CHAPTER SEVEN: "You can run but never hide"
05:15 HOURS 15-MAY-2527 (MILITARY
CALENDAR)
ENROUTE TO TOWN SQUARE
Jansen was panting and could feel his muscles scream for him to stop but he could hear the barking of the little aliens behind them. He looked ahead of him to see the Captain and Lieutenant jogging, they seemed to be talking about something. Ahead of them Corporal Gin was running. Jansen felt a twinge of concern for the Corporal. He hadn't stopped running since he told them about the Private and Gin was starting to get pretty far ahead.
Suddenly Jansen felt a rush of heat pass over his head. He turned to see green blobs flying through the air at him and the others. "Jed!" Jansen yelled at the Sergeant.
Jed turned then yelled to the Private helping him. "Double time!" but instead the Private stopped and dropped heavily the back of his head started to melt away. The Sergeant dropped next to the Private and started to heave on the ground. Jansen took a stumble backwards and held back his urge to regurgitate. He waited a moment then rushed over to Jin.
"Sir, we need to hurry they're right behind us!" Jansen yelled as he picked up the Sergeant. Jed gave a grunt as he started to walk. Suddenly another bolt passed over Jansen's head. Then Jed started to move a little faster.
Jansen looked ahead and saw that most everyone was gone except a screaming Private on the ground. As they approached him all Jansen could hear then was a sickening gurgle noise as blood started to pool from the Privates mouth. The weight on Jansen's shoulder slackened and he turned to see Jed, out cold, on the ground.
He went to pick Jed up but one of the blue balls landed in between them. Jansen's adrenalin spiked and he ran and dove behind a nearby dumpster. Twenty heartbeats later he could hear the explosives high pitched scream the flash of blue light.
Jansen carefully stuck his head out around the dumpster. The big eyed creatures were on Jed, squawking as they picked and prodded at his remains. Jansen couldn't help it as he puked on the ground.
Jansen then got up and tried to think. He reached for his grenade belt, pulled a pin and chucked it over the dumpster. Then he ran the opposite way of the creatures as fast as he could down the alley way.
05:20 HOURS 15-MAY-2527 (MILITARY CALENDAR) ENROUTE TO TOWN SQUARE--
"Lieutenant how far from the LZ?" the Captain panted out as they ran. "We should be there in less than a minute, Sir." Fisher replied almost out of breath. They had been running non-stop for quite a while now.
Suddenly a low rumble came up from ahead. The Corporal that was ahead of them had stopped and was running back towards them. Fisher then stopped and the Private behind him tripped over him. Fisher helped him up then looked ahead. He tensed as he saw what the Corporal was running from. It was huge and had a huge green glowing gun on its shoulder.
"Shit." Fisher breathed as he turned and ran between two nearby buildings. Then he saw a flash of greed light. When fisher peeked around the corner there was no more Corporal, Captain and part of a Private.
The privates creams were the loudest thing Fisher had ever heard but they were quickly extinguished by another flash of green. Fisher had never been so scarred in his life; he fled down the street away from the monstrous creature hoping to find the LZ.
05:30 HOURS 15-MAY-2527 (MILITARY CALENDAR) ENROUTE TO TOWN SQUARE--
Jansen's lungs burned as he struggled to keep going. The only thing that kept him running was the thought of the bird like creatures ripping at the Sergeant.
Suddenly Jansen impacted something hard. He screamed and tried to pull his weapon but his wounded; biofoamed arm let his gun slip to the ground. Jansen struggled to stand up then was about to bolt when
he saw it was the Lieutenant. Jansen could have hugged him but a strange growl rumbled from behind him. They both exchanged a glance and started running.
They didn't stop running until they were in the center of town. Jansen collapsed as his muscles gave out. The Lieutenant stood hunched over trying to gather a breath. After a pause Jansen slowly got back up and walked to the Lieutenant.
"Sir, is the Pelican still coming?" Jansen asked as the Lieutenant stood up.
"It should be here." Lieutenant Fisher said staring off to the side.
"Well I'll try COM." Jansen told him. "This is Corporal Jansen, Alpha Company, requesting immediate EVAC." He said over COM, "I repeat, need immediate EVAC." Then Jansen heard the COM click.
"Pelican was dispatched to Town Square!" Someone yelled over the COM. Then he heard an alarm in the background and shouting then the COM clicked.
Jansen turned to the Lieutenant, "We are at Town Square right?" he asked Fisher gave a nod and started looking around the empty Town Square. Jansen started to look around too when he saw a craft in the sky.
"Look!" Jansen yelled pointing at it. The Lieutenant turned with a big smile but that smile quickly disappeared as a low growl was heard. Fisher's eyes grew large as he looked behind Jansen. He tensed as he thought could be behind him.
Jansen turned to be face to face with the first seen alien. It smiled and gave its eerie laugh, "Wort, wort, wort.", as a familiar warmth flooded the air. Jansen heard the Pelican land behind him in a whoosh of air.
"Fisher, run!" Jansen yelled as he took a lunge backwards. The alien took a swing but missed as he landed on the ground. Jansen looked to the side and saw the Lieutenant on the Pelican trying to fire at the alien. The creature turned ignoring Jansen and started to the Pelican.
"Don't you run." Jansen said under his breath at the alien as he stood up and drew his sword. He ran and swung his sword at the creatures back, just missing it. Jansen heard a pop then the alien turned with a growl.
The creature took another lunge but this time Jansen wasn't so lucky. The sword cut him across the chest but then the creature wasn't so lucky either. Jansen had stabbed the creature in the belly and its intestines started to leak out followed by its purple blood.
Both of them fell to the ground. Jansen chest felt like it was on fire as the flesh started to melt away. His vision blurred as he hear the Lieutenants voice scream out to him. Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth as Jansen struggled to get up.
The he felt a tug as someone tried to drag him. Jansen turned his head to see the blurry version of Fisher dragging him on the Pelican.
"GO!" The Lieutenant ordered as the drop ships door started to shut. Then the Pelican took off with a huge lurch. Jansen managed a smile as he looked at Fisher and took his last breath then he slipped off into a cold darkness.
