Chapter 10 Big Trouble in Little China Town

Max

April 23, 2014

7:02 PM

Portland, Oregon

Old China Town

I board a CH-47 chopper with Chloe, Captain Cage, Lieutenant Mason, and some other troops on my team. Rachel, Frank, David, that Cayce guy we met earlier, and other troops board another CH-47 helicopter. I took my seat inside the carrier next to Chloe and both choppers had taken off for Portland. Our choppers were en route to Old China Town for phase one of our operation to take down Neo-Chrysalis and their plot to burn this world to the ground.

I was still thinking about Chloe's anger with Rachel. It was like she said, she never wanted to talk about it until this mission was over. I just hope Chloe gets her shit together and not let Rachel's deception get in the way of the mission. Still, I couldn't blame her. Rest assured, I knew Chloe couldn't remotely just let that distract her from this operation. Despite being a person to not let grievances go, she couldn't keep running away. She had to face the truth and accept responsibility. That's the only way she was going to get her shit together. The only way to let her old wounds heal.

Chloe took a smoke of some of her weed on the ride to the Portland China Town. Every time Chloe would smoke next to me, I may catch a little bit of her passive smoking taking a wiff of her drugs. The choppers were getting closer to China Town. We were going to make the drop onto one of the tenement building close to the Ace of Spades in a few minutes from now. Meaning we would be getting ourselves into some more heavy fighting soon. A voice came on the radio which was HQ back in Beaverton commanding our operation.

"HQ to Alpha Team, no change to your mission. Suppress the quantum terror attack while proceeding to point Ace of Spades."

"Roger that," responded Cage. "Preparing to drop on the Eight of Clubs. We'll make our way to the Ace of Spades and find those U.N. Workers. Cage out. Listen up soldiers, we're going to drop down to one of the tenement buildings in China Town. Once we get down there, we hold off enemy infantry down the streets and push forward to the Ace of Spades. Intel shows we have an anti-aircraft gun on top the building and hostages trapped inside. We've also got reports of time stutters that have just recently occurred in the city from our striker units. So be sure to activate your chronon belts as soon as we're grounded."

"Captain, I have time powers," I remind him. "Time stutters won't work on me. I don't think I'll be needing this belt."

"It's not your job to question orders, Caulfield," replied Cage. "Everybody lock and load. We're almost at the drop point and it's gonna be a hell of a joyride between here and phase three. That means you, Caulfield. You too, Price. Ooh rah?"

"Ooh rah!" the soldier said in unison.

"Ooh hella rah, Captain," said Chloe. "Send my step-hero my regards."

"Madsen, is that Rachel girl and her boyfriend able to handle themselves?" asked Cage.

"You know it," replied David.

"Raise me on the horn when you need me, Cage," said Rachel. "I'll be your best friend out there with a sharp trigger finger and a sharp crosshair."

"Still know how to put your eye on the crosshairs, don't you?" said Cayce.

"I've seen her take out an a assault chopper single handedly," said Frank. "Don't underestimate my girl."

"You took out another chopper by yourself?!" asked Cayce.

"Remember Bolivia, Cayce?" asked Rachel. "It's just like that only this time by hand and not down the barrel or crosshairs of a sniper rifle."

"Did you just say Bolivia?" asked David. "What was Rachel Amber doing in Bolivia?"

"Long story short, Civil War related to a cult group worshipping another cult group. That's what."

"Am I still supposed to believe a word you say, Rachel?" asked Chloe.

"I swear on our friendship bracelets, Chloe, it's not hella BS. I've said this once and I'll say it again. We'll talk about it later."

"It's a little late to swearing it now, Rachel," said Chloe. "After breaking your promise you made back at the estate, it's too late for that now. Chloe out."

Our chopper had reached it's drop point and came to a stop above the tenement buildings. A solider on the rooftops lit up flares to signal where to land the chopper. The ramp on the CH-47 was open and ropes were dropped down for us to rappel down off the chopper and onto the roof. Every one of us, myself and Chloe included, all rappelled down to the roof single file. Chloe had armed herself with a SIG 556 rifle for better odds. I armed myself with a dark colored AK-47. Alpha Two's chopper landed on the side of the tenements. David's group must be getting into position right now. Rachel must be finding a good sniping spot to overwatch our positions We were now all on the roof and ready to fight.

"You sure you don't need any backup out there, Rachel?" asked Cayce.

"I work faster on my own," she replied. "I'll find a good sniping position shortly."

"Don't you die on me, babe," said Frank. "You may be a badass but your not invincible."

My team proceed down the half built tenement building we land on to push forward. More comm chatter comes on when we descend to the bottom floor.

"Echo to HQ! We've encountered hostiles at Diamond Three!"

"HQ copy."

"Lynch to Alpha. I'll be your little birdie in the sky again incase you need me. Standing by for orders."

"Copy, Lynch," said Cage. "Meet us at the Ace of Spades when we get there. Alpha out."

"This is Lockheed to all Chrysalis boots on the ground. Our AC-130 is armed and standing by for tasking. We'll be your eye in the sky when you need us."

Copy, Lockheed," replied Mason. "We may require you at the Ace of Spades. Alpha Team out."

"Mason, take point," said Cage.

"Roger," said Mason.

Chloe and I stand behind the exit out of the building with soldiers standing between the doors to kick them open. Lieutenant Mason took point and kicked the door open to proceed down the streets of China Town. A news reporter and a camera man stood in front of the door to capture footage of the fighting and a possible comment from my team.

"Chrysalis troops have arrived at the scene," the male journalist said with his microphone. "Excuse me, can I get a comment, please? Excuse me!"

Everyone including us ignored the reporter. Fuck the media. We all just walked past the press to concentrate on the fighting. Chloe impolitely shoved the camera man away from her by knocking the camera down with her rude hand. The reporter persisted on me with his microphone for a comment, but then again just walked away.

"Is this attack related to the one from Arcadia?" the journalist tried asking. "Is Chrysalis involved there as well?"

As we pushed on, there were civilians running down the streets retreating from the commodity. I sigh and take a good look around. Why did I even bother with you, Crosby? What have you done to my favorite childhood city in Oregon? All that pep talk and father figurative speeches about affection without tragedy and power without limits just to lure me into another atrocity worse than Arcadia. I've already made the mistake of trusting father figures twice, I'd be lucky to never repeat my mistake the third time.

"All civilians, clear out of the way!" ordered Cage to the civvies running around like chickens.

There were a bunch of locals running around, cars parked out of place and set on fire, military vehicles cruising the street, fires lighting up the tenement buildings like jack-o-lanterns, and desecrated Chinese architecture in sight. There were also some Chinese lanterns and lit up like Christmas lights with electronic signs and build boards written in American and Chinese alphabet. We've now just waltz right into hell on Earth in this Chinese district of Portland.

"Come in, HQ," called in Lieutenant Mason. "Route 4 is a mix of civvies and hostiles. Got anything else?"

Before HQ could answer, an explosion in front of two military hummers sent the vehicles and a few soldiers flying backward and tipping the trucks upside down. We all knew this hellhole wasn't going to be a cake walk from the start. It was likely to be a one way trip.

"Son of a-" said Chloe, reacting to the explosions.

"Alpha One, switch course from Route Four to Route Niner. Head to the destination through the building in the Six of Clubs."

The entry to the Six of Clubs was just next to us to our left. I run over there with Chloe and the other soldiers to the entry and a civilian knelt on the ground grabs me by the waste and hollers.

"Get off me!" I tell the local, while trying to shove him away.

A solider in my unit helps me remove the local away from me and stands on one side of the door to break in. I stand behind the other soldiers with Chloe ready to break through.

"Mason, take point," the Captain ordered.

The Lieutenant kicked the doors open and we enter through single file. While proceeding through another shitty tenement building HQ referred to as the Six of Clubs, more radio chatter came on.

"HQ to all teams. Alpha One is en route to Ace of Spades. After they rendezvous with Alpha Two, we will proceed with the operation as planned."

"HQ, this is Rachel Amber. I've split up from Alpha Two and proceeding up to the rooftops for sniper support. I'll be covering for both Alpha One and Two if need be."

"Affirmative, Amber. Be careful out there. Both Alpha teams are trusting you with this one. HQ out."

"Rachel better know what she's doing," said Chloe. "Next thing I know she'll snipe us in the back."

"Let it go, Chloe," I said. "Let's keep our minds on the fight and not her trust."

We then hear David's voice on the comm chatter.

"Alpha Two to HQ. We're currently engaged with hostiles at the Four of Hearts. It's not looking good. Requesting immediate back up!"

"Copy that. HQ to Alpha One - assist Alpha Two at the Four of Hearts."

"Roger that, HQ," replied Captain Cage. "Alpha One out."

While pushing through the tenement, we enter an ally where we see some mercenaries execute the civvies out of nowhere. There were two people on their knees and hands behind their heads. The mercs aimed their guns at the innocents and shot them down like stray dogs. They just ran off with no remorse.

"If they're killing unarmed civilians," I said. "They're really going to love us."

The tenements lead us through the ally. The ally leads us into the streets. The streets lead us into another firefight. When we're back on the streets again, another chopper flies by overhead to where mercenaries are posted up front. Out of nowhere, a merc is armed with an RPG and fires away at the helicopter blowing it out of the sky.

"Oh shit!" Chloe reacts to the blown helo.

And like every other chopper I've seen get destroyed, it spins out of control and hits a building. Then collapses from the building, topples onto a bunch of cars, and lights the streets on fire. Exactly what I expect to see in this Neo-Chrys invasion of Portland.

"We've go to put an end to this mess!" I shout.

"Alpha One, proceed along route niner," said HQ."Take a back alley to get to the Ace of Spades."

We cut through another alley away from the fire to reach our destination. I needed something to kill in this battle. I was getting bored of the monotony of helicopters blown up like fireworks already. I still Chloe fighting by my side though. At least there was that.

"You know, I figured you'd be a little rusty," said Chloe. "But it looks like your fighting skills are kicking right in."

"Can the chatter," I said. "You ready?"

When proceeding through another alley, David's voice was heard again on comm.

"Alpha to HQ! We can't hold them off! Retreating from Diamond Three!"

"HQ to Alpha Two! Requesting immediate status update! What's going on?!"

"We're overwhelmed! There's too many of them! We've got no choice! We have to fall back!"

"Shit, Max," said Chloe. "We have to help them! Captain, we to help David others now!"

"You're not in a position to give orders, Price!" said Cage. "Let's move it people! We've got to help the other half of our team!"

We enter a dark meat locker when cutting through the slums in China Town. When we're inside, everyone has their guns pointed at every corner to check the perimeter. When we check all our corners, we could hear growling and hurling from somewhere inside. Like the sound of a zombie moaning around. A foreboding figure appeared out of the shadows an into the dim lighting. I already knew what it was. It was one of demons Captain Cage referred to as Fallen. The demons coming from Elysium. The same demons we fought on the freeway.

This meat room had been horded with Fallen as we could see more walking humanoid demons stepping into the light. I raise my rifle in the air to get ready fire. Little do I know there was a demon walking into my direction ready to attack me. Luckily, before I can turn around to notice it, the demon caught Chloe's eye and alerted her.

"Max!" she shouted.

I quickly turn behind me to see the demon ready to strike me and pin. I jumped as soon I caught sight at such short notice. Luckily, Chloe shoots the demon as it blows away into dust in the wind before I completely let my guard down.

"Open fire!" shouted the Captain.

Then everyone starts firing bullets from their rifles to take out the rest of the demons. There were too many of them to handle. Chloe had to shove me out of the way before I could even press my finger on the trigger on a single Fallen. I'm knocked down on the ground when Chloe pushes me to the side to save me and the assault rifles go off.

And then I see snow on the ground again. I'm hallucinating again at the worst time possible. A mirage of snow on the floor and crows hawking around. Then the voice of Chronos.

"Listen only to the sound of my voice. Let your mind relax. Let your thoughts drift. Let the bad memories fade. Let peace be upon you."

"Max!" shouted Chloe, as I snap out of the mirage. "Max get the fuck up! We're under attack!"

I snap back into reality and back into the fight. I shoot a couple of Fallen until the fight's over.

"Alpha One to HQ, we've just encountered Fallen hostiles!" shouted Mason.

"Shoot them!" ordered Cage. "Keep them back!"

I hold off as many Fallen as I can and then the encounter is done. I had no idea what those things were or why they were called fallen or why they came from Elysium, but they were going to give me nightmares worse than one I had up to the lighthouse. They were some soldiers that ended up wounded in the encounter. They had to be treated.

"All clear," said Mason.

"You two, stay here and tend to the wounded," ordered Cage.

"What were those things, Captain?" I asked. "You said they were Fallen right? Could you clarify?"

"Not now, Caulfield," said Cage. "We need to move."

"HQ, Alpha One reporting," said Mason. "I've got six of us heading along Route Niner."

We had almost reached our destination. All of us take a fire escape to the rooftops in order to proceed to the Ace of Spades and to take a lighter route since the slums and allies had to much heat on us. When we got to the roofs, we good actually see the Ace of Spades building from on top. There also the anti-aircraft gun we had to dispose of too. We could see it on the roof up top shooting missiles in the air.

"HQ to Alpha Team. That tenement building up ahead is the Ace of Spades. The U.N. staff that have been take hostage are inside. There's also the anti-aircraft gun mounted on top. You'll take it out so our FA38s are in the clear. But first things first, you'll need to extract the hostages before Lockheed could take it out."

"There gonna use that big birdie in the sky to blow the building up?" Chloe questioned. "That's a little unorthodox don't you think?"

"Dark times call for extreme measures, Price," said Cage. "Move out."

"Alpha One, this is Amber. I've finally found a good vantage point on this rooftops. I can see you all via my scope."

"Well it's about time, Rachel," said Chloe. "You know step-daddy could've used a finger to be lifted back when him and Alpha Two was overrun."

"Relax, Chloe. I've contacted them and they made it out okay. Few casualties, but none of them are step-daddy, Frank, or Cayce. If this is about trust again, now's the worst time to bring it up."

"Do what you can, Rachel," I said. "Scope out for any boogies you see on these roofs."

"Roger."

My team and I push through the rooftops and I made out like Kurt Russell in Big Trouble in Little China. There were mercs posted on the roofs and we were going to have more heat to cool down. While Chloe, the rest of my team, and I fend for ourselves, we start seeing Rachel's sniper bullets fly by and the ringing of her bullets echo thirty feet from afar. I could see a small reflection flare shine in the distance which had been the reflection of Rachel's glass on the scope. We both embraced the monotony of Rachel "The Sniper" Amber hogging up our kills. I did manage to make some kills with my auto-rifle and so did Chloe. But it was Rachel that had the highest kill streak.

"Take it easy there, Rachel," said Chloe. "Give the rest of us a chance, will ya?"

"You ladies shoot like storm troopers," she commented. "I learned that one from Cage's sense of sarcasm. Right Captain?"

The Captain chuckled.

"Right you are, Amber," he replied. "Right you are."

"Charlie One to HQ. We've grouped up with Alpha Two and are awaiting new orders."

"Things aren't going too well for Alpha One at the Three of Diamonds. They need you down there."

"Roger that."

We get up higher and higher on the roofs and find a dead end. Then there was pole we could use to zip-line across from our roof to the other. The Captain suggested Chloe could zip-line to the other roofs and regroup at the Ace of Spades.

"Caulfield, Price, why don't you two zip-line to the other side," he said. "The rest of us can regroup with the both of ya at Ace."

"You want us to just zip-line across?" I ask. "I've never zip-lined anywhere before ya know."

"Neither have I, Max," said Chloe. "But we're gonna have to anyways."

"No way."

"Way."

"Chloe, no!"

Like the jackass she used to be, Chloe uses her gun to zip-line on the pole. Having no other choice, I had to go to. Chloe makes it to the other side safely and Cage and the rest of his men took off without us. I mount my gun on the pole and start zip-lining across the narrow gap. Before I could make it across, however, someone with a rocket launcher was about to take my ass out. The merc fired away.

The rocket missed me but hit the line causing me to fall off the pole and almost fatally fall to my doom. Luckily, Chloe is able to grab my hand on the ledge from the other side, but I loose her grasp and fall down anyway. Even more luckily, there was a poll connected in the gap between the roof that broke my fall. I hang as tight as I could before falling away again.

"Max!" Chloe shouts. "Max are you okay?!"

"I'm fine!" I shout back. "I guess the muscle memory save me there!"

I had no other option but to monkey climb on the poll to get back on the roof. To make matter even more tedious, mercenary crash through the windows of the tenement balconies and starting shooting me off the poll. I needed some backup.

"Hey, Chloe! I'm taking fire here! I saved your ass! Wanna return the favor?!"

"No shit!"

Chloe finds herself a good angle to take the heat out and shoots the mercs attempting my life. As I reach the other side, more mercs come out of the balconies up front when Chloe deals with the other ones. Of course, Chloe shoots the mercs on the balconies up front when I almost reach the other side climbing on the poll. I'm glad all that training I've done for myself for six months had paid off because I wouldn't have been able to make this climb otherwise. Chloe makes sure I'm in the clear and I make to the other side when the mercs are down. Now all I needed to do was regroup with Chloe and the rest of my team on the roofs.

"I'm gonna need a hand here," I said on comm. "Make you way back to me ASAP."

"We'll radio HQ for backup," said the Lieutenant. "You two proceed to the Ace of Spades."

"Roger."

I climb up a ladder off the wood work from the tenement building I'm on to get back on the roof and rejoin Chloe. Once I'm on the roof, more shooting stars hit the roof I'm standing on and summon more of those Fallen. But this time, there's an upgrade to one of the Fallen. One of the demons ignites itself liking a burning candle and into a more powerful and upgraded foe.

"Assuming direct control of this form," the voice of Chronos said. "Stop Max Caulfield at any cost. Preserve her body if possible."

It was no doubt Chronos was in control of the form he had possessed from one of his minions. Why exactly would they want to preserve my body for?"

"Where the hell do they keep coming from?" I ask myself. "Rachel, can I get some cover?"

"No problem, Max."

While Rachel covers me taking out the minions, the inferno Fallen minion controlled by Chronos is the one I had to worry about. The possessed Fallen was able to teleport it's way around and throw fireballs. I try shooting at the demon, but my shots are missed. The demon teleports in front of me and gets the upper hand by pinning me down the ground.

I struggle against my own will with the controlled minion as I try tugging it back with my rifle, but the alien demon was stronger than me. Ten times stronger than me. So strong, it growled and roared at me and almost bit my face off. Then a little blue jay had come to the rescue from the grotesque being by taking out the rampaging demon and shooting it's face off via sniper bullet. That was twice the sniperette had to save me from the Fallen.

"That's the second time I save your skin from those alien demons," said Rachel. "You can't be letting your guard down like that, Max. You'll get yourself killed."

"Can the chatter, Rachel," I tell her. "I still got more to handle."

"HQ to Alpha Two, Alpha One needs to move out to the Ace of Spades. Can you relieve them?"

"Roger," replied David on the radio. "Coming in from the Four of Hearts. En route to assist."

There were more Fallen demons to be taken care of while pushing through the roofs. I had to fend off the Fallen via my AK and my powers. This advanced race of demons reminded me of Final Fantasy in some ways. Both Spirits Within and the video game franchise. I had to get to Chloe. She wouldn't be able to fend these demons off on her own.

I hear gunshots from an auto-rifle someplace close. Then I see Chloe firing her SIG at some Fallen and was about to overrun. The most obvious thing to do was to help her hold them off. I start shooting my auto-rifle at the alien demons to assist her. Not even a few of Chronos's minions were going to drop Super Max and Wonder Chlo. We held off as much as we could until there was no more left. I shoot the last bit Fallen and the coast was clear.

"Took you long enough, Max," said Chloe. "I was starting to think you forgot about me, babe."

"When will I ever forget about you, babe?" I said. "Let's move out. The rest of the team is waiting for us at Ace."

Note: So I guess I'll be starting next chapter when they enter the Ace of Spades tower to rescue the UN hostages and destroy the AA gun on top. A friend of mine had told me that writing action is not the same as playing it in a game or watching it in a movie. And he's right. When the chapters are extra long, it could take even longer to write all. Be sure to tell that to all the screenplay writers who write all the scripted events in action games or movies or whatever.

There's still a lot more action sequences that need to get done and believe me readers. I'll be sure to tone down the action in this episode when I'm ready to do so. I know what I'm doing.

Another thing, I've referenced some events that will occur in my anthology fiction. And those alien demons summoned by Chronos are called Fallen. If you've played Destiny, that's what I've named them after.

Until next time, stay golden!