Monk sat in the grave, holding his shovel.
After he'd heard the real rifle fire, it was clear that his job here was done. He used the spade as a crutch to help him gain his feet. He wanted to see what was happening. With some effort, he stood up and peeked his head out of the grave-only to have it almost sheered off by a set of giant metal teeth.
Gray had returned with the backhoe, coming in low and fast with the front loader. The noise of the ongoing firefight had covered his approach.
Monk fell back as the scoop dug into the opposite wall of the grave, caving in a good section.
"Climb up!" Gray hollered.
Understanding dawned.
Monk hauled over, climbing through the dirt, and shoulder-rolled into the front loader. Hydraulics whined and raised the arm high while Gray twisted the hoe around. Monk slid inside the bucket, keeping hidden as shots were fired, pinging against the front loader.
Something bumped his shoulder.
He reached over and found an assault rifle.
And it's not even my birthday.
After tossing the rifle into the bucket for Monk, Seichan had fled away from the backhoe and toward the cabin, keeping the stout log home between her and her assailants. But she couldn't count on such protection for long. The team would eventually come at her from both sides, outflanking her.
That must not happen.
Besides, she had to keep the commando team's attention on her while Gray freed Monk. So she sprinted toward the window on this side of the cabin. She raised her rifle and fired three rounds at the panes, striking the glass in a perfect triangle pattern. With the glass weakened, she leaped up, kicked out with her boot, and hurdled through the window. The rest of her body followed. She landed smoothly inside, sliding and skating atop the broken glass, keeping on her feet.
She raised her rifle while still moving.
She had burst into the cabin's main room and had a clear view to the window on the far side. A soldier stared at her, momentarily frozen. She fired- pop, pop, pop- and down he went.
She dove to the side, seeking the shelter of a cast-iron stove.
A rifle barrel shoved through the broken window and blindly strafed inside. Seichan ignored it, merely waited, centering her aim. A head poked into view, checking for damage. She fired only once this time. A body tumbled past the window.
With her back to the wall and the stove for shelter, she readied to make a stand. Hopefully she'd bought Gray the time he needed.
Then a grenade flew into the room and bounced across the floor.
It looked like she'd overstayed her welcome.