CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Lead Dawn & Iron Deliverance

He finally got his armored hands around the head of the monster and broke it as roughly and painfully as he could. The scientists might call them Xenomorphs, but he called them was they really were. Monsters. No more, no less. The gun smoke cleared slowly around him. His sensors didn't pick up any more aliens. The soldiers around him cheered, fists in the air. Victorious.

"Good job soldiers."

One of them commented.

"Hoo-ah! U.S. War Machines! Relentless and invincible!"

His electronically-altered voice spread among the platoon as he chuckled along with the rest. The two wounded cheered the loudest. Castle was no doubt almost to Ryker's Island by now with his half. He didn't agree with his methods, or trust his sanity. But he was the expert on the prison. So he was bound by protocol to trust him. He may have been wearing the armor, his identity unknown to everyone probably including Fury, but James Rhodes was still a soldier. No matter what identity he was working under.
He turned back to his men. A good group of soldiers. Not one bent man among them. They worked with precision and efficiency. Two were wounded, but after twenty battles with these monsters, there had to be casualties. He called to his communications officer in one of the vehicles.

"Corporal Onaka. We've got wounded. Are there any medical packs in the vehicles?"

Static was the only response.

"Corporal, do you copy?"

Still static. That wasn't good. They were still inside the meat locker heading out, the wounded being supported.

"Troops, double-time it! We've got a missing Corporal."

The platoon picked up the pace and headed toward the door. He decided to fly forward with the rockets in the suit. He went straight out through the doors. The light from the sun just barely began to look over the steel and concrete horizon. A fog was rolling in; the heat of the rising sun combining with the dampness of the previous stormy night. The vehicles were covered with the beasts. He saw Corporal Onaka's intestines strewn on the ground, some of the creatures feeding on him. He was struck by it and lost focus. Words from the incoming soldiers jarred him.

"War Machine, what's going on?"

He quickly answered.

"No, fall back it's a trap! It's a tr…!"

He was tackled into the wall by one of the aliens, held there. It scratched and punched at his armor before he held its clawed hand back and blasted it in the chest with a repulser blast. It flew backward past its friends and over the trucks. He heard the soldiers reach the doorway and scramble to retreat.

"Fall back! Fall back!"

But he heard screams and gunfire through the wall. There must have been more hiding in the meat plant. But how? He didn't have time to think about it as another monster leaped at him. He batted it aside with his right arm and used the mini-gun mounted on his left shoulder to perforate another, along with one of the vehicles. Another one ran along to his right, and he followed it with gunfire.
More screaming came from inside. He needed to help them! He raised his right arm and fired a small missile at the creature, blasting it apart. The one he had batted aside rose again, but he pelted it with repulser blasts, tearing it apart. He finally turned back through the doorway and watched as a soldier was killed; impaled by the disgusting rod/tongue in a creature's mouth. He opened up the mini-gun once more and decimated the dozens of Xenomorphs that had appeared from nowhere. He looked to his left and saw another soldier being attacked. He turned and fired another repulser blast throwing it against a wall ten feet away before shredding it with the mini-gun. He bent down to the soldier lying on the ground.

"You okay?"

The soldier coughed and moaned. More screeching drowned him out. He looked out into the open building. All the other soldiers were dead. Either eaten or just mutilated. Then he saw it. A hole in the floor in the middle of the building, apparently dug by the aliens. They were crawling out of it like ants out of an anthill. He picked up the wounded soldier at his side and fired another missile from his right arm, aimed dead-center on the hole.
He flew out through the door and landed on the other side of the vehicles as the explosion rocked the building. He set the soldier down and looked back over the trucks. The building was smoking, and he heard steel bending and breaking as it fell in upon itself. Without looking down he spoke.

"Soldier, are you okay?"

No response. Not again. He looked down at the man at his feet, leaning up against the tire of the vehicle.

"Soldier!"

He shook him slightly, only to have the man's head fall over away from him, a giant slash severing half his neck and opening his throat to the damp morning air. No. He stood up and saluted the dead man for a moment. He had fought well. As did his platoon. As he opened his eyes from the blind salute he caught sight of a sewer hatch. That was it! They had dug a hole down under the machines into the sewers. That was how they spread so fast, and how they had surrounded them. They had taken out whole warehouses full of them, but who knows if more had just come up through? All their hard work, the work his men died for: worthless. Anger welled up inside him. Anger he hadn't felt in a long time. He rose up into the air on the rockets and released a long, loud, yell into the morning air. Still no sun, but it was almost time.
He had to follow the sewer lines. Blow up every building within reach of them. It was the only way to be sure. He pulled up the schematics of the sewer system below him and activated the heavy-duty missile launcher on his right shoulder. He fired one of the missiles and devastated a building down below. He moved through the air, following the sewer, and blowing up the buildings as he went. Firing missile after missile, and used his other armaments to make sure the job got done. These things will wish they'd never screwed with a U.S. Marine. Especially one calling himself War Machine.

Fuck! They were really pinned down. They had all rendezvoused in a small office on the second floor of the packing section of the plant. Sides of beef hung from the ceiling on assembly line chains. The stink was horrible. But at least the cooling unit was working to keep it somewhat fresh. Their suits kept the cold out, but their breaths made ghosts in the air.
Clay and Mason were dead. Pierce was wounded, and Seers's mini-gun had jammed. So far they had been able to keep the fuckers off them, but their ammo was running low. There was plenty more in the vehicles, but something about the shit covering this whole place was interfering with the mics. They had been using the office window for a firing point. He fired a three-round burst and killed another one as it approached. Corvich and Reese were flanking him, spreading light suppressing fire when needed. But they should have been all over them, swarming them. He couldn't figure it out. Another one fell to his gun. From what he could tell, there weren't many left in the building. They were playing shadow games; avoidance tactics. Why? Marcus was occupied with Pierce's wounds for the moment, so he had time to think.

"Mayfield. Take over for a minute."

Mayfield stepped up to his post with his M-60 and started firing. He paced back and forth, racking his brains. Why weren't they attacking full force? It's as if they were just toying with them. But they couldn't be that smart. Marcus gave him a look. He shrugged it off and kept thinking. They traveled through the sewers. But there wasn't a manhole or access way for a few streets. So they had to travel here above ground. Why here? Why didn't they just retreat or attack? He came out of his thoughts when he realized the gunfire had stopped. Were they all dead? Mayfield called back to him.

"Captain. They're doing something with the dead."

"Theirs or ours?"

"Theirs, Sir."

What? They weren't exactly the ceremonial type. What the hell could they be doing? He looked out the window. Mayfield handed him a pair of night-vision goggles and pointed.
"There, Sir."

He looked through and allowed his eyes to adjust. Out in the middle of the plant, next to the cooling unit for the meat, was a grouping of bodies. He saw the ugly bastards drag their dead into what looked like a big circle. Like they were just trying to cover the ground.

"Hmm."

Marcus spoke up from behind him.

"Hmm? That's all you've got to say?"

Not again. He sighed, returned the lenses to Mayfield, and turned around to face the angered Major.

"We're risking our lives on your experience and you've got nothing. Fucking brilliant."

"Stand down, Marcus."

"That's MAJOR to you, CAPTAIN."

This sounded like it was going to get ugly. And he wasn't in the mood for it.

"You drag my platoon in here, disobeying orders to go straight to Ryker's Island, and you get us killed and trapped in this shit hole with those things ready to mutilate us!"

"Stand down Marcus!"

Marcus turned to look at the other soldiers now as he spoke.

"So far our Captain's 'experience' has been about as useful as shit on a flagpole! Clay and Mason are dead, and I'll not be following them."

He'd had enough. Marcus was turned away from him now. Perfect shot. He walked up punched Marcus across the face, sending him to the ground.

"Stand down, MAJOR. Happy now?"

He looked around at the men. He could see some of them were inclined to agree with Marcus. Shit. He sighed again before speaking.

"All right. Now listen to me! I admit, I probably put too much faith in you boys. That's what fighting alone can do to a man. But we're not dead yet. We can beat these things. They're not smarter than us! We can kill 'em all. And we're getting out of here. By the barrels of our guns or the skin of our teeth, we're getting out of here. I led you in, I'll lead you out."

Mayfield stood at attention. And saluted.

"We're… we're with you Sir. Captain."

The stutter. Mayfield was the one from HQ. And the one in the truck. The admirer. Well he must have had some push with the others, because a few of them saluted too. Even Pierce. He heard Marcus roar and looked in time to see him charge at him, putting him against the window.

"He'll kill us all!"

Marcus was bleeding from his punch. He held back Marcus's wrists before kicking him in the gut, causing him to jack-knife. He grabbed him by the head and brought him over to the sink at the corner of the room. Marcus tried to grab his arm, but he shook him off and smacked his head against the inside of the porcelain sink. He let go and turned to cold water on, drenching his head.

"Cool off, Marcus."

He watched to make sure he was still alive. He was. He breathed heavily and didn't bother to raise his head. He watched the blood from his mouth go down the drain. The drain! Shit! He walked back over to the window and took the binoculars from Mayfield again. He looked down at the alien corpses. He was right. Smoke was rising from the floor. The corrosive blood was burning through it. Straight down to the sewer.

"What is it, Captian?"

That from Mayfield.

"They're burning a hole in the floor down to the sewer. They're getting reinforcements from down below."

They all cursed under their breaths. He looked again. The concrete floor turned to wet tissue paper. The sewer was only a few more feet down. They might be able to escape with the few that were left. He looked back at Pierce, who still couldn't walk. Marcus hadn't finished the splint.

"Somebody finish up Pierce. We've got to go."

"I've got it."

Marcus was back up. He turned off the water and shook his head before moving back to the splint. At least he was back to his senses. But if he endangered them like that again, he was getting a bullet. Everyone else was ready to go.

"Alright, let's move."

Seers had picked up his repaired mini-gun and headed for the door. He turned the knob and pushed. The door didn't open. He pushed harder.

"What the fuck?"

Corvich moved over to help. They pushed until Kaufman pushed them aside & kicked at the door. It gave way only a bit. Goop leaked through the broken latch. Son of a bitch. They had sealed them in. There was another door on the other side. It looked like a broom closet, but he had to check. He wrenched it open. It swung inward. It was a closet. And at his feet, a big brown, leathery thing. It looked like… an egg! The four flaps opened up and he slammed the door shut, locking it. He heard screeching coming from inside. He looked and saw he had caught one of its legs… or fingers… in the door. It fell to the ground, where the blood began to burn. It burned down along the door too. And it wouldn't be long before it hit the lock. He heard scrambling and screeching from behind the door. The fucker was still moving! They had to get out fast. They had given up on the door. He looked around.

"Time to go. The window!"

He moved up to it and began smashing it with the butt of his S.H.I.E.L.D. Special. The others joined in to break the safety glass. When all the shards were gone, they looked out at the giant acid hole. It was getting deeper fast. Definitely time to go. He turned back to the men.

"Alright. These suits should get us to the ground okay. I'll go first. Pierce, you take up the rear to we can catch you. Let's move!"

He was about to sit on the frame, but something blew a hole through the roof opposite them and blasted a few of the machines around. The light from the dawning sun finally invaded the cold, dark building, and it blinded him for a minute. They couldn't see what had caused the blast. It looked like… an angel. What the fuck?

He had been blasting buildings apart for about half an hour now. He hadn't been keeping track of how many. But by now the whole district was up in flames. He turned his attention toward the last one. The Northern-most and closest to the main road to Ryker's Island. Castle may have already taken it out. But better to be safe than sorry. He fired another missile down onto the building, creating a huge hole in the roof. He suddenly got something on his radio.

"…the fuck…that thing?"

He spoke into it.

"Hello? Hello?"

"War Machine?"

"Castle?"

"Was that you who blew a hole in our roof?"

"You're in the meat plant?"

"Yeah. And we could use some support."

He thought Castle was waiting for him at Ryker's already. He looked down and noticed the two vehicles out front. Jesus! He almost killed them.

"I'm coming down."

He heard gunfire over the radio.

"Hurry it up then!"

He flew down at full speed, engaging the mini-gun as he went. His mask allowed his eyes to adjust to the darkness quickly. He saw, just like before, a huge hole in the floor, crawling with the monsters!

"Where are you?"

"On your left in the office."

He looked and saw the flashing of weaponry coming from a window. He auto-targeted the mini-gun and rained down a hail of led on the creatures. They screeched and growled to no avail as their numbers counted for nothing. But he was wasting enough ammo.

"Take cover!"

He waited a few seconds and fired another missile deep into the hole. The explosion ripped through all of them, sending blood everywhere, dissolving the machines. He immediately flew up and out of range. After the smoke cleared, he moved back down inside. Pieces of metal and concrete covered the hole. Twisted black corpses riddled the ground.

"Castle, you okay?"

"We're not dead."

"I'll take that as a yes. They all look dead from my view. You see anything?"

"Nothing. All clear."

He hovered down through the hole and onto the catwalk next to the office. He grabbed at the goop and pulled. It was tougher than it looked. He pulled harder, and harder, the suit giving all it could until finally it cracked and fell. He punched it again and again until it finally broke down to the ground. He counted eight soldiers. They all stood up again, brushing the shattered glass and wood from their uniforms. All except one stood up. He moved toward him. He noticed that he was laying half inside the closet, but the lock looked burned, melted. He grabbed the face-down soldier by the shoulder and turned him over. Attached to his face was one of those monster hatchlings. Jesus. Castle came up behind him.

"One of yours, Castle?"

"Yeah. But he didn't like it. I'd almost say he deserved it. But no man deserves that."

"We can't let that thing grow. Someone's got to put him down."

A voice came from behind them.

"I'll do it."

If the change in his scowl was any indication, it looked like Castle was surprised.

"Pierce?"

The soldier named Pierce limped over to them.

"He was an asshole anyway. And he tied a lousy splint."

Pierce gave a weak smile. He stepped away with Castle as he spoke to another trooper.

"Somebody cover him. Make sure that thing stays dead."

"Well, we better get going. It's dawn already."

"Right. Let's move, gentlemen."

They all made it outside and down the stairs before they heard the burst of gunfire. Pierce had just executed Marcus. He hobbled out through the door and spoke.

"Aw, shit. My leg's still sore. Can somebody give me a lift?"

He walked over to Pierce and picked him up. The armor making him almost weightless.

"Thanks War Machine."

"No problem, soldier."

They all headed toward the slime-covered door. Two soldiers with mini-guns opened up until the door was nothing but a heap of metal on the ground. They all walked out to the vehicle. Another soldier with a long-range radio exited the vehicle and moved over to talk to Castle. He moved to the open door and placed the soldier down on the seat against the wall.

"Thanks again, pal."

Beeche had stayed in the truck like he'd told him too. He told Beeche about their losses and sent him back in. One hell of a night. War Machine had put Pierce in the truck with Beeche before turning back to the building. He looked too, as well as the other soldiers. They all looked back at the building that was almost their tomb as War Machine let off a rocket and blew the place apart. The steel and plastic falling. The raw meat and alien corpses blended together under the heap.
He looked at War Machine as the soldiers entered the vehicles. He had thought he was an angel before. But it turned out to be the mini-gun and missile launcher on his shoulders rather than wings. He was glad. Angels had only ever been trouble for him. And at the moment he would have done to one of them the same thing he did to those monsters.
He was about to enter the truck when he saw something coming toward them through the morning mist. Another alien! He immediately fired and killed it before it could attack. War Machine followed him as they moved toward it. There was an open sewer hole about twenty feet away. War Machine inspected the man hole while he looked over his kill. It had eight limbs. Four on its back. And it was holding eggs. He backed up and blew them apart with a few rounds. It was a Carrier. He remembered Parker saying something about it at the meeting. It must have come from a Queen to bring fresh eggs. Where did it come from, was the question. War Machine walked back over to him.

"The sewer way it came from only has one direction."

"Where?"

"Ryker's. It must have come from the water and into the sewer to come up here."

One hell of a night just turned into one hell of a morning. Fuck.

Author's Note: Well, I hope you all enjoyed my latest chapter. Bringing the two powerhouses together was a bit tricky, but I really liked writing this one. I hope you all enjoyed reading it just as much. Remember to review, and tell me "How's my writing?" Constructive criticisms are as welcome as anything. I thank all of you who have been following along. But I can only thank those who give reviews. Otherwise, how can I know who you are? ;) Well, until next time... yeah I'm going to say it... Excelsior! -War Journalist

P.s. I read this over again and realized my poor grammar, so I took it down and re-posted it. Sorry about the inconvenience. Have a nice day.