15 years later- Chicago- No Mans Land
The Stork, a vertical lift aircraft over 35.5 meters in length, 28.5 wide and 9.22 meters in height. Duel propellers along each side both in the front and back. And along it's sides near the front behind the cockpit, two turrets each maned by a single marine. Cruising high above the dense tropical-like forest below, with several other Storks and Scorpion gunships escorting them.
Jack sat glancing back through the window behind him, gazing down to the tropic forest below. He was twenty five years old, with white hair and blue eyes, wearing dark green military attire. The strap of his assault rifle was draped over his left shoulder, while holding his rifle over his lap.
Down there was No Man's Land. What used to be the city of Chicago, now the most hostile environment known to man. Aside from the few skyscrapers which were still standing, it was hard to tell there used to be a city here. The forest had completely covered over it. At least what was left of it after being leveled by Leatherback and Behemoth during the Titan war.
After the bomb dropped over Baltimore, the radiation they harvested from the meteor spread unchecked across the globe. Waking all the Titans around the world. Even ones that had yet to be discovered by Monarch. But instead of killing them, it made the Titans act erratic. They were attacking each other left and right. All the while, human kind was caught within the crossfire.
That was when the Titan war began.
In the first few days, civilians were evacuated to secret monarch bunkers around the world. While the Military tried to quell the uprising. But as the radiation spread to each country, the death toll skyrocketed into the thousands. Then the millions. The people who couldn't be saved were either caught in the middle of the fighting. Or burned alive by the radiation, chocking on their own blood.
Fortunately the military were able to design suits which were able to withstand the radiation. But even then, they were unable to stop the titans.
As he war went on, the radiation had slowly subsided. The effect it had on the titans seemed to have wore off and they all returned to their normal selves. But by the time it was safe for humanity to come out of hiding, the world they once knew was far gone.
The entire country, major cities and all, were covered by a jungle-like forest. With only few cities along the western coast and down south which hadn't been hit. New species they didn't even have names for began appearing all over he world. Some which scientists believe originated from cells of Godzilla's DNA as well as other titans.
The forest was crawling with those things. How were they going to find the crash site?
They had direct orders from command to recover Bravo Team and it's cargo. But even if they had survived the crash, they would have been picked off by those things. Hopefully the cargo was still in tacked.
One of the pilots glanced back from the cockpit.
"Lieutenant Mattias," He said.
"We're approaching their last known coordinates."
There was a small beeping sound from the front end of the row. Lieutenant Mattis, a tall man of African descent with a small beard, wearing similar attire, pulled out a small tablet from his side. Over the screen was a small blinking dot over sixty degrees East of them. The Stork was still transmitting an SOS.
"I'm getting a signal," Mattis said.
"They must be transmitting the Stork's SOS. It's close!"
He stood up from seat and turned to pilot.
"Pilot, take us down!" he ordered.
"The forest cover is too dense to land," The Pilot said.
"We'll have to find a clearing."
The storks and scorpions flew over head over the forest.
There was something overhead. It looked like there was a small opening from the trees. It had to be a clearing.
"There!" Mattias said, pointing
"There's a clearing ahead. Land t."
"Copy that," the pilot said.
Mattias turned back to Jack and the other marines.
"Alright Marines, one minute, get ready," He said. the
Jack unbuckled himself, taking his rifle in both hands.
The storks came over the clearing. Raising it's duel propellers, the aircraft slowly started t descend into the clearing. The other storks followed suit. All the while, the scorpions continued to hover over the clearing. The rear ramp of the stork slowly began to open.
Jack and the other marines stood up from their seats. As the Stork set down in the clearing, they ran out of the aircraft, into the clearing. Jack came down the ramp, holding his gun at the ready. He scanned along the tree line. The area seemed clear. Not a single target was in sight.
He lowered his rifle and glanced back to the lieutenant.
"Clear!" he said.
Mattias glanced down to his tablet. The signal was no more then a mile from the clearing.
"The transmission just ahead." He said, glancing forward through the forest.
"It's just through those trees."
There was the sound of static over his comm.
"Lieutenant, Mattis, this is command. Do you read? Over."
Mattis placed the tablet into his side pocket of his vest and pressed the comm link over his ear.
"This is Mattis" he said.
Command- Safe Haven-Los-Angeles
General Runeard was before a table screen, gazing down over a map of the area. Along with several of his commanders.
"Mattis, this is General Runeard," he said, leaning over the table.
"Report."
"General, we're on the ground. Preparing to make our way to the crash site." Mattis said.
"Roger that, Mattis," he said.
"Recover the Cargo and transmitter. Then report back to base."
"Copy that, General." Mattiis said, nodding his head.
"Mattis out."
He held up his gun as he glanced back to the other marines.
"Everyone on me, prepare to search the jungle. Stay sharp, we're in the middle of No Man's Land."
Jack turned, raising his gun as he followed.
The marines trudged stealthy through the forest underbrush. There were several abandoned vehicles completely rusted and broken down, covered in moss and flora. The ruins of buildings to each side. Which meant they must be moving down a street.
Jack stepped over a large root and hoped down, aiming his gun forward through the flora. Seeing it was clear, he came over the hood of the vehicle and continued through the foliage.
Marine training dictated to be aware of your surroundings. Especially whenever missions require venturing into the what they refer to as, No Man's Land. The Titans were easy enough to see. But it wasn't just them they were dealing with anymore. These forests were the most hostile environments known to man, teaming with creatures that could tare a man limb from limb.
There was a sudden whooshing sound from above. Jack stopped dead in his tracks, holding up his rifle. There were several strange Pteranodon like creatures flying below the trees. One of which flew overhead, above them.
"Banshee, everyone down!" Mattis said.
Jack and the other marines hunkered down under the foliage. The Banshee flew over to a nest-like structure over a crumbled building. It landed over the edge and slowly climbed into the nest. One of the marines raised his gun and aimed at the winged creature.
"Hold your fire!" Mattis ordered, glancing back at the marine.
"They'll be all over us!"
The marine glanced back up at the Banshee. Slowly he lowered his gun, hunkering down beneath the foliage.
Jack glanced back up at the Banshee. He saw it crawl into the nest. He breathed a sigh of relief. Though they were far from clear. If there was one Banshee nest, then that meant others nearby. Killing one of these things would have drawn the entire pack.
"Keep moving." Mattis said.
Jack then stood up and crept forward through the foliage.
The signal was getting stronger. Brushing through the leaves, Jack could see the sight of smoke in the distance.
"Lieutenant!" he said, glancing back at Mattis.
The Lieutenant looked up from his tablet and saw the smoke passed the trees ahead. Mattis raised his fist into the air.
"Hold positions." He said, glancing back at the other marines.
Deak, Heavy loud and the others stopped behind him. He turned back ahead.
"Smoke?" Heavy load said.
"We're close!" Mattis said.
"Everyone form up!"
Jack turned forward, taking hold of the handle along the Barrel of his gun. Slowly he crept forward through the brush. He glanced back at Deak and Heavy loud, gesturing them to follow. Slowly they made their way over to the sight of the smoke. Brushing through leaves and branched, the three came into a small clearing.
And then they froze.
Jack lowered his gun, staring horrified at the sight. Several bodies of laid along the site of the crashed Stork. Most of them looked like they were torn to pieces.
"Jesus!" Jack said.
Lieutenant Mattis looked over the crash sit in horror.
"Oh my god," He said.
"What happened here?" Deak said, glancing to Jack.
"I don't know." Jack said, shaking his head.
Jack and Deak slowly crept into the clearing. Mattis pressed his COMM link.
"General, we've reached the crash site," He said.
"Bring up the feed now."
The video feed came over the monitors. General Runeard turned from the table and came over to the monitors.
"My god," he said, looking over the crashsite.
Jack came over to Stork. He saw a large raged gash mark along the haul of the aircraft. Along with several large dents along the back.
"Banshees." he said.
"Must have entered their nesting grounds."
Jack glanced down and came up to one of the bodies. He came up next to one of the marines and kneeled down next to him. The man had a large gash from . his chest, down to his stomach. Jack cupped his hand over his mouth, trying to keep himself from vomiting. He looked up to the name tag 'Sully' stitched over his vest.
"Lieutenant!" He said, glancing back to Mattis.
Mattis came up behind Jack.
"What is it, private?" He asked, curiously.
He groaned in disgust, seeing the man's intestines hanging outside his stomach.
"It's Sully." Jack said, glancing up at the Lieutenant.
"What happened?" He asked.
He glanced back down at the body. The gash mark over his body, it looked straight and precise. But it looked far too big to have been done by a knife.
"Don't know." Jack said.
"It looks like he's been impaled."
"This guy looks like he was torn apart" Heavy Load said, glancing back to them.
Jack stood up. He turned to the other bodies. Many of which looked they had been either been impaled or town in half. He then looked to the Stork and saw the pilots laying dead in the cockpit. They must have died in the crashed.
"Not counting the pilots, that's seven bodies." Jack said, turning back at Mattis.
Mattis closed his eyes and narrowed his head, sighing.
"Lieutenant, report." General said over the COMM.
Mattis pressed his COMM.
"General, Bravo Team is dead," Mattis reported.
"We've counted seven bodies. Pilots are dead as well."
The General narrowed his head, glancing down as he groaned.
"Damnit!" he said.
Ranks were growing more and more thinner with every errand into No Man's Land. Trading with other cities was becoming more and more dangerous. Recovery even more so. Transports usually crossed into some creatures territory and would get attacked. They were able to repel them in the past. But often they would draw the attention of the titans.
By the time recovery team got there, the cargo would either be destroyed or the beasts would have run off with them. Even by air, transports would be picked off by banshees. If this keeps happening, they may not be able to Trade with other cities. They've already lost too many squads as it was.
He then looked back up at the monitors.
"And the transmitter?" he asked, curiously.
"We're checking the transport now." Mattis said.
Mattis turned back to Deak and a few other marines.
"Secure the cargo!" he ordered.
Deak nodded his head. The three marines turned and made their way to the back of the Stork. They peered into the haul of the Stork and several dark green crates. Some of which was scattered over the floor. He turned to the other marines.
"Start hauling these crates out," he said.
Deak came into the haul and came to the front of the aircraft. Behind a large military box, he saw a long, heavy case.
He glanced back to the opening.
He grabbed onto the handle and lifted the case before making his way back to the doorway. Deak walked out of the air craft and came around the corner. He held up the case.
"Sir, we found the transmitter," he yelled out
"Still good shape."
"Good," Mattis said, nodding his head.
"Let secure the rest of the cargo an-"
There was the sound of rustling in the foliage nearby coming from all sides. Jack glanced back to the Lieutenant. There was a strange hissing sound in the distance. The other marines turned, holding their guns at the ready. Jack raised his gun, scanning the foliage.
"What the hell was that?" Heavy load said.
Jack glanced to Mattis.
"Sir?" He said.
"Everyone stay tight," Mattis said.
"Keep an eye on those trees."
The rustling in the leaves and trees suddenly stopped. Then silence. The marines slowly crept back, their fingers pressed against the trigger. Sweat slowly dripped down their foreheads. Deak slowly backed away. His back was nearly pressed against the aircraft, when he heard small hissing sound. Followed by a looming shadow.
He glanced back.
"Oh, shi..."
A large, insect like creature bit down over the top half of his body. Jack and Mattis turned back. Standing over the Stork, they saw a an Acklay. A large three eyed creature with six legs, each with a deadly claw, leathery green skin, a long neck with a crest over it's head and a mouth full of sharp teeth. It lifted Deak into the air and swayed him back in forth, causing him to drop his gun and the case.
The Acklay then thew him into a nearby tree.
"Open fire!" Mattis ordered.
He held up his gun and fired at the Ackley. The other marines opened fire at the creature, the bullets flicked off it's leathery armor. The creature hissed at the marines. He crept down the stork and raised it's left claw.
"Watch out!" Jack said, as he and Mattis leaped out of the way.
The claw struck the ground behind them. Jack rolled over and saw the case under the Acklay.
"Take it down!"
Suddenly, another Ackley appeared for the foliage behind them. He slashed his claw, impaling one of the marines. Taking another in it's jaws before crunching him in two.
"They're everywhere!"
Runard stared at the monitors. The sound of machine guns and the screams of his men. Followed by the screeches of those... things. More of his men being sacrificed to these mindless beasts. All due to the insistence of his own son, Agnarr.
The feed of the Acklay coming over one of the marines before slashing them with it's claw. Cutting the feed and the audio.
Runard narrowed his head. His son, acting as the Governor for Safe Haven, promised in his election to protect the people. And yet he places them on the line with these excursion into these hostile lands beyond the wall.
Mattis turned back to the squad.
"Fall Back!" He ordered.
"Fall Back!"
The squad turned and ran back into the forest. While Jack, Mattis and a few others laid down covering fire. Mattis lowered his rifle, pressing his COMM.
"Stork 155, this is Titan leader," he said.
"Requesting immediate EVAC!"
"Copy that, Titan Leader. We are in rout to the clearing."
Jack lowered his rifle, glancing down at the case. He then glanced up at the Ackley, who hissed as he scurried toward them. He glanced back down at the case, contemplating his chances.
Mattis turned to Jack.
"Overland!" He called to him.
Jack glanced back at the lieutenant. He then turned back to the case. He knew that if he moved quick, he'd be able to get past that giant bug and get the case. Just need to keep that thing busy.
He glanced back to Mattis.
"Cover me!" He said.
Jack turned and began running toward the Ackley.
"Private Overland!" Mattis said, reaching out for him.
Jack glanced up at the Ackley. The beast hissed at him, raising his quickly jumped out of the way. He then leaped under the Ackley and rolled out from under it. He came over to the case and grabbed onto the handle.
Suddenly, a shadow was looming over him. He glanced up and saw the Ackley standing over him. Just as it was to snap its neck down and encase him in his jaws, it was struck in the back of his head by a sudden explosion. Jack looked down and saw Mattis and Heavy load, firing off a grenade launcher.
"Move!" Mattis said.
Jack quickly got up and hustled around the Ackley. He turned around and followed after Jack. He turned back to the Ackley and fired along it's underbelly. The beast shrieked in pain. It's underbelly was much weaker.
"Aim for it's underbelly." Mattis said.
Heavy load raised the grenade launcher and fired. The grenade struck the underbelly along the neck. The Ackley shrieked in pain before collapsing over the ground. Jack quickly leaped out of the way and came up to Mattis and Heavy load.
"Got the transmitter." Jack said, holding up the case.
He glanced back at the crash site and saw more Ackleys emerging from the forest around them.
"Move, Move!" Mattis said, as they turned and ran into the forest.
The marines came out of the forest, as the Storks landed in the clearing. Many of them continued firing back at the Ackleys.
"There's too many," one of the Marines said over the COMM.
"We need air support NOW!"
Several scorpions lined up above.
"Copy that," One of the scorpions said.
"Providing air Support."
The scorpions fired several missiles into the forest. A few of the Ackleys were blown back from the explosions. While others continued in pursuit of the marines. Jack, Mattis and Heavy loud ran through the underbrush. Jack came up and leaped over a root as a missile struck the Ackleys behind him.
He was pushed forward by the shock wave, nearly losing his balance. But was quick to catch himself. Mattis rushed to his aid.
"You alright, private?" He asked.
"Keep moving!"
Jack stood up and followed them. They came out into the clearing and made their way to the first transport. They came up the ramp. Several other marines were already inside. Other followed suit, pulling wounded into transport.
"Go, Go, Go!" Mattis said to the pilots.
Slowly the Stork began lifting off as the ramp closed behind them.
The other storks followed suit as the scorpions continued providing cover. Though as the Stork began to lift off, a something flew out from the trees. It looked like a Banshee. It struck the hall the front of the Stork, forcing it to ground.
"MAYDAY, MAYDAY, WE'RE GOING DOW-"
The transport stuck the ground in a fiery explosion. Another banshee came over the cockpit of a scorpion, causing it to spiral out of control. All while the others broke off and began raising above the trees.
"I'VE LOST CONTROL, I'-"
His transmission was cut off as he crashed into the forest.
All remaining transports and escorts had already gained altitude above the forest and flew toward the west.
Jack set down the brief case and set down along the seats. He leaned back his head and breathed a sigh of relief.
"That was too close." He said, glaceing up at Mattis.
There was radio static.
"Lieutenant Mattis, this is command, what is your status?" General Runeard said.
Mattis pressed his COMM link.
"Command, this is Titan leader," He said.
"Package has been secured. Returning to base."