The Quiet Front (The Gunpowder Gods) by Tim Akers

Author:Tim Akers [Akers, Tim]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Published: 2013-09-20T16:00:00+00:00

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The river Seine was a winding series of oxbows, cutting through the green and black of France like a lash laid aside between whippings. Much of the land showed the ravages of war, though recent developments had pushed the struggles between the RAAF and the HimmelWaffe over the channel, as far north as London itself. We dipped beneath the clouds, the last gasping surge from the demon engines quickly fading as we arced toward Rouen like a rocket. Harris’ men looked calm, looked ready. For the first time, it was Major Jovavich who looked anxious. As we fell toward earth, I continued my interrogation.

“Why did we drive so far south, if this was our target all along?”

“The air between England and here is too well guarded. We performed an end-run.”

“Everyone I talked to back in Keyside had us coming down somewhere in the south of France. Possibly even Spain. How could they be so far off?”

“Anyone you talked to wouldn’t know what they were talking about,” Jovavich said. A trace of annoyance was creeping into his placid face. “Not even Captain McAllen, for all the two of you schemed behind my back. No, Lieutenant, please don’t try to deny it. Just know that I understand I can’t trust you to keep your nose out of where it doesn’t belong. The particulars of why we are here, and how we got here, are none of your business.”

“As I’m about to crash into a hostile fortress, they are very much my…”

“Brace!” Harris yelled from the front. The engines roared as they fell apart under the strain of Harris’ elemental, then cut out completely. Absolute silence filled the dropship. I saw the tops of trees out the front. The first scraped against the metal hull of our ship, and then another, rattling my teeth. And then Harris summoned his elemental, and we plunged into a tornado.

The roar of it was deafening. I took my cue from the troopers around me, tucking my head to my belly and covering my ears and face with my arms. I wished I had paid more attention during the training seminars leading up to this. The rangers seemed to know what to do, even if I didn’t. Then, with a crash and a thud, we settled to the ground. Silence again, and then the explosive bolts at the back of the ship, blowing open the wide exit door. The men around me were standing, hustling out. Seconds later it was only me and the Russian, with Harris unbolting from his rig and getting ready to follow his men.

“You see, Lieutenant? Nothing to worry about.” The Major released the catch on his restraint, brushing a hand over his holster as he stood. I flinched at that, well aware of how quickly he could draw his weapon, should he decide to kill me. He saw my reaction and laughed. “You are full of many shadows, Samuel Obern. You do not trust easily. The Reich would not have to work very hard to break you, would they?”

Stooping, he marched out of the dropship.

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