Chapter 2: First Blood
The torched ground screamed by underfoot, and a massive cloud of dirt followed the vehicle as it barreled along on the long-forgotten back road. The sky was inked with deadly nemicyst, a hard reminder of the task ahead. Jack had traded in his lancer for a Longshot, and was busily scanning the road ahead for any sign of the Locust Horde.
"STOP!" Jack bellowed to Urameshi, and everyone was simultaneously thrown forward as the vehicle careened to a quick stop. The scope up to his eye still, he spoke calmly to his assembled and mildly annoyed team. "There is a hole about to open up about 20 yards up ahead of us. I want us all to be ready. Urameshi and Yuri, please get out and distract them. Bo and I will snipe from the safety of the vehicle." He sighed and turned to Bo. "Headshot's only, Bo. Aim like your life depends on it. Because it does."
A gigantic hole erupted violently in the middle of the road about 25 yards ahead of the parked machine, throwing a huge plume of smoke into the sky, making visibility lessen, as the sun was quickly blotted out. Theron Guard numbering about 20, as well as several Boomers stepped menacingly out, and were immediately the subject of round after round of automatic rifle fire. Then the heads started popping.
"Popped his cherry," exclaimed Bo, scope still up to his eye, simultaneously reloading the next 30MM Longshot round.
Torque Bow shots littered the ground at the mens feet, and several penetrated the truck, rocking the inhabitants like fish in a barrel.
"I don't wanna fuck the truck up, let's get out and hammer them with Urameshi and Yuri, to draw fire from the truck." He looked at Bo, and they jumped out one after the other and joined the slowly moving supporting fire.
Several things happened in very quick succession; an unseen grenade exploded in the midst of the dwindling horde assembled ahead of them, killing most of the remaining Locust. Then, a Boomshot shell exploded right in front of them, throwing them several feet back, as a shot from a Boltok pistol slammed into Bo's leg, causing him to collapse. A scream sliced through the air, but no one could look down, seeing as a Boomer still stood poised and calm 30 yards ahead of them.
One last time, the scope came up to his eyes, and a single shot ripped from the gun, decimating the Locust's head. He whispered serenly, "Not this time. Hoffman had no right to die from that..." His vision clouded over, and the memories of Hoffman's death surfaced bloodily in his head. Out of ammo, he watched as the unseen Boomshot came sailing over their heads, killing fifteen of the most skilled war heroes in the world. Marcus and his team were behind the Emergence hole, fending off the rest, so none of them were lost... But Hoffman, going out and fighting like a foot soldier despite his rank of Commander, was hit almost head on but the huge chunk of metal and death that so perfectly sunk itself into the crowd. There wasn't even enough left of him to identify the body, and the COG tag had melted completely. Of course, there were no burials on Earth anymore. There simply was no time. He squeezed his eyes, forcing the memory back down, and he stood back, to watch as the Emergence hole closed and as the massive Boltok shell was removed from Bo's leg with a sickening squelch. He sighed, and put his gun back into safety.
"The COG think they are brilliant, Commander Fornus." The woman's shrill voice echoed through the cavernous 'office' twenty miles underground. The reply came from one of the only other Locust intelligent enough to form sensible words. More than just grunting and pointing, anyway.
"Just because the bome of the Loightmaice was launched, they thoink they have wone."
"But I trust your new breed will take care of that, Commander."
"The Trigg soimply cannoot bi stoopped."
"Trigg... Each of them a fight worth twenty Theron. And more than a hundred grunts, or grenadiers. It is beautiful, Commander. The race will be unstoppable once we release them, and sick them on the foolish group headed for Alpha squad." Laughter, sick, Locust laughter rang out through the room.