Amazing Grace

[StormWolf]

=New Berlin - State Government Offices=

"What are the logistics of the last raids in District 4 of Europe?" an voice came from one of the display screens that made up part of the World Controller Conference. The Controller from China always did count lives of soldiers like pennies in a jar.

"They are the norm, sir. In the most recent raid in Prague, the results were in our favor. Losses in the high hundreds for the State Military. Thousands of civilians. Around ten banned documents were found; The Chronicles of Narnia, a copy of the Qur'an, a Book of Mormon, and a couple Bibles were found and burned." One of the actual people physically present in the room said, reading off of a data pad in his hand. There were voices of approval. Those were better than the complete fiasco in Barcelona, hundreds of thousands; the state had to end up fire-bombing a district of the city because the Faithful were too dug in. The general leading that raid was executed for his incompetence.

"Who lead the Prague raid?" America asked. The German Controller held his hand out to one of the individuals behind him, who handed him a datapad. Scrolling through the numbers and names, the German Controller found what he was looking for.

"General Adolph Osterheim." the German Controller said in a flat tone as he recited the information on the pad before him.

"Good. Tell him that we have another assignment." China said, his eyes looking down at something out of the view of the screen, windows displaying socking statistics came up next to his face.

"The Department of Espionage has heard of a large stockpile of forbidden documents hidden somewhere in the Old Berlin slums. We want those documents burned. If the Faithful oppose, lethal force is authorized." Russia chipped in.

"This poses a great threat to State security." Said Middle East.

"But it shouldn't be a problem. Your local State Marines do have quite the frightful reputation." said England.

*****

=Old Berlin Border=

The Armored Column moved slowly, but steadily, like a massive snake that crawled towards its prey. Armored troop transports, Tanks, and Humvees moved through the gate of steel and concrete. The New Berlin Wall was a massive structure that surrounded the Old Berlin Slums.

Almost as soon as the Column made its way through the gate, they encountered resistance. Mostly Faithful with light arms, their bullets pinging against the thick armor of the military vehicles.

Sergeant Karl Ansem was in one of the Humvees towards the front, manning the 70 caliber turret gun as the armored vehicle chugged forth. The wide armor plates on either side of the gun gave Karl a decent amount of protection, but it wasn't all-encompassing. Bullets whizzed and snapped around the sergeant, the streets narrow and the dismal buildings tall. Chaos didn't even begin to describe the world right now.

Makeshift shelters of sheet metal, wood, and cinderblock crumbled before the lead tank, the deafening boom occasionally ringing out, followed by an explosion and a crumbling building. Helicopters flew overhead like vultures, Warhawk fighter planes roared past, dropping their payload in the distance. Bright orange flared in the dark grey mid afternoon, followed by a muffled boom. One of the other Armored Divisions must have been encountering heavy resistance.

Every few minutes, the Division would stop and the troops would unload, going inside a building to search and fight any Faithful that resisted. Wherever the State searched, the Faithful resisted. They were dug in deep and they had booby traps everywhere. The lead tank was put out of commission by a roadside bomb and a whole squad was taken out by a fanatic with over eight pounds of charges strapped to his chest.

The sun set, the cold of winter truly setting in. Snow crunched under the Marines' boots as they moved to the back of a building, the white blanket becoming soiled with red when the Marines moved out.

It was around eleven in the evening when Ansem and his Division came up to a large building, larger than the others in the slums. The windows were barricaded, muzzle flashes making brief sparks in them, followed by a curtain of lead. The Troop Transports used their guns to start, bombarding the building, filling it with holes of varying size. One of the Raptor gunships gave an assist with a missile in one side of the building. That explosion offered enough of an opening for a squad to go in and go the sweep. In that squad was Sergeant Karl Ansem.

The building was severely run down, reeking of mold and blood and urine, even through the helmet. The squad split up, Karl going with two other Marines to take the fire escape up another level.

Karl and the other two Marines with him moved as softly as they could in their bulky State Military Armor. Guns held at the ready, the Marines advanced. Once the lead Marine took a step through a threshold, there was a click, followed by a boom that tore the soldier apart. Karl and the other Marine ducked into cover. Three Faithful leapt out, spraying bullets from the hip. Karl took aim at one, firing a short and controlled burst that split the man's head like an overly ripe mellon. The other Marine shot the second insurgent in the torso, while the final Faithful whipped about and unloaded his rifle into Karl's comrade. Typical for someone too hopped up on stimulants and adrenaline. Karl took aim and fired one shot to the back of the man's head.

Moving into the next room, sergeant Ansem was met by two other insurgents. One ran into the adjacent room while the other fumbled for his gun. Karl fired a burst of lead into the man's gullet, leaving him there to gurgle and choke on his own insides. Sergeant Ansem took cover as he reloaded his assault rifle. Gunshots still rattled outside, downstairs, upstairs, on the same floor.... it was chaos.

The Faithful that had retreated before returned with three more. Karl scrambled for a grenade. He pulled the pin, primed the trigger, counted to two before tossing the metal cylinder and ducked behind cover again. With a boom, three insurgents were turned to smears on the wall, while another screamed in agony, clutching the meaty stumps where his legs used to be, the last smashed against the wall, his brains seeping out of a crack in his head.

Karl made his way up to the fifth floor, bodies of Marines and Faithful littered the ground, as if there was a shoot off between them. Dark pools spread out on the floor, smears and splatters marking where a man was shot and how far his made it before he was finished off. Upon further inspection, Karl saw that only about half of the non-State personnel were unarmed civilians. Why were they in here with the insurgents?

There was a light scratching sound that reached Karl's ears. He spun about, scanning the room once... twice.... three times. On the fourth scan, he saw a tattered closed door move ever so slightly. Sergeant Ansem approached softly, stepping over bodies and broken glass. Pressing the stock of his gun against his shoulder, he reached for the door handle.

Flinging to door open, Karl aimed his gun at what was inside..... not what.... Who. Two civilians, one a woman in her twenties, the other a little girl, no older than six or seven. Karl kept his sights trained on them for what felt like an hour before dropping his rifle, letting the sling take the weight.

"Are you injured? he asked, going to his knee and removing his helmet to give a more human interaction than a faceless helmet visor.

[Auki]

She stood silently, brown paper package clasped in trembling hands, semi-automatic pistol hanging from the back of her belt, listening as the first of the explosions could be heard. Every rumble of the ground shook her to the core, a sign of what many considered their imminent death. They tried to hold onto their faith but as the screams drew closer, courage failed many. They holstered guns with frenzied eyes, ragged breaths drawn from flared nostrils. Even those who kept their calm still flinched as the earth beneath the city heaved and the cries of the helpless called out their pleas. Loralei would have given anything to be somewhere else. They had told her she would be hidden. They had told her she would be safe.

"Lord Jesus, I pray for my enemies, as you prayed for yours. But I do not truly pray as you do.”

She clenched her eyes shut, murmuring the words, holding herself for comfort.

“For although I heed your command to love my enemy, I can love him only until I see his face.”

Her breath was growing rapid.

“Then I recoil from him, and I cannot love him.”

The sound of a helicopter swept across the room and the inexperienced soldiers among them ducked in apprehension.

“Lord Jesus, help my unbelief...”

There was no chance to finish her prayer as she was screamed at to ascend to higher levels. They would try to hold off the State Military. She knew they would likely die in their attempt. Still, she sprinted up the stairs without a backward glance; what she carried was more important than any of their lives. That was what she had been told.

The stench of waste was just as strong on this floor and even after weeks of living there, she could feel the scent clinging to her. It made her feel unclean, ill to the stomach. Their conditions had grown steadily worse – Soon there would be blood to complete the scene. She did not pause to watch the men setting their traps as she climbed to another level.

Reaching the top, she paused. There were fewer people on this floor, the rooms far quieter than below. The sound of sobbing, muffled though it was, managed to reach her ears. She looked upward and hesitated before following the sound. She would have to be quick. There wasn’t the time for detours. Hardened boots thumped against the floor, causing it to creak at the impact, as she searched for the source of the crying. She scanned each room with urgency, pausing only to steady herself as an explosion sounded, the walls quivering.

“Hello? Anyone there?” The Marines would be entering as she spoke. The whimpering simply got louder, more desperate, at the sound of her voice. Loralei gave in, stepping into the hallway and making her way back towards the staircase. However, it was at that point that the cause of the noise revealed itself, stumbling from a room in front of her. A small girl, cheeks streaked with tears and grime, face scrunched as she tried to subdue her crying. She did not want to be loud but she did not know how to be brave.

A detonation downstairs caused the floor to buckle. There was no time for civilities. Loralei hoisted the child, carrying both her and the package to the level above. They could hear screaming below – They hadn’t the time to escape. Darting across the landing, she dove into an abandoned closet, its only inhabitants a few dusty shelves and mismatched junk. Placing the girl on the floor, she motioned for her to be silent, as she attempted to conceal her parcel. The creak of footsteps outside – She slid the package on the top shelf and crouched down in time to see the child press lightly at the door, an attempt to combine subtlety and curiosity. She grabbed the girl back roughly but the damage was done – The footsteps drew nearer.

The barrel of a gun pointed at them both as the door swung open. One arm held the child behind her, the other hand reaching back to brush the gun at her belt. The soldier did not shoot however.

"Are you injured?”

She blinked, mouth partially open – She had never viewed someone of the Military without their helmet. Silent sobs racked her body as she edged backwards. She did not want to see his face. It made him seem human and he was not. He is the essence of sin. She felt helpless; she did not want to look so fearful in the eye of death but her eyes remained wide and her breath uneven. She shook her head slightly at his question. The sound of others on the floor below could be clearly heard and she inhaled sharply, backing into the corner and holding the little girl closer.

Her face was dirty, her hair matted. Her white top had long gone grey and her trousers, the combat pattern on them faded, were frayed. She was going to die cowering and in ruins. At the least, say I’ve made it to heaven..

[StormWolf]

Karl went to a knee, looking the woman and the girl over with a slight furrowing of his brow. He adjusted the sling of his weapon so his rifle hung at his side.

A voice filled sergeant Ansem's ear from his tactical communication unit. *Omega team, report.*

Karl pressed his throat mic, activating the channel. "Omega here...." Karl started, looking at the two cowered before him in the eye. He took a deep breath and was about to report to suspicious civilians, but there was a voice in his head, overpowering and allmighty, that told him to do otherwise.

"Nothing to report. The building is clear." Karl said into the mic. "No forbidden documents. No survivors."

*Roger that Omega. The Division is moving out. Hold position and we will send an air-vac.*

"Roger that Red Crown. Standing by for air-vac." Karl finished closing the channel. He turned his full attention to the two before him.

"I am sergeant Karl Ansem, State Marine Corps. I'm here to help you." he stood, offering his hand.

"Can you walk? You need to grab anything you need and follow me. This is no place for people like yourselves." he took a breath, looking through a hole left by one of the Humvee autoguns.

"I can get you in to New Berlin. You'll be safe there. It'll be one hell of a hike, but ovce you are in a State district, you'll be safe."

[Auki]

*Omega team, report.*

She held her breath, staring up at the man before them. What was she hoping for? Being let go? She willed herself to see the realism of their situation and yet, her heart still held hope. She met his gaze with terrified eyes, whispering prayers beneath her breath. Moments passed and his expression changed, a stunned look taking over his features.

“Nothing to report. The building is clear…"

Her sobs grew louder but she swiftly placed a hand over her mouth to silence them, her whole body trembling.

"I am sergeant Karl Ansem, State Marine Corps. I'm here to help you."

She stared at his hand for a few moments before taking it, allowing him to pull her up. Her legs felt like they were shaking as she turned back to the girl, hoisting the child into her arms. She glanced back at Karl warily before reaching up and removing the package from its hiding place. The girl refused to take her eyes off the soldier, tears trickling down her face – She made movements like she wanted to speak but sensed the tension and knew it wise not to.

Loralei held both the child and the package close to her chest, “I can walk just fine, thank you. I-…I am not going to New Berlin though.”

How much should she tell this man? How much could she before he decided to shoot her down? They were trained monsters; like dogs, following the State without question.

“I will not be safe there… We will not be safe there.”

Her hands quivered, “I was not in this building by chance – You have shot many good men today…My name is Loralei. I believe in the Lord and our saviour, Jesus Christ. Shoot me if you must. Do not harm the girl.”

[StormWolf]

Karl sighed and ran a hand through his hair. She was a Faithful. She admitted it. According to State Law, sergeant Karl Ansem was to arrest her and shoot her if she resisted. Still, he couldn't bring himself to do it.

"Shiza..." he swore under his breath, sitting back on his heels, his rifle sitting across his knees. The rattle of gunfire and the booming of ordinance was muffled in the distance, the eerie bursts of light that shone through the windows from some explosion far off in the distance. Karl really wished he had not given up smoking.

"Well Lorelai," Karl stood and walked over to a window, surveying the surroundings. It was still outside, the only things moving were the flames that danced upon chunks of debris and the winter snow that glided down from the sky. "I saw those "good men" blow my best friend into a hundred different pieces today. Now I am going to have to explain to his wife and three children why they can't see his body before they bury what we could collect." Karl walked back over to Lorelai and the little girl, who looked at him as if he was a monster from the forbidden books this raid was all about.

"These "good men" also bombed a hospital last month, killing my nephew who was there with a case of pneumonia. These "good men" shot at me first, and killed two men under my command." Karl's eyes were hard, but his lip trembled as he recalled their faces, their final gasps of breath before they went still forever. "Those "good men" were terrorist scum." he finished, walking over to another window, scouting the surroundings again, the environment still as death. Sergeant Ansem's breath left his lips is plumes of steam as he made a shuttering sigh.

"If you can't go to New Berlin, then I'll have to get you across the Rhine, and take you somewhere safe. I don't care what you believe, but you haven't shot me, and I haven't shot you. That is the greatest diplomatic step our factions have made ever since the end of the War." Karl leaned against the wall next to Lorelai and the little girl in her arms, that girl who never took her eyes off of him.

"Where do you need to go?" he asked curtly, looking at the pair with steely blue eyes.

[Auki]

Loralei placed the girl on the ground and confronted the soldier in front of her, an accusatory finger jabbing at his armoured chest. She had never been one to shy away and hide her thoughts – Today, she would ensure there were no exceptions.

“You. You have some nerve. Don’t you dare try and turn this around, you brainwashed dog. You grouped us together, stole our faith and made us the scapegoats. For some men, God was their sanity and y-…you took that, didn’t you?”

Although she was trying to be strong, she still trembled – She was no warrior, used to hiding and running more than anything.

“You blame religion for war and holster guns like they solve the issue. You treat us like we are incapable of individual thought; that what one of us does, all of us must agree with. You would all shoot down babies for the crimes of a religious mad man and consider it just because that’s what the government trained you to think.”

She retracted her finger and hugged the parcel against her chest, the child comforting herself by clinging to Loralei’s leg.

“I was taught to forgive everyone, whether they want it or not…to love everyone even when they mean you harm. There are many of us – albeit not all – who follow the same path. However, your military is all the same; merciless and cruel.”

She bit her lip lightly, cocking her head to the side as she gazed up at his face, “…Until you, I guess.”

Was she being naïve? Was it all a trap? She couldn’t afford to be taken in by the State. The Faithful would label her a traitor if they could see her current situation. She was holding casual conversation with a soldier, something she never imagined doing in her lifetime.

“Israel…” she murmured, “I need to get to Israel. I have a…package…to deliver. Can you help me?”

[StormWolf]

Karl waited patintly for Lorelai to finish her rant. Her words were scalding, but they were nothing he had not heard before. In less violent districts, the citizens would content themselved with calling the Marines horrible names to fit the bloody history of the State. When she was finally done ranting, Karl bothered to listed.

"Israel? What could you want with Israe? The place is chock-full of Faithful Fanatics. I am talking suicide bombs, blowing up state hospitals. That is no place for a State Soldier, a young woman, and an even younger girl." Karl ran a hand through his hair, sighing.

"And that is some trek, how do you plan to..." Karl's voice trailed off as his communications unit

*Bombardment inbound on your position*

"No time to argue. We need to move. Now. All kinds of death is about to fall out of the sky" Karl ran, picking the young girl up in his arms just out of instinct. "Come on! We got less than a minute to get somewhere safe!"

[Auki]

“I’m 29! I’m not that freaking youn-”

The hardened voice crackling over his communication unit cut her short.

*Bombardment inbound on your position*

The words died in her mouth as her stomach attempted to leap to her throat, nausea flooding her senses. This was not how she was supposed to die. They had made false promises – They had vowed to her the Lord would protect her. She had been doubtful but they had told her… they had ordered her to believe. She was not brave. It was the Lord who gave her strength. At times like this, her faith was all she could cling to.

What if it wasn’t enough?

The soldier – Karl he said his name was – had grabbed the child in his arms and was giving her a look of urgency. “I-I’m sorry,” she stuttered, her voice cracking under the stress of their predicament. She hadn’t time to be ashamed of her weakness. This was all so sudden. Her fear urged her to grab his hand and be led – wherever he took her and whatever his intentions – but she had more pride than that. She could be stubborn as a mule when needed.

Boots thumped against the floor, the damage it had suffered causing it to strain under their weight, as she flew down the stairs. She took three steps at a time, the maximum her short stature would allow, paranoid she was holding up the man behind her. Throwing herself across the landing, she grabbed the banister, swung around the corner and sprinted down the next staircase. If she died now, would anyone know?

The following levels were dealt with in a similar way, her panicked state giving her speed and stamina despite being exhausted and worn-down. Her footsteps were heavy, her breathing laboured. How long had they taken already? Thirty seconds? Forty?

Already, they were at the top of the staircase leading to the first floor. She called behind her as she started her descent,

“Window. At bottom. Should I jump?”

Logical thought was struggling to separate itself from the illogical. She wanted to scream and run and cry. She wanted to curl up into a ball and give up and cry even more…
The package was too important however. God had given her purpose – It was his choice when her journey ended.

She kept moving.