Stranded Darkness

0100 Hours, Jacinto Outskirts

Near Tollen's ruins

Chaps and Franklin were on guard duty while the rest of the people slept. Franklin had a hard grip on his Lancer at the thought of his outpost being overrun. He thought of how "safe" they were there. The locust never really tried to take it. A few shells here and there. The locust almost pitied them actually. The nearby Locust commanders never really thought it was necessary to take the outpost and lose some good Locust. But that was over six months ago and Franklin knew what happened, had happened and there was nothing he could do about it now. He sat uneasily on the side of the road with chaps right next to him.

"Hey Chaps, I been thinking,"

"Oh yeah? And what's that son? Seems like you never think."

"I been thinking, after all this shit ends, if it ever does, we gon' start up a new gas station. Just the two of us. After this ends we wont know who to trust. Like that fool Marcus Fenix, he went to save his dad and old man Fenix got greased. He punched that one colonel and ended up in jail with them goddamn slang blade mothafuckas,"

" yeah your right son, we wont. I know one things for sure, I trust everybody sleepin' behind us. And that asshole Fenix, he blew up my damn station. If it weren't for the increased COG presence back in that area, id still be using that station."

Chaps was about 55 now, and his eyesight was down a little bit, but not enough to worry. Yet. He scanned the streets beyond, noticing only ruins, ruins, and more rubble. He knew there was no Locust around. They were focusing on Jacinto. Chaps and Franklin knew that they should be moving to avoid chances of being seen, that truth was that everybody was just two damn tired to move.

"I think… I thank we should stay here durin' the day tomorrow," Franklin added.

"Come on son, you cant be serious. I cant wait another day out here and neither can they. Its goddamn ludicrous. Another day we wait, another chance of us running into a goon patrol. I mean fuck kid, we gotta get to the Kadar's soon. Or there aint gonna be much of us here left to defend. And I swear kid, im startin to break down.

"Come on Chaps, don't even start that shit now, I need you man."

"Just get some rest son, I cant sleep anyways. One way or another, were movin out tomorrow at dawn, and we aint stopping for shit."

Chaps thought back to the good old days. 15 years back, he was young, only 40 and business was good. It wasn't good, but it was business and any money made had helped. He thought back on a shiny bright day, centaurs were the new military thing and three of them pulled up to his gas station. His hair was brown, he wasn't balding, he wore his silver star with pride at the sight of the COG uniforms.

Chaps brought himself back to reality, and thought about the next days objectives. His Gnasher was running low on ammunition. He had two clips left and four shots in the remaining magazine. He let his mind drift back to the years of the gas station. His adrenaline was pumping making it impossible to sleep. He couldn't remember the last time he slept. Must have been five or six days ago. He needed rest and he knew it. Before he knew it, the time was 0600 hours and soon daylight. He awoke Franklin and he stood up and stretched his eyes droopy as hell. They started waking the others and getting them ready to move out. There were only two girls in the group and eleven guys. Only have of them were armed anyways. After the last firefight, the Locust took out half of the group killing Franklin's bodyguards. They started out down the road. They were all spaced out at about ten yards except for Chaps and Franklin at the front. As far as they could see, just open country.

"when we get there, no more tough guy ok? Guts will get you so far and then they'll get you killed. Luck doesn't last forever."

"Ive told you many time after time Chaps, they cant hit me man. They cant hit me. Whatchu got, wax in your ears?" Those words would stick in Chap's mind for the rest of his life. Little did he know he would repeat the same phrase to the famous Marcus Fenix. The open country had hardly been touched from the hammer of dawn disaster. As they were walking down the road, something zipped by the pair and immediately jumped behind an old car. The bullet struck an older man right in the chest. He fell and started crawling with all his power he had left. Everybody had taken cover behind some kind of rubble, a few behind a building. The crawling man was struck again in the side of his head and immediately stopped moving. Why had the Locust focused on this one man? Chaps had no time to wonder as he returned fire with his pistol.

"Dammit, I cant get a window, were pinned. If we cant move son, were dead."

"we got Haren and Baskins flankin' round the side. All brass and balls man, they aint stoppin for shit," he added in with a little chuckle.

"we gotta be more careful next time son, you got better eyes then me asshole, next time keep your damn eyes up the road."

Immediately some of the veteran men started flanking around the right side of the buildings unopposed. They got a clear sight for firing and took out three locust right away. The firing immediately stopped and Haren and Baskins wandered why there was only a three man locust patrol. It made no sense. No crazy shit either, just three grunts. Haren guessed the Boomers were directly fighting the COGS. All of the sudden Baskins flew back and blood splat everywhere. His jaw was in his throat, and eyes wide open. That split second, Haren paused and that's all it took. A shot rang right through his neck and out the other end. He fell back right next to the body of Baskins. All firing stopped and the rest of the stranded thought it was safe to get up.

"clear up," shouted Franklin, "clear up, Haren, talk man, what the fucks goin' on?" he knew something was wrong and stood up. He started walking up the road intending on finding Baskins and Haren. All of the sudden Franklin flew back into Chap's arms. Chaps fell behind the car again with Franklin in his arms. Blood coming from his mouth. "Chaps, I, I'm sorry man," At that moment his eyes shut and he lost all remaining power. Chaps didn't know how to react. Another stranded running back was cut down and shot in the very back of his neck. There was only nine people left.

"Medson, where is that chicken fucker? Anybody know where he's at?"

Medson replied, " Third floor, fourth window on the left. Chaps, I need a diversion and I'll take his fuckin head off." Without hesitation, a man to his left jumped up and started running towards Chaps. Medson hadn't been ready yet and then aimed from his cover at the window. Almost simultaneously, the Locust shot the man running for Chaps. The bullet cut through his chest and dropped him. Medson had shot the Locust right in the head and blood splattered behind him.

" All clear Chaps, we got him," He left cover and went over to Chaps. Chaps had been looking over Franklin's lifeless body. He didn't know how to feel.

"One thing or another, we gotta get the fuck outta here," Chaps explained. The rest of the stranded went over and grabbed any ammo they could. Chaps started leaning them toward the woods and decided it was best to move off the road rather than on it.

" Chaps, where are we goin?"

" The Kadar Mountains, what, you got wax in your ears? Where the fuck have you been. Wake up asshole."

" I now that you old fuck, I mean why the fuck are you leading us off the road?"

Chaps stopped and looked him dead in the eye, "Because son, chances are, we'd run into another damn Locust patrol and they could possible have a boomer. This is what we'll do. Hey! Everybody, stop here and listen to me. Were going to work our way up a few miles and then set up an ambush, there is only 8 of us left and 7 guns. So, if there is a boomer on the next patrol, we will let them pass, if not, we will cut every last one of the blood sucking coward fucks down. No time for questions. Lets move."

Chaps led them through dark woods, towards the same direction as the road was moving, occasionally looking at the road making sure they were on the right track. He thought back and remembered the wax in the ears remark he had made to Medson. Thinking back, it made him smile and almost laugh.