Hey everyone, Wolfe here :D ... Here's the next part to this story. A little shorter than the last but I wanted to find somewhere to leave it before heading off to work
You'll get to meet a big nasty villain in this chapter ;) ... In any case, enjoy. Read and Review please ^_^
Sincerely, The Wolfe
I'd say we were about 24 klicks out from Jacinto when we started. Our perpetual waiting game seemed to finally be over, however a new threat staged it's face directly in front of all humanity, and that was our extinction. If Jacinto fell, then the human race was more than likely good as gone. I just hoped we could get there in time. Sweat rolling down my face, and the breaths of my comrades panting but going strong. It gave me the courage and motivation to know I had such a loyal team. No plans of dying today, but sometimes you don't always get what you want. Better stay focused.
We were running down the side of a road that looked no different than the one our encampment sat beside. Soon we could see the gate to get into the city. But I figured that would be too easy, and we'd more than likely be spotted, killed, end of story. We took cover along a large rock positioned on the side. A few grubs were out in the open, rummaging through some crates of ammo. Maybe their guns are dry, I thought, but I made up my mind and threw a frag out. Beautiful throw, right beside the crate "GRENADE!" I heard one yell in a panic. How the hell do they even talk? I'll have to ask someone from the science division whenever I get a chance. The explosion ignited the ammo and it sent bits of hollow vermin and ammunition in every direction. Dirt and dust covered the air. When I checked, no grubs were left, so we pushed forward.
The armor gets heavier every mile you walk, or at least that's how I felt when I first signed up. But after years of it you get used the heaviness, and you almost start to become one with the armor, and it becomes one with you. It wasn't much longer before we could hear all the fighting. We needed to get inside fast, but in secret. We creeped along the side of the main wall and found a maintenance entrance. We all entered the door and the smell reeked. "Oh, well, looks like we're really in the shit now, eh Sarge?" Cracked Aaron.
Jacob opened up the hatch to get into the sewer system. One by one we all descended down the rusted ladder into the depths of the sewer. The hole was so small that we almost didn't fit, except for Elliot of course. Once we all dropped in I radioed to control. "Control this is Echo, we've arrived at Jacinto but are taking a stealthier approach to getting to CIC. We're in the sewer system. Where's the closest access point?" I asked. "Copy Echo. I see your location. The maps are saying go 3 klicks north. You should come to a T, take the left and keep going. You'll see the access point." … "Thanks control," I said. "Echo be warned. There have been reports of Locust using the sewers. Some have not been identified yet." … "Duly noted. Echo out." I finished.
"What the hell does that mean? Unidentified Locust?" Questioned Jacob. "It means Locust we've never encountered before until today," answered Elliot... "Sounds like fun to me, lets give it a shot, literally." Said Aaron hitting his massive fists together. Everyone looked at me, waiting to reply. I just gave a small smirk and motioned my hand to move. "Let's move Echo, double time." Everyone complied. Thankfully there were walkways on the side made of concrete to avoid the sludge that infested the underground of Jacinto. The smell wasn't getting any easier to handle though. An intersection was up ahead and a few Locust came through it, heading East. "Everyone back," I whispered, using my arm to push back Jacob to the wall. Everyone followed suit and waited for the Locust to pass. There were too many of them, and not enough cover for us. A sigh of relief came from Elliot. We checked to make sure they were gone and then we continued.
"Did you see that huge one?" Asked Aaron. I know I did. You couldn't mistake the bastard. There have been stories of a grub General, not unlike RAAM, that has been coordinating a few assaults on smaller villages and towns. An overhauled Mauler with less fat and even more muscle. They've been calling him "Targe." I said aloud. The only Mauler with full body armor like a boom shield, and two flails. A nasty enemy to approach. One I certainly didn't expect to see down here. This is getting riskier than I thought. "We need to keep moving. If that bastard finds us, we might as well kiss our lives goodbye." I finished. Once again we were on the move. "Control, be advised, we've spotted Targe in the sewer system headed East." I radioed. "Thanks for the heads up Echo. We''ll let our boys on the East side know. Continue heading to CIC. Control out." He finished... Something didn't sit right with me about the whole situation though. I decided to shrug it off and keep going. Every once in a while you would see slants in the wall that were for storm drains. The concrete on the wall looked very old. But then again, Jacinto is a pretty old city. It was dark. Just dark enough to be annoying, but not dark enough that we couldn't see where we were going. For some reason it was harder for our eyes to get adjusted underneath.
Finally we came to the T. "Control said left." I said... I hesitated for a moment, and looked down the right side. The thought of Targe and our fellow Gears above us plagued my every thought. How everyone of them would be affected if the grub General tried to attack them. "What are you thinking?" Asked Elliot... "We can't leave Targe out on the loose. We have to go East and cut him off before he makes it any further." I concluded. Everyone's faces changed to confusion. This was the time where I'd find out where their loyalties were. "Look you don't have to come with me. But I've got something personal in this." … "Yeah we all do Sarge," said Jacob, "But you can't just disregard orders like that, they need us at the CIC." Aaron stepped in and gave me a questioning look. "Are you sure about this?" ... There was silence for a few moments. I reached into my pocket and felt the cold sting of metal. Upon pulling the object out, everyone saw that they were COG tags. "These, are my brother's tags." I said, not missing a beat. The downcast look on everyone's faces told me that they knew my pain. Everyone has lost someone in this war, and if not this one than certainly in the last one. "Targe took out his squad last week. Took him out while I was on fucking watch!" I yelled, putting the tags back in my pocket. "You remember when that officer came to talk to me? This was the reason why. To let me know they were sorry, and to give me the tags.
"Shit Sarge... we didn't know." Said Jacob... Echo had met my little brother before, we were all at Mercy hospital visiting another friend of ours that had rust lung. Andy was a young spirited optimist with goals and dreams. But this war took everything from him. I vowed vengeance upon every last grub last week. I vow I intend to keep until my dying breath... Aaron lost it and picked up a large piece of random rock, throwing it as hard as he could against the wall. "You guys go up to CIC, I've got this one. Let Control know I got injured and couldn't carry on." I ordered, turning around to head East. I got two steps in before a small hand laid on my shoulder. I turned slightly to see her face. "We're not leaving you Cail." A small smile appearing across her face. It may have been dark, but it was light enough to see. "Yeah, your not gonna get rid of us that easily." Added Aaron, lifting his Lancer up, ready to go. "Well, I'm not crazy about it Sarge, but I can't let you all do it alone. You guys need me and you know it." Jacob joked... "Thanks guys. I mean it." I said. Elliot took her hand off my shoulder. "Your call Sarge." I thought of my brother one more time, how painful it might have been for him. How he thought that maybe I'd come and save him, or that he'd get out to live another day. Only to be crushed underneath Targe's flail. I cleared my head and radioed Control. "Control this is Echo, change of plans. We're heading East to cut Targe off." … A few seconds passed but then we could all hear someone else getting on the line. "Wolfe you listen Goddammit! I've got gears spread out everywhere, and if you don't come back here I'll make sure you never lead a squad again!" The voice of Hoffman was angry and rasp. He'd definitely been giving out more than his fair share of orders today. I sighed before going back to the earpiece. "Sir, all due respect but you won't have Gears at all on the Eastern side if you don't send backup!" I debated. "I have backup against that bastard, and your not part of that plan. Do you understand me!?" His final words. "Yeah Colonel, I understand. And I'll take it under advisement." I finished before cutting the line.
"Well we're royally fucked." Said Aaron. Elliot added in, "yeah but that's if we don't get killed by Targe first." … "Well damn, if you guys keep thinking like that we'll never get anything done." replied Jacob walking ahead. All of us laughed at how calm Jacob could be before heading East. "You know guys. I never got a chance to thank you for your loyalty. Not just now, but from the beginning too." I said, listening to the splash of water against our boots on the soaked concrete path. "No need to thank us Cail." Elliot said. She was the only person to call me by my name. She was the first to join Echo, other than myself, so I guess she held that right. "In any case. Let's go get that grub." Aaron exclaimed... "Yeah, all in a day's work, right guys?" Jacob added before we came to the rusted ladder that would take us up to the Eastern side. To the metal and concrete jungle of Jacinto.