Another wall of flame rose up. People- both civilians and militiamen, scampered about. I could smell the smoke even as I saw it rise to the open sky above. The people were doing their best to preserve equipment and animals.
I made sure Itzak was safe.
"Are you all right?" I asked.
"Yes," he replied, looking at the flames. I looked around. Some of the adults were comforting the children, while other adults- militiamen- stood stiffly with their rifles, on alert for any enemy- human or otherwise.
No more flames erupted.
"You guys all right?" asked Gabe, running towards us.
"Yeah, we're all right," I replied.
"It looks like it was just a raid."
"So not that bad?" asked Itzak.
"Very bad in the long run," replied Gabe. "They can lob flame shells at us like boys tossing pebbles in a pond. We're reduced to hiding."
I did not have to say it. These Purifiers wanted to kill us.
There was not much else to do at the time but wait.
Once again, we were given rations, which was basically a cup of lentil stew. It was not much either. I gave Itzak some of my share.
My stomach was growling.
I could remember the times my family took me to the village, where we would have pizza and soda for lunch- never mind the full meals served at the mess at the Tirol Aerospace Academy. I never thought about having enough food to eat before, like ever.
Laureline approached us, still clad in her CVR-3 armor.
"We have a plan," she said.
"What is it?" I asked.
"There's no way we have supplies to feed all the non fighters. So we're going to load up the children and other non fighters an d try to cross those mountains."
"You said the Invid control the mountains and will kill anyone who tries to cross," said Gabe.
"Yes, they do," replied Laureline. "Not only that, what is left of the Coalition may be in conflict with the Invid as well. But if they stay here, it will be certain death for the children."
"Will we be safe on the other side?" asked Itzak.
"I can't say. Nairobi is on the other side;we will try to make radio contact with the rulers there. I can't say if the rulers there would grant asylum to you and the others. But we know what the Purifiers will do."
"So Gabe, Itzak, and I are going with the others?" I said.
"You're not of the Coalition militia," answered Laureline. "We can't have you in our fight with the Purifiers."
"Actually, Laureline," said Gabe. "I'd like to cover the escape of the children."
"Gabe?"
"I'm an officer in the Space Marines," he said. "I want to protect these people. I have discretion on what to do when stranded on Earth. I'll use that discretion to protect kids."
Gabe put his hand on my right shoulder. "I..I can't promise I'll be able to join you," he said, looking into my eyes. "Just promise me you'll take care of Itzak."
"I promise," I replied.
He then kneeled down to make eye contact with Itzak. "Listen, buddy," he said to the boy. "I want you to be safe. Laureline and I are covering for you. And make sure she stays out of trouble, okay kiddo?"
Stay out of trouble?
"Yes," replies Itzak.
We got on our bikes. I could see children, as well as the prisoners we rescued from that camp, board the transport trucks. I glanced behind, seeing Gabe and Laureline in the distance.
I was going to miss them.
And so we rode, following the trucks. Escorts were provided, mostly by militiamen on horseback, with a few militiamen riding Garlands and Cyclones in cycle mode. Ahead, I could see a large gap in the mountains. My heart was racing, and I was sweating not just due to the heat and my wearing of the CVR-3 armor.
I kept looking around my surroundings, checking to see if the Purifiers or the Invid would attack us.
"They're coming!" yelled Itzak.
"Who?" I asked.
"The In vid!"
I looked ahead and there were explosions.
The Invid Regency was intent on keeping us from crossing these mountains.
I transformed my Cyclone into armor mode.
"Take cover," I said to Itzak.
I could hear the battle between the Coalition and the Regency. I kept Itzak in my sights. He lost so much. I would not let the Invid take him.
I could see some of the militiamen retreating.
"Gabe, Laureline," I called out. "We could use some backup."
"Purifiers are attacking," said Laureline. "We're trying to hold them back."
I looked at Itzak. I had to find a way to get him to safety. I looked above and could see Invid mecha flying about. I could hear distant explosions from behind me.
"Come on," I said. "We got to take cover."
Itzak and I left the scene. We had to find some brush or a grove of trees. I noticed some of the adults protecting their kids, even as I was protecting Itzak.
I suddenly felt a shockwave. That explosion hit too close.
It looked like the Purifiers were shelling us. I could see the flaming wreckage of a truck.
I could see Itzak driving away on his Suzuki. I gave chase with my Cyclone, feeling the wind blowing against me. I caught a glimpse of the battle between the Coalition and the Purifiers.
I certainly knew the idea. We had to get as far away from here and possible, find a place to hide until the battle is over.
Gabe and Laureline were risking their lives so that we could survive. We drove far away, far from the site where the remnants of the Coalition were trapped between the Purifiers and the Regency.
There were explosions close to us. Were the Purifiers firing at us? Was it a stray shot?"
Then I heard a sound like a roaring trumpet.
"What was that?" I asked.
I looked and saw a patch of gray. I could then feel rumbling. The patch of gray was moving towards us.
I looked through binoculars, and they were these really giant, four legged animals.
"We have to get out of here!" I yelled to Itzak, even as he was driving in the opposite direction on his bike.
I sped away full throttle, feeling the bumps as the Cyclone raced across the terrain. I glanced back, and could see that herd of animals getting closer and closer. I had to keep going full throttle.
Surely these giant beasts did not have as small a turning radius as a Cyclone veritech in cycle mode. I glanced at my instruments. The tachometer was near the redline; but I was barely going twenty kph, due to the rough terrain.
If only I could get onto a paved road, or at least a smooth enough surface. I could feel the rumble of the ground as these creatures were catching up to me.
I was still at max throttle, but most of the power was being used to overcome the uneven terrain, and not so much increasing my forward speed.
The rumbles from the footsteps increased in strength. These beasts were right behind me.
I switched my Cyclone to armor mode.
Somehow, I jumped up really high, and landed on the back of one of these beasts. I could not believe what I had just done. Nevertheless, I had to hang on for dear life. These animals could surely trample me to death, even with me clad in the Cyclone armor.
The ride, while rough, was smoother than driving the Cyclone motorcycle over the rough terrain. I had a longer look at these beasts. Their ears were really big, and their noses were like large fire hoses.
I could look ahead and see some militiamen on the ground, looking pretty small. They all fled, knowing better than to stand their ground against rampaging, stampeding, scared and angry animals that could crush even their leftover robotechnology.
I could see that we were heading towards the pass, even as I was losing the grip on the back of this beast. I knew I had to get on the ground, out of the path of this stampede.
I turned around and started hopping on the backs of these beasts. It took a while, but I finally made it to the ground. I could still feel the shockwaves from the stampede. I looked and saw the elephants stampeding through the pass. I also saw Invid mecha flying away.
Even alien war machines could not stand their ground against Earth's own giant fauna.
I could just follow the giants to the other side.
But I had to find Itzak. I promised Gabe.
"Itzak!" I yelled. "Where are you?"
A dark thought popped up. What if Itzak was trampled by these giants? I promised Gabe I would protect him.
I remember what he had been through, his birth family killed in war, his adoptive father being killed by the Purifiers just days ago.
It couldn't end for him like this!
It just couldn't!
