Chapter 5

           ThefrontrandownthemiddleofFlowerLineBase,cuttingabulginghalf-circlethatfacedtheshoreline.U.S.SpecialForcesanchoredthecenteroftheraggedarcwheretheenemyattacksweremostfierce.Soldierspiledsandbags,hidamongtherubble,andshoweredtheenemywithbullets,rockets,andharshlanguagewhentheycould.

           IfyoudrewanimaginarylinefromtheU.S.soldierstoKotoiushiIsland,theNo.3TrainingFieldwouldbesmackdabinthemiddle.That’swheretheMimicshadcomeashore.Generally,Mimicsbehavedwithalltheintellectofapieceofgardeningequipment.Surpriseattacksweren’tintheirmilitaryrepertoire.Andyoucouldbesurethattheirweakpoint-theservercallingtheshots-wouldbeheavilydefended,surroundedbythebulkoftheMimicforce.Missilesthatdugunderandshatteredbedrock,clusterbombsthatfragmentedintoathousandbomblets,vaporizedfuel-airbombsthatincineratedanythingnearthem.Allofmankind’stoolsoftechnologicaldestructionwereuselessontheirown.DefeatingtheMimicswaslikedefusingabomb;youhadtodisarmeachpieceintheproperorderoritwouldblowupinyourface.

           Rita’sJacketandminewereaperfectmatch,bloodandsand.Oneaxecoveringtheother’sback.Wedodgedjavelins,slicedthroughMimics,blastedholesinconcretewithtungstencarbidespikes.AllinsearchoftheMimicwhosedeathcouldendthis.

           Iknewtheroutinewellenough:destroytheantennaandthebackupstopreventtheMimicsfromsendingasignalintothepast.