Sleepers and Scouts

by Phillip Murrell

  Guntho takes note of this, but does not react. Her faith in her captain is wavering by how easily he loses composure in a demanding situation.

  “They do not set foot on this bridge!” Jillarni screams.

  “I suggest we set up traps versus direct engagement. They will have to reveal any other secrets they have, and it will be easier for Golem platoon to eliminate any survivors,” Guntho suggests.

  “At least one on my crew is competent. Make it happen.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Claire storms into Larry’s office. Her hair and makeup are fixed, but her lip is still split. Larry looks at her and instantly screams.

  “Finally decided to come back to work?” he asks.

  “I’m sorry, Boss. In case you hadn’t noticed, another man died in my arms.”

  “The entire world has problems this time, Claire. We can’t all stop to deal with your shit.”

  The barb wounds Claire, but she expected it and pleads her case.

  “Put me on, Boss. I don’t care who’s supposed to be on the air, put me on instead. I drove forty miles to get here. I saw the panic in the streets. We aren’t at rioting yet, and I’d like to halt that.”

  “How? You can’t call a Templar this time to bail the city out. They’re gone, and who knows what’s happening.”

  “As long as we don’t see that giant alien ship again, I’d say it’s at least a tie.”

  “Don’t get cute with me.”

  “I’ve gone through some serious shit lately. I almost died, I started some heavy drinking, and I lost the man I love forever. It puts my life in perspective and lets me know I need to keep this job. It’s all I have left. If you give me this chance, I’ll show the viewers out there that they still have things to live for, too.”

  “Who else do I have to put on? Most of the staff abandoned this place after Seal Pup told us the end of the world could be today. I’ve got nobody.”

  “I thought this place seemed quiet.”

  “What did I just say about being cute?”

  “You know how to work a camera, right, Boss? You do own the place.”

  “Of course, I do!”

  “Great, then we have everyone we need. You shoot, and I’ll report.”

  “Sure, Kid, why the hell not?”

  Moments later, Claire is seated in her old chair and stares at the camera.

  “Good afternoon, welcome to an extra-long victory edition of The Intrepid Reporter. I’m your host Claire Kennedy, and I’m begging you to remain calm today. Have faith in our Templars, and they’ll win the battle that I know is raging over our heads.”

  Maria drives through the streets in a police cruiser by herself. The only people in the streets are those wishing to cause damage and commit other crimes. Her anger grows as she sees the number of looters taking advantage of an undermanned police force. Despite not having her fellow officers with her, or even riot gear, Maria has a fire burning in her to save the city. She sees a gang of teenagers throw a trashcan through a convenience store and rush inside. She counts five boys all together. Maria slams on the brakes and parks in front of the damaged business. Maria takes a moment to report the crime, but she’s unsure how many in dispatch are even listening.

  Maria unbuckles and draws her baton. She walks confidently into the store.

  “Get the lotto tickets,” a teenager shouts.

  “How about you don’t,” Maria suggests.

  She hears cackles of laughter from the juvenile thugs.

  “What you gonna do about it?” one asks.

  “Yo, chill, she’s here to strip for us,” another chides.

  “Hell yeah, then you can suck my dick,” a third taunts.

  The ringleader peels away the plastic protecting the lottery tickets and slides multiple lengths out of the palm of his hand in Maria’s direction.

  “I’m making it rain!”

  “Damn, you’re dumb,” the last teen accuses.

  “I don’t have time for your shit and no babysitter to catch me. Leave on your feet now or crawl later while looking for your teeth.”

  “You can’t touch us, pig, we’re minors.”

  “I don’t care.”

  “Man, screw this bitch.”

  One of the teens swings a baseball bat at Maria. She ducks under it and kicks the boy solidly in his chest with the ball of her foot. The scrawny youth falls to his knees and gasps. Maria chooses not to afford him another chance and brings her baton down on his clavicle. It easily breaks. The boy screams. His pain takes the fight out of the other boys. They don’t even show the loyalty to help their friend get out. Maria allows the teens to escape.

  “I’ll be coming back!” she yells. “Make sure I don’t see you!”

  “Crazy bitch!”

  Maria turns her attention to the injured boy. He rolls on the floor and cries like a much smaller child.

  “Leave or I have to arrest you,” Maria warns.

  The teen gets up and hobbles out the broken window.

  “One more thing!” Maria shouts.

  The boy turns and looks at her.

  “What?”

  “Go ahead and snitch and see what I do about it. If you forget about this, so will I, and nobody has to go to jail.”

  “Whatever, pig!”

  He races out of the store as easily as he can. Maria quickly examines the room and walks back to her police cruiser.

  Votary’s smaller team of Templars advances on the bridge. Half of their drone escorts are already defeated. Their bodies spark along the corridors with dead marines to accompany them. Votary has rearranged his people to compensate. The new order has the remaining ten drones, then Karmic, followed by Votary, Seal Pup, SOT, Stage, Stitch, and Knight Terror in the rear. Knight Terror has tank tracks for legs again, and he’s made his body so wide that it takes up nearly the entire corridor. He has Tazdeve cannons pointing to the rear of the column as they advance.

  “We’re nearing our target,” Votary informs his team.

  “Debris blocks the passage ahead,” Alpha informs Votary in a feminine voice.

  “Okay, hold position. Karmic, do you mind taking this one?”

  “Not at all.”

  Karmic moves forward with his assault rifle at the ready. In front of Karmic are what appear to be thick, metal riot shields blocking the entire width of the corridor. The shields stand over four feet tall. They look short enough to climb over. Votary wonders what lays on the other side.

  “I could use Stage up here,” Karmic says.

  “Moving,” Stage answers.

  The shamrock green armored Templar charges past his friends. Both his hands are ready to react if the Malignant have a trap.

  “What do you need?” Stage asks.

  “Clear the path,” Karmic answers.

  “Gladly.”

  Stage aims both palms at the obstacle and lobs a pair of orbs. He follows them with two more. The first set collide with the wall and transforms it into molten metal. The second pair sail past and collide with the orange armored marines waiting in ambush. Stage reverts to beam attacks. Long strands of frozen air reach from his fingers to the marines that begin to move to new cover. Stage turns three more into steamy marble and goo puddles.

  “Down!” Knight Terror shouts.

  All Templars and drones obey. Votary listens to the whirl of Knight Terror’s cannons as they keep the Malignant marines pinned behind the wall and unable to return fire. The Templars low crawl as Knight Terror pours on the attack.

  One marine becomes bold and tosses a grenade around the corner. The weapon rolls toward a trio of drones and explodes, but he’s too slow in bringing his hand back behind cover. It explodes, and the man stumbles into the hallway holding his stump. His body endures three dozen more micro explosions before it finally falls to piece
s.

  “Cease fire!” Votary orders.

  Knight Terror ends his onslaught. He refocuses to the rear of the formation. Votary and Seal Pup wait at the end of the corridor.

  “How many drones do we have left?” Votary asks.

  “Seven.”

  “Great,” Votary sarcastically says. “This is about to get sporting.”

  “Yup.”

  Votary motions for two drones to enter the T intersection and move down a side each. The drones obey without issue. Once they stand in the hallway, the entire path is filled with flames. The drones burn and quickly reach their melting points. Seal Pup reaches up to cover his face. The flames dissipate before reaching him.

  “They’re augment flames,” Votary explains.

  Votary stretches out his power-negating bubble. It reaches fifteen meters before it stops impacting the marines.

  “What’s happening?” Votary hears a marine complain.

  “Charge them now!” Votary orders.

  Votary keeps his bubble up to its maximum. It means his Templars will have to fight on equal footing, but he hopes the shock will give them an edge.

  Votary and Seal Pup turn left. Karmic and Stage go right with the five remaining drones. Knight Terror and Stitch remain in the hallway, away from Votary’s range.

  Votary regrets his choice of direction when he sees five marines standing in wait. They all have short swords drawn, but they act nervously. The marines seem to be losing their resolve in this fight despite their superior numbers. Votary runs into the hallway and kicks off the right wall. He uses the boost to launch him into the air and land in the center of the group. He drops a foam capsule, then kicks a marine solidly in the chest. The woman falls to the floor and gives Votary an escape route before the foam immobilizes him like it does the four remaining marines.

  Seal Pup levels his rifle on each of the mummified marines. Each takes a pen to the head, then leans to the side. The foam keeps them standing upright.

  “I’m out!” Seal Pup announces.

  He throws his rifle onto the floor, then drops his golden pearl out of its socket and enlarges his trident.

  Votary aims his rifle at the marine he kicked and holds down the trigger. A single pen hits the woman in the stomach after passing through a meager ball of fire. Votary’s weapon exhausts its ammunition. The marine clutches the wound with her free hand. She holds her sword in her dominant one and prepares to defend herself against Votary. Votary throws his rifle at the marine, but the woman bats it away with her sword. Votary takes the opportunity to pull out his twin escrima sticks and mercilessly swings them at the woman in erratic patterns. She bats away the assault, but her wound has limited her efficiency. Votary kicks her foot out from under her on her wounded side. The woman sprawls onto the floor and hits her head. She loses her grip on her sword when she impacts the floor. Votary squats over the woman and beats her repeatedly. His blows are powerful and constant. Dents eventually form in the woman’s armor, and she ceases trying to defend herself. Votary doesn’t end his attack. He tosses his batons to the side and begins to punch the woman’s helmet. He rips at a hole in the armor and pulls it loose. His suit’s strength allows him to rip pieces off the seamless Malignant armor. He tosses the helmet to the side. Votary takes a moment to look at the woman before attacking again.

  The woman looks to be in her late twenties or early thirties. Her face is bloodied, but numerous scars from previous battles lay underneath the blood. She looks like she’s about to speak, but Votary doesn’t wait to hear it. He smashes his gauntlet into her face a dozen plus times. At first, she spits teeth, but then her face caves in. Pieces of skull and flesh come up with his hand each time he prepares for another blow. Eventually Votary feels Seal Pup’s arms grab his own and hoist him off the body.

  “Calm down!” Seal Pup orders.

  Votary looks at him and ceases his bloodlust. He casually grabs his two escrima sticks from the floor and motions for the others to follow. He drops his expanded bubble so the others can continue.

  “Does anyone have any ammunition left?” Votary asks, pretending nothing just happened.

  “No,” Karmic says.

  “Not me,” SOT adds.

  “I’m dry,” Seal Pups states.

  “I only brought my staff,” Stage answers.

  “I’m good, but I’m starving,” Knight Terror says.

  “That’s the same thing as empty,” Votary says.

  “I’ve got some left,” Stitch answers, “but can’t we take their guns?”

  “No!” SOT screams. “They’re booby trapped. They’ll explode when we try to use them.”

  “Leave them,” Votary agrees. “Stitch, give SOT your weapon and use your hatchet instead.”

  “Sure,” Stitch says as she passes the weapon over to SOT.

  “I appreciate it,” SOT says.

  “We lost another drone,” Stage tells Votary.

  “The bridge is just around this corner. We’re almost there,” Votary informs.

  “You sure we can do this?” Seal Pup whispers to Votary only.

  “We have to,” Votary whispers back.

  Votary pulls a mirror out of a compartment in his leg. He extends a pole on it and peers it around the corner. He can see the door identifying the bridge. He also sees a dozen orange behemoths blocking the entrance. They each fill the corridor and brandish massive machine guns in their solid metal arms. These cannons bark and the mirror is pulled out of Votary’s hand.

  “Watch out!” he screams as he dives back for cover.

  “What’s wrong?” Seal Pup asks.

  The wall at the end of the corridor explodes as more shots travel down the hallway. Votary erects a purple barrier, but the high-powered shots decimate it nearly as soon as it’s created.

  “SOT, we need your gun!” Votary yells.

  “Coming!”

  SOT slides across the ground and lies on the floor between the wall and Votary and Seal Pup’s legs. She uses her own mirror for a second and pulls it back.

  “One more,” she says.

  She pokes her mirror around the corner again. She pulls the mirror back and readies her weapon.

  “You mind giving me some room?” SOT asks.

  Votary and Seal Pup move back so she can take the lead position. SOT steadies her breathing and races across the five-meter opening to the hallway on the other side of the intersection. When she reaches the midpoint of her run, she aims her weapon toward the golems and fires a pair of pens. Both penetrators hit the lead golem and bounce off. The golem doesn’t appear affected. He laughs at her attempt. Fortunately, the maneuver is fast enough that the golem’s return fire isn’t accurate enough to cut SOT down.

  “Shit,” SOT curses, “I hit him, but his armor or body or whatever the hell it is, is too thick. They just bounced off.”

  “Karmic, you’re up,” Seal Pup says.

  Karmic begins to move to the intersection, but stops when SOT screams.

  “No! They’ll just grab him. They may not be able to hurt him, but they can hold him down.”

  “Great,” Votary says. “Seal Pup, can you send a tidal wave toward them?”

  “If you move back down the hall a bit.”

  “I’ve pulled my bubble in to just an inch outside my armor. You’ll be fine.”

  “Okay, let’s try.”

  Seal Pup slides ahead of Votary and aims his trident down the corridor. A wave fills the hallway and slams into the golems. They fire, but their projectiles are swallowed by the wave and lose their effectiveness. They clatter onto the floor. The water impacts the lead golem, but loses all momentum.

  “No good,” Seal Pup reports.

  Votary hears the heavy steps of the golems as they advance down the hallway. The Malignant apparently realize that the Templars can’t take them, and they�
��ve decided to press the advantage.

  “Stage!” Votary screams. “We need you!”

  Stage hustles to the front of the line. SOT fires blindly around the corner, but the monsters keep moving.

  Stage reaches a hand around the corner and blindly lobs an orb. His hand is taken off at the elbow for his troubles. The geriatric Templar falls over screaming and nearly rolls into the hallway, but Votary grabs him and yanks him back to safety. Stitch is already waiting to re-grow his arm.

  “I can’t take much more of this!” Stage groans.

  Fortunately, Stage was able to hit the lead golem and kill him. There are only eleven remaining by Votary’s count. This casualty briefly halts the Malignant advancement.

  The constant firepower continues. Votary suspects they’re only fifteen meters from the intersection.

  “We need to fall back!” Stitch urges.

  “We can’t,” Votary counters. “SOT will be left behind.”

  “Forget about me!” she screams. “I’ll take care of myself!”

  “Seal Pup, we have one more play. I can take them down,” Votary suggests.

  “They’ll cut you down first. Those are real projectiles. Your power won’t save you!”

  “No, but yours will. Send another wave at them. It should block the bullets. I follow immediately behind it and stretch my bubble. I’ll throw myself to the floor, then I need Stage to take them out!”

  “I can’t stick my head out there again!” Stage screams.

  “You have to, or we all die!” Seal Pup argues.

  “Please, Stage, I’ll fix you,” Stitch implores.

  “Fine. Sweet Mary, have mercy on me!” Stage shouts.

  Seal Pup conjures the wave and sends it, double thick, toward the golems that are nearly in arm’s reach of the Templars. Votary sprints after it and opens his bubble while diving to the floor. He slides between their legs. The wave disappears as the golems revert to humans. The two nearest Votary when he uses his power are tangled up with him and tumble to the floor. This actually saves their lives as Stage hits the remaining nine with twin beams of matter changing energy.

  SOT turns the corner and fires six pens into the chest of one of the prone marines. Seal Pup impales the other with his trident.