Chapter 190: Engagement
“Hey, look! That should be our target!”
One of the members of Maine’s team suddenly spotted an unmarked black convoy and shouted.
Garfield immediately focused his gaze. After checking the signal they had been given, he confirmed it at once.
“That’s right. It’s them.”
“Do we move in and intercept?”
Maine glanced at the convoy—one look was enough to tell it wouldn’t be easy to deal with—then turned back to ask.
“No. I’m not looking to die. We’ve only got three standard military jeeps. We’re outmatched in both numbers and firepower. Just follow them from a distance.”
Garfield shook his head and gestured for the driver to ease off and trail them from far behind.
Hearing the order, the rest of the team visibly relaxed. None of them wanted to fight this advance unit head-on.
“Captain, there’s a small unit following us.”
Inside one of the New United States advance squad’s light armored vehicles, a scout reported immediately.
“Take them out. No survivors.”
A cold glint flashed through Harris’s eyes as he issued the order without hesitation.
“Split three teams off from the rear. Cut off their escape route, then intercept them head-on.”
Harris knew very well that if they didn’t eliminate the squad that had discovered them, they would still be hunted down later—even after the cloaking device was repaired.
Before long, three jeeps slowed, turned, and peeled away from the main force.
Garfield instantly sensed something was wrong.
“Move! Speed up and widen the gap! Maine, get on the machine gun and stop those three vehicles from closing in!”
“Got it!”
Maine nodded, threw open the roof hatch, and climbed out.
The moment his hands wrapped around the grips, heavy-caliber rounds tore out in a blazing stream toward the three approaching jeeps. But the vehicles were clearly prepared—almost instantly, they swerved hard, jerking their steering wheels aside to evade the terrifying barrage.
At the same time, Garfield ordered the other two vehicles to focus fire on the three jeeps behind them. Only by dealing with those vehicles could they hope to break out of the encirclement.
Vroooom—
Just as everyone’s attention was fixed on the rear, a feral engine roar thundered from ahead.
Boom—
A light armored vehicle burst out from a side road, another detached unit appearing in front of them without warning.
The New United States troops, who had clearly been waiting for this moment, immediately mounted their roof machine guns and opened fire on Garfield’s team.
In the blink of an eye, one jeep was torn apart by overwhelming firepower. Flames swallowed everyone inside.
Garfield’s face darkened instantly—and then he saw a rocket screaming straight toward their vehicle.
His pupils shrank sharply. In that split second between life and death, adrenaline flooded his system. Without hesitation, he lunged forward, grabbed the steering wheel, and wrenched it hard to the side.
The rocket streaked past their window with its tail flame blazing, then slammed into another jeep in their squad.
Boom!
The wreckage was blasted skyward before crashing back down. Garfield and Maine’s jeep spun wildly, losing control, before finally grinding to a stop.
Without wasting a single word, the New United States advance squad opened fire on the remaining vehicle.
Bang!
Seeing the situation turn dire, Maine ripped the door off the jeep and rolled out. Garfield followed immediately, and the rest of the team scrambled after them.
A few were too slow.
Heavy machine gun rounds tore them apart, reducing them to bloody fragments. The driver was among the dead.
“Hah!”
Maine roared and hurled the torn-off door toward the New United States squad. It was quickly shredded by concentrated fire, but it drew enough attention for him to activate his leg cyberware and sprint toward one of the jeeps.
“Maine!”
Garfield shouted, hurling his weapon forward while lining up a shot on a machine gunner who had locked onto Maine.
Bang!
The bullet punched straight into the man’s skull, the sheer force blasting it apart.
Maine caught the weapon mid-air and rolled to the side of the nearby jeep.
Inside, the soldiers’ faces went pale. The driver slammed the accelerator, trying to escape—but a massive gorilla arm smashed straight through the window.
Maine’s grip tightened.
Bang!
A head burst like a watermelon.
A moment later, the arm cannon flared, blowing apart the head of the New United States soldier in the passenger seat who had just raised his weapon.
The adjacent jeep reacted immediately, concentrating fire on Garfield and Maine. Among everyone present, those two had the heaviest cyberware modifications—and posed the greatest threat.
Seeing this, the remaining squad members moved at once, drawing fire away to cover Maine.
Inside the jeep in front of him, the soldiers snapped back to their senses and raised their guns. Bullets poured out—but what they saw next left them frozen.
Several bloody holes appeared across Maine’s body, yet none of them were deep.
Subdermal Armor!
Ignoring the pain—knowing full well the armor had a limit—Maine surged forward and stormed into the vehicle, finishing off everyone inside.
“I’ve got a vehicle! Move to my position!”
After clearing it out, Maine shouted into the squad channel. The remaining members immediately headed toward him.
From behind a massive rock, Garfield threw another car door aside and charged out. Using the wreckage as cover, he reached Maine’s position without incident—only to see multiple machine guns locking onto them.
“Looks like my luck’s run out,” Garfield laughed softly. “Kid, you’re lucky you ran into me.”
He slammed his fist down on the vehicle’s autopilot control.
The jeep immediately surged forward like a beast unleashed. Maine snapped his head back.
“Captain!”
Garfield gave him one last order.
“Stay alive, Maine.”
The next instant, Garfield was swallowed by a storm of bullets. The remaining squad members were less fortunate as well—they were cut down where they stood.
“Captain, should we chase that one?”
Harris said nothing. He merely tilted his head, signaling someone beside him.
The vehicle door swung open, and a figure leapt from the speeding car, turning into a black blur racing toward Maine’s direction.
“Captain, this—”
“This is part of his assignment. He’s infiltrating Northern California. We haven’t abandoned him.”
Harris shook his head calmly.
“Let’s go. Ignore the rest and withdraw.”
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