Uprising
Page 78
Chapter 35: Upward Mobility
Dark shapes spilled into the streets, only momentarily awed by the brilliant night sky they had not seen for twelve years. Through alleyways devoid of traffic and clutter they sprinted, scattering as efficiently as possible with non-specific locations in mind. The occasional vehicle sent them ducking into doorways and scrambling to find some kind of cover, but there were no large trash receptacles or piles of debris to hide behind. Only by the lax and carefree attitude of the Citizens did they remain undetected.
The streets were in pristine condition, made of what looked like some kind of dense synthetic material, scattering and reflecting the light thrown by the golden-colored streetlamps. Only a few vehicles traversed the roads, whether by lack of widespread ownership or some other reason, they didn't know. The soldiers marveled at the grass and moderate-sized trees, almost forgetting about the yawning empty space of filth and decay only a few meters beneath their feet as they ran through a small park.
Even with everything viewed with hints of awe, the soldiers didn't dare linger as they remembered a few of the words of their commander.
"Now remember, when you get up there, you're going to see some things that you haven't in a long time. Take a quick look, and let it remind you of what you're fighting for. However, I swear to God, whether or not he exists, that if I catch anyone staring too long, they'll be seeing some real stars." A little chuckle, half out of nerves, had rippled through the ranks.
Everyone thought this mission was crazy, but when Rick told them about the Citizenship plan to try and kill everyone quietly without fuss by gassing them, they all agreed that doing some damage first would be preferable.
"I know this sounds half-baked," Rick had confided, "but it's our best shot, and if they're half as lazy about defense as they are about attacking, we just might make some noise."
He told them one last thing before releasing them to their tasks. "Do what you can, and find somewhere to hide. We can't stand up to their large body of troops. The best we can do is make a mess and hope they can't clean it up too quickly."
Through the night the soldiers ran, cool air passing over them and bright lamplight revealing only black shapes and dark shadows. A quick glance at the hour revealed that it was almost time to cut loose and bring hell to Haven.