by Tripp Ellis
Aidan's phone rolled over to voicemail. “Hey, this is Aiden. I can't take your call. Sucks for you.”
“Aiden, call me as soon as you can. I'm coming to get you." Ronan hung up and sprinted out of the once luxurious condo.
Ronin dashed into the hallway and ran to the stairwell. He pushed through the steel fire doors, and spiraled down the staircase. Jessica was waiting for him in the hallway. Her hair was tousled, and she had that bottomless gaze in her eyes that Ronan had seen in so many combat veterans.
Ronan grabbed her hand and pulled her down the hallway. He could feel her trembling. “Stay calm and take deep breaths. Don't go into shock. It's going to be okay."
She melted down, becoming a complete basket case. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she heaved for breath in jerking sobs. “How is any of this going to be okay?”
"I need you to stay focused, or we’re definitely not going to be okay."
Jessica nodded.
The panicked screams of residents permeated the building. Some were gathering precious belongings and evacuating the building. Others had decided to hunker down and wait it out.
"Why don't we take the elevator?" Jessica asked.
The lights in the hallway flickered, then went dark. Ronan could hear the screams of passengers that were stuck in the elevators. Their screeching voices filtered up through the shafts.
"That's why." Ronan pushed open the steel fire door and moved into the staircase. Without the building lighting it was pitch black, but several stories below he could see light cascading in through a gaping hole in the exterior wall. It helped illuminate the stairwell, but it didn't bode well for the structural integrity of the staircase.
Ronan's face tensed. He decided to take a chance. They spiraled their way down several flights without incident. Jessica's high heels clacked against the concrete stairs, echoing in the confined space.
The two descended to the damaged area—two flights of the staircase had been demolished. Ronan stood on a narrow strip of concrete at the landing on the 24th floor—it was all that remained. The outer wall had been torn away, and he could see the entire city. Smoke billowed into the sky, and fires flickered across the landscape.
Most of the staircase that serviced the 23rd and 22nd floor had been demolished. There were remaining fragments here and there, as well as twisted bits of the railing. The next piece of solid ground was 36 feet below. Not an impossible jump, but definitely risking a sprained or broken ankle.
Ronan peered down the stairwell and tried to figure out how to descend past the gap.
3
Wind gusts buffeted Ronan, making his position near the open edge even more precarious.
On the far wall, there was a black water pipe, 8 inches in diameter, that ran the vertical length of the building. It fed the sprinkler system on each floor. It was fixed to the wall with support brackets that were bolted to the concrete. It had joints every 10 feet. Scaling the pipe wasn't a perfect solution, but it seemed like the most viable way down.
Ronan was going to have to leap five feet to reach it. If he misjudged the jump, or failed to grasp the pipe, he'd bounce off the wall and certainly break something as he spun to the landing below. Even worse, he could miss the pipe completely, fall through the hole in the wall, and plummet to the sidewalk. It wasn't an appealing thought.
Ronan's intense eyes focused on the water pipe. He practiced the jump in his mind, visualizing how he would grasp the water main. He went through it in his mind a few times, then sprang into action. His quads launched him from the ledge, and he flew across the chasm, clutching the pipe. But he couldn't quite grasp it.
His fingertips clawed at the metal as he plummeted downward. For an instant, it looked like it was going to be a disaster. But at the last moment, his fingers clasped onto the bracket affixing the pipe to the wall. He readjusted his grip, and shimmied down to the 21st floor landing, which was relatively intact.
"You're crazy if you think I'm going to do that," Jessica said.
"Lower yourself down from the ledge, then let go. I'll catch you."
"Oh, hell no!"
"You got a better idea?"
"There's another stairwell on the other side of the building. I'll go check it out."
Ronan shook his head.
Jessica scurried up the steps and pushed into the hallway on the 24th floor. She returned a few minutes later. "Okay, scratch that idea. That staircase is in worse shape than this one."
"I promise, I'll catch you.”
Jessica cringed. She already had enough of heights and dangling from ledges. She reached down and took off her stiletto heels, then tossed them down to Ronan. He caught them and set them on the ground.
"Those are Milavo-Zelnars, and I paid 2000 credits for those." Jessica climbed down and hung from the ledge.
Ronan looked up at her and attempted to position himself in line with her anticipated trajectory. He tried not to look up her skirt, but there was no avoiding it. "Just fall back, like you’re going to land in a net. I'll catch you."
Jessica scoffed. "You better."
"On three. Ready? One… Two… Three…"
Jessica let go and plunged down. She screamed in terror for a few seconds until she landed perfectly in Ronan's chiseled arms.
"See, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Ronan set her down and she straightened her skirt. Then she slipped her delicate feet into her expensive heels. "Well, now you know what color underwear I’m wearing.”
Ronan stammered, "I hadn't noticed."
Jessica arched an eyebrow at him and they continued down the staircase, spiraling into the darkness.
For the most part, it was intact for the rest the way down. There were a few sketchy locations here and there. The darkness made it even more precarious though, not knowing exactly where you were stepping. But Ronan could hear other residents using the lower portion of the staircase to evacuate, so he knew it was a navigable path.
At the bottom of the stairwell, they spilled into the main lobby. It had become a triage center of sorts, with several wounded victims sprawled on the floor while the other residents attended to them. There were several doctors that lived in the building, and they were doing the best they could with limited facilities. The air was filled with moans and groans and screeching and crying. Everyone had looks of terror on their faces. No one could believe this was happening.
Ronan grabbed his phone and dialed Aiden again. He waited with baited breath until his son finally answered.
“Dad!” Aiden's voice was shaky.
“Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I'm fine. What's going on? Who is doing this?"
“It looks like the Tarvaax.” Ronan was relieved, for the moment. "Where are you?”
“Our teachers had us move to the basement.”
Ronan could hear nearby bomb blasts and weapons fire on the other end of the line. "I want you to stay exactly where you are. I'm coming to get you, okay?"
"Okay. Please hurry, Dad. I'm scared.”
“It's gonna be all right. Keep your phone nearby and answer when I call."
“I will."
"I love you, son."
“I love you too, dad.”
Ronan hung up and pocketed his phone.
“Is your son okay?" Jessica asked.
Ronan nodded.
“Where's his school?”
“MacArthur High on Van Buren Street. You're welcome to tag along, but I don't think you want to go that direction. You should probably stay here, or try to get out of the city.”
Jessica nodded. Both those options seemed dangerous. She threw her arms around Ronan and squeezed him tight. "Thank you. You saved my life."
She held on a little longer than a casual hug, then let go. "Maybe, with any luck, when this thing is all over, we can see each other again?”
“I’d like that.” Ronan flashed a grim smile. He knew the odds of them surviving weren’t good. “Take care of yourself. Stay safe."
Jessica nodded
. Her eyes brimmed as she watched Ronan turn toward the door. She suddenly felt terribly alone.
4
After scanning the area, Ronan pushed through the doors and stepped onto the sidewalk. The street was a wreck. There were twisted frames of cars that had either been crushed by falling debris, blown up, or burned out. A plethora of bodies lay strewn about the sidewalk and roadway. Blood seeped into the concrete. Flies were already buzzing about the corpses. The roadway was pocked and scarred. There was still a danger of falling debris from the devastation above.
The sky was still dotted with alien fighters, screeching through the clouds and blasting at structures. But most of the assault was taking place in other parts of the city. The damage had been done here.
Ronan grabbed his mobile and messaged his car to pick him up. He didn't know if his car was still in existence, but it was worth a shot.
Jessica pushed through the glass double doors of the Wastoria building and darted onto the sidewalk. "I'm going with you."
Ronan crinkled his brow. "I don't think that’s such a good idea?”
"It's just as dangerous here as it is anywhere else. I think I stand as good a chance with you as I do with anyone. Certainly better than on my own."
Ronan grinned. "Okay. But don't blame me if you get killed.”
“You sure know how to make a girl feel comfortable on a first date."
Ronan arched a curious eyebrow at her.
"Just don't get us killed, and I won't have anyone to blame." She smiled at him.
Ronan had to admit, he kind of liked having her around.
To his surprise, his car pulled up to the curb. It was completely unscathed. There wasn't a dent, scratch, or chip in the paint. The windows were all intact. It looked as pristine as when he had left it.
"Come on. Get in.” Ronan held the door for her, then ran around to the other side. He hopped in the driver’s seat. "Manual driving," he commanded.
The automated voice responded, “Manual drive activated."
Ronan grabbed the gear shift and threw it into drive. It snapped into position with a precise movement. His foot mashed the accelerator to the floor. The engine spun up, and the tires squealed. He rocketed down the street, weaving around craters and potholes.
Jessica struggled to buckle her safety belt as she was flung from side to side in her seat. Ronan belted himself in as well. He turned the wheel hard and squealed around a corner, heading north. The roadway was littered with demolished vehicles.
Jessica clutched the handgrip, white knuckled, as they sped through the obstacles. She was pressing her foot against the floorboard, as if that would slow the car down.
Ronan avoided the debris like a precision race-car driver.
"It's not going to do us any good if we don't get there in one piece," Jessica said, hoping he would slow down
"Relax. I've got everything under control."
The buildings blurred by, and the engines howled. Ronan rocketed up Olympic Avenue, then veered left on 21st Street. But that was a huge mistake.
There was a platoon of Tarvaax warriors at the next intersection, accompanied by two mechanized vehicles. The units stood 2.5 stories tall. They were like walking tanks. Each arm had an articulated hand and a massive plasma cannon. 50 caliber machine guns were mounted on either side of the main turret. Rocket launchers were mounted on the shoulders of the mechanized beasts. Ronan had encountered them before on Draconis Zeti 7, and they were no fun.
The Tarvaax were anthropomorphic creatures, roughly the same size and anatomy as humans—though slightly larger on the whole. They had slick brownish-green skin and protruding eyes. Their skin had a slimy slug-like quality about it. They weren't the ugliest creatures in the galaxy, but close.
Ronan saw one of the mech units fire a rocket. It blasted from the launcher, spitting fire and propellant. A trail of white smoke billowed from its tail.
Ronan swerved hard. His body slammed against the bolsters of the seat. Tires squealed.
The missile sliced through the air and impacted the roadway just in front of the vehicle. Like a geyser, concrete and flame erupted in the roadway. A brilliant amber ball of fire rolled into the sky, followed by thick black smoke. Debris and chips of concrete spidered out and littered the roadway. The crater the explosion left behind was 20 feet wide and 10 feet deep. It was unavoidable.
Ronan jammed his foot on the brakes. His body thrust forward against the safety harness. The car had incredible stopping power. But it wasn't enough. The vehicle plunged into the crater. The car was airborne for half a second until it impacted the far berm.
Metal twisted and crumpled. The windshield webbed with cracks. Ronan's shoulders and hips slammed against the safety harness. The car’s supplemental restraint system activated, and a polymer gel foam filled the cabin within milliseconds. It cushioned their impact, encasing their bodies in a protective cocoon, then dissolved immediately afterward.
The gel was remarkable stuff. It enveloped the body completely, and had a microscopic cellular structure that aided in impact absorption. In the commercial for the product, the CEO of the company jumped off a hundred story building in a container filled with the gel. He walked away unscathed, demonstrating its effectiveness. “I trust my life to Vita-Gel™, so should you,” the CEO would say as a tagline to the commercials. It was expensive stuff, and therefore wasn't mandated as part of vehicle safety. But if you wanted to live a long and healthy life, it was worth springing for.
Even with the gel, a crash like that could be disorienting. Ronan shook it off and gathered his wits. He knew the aliens were closing in to finish the job. He reached for the glove box and yanked it open. Inside was a Bösch-Hauer X977 plasma pistol.
Jessica's eyes widened at the sight of it. It was probably the first time she'd seen a pistol at close range.
Ronan snatched the weapon and checked the plasma charge. It was fully loaded and ready to go. The magazine held 250 ionized plasma projectiles. Each one a little larger than a toothpick. But the destructive power of each bullet was enormous.
Ronan tried to push open his door, but it was jammed. The car had crumpled like an accordion, and both doors were practically welded shut.
Jessica undid her safety harness and jammed her shoulder into her door, but it didn't budge.
If they didn't get out of the vehicle they were going to be sitting ducks.
Ronan planted his boot against the windshield. It webbed even further with cracks. He kept kicking the tempered glass until it separated from the frame and shattered into shards. He crawled out onto the hood, slicing his hands on the razor-like fragments. Blood trickled down his palms. Ronan scampered up the berm, angled his pistol over the ridge, and blasted at the oncoming troops.
Plasma bolts zipped overhead. Ronan fired off a flurry of rounds, then ducked down behind the berm. He sprang up a moment later and peppered another barrage of plasma bolts at the Tarvaax warriors, taking out a few.
It was a futile effort. He was outnumbered, and the mech units were closing in. Their massive metal feet clamored with each step as they slammed against the roadway. Shockwaves rippled all the way to the crater.
Ronan wasn't going to go down without a fight. If this was his last stand, he was going to take out as many of those aliens as he could.
5
Things looked grim as the Tarvaax troops drew near. But a flurry of weapons fire from Dorsett Street peppered the advancing enemy platoon. Plasma bolts blazed down the street, dropping many of the alien soldiers. Their bodies crumpled to the ground, smoldering from the plasma wounds. A platoon of the Zeplovian Terrestrial Army had rounded the corner and opened fire. It was a lucky break for Ronan.
The enemy platoon shifted their attention from the crater to the greater threat of the Terrestrial Army. The two units exchanged an overwhelming amount of fire. This was Ronan's opportunity.
He climbed down from the ridge and helped Jessica crawl out of the car. She made a graceful exit, trying not to scar her
beautiful legs on the wicked shards of glass. Ronan hefted her up to the ledge. He pushed while she pulled herself over the lip of the crater, then followed behind her.
Several Tarvaax warriors blasted at the two of them.
Jessica and Ronan sprinted to a nearby alley. Plasma projectiles impacted all around them, showering geysers of concrete and debris. They dove into the alleyway as an RPG blasted behind them. A brilliant orange glow blossomed. Ronan could feel the searing heat against his back. The concussive force of the explosion knocked him from his feet, blowing him deeper into the alleyway.
Ronan smacked the concrete and rolled. Jessica landed a few steps away. Her hands and knees were covered with road rash. So much for her pristine legs.
It was a miracle they survived unscathed. Ronan felt like he had been hit by a Mack truck. He staggered to his feet and helped Jessica stand. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, in a daze.
He pulled her down the alleyway. The Tarvaax troops were too preoccupied with the Terrestrial Army to give chase. But Ronan wanted to get as far away from them as possible—as fast as possible.
He found a service entrance to one of the buildings. He tugged on the doorknob, but it was locked. He blasted the locking mechanism with his plasma pistol, then pulled the door open. The two dashed inside the structure and navigated the dark passageways. It was some kind of office building, filled with cubicles. Ronan and Jessica made their way to the front of the building, which faced Providence Street.
“I'm beginning to think coming with you wasn't such a good idea," Jessica said as she caught her breath.
Ronan shrugged. "Don't say I didn't warn you."
Jessica was still trembling. She did her best to straighten her skirt and fix her hair, but the adjustments weren’t making much difference. They both looked like they had been through the ringer.
Jessica gazed down at her manicure. "Shit, I broke a nail."
