Chapter 2

"You seem to know your way around fairly well, you and Dom, you guys been here before?" Alice asked as they walked down a corridor lined with prison cells.

Marcus didn't miss a beat, "I vacationed here a few years back,"

"Oh really, I can see it really is a prime holiday spot," she pointed her gun mounted torch towards a rat in the corner of a cell and muttered "complete with wildlife,"

Marcus gave a low chuckle as he kicked open the metal double doors with the white "G" painted on it. Alice walked into the room gun first sweeping illuminating the area with the thin beam of light from her torch which got lost in the dark space.

"Seems to be a workshop of sorts, I don't think we'll find anything of value here," picking up a hammer she continued "unless you think they have a Hammer of Dawn sitting in the back,"

Marcus launched a flare towards the roof and it bathed the room in an eerie green light.

The room was bigger than expected the walls lined with tools and old car parts, but in the centre of the large room was a massive armour plated vehicle.

Alice gave a long whistle "what is that?"

"That is a Skidbladnir, a four wheeled, fully equipped military vehicle in case things got a bit hairy upstairs and the guards had to make a quick escape,"

The Skidbladnir was huge; Alice felt quite small standing next to the front wheel…which was as tall as she was.

The whole thing was made of thick metal; on top was a torrent gun, the sides had small holes about the size of a gun barrel and the wheels had 2 foot jagged spikes sticking out at knee height.

The most daunting feature of the Skid wasn't any of these things, but the solid metal wedge off the front that extended 6 feet in front of the vehicle.

It was perfect mode of travel when someone was trying to clear a path through a group of locusts.

"Nice," Alice said impressed "would it happen to have a long distance radio? Cause these pieces of shit aren't gonna cut it"

Marcus slung his Lancer of his shoulder before climbing the small ladder on the side of the Skid, opening the hatch at the top he slid in and after a minute emerged holding a little compact radio.

"That's it?" Alice asked disappointed.

"Better than nothing, ain't it?" Marcus replied

Alice shrugged, climbing up the small ladder and into another hatch in the side of the vehicle. Sitting in the driver's seat she looked at the controls and gave the stats a once over.

"It's got fuel, and I'm sure they have ammo for the shooter on top in the armoury," Alice called out.

Marcus turned on the radio he was holding and tuned it to the squad's frequency and picked up a most interesting conversation

"Probably having a quickie in the cells," Baird's husky voice murmured over the radio.

Cole's voice replied 'jealous that you can't get any?"

"Well if I got the chance I'd have a go at that,"

Marcus and Alice shared a look and Alice plucked the radio from his hands and interjected

"Gentlemen as interesting as this conversation is I think we have more pressing matters at hand,"

There was silence on the other line. Marcus laughed humourlessly "idiot,"

"Tell me good news Cole, what have we got?" Marcus asked taking the radio back for Alice.

"Woah Baby, it's a gear's dream down here, I don't know how much of it is of use to us, but it's beautiful down here,"

"You sound in love Cole, while you're having your moment could you look for shells for a Raiter torrent gun? We think we have found our way out of here,"

"Yea, you got it boss," Cole replied obviously distracted.

"Baird, what's the status of the Raven?"

There was no reply. "Baird, you idiot are you there?"

After a brief pause, Baird's voice came through the radio.

"fucking hell!"

"Baird!" Marcus yelled "what's going on?"

"You lovebirds better have a way out of here because the Berserker just broke through the fucking gate,"

Marcus began barking orders into the radio as Alice ducked back into the hatch and began to start up the massive vehicle. Only one problem…there was no key.

"What the hell of an escape vehicle has no fucking key?" she yelled angrily

She stuck her head out to yell to Marcus as he jumped down from the Skid to remove the chocks from the towering wheels. "Get it started up Dante, we're getting out of here, might be home in time for dinner,"

"Don't hold your breath, the keys are missing,"

Marcus kicked the wheel," Your kidding me, aren't you?" he asked loudly "the Berserker just broke the gate down and any minute will be in here with us!'

"You think I don't know that!" Alice called back unamused. "You wouldn't happen to have a guess to where the key would be!"

He considered this a second before replying "Wardens office on the Second Floor, I'll get it,"

The private jumped down from the Skid landing surely on her feet before running to the door and calling back "I'll go, stay here and get ready!" before adding quietly to herself "we are going to be cutting it pretty damn close.

Alice ran as fast as she could through the cell blocks and upstairs before she found four industrial grey office rooms doors one with 'WARDEN" printed in black.

She never noticed the door to the left of the one she entered straining against its hinges….

Down in the garage, the rest of Delta, carrying full bags of ammo and weapons, joined Marcus and all their jaws dropped in awe at the Skid.

"Woo baby, we riding out of here in style!" Cole made his way up to the Skid and climbed up to the Raiter,"and look at this beauty, I got something to make you all better,"

Out of the bag on his shoulder he pulled 6 long belts of massive bullets, and began loading it up.

Baird and Dom jumped up and into the cabin of the vehicle, inside they began flipping switches and working out controls

"Where the hell is Dante at?" Baird called to Marcus who was still removing the chocks from the wheels.

"Getting the keys from the Warden, bloody staff didn't think it was a good idea to keep the keys to the escape vehicle with the vehicle," Marcus replied sarcasm dripping off every word.

Baird opened his mouth to reply as a blood curdling screech echoed off the walls followed by a short burst of gunfire.

I AM ALIVE! My apologies for taking so long i have started senior year and oh my god its bloody hard i'll be updating kinda more regularly now anyway please comment and favourite if you enjoyed and want to see more :)

LBG~