Operation Honey Trap vs The Emperor of the Apocalypse-Chapter 193: Let’s Blow Some Shit Up!

[Suggested song for this Chapter: Freaks, by Surf Curse]

Everybody fell into a serious silence, broken only by the horses’ panting and stomping.

Indy’s wrist was aching to the point she thought it might be broken, and she doubted her ability to be of much use shooting, but she also couldn’t throw grenades, so there was no point saying anything; she would just have to try her best.

"Any questions?" Alton asked the team.

"No Sir!" they all chorused.

"Everyone take your positions then."

Baer looked at Niko. "This is gonna be fun. Let’s blow some shit up, man!"

"Move out soldiers!" yelled Alton.

The ten riders galloped down the road toward the checkpoint on the old Bridgewater Bridge.

They were spotted almost immediately, and faint shouts could be heard as the soldiers at the checkpoint yelled at them to slow their approach.

As soon as they were within shooting range, Brenner, Delphi and Loveday started to fire at the soldiers they could see.

The volume of the shouting increased as men were hit with arrows, and the soldiers who weren’t hit ran or ducked for cover.

Now Baer, Wolf, Alton and Niko rode to the front, all carrying grenades.

"Grenades men!" shouted Alton.

The four men pulled the pins on their grenades and threw them.

There were a few crazy seconds of silence while the devices flew end-over-end through the air; then, the boom of explosions started.

Soldiers were physically thrown over the boom gate, the boom itself toppled over, the guard house windows exploded, and a burnt and blackened man staggered out of the booth and collapsed onto the road.

The first row of archers were already through the checkpoint and galloping for the bridge-keeper’s cottage.

Indy, Arrie and Opal brought up the rear, checking for survivors.

Arrie watched in horror as a badly injured man reached out his hand towards her, groaning in agony.

"Focus Araminta!" called Opal, seeing the look of shock on the girl’s face.

She’d been there before herself and she knew they couldn’t afford to lose focus during this attack, of all their battles to date.

Arrie snapped her eyes back to the surrounds, looking for any movement.

"There’s someone hiding behind the booth," she shouted.

Indy wheeled her horse around and headed for the booth.

"Cover me," she cried to Opal and Arrie.

Arrie kicked her horse after Indy, Opal following close behind.

Indy found the soldier cowering behind the now burning gatehouse. She raised her bow and arrow, her hands shaking, and it was not just her sore wrist that caused the tremor.

The man raised his hands, mutely pleading with her.

Tears started to pour down Indy’s cheeks. Her first shot missed at point blank range. Her next shot took the man through the shoulder, and he screamed in pain as the arrow went straight through his flesh and embedded itself in the burning gatehouse.

"Shit, shit, shit," Indy cried as she turned her horse and galloped off after the men.

Arrie and Opal were both glad they hadn’t had to take that shot as they wheeled their ponies and chased after her.

"We’re too late!" shouted Delphi to Brenner and Loveday. "He’s raising the bridge!"

"Fuck!" yelled Brenner, spurring his horse to gallop even faster towards the lifting span.

Delphi and Loveday were slower off the mark, but they kicked their horses on to try and catch up to Brenner.

"Shit, he’s going to jump," muttered Delphi to herself.

Brenner and the horse galloped towards the slowly lifting piece of road, and sure enough, he kicked his horse’s flanks, and it made the jump up onto the section of road that was now almost a metre higher than the rest.

Loveday and Delphi were too slow, and their horses were never going to make it.

"Hold my horse Loveday! I’m going after him!" cried Delphi, jumping off on the fly and starting to scramble up the weight and pulley tower.

"Oh no you don’t," muttered Loveday, tethering both horses to the structure and climbing up after Delphi. "This feels remarkably familiar," she complained to herself as she struggled up the iron tower. "I never want to see this bridge again in my life. I hope Baer blows it to smithereens!"

Brenner gave the door to the houses three hard kicks before the wood broke around the lock and he reached his hand through, fumbling to unlock it from the inside.

"Piss off," he heard a voice from inside and footsteps running across the room.

The man was too slow. Brenner managed to undo the lock and pull the door open before the soldier got there, and Brenner found himself face-to-face with the soldier who was on duty and raising the bridge.

The man had his sword drawn and Brenner struggled to get his blade out fast enough to match him. He was on the back foot for a few steps until his sword came clear of its scabbard and he started to meet the man blow-for-blow.

Brenner’s footwork was faster, and his sword strokes were quick, but the opposing soldier was stronger and tried to use his brute strength to pummel Brenner into submission.

Delphi and Loveday arrived on the scene, panting, to find the two men engaged in a life and death struggle.

Delphi pulled her crossbow and trained it on the soldier, but the two men were too close for her to be sure she wouldn’t hit Brenner.

"Loveday," she whispered, "any chance of a clean throw with your dagger?"

The girl shook her head. "No way, they’re much too close and moving too fast."

"Head around behind the guy and come through the cottage door if you can. Stab him in the back if you get a clear throw."

Loveday nodded and set off at a run. The other door was locked. She threw herself against it over and over, but to no avail, it didn’t budge.

She looked around and saw an iron boot scraper. She picked it up and struck the lock with it as hard as she could. The shock waves flew up her arms, but she tried again and again, until she managed to crack the wood.

The girl was panting and sobbing now as she enlarged the crack with the iron scraper. She shoved her hand through the hole as soon as it looked big enough, cutting her wrist on the sharp splinters as she felt around for the locking mechanism and finally managed to unlock the door.

Loveday fell through the entrance and ran towards the open door.

The soldier had his back to her, and she had the element of surprise.

She pulled her dagger from her ankle holster and threw it as she had practised so many times.

She was no more than a metre from the man, so she couldn’t miss.