Justin Smith
English 21
M-W 2-3:20
10/14/12
Resistance

Sarah looked up from the cigarette she was rolling to Jack as he ran into the room.
“Look alive,” he said his southern twang. “The Japs are gonna be here any minute now.”
Sarah scowled as she jammed her cigarette behind her ear for later. Grabbing her Garand, she took up her position behind one window looking out at the five-and-dime that sat across the street from the apartment building they were in. Her frown deepened as she took the detonator sitting on the sill and looking over at Jack, she nodded.

Jack nodded back as he pressed himself against the wall looking out another window to watch for the Japanese armor regiment that was due to pass by soon. He brought up his Springfield’s scope to his eye. He could faintly hear the throaty growl of the Japanese tanks; a Type 93 light tank by the sound of it and he sighed, relieved. If they had been heavier tanks like Type 95 or even 89, the resistance’s plan wouldn’t have worked.

Ever since the attack on Pearl Harbor and the subsequent occupation of the west coast, the Japanese had rolled hard and fast over America’s armed forces and rebels, but now they had an opportunity to strike back and show them just what they could do. As soon as those tanks rolled by the five-and-dime, six of their men would unload a barrage of anti-tank shells on the regiment with M18 recoilless rifles. After the first strike, the ambush team would pull out through the back of the shop to the alleyway and from there they would advance down the alleyways using instigative fire to keep the Japanese on the defensive.

Jack and Sarah had a key role in this plan as well. In the cars that were lined haphazardly on the side of the road were loaded with Comp B charges that, when detonated, would shower the troops with shrapnel from the cars. After that, it was up to Jack to take out any high ranking officers he could find to cause as much chaos within their ranks as he could. If this operation went as planned, they could potentially stop the Japanese advance right here before they could ride into and occupy L.A.
The two stood there breathlessly waiting for the Japanese to get into position where they would attack. The first line of troops came into sight as they marched down the street and at the helm was their commander riding in an American Willys MB jeep no less.

“Cocky bastard,” Jack muttered.

Behind the rank and file of their troops growled the tanks driving in a single file line, perfect for their plan. As the soldiers marched past the front of the five-and-dime, Jack shifted to the other side of the window so he could keep an eye on their commander. Raising the scope to his eye, he lined up the crosshair with the officer’s temple. He’d use the noise of the recoilless rifles and cars exploding to mask his shot.

Sarah felt her hands getting sweaty with anticipation but she didn’t dare wipe her hands off. She was to trigger the explosives with the detonator right after the M18’s fired. She watched the first tank drive into view and as it started to pass the front of the five-and-dime, it erupted into a ball of flame as it was stricken by six artillery shells all at once. She stared at the fireball in awe for a moment before she remembered where she was and depressed the plunger. Before the troops could react to their tank being destroyed, the cars in the street exploded all at once, filling the air with flying metal.

The effect on the regiment was devastating the tanks came to a full halt, unable to pass by the burning wreck that used to be the lead tank, the soldiers that weren’t wounded by the cars that just exploded were still trying to get over the shock of the blasts. Their confusion further deepened as gunfire from other rebels rained down on them from the windows of the buildings lining the street.

Jack was busily scanning the soldiers in the street, looking for new targets－ his first was slumped over in his jeep with a hole in his temple. He dropped two more officers before the panicked Japanese soldiers began to rush the buildings, seeking cover from the gunfire that filled the streets.

Jack swore under his breath and slung his rifle over his shoulder and drew his Browning Hi-Power as he dashed away from the window. “We going to have company real soon, darlin’,” he called over his shoulder.
Sarah tore herself away from the window and followed after him, thumbing the safety off her Garand. She followed Jack as he ran down the hallway. They were only on the third floor of the apartment building and the Japs would be there soon. Jack stopped at the window at the end of the hall and smashed the panes of glass out. Clearing as much glass as he could from the frame, he climbed up on the sill and steeled himself to jump through the window of the building across the alley. They heard a loud slam and the clomping of boot heels as the Japanese stormed the stairwell.

“Any time you feel like it East Texas, I’d like to get out of here.” Sarah said irritably as she took cover in a doorway. Jack glanced back at her then looked back across the alley and launched himself through the window. He rolled on the carpet and felt a jagged pain in his leg, crying out as he landed.

Sarah ran to the window. “Jack, you alright?”

“Yeah,” he called back. “Cut my leg on a piece of glass though.”
The stairwell door opened with a crack as the Jap kicked in the door. Sarah turned and fired two shots at the doorway then climbed onto the sill and launched herself through the window, landing next to Jack. A large shard of glass protruded from his thigh, blood oozing from the wound.

“Dammit, can you get that out?”

“Yeah, just gimme a sec.”

Sarah turned and looked back to the apartment they’d just come from and fired three more shots at the
Japs that were now filing into the hallway. “We don’t have a second, just do it now!”
A door opened behind her and she whirled, ready to unload the rest of her clip into whoever it was but stopped when she recognized it was another rebel. She pointed to Jack. “Help him get that out and get him out of here ASAP!”

There was a chatter of fire as the Japs started shooting their submachine guns. Ducking behind the wall, Sarah yelled. “What are you waiting for?! Get him out of here!”
The rebel quickly ducked and gingerly removed the shard of glass from Jack’s leg. Using the wall for support, Jack stood up and wrapped an arm around the rebel’s shoulder. “Let’s get out of here, you too darlin’. I ain’t have you dyin’ out here.”

As the three started down the stairs to the exit, the rebel said, “There’s a car out back you can use. Most of the others are staying to finish the fight but you can use it to get to a field hospital nearby. There’s directions and a map in the glove box.”

“Now hold on a darn second.” Jack protested. “I just got my leg cut up a little, nothing bad.”

“I don’t know, buddy. There could be more fragments in there that I didn’t get, and you don’t want to have those in your leg when the wound starts to close up.”

“He’s right Jack.” Said Sarah. “Better to come back and fight when your leg is healed.”
Jack scowled but offered no more resistance as they exited the building. In the parking lot behind the apartment building they just exited sat a black 1937 Ford convertible.

“There’s your ride.” Said the rebel, giving Sarah Jack’s arm. “You take care of him. We’ve got these Japs handled.”

Sarah thanked him and led Jack to the passenger seat of the car. She eased behind the wheel as Jack pulled out the map the rebel had mentioned. “Looks like we’ll be taking some back roads to get there. We’ll have to be careful to not be spotted.”

Sarah nodded as she started the car and navigated the alley to a side street. As they drove along the road to the field hospital, Sarah felt the hint of a smile touch her lips. Their attack today had been tremendously successful. If all went well, they should be able to kick the Japanese off their shores soon.