25 Ism not running away by myself (1/2)
An attack helicopter zoomed overhead.
For a split-second, its glaring light grazed Sousuke's head.
Fortunately, however, no one noticed: After a moment, the chopper headed for the mountains and disappeared into the southern sky.
Rain fell gently while the wind rustled the branches.
”Is it gone?” hoped Kaname.
She couldn't see because Kurz, Sousuke, and she were hiding in a small hollow, disguised under shrubs, roots, and leaves.
”It appears so,” replied Sousuke.
Earlier, Sousuke had given him a shot of morphine, so Kurz was still pretty out of it.
He had a broken arm and deep lacerations on the opposite arm and leg. A normal person never would have made it so far from the wreckage in that state.
Although the bleeding ceased, for the time being, Kurz wouldn't pull through unless he got some legitimate medical attention in the near future.
”Chidori, can you still walk?”
”If I couldn't, we wouldn't get away,” she said resolutely, although she looked rather worn.
Sousuke and Kaname staggered along the mountain road, supporting Kurz.
”Hey, careful. I'm wounded over here,” muttered Kurz.
''I'm surprised you walked that far,” Sousuke commented.
”I went along the river to mask my scent. But man, the lieutenant commander doesn't mess around-I barely got out of my mech before he blew it to pieces. Maybe I would've been better off to eat it back there.”
”Did the silver AS beat you?”
”Yeah, but it's a mystery how.”
”What happened?”
”I drew him in, point blank, and nailed him with the fifty-seven millimeter. I thought I brought him down. But then ... next thing I know, I'm the one in pieces.”
”Did he use a directional fragmentation mine?”
”No, nothing like that. It was more like he hit me with-” Kurz grimaced.
”I don't know, an invisible hammer or something.”
''That's enough. Don't speak.”
Climbing uphill, they came to a giant tree that looked to be at least a thousand years old.
”Looks like we're done climbing hills.”
On the other side of the downhill stretch, there was a large plain, consisting of farms and paddy fields.
An occasional military vehicle cut through the rice fields from time to time.
Kaname strained her eyes, ”That's a lot of wide open space to cross. ”
”Yes. We'll be in great danger of being spotted.”
As Sousuke gently deposited Kurz on the ground, the latter cursed nearly inaudibly.
Squatting next to Kurz, Kaname began to cough uncontrollably, as if choking. She didn't complain, but she appeared in less than top spirits.
Shortly, Kurz's breath slowed to the deep relief of sleep as the morphine kicked in.
They walked along the bumpy path in the dead of night for three hours. Sousuke was pleased with their progress, but still...
The three of us will never make it to the coast.
It would be difficult for a healthy, stealthy soldier to escape the enemy's sights while crossing those plains.
Even if the de Danaan wanted to rescue them, Sousuke had no way to contact them.
Although Kurz retained his small transmitter, its range was just a couple of miles. It was at least twelve miles to the coast.