by John Davis
He emptied his entire clip as the Hunters' prized unit began to die slowly of internal bleeding, standing in the same spot as it screeched in agony. Meanwhile, Roman and the second Fang were engulfed in an all out brawl of clashing steel and determined flesh when Roman saw his friend fall.
A Hunter sniper hit Steiner in the back with a high caliber weapon as he stood there to place a full clip into his battle rifle. Right away, Roman sensed the severity of the wound as meat and vital tissue sprung from Steiner's chest, the round making its way completely through the hulking beast as he fell to both knees. A couple more shots followed closely after, knocking Steiner face first into the sands of Glimmeria, dead.
Fury took control of Roman as he seized the second Fang and began tearing flesh from any seam of its skeletal frame that he could possibly put his hands on. Two of the Colonial Goliath units had fallen at the end of a hailstorm of Hunter gunfire when Roman found himself beside the remaining Goliath and a small group of Colonial soldiers who had thrown down arms in surrender. There were simply too many Hunters.
Adam had seen the loyal Husk fall dead in the street and made his way up to the loft with extreme haste, grabbing an emotional Dalton and pulling the rifle from his hands before he could get a true shot.
“Dalton, there are too many!” Adam said sternly.
“I don't give a shit anymore Adam! I've had enough of watching my fucking friends die.” Dalton shouted back as he made his way down from the loft to the front door of the stable.
“Step back. I don't want to shoot you, but if you leave now you will sign the death warrant of every one of us.” Sasha said as she aimed her silencer equipped machine gun pistol at the man who had nearly reached the end.
“Bitch, you better move. None of us would even be in this position if your kind could stop killing for five fucking minutes. Now get out of my way, otherwise you 'aint gonna like how this ends.” Dalton said angrily.
Sasha pulled the load clasp back, assuring him that the weapon was ready to discharge at the slightest bit of pressure.
“Dalton! You need to calm down before you do something you will regret for the rest of your life.” Adam said, grabbing the left arm of his pissed off friend.
“Nope. I aint' gonna regret this Adam.” he said as he planted his fist firmly into the face of Michaels, knocking him back into the thick wooden wall.
“Down on your knees, hands behind your head soldier!” Sasha demanded of Dalton as the Colonial sniper continued watching the Hunters round up any survivors outside, which included a badly outnumbered Roman Raines.
“No Sasha. If he wants a damn fight, he's gonna get one.” Adam said boldly as he stood back to his feet and threw the large, Colonial issued pistol to the ground.
“Sounds good to me, I'm tired of watching you march my friends to the grave over a war that some whore dragged you int...” Dalton replied as Adam landed a left jab and a harrowing right hook onto the man, stumbling him back as he remained standing.
Obviously reeling just a bit, Dalton placed his hand across his beard for a minute, surprised if nothing else that Adam struck him back.
“Well, you got balls after all.” Dalton managed to spit out before Adam landed three more punches, followed by a crisp right elbow which he had angled skyward, knocking his belligerent friend onto his back. Adam immediately got on top of him and placed his forearm across the throat of Dalton, choking the life from his body.
“Yes, I know that Luck, Kato, Kelly and now Steiner have died because of decisions I'VE made. I have to live with it every fucking day, and I'll be damned if another one of my crew's names is going to be on that list. So either you help me free Roman, or you carry your ass back to Colonial Command and wait for me to bring him back,” Adam said with grave calm before letting go of his choke hold and picking his pistol up, pointing it directly at the face of a broken down Dalton. “Now what's it gonna be?” Adam asked.
“Just give me a fucking gun and let's find a way outta here already.” Dalton said somberly as if to admit defeat.
“You aren't seriously gonna give this guy a gun are you?” the Colonial sniper said, shocked at the notion.
“This isn't the first time we've had a physical disagreement, I'm just glad I won this round,” Adam said, smiling a bit as he extended his hand to help Dalton to his feet. “We go way back. If I step out of line, he puts me back in it, and vice versa.” Adam added.
“That elbow got me, you dirty fightin' fuck.” Dalton replied, using the arm of Michaels to help himself up.
“You sure you're not Benzan? You act so much like everyone that I know, I'm not even homesick anymore.” Sasha said to Adam.
“Our rescue party got their asses kicked, and as thin as the Colonial forces are spread, I seriously doubt they will be sending another,” Adam said to the group. “Means we are gonna have to go it on our own.” he added.
“The Hunters took the survivors into a building up the street, probably not more than two hundred yards from here. Roman was with the group they took.” the Colonial sniper said.
“I've never known Hunters to take prisoners?” Sasha said in a puzzled tone of voice.
“They don't. Plan on getting as much information as they can from them and putting a bullet in their head would be my guess, which means we gotta work fast.” Adam replied. They would have the perfect opportunity soon, as the sun had started to set, painting faded blue and shimmering light red across the sky. The town would soon be engulfed with complete darkness.
“Sir, reports are indicating that our lines are being pushed back.” a Colonial officer said as he stood before Commander Edwards.
“Give a general order to fall back here to Colonial Command. If the Legion tries to take this complex, they will pay dearly in lives.” Edwards replied.
“Yes sir!” the officer replied as he turned to execute the order. “What is the status of Adam's rescue?” the commander asked as he turned to a very distraught Sarah Blaine. With her eyes full of tears, she simply nodded no.
“Once our remaining forces fall back and we regroup, I will try to put together a second tactical team to go get them, don't worry.” Edwards replied to calm her before walking to the other stations inside of the Vault.
“This is a general order of retreat. Repeat, fall back. Remaining Colonial forces are instructed to fall back to Colonial Command and await further orders.” Sarah said calmly into her com unit, holding the tears back long enough to broadcast with a hope filled voice.
“In the event that the Legion would begin taking control of this complex, we have strategically placed nuclear warheads on every level of the building. Our engineers have been able to bring Colonial Star Twenty Two to flight ready status. Most of the weapons and defense systems aboard are not functional as of yet, however as a last resort, it will evacuate us and the small group of Colonial soldiers off of Glimmeria to the small moon of Thisia, where we have been assured safe harbor by the Thisian government.” Commander Edwards reluctantly announced to everyone inside of the Vault.
“What of the rest of the Colonials?” one of the officers asked, bringing a harsh expression to the commander's face.
“There is simply very limited room on the Colonial Star. The remainder of our forces will be left here to stave off the Legion until we can come back for them.” Edwards replied. He expected to have to explain the plan in great detail to the most important members of the Colonial government. However, the conversation was cut short as the soldiers outside of the Vault under the command of Lassiter, began firing their weapons in the direction of the building's main entrance. The Legion had made it to their front door and all hell had broken loose.
“Lassiter! You must hold them until the Colonial Star arrives to evacuate us!” Commander Edwards proclaimed through the com unit in the Vault as they eyed one another through the shatterproof glass.
“Will do sir. Highly recommend pulling any available air units to the area to assist.” Lassiter replied, his voice nearly im
possible to make out over the com unit as gunshots rang out all around him.
“Negative. Remaining air units are escorting Colonial Star in behind command, you must hold the Legion troops back at all costs.” Edwards pleaded.
“Understood sir,” Lassiter replied into the com unit before throwing it to the ground. “Dig in and earn your independence!” he yelled loudly to the troops that barricaded the halls of the building, mostly flesh with a few mechanical Goliaths assisting.
“Sarah. Begin the process of packing up all vital equipment and Colonial documentation. You, remain with Sarah at all times from this point forward.” Edwards demanded of one of the Vault's very few and heavily experienced soldiers. As Sarah began to explain to Commander Edwards that an armed escort wasn't necessary, she saw several Colonial soldiers gunned down on the other side of the glass as they were in the thickest of firefights, which prompted her to stay quiet and do as he asked.
Roman sat in a small room with six Colonial soldiers, all tied to chairs with thick rope and waiting to join the last two soldiers who were taken out for questioning, along with the remaining Goliath, to the land of the dead. As the door opened up slowly, the same Hunter who had come for the others stood in deep thought, trying to decide who they would torture for information next as two very large and well armed guards stood on the inside of the door. He was dressed in battle tested black leather armor from head to toe with a slight trimming of silver, much of it saturated with dried blood and a dusting of sand.
“Him.” he said, pointing to Roman as the two Vampiric guards walked slowly in the direction of the doomed soldier. “Make it quick, I grow tired of dealing with these pathetic humans.” he added as Roman suddenly noticed a strange look about his face. As his eyes drifted down from the Hunter's face to his large torso, he could see the tip of a large blade sticking out of his stomach, a waterfall of blood crashing onto the floor. Dalton stood behind him, the Hunter's body falling to the ground shortly after as Dalton reclaimed the arm length machete in Roman like fashion, throwing it end over end at one of the two remaining demons, and in non-Roman like fashion, hitting the Hunter with the handle of the knife.
“Oh shit.” Dalton said, stunned as the knife hit the floor making a small clanking sound. Before the flesh eating guards could get the drop on him however, Sasha stepped in and fired her palm sized machine gun pistol, droplets of red mortality finding a home on the wall behind them, quickly bringing a stinging demise to one of the Hunter guards.
The remaining demon quickly aimed his rifle in Sasha's direction, firing a shot that ricocheted off of the floor, a chair smashing into the side of its head and busting into dozens of splintered pieces. Roman had not only thrown the object in which he had been tied to only moments ago, but had lunged on top of the reeling Hunter, using the thick rope which bound his hands to choke much of the life from the wounded beast.
After collecting the large blade, Dalton caught sight of two more of the heavily armed beasts as they dashed into the small dwelling. Once again, he threw it end over end in the direction of the door with the same results as it clanged against the wall and fell pitifully to the ground.
“Fuck it.” Dalton said, swiftly pulling his pistol and pecking away much of the flesh of the first demon inside, the screaming Hunter falling against the wall and clutching its face with his claw ridden hands. The second Hunter in was immediately dismissed by a group of shots from one of the Hunter rifles which Roman now held.
“Dead or alive, bring them to me!” Anwick yelled, his pale white skin flush with pink tint as revenge overtook him. Several more Hunters, nearly a dozen, quickly ran out of the saloon up the street, cautiously panning their large rifles around as they tried to assess the recent screams. The horrified townsfolk continued glancing from their windows, most having never seen a Hunter in their lifetime, much less watching one fall.
“Cut their bonds and let's get the fuck out of here!” Dalton yelled in Roman's direction, having given up hope on ever obtaining any type of skill with a blade. It only took seconds for the former Gali commando to slice his thick bonds, as well as those of the Colonial prisoners as they collected what weapons lay on the floor and hastily proceeded outside.
“There!” one of the Hunters exclaimed, pointing to the group of escaping Colonials as they fled the building and hopefully captivity. The Hunters, however, were much quicker than normal men, steadily closing the gap between the fleeing prisoners and those who wished them dead. Anwick remained back at the edge of town as he watched his minions of murder pursue a group of people who he wanted to watch die, slowly and painfully. He had killed thousands of men, women and children during his time, but could not remember a single one that he wanted to perish more than Adam Michaels.
He would never get that chance. As he watched his men fade into the far reaches of the distance, Adam Michaels stepped from the shadows of the building which marked the beginning of town.
“Reap it you son of a bitch!” he said as he stepped from behind two wooden barrels, pointing his standard issue Colonial combat pistol into point blank range of Anwick and firing all six shots in succession. Anwick's inhuman speed was enough to dodge a majority of the shots, although two of them hit him deep in the chest, greatly reducing the flesh demon.
Having expended his ammunition, Adam struck Anwick across the face with the heel of the pistol before throwing it to the ground. The two wounds, coupled with gunshots suffered earlier had reduced Anwick to nothing more than a normal person. Adam threw several punches into the face of the kneeling Hunter, who eventually threw a drastic backhand of his own, putting Adam onto his back.
“I will snap your neck and watch you die a slow death!” Anwick screamed, standing to his feet only to be met by Adam's lust for the revenge of his fallen friends. A devastating uppercut, followed by a thrashing right elbow to the face of Anwick send the monster back to the ground abruptly.
Adam's quest for retribution was cut short however, as he approached Anwick heavy footed and was quickly grabbed by the throat, the Hunter's spiny white fingers wrapping around quickly and their accompanying claws digging in. With maddening rage setting in, Anwick used the grip to pick Adam up off of the ground a couple of feet and hurl him into the wooden fence in front of the nearby building, smashing several feet of it into pieces.
“You have cost me time, extreme amounts of stress and many faithful lives,” Anwick yelled loudly, starting to approach Adam before stopping abruptly. “And now here you are,” Anwick said, looking at Adam as he lay on splintered wood and scorching sand, broken by the injuries newly gained. “The worst part of it is if your loyalties would have remained with me, I have no doubt that we could have worked well together. As hard as it was for me to end you, says a lot about the high level of smuggler you must have been.” Anwick added.
“You have no idea.” Adam said, his face bloodied as he sat there prepared to die.
“Nor will I.” Anwick replied. “Does such an outstanding smuggler have any last words?” he added, slowly approaching Adam for the kill.
“Yea. I sure could use some Whiskey right about now.” Adam replied, Anwick stopping for a moment to laugh at the beaten man.
“I am afraid the saloon is much to far to fill that request.” Anwick answered.
“No. I said I sure could use some WHISKEY right about now.” Adam replied, placing a great deal of emphasis on the word Whiskey as the eye sore of a mutt sprung from one of the barrels and barked wildly.
“What the?” Anwick said in a low voice, surprised by the invasion as he turned to the sound of Whiskey's barking. Adam quickly pulled a compact pistol from behind his back, having been tucked away behind his belt throughout the entire fight. Moments later, Anwick lay dead, his blood drenching the sand as Adam continued holding the pistol which smoked from all six shots fired.
The Colonial force had nearly been caught, when they stopped suddenly and spun to begin firing on the group of Hunters. In unison, sand covered tarps flew into the a
ir as Helon, Zavious and Oz stood entrenched in them, firing heavy weaponry at the suddenly matched foes.
The Hunters were outnumbered by a group filled with equally tactful killers, several who were pissed off to say the least. The next few minutes were engulfed in a firefight from the worst imaginable hell as lead, blades, blood and cursing all flew freely into the air and onto the sands of that small patch of Glimmerian soil. Adam and Whiskey had sprinted to help his friends after confirming the death of Aniwick, arriving when the fight had freshly come to a close.
One of the Colonial soldiers was alive, but in bad shape, the rest, including the sniper, lay slain on the sand. Helon and Oz had both fallen, each with grimacing claw marks all over them and multiple gunshots to the chest. Sasha was nearly unscathed, but was grieving loudly at the death of the two Benzans as Zavious lived, effectively making him the highest ranking member of the Benzan family. Roman stood tall, covered in blood, most of which belonged to the fallen Hunters as he did his best to survey the damage around him. Dalton lay with the dead Hunters, his shirt ripped to pieces from both claw and blade as he had tried unsuccessfully to fend off two of the near immortals himself.
It wasn't until Whiskey went to him, licking his face and leaving tongue trails of cleanliness that Dalton started slowly moving his head around, at first not understanding if he were dead or alive. A few more times of raw tongue dragging unkempt whiskers was all it took to remind him that he was still alive, and in need of a damn drink.
“Please tell me that's all of the bastards. If not, shoot my ass now and leave my belongings to Whiskey.” he said, painfully pulling himself to a sitting position as the surviving chuckled a bit.
“That's all of them. The remaining Hunters and Fangs left a short time ago to aid the Legion's siege on Colonial Command.” Adam said.
“And Anwick?” Roman asked.
