the hostiles on both Left and right side balconies so I can advance."

"What are you going to do with that cover fire?" asked another.

I swallowed, realising how dumb it was going to sound. "I'm going to try throw a grenade onto each balcony, hopefully killing a few, allowing us to advance a little easier."

They exchanged glances.

"You're right, Huarit; he is insane," said one.

"Yes, completely," agreed another.

I bristled. "Just trust me!"

"Those balconies must be at least three stories up," said another. "You really think you can throw that far? And that accurately? All while moving, and not to mention you're gonna have a crap angle."

"Yes," I lied, stone-faced. "After that, then wait for my signal and advance. Now, are we gonna do this or not?"

The nearest merc shrugged. "Yeah. Sure, kid," he said. "You're the one risking your arse in this."

I sighed, typical merc mentality.

"Alright! Get in position!" I yelled and activated my sword with a flourish. "And wish me a shit ton of luck!"

"Luck? Why not ask for the Emperor's blessing?" asked one as he jogged up and leaned against the wall.

Because I don't believe in that grox shit, I thought and, with a snarl, thrust my sword into the wall.

It took me about half a minute to create a two-metre wide entrance, which was longer than I liked. I struggled a bit as the wall was much thicker than the last, despite the powerfield. I just hoped the enemy was too distracted by the firefight to notice.

Once finally frigging done, I didn't bother to hold back my relieved sigh, and with a roar, I spun into a sidekick, knocking the bit of wall over with a large crack and crash!

Immediately I darted into cover as the first two mercs leaned out and threw their grenades. I couldn't see the result nor even hear it over the shooting inside. I could only hope to hell it'd work. The first pair slipped back and away from the wall allowing the next to throw theirs; in quick, professional succession, they did this while I watched with bated breath, expecting in any second enemy fire to cut one down in mid pin pull or throw. Still, it never happened, much to my relief.

The last one finished his throw, watched its results and turned to me. "The floors cleared, kid. Now there's six on the left balcony and four on the right, all spread out in pairs, though! With a good three-metre gap between, don't know how good your grenades are gonna be! Can't see how many are over us!"

I nodded, really sweating now, and the tiredness replaced my massive amounts of adrenaline, and I started jumping on the spot. "Okay! Get ready to lay me down some cover fire! Anyone wanna swap an auto gun for a shotgun?"

One shrugged, then handed me his and two clips of ammo. "Yeah, sure! Don't know how good it'll do ya!"

"Thanks!" I shouted. "I'll make sure to give it back later! What's your name?"

I asked this even though I'd forget it later.

"Jevven Farnoth!" said the soldier. "And don't worry about giving it back; the shotgun will do fine!"

I nodded again, relieved I didn't need to remember his name. "Alright! Open fire in three, two, one!"

The four at the edges of the makeshift door immediately leaned out and fired their autoguns on fully automatic.

I took out a grenade, pulled the pin and sprinted into the vast, brightly lit ballroom.

It took me all of a second to gain my bearings, but the first throw made me pivot, and with a grunt, I threw it at the balcony overhead, the eastern one, so to speak. I didn't have time to see where it went as I turned again, pulled the pin of the second and threw that at the closest pair on the Left. Then I sprinted to the Right, running on a thirty-degree angle to make myself harder to hit and threw the third at the pair positioned near the top of the stairs than; before I knew it, I was under the northern balcony and behind a pillar.

My vox link beeped. "Apprentice!" came Olinthre's voice. "We're advancing! Provide cover fire against the south balcony.

"That was the plan!" I exclaimed, and before It could reply, I cut the link and signalled the soldiers at the breach to move in.

They did, and without hesitation, moving along the edge of the room, from pillar to pillar under the comparative safety of the balcony, they advanced, exchanging fire all the while.

I smiled; maybe I'd earned a modicum of respect after all. Then leaned out, spraying sporadic bursts that had no hope in hell to hit anything and surveyed my damage. I could only see four were actively fighting now; perhaps my grenade was on target!

I slipped back and spun to shoot a brief salvo at the enemies on the