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"...... It fucking hurts......"

Sitting in the turret of the armored car, Sergeant Major Parker lowered his head, glanced at the blood on the palm of his right hand, and then hung it down weakly.

The armor of the turret of the armored car is very thin, and large-caliber anti-materiel weapons or machine guns can easily penetrate it, and for Parker, he was not directly broken into pieces by a string of bullets, but can still sit here and feel the pain, which is simply an explosion of luck.

But that still didn't change the fact that a bullet had pierced his abdomen, and the blood from the bullet sprayed on the wall next to the turret, merging with the blackened and hardened blood of the previous owner of the armored car, like an abstract painting that could sell for a high price.

"You...... Are you okay? ”

Chrissy looked up, her voice trembling, the governess hugging her legs and curling up in her chair, fear almost overwhelming her and suffocating her as the adrenaline subsided.

"It seems that they want to catch them alive, these bastards, but too, if I change them, I will have to whip our corpses."

Sgt. Major Parker didn't answer Chrissy's question, or maybe it didn't need to be answered at all.

"But, it looks like the kids have escaped."

Parker raised his hand, then pulled open the chain manhole next to him, and with a difficult backhand, the shells of the twenty-millimeter cannon clanged out and scattered on the floor.

The sergeant major untied the last grenade from his vest, glanced at the shells on the ground, and then looked up at the governess shrunk in her chair, "Are you coming or am I coming?" ”

"I'm so scared...... I'm really scared......"

Chrissy burst into tears. She trembled, barely making a sound.

"I'm scared too, kid." Parker sighed and looked at the grenade in his hand, "I haven't been to Europe yet...... I wanted to go when I was a child......"

"Can't we surrender? Or something else......"

Chrissy choked up, not even having the strength to wipe the tears raging on her face.

But she didn't go on. Because she also knew the next words that Sergeant Major Parker would say.

"There are so many things in this world that are more painful than death."

"So, I'd better do it."

Slowly but surely ripping off the grenade's tab, holding the fuse, Parker smiled at Chrissy as a drop of clear liquid landed on his bleeding and pale lips.

Chrissy looked at the grenade and then at the smiling Sergeant Major Parker, who could already hear the sound of heavy military boots on the steel plates as the ACA soldiers climbed into the armored vehicle.

Then. Chrissy gritted her teeth and nodded heavily.

Sergeant Parker's fingers that had been clenched were gently released, and the moment the fuse was bounced, a cylindrical high-explosive grenade rolled from his hand onto the floor with a clanging sound.

"Thank you."

Chrissy looked at Sergeant Major Parker and said thank you suddenly, for no reason, without warning.

"Christina. Bishop: Right. ”

Parker closed his eyes. Whispering Chrissy's name.

"I just want to thank you."

Then, the fuse ignites the explosives inside the grenade. The high explosives burst through the narrow interior of the armored vehicle, engulfing two men and igniting the cannon's spare ammunition.

The explosion of spare ammunition, especially incendiary grenades, ignited the shells on the floor, and the flames ignited the other spare ammunition directly along the feed port opened by the sergeant.

The explosion of the ammunition ignited the engine and fuel tank again, and finally. The violent explosion tore the armored vehicle apart, and each piece of metal swept directly through the surrounding ACA soldiers with deadly speed.

Then disappear under the night sky over Washington.

***

"We escaped!! We escaped!! We finally fucking escaped!! ”

Vance finally couldn't contain his excitement anymore, and he jumped out of his seat and slammed his fist into Higgins' shoulder.

A full ten minute drive. Vance opened the roof escape hatch and stood on the roof of the car to lie on the roof, what he was most afraid of was to see the ACA pursuers behind him, although this probability was not high.

Now, though, he can be sure that the ACA doesn't have enough people to track down the runaway school bus.

However, just as his hand hit Higgins on the shoulder, the entire school bus suddenly turned to the right and hit the guardrail, and the school bus drove a few hundred meters against the guardrail of the highway, and barely came to a stop by a street lamp.

"Higgins—"

Parker hit the windshield again, and the windshield shattered, but he grabbed the guardrail and didn't fly out.

But at this angle, he finally saw that a small pool of blood had formed under Higgins's feet.

"Higgins!"

Vance stepped forward, pulled up the handbrake, tore off the seat belt, and pulled Higgins up from his seat and laid him flat on the floor.

"Genius! How are you! You're going to be okay! Higgins! Look me in the eye and talk to me!! ”

Vance pulled away from Higgins' bulletproof vest, only to see despair - a piece of metal more than twenty centimeters pierced directly into his stomach, which was not an injury that a first aid kit could handle.

Vance turned his head, he had always thought that the glass was not broken, and Higgins should not be injured, but a bullet pierced the engine compartment, bringing out a piece of metal and shooting Higgins from below.

"Am I going to die...... Sir......"

Higgins' voice came softly, Vance raised his head and looked at Higgins's child-like face, he reached out and patted Higgins lightly on the face, but his vision couldn't help but blur.

"You'll be fine, Higgins, just look at me...... Just look at me ......"

"I don't want to die...... Sir...... I also want to go back to my mom for her birthday...... I want her to know...... His son has grown up......"

Higgins' tears flowed down his temples into his helmet, his voice trembling, and he tried to reach out but couldn't catch anything.

"I don't want to die...... Help me...... Sir......"

"Don't you fuck you kid believe me?! I said you'd be fine!! You'll be fine!! ”

Vance grabbed Higgins' hand. But he could even see Higgins' pupils, slowly dilating.

"Mom's ......"

The young private finally spat out a name, and then, stopped, breathing.

"Higgins! Higgins! Talented! you're looking at me! I'll let you talk to me! Don't you listen to my orders!! ”

"I won't let you die, I won't let you die!!"

"Ahhhh

Vance punched the floor of the bus, around his fist. Scattered all over the ground, the still warm shells rolled gently.

Silently.

Vance looked up, he reached out, closed Higgins' eyes, and stood up.

The curtain separating the compartment from the cab moved slightly, and he saw a pair of eyes full of expectation.

"Go back, sit down, it's okay."

Vance raised his hand and quickly wiped the tears from his face. Try to put on a kind smile on your face.

However, in the next second, an ominous roar could be heard above his head.

ACA's drone!!

Vance was so familiar with the voice that he froze for a moment, then almost subconsciously turned around and rushed to the door of the bus.

Run, Run!!

He clearly heard a voice in his ear, calling out to him.

ACA's drones are simply not something they can compete with. It will prioritize attacking vehicles or cluster targets, not itself!

It's over. It's all over, you can't do anything to save these kids, run, if not for yourself, but for Parker, Chrissy and Higgins. I still have a mission, and I have to live with their last wishes!

He subconsciously touched the wallet that Parker had handed him, lying in his arms.

"Ahh

Vance let out a heart-rending roar again, as if the sound could make up his mind at last.

And then. He threw away his rifle and stepped along.

But not in the direction of leaving the car.

"Run! Separate runs! ”

The young man tore off the white curtain separating the car and the cab, shouted at the car, but he did not leave, he shook his hand and spread the white curtain in his hand, and then directly reached out and wiped a handful on the wound of Higgins's still warm corpse, smearing the blood on the white curtain.

The drone has not yet fired, most likely not in automatic search mode, but someone is maneuvering in the distance!!

Vance frantically smeared Higgins' blood on the white cloth, and then, holding the white cloth, climbed onto the roof of the bus in the center of the scattered children, and opened the curtains in his hands.

In the center of the curtain is a large blood-red cross.

The Red Cross, non-combatants, no threat.

"Please...... Please...... See what I said! ”

Vance stood on the roof of the car, waving the curtains in his hand desperately, this man who had been crawling in the underworld for almost ten years, thinking that he had seen all the joys and sorrows of the world, was now like a desperate child, unfolding the red cross painted with the blood of his comrades with all his strength, while praying and pleading in the most pious voice.

Dusk street lamps, school buses parked on the side of the road, men frantically waving red cross curtains.

There are also drones that glow red-green like a beast lurking in the dark.

"Did you see it, did you see it, these are children, there is no threat to you, please, please—"

"Stop!!!"

The man threw a heart-rending begging at the monster-like drone.

However, it was only a missile that answered him.

Vance could even see the missile fly out from underneath the drone, ignite in the air, and then slowly but unstoppably hit the school bus beneath Vance.

It's like despair.

The violent explosion threw Vance's body into the air, and the young man fell heavily on the grass beside the road.

He couldn't feel his legs, but he turned around and tried to look at the road beside him.

Only the cries of the scattered children and the roar of drone cannons.

The young man struggled to crawl forward for several meters, as if to stop the killing frenzy of the Grim Reaper from the night.

But. He couldn't do anything.

A mouthful of blood spurted out, and the young man fell into a coma.

And in his hand, he also held a piece of white cloth stained with the blood of his comrades.

***

A year later.

The spring of 2179 came early, and in May Washington, D.C., there was already a little bit of summer.

But the pain of the attack a year ago made the city come at this time. There is not much warmth and leisure, the buildings and roads that have not yet been repaired, and the seriously injured people still struggling in the hospital, all remind everyone of the horrific tragedy of a year ago.

Vance. Corporal Jackson, or rather, the former corporal, walked slowly across the road to Monument Park with crutches, and in front of him, a tall monument stood tall.

The memorial, which was inaugurated three weeks ago, commemorates those who died or died in the Battle of Washington. At the top of the monument is a statue carved with four figures: in the front row, an army TF wearing an exoskeleton who is brave and forward, an ordinary soldier of the 82nd Division shooting with a gun, a National Guard soldier blocking behind, and a little further back, a female civilian is outstretching her arms to protect a little boy behind her.

The ACA spent more than a day in Washington. Systematic massacres were carried out, and large numbers of civilians were executed in their own yards. Small children, not even babies, were not spared.

Not to mention the tragedy in Pittsburgh.

Vance walked slowly under the bridge, with two medals hanging from his chest, a medal for war wounded and a medal for the Star of Freedom.

In fact, on the very day. The ACA's drones didn't last long, and just minutes after he passed out, a squad of Navy Special Forces, Seahawk Commandos, spotted them and shot down the drones.

This Seahawk squad was supposed to save the president. But because of an active TF that was turned into a backup, after the president was safe, they noticed the explosion before evacuating, and because it happened on the east bank of the river, they also went out to scout if it might be a survivor.

It was precisely because they brought medical equipment for the president that Vance was able to survive, and his injuries at that time could not be handled by ordinary medics.

However, he left both legs in Washington, D.C., because the injuries were so severe that he had some mobility problems even with a mechanical prosthesis.

Whether it is a medal or a pension, it can be regarded as a consolation prize given to him by the League, although his heroic deeds are also publicized, but because the final result is not very good, it is quickly downplayed.

Of the 21 children in the car, only 7 survived.

The day before he was discharged from the hospital, the captain of the Seahawk who had saved him – who had also lost an eye in the Battle of Washington and had been relegated to the second line – came to visit him with gifts, and the two wounded soldiers did not say anything but drank one glass after another in silence.

Vance's ex-wife was not spared after all, and the civil airplane she was flying on was three hours late, and was shot down by an ACA fighter jet fifteen minutes after takeoff.

Alone with a medal from the League and a card full of pensions, Vance was unsure of where his future was heading.

But wherever he went, he was here to say goodbye to those who had fought side by side for hours, but who seemed to be longer than a lifetime.

Vance looked up at the four figures on the sculpture.

That's exactly four people.

The courageous Second Lieutenant Lennon, the calm and wise Sergeant Major Parker, and the young and determined Higgins...... Also, the brave and senseless female teacher Chrissy.

He stared at it intently, as if the sculptures had been endowed with the faces that had once been alive.

It didn't take long for Vance to finally come to his senses, and the early summer evening breeze gently caressed the medallion on his chest, and the two medals clanged together with a crisp sound.

He raised his hand and wiped a handful of silent tears, and the tall man of one meter and eight five took a deep breath, leaned his crutches against the guardrail in front of him, and slowly but struggled to stand up straight.

Towards the monument, a military salute of the Alliance.

Then he turned around, step by step, and returned the way he came.

The war continues, but Vance is not worried.

Because dawn may be late, but it will not be absent.

The same goes for kindness.

finish

Postscript:

Washington State National Guard, 162nd Division, 1st Regiment, 2nd Battalion, C Company, Thomas. Second Lieutenant Lennon, posthumously awarded the rank of lieutenant, the Order of Liberty, posthumously awarded the title of "Hero of the Alliance", his daughter grew up to join the army, became an excellent navigator of the Space Force, and joined the expeditionary fleet.

Washington State National Guard, 162nd Division, 1st Regiment, 2nd Battalion, C Company. Sergeant Major Adamson, posthumously awarded the rank of second lieutenant, the Medal of Liberty, his 18-year-old son was escorted to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with honors, and his widow was offered a high-paying job at the company where Sergeant Major Parker worked.

Maryland National Guard, 12th Division Commander, Paul. Higgins, posthumously awarded the rank of sergeant, the Order of the Freedom Star, his mother was included in the War Orphans Relief Program, enjoying double benefits, and later Higgins' mother adopted a surviving child.

Washington, D.C. International Elementary School Music Teacher, Civilian, Christina. Bishop's story was widely publicized, and the reconstructed garden of the International Primary School Center in the Special Administrative Region was named after her. Her daughter, Charlie. Bishop successfully passed the guò genetic test and volunteered to become an Allied military TF.

Four of the seven surviving children later joined the military, one of whom eventually became an officer of the United Earth Government Space Force and joined the expeditionary fleet; The remaining three became government ground forces, one died in the "existential war", and the other two were promoted to officers of different ranks.

One of the other three became a well-known pianist, one became an excellent bridge engineer, and one became an ordinary mechanical maintenance worker.

"If wars fail to erase the goodness in the hearts of mankind, then humanity has not lost."

***

I would like to commemorate two works that changed my life.

"The River of Boundaries" - Antonis. Samarakis (Greece)

"All Quiet on the Western Front" – Erich. Maria. Remarque (Germany) (pie-in-the-sky good event, cool mobile phone waiting for you!) Follow from ~ Dian/Chinese network public account (WeChat add friends - add public account - enter ddxiaoshuo), participate now! Everyone has a prize, now pay attention to ddxiaoshuo WeChat public account! (To be continued......)

PS: The story is over.,Next is the interlude.,The interlude is used to explain the new characters.,And the story of the protagonist's array between 2178 and 2180.,There's 10 more.,And then there's the second volume.,The story that started in 2180 (two years later).