Chapter 257: Silverpeak MDC - III
Several minutes later, three Guardian APCs separated from the main formation and approached the checkpoint.
Bulldog One and Two moved farther toward the sides, leaving the center of the road open for Brandon’s convoy.
Genevieve watched the middle Guardian stop. She expected Golden Eagle to be inside.
The rear ramp opened and four DASFs dismounted first, staying close to the vehicle with their weapons lowered.
Genevieve did not recognize any of them, although their adaptive combat suits were familiar.
Brandon stepped out behind them and walked toward the checkpoint.
Genevieve barely paid him any attention at first. She was still waiting for someone else to come out.
The ramp began closing. When no one else came out, Genevieve finally looked at Brandon properly.
"Good evening, Agent Courbet. Commander Joseph Brandon. I’m leading the southern advance."
Brandon offered his hand. Genevieve looked past him toward the closed Guardian.
"Where’s Golden Eagle?"
"Still in Grefort. I was assigned to command the southern advance."
Genevieve immediately looked toward Bulldog One.
"You played me."
Brandon followed her gaze.
"If you were expecting Golden Eagle, the Commander is still in Grefort."
Genevieve stared at him for a moment.
"So he’s not here."
"No."
"Hmph."
Genevieve turned away.
"Follow my car. Stay on the road. If you somehow get lost after that, that’s your problem."
Brandon looked at the hand she had completely ignored before lowering it.
"Did something just happen?"
One of the DASFs gave a small shrug.
Regardless of whatever that was about, Brandon still had a meeting to attend.
Genevieve returned to her car while the DASFs boarded again. The checkpoint opened enough for the three Guardians to pass, then closed behind them.
Beyond the checkpoint, the highway descended farther into Silverpeak.
Brandon had already seen the city through Raptor imagery, but the view from the ground was different.
Silverpeak did not sit inside one large basin. Buildings occupied the valley floor, rose along mountain shelves and disappeared behind ridges before appearing again farther ahead. Industrial blocks and storage yards filled much of the flatter ground, while rail lines and service roads ran beside them before entering tunnels cut into the mountains.
Large processing buildings stood between smaller workshops and apartment blocks. Some industrial yards still had lights burning across them, and trucks moved along roads that were being kept open.
Other sections were dark.
Several side roads remained barricaded, while damaged buildings beyond them looked untouched. The route Genevieve followed was different. Checkpoints watched the larger intersections, and enough streetlights still worked that Brandon could see people and vehicles moving between the occupied areas.
The road curved around another ridge and most of the city disappeared. Then another valley opened ahead with more buildings, rail lines and industrial structures spread through it.
Silverpeak went much deeper into the mountains than the approach had shown.
The farther they went, the more obvious the surviving military presence became.
MDC vehicles moved along several of the larger roads, most of them older Ashington designs Brandon did not immediately recognize. Some carried soldiers while others hauled supplies between guarded positions.
Barricades appeared around important intersections, although none completely blocked the main route. Soldiers checked passing vehicles before waving them through, and several roads leading toward darker sections of the city remained closed entirely.
Brandon watched everything through the Guardian’s displays.
Silverpeak was damaged, but this was nothing like Grefort when Hans first began expanding through it.
People here had been fighting to keep parts of the city functioning for six months.
They passed another industrial district where lights remained active inside several large buildings. Workers moved between open loading areas while a group of trucks waited beside a warehouse. Farther up the slope, an entire residential section was dark except for a few scattered windows.
The contrast repeated across the next valley.
One area worked while another sat behind barriers.
A third disappeared into darkness beyond a tunnel entrance guarded by several soldiers.
Brandon brought up the limited Radar picture around them. Gray contacts covered much of the occupied route, although red markers still appeared farther away and inside several sections they had not entered.
Silverpeak was nowhere near clear, but at least it was holding together.
Genevieve’s car eventually slowed ahead of them and turned toward another guarded position. The three Guardians followed.
Several soldiers at the entrance watched the vehicles approach, but none raised their weapons this time. Whatever Genevieve sent ahead reached them in time.
The convoy stopped inside the controlled area.
Brandon stepped out with the same four DASFs while Genevieve left her car farther ahead.
She looked back at him.
"Your APCs stay here. You can bring the four with you, but nobody else."
Brandon looked toward the Guardians.
"That’s fine."
Genevieve seemed almost disappointed that he did not argue.
"You’re surprisingly easy to deal with."
"I was told to avoid starting a war."
"Well, you are very responsible."
Brandon ignored the comment and looked toward the buildings ahead.
"Who am I meeting?"
"The people keeping this city alive." Genevieve resumed walking. "There are several groups here with authority over different things."
"Should I assume you’re one of them?"
Genevieve glanced back.
"No. Cell Seven ended up here and started working with them. That’s all."
They passed several buildings before stopping in front of a larger one.
Brandon checked the shared tactical picture. Several green markers were inside, mixed with a larger cluster of gray contacts deeper in the building.
The Radar showed him where they were, but not who they represented.
"Are the people inside all military?"
"Not exactly." Genevieve continued walking. "One’s an industrial-minded prick who wants to rescue his trapped personnel. And there’s another from the civilian side who’s doing the same. Then there’s Silverpeak’s Mountain Defense Command."
"Do they agree on much?"
"On keeping Silverpeak alive. As for other matters, it’s a bit complicated."
Genevieve looked back at him. "Perhaps your forces can break the deadlock if you’re as capable as you look."
She stopped. "And I almost forgot. You’re not the only armed group that reached Silverpeak."
"The installation farther south?"
Genevieve paused.
"So you already know about it."
"We’ve been watching it from the air. Did you not hear our planes pass before?"
"That was actually yours?" Genevieve looked back at him. "Your army is getting more interesting by the minute."
"Not as interesting as the other military party."
"As for them, a small delegation from that base arrived before you did. They’re inside now."
"Do you know who they are?"
"Not exactly."
Genevieve started walking again.
"They came from farther south. I was still trying to hear the rest when your people showed up and dragged me out to the checkpoint."
"Then I offer my apologies."
Genevieve waved it away.
Two soldiers guarded the entrance. Both acknowledged Genevieve before looking toward Brandon and the four DASFs behind him.
"They’re with me. Commander Joseph Brandon and four escorts."
One of the guards looked toward the DASFs.
"Agent, we still have to log the delegation."
"Then log them."
Genevieve stopped beside the entrance.
"They’re not going anywhere without me."
The guard looked toward Brandon.
"Only one of them can go in, Agent. The colonel’s words."
Genevieve turned toward Brandon. He nodded in response. Meanwhile, the DASFs remained still behind him.
Before the guards could finish, the entrance opened from inside.
A man in a worn MDC uniform stepped outside. The uniform had clearly seen months of use, but the captain’s insignia on his shoulders remained easy to recognize.
"Agent Courbet. I could hear you from inside."
Genevieve looked toward him.
"Captain Polls."
His attention shifted toward Brandon and the four DASFs.
"I assume these are the people from Grefort."
"Yes, they are, indeed."
Polls scanned Brandon, and Brandon returned the look.
"What do you call yourselves again?"
"Golden Eagle Army."
"Golden Eagle?" Polls let out a snort. "Sounds Valerian enough. You better thank your friend here for letting you in. Otherwise, we would’ve buried you on the road you came in on."
Genevieve stood in front of Brandon, furrowing her brows as she looked at Polls.
"I would advise that you do not speak so lightly of them, captain."
"A bunch of unofficial soldiers marching straight into Silverpeak and claiming to have come from Grefort?" Polls shook his head. "Agent Courbet, I expected more from you."
"The colonel will be the judge of this matter, Captain. Not you. Not me."
Captain Polls locked eyes with Genevieve before stepping back.
"I gave you my word, agent. If this goes wrong, don’t say I didn’t warn you."