Rise of an Empire
Chapter Twenty Five: The Final Storm
A green-furred Turogian wearing a leather jacket with jeans sat in a black cargo-truck, cheek in his hand, tapping a musical rhythm with his other hand. A beeping sound emerged in his pants, causing him to lean back a bit, and fish out a square mobile-Instant Messaging device. Flipping the cover up, a message appeared on the screen in military-green. It is almost time, be ready.
Package is in place at target destination, I am more than ready. He responded.
"Excuse me sir…" a human police officer appeared suddenly, holding a flashlight by his head a bit. "This section is unauthorized parking, please move the vehicle or I will have to write you a fine…"
"Oh, sorry officer" the Turogian gave a sheepish grin and started the engine. After the officer walked away, he slowly moved in towards an illuminated clearing by an abandoned warehouse. He didn't think it would matter, Seattle will be destroyed with the signal…especially when it is almost midnight…
XX
"Person of interest has moved the vehicle inside the clearing of the destination…" FBI Agent Yuri Jarkhov, a blue-furred Turogian radioed on his watch-disguised communicator. "The back of the vehicle is wide open…"
"Copy…moving in" his partner, a human female named Carmen de la Juarvez responded, disguised as a warehouse employee. Walking briskly and calmly, she approached the vehicle and miraculously opened the back without alarming the driver. "Uhh, Yuri…package identified…"
"What is it?" he replied, a harmless burning sensation welling up in his chest.
"Improvised Nuclear Device…my spectacle HUD is detecting harmless-level radiation…" she reported, somehow keeping her cool. The device is improvised, a large C4 device wired to a metallic-blue barrel.
"Ok…remember, you were on the Los Angeles Bomb-Squad Division, this is the same thing…only trickier if I am guessing correctly…" Yuri said, after taking a nervous, quick deep breath.
"Keep me covered, I am moving in to defuse…" Carmen gulped, taking silent steps. Yuri didn't need to say anything, as Blackwater USA troops are stationed in the bushes, M4's and G36's aiming at the vehicle.
XX
It is time, arm the bomb. A message said after another beeping. Giving a triumphant chuckle, he opened the door and proceeded to the hold of the vehicle. He failed to notice the red dot fixed on his back. He discovered the door open, and was popped in the knee cap by a soldier with a suppressor added on.
Compromised, FBI discovered me! He messaged quickly and then destroyed the device before he was arrested…
XX
"Damnit…" Tim scowled, flipping the cover back down after reading the last message. "Well…it's just Seattle, all the other targets are going as planned…" he looked over a map of North America, with red pins dotting every major city…
XX
Haji, finished drinking the blood of a Mafia-member, was hit by a flash of images. Ones of Tim…
Shit, New York is going down…I need to get Nerfrachtan and George out of here! He realized, slipping into the darkness as a SWAT team barged in, guns to bear and screaming orders…
XX
"So…you likin' New York?" George smiled, chin resting on his hands cupped together.
"Mmm…so far, yeah" Nerfrachtan nodded, taking a sip of a Piña Colada. "I didn't know you love Pink Squirrels…"
"It's the ice cream and Crème de Cacao that gets me" he giggled, taking a sip of the cocktail.
"Nerfrachtan…" Haji appeared, literally popping up from the floor beside them. "George, you two need to get out of here…now"
"Oh c'mon! Just because this is a gay bar doesn't mean that this is off-limits!" George gave him a stern look, crossing his arms.
"No! Listen to me! New York will be destroyed in a minute, we need to leave" Haji replied sharply.
"How can it be destroyed? I mea-"
"Okay, how do we get out of here?" Nerfrachtan nodded, standing up.
"W-what? You're just…up and leaving, just like that?!" George raised his voice. "Don't you want to know why?"
"If father says, we do it…" Nerfrachtan glared. George kept his mouth shut from that look, and backed off a bit.
"Okay, no more chit-chat, we leave, now" Haji wrapped both of them with his arms and they found themselves nearly two kilometers away from the city, few of the skyscrapers visible from the lights emitted in the buildings. Almost instantaneously, everything blinded them with an insanely bright light, followed by a powerful shockwave that almost deafened their ears and threw them back nearly five meters. Shellshocked, George managed to stand up first and witnessed the greatest attack in Earth's history…
XX
"Lieutenant…" Doctor Leafgreen began, hailing Lieutenant Commander Jonathan of the USMC 7th Marine Expeditionary Unit. "My forces have set up camp now, and I've sent in the 2nd Tank Army to assist you…"
"Greatly appreciated doctor…I'll send them back immediately when things cool down…" the commander smiled.
"I'll be waiting…" Leafgreen said, cutting the transmission.
"Doctor!" a female Syndicate soldier rushed, saluting. "I just got bad news…"
"What is it?" Leafgreen crossed his arms.
"There was a nuclear attack on North America…every major city except Seattle and Portland are destroyed…" she reported. Leafgreen just stood there, silent. Tom, who had just arrived and heard the news, spotted Andrew's fists quivering.
I can't escape this hell…
So many times I've tried…
"Inform the American commanders…" Leafgreen said shakily. "ASAP…"
"Yes doctor…" she nodded solemnly. After she left, Tom cautiously approached Leafgreen, being careful not to make him snap.
But I'm still caged inside…
Somebody get me through this nightmare!
I can't control myself!
"Umm…dad? You okay?" Tom began quietly, now only a few feet away from him. Leafgreen just breathed hard, all the way until it sounded like a panting of deep breaths through his nose.
"No! I AM NOT FUCKING OKAY!" he snapped, screaming. "I JUST HEARD MY HOME WAS FUCKIN' INCINERATED AND I HAVE NO FUCKIN' IDEA WHO DID THIS, THE EURO'S CAN'T DO THIS BECAUSE THEY'RE STOCKPILES HAVE BEEN DISPOSED OF DECADES AGO, AND THE REMNANTS OF JACK'S FANATICS ARE EITHER INCARCERATED OR KILLED!" when he was finished, he held Tom by the tuft of fur on his neck and brought him to the rim of his helmet.
So what if you can see
The darker side of me…
No one will ever change this an-i-mal I have be-come
And we believe, it's not the real me, somebody help me tame this animal
This animal x2
Tom just stared back at him, scared speechless. He has never seen him act like this before, not even Jumba's death had made him act like this. He believed Andrew will bounce back, just like he did with Jumba, it's just going to take longer. Leafgreen took a long, deep breath and slowly released Tom, who was slightly shaking from the ordeal.
"I want the flag half-raised, in condolences to those lost…" he ordered sadly.
"Y-yes sir…" Tom nodded, relieved to leave him alone for now.
I can't escape myself…
So many times I've lied…
But there's still rage inside…
XX
Staff Sergeant Harin Juhklo tapped his claws on his right leg, encased by the latest version of the Stitch-class Power Armor. The Harkhin YMNU-1825 dropship, armed with four 20mm cannons utilizing High-Explosive-Plasma-Slugs (HEPS), three .50 caliber heavy-machine guns and a YHN-987 15mm Grenade Launcher at the rear, approached their 'drop-zone', the outskirts of what remained of New York City. He scratched his neon-green furred forehead and brought out his N65 .30-06/Plasma cal Assault Rifle. The weapon was sleek but slightly bulky in design, and it was fed by a drum-magazine inserted horizontally above and slightly farther than the grip, which used a P90 style, also being highly flexible for conversion from an A-R, to a Machine-Gun, and finally an Improvised-Sniper-Rifle. The downside is that it leaves a highly visible tracer when the rounds are fired, so the shooter must stay mobile, or he'll be discovered.
"Approaching Drop-Zone, standby for procedure…" the pilot radioed them. The seats they were on whirred to life, and slowly spun them upside-down and moved them towards the 14ft. of empty space in front of them. After they were still, the floor opened up sideways with a slight groan, exhibiting the gray atmosphere and charred landscape.
"Alright boys! Remember, this is strictly search-and-rescue! Encounter any hostiles, be it outside forces or raiders, shoot when attacked!" Harin's squad leader, 1st Lieutenant Gedafar, shouted above the loud vacuum of air.
"Alright, initiating drop…" the pilot hit a pattern on the holographic keyboard in the top-right corner of his eye and the squad was shot out of their seats.
"WOOOOOHOOOOOO!!" one of Harin's squadmates screamed in joy, as their altitude was dropping fast. They were at 13,456 feet…now 11,926.
"Brake on my mark!" Gedafar ordered.
10,726…
9,624…
8,267…
"NOW!" he quickly spread his arms and legs out and made his body parallel to the landscape and his speed crunched dramatically. The squad followed suit and were merely gliding down, feet aimed at the ground and fists raised high.
BAM! They made impact, and came out of their small craters unharmed, their Orbital-Drop and Shield-Fabricators (ODSF) protecting them from burning up in the air and being squished to a pancake when landing.
"Alright everybody…" Gedafar walked to their regroup-point and pulled back the charging handle of his rifle. "Let's find some survivors…humanity is known to survive anything…"
END ACT II
Copyright(s)
Animal I Have Become lyrics = Three Days Grace