The Standby Units

After Darko had confirmed that his message had gone through, he hoped, no, prayed that the Rainean soldiers would be capable. He dismantled the machine to cover up his tracks set towards to Gajan army with the mindset of at least stalling the other units.

He camped near the dusty foliage-covered road where the units had formerly diverged. He planned to set traps for them so that they couldn't get any further.

Not long after Darko settled, the other four units came rushing on the same road in armored tanks but Darko's traps could do more damage than just roll over a few tanks.

The sound of rolling vehicles reverberated throughout the bush. The vehicles might have pushed down a few trees . Like a good soldier, Darko wanted to check if the job wasn't half done. He moved round each tank making sure no one survived but something unexpected happened.

As Darko turned away, a bullet tore through his arm. Someone managed to survive in some way or form. He was actually aiming for Darko's head but the impact from the crash gave him blurred vision, a fractured bone or seven and took away his sense of balance.

The pain from the bullet was enough to make Darko groan but it was shortlived. He but his lower lip, endured the pain like a man and pulled out the bullet with his bare hands. He dragged himself to the almost lifeless survivor, held him by the neck with the other arm and demanded answers.

"Who asked you to do this. Tell me!!"

"It was.... It was... th.. the.. lieutenant."

"Why did he ask you to do it?"

"For...a...better ... Gaja ", as blood soon replaced words.

Darko wanted to finish him off but on second thought, he realized that the man was already death's claimed prize. He grabbed his drooping, injured arm and proceeded to leave. As Darko ventured farther, the dying man spoke again, this time without breaking, "He always gets what he wants.", before life gave him up.