Battle Earth (30 page)

“They’ve done it, Sir, Paris has held! They’ve driven the Mechs from the city!”

The room erupted in excitement, but Kelly just lowered he head as he fought back tears. He wondered if the onslaught would ever end. He knew that until the invaders had been stopped in a pitched battle that there was no hope. The comms officer looked at him.

“We’ve done it, Sir, we’ve beaten them!”

“I know, there is hope, and that is all we can ask.”

* * *

Taylor stood at the window overlooking the recovery room where Parker was still connected to a host of machines. The Commander had arranged her transfer to a hospital north of Paris as the battle still raged. Phillips was aware that her survival and presence could do wonders for the unit, the Major in particular.

Passersby stared at his filthy clothes, his rifle was still slung over his shoulder. It was obvious that the officer had just endured a brutal fight. No one had the heart to tell him to clean himself up. Commander Phillips stood with him. He’d driven him there in his own vehicle.

“It is a delicate thing, Major, morale.”

“Yes, Sir.”

He didn’t take his eyes of Eli.

“In the coming days, weeks, months or even years, we will need every soldier on God’s Earth. You have done not just your country proud today, Major, but the entire world. I have arranged the best medical treatment for Sergeant Parker. The doctors here assure me that she will recover fully in time.”

He turned and looked at the Commander confused. He’d hoped with all his heart for Eli to survive her wounds, but he had doubted her chances. He turned back to see her once again. Her eyes opened and she tilted her head just slightly to look at him through the glass. A smile lit up his face as he looked into her eyes.

At that moment he knew there was hope for them all.