Tuesday, May 27, 2008
10,000
Thus ends the first part of the story apparently I've knocked out over 10,000 words, which means I suspect the first draft of the whole story will be complete in about 30,000 words or about a 1/4 of what it should be....Oh well, must keep reminding myself first draft, first draft.
Escape
Going up the street towards the rendezvous point was a surreal experience, best case scenario Holden had expected lots of shouting and screaming from the locals, lots of shouting, threats and wild gun waving from him. Worst case scenario had lots of shouting and screaming from the locals, lots of shouting, threats and wild gun waving from him rapidly escalating to gunshots and ten minutes later their burning corpses hanging from a lamppost, while some local waved his genitalia in front of a TV cameraman from Al Jazeera.
But he was completely unprepared for what happened after he pushed the German through the doorway. When they'd been waiting for von Junzt to come out of his meeting with Sulemein Sabawi, the locals had made a point of ignoring them, turning their backs or looking away if they realised Holden or another member of the team were watching them, but as Holden dragged the German up the street to the rendezvous point it was as though they simply weren't there. So determined were the locals to maintain this pretence the owner of a small vegetable stall almost walked right into them as stepped out into the road in order to check out a display of fruit on his stall.
As Holden reached the junction he felt a surge of relief the teams second SUV was parked just by the petrol station forecourt, the sense of relief didn't last. There were bullet holes all over the SUV, windshield, sides, everywhere, one wheel was up on the kerb and the passenger door was open with an arm hanging out. Holden looked closer and realised he could see a figure slumped over the wheel and lots and lots of blood.
Holden thought about going over and checking to see if anyone was alive, but the thought was fleeting, even if there was someone in the SUV they were obviously seriously injured there would be no way he could get them out. Holden realised he'd been standing in the middle of the street, he'd been pulling von Junzt across it when he'd realised there the SUV was not going to be their salvation.
They needed to get off the street, find somewhere to hole up, perhaps wait for dark. Holden turned to von Junzt to get him moving off the street only to find the German bent double, one hand wrapped around his stomach as though he had bad cramps his other pressed against his face. From his face a thickening stream of blood, bright red arterial blood leaked between the fingers to splash on the dusty road.
Assuming the worst Holden quickly pushed the German across the street and into a doorway then scanned the surrounding area looking for a threat while trying to get an answer from him,
"von Junzt you injured...you OK".
Satisfied there was no immediate threat or at least one he could see, Holden lent over so he was face to face with the German. Closer he realised the German was no longer praying but sobbing. Holden prised the hand away from von Junzt's face and turned his head so he was looking directly at Holden. There was blood, everywhere streaming from his nose over his lips, small dark tears of blood at the corners of his eyes and his eyes, his eyes looked unreal, so awash with blood Holden wondered whether he hadn't been blinded. He bit back the "fucking hell" which came to his lips, the last thing the German needed to hear was the shock in his voice.
"Junzt, where you hit?"
Von Junzt was obviously panicked even if Holden had been so blind he couldn't read it in the Germans bloodied face his normally impeccable measured English was rushed and flavoured with a thick German accent.
"I'm sorry, scheisse, zer pain I could not keep saying the words, it was like chewing glass, I felt as though my head it would explode!"
"Yeah alright mate Just try and keep it together shall we, can you tell me where your hit?"
"fair-piss dish not hit, just the words"
Despite von Junzt's repeated protestations he was not hit Holden scrambled to check the German out for injuries, as he did so he slowly became aware of a change in the street sounds. The typical murmur of a street going about its daily business had changed, now there was more shouting, the sounds of people running, and a very definite change in the streets tone.
Holden looked up, they weren't being ignored now a small crowd had gathered around them, although they were keeping a respectful distance. Holden watched as a small boy as he bent to pick up a stone, Holden caught his eye, gave the lad the same sort of look he'd have given his own boys if they were about to do something naughty and the lad sheepishly dropped the stone. Holden smiled to himself and wondered how long stern looks and perhaps a stiff telling off were going to be effective.
Glancing up the street Holden could see three heavily armed men passing the wrecked SUV and heading in their direction, a quick glance back the way brought no relief whether they were Islamists, Mujahadeen, Al Qada, Bathists or simply irate locals didn't really seem to matter at the moment whoever they were they were pouring out of the woodwork in droves.
With the appearance of armed men the attitude of the crowd changed again, irate murmurs changed to angry shouts, the next young lad was not dissuaded by a stern glare and a stone bounced off Holden's helmet followed shortly afterwards by another which struck his left knee and made him want to stand up and hop as the pain went shooting through his leg. The crowds fervour only worsened when Holden threatened them with his pistol and the doorway where Holden and von Junzt had taken cover was soon being showered by thrown stones.
Holden debated about shooting at the crowd but in the end the "bad guys" solved the crowd problem for him as the trio passing the SUV opened fire, firing from the hip on full automatic meant the the shots were far from accurate but the long bursts of fire meant the muzzles of their AK's rapidly climbed ensuring their rounds passed harmlessly overhead.
Handing his pistol to von Junzt with instructions to cover down the street, Holden swung the Demarco around off his back and into his shoulder, he hurried his first two shots firing even before he had a propper sight picture. His third shot however dropped one of the shooters or at least came so close he was scared enough to throw himself to the ground.
Holden continued to fire at the remaining two gunmen, who had now taken cover behind the shot out SUV, he took deliberate shots dropping the first as he jumped out to fire, the second as he leant forward from behind the SUV to drag him friend back into cover. Holden exchanged rounds with more gunmen moving down the street in twos and threes, he wasn't sure he hit any of them but he certainly drove them to cover and gave them a sense of caution.
Rounds started to strike the wall just above Holden's head, making him realis he'd forgotten the gunmen coming up behind them, he turned on his heels, there was a momentary sensation of standing only inches away from a passing train then a loud clang as something hit the metal doorway they were hiding in front of and bounced back out into the street. Holden Looked out to where the now spent war head of an RPG slowly rolled across the broken pavement away before dropping out of site into the open sewer. Holden didn't spend long wondering why the RPG hadn't exploded, his attention was drawn across the street where the stunned owner of the RPG was reloading. Holden was less hurried this time killing the man with two well placed shots.
For about five minutes Holden and von Junzt kept the gun men at bay then their luck changed, another RPG was fired at them and while it missed the doorway where they had taken cover it explode only a few feet away, stunned by the blast, neither Holden or von Junzt saw the two gunmen rush towards them, the first shooting his AK from the hip as he ran stopped short as his gun jammed, but his friend took more care priming and throwing a small egg shape grenade which landed on the pavement directly in front of their doorway.
Holden tried to pick himself up off the floor, but his left leg wouldn't hold him, glancing down he wondered why his boot looked so torn up and where all the blood was coming from, a stunned brain slowly put the facts together he'd been injured, Paula was going to be so pissed with him. His back against the door he tried to push himself to his feet again only to slip back down again. As he started to drift in and out of consciousness he absently noticed the tempo of the gunfight was picking up. Unusual he thought considering up until a moment ago he was the only one shooting back.
But he was completely unprepared for what happened after he pushed the German through the doorway. When they'd been waiting for von Junzt to come out of his meeting with Sulemein Sabawi, the locals had made a point of ignoring them, turning their backs or looking away if they realised Holden or another member of the team were watching them, but as Holden dragged the German up the street to the rendezvous point it was as though they simply weren't there. So determined were the locals to maintain this pretence the owner of a small vegetable stall almost walked right into them as stepped out into the road in order to check out a display of fruit on his stall.
As Holden reached the junction he felt a surge of relief the teams second SUV was parked just by the petrol station forecourt, the sense of relief didn't last. There were bullet holes all over the SUV, windshield, sides, everywhere, one wheel was up on the kerb and the passenger door was open with an arm hanging out. Holden looked closer and realised he could see a figure slumped over the wheel and lots and lots of blood.
Holden thought about going over and checking to see if anyone was alive, but the thought was fleeting, even if there was someone in the SUV they were obviously seriously injured there would be no way he could get them out. Holden realised he'd been standing in the middle of the street, he'd been pulling von Junzt across it when he'd realised there the SUV was not going to be their salvation.
They needed to get off the street, find somewhere to hole up, perhaps wait for dark. Holden turned to von Junzt to get him moving off the street only to find the German bent double, one hand wrapped around his stomach as though he had bad cramps his other pressed against his face. From his face a thickening stream of blood, bright red arterial blood leaked between the fingers to splash on the dusty road.
Assuming the worst Holden quickly pushed the German across the street and into a doorway then scanned the surrounding area looking for a threat while trying to get an answer from him,
"von Junzt you injured...you OK".
Satisfied there was no immediate threat or at least one he could see, Holden lent over so he was face to face with the German. Closer he realised the German was no longer praying but sobbing. Holden prised the hand away from von Junzt's face and turned his head so he was looking directly at Holden. There was blood, everywhere streaming from his nose over his lips, small dark tears of blood at the corners of his eyes and his eyes, his eyes looked unreal, so awash with blood Holden wondered whether he hadn't been blinded. He bit back the "fucking hell" which came to his lips, the last thing the German needed to hear was the shock in his voice.
"Junzt, where you hit?"
Von Junzt was obviously panicked even if Holden had been so blind he couldn't read it in the Germans bloodied face his normally impeccable measured English was rushed and flavoured with a thick German accent.
"I'm sorry, scheisse, zer pain I could not keep saying the words, it was like chewing glass, I felt as though my head it would explode!"
"Yeah alright mate Just try and keep it together shall we, can you tell me where your hit?"
"fair-piss dish not hit, just the words"
Despite von Junzt's repeated protestations he was not hit Holden scrambled to check the German out for injuries, as he did so he slowly became aware of a change in the street sounds. The typical murmur of a street going about its daily business had changed, now there was more shouting, the sounds of people running, and a very definite change in the streets tone.
Holden looked up, they weren't being ignored now a small crowd had gathered around them, although they were keeping a respectful distance. Holden watched as a small boy as he bent to pick up a stone, Holden caught his eye, gave the lad the same sort of look he'd have given his own boys if they were about to do something naughty and the lad sheepishly dropped the stone. Holden smiled to himself and wondered how long stern looks and perhaps a stiff telling off were going to be effective.
Glancing up the street Holden could see three heavily armed men passing the wrecked SUV and heading in their direction, a quick glance back the way brought no relief whether they were Islamists, Mujahadeen, Al Qada, Bathists or simply irate locals didn't really seem to matter at the moment whoever they were they were pouring out of the woodwork in droves.
With the appearance of armed men the attitude of the crowd changed again, irate murmurs changed to angry shouts, the next young lad was not dissuaded by a stern glare and a stone bounced off Holden's helmet followed shortly afterwards by another which struck his left knee and made him want to stand up and hop as the pain went shooting through his leg. The crowds fervour only worsened when Holden threatened them with his pistol and the doorway where Holden and von Junzt had taken cover was soon being showered by thrown stones.
Holden debated about shooting at the crowd but in the end the "bad guys" solved the crowd problem for him as the trio passing the SUV opened fire, firing from the hip on full automatic meant the the shots were far from accurate but the long bursts of fire meant the muzzles of their AK's rapidly climbed ensuring their rounds passed harmlessly overhead.
Handing his pistol to von Junzt with instructions to cover down the street, Holden swung the Demarco around off his back and into his shoulder, he hurried his first two shots firing even before he had a propper sight picture. His third shot however dropped one of the shooters or at least came so close he was scared enough to throw himself to the ground.
Holden continued to fire at the remaining two gunmen, who had now taken cover behind the shot out SUV, he took deliberate shots dropping the first as he jumped out to fire, the second as he leant forward from behind the SUV to drag him friend back into cover. Holden exchanged rounds with more gunmen moving down the street in twos and threes, he wasn't sure he hit any of them but he certainly drove them to cover and gave them a sense of caution.
Rounds started to strike the wall just above Holden's head, making him realis he'd forgotten the gunmen coming up behind them, he turned on his heels, there was a momentary sensation of standing only inches away from a passing train then a loud clang as something hit the metal doorway they were hiding in front of and bounced back out into the street. Holden Looked out to where the now spent war head of an RPG slowly rolled across the broken pavement away before dropping out of site into the open sewer. Holden didn't spend long wondering why the RPG hadn't exploded, his attention was drawn across the street where the stunned owner of the RPG was reloading. Holden was less hurried this time killing the man with two well placed shots.
For about five minutes Holden and von Junzt kept the gun men at bay then their luck changed, another RPG was fired at them and while it missed the doorway where they had taken cover it explode only a few feet away, stunned by the blast, neither Holden or von Junzt saw the two gunmen rush towards them, the first shooting his AK from the hip as he ran stopped short as his gun jammed, but his friend took more care priming and throwing a small egg shape grenade which landed on the pavement directly in front of their doorway.
Holden tried to pick himself up off the floor, but his left leg wouldn't hold him, glancing down he wondered why his boot looked so torn up and where all the blood was coming from, a stunned brain slowly put the facts together he'd been injured, Paula was going to be so pissed with him. His back against the door he tried to push himself to his feet again only to slip back down again. As he started to drift in and out of consciousness he absently noticed the tempo of the gunfight was picking up. Unusual he thought considering up until a moment ago he was the only one shooting back.
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Apologies - again
Been very busy at work and then off to Boston (Massachusetts USA, not Lancashire, UK) on business so progress on this little project has slowed somewhat. However I will do my best to try and churn out the next chapter by the end of this week.
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