Chương 77: War correspondent
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"Damn, damn, it's scorching here. Are you sure your source is reliable? We're risking a lot by coming here; this area is crawling with psychos, rapists, raiders… or a combination of all three," said the cameraman, visibly nervous as he scanned his surroundings, his hands trembling slightly over the camera.
"I had to pay a lot to get that information. General Oliver is about to launch a covert operation against the Legion, aiming to push the war across the Colorado River. His plan is to force the tyrant's men to abandon Hoover Dam," I replied, moving forward with determined steps through the rocky desert mountains. The sun was merciless on our skin, and sweat trickled down our faces. Two mercenaries followed us in silence, alert to any sign of danger.
"Don't you think we're going too far, Emma? Bribing army officials and filming this... it's completely forbidden," the cameraman continued complaining, lowering his voice as though afraid someone else might hear.
"People deserve to know what's really happening in this war," I retorted, not slowing my pace. "President Kimball keeps promising they'll retake the dam soon while recruiting thousands of young people, but no one knows what's happening to them. Families send their children to the front, but there's no clear news—only propaganda and empty speeches."
We kept moving, the desert heat making the sand beneath our feet feel like embers. Everything was silent—too silent for my liking. I felt the mercenaries' eyes scanning the distance, watching for any potential threat. I knew we were in dangerous territory, an area the Republic preferred to avoid. Rumors of raiders, traitors, and, worst of all, Caesar's henchmen lingered over this region.
"I've heard there was an attempt to break the Legion's line at Hoover Dam, but they managed to keep control. They say it was sheer willpower and the sacrifice of hundreds of their men that did it," I mentioned, my eyes scanning the horizon, looking for any signs of the NCR's lookout points.
"And that's only the beginning," I continued. "More attacks are expected, but something's going on. Ammo shipments disappear, just like recruits. They head to the front but never arrive. No one knows what's happening, and the politicians won't say a word. Could be the work of raider tribes—the Khans, maybe, or other psychopath groups."
"Disappearances?" The cameraman stopped complaining, now looking at me with worry. "Are you saying someone within the NCR is sabotaging the war effort, and the army's doing nothing?"
"That's what it looks like. Something or someone is interfering, and the casualties keep mounting for no apparent reason. General Oliver must be desperate to contain the situation, but the issue lies not just at the front. The disappearances are more than a simple logistical error," I explained as we continued up the hills.
I knew that as we ventured deeper into this zone, we were approaching not only the truth but also danger. Anyone who knew too much became a target, and we were treading ground no NCR journalist dared to tread.
We moved carefully, avoiding any area where NCR patrols or caravans might be, knowing they were rife with lurking raiders. After nearly an hour of effort under the desert's blazing sun, we finally reached a series of hills. From there, we could observe the NCR military camp near the Colorado River in Searchlight.
According to the information I'd bought, this was where a large contingent of soldiers was preparing to cross the river and bring the fight directly to the Legion. As we observed through our binoculars, I realized something was off. There were soldiers, yes, but not as many as I'd expected, and they were almost without heavy equipment. Just a few trucks dotted the camp, but there was no sign of the large vessels supposedly meant to cross the Colorado.
"They probably have the boats closer to the river… but I thought there'd be more soldiers. Thousands were supposed to cross the Colorado today," I muttered in frustration, feeling I might have been deceived.
We were about to continue toward the river when the unmistakable sound of helicopter blades roared in the air from the east. My heart skipped a beat. I quickly raised my binoculars and saw three Vertibirds flying low, almost skimming the ground, approaching swiftly.
"Probably airborne operations," commented the cameraman, a grin of excitement crossing his face as he turned on the camera and began recording.
"Yeah, maybe it's a mission to infiltrate Rangers into Legion territory and then bring in regular soldiers," I said as I watched the aircraft descend slowly.
The Vertibirds landed on the dusty ground, kicking up a cloud of dirt around them. Seizing the moment, I started my narration.
"Good morning, Shady Sands, this is Emma with reliable information. Anonymous NCR sources have told us that General Oliver will soon begin an assault against the Legion in an attempt to move the front away from the heavily fortified Hoover Dam. As you can see behind me…"
But before I could finish, a storm of gunfire erupted in the camp. The sound was deafening, and soldiers' screams filled the air alongside the echo of bullets.
"What the hell?!" the cameraman yelled, lowering his camera, trying to understand what was happening.
Several men descended from the Vertibirds—but they weren't NCR soldiers. They wore heavy power armor, black and red, emblazoned with the unmistakable symbol of Caesar's Legion. One of them bore a standard on his back, fluttering in the wind. Wasting no time, they began firing indiscriminately at the NCR soldiers who had no time to react. It was a massacre.
"It's the Legion! It's them!" I shouted, stepping back, unable to look away from the horror unfolding before us. NCR soldiers fell one by one, unable to defend themselves. The men in power armor moved as if they were unstoppable, annihilating everything in their path. Rifle bullets from the NCR soldiers bounced harmlessly off the steel plates protecting them.
The Vertibirds took off again, leaving a trail of destruction behind. The Legion's men, clad in their power armor, continued to fight with brutal ferocity. Despite the overwhelming numbers of the NCR soldiers, the difference in skill and equipment was glaring.
"Record everything!" I shouted to the cameraman, who was frozen in horror at the sight of the battle. His camera shook, but it continued capturing every second of the brutal onslaught.
The NCR soldiers attempted to use their overwhelming numbers to overtake the legionaries, but Caesar's men were incredibly organized and well-equipped. With flamethrowers and grenade launchers, they obliterated NCR defenses before they could regroup. The NCR's rifle bullets barely scratched the Legion's power armor, and each time a squad tried a coordinated attack, the legionaries responded with overwhelming ferocity, shattering any resistance.
Despite their numbers, the NCR soldiers were disoriented, trapped in their own camp. Explosions and flames covered everything, and the legionaries moved like a small but deadly swarm, taking strategic positions and systematically eliminating any obstacles in their path. Although the NCR outnumbered them by thousands, the Legion's superior technology and the chaos within the camp kept the enemy at bay.
Finally, the NCR soldiers began to reorganize. Despite the chaos and their heavy losses, their sheer numbers started to turn the tide. The legionaries, though lethal, were beginning to be overwhelmed by the wave of soldiers surrounding them. We watched as the NCR troops dug in, forming a tighter circle around the Legion, gradually pushing them toward an inevitable defeat. The numbers finally seemed to be on their side.
"They're doing it!" I whispered, my heart racing. It seemed the NCR was finally gaining control of the situation. The cameraman kept filming, capturing what seemed like the beginning of a victory.
But just as hope began to emerge for the NCR forces, the sky roared again. Vertibirds appeared on the horizon, flying low, their rotors whipping up a whirlwind of dust as they approached.
At the same time, something even more terrifying loomed from the east. Through the dust stirred up by the Vertibirds, we could make out figures moving rapidly in large numbers. Legionaries—many more legionaries.
"Oh my God," I gasped, unable to look away. The NCR soldiers' perimeter around the legionaries was shattered in an instant as the Vertibirds resumed firing their heavy machine guns. The NCR troops, who had barely begun to recover, were once again thrown into chaos.
The reinforcements from the east were not a small group; they were hundreds strong.
The NCR soldiers quickly attempted to regroup around what was left of the camp to defend themselves, but it was already too late. The sight of the legionaries, descending on them in massive numbers like an unstoppable tide, sent panic through their ranks. Many soldiers began to flee, abandoning their positions. The Vertibirds, roaring overhead, became their executioners, mowing down fleeing soldiers with heavy machine gun fire, mercilessly massacring those trying to escape the chaos.
Those who remained trapped inside the camp fared no better. The Legion's reinforcements, having crossed the river, descended upon them like a hammer, annihilating every NCR soldier in their path. The number of legionaries was overwhelming, and the NCR's last attempts at resistance crumbled with each passing second.
"Emma..." the cameraman said, his voice trembling, as he pointed his camera at the battlefield, where chaos continued to unfold.
"What?" I snapped, without tearing my gaze from the carnage in front of us. "Keep filming! This is gold, do you understand? Pure gold!" I shouted in frustration. I knew that while we were witnessing a massacre, this footage would be the key to showing the world what was really happening in this war.
"The mercenaries… they're running," he said, his voice shaky as he gestured toward the men who had been hired to protect us.
The mercenaries, who we had paid handsomely, had abandoned any pretense of bravery. They were fleeing, sprinting in the opposite direction from the battle. It was clear they knew there was no chance of survival if they stayed.
"This can't be happening…" I muttered, watching them scatter like rats. Terror had taken hold of them too. If even these battle-hardened mercenaries were running, it meant there was no hope for the NCR soldiers left behind.
The sound of the Vertibirds thundered again, and their machine guns showed no mercy. Every soldier who ran toward the desert, desperate to save their life, was mowed down by gunfire, their bodies collapsing onto the ground as they tried to escape the massacre. Around the camp, the sand was soaked with blood, and the sky darkened with smoke from fires ignited by the battle.
"What do we do now?" the cameraman asked, the fear in his voice evident, his hands barely holding the camera steady.
"Film everything you can," I ordered, not hesitating, as I watched the legionaries continue their relentless advance toward the buildings where the last NCR strongholds remained. "The fight's moving into the city, which means we can still get better footage. This is what the public needs to see."
The legionaries, tireless in their brutality, charged toward the buildings, breaking down doors and windows with terrifying efficiency. The NCR soldiers still resisting, entrenched inside, knew their time was running out. From our vantage point, we could see the flashes of grenades going off inside the buildings, followed by the tongues of flame from flamethrowers that turned the shelters into death traps.
The legionaries' determination was unbreakable. Nothing seemed to stop them. Though the NCR soldiers tried to defend themselves, firing from windows and makeshift barricades, each line of defense fell one after another. One of the buildings we had been watching was obliterated in minutes. Flames devoured everything in their path, and the screams of the soldiers trapped inside filled the air.
When the gunfire finally ceased, a heavy silence laden with death enveloped the shattered camp. I knew instantly that this was our moment to get out. Staying a second longer would mean becoming the next prey, and I had no intention of ending up as a legionary's plaything. That fate was worse than death.
"It's time to get out of here," I whispered to the cameraman, who nodded quickly, his eyes still wide with terror at what we had just witnessed.
We moved quickly, crouching to avoid being seen, not daring to look back. I knew that if any of the legionaries spotted us, they would have no qualms about dragging us along, and there was no doubt what would happen next. To them, a woman in enemy territory had only one purpose, and I wasn't going to let that be my fate.
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