Resistance Read Online Free PDF Page B

Rather than correct Hale, he chose to answer the question. “Tools,” he replied. “Chimeran tools. If we find something valuable we'll have to disconnectwhatever it is from the shuttle, and as quickly as we can.”
    That made sense, Hale thought, and he felt stupid for asking, but pushed the thought aside and assessed the situation.
    The wreck was about eight hundred feet above them. The Chimera were damned near on top of it, and pretty well in charge. There was a loud
crack
as a large-caliber projectile hit the tree Hale was standing next to, spraying him with splinters of wood and showering him with snow. “Sergeant Kawecki … Sergeant Alvarez,” Hale said, using the radio now. “Let's put those Fareyes to work. Or do you
like
being shot at?”
    That produced some chuckles, and the team's best marksmen went to work. Within moments the enemy barrage was being countered by the steady
crack, crack, crack
of outgoing sniper fire.
    Hale went forward to get a better look at the butte, and Nash followed. Once there Hale discovered a long line of boulders that marked the bottom of a scree-covered slope and offered good concealment. Bringing his binoculars up to his eyes, he followed the slope up to the wreck and its debris field. Already half a dozen dead Chimera lay sprawled on the bloodied snow. The surviving Hybrids had taken cover by then, but every now and then one of them would pop up to take a pot shot at the humans, and most paid a high price for their audacity.
    “So,” Nash said, from his position next to Hale's right elbow. “You have experience at this sort of thing … What do you think we should do?”
    Hale bristled at the question because Nash was wearing the railroad tracks, and it was tempting to force him to lead. But that would be suicide, and there were the men to think of, not to mention the mission, so he chose his words with care.
    “I don't think we have much choice,” he said deliberately. “It looks like we'll have to fight our way uphill. It won't be easy though—and we're going to take a lot of casualties.”
    Nash flinched as a stray projectile hit one of the rocks and made a zinging sound as it whipped past his ear.
    “You know best of course,” he said, lowering his own binoculars. “But there might be another way.”
    “Really?” Hale said sarcastically. “And what would that be?”
    Nash's eye twiched spastically and he battled to keep his voice steady.
    “You've seen the wreck, Lieutenant … It's sitting on a bed of snow-covered scree. The snow is slippery, as are all those chunks of loose granite, which could work in our favor. What if you had the men fire those LAARK things at a point immediately
below
the wreck? That could precipitate a landslide which would bring the remains of the shuttle at least halfway down the slope.”
    Hale just stared at him. There was a moment of silence, broken only by the intermittent
crack
of a sniper rifle—and the occasional
ping
of an incoming projectile. He wrestled with the idea for a full five seconds. “It seems like a long shot, sir,” he said tentatively, “but it's worth a try.”
    Nash smiled weakly as another involuntary muscle contraction caused him to wink.
I wish he'd stop that
, Hale thought.
    “Good … I'm glad you think so.”
    The team was equipped with two L209 LAARK rocket launchers. It took the better part of ten minutes to collect the soldiers who were in possession of the weapons, position them at the foot of the slide area, and give them their instructions. It was snowing more heavily by then, which made the already misty crash site evenmore difficult to see, so Hale felt a sense of urgency as he knelt between the men.
    “Aim for a spot fifteen feet
below
the wreck,” he told them, “and fire on the count of three. Once the first rockets are on the way, reload quickly—and prepare to fire again. But don't do it unless I say so. Got it?”
    “Yes, sir,” both soldiers responded, their voices