Operation Honey Trap vs The Emperor of the Apocalypse-Chapter 194: Dagger to the Back

Loveday’s dagger thudded into the enemy soldier’s back. The man let out a guttural moan, dropping his sword where it clattered on the road.

Brenner didn’t hesitate, stabbing him with his sword straight through the ribs.

The sword emerged from the soldier’s back, thick dark blood oozing down the man’s back from the two fatal wounds, before Loveday’s horrified gaze.

The man sank to his knees and Brenner, his sword still impaling the soldier, looked with surprise at Loveday, who was standing close behind the fellow in the cottage door.

Brenner quickly withdrew his sword, and the soldier fell face-first onto the road, Loveday’s dagger now exposed, quivering in his back.

Brenner’s eyes widened at the realisation of what she had done.

"Thanks Loveday," he spoke seriously.

Looking at her face he realised there was no way she was reclaiming that dagger herself.

"Turn around," he ordered her.

She turned, and he pulled her dagger free, wiping it clean and striding across to join her, placing the dagger back in her hand.

"Come on, let’s go," he said to her, taking her hand and leading her back into the cottage, closing the door on the view of the man’s body.

Delphi was already halfway down the tower.

"Baer! Baer!" she shouted. "Come up here and send the lifting span back down!"

He waved his acknowledgement and jumped off his horse to start the ascent.

Brenner and Loveday stared at the operating panel with concern.

"Let’s not break anything," said Loveday.

"If we break this shit, we’re all stuffed," Brenner agreed.

"This one looks like the emergency stop button," said Loveday. "Do you think we should press it?"

"I think we should wait for Baer," said Brenner. "What if the equipment requires a code or something to restart it after an emergency stop?"

"Okay," she nodded, "I’ll check how far off he is".

"Let me," said Brenner, placing a hand lightly on her wrist, a reminder of the body that remained just outside.

Brenner raced out and peered over the edge. The lifting span was about halfway up to the top, but Baer was making good time climbing the tower.

"Okay, he’s only a few minutes off," Brenner told Loveday, running back inside.

It felt like a lot longer, but finally Baer’s huge profile filled the cottage door, and they stepped aside for him to operate the weight and pulley system. Baer rapidly stopped the ascent and changed the mechanism back to descent.

"I’ll stay here and manage the bridge," he said to them both. "You two head back down and help."

The others had formed a defensive line facing back towards the checkpoint. So far, there was no movement, but they knew it was only a matter of time before there would be pursuers. Loveday and Brenner had a birds eye view from up above them.

"General," shouted Brenner, "twenty or thirty men incoming. Ten minutes, maybe less?"

Alton waved his sword in acknowledgment. "You two stay up there for now," he shouted. "Tell us what’s happening on both sides of the bridge. Shoot from up there."

"ETA eight minutes," shouted Brenner as the bridge inched back down... "Seven minutes!"

"Alright soldiers, as soon as you can make the jump, get your horses on the lifting span and off the other side," called Alton.

There was panic as some of the horses easily made a short run-up and jump. Others were too scared by the noise and movement.

Wolf was urging Arrie to make the jump, after she missed her first attempt, just making it on her second. Wolf followed behind her, and Indy came next with Niko on her heels.

"Opal, you go!" shouted Delphi. "Brenner’s fine. I’ll hold his horse for him."

Opal gave her a nod of thanks and jumped onto the lifting span, galloping across it and jumping her pony off the other side.

"Brenner, Loveday! Let’s go!" shouted Alton.

They both leapt down and ran for their horses.

"Go! Go! Go!" shouted Alton.

Delphi looked at him anxiously.

"You go Delphi," he said. "I’ll be right behind you with Baer’s horse."

Brenner, Loveday and Delphi made the jump up and galloped across.

"Alright big fella," Alton said to Baer’s horse, "we’re doing this now".

He tethered Baer’s horse almost cheek-to-cheek with his own and galloped the pair towards the bridge. The jump was small enough now that they made it with ease.

"Baer!" he shouted, galloping towards the cottage. "Set the lifting span to go back up but leave us enough time to jump the horses off!"

"Easier said than done Sir! Are you ready?" Baer shattered the front window of the house with his sword.

"Yes, yes, man!" said Alton, looking behind them where the pursuing soldiers had now reached the bridge and were galloping towards them at pace.

The road was almost level now which would make the enemies’ crossing straightforward.

"Send it up, send it up, private!"

Baer pressed the up button and leapt through the broken front window onto his horse.

"Yaah!" he and Alton flew across the lifting span.

It was only a ten maybe twenty metre ride at the most, but every second was crucial.

They hit the rising edge, and the two horses jumped.

It was a leap of faith, and Delphi turned to watch with her heart in her mouth, as the two horses were briefly airborne.

They hit the road, and both mounts thankfully kept their feet, pulling up alongside the others.

Delphi breathed a quick sigh of relief before riding to the front for their attack on the exit checkpoint.

These guys were ready, having seen what had happened at the southern end of the bridge, and they were hunkered down and already shooting at them, their arrows falling short for now.

"Delphi!" shouted Alton. "You’re on girl! Give it your all."

She nodded at him, a steely glint in her eye.

Delphi raised the only long-range bow they had brought on the mission with them and settled her aim.