Chapter 105 - Welcome to the Jungle
The Mullinix expeditionary forces reached Cirrus City about thirty minutes or so after the full invasion began. It was obvious that things had already started getting out of hand by the time they got there, as they started picking up stragglers who had decided to flee the mess that had become a death city.
"I think we’re too late," Simon said from the mobile command post, "It’s already breaking out into complete lunacy down there."
"The Mavelan army is pouring in from the mountains," Suvorov said, "Somehow LaPorte has our people fighting each other."
"What are you doing about it?" Medoferro asked him, "We need to get this under control somehow."
"We’ve got the back line picking up stragglers," Suvorov said, "Cholt and Hardin are heading the forward crews and trying to stop the fighting among the locals and our soldiers, but it is slow going."
"Especially with a good size of the local troops still reporting to LaPorte," Paulus reminded them, "We have to break that command link to LaPorte. Most of those poor kids out there don’t know that we’re on the same side."
"Ok," Medoferro said, looking at the maps, "The worst threat is the Mavelan one."
"We don’t have that many people," Suvorov protested, "If we don’t stop LaPorte then we risk a fight on two sides."
"If we stop the Mavelans now it will be easier than ejecting them later," Paulus protested, "We can always clean up the internal mess once the Mavelans are back over the border."
"Cholt is reporting heavy Mavelan resistance from the south!" one of the communicators said, "Wants orders on how much to press it."
"How close is Hardin?" Medoferro asked them.
"He’s a bit further back," Paulus said, "Dealing with a few of the fires around the city."
"Have Cholt press," Medoferro said, "Hold back Hardin for now."
"What about LaPorte?" Suvorov asked, "We can’t leave him out there to smack at our backside. We don’t know how many of the troops are loyal to him anymore."
"We don’t want to fight our own troops," Medoferro told him, "Think you can take your special force in and take LaPorte?"
"I don’t know the current layout that well," Suvorov said, "That would take better intelligence than I currently have."
"I am current on the area," Paulus said, "Tolando and I spent a month cultivating sources and looking around. Since we didn’t get much out of the soldiers, I’m betting that LaPorte’s strength lies in a select few."
"If you’ll lead us in," Suvorov said, "My people will take him out."
"Only thing is," Paulus said, "That leaves Medoferro without us."
"Simon and I will handle the front line," Medo told them, "Get LaPorte and get our people to stand down and join our front line forces."
"You sure you can handle it?" Suvorov asked him.
"No," Medoferro said, looking at both of the older men, "But we have no choice. Get moving. I’m moving to the military command center. That way we can consolidate all the protection in one place and I can see things as they come in."
"You realize Trina will kill me if I let you do that," Suvorov grunted.
"That’s why I’ll do it after you two leave," Medo said, "Now get moving."
"You heard the man," Paulus said, shaking hands with Medoferro, "Good luck."
"We’ll need it," Simon said as they walked off, "Why did we do this?"
"Because," Medoferro said, a dark look in his eyes, "I’ve had enough of Mavelan interference down here. Let’s go have a chat with Cholt and Hardin. I have a few ideas and I need their input."
"I’m following you," Simon said, nodding.