WOLF SOLDIER

Phase 2: The Betrayal

Chapter 27

Well, this story just keeps going. I'm not sure how much longer it will last, but I'm trying to think of a way to wrap things up at the end.

One thing that is an issue for me is to wrap up the many divergent plots and bring them together in the end. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. I'm rather pleased with it.

Bojack727

.o.o.o.

Artorus looked around as time stretch on indefinitely. The eternal clock of the complex's eminent destruction loomed in his mind as he led the last of his compatriots out of the proverbial belly of the beast.

In times like this, words effortless lost their meaning. How does one address the sheer amount of chaos and destruction that surrounded them? This was the inescapable reality of their world now.

Artorus briefly recalled the words of his mentor at the academy.

"In battle, we cannot enjoy war, only respect it." He explained, smiling effortlessly. "Combat can either teach a man the thrill of death or the value of life." He added. "It's up to us as men and people to choose which answer is the best for us."

He shook his head, returning to reality for a moment. He then recalled his own recent thoughts.

"The essence of battle is a dangerous demon that dwells within all of us." He thought. "I must fight many battles- inside and out- to conquer this fire that burns within me."

The group stopped to get their barring in the complex's spanning tunnels.

Einrich spoke out loud. "So this is the real thing, this is the terror of war." She reasoned. "I hate this; there is nothing worse than these last few days." She paused and looked off into the darkness. "I never want to kill another living thing after this is over."

Artorus turned to face her. "I'm glad to hear you say that." He smiled.

.o.o.o.

Geraldy frowned. "They're getting too good; they've killed so many of my children with the same ruthless proficiency as they kill themselves."

He stopped and pressed a button to open a hatch in the wall. "And now to make my exit, the aliens will make their way back to the civilized world, but only in the way that I choose."

He then produced a device and pressed a button on it. "One final test." He remarked.

.o.o.o.

Artorus and the others soon reached the gates, seeing the blast doors were down. After the gates had been parted, the enemy opened fire at them.

The enemy soldiers fired at them. Artorus hid around the corner of the wall. He took out a grenade and lobbed it into the hanger bay, ducking back as the blast resonated into the hall with them.

Einrich turned around and heard the sound of footsteps. "They're coming from both sides now!" She exclaimed.

Artorus looked over his shoulder as Jackson fired his pistol at the enemy. "They're on this side too!" He yelled back.

"We have to close the blast doors behind us!" Jackson yelled.

"Right!" McKenzie exclaimed back and rushed over to the wall and prepared to press the emergency panel, but the door blew to pieces and sent him flying.

"TOO LATE!" Einrich screamed as she rushed over to get her fallen comrade onto his feet.

A bullet entered her leg and she fell down beside him.

"Einrich!" Rita yelled and tried to run over to her, but the other female marine just aimed her own weapon at her.

"Stay back!" Einrich commanded and then whirled her gun around to fire on the soldier's that were trying to advance on them.

Artorus stood up and fired his rifle into the hanger bay. "Jackson stay here with Rita and the others." He instructed him.

"Where the hell are you going?" Jackson snapped back.

"I'm going in, and it's going to get really bloody." He explained as he discarded the empty rifle and drew his own black Desert Eagle and another pistol he had on him.

Jackson nodded silently as he watched him enter into the deadly area.

.o.o.o.

Artorus ran into the bay and threw a grenade into the suspended office room- where the snipers were hiding. The office was transformed into a ball of fire as the charred bodies fell to the far ground below.

He then aimed the smaller gun over his shoulder and fired a few shots into a soldier behind him- piercing his skull. He then turned around and fired his Desert Eagle into another trooper's torso

He shifted his pose and advance down one of the paths formed by the rise of metallic crates and barrels about him.

He ducked as a bullet passed by his head and returned fire with the smaller gun and then fired the Desert Eagle through a crate, punching a large hole through the trooper on the other side of it.

He reached a jeep-like vehicle and looked into it.

.o.o.o.

McKenzie looked up. "Damnit girl, you got hurt on my account." He remarked.

"Shut up!" she yelled as she fired her rifle at the troopers. A couple of them fell to the ground while the rest backed away.

"You're bleeding, you've been shot!" She exclaimed. He rolled over and fired off his rifle a few times and then slung it over his shoulder. He pushed himself up off the floor and crawled over to her. He wrapped his arms around her waist.

"What the—" Her words cut off as the encircling arms proceeded to pull her away. She blushed slightly at the feeling of dependence on him- it made her feel so terribly female.

"You're heavy; it must be that bullet waiting you down." He added.

She flared up. "Ass!" she snapped at him.

A bullet struck him in the shoulder and fell back, with her on top of him. "Shit!" He swore. "I guess this is where we die." He thought silently.

"Get your hand off of my chest!" She yelled at him when she felt the idle hand callously rest atop the rise of flesh through her thin white shirt.

"Sorry." He conceded.

"DROP!" Called out a powerful voice.

Both of them flattened themselves onto the floor as their comrade appeared with a massive 50mm gun.

Artorus hefted the powerful weapon up and pulled the trigger- unleashing the deadly projectiles into the swarm of troopers.

The insides of the machine worked like mad as it showered the troopers with high-speed 50mm rounds. Artorus rotated the end of the barrel in a deadly sweep with the weapon, mowing down the attackers.

.o.o.o.

McKenzie eyes the covered wound through his open jacked. He right arm was held up in a sling, as the jacket was perched on his shoulder.

Einrich limped over to him, her left thigh bound up tightly; she winced as she looked down at him. "You're such an asshole!" She remarked and smacked him across the cheek.

He yelped and was about to protest when she pushed him against the wall he was leaning against and kissed him roughly on the lips before releasing him. "Bastard!" She complained and looked away, blushing ever so slightly.

He groaned and looked up at her. "Does this mean we're going out?" He asked, managing a smile.

She frowned for a moment and then smiled at him with a dangerous grin. "Maybe. . ."

.o.o.o.

Rita walked over to Artorus and Jackson who were working on starting up one of the remaining APCs in the hanger.

"We're running out of time, and the others need proper medical help." Rita remarked to the two men.

Artorus sighed. "I' know, we're going as fast as we can, but it just seems it's all too much for me." He finished. He flinched for a moment when he felt her snake her arms around his waist. He relaxed as she felt her rest her head against the small of his back, as much as he lesser height would permit her to reach.

"There, I got it working; now I just have to boot up the systems and get it started." Jackson informed them.

Artorus turned himself around so that Rita was still holding onto him, but that she was looking up into his eyes. "Can you help me get the others into the APC?"

Rita nodded and the two left to retrieve Einrich and McKenzie.

.o.o.o.

Rita climbed into the APC with McKenzie and Einrich while Jackson sat in the driver seat. "We're almost free of this plays, this is the 9th inning stretch." He remarked.

Artorus looked up and noticed the massive cannon mounted on the top of it. "What the heck is that?" He thought, then recalling that he had seen it somewhere before. "That's a r—" He began, when he heard a pounding sound against the blast doors.

"Jackson!" He yelled. "Power up the weapons on this thing, something really big is coming!"

.o.o.o.

At that moment, no one noticed that the trooper's drop ship departed suddenly and seemingly for no reason. . .

.o.o.o.

"Artorus McNealand." A voice remarked behind him.

The marine whirled around and turned to see a strange charred and blackened figure standing before him, like something out of a bad dream.

"You!" Artorus hissed.

The blackened skin of Abel's face morphed into a chilling smile. "You didn't think I could be killed that easily, did you?"

(- End of Chapter 27 -)

.o.o.o.

This one certainly turned out to be one of my more complicated chapters.

Special thanks go out to Zinic, BlackDawn, Warrior, Stormseer88, Raichu-Fan, and everyone else who's supported this story over the years.

See you all next time in chapter 28

Later,

Bojack727

P.s. I can't believe this chapter turned out to be over 1600 words longs, that huge for my usual chapter size. . . and this one is actually just over 5 pages as well. I hope you all liked this extra-long chapter.