Entry XIII: Assault on Governor’s Island
Location: Midtown Manhattan Rebel Base
Date: Tuesday, December 23rd, 2003
Chris’ speech was a success. People rallied to our cause and those that couldn’t fight found other ways to help. We had small groups fighting guerrilla style in the streets, blitzing Red patrols and then disappearing just as quickly. We hadn’t seen Phil for some time after we returned from the Manhattan TV Station. He took charge of organizing all of our new members and coordinating the defense of the civilian camps. We all pitched in as well for a couple of weeks until Chris announced that it was time to launch our final assault.
We found out from Ryo and Daniil that the reason why the Reds had abandoned the two helicopters at the TV station was because they weren’t functional. Chris hoped to get the birds functioning and to use them to transport fighters to Governor’s Island. While we were working with Phil to restore order, Ryo and Daniil had been working to restore the choppers. They had to steal parts from other vehicles, jury rig parts, and used a large amount of electrical tape to make the repairs. Now, they were finally finished and we all knew that it was now or never to try and push the Soviets out of our country once and for all.
Date: Wednesday, December 24th, 2003
We packed into the two choppers like sardines crammed into a can. There was no way to get to Governor’s Island undetected. After Chris assassinated General Tatarin, Governor’s Island stepped up its patrols by land, sea, and air. Our best strategy was a blitz attack, drop our team off at the boat landing and then work our way towards the interior of the island. Chris had briefed us on the layout of the island, stating that the interior was protected by concrete walls and guard stations. He recommended that we blow up the ventilation system near the boat landing which would force the sealed guard stations to open for air. Then we would split into two teams and hit the munitions depot and main artillery guns.
We flew towards Governor’s Island under the cover of night. Soon the island was in our sights and we could see that there was very little activity; even the bright spotlights that patrolled the water weren’t on. We all gave Chris a nervous look but before he could reassure us an alarm in the cockpit started to sound. We had been targeted by a missile. Our pilot tried to avoid the impact but the three Red choppers had the drop on us. The second missile didn’t miss its target and the explosion sent us tail spinning towards the icy water. We rushed to don parachutes and exit the burning helicopter before it crashed. As I jumped, I lost sight of the others and could only watch as our second helicopter exploded in mid-air.
I crashed hard. At first I didn’t understand what had happened and then I realized I had landed on the large sheets of ice that spread out from Governor’s Island like jagged fingers. Burning debris fell around me and I could see our chopper slowly sinking into the sea. I hurriedly took off my parachute and grabbed a weapon. I checked the bodies that were near me to find that none of them had survived. Then I saw a figure in the distance waving at me. I jogged towards the silhouette and was relieved to see it was Chris. He threw a first aid kit to me and told me to check the east side of the crash while he checked the other side. I found Kat and Logan together, battered but alive. We found Steven a little ways away, his leg injured. I used the aid kit on him and we helped him to stand. They joined me in the search for others and soon we had a handful of fighters, some from our team and some from Phil’s.
We met up with Chris who had found Daniil, Chelly, Ryo, and Phil along with other members of Phil’s team. We were about to formulate a plan when Steven yelled for us to run. I looked up to see the three Red choppers had returned and were firing at us. No, they were firing at the ice. With each impact the ice began to fracture and break away. We ran as fast as we could towards Governor’s Island. A few of Phil’s team members weren’t fast enough and they fell into the water. There was no time to save them; we had to make it to the boat landing. We were forced to scatter and I found myself alone when I finally made it to land.
The place was crawling with Reds so I took cover by a couple shipping crates and tried to gain my bearings. I knew that I was at least in the right section of the island. The boat landing housed the ventilation system that connected the outer ring of concrete. Destroy it and we would be able to breach into the interior of the island, if there was still a “we.” I peeked my head around the crate and saw that the coast was clear. I scurried to another stack of crates only to find that someone else was using it as cover. I almost shot the person in the head when he chuckled. Phil, a sight for sore eyes. He slapped me on the back and then motioned behind him. There, Kat was crouched down watching for enemies. She smiled when she saw me and I gave her a slight wave. Then I pointed in the direction of the ventilation system and Phil gave me the thumbs up.
I took point, careful to stay in the shadows as we navigated towards our target. I scanned the area and soon spotted what I was looking for. Phil whispered that he didn’t know how we were going to destroy it since we had lost our C4 in the crash. I was about to suggest that we head towards the munitions depot when Kat opened fire. We all dove for cover as a half dozen Red appeared from nowhere. A skirmish ensued with each side squeezing off what seemed like hundreds of bullets. There were only two soldiers left now. Kat gave me a signal that told me to distract the Red. I did so by moving to a different crate and firing at him. While I was keeping the Red’s attention, Kat flanked him and fired a precision shot into his head.
Phil was still fighting the last Red near the ventilation system and had the upper hand. He was about to fire a killing blow when we heard Phil’s gun make a loud click; he was out of ammo. He tried to dive out of the line of fire when the Red raised his rifle and fire. Instead of a gunshot we heard another click; the Red was out of ammo too. I was about to take my shot when Phil climbed to his feet and pounced on the Red soldier. They jostled with each other, neither one getting the opportunity to strike the other. Kat and I rushed to aid our friend when he yelled “vent!” I wasn’t sure what he meant but Kat realized and motioned for me to help her. We reached the side of the ventilation system and pried off the grating to one of the main shafts. Then we heard a thunderous strike and saw that Phil had landed a heavy uppercut squarely on the Red’s chin. With his enemy dazed, Phil picked up the Red and propped him against the open ventilation shaft. With a sly grin, Phil pulled the pins to the three grenades the Red was wearing and then hoisted him into the shaft and let go. We reached cover just before the grenades exploded, destroying the ventilation system.
