Chapter 12 No Victory
David
July 4th, 2017
9:08 AM
Seattle, Washington
Magnolia Plaza
As I moan and moderately regain consciousness, I wake up to Kristine's cute but bruised face inside the cockpit. My face had been cut and bruised from the shrapnel and rubble as well when we had crashed. Kristine shakes me awake when my eyelids are peeled and my vision and hearing is cleared.
"Madsen!" She shouts. "David, wake up!"
"I'm alright," I moan. "Is everyone else alright?"
I turn behind me to see my team, the Caulfields, the admiral, and my wife in peril from our unhappy landing. Good thing everyone had safety straps on.
"Is everyone okay?!" I shout to everyone.
"No thanks to this unhappy landing!" Cayce shouts.
"Joyce, Ryan, Vanessa, you okay?!" I shout to them.
"I'm fine, David," my wife whaled. "How on earth did this happen?!"
"So much for ride of our lives," cried Vanessa. "How did we get ourselves into this?!"
"Ah, I think I busted my knee!" Ryan hollered.
"The admiral, is he okay?!" I ask.
"I'm fine, Commander," said Penkse. "Then again, not so fine actually. At least I'm not hurt."
"Madsen, Lynch is still out cold," said Newblood. "What do we do with her?"
"Captain, get my wife and everyone else to safety," I tell my commanding officer. "Foley, Prescott, and I will escort Penske out of here. You think we can handle that?"
"Since when do you give your captain the orders?" Cage asked.
"Right now since we crashed is when," I say. "Let's get to it."
"Commander, look!" Cayce warned pointing his finger.
I turn my head forward to see a CDF gunship hovering down through the shattered glass roof we crashed through. With it's propellers spinning and it's turrets ignited with bullets mowing down civilians panicking in the shopping building we crashed in. There's goes my answer to a pretty clear guess as to who started shooting with our AATIS guns.
Then suddenly, two ConDef soldiers clanged their climbing hooks to the front of our Seahawk to start boarding our downed bird.
"Here, take this!" Kris shouts tossing my a pistol in her cockpit seat.
When the enemy troops are in front of us with their rifles aimed down at us, I immediately start shooting at the trooper in front of me taking his head off. Then turn to Kris tugging against the other trooper with his rifle. I intercept the struggle with a bullet to his face. Then she takes the soldiers rifles and we get out of the cockpit to help everyone out of our downed bird.
Once everyone is out, it was not going to be easy. Newblood had to carry Lynch over his shoulder. Vanessa had to help her husband Ryan get out with his busted knee by carrying him around the arm. I had to help my wife Joyce out making sure she'd come out unharmed and comfort her.
"Admiral Penkse to all available ground units, please reply!" Penske ordered on comms.
"This is Major Heard! I read ya, Admiral! Loud and clear!"
"We've just crash landed in Magnolia Plaza. What's your six?"
"It's a shit storm is what it is! I'm with Mason and Logos! We just crashed down in Queen Anne! Our pilots and three others are KIA! It's a full blown war zone out here and I think I can see the Space Needle on fire! How could no one in hell see all this coming!"
"Can it, Major! I'm with Cage, Madsen, Foley, Prescott, and three civilians. Can you send evac? Over."
"Negative, Admiral! We've got our hands full as it is! But I think we can send our greenhorn Wheeler out somewhere for backup! Right now we're gonna find the sons of bitches who hacked our ATTIS system so we can take back the guns! Heard out!"
"They're gonna send the kid out with backup?" Cayce asked. "We just instated him yesterday!"
"David, what's going to happen?" Joyce asked as I help her. "What do we do?"
"Just go with the captain and the other half of my team with Vanessa and Ryan," I tell her. "They'll get you to safety."
"David, you promised everything would be fine and look what's happening now! How do I know I'll be safe?"
"My team has handled this before and they won't let you down. Cage, you'll make sure my wife is safe, right?"
"I couldn't protect my wife, Madsen," said Cage. "But I'll be sure to protect yours."
I give Joyce a kiss on her lip to wish her good safety. I tell her I love her and she'll be seeing me again. Then she takes off with Cage, the Caulfields, and the other half of my team to be escorted to safety. Once we went our separate ways, praying for dear god I get to see my wife after this, I fought alongside with the other half of my team and the admiral through the shopping building.
Admiral Penske had to pick up rifle from the corpse of a ConDef merc on the floor. The rest of us got ourselves equipped with standard assault weapons as well. We all find some cover to evade enemy fire from incoming ConDef as the opposing force. We return fire as they do. Not to mention being cautious of civvies still scattered around running for their lives as some are get down from the bullets of an auto rifle. Not from ours.
"All civilians, clear the building!" Cayce shouts.
"Evacuate this area immediately!" Kristine shouts.
"Madsen to Heard, ConDef is using our ATTIS guns to shoot down our birds!" I warn the major on comms. "Get to ATTIS security to take back control of the guns!"
"Thanks for the memo, Commander Obvious! In the meantime, we're sitting ducks out here trying to reach for Private Wheeler for that evac you requested! Heard out!"
"I hope Flint can take care of his ass out there," said Cayce. "I don't want the first day on the job on his epitaph!"
"Save it, Corporal," I order Cayce. "All that matters now is that we get Penske with my wife and friends to safety!"
"Noted!"
We shoot through more ConDef across the first floor and move up to the second when it's all clear. Then clear the second floor with our rifles and push forward up the stairs to the high ground in order to exit the building. I return to comm chatter to contact HQ. Perhaps we could get air support form our SCAR jet fighter units.
"We could use some air support, Commander," said Penske before I return to comms. "Try contacting HQ."
"HQ, this is Valor One," I say. "We need SCAR support. Do you read?"
Then there's nothing but static on my radio. Not only do we have no contact with HQ, but no contact with anybody. Meaning I won't be able to contact Cage to reassure myself of Joyce's safety. This was madness.
"Communications must've been hit," said Cayce. "Come on. Through here. This way."
The four of us run down a hall with civilian bodies left to rot against the floors and walls. Bleeding on the carpets and paint. Feels like Afghanistan all over again. On my soil.
When we run down the hall, I suddenly here a small voice wailing and sobbing from not far. I stop to investigate and following the saddening cry to an air duct with an open grate in the wall. Then I see a small boy crawling under it and hiding in it. And then he retreats from me when I spot him.
I walk to the air grate slowly where the weeping child is hidden. Crawling back away from me frightened that I would hurt him. I crouch to my knees to interact with the lone young as tears ran down his eyes.
"Hey," I say softly. "It's okay. I'm here. I won't hurt you."
"Everyone's dying," cried the boy.
The boy gasped when a tremor was felt from outside. I turn my head backward to check my rear. Then turn back to the small toddler. Still untrustworthy of me.
"Come here, I need to get you someplace safe," I said to the boy. "Take my hand."
I reach my hand out for the boy to offer him my protection, but he shakes his head and refuses it.
"You can't help me," said the child.
"David, get your ass out here now!" Cayce called out.
When I had turned my head to Cayce who called me back, I turned my head to where the small toddler had been hiding only for him to have vanished. Where had he gone? I didn't even ask where his parents had been. They likely would've been killed in a place like this. And now I could no longer help him if he had fled from me. It didn't matter now.
I run back to my team to see them caught in front of a dead end caused by debris that had fallen between the exit. Cayce and Kris helped Penske with some of the decayed rubble blocking the exit and it took the three of them to remove it. I even picked up my own fingers to help them with it as well. Making it four people to remove it all.
"Ah, this is a god damn mess!" Penske griped. "Every minute these terrorist are here, thousands of people die. I won't be responsible."
"It's hard enough fighting a war," I said. "But it's harder knowing no matter how hard you try, you can't save them all."
"Exactly."
"With respect, Admiral," said Cayce. "This is what happens when we toss around confetti over preventing a war on our own soil. The price we're paying for endangering lives by the thousands."
"My thoughts concisely," said Kris. "One this day of all days, why here? Why now?"
"It matters not, marines," said Penske. "As I've said, I rebuff the lives of thousands on my conscience. Let's move."
Once we're outside past the rubble and through the exit, we horrifying glance captures my eyes. Buildings on fire, civilians whaling for dear life, birds being shot out of the sky, parade floats destroyed on the streets, airships crashing down, CDF mercenaries running rampant, and the Space Needle in flames.
I thought I had seen it all in Afghanistan and back in Portland, this sight of Seattle being burnt to the ground on a national holiday was far from compared. Why would anyone like ConDef do this? Why here and why now as Kristine had asked herself that I now ask myself. If everyone's asking the same question, there's nothing independent that has become of this Independence Day today.
"CDF has turned this city into a war zone!" Cayce hollered.
"They're landing troops!" I shout.
"We need those AATIS guns back in our control!" Penske shouted. "That's all that matters!"
Before we make our next move pushing though the streets beside the pier, Kris lends some projectile weapons for me to use against the extremist.
"Here, I got some time grenades off our transport," she said.
"Good call," I said taking the grenade.
Time grenades, huh? The same ones Major Heard showed Cayce and I back at base. They definitely can prove useful in a debacle like this.
We run down the streets and I throw one time grenade at a squad of ConDef shooting civilians. The grenade lands in between them and goes off trapping them inside a chronon bubble slowing them down. I spray a good amount of bullets into their bubble that freeze frame in bullet time and once the time bubble wears down, the enemy squad all drops dead like bugs. Saving few of the civvies attacked by the squad.
"Nice throw!" Cayce shouts. "Those time grenades oughta even our odds!"
Guess they really did coming in after the first try.
The four of us keeping pushing forward into the streets checking our fire for incoming civilians running past us. When running down the street, another gunship chopper flies ahead of us and starts shooting down everyone in it's sight. Mostly locals.
We take cover behind the cars parked on the curbs of the sidewalks between the road to avoid fire and to wait for it to stop shooting. Then the attack chopper flies away and we pressed forward.
Enemy reinforcements were advancing towards us, but we kept fighting back. When we fight through more ConDef, we cut through a Starbucks corner in the street we advance through to avoid more heat. The longer ConDef had our AATIS guns under their control, the greater Seattle turns into a pile of dust and ash.
"HQ to all units, we've managed to reestablish communication control. We are extracting surviving locals in Lower Queen Anne at the Space Needle. Say again, Lower Queen Anne at the Space Needle."
"How close are we to the space Needle?" I ask Kris.
"It's just down Elliot Avenue," she answered. "It takes time, but it's the only way down."
"Then that's our route," I said. "Admiral, we should make the Space Needle our top priority."
"Agreed," replied Penske. "Hopefully Captain Cage can take your wife and friends to the Space Needle safely as well. Where I need to be too."
"This is HQ. The ATTIS guns are still under enemy control. They are still shooting down our birds! We need someone to take them back from AATIS security station now!"
"This is Major Heard! We're proceeding towards AATIS security now to take back control! Do you copy?!"
"We copy Major. Get them back under control ASAP before every one of our birds are dead ones. HQ out."
Once we cut through the Starbucks cafe, ConDef soldiers were still targeting civvies in the streets. Leaving them in peril. We even walk past some civilian bodies laid waste on the asphalt and a few civilians curled in corners wounded and sobbing. I feel awful for just leaving them behind. But like Penske had said, I won't let their lives be laid upon my conscience.
When we run across the pier on Elliot Avenue, another airship was shot down by another AATIS posted in the Elliot Bay. The blimp came descending down to the water as the AATIS missiles hit the balloon of the zeppelin setting it on fire and eventually plummeting into the bay. Cause waves to wash out into the land our boots stood on.
"Another airship is hit!" Cayce shouted. "Go right! Go right!"
The waves from the blimp crash was so massive and powerful, it washed away a big yacht off the water and into the asphalt. Blocking our path down Elliot Avenue and forcing us to take a shortcut on Mercer Street.
"Shit, the street is blocked!" Cayce bickered. "Now what's our heading?!"
"Over here," said Kris. "We can take a shortcut on Mercer. Down this street."
"Let's move, marines!" I order. "Incoming ConDef! Open fire!"
On the path down on Mercer, more ConDef was to be fought. Some of the enemy infantry had been posted by the window inside the buildings ahead. We check our flanks and open fire on the infantry above as well as below. Cayce even tossed a frag grenade through the windows to settle the flanking and it did with windows going boom. Sending the infantry out with one.
Upon proceeding across Mercer Street, we cut through a Microsoft electronic store and through a back alley only to reach a dead end. Either we turn back and continue down the road or climb over the concrete wall blocking our path.
"It's a dead end Valor," I said.
"I can help get us over that wall, sir," said Cayce. "This way, Commander. I got ya."
Cayce is the first person climb over the wall and squat on top to help me over. I take his hand and he helps me mantle over as well as Kristine and Penkse up and over as well. When we all get over the wall exiting the alley, things have only gone from bad to worse.
We get back on the streets only to see the road flooding with local running amok in a mass panic from another air blimp crash landing. The longer those AATIS guns are possessed by enemy control, the longer every airship thousands of feet above are vulnerable. Within fifteen minutes of this attack, it was already getting old. What happens next only gets worse.
Once we run through the panicking crowd, the airship impacts the surface erupting into a mass explosion crumbling buildings like rice crispy and causing a dust effect to erode into the street in front of us. The dust from the explosion was moving rapidly and would soon blind us to death and sweep us away in a matter of seconds.
"Holy shit!" Kristine shouted.
"Take cover!" Penske shouted.
"Everyone brace yourselves!" I shout.
We all brace for cover behind the cars to avoid getting smothered in the dust. And that's when the dust hits us and floods the street entirely.
Cayce
July 4th, 2017
9:24 AM
Seattle Washington
Mercer Street
I cough up the dust caught in my throat as my hearing goes vivid and my vision is blacker than night. My throat felt it was about to cough out a toad with dust in my saliva. Even when my eyes are wide open, I could barely an obstacle in plain view. Other than specks of dust illuminating through car lights that strobe from car alarms set off by the dust erosion and flash lights shining around.
I get off the asphalt covered in ash that felt like snow to find my team and the admiral. I can here voices of civvies crying and voices of soldiers quelling the distressed locals. One of those voices belonged to David and Kristine. We eventually find each other with the admiral via our flashlights lighting the fog.
"Cayce there you are," said David. "Come on. We got off the streets. This day just went from bad to worse."
When proceeding down the street, we can see civilians walking past us like zombies. Coughing up the dust in the wind and finding a way out of the fog. We use our flashlights on our rifles to light the foggy path to see the locals trudge across.
"Civilians, up ahead," I said.
"Hold your fire," said Penske.
I pick up once civilian curled against the corner of a car and help him up. I stand him up by the arm and blind him a little with my flashlight.
"Are you alright, sir?" I asked the civilian. "Get yourself to safety."
Most of these locals are all covered in dust in this fog. We almost covered in it too. Not that it mattered. What mattered was that these poor locals took shelter as soon as possible. I point my flash light to a women walking in front of me and I tell her what to do.
"Get off the street," I said. "Back indoors."
The lady walks by and I find some stairs that would take us back inside another alleyway. That would our route to the Space Needle.
"Left, up the stairs," I say. "Let's move."
We get up the stairs taking our left and hear more explosion from afar. I can imagine more negative action striking down Seattle between here and the Space Needle.
"You hearing that?" David asked.
"Something's incoming," said Kristine.
We can see something whoosh above us. It wasn't an AATIS missile. It wasn't another crashing bird or airship. It was something a little out of the norm. It was a fireball of some sort. One that we felt hit the ground like an asteroid or meteor with our own feet. Now this was just getting weird.
Then we here women screaming down the ally we walk into. As well as strange snarling and growling noises. The sound of the women getting eaten alive by flesh eating animals. Whatever it was, we would discover that real soon. When those animals come attacking us.
And then suddenly, another shooting star falls from above that's about to blow us off our feet. One that's about blow up in David's face.
"Heads up!" I warn David.
"Look out!" Kris shouts.
Then boom! The fireball explodes in front of us knocking David to the ground and unleashing strange zombie like beings that charge at us. We open fire on the demonic creatures as run at us. Now we know what that screaming was all about.
One of the creatures pounces onto David and pins him to the ground. David struggles and eventually breaks himself free from the demonic being by breaking it's arm and stabbing it in the neck. Then the demon burst into dust when it's killed.
I help David back on his feet after killing the other alien zombie demons. Somehow the creature themselves looking somewhat familiar. Reminded me of the ones from we once fought in Portland during Triple 4.
"What the hell were those things?" Kris asked. "What the fuck did we just fight?"
"David, they almost looked like those creatures we fought back in Portland three years ago," I said. "Do they ring a bell to you?"
"They're called Fallen," said Penske. "And yes, we did fight them during Triple 4. Those were the Revenant types we just shot down."
"And now we've got bigger fish to fry," said David. "Wherever the hell these...Fallen came from, they're now loose in Seattle. Come on, we still need to get to the Space Needle. Assuming Cage can get my wife and everyone else there in time. Move out."
When we continue forward through the alley, we can see more Fallen chowing on the corpse of the poor damsels that had been attacked. We shoot them down before they can even attack us. Then HQ comes back on our radio frequency.
"HQ to all ground teams. Be advised that we have report of Fallen presences in Seattle. I repeat, Fallen are present in Seattle. The same demon-esque hostiles seen in Portland."
By now every Chrysalis unit still alive out there is probably aware of the infestation. When finally making our exit out of the alley, we can see the Space Needle much closer than before. The closer we got to our window, the farther it would become a door.
"Look, the Space Needle is dead ahead," said Kris.
"We're getting close," said Penske.
We're back on the streets and more fireballs shower above us. Manifesting for Fallen beast into our six. This attack was turning out to be from a natural terrorist attack to monster mash.
"More fireballs dropping in!" I warn.
"They're bombarding us!" Kris shouts.
When the Fallen coming charging in, David uses another one of his time grenades to slow a pack of them down wife firing more bullets from his rifle into their time bumble to set a chain reaction with the caught inside the stasis field. Then simultaneously imploding them into molten dust when the field wore out.
"Where in the hell are these monster coming from?" I ask after fight the pack. "Why is ConDef attacking us, Commander? Why here? Why now?"
"No idea," said David. "The only idea I have is that ConDef has been trying to take control for years, Cayce."
"They knew we'd let our guard down during this celebration, David," said Kris. "It can't be surprising they'd strike us here on this very day."
The four of us decide to cut through a Barnes & Nobles next door to another Starbucks. When cornering the back door to the small product building, we here more civilians and damsels in distress. As well as more ConDef taking hostages inside. We needed to be discreet.
"I here more civilians inside," said David. "Sounds like they're in trouble."
"Behind that door, David," said Kris. "Let's make this quick and clean."
I position myself next to the door against the wall as David gently opens the door. Seeing a ConDef merc point his gun at a civilian squirming on the floor for mercy. Then David give him the element of surprise by kicking the door open and shooting the merc dead in the head. So much for discreet.
We all charge inside and deal away with the other enemies taking hostages. When push through inside the bookstore and into the cafe avoiding the locals and hitting the rest of the mercenaries with our ammo, I throw another one of my frags into the area of the cashier table and blow some bad guys off their feet. Killing them instantly, brutally, and explosively. Call me a demolition specialist.
Then suddenly before exiting through the cafe, another fireball hits the surface outside releasing more Fallen Revenant. The Revenant come crashing through the window next to the exit and bust through the exit door to charge at us like the rest. And then we shoot them like the rest until we're clear to push forward outside. Finally, we push forward outside.
"All stations, marines are pinned down at the Seattle Center by the Space Needle! Ground teams cannot advance! We need immediate suppression!"
"HQ, this is Admiral Penske. Solid copy."
"We read you, Admiral. Said traffic."
"I need your Predators online to draw fire near the Seattle Center for ground force cover."
"Clear, sir. Inbound hot."
"Cage to Madsen! Cage to Madsen! Come in Madsen!"
"Cage, where the hell are you? Is my wife, okay?"
"For now. But we could really use some backup by the Seattle Center right now! We're getting hammered to the wall down here and we could really use air support!"
"Stand by, Captain. HQ's bring the Predators online. You'll have your support in no time. Just tell Joyce and the other to hang in there. Madsen out."
The road to the Space Needle was blocked by a pile of bricks and timber from a tenement building on fire. The rest of Mercer Street was a bust. Luckily, Kristine found a small hole we could crawl through to take a path under the buildings for a shortcut. That would be our last route to take.
"Let's cut through here," she said.
David helps Kris lift up a stick of wood to help us enter into the tunnel. There were friendly soldiers of ours already inside and we warned them to cease fire.
"Don't shoot, we're friendlies," warned Kris.
"Friendlies, hold your fire!" A soldier warns his men guarding the hole.
"Commander Madsen, take control of those Predators for fire support," ordered Penske.
"Roger that, sir," said David.
The four of us crawled through the hole and into a basement where other Chrysalis operatives stayed hidden for safety. The was one soldier who laid himself on a table needing medical treatment. Though Kristine was a medic, the underground team already had one doing the medical treatment for the wounded.
"Oregon, this is Valor One," said David.
"This is Captain Harvester of Oregon. We read you Valor One."
"Harvester, we need your Predator units airborne for air support near Seattle Center."
"Copy that, Valor. Standing by for tasking."
"Penske to ground units near Seattle center. Predators are inbound for suppression. Once they engage, we're taking the Space Needle."
"Roger that, Admiral. Ground teams are in place."
The four of us proceed into a wine cellar where our troops appear to be extracting wounded for medic support. We could see a light somewhere up ahead. Must be where the Seattle Center is.
"Major Heard to Chrysalis units in territory. We've secured the ATTIS security building and have taken back control of ATTIS guns. I repeat, we have taken back control of the ATTIS guns."
"Well that's a relief," I said. "Finally, some good news afoot."
"Commander Madsen, this is Private Wheeler. Come in Commander. Over."
"Wheeler, is that you?" David asked. "Where in hell's bells have you been?"
"I was just with Major Heard's team. She told me to split up and continue fighting as soon as they got to ATTIS security. But I'm standing by for now, sir. Or Commander - whatever."
"So why aren't you out there fighting?!"
"I'm on a Seahawk, actually. I'll be picking you guys up at the Space Needle once it's all cleared. I'm still trying to learn how to reload also."
"Better learn fast. Don't keep us waiting once we're there. Madsen out."
David
July 4th, 2017
9:39 AM
Seattle, Washington
Seattle Center
The four of us restock our ammunition from ammo crates stocked by the big whole at the end of the cellar. Which would be our light at the end of the tunnel to the Seattle Center near the Space Needle.
Once we're through the whole taking us to a small ditch, we see the Space Needle that only one click ahead us now. Surrounded by the Seattle Center, the McCaw Hall, the Key Arena, the Museum of Pop Culture, the Chihuly Garden and Glass, and the Pacific Science Center. All under fire from CDF oppression. Reducing Chrysalis comeback.
"HQ, go weapons free!" Penske ordered.
"Get to the Space Needle!" I order. "Go! Go! Go!"
As well hustle toward the courtyard of the Seattle Center, the Predator drones start raining down missiles on ConDef in our path life firecrackers. Blowing the enemy troopers off the grass like exterminated insects. Then we were clear to push forward and help the other ground teams defending the vicinity.
Suddenly, a chunk of a Seahawk bird comes tumbling down a flight of concrete steps in the courtyard like a volley ball and I dodge out the way to avoid it. Another chunk of a downed bird breaking the fall of the tumbling debris when I dodge it. Then run up the hill to help the other ground teams.
I get up there to see the other half of my team defending my wife and the Caulfield couple. Cage and Newblood fired back at the oppressive force as well as Lynch who had regained consciousness and was part of the fight as well. Joyce crouched down behind a wall next to Cage with her ear covered. Vanessa and Ryan had done the same as they were defended by Newblood and Lynch. Though Ryan had been in pain from the knee he had busted from the crash.
"Madsen, aren't you a sight for sore eyes!" Cage shouted. "Where the hell have you been?!"
"David, you're alive!" Joyce cried.
"Speak for yourself!" I shout. "How are Vanessa and Ryan?!"
"Why don't you ask them yourself!" Cage shouted.
"Vanessa, how's Ryan?!"
"He's not doing so good!" Vanessa cried. "He hurt his leg real bad! He needs a medic!"
"I'm fine, V," grunted Ryan. "Really..."
"No, not really! We need to get out of this mess now! Before we get ourselves killed!"
"There's still bloody ConDef in the way, love!" Newblood shouted. "And lots of them!"
"That is Vanessa to you, soldier! And don't call me love!"
"Madsen, you need to take control of the Predators on the double!" Penske shouts. "Take the controls on that computer!"
I take the laptop next to Cage to take control of the Predator drones above us and mark the targets surrounding the Space Needle. I scan for enemy targets the screen with the Predator cam linked overlooking the terror troopers below.
"Marking the targets now!" I shout. "Engaging Predator!"
I mark the first batch of targets at the Key Arena of the Seattle Center. The targets are locked and I fire away the missiles. Setting off a chain reaction of explosion eradicating the ConDef forces into ash and fire. Damaging the courtyard of the arena cacophonously.
Then I do some damage marking target near the Pop Culture Museum. Leveling the place with missiles jarringly. And then do even more damage flushing out ConDef posted at the Chihuly Garden with more missiles devastatingly. And finally, they were none.
Despite having leveled half perimeter surrounding the Space Needle, the wolves ate all the sheep in the pen for us to gain a clear approach to the evac point. And so every ground team including ours did just that.
"All ConDef forces have been eliminated, Commander," said Cayce. "We should down to the Space Needle with no problems now."
"Let's move out ground teams!" I order everyone. "Prepare yourselves for extraction!"
Once we all move it across the battle damaged courtyard, I tell my wife to get behind me for her own protection. Newblood helps Ryan up on his feet as the British man hulls him across the smoke in the grass.
"Ah, I'm not sure how much longer I can go on like this!" Ryan grunts.
"Just hang in there mate," said Newblood. "We'll get you to a medic soon."
"I'm a medic," said Kristine. "I can help him out if he needs me to."
"That won't be necessary, darling. You can help him up once exfil arrives."
"HQ, this Valor Two," said Cage. "We're with Valor One prepared to extract the Admiral and our team alongside some other men and three civilians. We're approaching the Space Needle and clear for choppers."
"Affirmative, Valor Two. Stand by. Seahawks are in route. HQ out."
We now step foot in the courtyards of the Space Needle tower above us. Then we can hear propellers approaching from our six.
"Valor Team, this is Private Wheeler. Calvary's here ladies and gentlemen."
We can see two of the Seahawks finally arriving as they drop down on the concrete and land. The hatch one our bird we're boarding reveals Private Wheeler inside welcoming us aboard to extract us.
"About time," said Cage.
"Let's go," I said.
"Welcome aboard, Commander," said Wheeler.
"Thanks, Private," I said. "Good timing."
I help Joyce and the Caulfields get aboard as Ryan finally has someplace to sit down and rest his knee. Then my team gets on board and Kristine is able to tend to Ryan's leg wound for medic treatment. Once everyone's accounted for, Penske somehow stays behind for some reason.
"Madsen," he said.
"Come on," I said.
More birds came dropping to pick up more troops. Penske remained on the ground.
"You go," he said. "I'm tending to another bird."
"Why?" I question.
"You saw those men out there. They're gonna need a leader before he leaves."
"We're this fight together, Penske."
"It's a fight we cannot win. Not without help. We need to alert the pentagon. Inform the president and defense committee of this incident. We can convince them to help us. The only way we can provide ourselves the strength in numbers against Continuum."
"What if they don't listen?"
"We'll make them listen. Now go. I'll be meeting you at the Oregon. That's an order."
"We will, Admiral. Godspeed."
"You too, Madsen."
Flaws - Daughter
And then we're off. With everyone seated inside, I watch ourselves lift off the ground as Penske solutes us for good luck. I solute him back.
More choppers came rushing in to pick up more soldiers and civilians. I watch them land from thirty feet above as Chrysalis troops help the locals aboard. Then suddenly, I witness a small child coming aboard. The same child I had seen hiding in the ducts. How did he get all the way out here on his own? Maybe two of the civvies must be his parents bringing him aboard?
I stare down thirty feet below at the boy as we fly besides the Space Needle. The boy then looks at me back in the eye. Feeling alone and afraid. I still feel terrible for not helping him out of this. How could he have made it this far on his own at that age?
Then the boy runs aboard the chopper with the adults. Staring at me in the eye one last time as the hatch closes in front of him. And then suddenly, some even more scarring occurs.
Two ConDef soldiers with RPG's aim their rocket weapons down at the two-bladed choppers taking off from the ground and fire. Blowing up both choppers killing the troops and innocents on board. Including the small boy that looked no older then twelve.
My eyebrows are raised and my jaw drops in awe. I turn my head away from the shocking scene and shut my eyelids. Feeling the atrocity burn inside me. It was happening again. Why have I come back to the army? Everything I tried to leave behind with the help of my PTSD treatment I took for Joyce and Chloe was now possessing myself again. The soldier and civilian casualties had not been pleasant for me to witness in Afghanistan. It was even worse for me here in Seattle.
And finally, I turn myself away from the sight as the hatch on our bird closes behind. Sitting down next to my wife and partners for a safe flight back to the Oregon. With the eerie sight of a little boy dying in an exploded chopper getting under my skin, I'm now going to be haunted and scarred about it for life. Like all the bad deeds from Afghan before this. The ones that would aggravate my own wife and step-daughter and playing the patriot in the house. The burdens a soldier carries.
When fly away from the Space Needle. Departing the war torn city of Seattle and off to the aircraft freighter the Oregon to take refuge. Flying above smoke and fire flaring from building as well as the wonder of the six hundred foot needle shaped tower. The AATIS guns were now firing towards enemy birds defending the city from it's last legs. Leaving this terrorist attack by the Continuum Defense Front behind us. Make no mistake. This was the beginning of a new cold war with quantum terrorism that they alone have started.
And this was no victory.
In Vancouver, Rachel was sitting down on her bed next to Frank who had still been passed out from the night before. She had been watching the news on television. Witnessing the horrors of theConDef attack on Seattle. She could not change the channel with her remote after what she was seeing.
In Berkeley, Victoria Chase had been watching the news in her apartment building next door to Berkeley University. Witnessing the terror on TV as well.
On a bus from Denver, Colorado to Cambridge, Massachusetts, Warren Graham and Brooke Scott were on the road for a science trip to the MIT. Brooke had been passed out next to Warren on their bus seat as Warren watched the news about Seattle on hissmart phone. The news was no more pleasant to him than anyone else.
In Caldwell, Idaho, Kate Marsh was eating breakfast with her family in her new home in the state her and family moved to. Watching the news on the TV in the kitchen. The terror in Seattle prompted them to pray to the lord for the city to find peace after the storm released by the CDF.
In Seattle, General Alkaline of the Continuum Defense Front had been posted with a small band of his men at Discovery Park. Overlooking the attack with this two lieutenants Tie and Beluga. Alkaline received a text on his phone and picked it up to reply.
Joan: Is everything set? The attack is on television.
Elias: Yes my lady. We have crippled Chrysalis's line of defense. In the name of the heard. In the name of Ares.
Joan: Splendid. May the heard guide us all.
Elias: May the heard guide us all.
In Aurora Creek, Canada, Bryan Caulfield had been watching the attack on the news individually in his home. Acknowledging what the heard has made Continuum do. Hoping his daughter and niece would arrive in time to set things right.
In Portland, my step-daughter Chloe had been watching the television in her penthouse seeing the Independence Day parade in Seattle turn into a war zone by a ConDef catastrophe. Immensely worried about her mother and step-father getting hurt in the incident. Which we hadn't.
Max and her cousin Alex had been sitting down at the Portland airport waiting for their flight to Vancouver. Max turns her head towards the television screens above her to witness her once home away from home transform into a metamorphosis of ash and fire. The place she knew her parents had been and not only graciously worried about them getting harmed in the mass incident, but now coming to terms about the truth of Continuum Defense Front told by her recurring cousin. A truth she now wished hadn't been true, but could not deprive the inevitable.
In a dark secret lair, a woman in a dark suit sat down on a leather chair watching a television screen with the news about Seattle projected. Drinking a glass of liquor with a malicious smirk marked on her lip. Aware of the attack as she anticipated. In the name of ConDef. In the name of the heard. In the name of Ares.
On a hilltop that oversees the destruction of Seattle at Discovery Park, an figure had been over seeing it. Then turned away and walked back from the war torn city. A war the figure demanded. A war he corrupted upon Continuum and the heard. A war started by Ares. The god of war.
The Eternity War has now begun.
End of Episode 1!
Note: If you've made it this far, you already know how this new season is about to turn out. Another attraction to steal the Uncharted and Call of Duty audiences in a Life is Strange story. Before you rant and rave about me milking my stories with action adventures, hear me out for one minute. I am aware that some of my readers prefer the mystery and drama that started Life is Strange over action adventure and that's okay. My stories are not just about over the top action, they are also about character development and charm. The things even action games can be capable of. UC and COD especially. And the thing that started the LIS series strong.
My story will still stand with the action, but without having to sacrifice my new character driven dynamic between Max and Alex as well as David and Cayce. That's right readers. Eternity War will concentrate on two perspectives upon two character driven arcs. Max and Alex's side of the adventure will be about discovery the pathway to the Ark of Genesis that will turn the tide of the war between Chrysalis and ConDef. David and Cayce's side of the adventure will be about them fighting the war and holding the line of Chrysalis against the opposition of ConDef. So buckle up and prepare yourselves for my most breathtaking and heart pumping story yet! The Eternity War has already begun!
I'd also like to note that this story will be on hold for some time so that I may resume my work on my prequel story the Lost Daughter that I started back in August. Then put that story on hold again in the middle of it's second episode. So that I may resume my work on the second installment to Eternity War sometime in December. Perhaps during my Christmas break when all my finals in college are done. In the meantime, stay tuned for the next exciting chapter of the Lost Daughter and Eternity War!
Until next time, stay golden!
Numbers - Daughter
Life is Strange Eternity War
Episode 1: Genesis
Voice Cast
Max Caulfield... ...Hannah Telle
Alex Caulfield... ...Fryda Wolff
Chloe Price... ...Ashly Burch
Rachel Amber... ...Erin Yvette
David Madsen... ...Don McManus
Cayce Foley... ...Christopher Emerson
Joyce Price... ...Cissy Jones
Kristine Prescott... ...Laura Bailey
Frank Bowers... ...Daniel Bonjour
Fernando Rojas... ...Freddy Prinze, Jr.
Kristen West... ...Kelley Crowder
Ryan Caulfield... ...Adam Harrington
Vanessa Caulfield... ...Misty Lee
Bernard Jarvis... ...Stephen Merchant
Clayton Cage... ...Chris Fries
Jeb Mason... ...Charles Parnell
Andrew Newblood... ...Nick Boulton
Carlos Logos... ...Alex Hernandez
Cheryl Heard... ...Cindy Robinson
Amanda Lynch... ...Emily O'Brien
Flint Wheeler... ...Jeff Schine
Adam Harvester... ...Gideon Emery
Elias Alkaline... ...Simon Templeman
Gavin Penske... ...Ron Perlman
Joanna Prescott... ...Jennifer Hale
Ezra Prescott... ...Malcolm McDowell
Jeremiah Blackwell... ...Brian George
Martin Prescott... ...Stephen Merchant
Ezekiel Blackwell... ...Neil Kaplan
Arthur... ...Robin Atkin Downes
Lancilot... ...Gideon Emery
Percival... ...Stephen Merchant
Gawain... ...Charles Parnell
Tristain... ...Nick Boulton
Merlin... ...Derek Phillips
Ares... ...Neil Kaplan
Written and Edited by
WickDaLine
Based on the Characters by
Christian Divine
Music by
Henry Jackman
Daughter
Soundtrack
Human - Rag'n'bone Man
Time To Pretend - MGMT
Glass - Daughter
Till I Collapse - Eminem
Departure - Daughter
Dark Days - Local Natives
To All of You - Syd Matters
Crosses - Jose Gonzales
Something Good - Alt-J
Youth – Daughter
Santa Monica Dream – Angus & Julia Stone
I'm Only Joking - KONGOS
Flaws - Daughter
Numbers - Daughter
Special Thanks to
DONTNOD
Deck Nine
Square Enix
Christian Divine
Hannah Telle
Ashly Burch
Rhianna DeVries
Kylie Brown
Michel Koch
Luc Baghadoust
Zak Gariss
Daughter
tur1823
Itzal37
and you!
Disclaimer
I do not own anything. All rights go to DONTNOD, Deck Nine, and Square Enix. Thank you.
Next time on Life is Strange: Eternity War...
Max and Alex walk down a side walk in their black suits to the bar where the exchange in underway. As a car passes driving over puddle and Alex smokes her cigarette and dropping it on the solid concrete as it burns.
"Fun really isn't something one considers from balancing the universe."
David and Cayce lock and load their rifles on their VTOL when the light is green and ready to drop down forty thousand feet to the attack on San Francisco. Prepared for battle.
"But this...does put a smile on my face."