Rapax: Westmen, #1

Chapter One

Blade pressed his face down into the freezing slush and tried to still his breathing as another column of armed men tramped past almost close enough to touch. He willed the swirling snow to hide his presence. Please don't look he thought. We don't want a contact, just walk on by like good little mercenaries. At last the tail of the column passed his position. Digging the toes of his combat boots into the snowy ground Blade slithered back to the remnants of his team deeper in the scrub.

How many this time, Welch asked.

About 50, Blade replied quietly glancing at his One One. Making about 150 total. That last group had heavy weaponry, a 50 .cal ,a grenade thrower and what looked like mortars.

Fuck, breathed the last man in the group. Watchchu think it means, boss.

Nothing good, Fowler. Blade grimaced. Nothing good at all. Lifting his gaze he looked across valley towards the wall, half curtained in falling snow. They've got to be heading for Gate Three, he said. Topsy's tosspots will shit a fucking cow when they see that lot coming.

Well fuck, Fowler said again. If they breach the gate , and the wall falls...

Blade wiped some flakes of snow from his face We can't let that happen, here's what we are going to do.

--

Danny Donnelly leant his head back against the splintery wood at the back of the tower above gate three and sighed contentedly. Sangar duty could be boring as fuck he thought, but he was nice and warm not like those poor bastards huddling on the walk ways along the wall out in the snow. He had a heater and well there were other ways to make the time pass quicker.

His fingers drifted across the metal of his GPMG, the frosty cold of the metal providing a counter point to the feeling of Keri's hot tongue sliding across his stomach heading south. Five minutes earlier when she asked about a 12 hour pass he hadn't been minded to agree but this girl certainly knew how to persuade a guy.

Twining his fingers in her dirty blonde hair he took his eyes off the ground to his front and leant back, feeling her mouth working on him. A grin split the stubble on his face, this was certainly one way to make a guard duty more enjoyable. Of course when the shift was over he had little doubt that she could be persuaded to entertain him further in his sleeping bunker. There were a lot of perks to being Sergeant at Arms and Danny Donnelly intended to use every last one of them.

Even if Donnelly had been watching his assigned sector he might have missed the dark shapes ghosting across the valley into position behind rocks and trees. A few slid slowly forward from the treeline into the free fire zone, deftly snipping the command wires running out from the wall to trip flares and claymore mines.

--

On the opposite hill side the heavy weapons crews were setting up. The Browning fifty cal poised evilly on its tripod, the grenade thrower hunched next to it, and two 82mm mortar tubes sat ready to rain death and destruction down on the Wall garrison when the signal was given. The mercenary Captain in charge shivered in the cold. Working with these bastard clansmen was always a trial, but if they could breach the wall the rewards would be well worth it.

--

Two hundred metres back from the weapons position Blade and his two men lay prone in the snow, melt water slowly soaking through their fatigues, the cold numbing their extremities. We need to take these twats out asap, but we can't go yet. Blade hissed With those hairy arse clansmen milling about it'd be fucking suicide. We'll need to wait for the assault to start.

Yeah Fowler murmured because that will be so much safer, with the air full of lead and tracer, Welch grimaced and nodded at his friend.

If you wanted to live for ever you shouldn't have joined Recon, Blade growled.

--

Down on the edge of the fire zone two mercenaries were inching into position. Each had a short metal tube in their hands, and more slung on their backs. LAWS rockets. Light Anti-armour Weapons System. Also perfect for taking out bunkers and guard towers.

--

If only we still had a radio muttered Fowler We could warn the wall and these arseholes would be toast.

Yeah chipped in Welch and if Thompson was still here with his sniper rifle we could sort these fuckers ...

Oh for fuck's sake you two Blade hissed If, but, may be, and if your aunt had balls she'd be your uncle. Yeah it would be good if the radio wasn't U/S. It would be great if we hadn't lost half the fucking team fighting the bastard Blood Drinkers. It'd be fucking outstanding if Angelina Jolie came back from the dead and gave us all a blow job. But you don't always get what you want, fucking deal with it.

--

Up in the sangar Donnelly was getting exactly what he wanted. Leaning against the back wall guard duty all but abandoned, he could feel all his control slipping away. God but she was good at this. Alternating the edge of her tongue and its tip, licking in perfect rhythm, Keri was sucking all his cares away. Donnelly closed his eyes and let his mind picture the other things he'd heard Keri could do, Topsy said she had a trick with a silk stocking and a bowl of ice. With that thought Donnelly felt the last vestiges of his restraint leaving him as his nuts tightened.

Keri could feel the trembling of his member against the inside of her cheek. About fucking time she thought. Just got to let this fat rutting pig do his thing one last time, and then with that pass she'd be gone and shake the shit of this outpost and fucking Danny Donnelly and his deviant CO off her boots for good. It could be worse, she consoled herself, as she prepared to receive her daily vitamin dosage in one disgusting mouthful, at least she hadn't had to fuck him.

--

Out in the dark a merc extended his rocket, braced against a tree branch, took careful aim and gently squeezed the trigger

--

Donnelly grasped Keri's hair tightly and thrust into her mouth , jamming himself into her throat head tilted back in animal roar ignoring her gagging struggle and yes...

--

BOOOOOOOOM with a flash of flame and a roiling blast of hot air and shrapnel the ILAW impacted on the edge of the viewing slit. Instantly Donnelly was ripped from pleasure through pain and into oblivion, his upper body torn to so much raw meat. An ejaculation of blood and bodily fluids showered across the interior of the sangar, painting death patterns across the torn ragged wall,

Protected from the shrapnel by the Sangar's lip Keri tasted metal in her mouth as Donnelly's blood rained down on her, and then a second ILAW impacted, the blast throwing her through the disintegrating back wall to the ground 25 ft below.

Two more ILAWS impacted on the other machine gun post to the left of the gate and just like that the defences were in a shambles. Sentries on the walk along the Hesco fell back like puppets with their strings cut, as tracer flashed across the valley from the 50 cal, wiping the walls of the parapet clean.

The 50 switched fire to the gate, abruptly joined by the twirl boom of the grenade thrower. To the remaining defenders' horror the stout oak gate started to come apart. In the same instant a wild rush of clan warriors carrying rough climbing poles came boiling out of the treeline across the snow slick ground to the wall.

--

TIC Lt Keith Turvey screamed into his radio Gate 3 , troops in contact the radio hissed and crackled in response. He span the dial and tried again TIC, gate 3, we need armour, reinforcements, please someone answer. Gate 3 in the blind troops in contact.

Out by the bunkers Staff Sgt Mike Tarrant looked up at the moonlit sky as the snow cleared, then around his small crew of 30 or so surviving defenders, Where the fuck's Topsy ?

I think he's still crying into the radio a lance corporal replied .

Great, just fucking fantastic, there's nothing like inspiring leadership, ah fuck it. Tarrant spat on the ground. We're better off without the little shit weasel anyway.

Raising his voice he shouted right then boys and girls, time to earn our pay. In a minute that raggedy arse band of goat fuckers are going to start coming over the wall and the ignorant bastards will be sky lined, and that's when we get one chance to shoot them down like tin plates on the range. He paused for breath. Stay the fuck out of the way of the gate if you don't want a new fifty cal arsehole. Corp you take your boys left of the road, I'll stay to the right with the rest. Any of those tossers get passed the wall we fuck em up good. Make every shot count, and any fucker who dies without permission answers to me !

Tarrant looked grimly along the thin line of battle rifles trained on the wall, then back to his front. Come on then you bastards he muttered let's be having you.

--

Blade watched the tribesmen rush for the wall, and unleashed his men. Assault to the guns.

At fifty metres one of the mercs started to turn.

At forty he died shot to pieces in a hail of rifle fire.

At thirty only one merc was left, spinning towards the on rushing soldiers, rifle coming up.

Blade and the merc fired at the same time. Blade felt the rush of rounds passing his face, heard a grunt behind him and saw the merc's head explode from his rounds.

Welch is down Fowler grunted.

Fuck. Blade looked at his friend, blood was pulsing from his chest turning his battle dress top black in the moonlight. Blade made a swift decision, pulled his Glock and fired twice, punching two bloody holes in Welch's forehead.

Fucking hell boss Fowler shouted Couldn't we have..?

Returning the pistol to his webbing, Blade turned back to Fowler No, we fucking couldn't, he snarled. You know the score as well as I do. We couldn't have run with him, and we definitely don't leave wounded for those clan bastards. If that was me lying there I'd want you to do the same. Now quick, fuck up the grenade thrower and those mortar tubes.

What about the fifty ?

Not yet, said Blade First I give those clan tossers a dose of their own medicine.

--

Tarrant's men had just finished shooting the first wave of clansmen off the wall when the supporting fire stopped. The fuck he thought. Three sharp explosions echoed across the valley, and then the 50 chugged back into life.

Knew it was too good to be... he stopped. The fire was no longer hitting the gate.

Tarrant looked across at his men Get on the wall he shouted urgently Get on the wall and kill those bastards.

Hauling himself on to the parapet Tarrant looked down in amazement at the valley below. The clansmen were abandoning their assault and running for their lives. His men fired furiously at any left in range, while the fifty cal on the opposite hill swept glowing lines of tracer across the valley like the finger of an angry god, erasing every clansman it touched.

You know who that is ? he told his men Re-fucking-con, those magnificent brave bastards.

--

The 50 went dry for the last time, and Blade swiftly stuffing a charge into the barrel, pulled the igniter. Two minutes he said to Fowler Lets get the fuck out of here... I don't fancy hanging around to say hello to the half face clan after the arse reaming we just gave them. He grinned Time for a little jog through the hills and back through Gate Four in time for first orders. I guess even those tight arse guard bastards will be buying tonight.

--

Lt Turvey walked through the wreckage of his command. The snow had once again begun to fall masking the worst of the damage. Well Sergeant, he said to Tarrant, we held. Another fine victory for Turvey's Terminators Tarrant rolled his eyes and thought, yeah we held you snivelling little rat, while you sat in a bunker jerking off.

The trouble with people like Turvey, he decided, was that he might be a shit, but shit has a tendency to float to the top. Unless a grenade went off under his bed one night this little bastard would probably be on brigade staff soon. Of course he'd need a scapegoat for the colossal clusterfuck that had just occurred but Tarrant already had a fair idea who that was going to be.

So Sergeant, Turvey continued why exactly didn't Sangar 1 engage the enemy forces as they came up the draw ?

It's not entirely clear sir, said Tarrant resignedly. But we found Sgt Donnelly's corpse with his trousers round his ankles and Private Middleton still had one of his fingers in her hair so I guess we can draw our own conc....

Where is the prick sucking whore now ? Turvey interrupted.

Middleton's at the aid post Lt , but listen she's gone through enough tonight, and there's plenty of time to deal with... He trailed off as Turvey strode away from him towards the bunker where Keri sat amongst other casualties, gently rocking, hugging her knees, shocked, and blood spattered.

Turvey sneered down at her This is all your fault, bitch !

Chapter Two

One Month Later:

They say it started when someone fucked a monkey. If that's true I hope the sorry bastard had fun, because he certainly shafted the rest of us. Blade paused as a ripple of laughter ran round the training bunker, and looked around. Twenty five new faces looked back at him. The usual mix of men and women, some eager, some apathetic, one or two bored. The desperate and the damned. The usual for a Recon intake. I just hope some of them have their shit together he thought.

Talking of monkeys, my name is Ben Gibbon, you can laugh, this once No one did. My friends call me Blade. You miserable fuckwits can call me Boss or Sarge, but we don't do monkey jokes unless you want to find out how I got my nickname. I'm usually the team leader, or One Zero, for recon team Rapax but as all I've got left of RT Rapax after our last run is Mr Fowler over there in the corner Blade nodded towards a muscular crew cut soldier wedged in the corner, seemingly asleep standing up. It's my lucky lot to try and make at least some of you into recon soldiers.

Blade's gaze swept around the room again, some of these haven't a fucking chance he thought. Look at that fat lad row three, he'll fucking die the first time he runs up a hill, and that skinny little bastard, how the fuck is he going to run 15 miles with a pack and weapon. Maybe fatso's been stealing all his food. Not to mention the women. Jeez that one looks more like a pleasure girl or a dancer than a soldier, look at that mop of blonde hair, talk about a good target for a sniper.

Shaking off his negative thoughts Blade continued So yeah as I was saying all these things it began in some third world shit hole, with some loser who took the idea of doing the funky monkey a bit too literally, 2015 had the Ebola out break in West Africa, 2017 had the Zilka virus in South America, then in 2020 we had The Wave. I'm not going to bore you with the whole story, I'm sure most of you know it already. The important thing is that whoever said it was the deadliest virus ever, they fucking weren't kidding. In less than a month it knocked 3 zeros off the worlds population and left us with the fucking mess we have today.

Blade slapped the map behind him with his hand . Back in the day the security forces built the wall, and you can thank whichever god takes your fancy they did. Forty odd miles coast to coast, and the only thing that stands between civilisation and a bunch of tattooed headjobs who'd like to kill us all, drink our blood and doubtless fuck our corpses to make a change from sheep. Of course without soldiers the wall's just a big pile of Hesco baskets and stone. You've got your basic three forces. You've got the play soldiers in the Militia who supposedly watch the coast, chase after bandits and generally try and keep a bit of law and order in the countryside behind the wall. Even in the dim light of the bunker Blade could see a few faces darkening. Ex militiamen no doubt, pissed at his disparaging their unit. Fuck them he thought, they'd learn, assuming they lived long enough. You've got the Guard, who spend their lives holding the wall against all comers. I won't say they aren't brave enough in a fight but you'll be lucky to find a Guardsman more than 100 metres east of the wall, and then you have Recon. What makes us special is that we don't hide behind the wall waiting for trouble, we go east into the badlands and look for it, and when we find it we kick it firmly in the fork and convince it not to fuck with us in future.

Blade looked around the room again making eye contact with each candidate "Now you've probably listened to me for longer than you want, and fuck knows I'm getting tired of talking so I'll keep the rest of this brief. You people are here because for some reason you want to join Recon. May be you've got nowhere else to go. May be you're a criminal and you've been sent here by the Council court. May be you've fucked your life up and want a do over. Hell its even rumoured that not one but two of you volunteered to transfer from Guard units, though I find it hard to believe two people could simultaneously be that fucking stupid. Whatever, its my considered opinion that most of you don't have what it takes. You've got the rest of this week to prove me wrong. We don't fuck about with selection here. If you're shit, you're cut and can fuck off back where you came from. If you make it through you get to patrol east of the wall and we get to see if you can handle it for real

Blade gave it a ten count for this to sink in then Right , 15 minute break and be back here in PT kit, we're going for a little run...

--

Grinding up another steep bastard hill pushing into the Fifth mile Keri cursed to herself, this hadn't been part of the plan. It had seemed so easy, do what you need to to get a 12 hour pass from that repulsive oaf, get off base and don't come back, simple. Any other night she'd have been fine but she had to pick the one time that half the fucking badlands tried to breach the wall.

After that night there'd been no chance. Already not particularly popular in the unit, afterwards thanks to Topsy fucking Turvey she'd been a pariah, The slut responsible for 32 dead comrades was one of the nicer things he'd said about her. None of the men would piss on her if she was on fire, she thought grimly and the other women were worse, for them she was not only a disgrace as soldier but she'd betrayed the sisterhood by acting as one corporal put it Like a skanky bitch whore.

Still Recon was supposed to be a second chance, although that Blade guy was clearly as hard as fucking nails and clearly not given to taking any shit if the stories she'd heard were true. If the worst came to the worst Recon go east of the wall, she thought, and it would be a lot easier to disappear out there. Just have to get through this course first.

--

Blade was pleasantly surprised how many recruits were keeping up. He'd been right about fatboy who'd dropped out on the first hard climb, but the skinny little shit was still running hard and on the whole while the group had straggled out they were still moving well. He was also pleased to note that one of the big lads, who was clearly a fit as a butchers dog, had dropped back and was coaching others along. That's the spirit. Blade thought. We go through together or not at all. There was no room in Recon for people who thought it was about polishing your own onion. Two more miles to the pipes he thought then we'll really sort the men from the boys, there's more to running recon than being physically fit.

Fowler stopped the group in a water meadow, and waited for the rear to catch up watching them puffing and blowing big clouds of condensing breath and sweat steaming in the cold morning air.

As the rest of the group trickled into sight he made a quick count down to Blade jogging at the back. Twenty two he thought, we've only lost three so far, not bad, not bad at all.

Right then boys and girls he shouted now that we've had a nice little warm up, the real work starts. He grinned as the group glanced at each other in apprehension. At least we aren't doing this at night he thought remembering his own intake. Blade may be hard but he isn't a complete bastard. What we have here are the pipes Fowler indicated a drainage culvert may be 3ft in diameter and what you lucky people are going to do is crawl through them, it's no big deal, the water is only a couple of foot deep. Who would like to go first ?

He raised an eyebrow as the skinny kid stepped forward. What's your name son ?

Potter, sir.

Listening at the back of the group Blade grinned knowing what was coming next.

Sir ? SIR ? Don't fucking call me sir, shithead I'm a fucking corporal, I work for a living.

Yes Corporal, sorry Corporal.

Tell you what Potter, you call crawl through these bastards and you can call me Corp. Fowler winked in you go, and the rest of you form a fucking line behind him, this isn't fucking optional.

Blade bit his knuckles to keep from laughing as the recruits reluctantly crawled into the maw of the pipe. It was unusual to get a volunteer, and Blade wondered if Potter was merely keen or if he was intelligent enough to realise that in the pipes it was easiest to be first man through.

Halfway down the line Keri was finding this out in spades. She wasn't great at tight spaces at the best of times but she'd thought she'd be okay. Just crawl through the pipe how hard can it be ? The trouble was in here you've got some big hairy bastard's arse in your face and another one crawling behind you and its black as the ace. She could feel panic fluttering in her gut and gritted her teeth You can do this she told herself you have to. But now, fuck it, some dozy bastard had stopped, and with all these bodies in here not moving forward the water flowing from behind was getting deeper, she bit down on a scream thinking come on for fuck sake move.

At the far end of the pipes Blade and Fowler shared a look, the first 8 recruits had come through but number 9 wasn't emerging. We've got a blockage, anyone got some ex lax handy ? Fowler quipped . Blade sighed looks like I'm getting wet then, Someone's got to crawl back down there and see what's up before all these bastards drown he grinned at his friend and I don't have your fat gut.

Before he could enter the pipes though a voice piped up Wait sir, sorry I mean Sarge , I'll go.

Fowler and Blade swapped an amazed glance, You sure Potter ? Blade asked/

Yeah Sarge , I'm smaller than either of you.

But I'm in charge and... Blade started to say but stopped as he realised he was addressing Potters boot soles as the lad disappeared into the pipe.

By now the water was up to Keri's face and rising and things were getting desperate. I guess this is it. she thought What a fucking stupid way to die. The water lapped over her mouth and she turned her head awkwardly pressing her skull against the top of the rusty pipe fighting to keep her nostrils above water, choking noises from behind her indicating that not everyone was succeeding. Just as all hope seemed lost, the man in front of her moved and with a gurgling rush the water level started to fall. Keri felt it rushing passed her as the line of recruits started to crawl forward once again.

At the head of the pipe the first indication of success was an increase in the flow of muddy water, swifty followed by an amazingly inventive stream of invective echoing out of the pipe If you don't fucking keep crawling you sad sack of bastarding shite, I'm going to drag you out by your motherfucking neck whether it kills you or not. So move your arse. You pathetic whelk molesting waste of skin

Blade grinned at Fowler Sounds like our boy has it all in hand.

A minute or so later Potter's boots emerged from the pipe, followed in short order by the rest of him crawling on one arm , and then a big stocky lad who wasn't saying a great deal due to the fact that Potter's other hand was hooked under his jaw, pulling him forward.

As Fowler helped Potter out of the stream Blade grabbed blockage boy and threw him bodily on to dry land , scrambling up after him. You fucking piece of selfish shit he shouted what the fuck was that all about ?

It was dark. Blockage started to say but Blade over rode him No, on second thoughts I'm not fucking interested in your weak shite, you're cut. Do yourself a favour and fuck off out before your colleagues get out of that pipe.

Turning his back on Blockage, Blade addressed Potter I took one look at you this morning and decided you'd never make it as a recon soldier, he grinned. I was wrong, you'll fucking do me. Blade clapped him on the shoulder Now start running soldier, there's another 7 miles before lunch.

--

Looking over the unit formed up on the parade ground, Blade was well satisfied with the first day's work. Twenty eight miles in the first day and 2 runs through the pipes and they still had 16 recruits on deck. Apart from Blockage, they'd also lost another lad who'd freaked out at the idea of going back into the pipes, one who'd fallen and bust an ankle on the second run back, Blade reckoned he'd be back for the next intake, and three more who'd either dropped out or been cut for lack of stamina. Still on some intakes you'd have halved the class by now so things were looking good.

Bouncing on his toes he addressed the group Nicely done ladies and gentlemen and those who are neither. That got a laugh. It looks as though we might actually have some soldiers here after all. Just to give you something to look forward to, tomorrow morning we are doing it all again with packs and weapons, then we'll be paying a little visit to the range to see if any of you can hit what you aim at. For now though go and grab some food and get your heads down. If anyone's feeling they should buy Potter here a drink the bar is open but don't have more than two or three if you don't want to be puking it back up on our next little jog. Class dismissed Blade turned his head Middleton, go get dried off, then I'll see you in my quarters, we need a quick word .

Keri walked back to the bunk house to get some dry clothes thinking, I hate my body sometimes, especially the way these wet clothes cling to my breasts they are all anyone can look at. Even the sarge, and now he wants to see me in his quarters, and we all know what that's going to be about. Mind you she thought, it could be worse, he's a very attractive guy, much fitter than those repellent deviants back in the Guard. I wouldn't mind sleeping with him as it goes, but I wish it didn't have to be a transaction, I'm so tired of being treated like a whore.

Keri sized Blade up as she waited for him to speak. Up close he wasn't a big guy, not like Fowler who was built like the proverbial shithouse, but he was all corded muscle and scar tissue the only fat in him was the disgusting burger from lunch. He had fascinating eyes, she thought, green but flecked with gold towards the edges, they seemed distant though, like he'd seen too much, for too long without a break.

She really wanted to like him, but this weakness only made the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach worse as she remembered her first interview with fucking Topsy and how that had turned out, Men, she reminded herself, are dogs.

Blade was well aware of her scrutiny but he tried not to return it too obviously which wasn't as easy as it should have been. She's one hell of a good looking woman a little voice in his head told him , look at that figure , check out the. No, he chastised himself, good looking or not she's a recruit and she's here to fight and you are a One Zero not a dirty old bastard.

So Blade began trying to put her at ease "Don't worry you're not in trouble or anything, from what I saw today you are doing well out there, I just wanted to mention your hair. It's very long and