Chapter 20: "The Rebel's Perspective (Attack On South Gate)"

Johnson sat in the car and nodded to himself, he continued to monitor the live feed from the drone, watching as the rebels where in chaos and disarray after the bombardment of the South Gate.

Suddenly, he noticed something odd. "Wait a minute," he muttered to himself. "What are they doing?"

He zoomed in on the screen, his eyes widening in shock as he saw the rebels setting up what looked like a rocket launch near the North Gate.

"Sword Legion, this is Johnson. We have reports of the rebels setting up a rocket launcher near your position. Get out of there now!" he shouted into his radio.

But it was too late. The rocket was already airborne, hurtling toward the Sword Legion's position with deadly accuracy.

Rodriguez heard Johnson's warning, but it was too late. The rocket slammed into the ground, sending shrapnel and debris flying in all directions. The explosion was deafening, and Rodriguez felt a sharp pain in his side.

He looked down and saw that he was bleeding heavily from a shrapnel wound. He gritted his teeth and tried to stand up, but his legs gave way beneath him.

"Damn it!" he cursed, trying to staunch the bleeding with his hands. "Get back to base the rebels are sure to come and our position is in disarray! I'll hold them off!"

The other team members hesitated, unsure of what to do.

"Go! Now!" Rodriguez shouted, his voice hoarse with pain.

The team members nodded and quickly retreated, leaving Rodriguez alone on the hillside. He knew he was in trouble. His wound was severe, and he could feel himself losing consciousness.

He took out his radio and spoke into it. "This is Lieutenant Rodriguez. I need immediate medical assistance. I'm wounded and alone."

There was a crackling sound, and then a response came through. "Rodriguez, this is Medic Department's Chin Wo. We're sending a Medevac team to your location. Hold on, help is on the way."

Rodriguez smiled weakly, grateful for the support. He knew that he was lucky to have people who were brave by his side.

As he waited for the medevac team to arrive, Rodriguez closed his eyes and thought of his family. He hoped he would see them again soon, but only if God allowed it.

The North Gate burst open with a resounding boom, and as anticipated, the rebel group swept in, adorned with their emblem of defiance and a formidable air of power. Five cars navigated the rugged terrain toward where Rodriguez lay, crumpled and helpless on the ground.

As the rebel group's convoy of five vehicles drew closer to where Rodriguez lay on the ground, 10 men emerged from the cars and made their way toward him. Their footsteps echoed on the rocky terrain, each step resonating with an air of malice and triumph. The group had been eagerly awaiting this moment, and their faces were twisted into sneers and grins of anticipation. They closed in around Rodriguez, their bodies forming a tight circle around him, and he could feel their hot breaths on his face. The rebel's eyes bore into his, filled with a fierce and vengeful intensity. Rodriguez knew he was in deep trouble.

"Look at this pitiful excuse for a soldier," one rebel sneered, as he grabbed Rodriguez by the collar. "Is this the best that the UPKF can offer?"

Another rebel chimed in, "He's nothing but a lapdog, following orders without any sense of morality or ethics."

Rodriguez struggled to free himself from their grasp, but it was no use. The rebels had him cornered, and they were reveling in their victory.

"Where are your precious weapons now?" a rebel spat, snatching Rodriguez's sidearm from his holster and brandishing it triumphantly. "You're nothing without them."

"You thought you could take us down, didn't you, you filthy dog!" one of the rebels sneered, delivering a sharp kick to Rodriguez's ribs.

Rodriguez tried to fight back, but he was outnumbered and outmatched. He felt a sharp punch to his stomach and stumbled backward.

"Get up, you coward!" a rebel growled, grabbing him by the collar and hauling him to his feet.

Rodriguez spat blood onto the ground, but the rebels showed no mercy. They continued to rain blows upon him, kicking and punching him with all their might.

"Is that all you've got, you worthless piece of trash?" another rebel taunted, landing a hard punch to Rodriguez's jaw.

As the beating continued, Rodriguez's vision began to blur and his body grew weak. He knew he was no match for the rebels' power and determination. All he could do was endure the pain and hope that someone would come to his rescue.

After mercilessly beating Rodriguez, the rebels finally seemed satisfied. They gave one last kick and a final jeer before pushing him into their convoy. Rodriguez lay in the back seat of the car, his body aching and his mind clouded with fear and confusion.

Inside the lead car, the rebels relished in the opportunity to mock and belittle their fallen adversary. Their laughter boomed through the vehicle, mingling with the roar of the engines as they maneuvered through the treacherous terrain.

"Did you see the look on his face?" one rebel exclaimed, his voice laced with glee. "He thought he could challenge us, but he's nothing but a helpless dog."

"He thought he was so tough, leading those UPKF dogs," another rebel chimed in, a sinister grin spreading across his face. "Well, look at him now. Broken and beaten."

The laughter continued to reverberate within the confines of the car, creating an atmosphere of triumphant mockery. They spoke of their conquests, their plans for further rebellion, and their disdain for the UPKF.

"He thought he could stop us," a rebel sneered, shaking his head in disbelief. "But he's just a pawn in their game. We are the true warriors, fighting for what we believe in."

As the rebels drove back towards the center of the capital, they laughed and joked with each other, recounting their victory over the UPKF. Some of them even raised their weapons in the air, shouting slogans of rebellion and defiance.

The atmosphere inside the car crackled with a mix of arrogance and sadistic pleasure. They relished the prospect of tormenting Rodriguez further, eager to subject him to their mockery and physical abuse.

Rodriguez remained silent and still, too afraid to move or speak. He had never felt so powerless in his life. As they drove deeper into the heart of the city, he could see the scars of their rebellion all around him - burnt-out buildings, shattered windows, and rubble-strewn streets. He wondered how long this chaos would last, and whether there would ever be peace in his planet again.

Meanwhile in the Rebel's Makeshift HQ just before the airstrike at the Sword Legion commenced :

Inside the rebel's makeshift and secretive headquarters, the leaders sat in a dimly lit room, discussing the latest developments and militarization of the surrounding area, but one of them brought up a troubling point.

"Why do you think the Dreg Legion didn't ambush us after they destroyed the South Gate?" asked one of the leaders.

"I think they're trying to keep us guessing," replied another. "Maybe they're planning something bigger."

The group fell into silence, pondering this possibility. Then, one of them spoke up. "We received intel that the Sword Legion, led by Rodriguez, is hiding near the North Gate."

The others nodded, understanding the significance of this information. "If we can take out Rodriguez and his men, it will be a massive blow to the UPKF's leadership," one of the leaders said.

"But we need to plan carefully," cautioned another while gnashing his teeth. "We don't want to make the same mistake we did with the Dreg Legion, because of our miscalculation we lost our precious South Gate to them.

As the rebels strategized, they began to discuss the possible weaknesses in their own defense after the fall of the South Gate. One member spoke up, "We can't let our guard down, the UPKF may try to attack us when we least expect it."

"I think our biggest weakness right now is our lack of numbers," he said. "We've lost a lot of good people in the last few months, and we're spread thin. If the UPKF launches a coordinated attack, we could be in trouble."

Another member chimed in. "And we're not exactly well-armed, either. We are only capable of relying on guerrilla tactics and hit-and-run strikes, but we don't have the firepower to hold our ground in a prolonged battle."

A third member added, "Plus, we don't have any air support. The UPKF has helicopters and drones that can track our movements and attack us from above. We need to figure out a way to neutralize that advantage."

One of the leaders, a woman with fiery eyes and a determined voice, spoke up.

"We can't afford to let our guard down, not even for a moment. They will be watching and waiting for any opportunity to strike, to take advantage of our weaknesses."

Her words were met with nods of agreement, and the group fell silent as they considered the gravity of the situation.

Another rebel, a young man with a deep scar across his cheek, spoke up. "But we can't do this alone. We need more fighters, more people who are willing to stand up against the tyranny of the UPKF."

A murmur of assent went through the group, but some looked uneasy. "But how can we trust anyone?" asked one rebel. "We don't know who we can rely on, who might be a spy for the enemy."

The woman who had spoken before stepped forward. "We need to take that risk. We need more people, and we need to be willing to trust them. It's the only way we can win."

The group fell silent again, lost in thought. The weight of their task was heavy, and the stakes were high. But they were rebels, fighters, and they would not give up. They would keep fighting, keep pushing forward, until their planet was free from oppression.

"We'll find a way," said the scarred man, his voice filled with determination. "We'll make this work. We have to."

As the discussion turned to forming alliances with other resistance groups, one rebel suggested reaching out to the Lithium Ae Independenco Si. "They have a strong presence in the east, and they recently struck a strong blow to the UPKF's operations by kidnapping Steven Kenyetta and they may have also welcomed the Kenyetta Family's wrath on themselves," he said.

Another rebel chimed in, "But can we trust them? We don't know much about their leadership or their objectives."

The first rebel responded, "We don't have to trust them completely, but we can at least work together on common goals. And if we can gain their support, it could make a big difference in our fight."

The room fell silent as they all considered the possibilities. Finally, the leader of the group spoke up, "I agree that we need to explore all potential avenues for support. Contact the Lithium Ae Independenco Si and see if we can set up a meeting."