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[sub][color=Silver][i]The Siege of Amone, September 9th - [b]The Defence[/b][/i][/color][/sub]
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[color=Silver]	At first, there was the settling of panic. Everyone reacted differently. Jean looked towards Franz, who was ready to charge the vehicle himself. He even turned to discuss it with Ines, quickly preparing a smirk to show that the street prowlers were ready to show their teeth. Yet as romanticised as their instincts were, Jean couldn't help but lunge forward, placing a sturdy hand onto both Ines and Franz's shoulders. He knew that to try and charge something so...so unique, would just result in death. These were no simple street brawls or gang wars, this was the globalised conflict between the Federation and the Imperials. Unveiling a strong desire to kill the opposition, or at least slow it down, was admirable to the romantic war poets of the last few years, but Jean was more of a realist. Running forward, grenade in hand, would likely do little to nothing. Ragnite bombs were infused with shrapnel for its main course, and a single or a couple thrown one by one would prove ineffective. This wasn't a battle they could win if they took it at face value and headed forward into the bleak barrages of bullets. Once he had the attention driven, even if it was only partially, away from the car and towards him, Jean opened his mouth and kept his words brief, knowing that time was not of their essence.[/color]

[color=Aqua][b]"Franz, don't. I need you inside, quickly. Start clearing some rooms, go with Luke and secure us some breathing room."[/b][/color] [color=Silver]As soon as he unloaded the short and sweet order, he turned back to Ines, shifting his eyes towards the preparing Isaac, Britta and Gwyn, who were about to make the dash to the other side of the street in order to set up a secondary counter-defensive. With his initial order, Jean hadn't fully predicted or anticipated the possibility of Gwyn needing assistance or protection through knocking up the rooms. For that, Jean had to make the rash alterations to his original draft.[/color] [color=Aqua][b]"Ines, save the grenade. I need you to head with Isaac and protect them from flanks. If you need to, kill any Imperial who enters. Help Gwyn if need be. Move it!"[/b][/color]

[color=Silver]	As Isaac's group, and presumably Ines too, started to dart across to their side of the street, now having him rekindle Isaac's commanding capabilities to lead the smaller fireteam, Jean returned his gaze to those pushing inside the one he had ordered. A few had already began to enter the building, guns raised and cautious of whatever might be inside. Jean had no clue whether or not the building was occupied or not by the Imperial opposition, yet he still had to gamble with the option. Either way, it was better than sitting outside with bullets flying all over. Fizzles and splutters of stone, concrete and puddles of rain splashing in all directions could be heard. The chorus of rifles going off on one side, only to have a machine-gun loaded within an armoured vehicle on the other, caused flashes of fear in Jean's heart. It reminded him of the first fateful day they'd charged up Hill 58, the one where bodies were left laying in the mud by every few feet. Behind the armoured car were more infantry, most likely Imperial sappers or shocktroopers too. The Imperial Sturmtruppens were deployed in vicious numbers all across Amone, having such a vast and insidious ratio compared to that of the Federation Shocktroopers present. Equally, they too began to shoot, some even holding handguns to increase the level of suppression each small-armed fire gave off.

	Jean began to usher everyone inside. Part of him knew that to go inside without everyone else heading in first would be unethical of him. Thomas, who'd been holding a position behind a large debris pile nearby, could be seen slugging off a few harsh shots. Nearly every one of them hit, landing directly into the foreheads of chests of those who he targeted. His posture and flexibility was unmatched, twisting and turning in order to keep the momentum and rush of blood high up in his mind. Freya was already joining those inside, being one of the first to head inside to join the room clearing. As the first few went in, Freya fired a shot or two, giving the indication that there were perhaps a few Imperial soldiers attempting to intercept their defensive actions. Jean remained outside, shooting the opposite direction to where Thomas was just to ensure that he was covered each time he fired his own bullet. They needed to cover everyone as they went inside.[/color]

[color=Aqua][b]"Corporal, get inside!"[/b][/color] [color=Silver]Jean called to him over the sounds of gunfire raining down upon them. Each beating impact against the stone piles the duo hid behind caused him to jump and cough, making it feel like he was only a centimetre's distance away from meeting the maker he so despised. Thomas turned, frowning to himself as his Longfield jammed for a slight second. Without a word or question, he began to bolt back its ignition and force his hands to unclog the shell that had accidentally trapped and locked the inner workings of his weapon. Once it had been fixed, he confirmed it with another shot towards the Imperials. Jean yelled louder this time; these yells were not out of anger or frustration, but rather worry for those who were yet to be inside. Everyone had already darted inside, Lucia and Michael included, and yet the crazy Oceanic soldier was still blasting away round after round.[/color] [color=Aqua][b]"Corporal-"[/b][/color]

[color=5D7CFF][b]"Calm your fuck'n tits, love. I'm giving us breathing room!"[/b][/color] [color=Silver]Jean was slightly taken aback by his almost humorous response, trying to make light of a life-threatening situation. He seemed completely calm, as if the feeling of bullets soaring above and past his head was normal. A stray bullet slipped through his iconic Oceanic hooded cape, ripping a small hole through it. Without hesitation, he rose up again and fired yet another round, dropping the closest Imperial who had been charging their position.[/color] [color=5D7CFF][b]"Worry about yourself, and let me do my thing."[/b][/color]

[color=Aqua][b]"Just get inside, everyone else has already moved. With all-"[/b][/color] [color=Silver]A suppression of machine gun fire from the armoured car pinned his head down, causing Jean to clutch onto his helmet with immense force. Once the suppression laid off for just a second, he grabbed Thomas' veteran-like arm and began to move him inside.[/color] [color=Aqua][b]"Just get inside, please!"[/b][/color]

[color=Silver]	Finally, the war hero complied and entered the building, just in time to barely miss the several waves of bullet storms. Jean wasn't entirely sure if the gunners he'd sent across had set up their positions and prepared to return fire. During his entrance into the building, being the last one inside, he hadn't heard or noticed their gunfire just yet, making him presume they were still formulating their vantage point. As Jean leapt inside, the rooms began to fill with the stench of the Federation soldiers, still fleeing from the gunfire. Even inside, the sounds of explosive barrels spewing from the tips of Longfield rifles echoed between the hallways. Jean moved forward, looking around as he could see the main room that his group had taken refuge within. Soon enough, he was bombarded with questions.

	Diana was first, asking him in a fearful tone about what the vehicle was, where it had come from or why it was there. He was lost for words. Of course he didn't know. There had never been any reports of armoured vehicles being used in combat. Was this simply a war machine used in the urban area of Amone? Surely not, as they would've heard about it during their briefing alongside the remarks of the so-called [i]Green Fox[/i] and other marksmen setting up shop inside. Jean presumed that this had to be a new form of weapon only recently deployed in the weeks. When they were still being briefed and leaving for the street they'd entered, the sound of gunfire seemed to blitz through their rendezvous point moments after they'd escaped it. If the weapon was widely used by the Imperials, wouldn't have the Federation prepared for such possibilities, such as making methods of slowing such a brisk and easy punch through their lines? Jean shook his head, unsure of what to make of the situation. He didn't have much time to think, as the Imperials were likely preparing to storm the building. The spreading of corridors and floors made a mini maze-like layout for the Squad to hide within, and so Jean simply looked down and took the brief initiative. Luke demanded for orders, having a rather few nasty glass scratches across his cheeks. Worst of all, so far, was Michael, who in protecting the sweet and innocent Lucia had taken a few hits himself. Jean felt the world go silent as the orchestration of the ensemble of guns, shouts and panics began to overshadow his judgement. He thought. Everything was quiet and slow. Jean took a deep breath, and then finally opened his mouth to speak.[/color]

[color=Aqua][b]"I...I don't fucking know, Diana. All I bloody know is that we need to focus on the inside now. The car is still outside, but it can't stay out for much longer, I imagine. We still have reinforcements coming in the breach, risking encirclement. As for a plan..."[/b][/color] [color=Silver]Jean moved Freya, who was aiming her rifle out of the window to take a few shots, towards the centre of the room. Around them were many doors, a few hallways following them which led to even more side rooms. The building was, as he'd thought before, its own small labyrinth.[/color] [color=Aqua][b]"We'll split up. It's...This is going to be a battle of attrition, whether short or long. Gunners outside will minimise the amount of soldiers that get in, but those who do will have to face us at deadly proximity. Diana, take Lucia and Michael into the furthest back-room and try to dress his wounds. If you still aren't sure, Lucia can help, but make sure to be cautious. Everyone else, find a room, whether you're in a pair or alone, and get ready to make a wave-based holdout. The wounded go in the back room, everyone else needs to draw their attention to the other rooms to kill. Whether you shoot or take them down by hand, I...I can't argue, just do...do what you must."[/b][/color] [color=Silver]With his voice breaking down at the end, Jean was realising that he was becoming a fully fledged commandeer for the Squad's tactics. It seemed brutal to suggest taking down Imperial human lives with blades, guns and rifles, yet he had to inform them of what the plan was. Jean moved himself towards one of the side rooms, following another corridor, and distinctively ordered the others to pair up or go alone into other rooms in order to buffer the distance between those ready to come inside and the wounded Michael. Jean just hoped to god that the gunners could repel as many of the intruders as possible.[/color]

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