Chapter 135: Chapter 134: The Point of No Return
The slums were a battlefield, and it felt like the entire world was collapsing around them. Smoke filled the air, thick and choking, as the sounds of gunfire, explosions, and shouting echoed through the streets. Cole stood at the next barricade, his heart pounding as he watched the military forces advance. Their numbers seemed endless, a relentless wave of steel and firepower determined to crush everything in its path.
Beside him, Lina wiped the blood and sweat from her face, her jaw set in grim determination. Zack, Ty, and Maria were nearby, organizing the fighters, making sure everyone knew their role in the next phase of the battle. They had fought hard to get this far, but Cole could feel the weight of the fight pressing down on them. They were running out of time, running out of options.
"We can't hold them forever," Maria said, her voice tight as she surveyed the scene.
Cole nodded, his eyes scanning the streets ahead. The military had regrouped after the explosion at the command center, and now they were pushing forward with renewed intensity. They were better armed, better trained, and they had the advantage of numbers. But Cole and his crew had something they didn't: a reason to fight.
"We're not done yet," Cole said, his voice low but resolute.
Lina glanced at him, her eyes sharp. "What's the plan?"
"We fall back, but we don't give them an inch," Cole replied. "We make them fight for every step they take. We hit them with everything we've got."
Zack leaned against the barricade, wiping sweat from his brow. "How long do you think we can keep that up? They've got tanks, for crying out loud."
"We just need to hold them long enough to get the people to safety," Cole said. "If we can buy ourselves some time, we can regroup, get the non-combatants out of here, and then—"
A sudden explosion cut him off, sending a shockwave through the air and shaking the ground beneath their feet. Cole's heart raced as he turned to see a tank rolling through the debris, its cannon firing another shell into the buildings ahead. The explosion tore through the street, sending chunks of concrete and metal flying in all directions.
"They're not waiting for us to fall back," Ty muttered, his eyes wide as he watched the destruction.
Cole gritted his teeth. The military was making their final push, and there wasn't much time left.
"Alright," Cole said, turning to his crew. "We're splitting up. Ty, you take your team and hold the eastern barricade. Zack, you and Maria cover the west. Lina, you're with me. We'll handle the center."
The crew nodded, their faces grim but determined. They had been through too much together to back down now.
"We'll hold them as long as we can," Ty said, already moving to gather his team. "Good luck, man."
"You too," Cole replied, his voice steady despite the chaos around them.
As Ty and Zack's teams moved out, Cole turned to Lina, his mind racing with a hundred different thoughts. The slums were their home, the place they had fought for, but the city was tearing it apart piece by piece. And now, it felt like they were standing on the edge of something they couldn't come back from.
"We're not going to let them take this from us," Cole said, his voice quiet but fierce.
Lina nodded, her eyes flashing with the same determination that had carried them through every fight. "No, we're not."
---
The center of the slums was a war zone.
As Cole and Lina moved through the narrow streets, they could hear the sounds of the battle raging all around them. The military had brought everything to this fight—tanks, soldiers, drones—and they were determined to crush the resistance once and for all.
But the people of the slums weren't backing down. Everywhere Cole looked, he saw fighters standing their ground, taking shots at the advancing soldiers, using the debris and makeshift barricades for cover. It wasn't just about survival anymore. It was about fighting for their future.
"We need to get to the front line," Cole said, his voice sharp as they ducked behind a stack of crates.
Lina nodded, her knife already in hand. "I'm ready."
They moved quickly, darting through the alleys and weaving between the burning buildings. The streets were a maze of rubble and smoke, but Cole's sense of direction was sharp. They had lived in these streets for too long not to know every corner, every shortcut.
When they reached the front line, the sight that greeted them was grim. The military had already broken through several of the outer barricades, and now they were advancing through the heart of the slums. Tanks rolled forward, their cannons firing indiscriminately, while soldiers swept the streets, pushing the resistance fighters back.
Cole's heart clenched as he watched one of the buildings ahead collapse under the weight of a tank shell. The people inside had no chance.
"We have to stop that tank," Cole muttered, his mind racing.
Lina glanced at him, her eyes hard. "How? We don't have anything that can take it out."
"We improvise," Cole replied, his voice tight with determination. "I'll distract the soldiers. You get close and plant an explosive."
Lina raised an eyebrow. "You think they're just going to let me walk up to it?"
Cole smirked, his adrenaline surging. "I'll make sure they're too busy worrying about me."
Lina's lips curved into a small, fierce smile. "Alright. Let's do it."
---
The plan was reckless, but they didn't have a choice.
As Cole moved toward the front line, his heart pounded in his chest. The tank loomed ahead, its cannon swinging in their direction, but he wasn't afraid. He had faced worse odds before, and he wasn't about to let some over-armored machine take everything they had fought for.
Cole darted between the wreckage, firing his rifle at the advancing soldiers. The bullets pinged off their armor, but it was enough to draw their attention. Several soldiers turned in his direction, their rifles raised as they began to return fire.
"Come on!" Cole shouted, his voice cutting through the chaos. "You want me? Come and get me!"
The soldiers hesitated for a moment, their eyes narrowing as they realized who he was. Cole Matthews. The leader of the rebellion. The man they had been sent to take down.
And now, he was standing right in front of them.
The soldiers opened fire, their bullets ripping through the air as Cole ducked behind a pile of debris. He could feel the heat of the bullets whizzing past his head, but he didn't stop. He kept moving, kept firing, drawing them further away from the tank.
Lina, meanwhile, was already on the move. She darted through the shadows, her steps silent as she closed the distance between herself and the tank. The soldiers were too focused on Cole to notice her, and by the time they realized what was happening, it was too late.
Lina reached the side of the tank, her hands moving quickly as she planted the explosive on its treads. She glanced up, her heart racing as she watched the soldiers close in on Cole.
"Now!" she shouted.
Cole didn't hesitate. He threw himself to the ground as Lina detonated the explosive.
The tank erupted in a deafening explosion, the shockwave shaking the ground as it tore through the vehicle. The soldiers were thrown off their feet, their formation shattered by the blast. For a moment, the battlefield fell silent, the smoke and fire filling the air like a heavy blanket.
Cole scrambled to his feet, his chest heaving as he watched the wreckage of the tank burn. They had done it. They had taken out one of the military's most powerful weapons.
But the victory was short-lived.
The sound of more engines filled the air, and as Cole turned, he saw another tank rolling into the slums, followed by more soldiers. The military was sending reinforcements, and they weren't slowing down.
"We need to fall back!" Lina shouted, her voice urgent.
Cole nodded, his heart sinking. They had fought hard, but the city's forces were overwhelming. They couldn't hold this position much longer.
"Fall back!" Cole shouted to the fighters around him. "Regroup at the next barricade!"
The resistance fighters began to retreat, pulling back through the narrow streets as the military continued to advance. Cole and Lina led the way, their hearts pounding as they made their way through the chaos.
But as they reached the next street, Cole's radio crackled to life.
"Cole," Ty's voice came through, breathless and panicked. "You need to get back here. Now."
Cole's heart skipped a beat. "What's going on?"
"They've broken through," Ty replied, his voice filled with dread. "The eastern barricade's down. They're coming for the safe house."
Cole's blood ran cold. The people in the safe house—the non-combatants, the families—were defenseless. If the military got through, it would be a massacre.
"We're on our way," Cole said, his voice tight with fear.
He glanced at Lina, his mind racing. They had to get back. They had to protect the people. But as they turned to head toward the safe house, Cole knew one thing for sure:
This wasn't just about survival anymore.
It was about saving the soul of the slums.
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