ON THE CATWALK

Mike and Southhaven were firing up towards the catwalk. Sunrise Yellow was busy bleeding as he crawled for cover. Somebody was already up there and they didn’t want company. Sunrise Yellow had insisted on going up the ladder first. When the bullets came down, he was hit first and fell first. Then the grenade came down. Mike and Southhaven got back in to cover in time. They started shooting up, but the target wasn’t making it easy. Another grenade came down. Again Mike and Southahven ducked behind crates. Sunrise Yellow didn’t make it to cover.

“Do you see anything?” Southhaven asked.

“Uh, I think they are up to the left of the ladder,” Mike replied. “But, uh, I can’t quite see him.”

Somebody peeked out from the right side of the ladder and fired at them. “So much for the left,” Southhaven said.

Mike gave a half smile when somebody popped out from the left and opened fire. Both men were crouched down behind the crate. Splinters of wood arced over the edge of the crate.

“OK, you were half right,” Southhaven admitted. The shots crashing into the crate were slow and steady. “I wish we had a sniper or a rocket or something.”

“Uh, Sunrise had mini rockets.”

“He’s dead,” was Southhaven’s matter of fact reply.

Mike peeked around the edge of the crate., looking at Sunrise Yellow’s body. Immediately he pulled back. A burst of shots had hit the crate. “He’s, uh, too far away.” He brushed off a few wood splinters. This crate isn’t going to last forever. He chuckled to himself, I hope its not filled with grenades or something stupid.

“I think I can get them.” Heather said over the intercom.

“What?” Mike asked in surprise. Where the hell is Heather? He looked around but didn’t see her.

“Just keep your heads down and let me do this,” Heather answered.

“Can she?” Southaven asked.

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He gave Southaven a shrug. “Uh,” Mike didn’t know what to say. “I guess so. Where are you? What are you going to do?”

Heather’s voice was determined. “I have a grenade launcher.” There were more shots from above.

“Don’t forget we’re inside,” Southhaven said, “and what’s your skill anyway?” Please take hint, he hoped to himself. She didn’t.

“And I haven’t had a chance to do anything,” she complained, “so I’m doing this.”

The guys heard the thump of the grenade launcher. In the midst of the noise of battle, they probably only heard it because they were listening for it. Most of the combatants didn’t have a clue until the grenade hit the catwalk ladder and exploded.

“Dammit,” Heather’s voice was full of disappointment. The grenade landed a meter or two below the platform. By the grace of God it hit a rung and exploded. If it had ricocheted...

“That’s okay,” Southhaven began, “you don’t have to...”

Another thump. This one was on target-it hit one of the crates on the catwalk. For the moment there were no more shots from up there.

Southhaven swore. He and Mike had rushed forward and were now standing there, looking up at the ruined ladder. The first grenade had well and truly wrecked the ladder. Southhaven swore again. There would be no sniping form the catwalk today. They had wanted to do exactly what the rebels up above had done.

A tingle, a sixth sense, a premonition, a successful skill check made both men suddenly turned and aim. Neither shot. It was Heather running up to them.

“I wanted to join you,” Heather explained her arrival.

“You, uh, need to say something. Otherwise we might have killed you,” Mike explained back at her.

“Sorry...” her apology was cut off as shots rang out from above. They rushed to cover. There was another big stack of crates for them to hide behind. She reloaded the grenade launcher.

“No,” Southaven quickly said. “We’ll find another way.” HE didn’t have any ideas. Softly he said “or just wait them out. Dammit! I can’t believe somebody is alive up there.”

“What about that ladder?” Heather asked. Southaven and Mike looked. About 25 meters down was another ladder leading to the catwalk.

“Huh,” Southaven grunted. Maybe she can be useful, just not when she’s shooting.

“Uh, huh,” Mike echoed.

Heather smiled a satisfied smile.