Грань будущего

           SoifIstayedoutofsightlongenough,theenemywouldbegonewhenIcameout. Right? 

           Iwasscaredshitless. 

           LikeanyrecruitfreshoutofbootcampIcouldfirearifleorapiledriver,butIstilldidn’tknowhowtodoitworthadamn. Anyonecansqueezeatrigger. Bang! Butknowingwhentofire,wheretoshootwhenyou’resurrounded? ForthefirsttimeIrealizedIdidn’tknowthefirstthingaboutwarfare. 

           Anotherjavelinstreakedpastmyhead. 

           Itastedbloodinmymouth. Thetasteofiron. ProofthatIwasstillalive. 

           Mypalmswereclammyandslickinsidemygloves. ThevibrationsoftheJackettoldmethebatterywasalmostoutofjuice. Ismelledoil. Thefilterwasonitslastlegs,andthestenchofthebattlefieldwasfightingitswayintomysuit,thesmellofenemycorpseslikethesmellofcrumpledleaves. 

           Ihadn’tfeltanythingbelowmywaistforawhile. Itshouldhavehurtwheretheyhitme,butitdidn’t. Ididn’tknowwhetherthatwasgoodorbad. Painletsyouknowyou’renotdeadyet. AtleastIdidn’thavetoworryaboutthepissinmysuit. 

           Outoffuel-airgrenades. Onlythirty-six20mmslugsleft. Themagazinewouldbeemptyinfiveseconds. Myrocketlauncher-whichtheygaveeachofusonlythreerocketsforanyway-gotitselflostbeforeIcouldevenfirethedamnthing. Myhead-mountedcamerawaswasted,thearmoronmyleftarmwasshredded,andevenatfullthrottletheJacketwasonlyoutputtingat40percent. Miraculously,thepiledriveronmyleftshoulderhadsurvivedwithoutascratch.