APPROXIMATELY 25 MINUTES AFTER THE BATTLE OF ANVIL GATE'S BEGINING, COG'S SIDE-
Captain McKenzie and his platoon arrived to a suspected locust outpost stockpiling and mass producing armament after a few long hours of searching and scouting, They had the entire outpost surrounded and ready to assault in. A flanking force was set up and led by SGT Jackson and the other half of the force, Mika and SGT Bland had set up a rally point not far to provide rear security in case if a locust reinforcing force were to arrive. Inside the outpost was quite a concerto of hammers, forges, smelters and other sounds of industrial nature confirming the theory on the outpost's operations.
Jack slowly moved towards his support by fire and went prone next to Dempsey who was prepping a Torque Bow for the assault, Jack pulled out his binoculars and started to look around the open perch areas for any movement:
Dempsey: Still no PID on the enemy sir? -he asked as he passed the Torque bow to the soldier to right, he would then pull his sniper up to his shoulder tight, ready for the action-... Something feels off sir, something does not seem right here... -he expressed to Jack who scoffed in slight frustration-
Jack: I agree, switch to open comms and stay tuned Dempsey, same for you all. -he whispered for the rest to hear him-
He heads towards Travis who is taking cover behind a boulder and is aiming her UIR Chaingun towards a cluster of defensive positions, Jack sees them empty and also notices that there's no one on the Troika either; After looking towards the next sector where SGT Bland is located, getting signal that there's no one in sight, he takes cover by Travis:
Travis: Something is very much not right here Jack, We haven't seen even the slightest movement... -she said while keeping her eyes on her sector-... where's Mika and the other scouts? -she asks, looking towards Jack for a second-... You feel it too Henry? -The big man nodded and remained quiet as he casually polished, cleaned and maintained his weapon with a rag and some yellowish oil-
Right then a frequency started broadcasting: "Jinx, It's Mika... Bring everyone into the outpost, you might wanna see this... OVER" as soon as he heard that he got everyone up and they came towards the entrances, Jinx led a bunch of his troops up a stairwell leading up through behind the gun-position, after breaking their way through a chained up metal door. Jack and Jackson came up to the balcony and looked to see people, Gears in fact:
Jack: I... G- guess we're late for the party then? -he quips as he sees the fellow gears, then he looks around and sees Marcus, Baird, Cole and the rest of Delta-... Holy shit, Delta's here!... I thought you guys got killed in Azura, so there is a god after all. -he jokes as he comes down and meets everyone on the ground-floor-
Marcus: Not for a lack of trying. -He says as he shakes Jinx's outstretched hand-... I'm going to guess you're the group that has been fucking with the grubs' plans around here?
Jackson: Yes, SGT Fenix we've been ruining their plans for a few now, killed Skorge and looted a few of the weapon caches. -he says in very professional manner, clearly making it look like Marcus is the highest ranking Gear on the area-... Captain McKenzie is our Platoon leader and field commander, Sgt.
Marcus: Enough with the sergeant shit, there's not much of a military here anyways. -he says serious-
Baird: Wait you guys killed Skorge?! -he asked from behind a planning table of sorts-... HE WAS STILL ALIVE?!
Sam: We were damn sure he had died in Azura the day we escaped. -she added-
Mika: Goddamn grubs are tough, still... we did ambush his convoy and killed him good. -she said proudly-
Jack: Anyway, It's awesome that we sent Mika here ahead to scout or... -he trailed off before continuing-... anyway it's great we've found you, We been fortifying Anvil Gate as of late and we would really appreciate the back-up while we finish the defenses, you know just in case we got attacked before it was done. -Anya walked from the back and stood next to Marcus-
Anya: We thought you came for reinforcements for the Grub Assault... -she said to Jack-
Jack: -he stopped for a second-... yes, we've been assuming they would attack in the following days or so and we wanted some... -he looks around at the gears who some had shocked, others were looked mournfully towards Jack-... backup... Why is everyo-...
He realized what they meant, he turned around and looked towards the general location of Anvil Gate, he could barely see over the treeline what seemed to him as a column of smoke, he felt his chest tighten and the air of his lung cut short; He switches his tac-com to the frequency of Anvil Gate and he then heard the emergency frequency: "We need assistance!... They're decimating our defense lines, they're here we a fucking ARMY!... -Explosions, distant howls of agony-... Please any unit that hears thi-... -gunfire shredding metal followed by scream and static-... Oh go- god... They're... in... no, no nonono fuck you! -Shotgun blast cuts off abruptly-
Jack: Fenix!... -he looked at Marcus with a desperate gaze-... Do you have a vehicle, we need to get to Anvil Gate now! -he shouted as he kept trying to communicate with Anvil Gate-... If anyone can hear me, please give me a Sitrep on the Assault!... -he says as he paces quickly-
Anya: There's a gasbarge we stole a few days ago hidden behind the settlement, everyone who's coming with, Let's go!
ABOUT 30 MINUTES LATER-
Jack's Platoon, Delta and a few more Gears rushed towards the hidden gasbarge then after Baird took six to ten minutes to program the gasbarge, the Gears where on their way to Anvil Gate to assist before it's too late. Jack went towards the front of the Gasbarge as it came up to a high altitude, he saw the Fort and the nearby forest on fire, Brumaks bombarding the crumbling fort walls and a few reavers strafe running a few defenders who were still firing the fort's turrets.
Marcus: Man those turrets people, take down those brumaks everyone else fire at those reavers! -he shouts as gunfire from the fort whips by the Barge's platform-... Jack, contact the fort if you're able tell 'em to not shoot us out of the sky. -he charges towards one of the Boomshot turrets and starts firing at a Brumak-
Mika, Jackson, Cole, Clayton and Henry were firing at Brumaks while everyone else was firing on the Reavers, Jinx fired his sniper down to the Fort, nailing a Grappler who was climbing up to a barely functional machine gun position:
Jack: this is Cpt McKenzie, my troops are on the Gasbarge that just rolled up, I repeat the new Gasbarge is us!... -static through the radio-... Anyone there, this is CPT MCKENZIE fro-... -he gets cut off my a explosion that rocks the Gasbarge-... shit... Anyone hearing this?!
"Captain?!... -loud and painful cough-... This is Private Salas, me and few more survivors are trapped in the Hangar, the last evac transport left already... -he wheezed painfully-... The grubs... they are trying to break in... Oh god, open fire! -firefight starts but ends a few seconds later-... Troy, Watson... someone re-seal that door, back-up is coming... Sir... please hurry I don't know how long we got before we're killed..." He spoke frantically through the radio transmission.
Jinx looked down and sees as Delta destroyed one Brumak with the Boomshot turrets then ducks behind cover as a Reaver whips around and one of it's riders fires a retro lancer at the barge, missing him by a few inches. Jackson takes a flame grenade and scowls at Reaver with two Elite Grenadiers hanging on it's side, as the Reaver flies towards the gasbarge, no matter what it wanted to do, Jackson lobs the grenade and hits the pilot and co-pilots causing them to panic and crash the Reaver.
Jackson: Still got my throwing arm. -he quips before opening fire at the next incoming Reaver-
Mika: We need to get down there!... can we rappel down? -she asked Baird-
Baird: If you don't get shredded on the way down, yeah... -he reloaded the turret as he aimed at the weakened Brumak, the beast fell to the ground after a barrage of machinegun fire from the fort tore it's skull to bits-... Brumak down!... I'll get the barge down so you can rappel down, I'll keep the barge from leaving.
Anya and Jinx sat next to each other snipping at Grapplers that tried going up however there efforts where in vain as the front gates collapsed upon themselves due to their extensive damage, explosions rocked the fort as it was breached by the Elite forces and swarms of Boomers; From down below Boomshots fired upon the Gasbarge, few hit while others missed however a massive cluster of rockets impacted the Gasbarge beast itself causing the entire thing to shake and rock around, two Gears fell off to their deaths. Anya fell off but Jinx grabbed her hand, Marcus rushed over and helped to pull her up just before another explosion rocked the Barge.
Cole: What the fuck just hit us with a haymaker?! -he looks over his weapon and towards the source-... Incoming!
Another trio of rockets explodes below Cole launching him back and destroying the turret, Mika looks down and starts shooting down and shouting vile amounts of curses at something, Jinx's ears ring loudly as another blast hit nearby him. He goes towards her and looks down and sees the monster who scarred Mika firing rockets at them. The massive locust gestures at the Gasbarge, Jinx followed his gaze and saw a few Siegebeasts aiming at them. One of the beasts missed but the second one struck the tail of the platform, lurching the barge forward hard, Baird threw the ropes down and shouted over the fire:
Baird: GO GO GO!... THIS BARGE AIN'T GONNA TAKE MUCH MORE OF THIS!
As the gears started going down a few were shot down leaving Clayton and Sam to reach the bottom safely, the next group was Cole, Mika, Anya and Dempsey, they fired as the went down and apart of bullets scraping by their armors and non-lethal wounds they reached the fort safely as well (as safe as they could be in the middle of a massive siege). On the Barge were Henry, Marcus, Baird, Jinx, Jackson, Travis and others, another salvo of rockets blew a massive bloody hole into the barge's front, causing the barge to start falling down:
Marcus: HOLD ON! -He shouted as the barge was impacted by a definite impact from a Siegebeasts, the barge started crashing towards the west wall of the fort, just over the heads to those whom have got down from the barge already-... We're going down!
Travis: BLOODY FUCKING HELL! -She shouted as she dragged back by the inertia of the violent drop-
The platform of the barge clipped a massive piece of the wall, impact was so strong it tore it off from the beast itself, landing inside the fort and crushing through massive portion of the courtyard, killing locusts who were dragged along with the platform. The courtyard was ablaze, a infernal hellscape around them, Marcus got up and pulled Baird, Jack and Henry up, slowly they got their bearings, seeing as Anvil Gate crumbles around them to ashes. Jack felt extremely agitated, he could hear his heartbeat on his ears, the sounds of death and bloodshed silent around and the world slowing down as he witnessed his home, his comrades, his friends, brothers and sisters being massacred around him; His overwhelming fear swelled deep on his heart like vice grip, he was frozen in fears as he saw a the flaming piles of mangled corpses, on the side of his eyesight a gear ran by on fire, desperately tossing his boiling armor off. He felt an ungodly pain explode around him, his fellow gears fought around him, Marcus turned to look at him, shouting at him but silence came.
Tears came down his face as he threw his helmet off, landing upon the flames behind him, he looked around himself seeing not just bodies but the rest of his fellow soldiers fighting, he looked down and spotted his Lancer before a Boomshot round landed nearby causing a few gears to scatter or die; He reached his weapon with blurry vision and he looks up to see a Cyclopes rush him with it's chainsaw hungry for blood, as their saws clashed and whined with sparks, the fear in his heart turned to Rage, to hate and to wrath for all who had butchered by the locusts:
Cyclopes: RWAAAAAAH! -It roared wildly as he pressed ferociously down onto Jinx's lancer-
Jinx: FUCK YOU! -He threw all his weight forward dislodging his lancer from the Cyclopes for a moment, both now standing clashed again, faces apart by mere inches, the Cyclopes headbutts Jinx, breaking his nose however the man recoiled and recovered enough were he swung his lancer hard to keep the his opponent from slicing him half-... I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU ALL!... -He began pushing back the Cyclopes, who started to falter-... DIEEEEE! -He shouted as he swiped the lancer off the cyclopes' hand with a forceful tug of his own saw, in a swift moment he drove the saw into the drone's collarbone horizontally and out the other shoulder-
He held the body like a meatshield as a grenadier rushed him, he kicked the body onto the charging locust who grabbed it and took a headshot by Jinx's lancer; he snatched a grenade and threw it towards the incoming locusts, killing six with the blast, Marcus came to his side and starting blasting locusts with his blood drenched lancer. A Digger rushed forward after killing another Gear with his weapon, only to die by a headshot from Anya from the second floor of the fort.
Jinx took three rounds to the armor prompting him to get behind boxes for cover, he fired at the incoming horde of locusts as explosions blow around them, debris flying around them; Dempsey rushed to Jinx's side and nailed a Elite grenadier mid-grenade toss:
Dempsey: Sir!... the remaining defenders are letting the fort go!... we got to get the fuck out of here! -he shouted over the gunfire as the hordes of locusts start shredding through the defenders around Jinx and delta squad-... Oh shit, we need to retreat!
As Marcus and Jinx started to retreated further into the demolished fort, passing by piles of bodies and more intense fighting till the took the stairwell down to a massive room before the hangar filled with Elite trying to shot their way in, as the group got in and opened fire on the elites and two maulers something came from behind the maulers: A massive drone with a Strange gladiator like helmet and runes carved upon their unarmored shoulder, He looked massive and much stronger and the other drones:
Jackson: What in the blue fuckin' hell is that?! -he shouted as he took cover-... Some super elite?! -he poked his head however he ducked back down as the Locust "Super Elite" fired it's Gnasher and a massive golf-ball sized hole on the cover-... Oh shit, he's firing SLUGS!
Travis: It's a Bloody RAVAGER! -she shouted as she targeted the Ravager who shouted orders at the other locusts, even ducking behind a Mauler to avoid Jinx's sniper shot-
The Gears scattered around the large room/hallway and starting picking targets while avoiding getting their head-blown off by the Locust Ravager who dashed from cover to cover with great ease and fires it's Gnasher slugs with precision, killing a Gear who survived the massacre outside; Baird and Cole made short work of the Mauler while Anya, Mika and Sam laid waste to a trio of Savage drones who tried (foolishly) charging the group.
Jinx: That slippery sonnababitch! -he yells just as a slugs pelts the wall next to him, he quickly shifts his sights on a Theron who is charging it's Torque Bow and aiming it towards a Pre-occupied Mika, He blasts it head off causing the Torque bow to miss and explode a wall behind her knocking her to the ground-... Mika you alright?!
Mika: JACK WATCH OUT!
The Ravager rushed forward then leapt over cover dropkicking Jinx on to the ground, just as it was going turn his head into jelly, Travis takes Jinx's lancer and goes to slice the Ravager who deflects the saw away with it's Gnasher before kicking her leg down from underneath her then bashing her in the face with the stock. He roared in victory a bit too early because he didn't see the Cole Train coming. Cole rushed to her aid first, tackling the Ravager onto the ground, then he drove his retro-lancer's bayonet into the Ravager's chest however the massive grenadier snaps the bayonet off with the spikes on his Gauntlet:
Cole: DID IT HURT!? -he says before switching to a Sawed-Off and blasting the stunned Grenadier in the chest, launching him back over the piece of cover with a massive explosion of blood-... RUN UP GET DONE UP BITCH! -he revived Travis who shook off the hit and retrieved her Chaingun, blasted away shredding the remaining drones-
Travis: DIE YOU UGLY SONS OF BITCHES! -She roared as her chaingun's barrel lit up from the heat as she killed the locusts one by one-... RWAAAAAAA! -she killed the last drone by nearly splitting him in half against a wall with her machinegun-... phew~... -she sighs and takes a breath as the barrel spews steam and smoke-
Henry: Satisfying isn't it, Tiff... -he said to her with a smile as he handed her a new ammo belt which she reloaded her machinegun with it-... Let's go everyone, fellow warriors need our assistance. -the mountain of a man says as he walks over the Locusts corpses then drags the Mauler's corpse and pins it against the door they came in with, jamming it in place-
As every one is heading towards the Hangar, Dempsey and Henry stay to guard the door as everyone went through, unknown to them the barely alive Ravager activated a breaching charge and tossed it at Henry and Dempsey who saw it land next to the door:
Henry: BOMB! -He picked Dempsey like a ragdoll and tossed him into a hangar as he kicked the door close but the blast caught him-
The massive explosion turned to thick metal door into tinfoil scrap, collapsing the entire wall and launching Henry into massive metal shelf full of mechanical tools and scrap metal, with a massive thud and crash; Travis ran towards Henry who had smoke coming out of his armor, his face blackened with soot and ash. she frantically pried his armor off his torso and checked for a pulse, then she started giving him CPR:
Travis: Nonononnonono... please please... not again!... -she frantically say as she kept going with the CPR-... Henry you're not dying on me! -Then as Jack was going to pull her off him, Henry sat up so suddenly that Travis fell upon her ass, she looked up to him and saw how he looked around with a goofy smile-... WHY ARE YOU SMILLING?!
Henry: Whaaaaaaaat a RUSH!... -he says stands up and locks and load-... They tried to kill me with deception but you can't kill a warrior like a coward. -he says before taking a step and then falling onto his ass thanks to wobbly legs-... But I'll give them credit, That was a good try. -he chuckles before accepting Travis and Mika's help-
Mika and Travis help him up to his wobbly legs till he literally shakes it off and continues on with the group, meeting up with the survivors of the assault who were unable to evacuate:
Jinx: Everyone in one piece? -he asks the survivors, seeing a lot of wounded people both stranded and COG-
PVT Salas: Captain... -he salutes quickly before leaning himself against a partially destroyed Humvee-... Thank god you came sir, I don't know how we would've survived if t-they broken through. -he says before checking out his ammo count before a loud metallic clank scares him into aiming his weapon at the sound's location-... fuck, we need to get the fuck out of here, they're coming... -he says nearly in a panic-... god, if I'm dying here I'm taking as many motherfuckers as can we me.
SGT Bland: I would applaud your bravery kid but that shit ain't gonna fly, we're getting the fuck out of here. -she says to him as she tosses him a few magazines then takes a few steps back when a massive thud rocks a massive metal door on the side of the hangar-
Marcus: What the hell?... -he says as more loud thuds and metallic noises rattle across the hangar-... Salas was it?, if there's a vehicle that works here big enough for all of us, could you get it moving and away from here? -he says as he looks around as he expects Locusts to come from anywhere-
PVT Salas: I-I I think there's cargo truck a-around here, Just cover me if motherfuckers come for me... -he says before rushing out towards the back of the Hangar-
Right on cue a massive explosion annihilates a concrete wall including a metal door, some of the shrapnel from the blast shreds a Gear causing the bloodied and shell-shocked woman to collapse to her knees and then upon her face, bleeding to death as many locusts rush in and start shooting at the gears; Among the locusts was bloody Theron wearing a onyx dark armor holding a retro-bladed sawed-off shotgun also drenched in blood, three Grenadiers covered in all kinds battle damage from bullet damage, burns and wounds aplenty around their elite armor.
Battle-worn Theron: FOR THE QUEEN! -It screams loudly before ordering the locusts to attack-
Baird: Solid Black armor and a sawed-off with a blade, They upgraded again! -he says as he kills a drone then as he shifted his aim to the left, quickly spotting a Boomer emerging from the destroyed wall-... Boomer to the Left!
Jinx's crew takes the Right side of the hangar using a gutted centaur as cover, Travis prone and shooting her UIR Chaingun to keep the Locusts from flanking Salas while Delta was taking the brunt of the attack, laying waste to the locusts with unnatural efficiency, Anya and Marcus neck and neck in kills until the Black Armored Theron started blasting their cover with torque bow shots, a Grinder came out and started blasting at their cover:
Sam: Hey numbnuts, go fuck yourself... -she threw a flame grenade at the grinder who roared loudly in pain afterwards Clayton, Baird and Cole lit the burning grinder killing it before it could fire the mulcher-
Jinx: Salas are you done yet?! -he shot one of the bloodied grenadier in the head with his sniper-... If you're fixing the goddamn the AC I'm going to be pissed!
A few gunshots scatter around Jackson's cover as he got flanked but Travis saved him with her machinegun, eventually they had to retreat as the firepower was starting to get overwhelming. Salas came out from his spot with the armored vehicle ready, he fired at the incoming Locusts as he shouted his allies to get on, Jack and Charlie Squad stayed back as the survivors and Delta loaded and saddled up; Jack told Salas to go without them as they were going to find any other survivors:
Jinx: We'll meet you on the rally point!... GO GO! -He shouts at Salas then he looks at Marcus-... We got to find Hoffman and if anyone else is alive them too. -he says to him as they cover Delta-
Marcus: Wilco, See you in the rally point Jack. -he pounds the roof of the armored cargo truck-
They start leaving through the gunfire while Charlie was keeping the Locusts from destroying the trucks as it's tires shrieked and whine as Salas took a heavy and very sharp corner, running over a Grenadier who tried to kill Salas with his shotgun, nearly completely obliterating the windshield and catching Salas on the shoulder causing to nick a tree on the side of the truck. Jack and Charlie Squad retreat as the truck disappears, they charge towards the Armory which has completely destroyed and ransacked, there they climb up towards the inner courtyard towards the Laboratory where the hammer of dawn controls are located quickly checking to see if it was taken over but there Jack finds around six gears dead among them was Bernadette Mataki's mangled chest-plate, covered in blood:
Jinx: Bernie... no... -he said before looking around but seeing no body, not recognizing any of the bodies-... fuck, she might be alive still... tough ol' crone. -he smiled before looking around and seeing the room had been struck by a massive explosion, so he looked at the console to command the hammer of dawn and called for Mika-... Can you set the hammer to strike the locusts outside?
Mika: No, I tried learning this shit before but It's complicated and I never managed to do it. -she said quickly, she ducks out of the room after hearing more locusts coming towards them-... Jack destroy the computer and let's go.
Jack plants two frag grenades as mines on the console before both of them headed out and back with the group down the corridor where they walk past dozens of mangled corpses, dead by gunfire or by other more gruesome ways like their heads crushed or even being split in half by a chainsaw. they looked around the corridors and saw more and more men as they proceeded closer and closer to Hoffman's office, the door was completely destroyed and torn off the hinges by a massive impact. Jackson stopped dead and his tracks as he saw the kid, PVT Wicker who stayed behind in Anvil Gate.
Jackson: Goddammit... -he kneels down and closes the kid's eyes shut, then he checks his wounds seeing that he was killed by being disemboweled via a massive serrated blade-... I'm sorry Kid, You deserve better... -he takes the kid's tags then he leaves with the rest of his squad into Hoffman's War room-
In the war room they find a total massacre, dead gears scattered around, shredded by gunfire and many around a table that was flipped over as cover; Jinx knowing what he was going to find however he was shocked to find massive group patch of silver dreadlocks covered in blood but they don't find Bernie's body. They hear locusts trigger the mines and exploding the Hammer of Dawn controls urging them to barricade the war room as the Locusts approach. The Gears rush through the war room heading towards a massive crater where someone breached their way out of the office.
They head out the crater and end up in the outer wall of the fort seeing more gears dead around the area and then getting ambushed by more elite locusts, who surround them and are commanded by another Ravager who is flanked by a trio of Elite Therons; The team are very quickly overran and outgunned prompting them to retreat into a gun position, taking cover inside the gun nest. Within the nest they unfortunately find Victor Hoffman dead face down in a pool of his own blood.
Jack: Hoffman... no... -he sadly says before opening fire upon the Locusts-... Goddamn it! -he yells in anger before blowing a Drone's head off with his lancer-
Mika: We need to get off this rooftop! -she shouts as more locusts emerge from the breached War room-
Henry: No more running!... -he yells loudly as he starts trying to fire the damage machinegun-... cover me brothers, I'll destroy them all.
Jackson: You heard the man!... cover Henry! -he orders as the squad are pinned behind small pieces of debris-... Travis, shred those assholes don't let up until that fucking gun is on fire! -she nods and starts running the chaingun of a cyclic rate of fire, ploughing through many incoming locusts while keeping the Elites back-
Wave after wave of Savage locusts come from the Courtyard using the collapsed scaffolding as a ramp up and they also came out from the war room, only to be cut-down by the gears; SGT Addams pulls Dempsey to cover as more locusts come to the side in an attempt to flank; They kill two Savages who charged forward at them, however more locusts come including a Boomer who immediately opens fire on the Gears.
"BOOM!" a explosion nearly launches Jinx off the wall down to the outside, sending ash and rubble all over the place, Jackson fires his Lancer and kills a retro-charging Savage dead then takes the retro lancer using it to kill the boomer with help of Dempsey and SGT Adams. Henry smashes the barrel with manages to unjam it, he gets on it and starts firing quickly everyone in front of the machinegun to go on the prone to avoid Blue on Blue. The massive islander fires with reckless abandon tearing many of the locusts apart including two Elite Therons who were caught in retreat. The Gatling Gun is finally destroyed by a well placed slug by the ravager after 15 seconds of carnage, 15 seconds that cleared the area of most locusts but missing the Ravager and one Elite Theron:
Ravager: [I'll eat your hearts!] for General RAAM! -He roars before blasting his Shotgun however the Elite Theron pulled him back as it throws two flame grenades towards the humans-... NO!... [I shall not retreat!] -It shouts as they leap into cover and starts arming a bomb-
Elite Theron: [Reinforcements are coming Brother]... -the Theron looks at the explosive as it being armed-... Yess!
As the Ravager is ready to toss the bomb the Theron peeks out to assist the Grenadier however as it peaks Jack scores a sniper shot on it's head, killing the Theron on the spot enraging the Ravager into leaping out of cover with the bomb in hand; "OPEN FIRE!" they yell together, all the gears opening fire together like a firing squad, killing the Ravager but causing the bomb to fall off it's hands and triggering the device:
Jack: RUN! -he yells as they run towards safety, barely avoiding the massive blast-
After they get their bearings together, Jinx and Mika go to Hoffman's body while the rest of the squad quickly prepare a hasty rappel to get down the fort wall towards safety; Mika tries not cry as they get ready to spin him over, Jinx lifts him a bit and what he sees prompts him to get Travis and Bland to hold Mika back, who is distraught at this. Jackson spins him over onto his back where they discover that Hoffman's chest was torn open by sheer brute strength, his heart was crushed, his neck was shredded and on the pool of the blood was a massive serrated knife belonging to the locusts. "God... He died fighting, tried firing this machinegun before he was killed..."
Jackson: Dear god... -he then notices that in Hoffman's left fist has a pair of tags are tightly wrapped between his fingers-... no... -he opens his fists and finds Bernie's bloody tags, he closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before taking both his and Bernie's tags-... Let's get the fuck out of here.
They take no time to rappel down the wall, mostly because the next wave of locusts was coming towards them along with enough Boomers to destroy a entire platoon worth of gears; As they ran into the woodline to avoid getting killed by the locusts upon the high ground, Mika looks back to see the Locust General who blinded her, he stood on the edge of the fort wall watching them escape as behind him the fort was crumbling to pieces. "He'll pay!... they will all pay!" she angrily thought as she and her fellow gears ran from the incoming fire.
EARLIER WITH DELTA SQUAD-
Salas stomped down on the accelerator till it touched the bottom of the floor as the locusts blasted his door and nearly breaking through the bulletproof window as he spun the truck around, he hauled ass out of the hangar leaving Charlie Squad behind as they said he should; He yelled as a Grenadier Elite got in the way and before they could escape entirely it blasted the windshield on Salas's side hitting him in the chest. He felt the heat of his adrenaline rise as he looked down seeing blood seep out of a small gap on his armor, leaking down to his seat and down his leg.
"I must complete the mission..." he thought to himself as could barely hear the members of Delta and the other survivors fire at something behind, he looked at the rear-view mirror seeing Reavers and Theron Riders firing Torque Bows and/or Lancers at the Truck. Salas felt himself slip in out of consciousness for a split second, barely missing the remains of destroyed Siege-beast, he couldn't hear anything from behind but the engine of the truck and the gravel underneath his wheels.
"I have... to... stay awake... or Delta will die because... of me..." He coughed and then threw off his helmet, he turned on the radio and pulled a CD from the packet then placed it inside the radio; He was driving one-handed as he was pressing down on his wound, he was looking around for a medical kit but the only thing he found was the truck's cigarette lighter which he grabbed but thought about what he was about to do:
Salas: Hold on to something people!... -he yelled at his passengers right before shoving the lighter inside the wound, screaming as the worst pain he'd ever felt flashed across his entire body, he punched the speedometer in his thrashing about and swerved the truck around till he pulled the lighter out, tossing it on the floor as he was borderline about to go into a pain-induced shock-... G-god... -he was moaning in pain, nearly about to burst into tears-... that... that really... hurt... god...
Anya: Salas you alright?!... you wounded?! -she yelled through the noise of gunfire that was nearly deafening-... Salas!
Marcus: Reaver to the left! -he points out as another was taken out by the gears-
Salas: I'm fine... I'm fine... -he repeated as he drove into the badlands, trying to stay on the beaten path-... I'm fine... I'm F-Fine...
Delta kept on fighting as two of six survivors were wounded now by the reavers, Cole had on him a Boomshot with two shots left formerly six after he tried destroying a few reavers with Elite Therons; He aimed the Boomshot and obliterated one Reaver that tried getting close to the Truck, Marcus lit up a reaver's pilot and causes it to crash and explode against the asphalt. More reavers continue to chase the truck however Marcus sees one Reaver in particular moving in a bold way, zig-zagging between the trees and obstacles before it's co-pilot sprays the truck with it's hammerburst pelting one of the survivors in the chest-plate with a loud, sharp clank sound. In response he screamed as the impact threw him back onto the truck's wall.
Gear Survivor #2: Esteban! -she yells as he checks on the gear who was now frantically checking himself for wounds-... You're alright?
As the truck reached the last three miles of road before the deadlands' sand roads The gears felt the truck smash and bounce against a old guard-rail to their right and wobble from side to side, Anya tried looking at through the window into the driver's seat but her view was obscured by a bloody hand-print upon the glass, however she saw through the smallest gap between the blood that Salas was slumped over the steering-wheel dead. Before she could say anything to the others, the Truck impacted another guardrail, then as it wobbled back it managed to drive itself between the tire and the rusted barrier tearing off the front axle, the sheer impact flipping the truck violently up then to it's side. The axle exploded out from underneath the truck after being dragged underneath it, the sheer force of the impact of the crash destroyed the engine block.
The Gears get flung out of the Truck as it obliterates a cluster of dried trees, upon the massive impact splits the truck in two, launching the truck's bed nearly sixteen yards away and the tires flying in an unknown direction, the engine rolled by the side of the wreckage stopping a few yards away, mangled beyond repair. Marcus and Baird slowly stand up from the wreckage worse for wear, a massive gash leaks blood from Marcus's brow while Baird was scratched up all over, he struggled to get however he stood up and helped Marcus up. Cole stood up but is quite shaken as he wiped blood from his face as he stood up looking around as fire was starting to consume what remained of the truck. Baird had a dislocated shoulder that Marcus forcefully put back in place, causing Baird to shout loudly in pain:
Marcus: Is everyone okay?!... -he looked around, he saw a few reavers landing nearby and dropping off Locusts; Marcus rushes over where the mangled body of one of the four survivors, Clemens, was written on his armor, he died immediately Marcus thought-... shit!... Locusts are coming, we're getting the hell out of here!... Baird you good to fight?! -he quickly got a thumbs up then headed to find others-
Anya was found by Marcus trying to pull Sam out of the wreckage who was covered in blood, he helped her and checks on them both as bullets start whistling by which forced all three to take cover behind the destroyed truck. Marcus returns fire, in the corner of his eye he saw Salas crushed within the destroyed truck, his skull was nearly entirely turned to paste if wasn't for the door curved inwards that held it's contents together. Anya seemed pissed as she looked back and saw Salas's blood leaking down onto the ground. They were joined by the last two Gear survivors: Esteban and Clark both looking severely hurt but still strong enough to fight.
Clark fired her lancer fiercely at the incoming waves of locusts before her weapon clicks empty and she switches to her sniper which she used with elite precision, killing every target she pointed at with her sniper however the impressive part was that her longshot was missing the scope which was torn off by the crash however it didn't stop her. Next to her was Esteban who fired a torque bow with malice as his arrows lands by the locusts' feet which caused them to lose their legs, dying from shock or bleeding out. Both shoved Anya and Sam down to the ground as three cyclopes charge and fire at the gears blindly fires. Baird and Cole shreds them all then Marcus joins them, seconds later Sam and Anya so do join, Esteban and Clark quickly did finishing off the dropped-off locusts.
The group see more coming and after silently agreeing that they're low on ammo they run towards the deadlands, dodging and weaving through rocks and natural debris eventually disappearing into the desert leaving the locusts death squads behind. They escaped alive enough to fight another day, as the hours pass so does the sunlight leaving them to sneak their way towards their outpost avoiding all the patrols till they arrive, helped out by the other members of Marcus group. The group was helped for their wounds, stitched up and wounds patched closed while waiting for Jinx's group to return.
During the night they arrived with somber news about anvil gate, Hoffman and Bernie as well as the rest of the fort's personnel. The night was consumed with silence and mourning. Charlie squad arrived only to lick their wounds, Jinx was checking on everyone on his squad before taking to a little breather, he looked at his hands that were covered in sweat mixed in with gunpowder, drops of blood his and someone else's. He pulled Hoffman's tags from his pocket and stared at them, contemplating what's to come now that Hoffman and Anvil Gate was destroyed. He lowered his head as took a deep breath before he stood back and went to speak to Delta about what was next.
WITH THE LOCUST, HIGH ABOVE THE SKY-
The skies grow dark, decay underneath as the locusts march across the land hunting the survivors of the Siege, Thunder and rain masks the sound of war dogs coming for the blood denied to them; The stench of humans are strong on the winds, past the odor of corpses aflame and death that was dragged along the path, occasionally gunfire would be followed by screams of weaklings dying to hunters bearing knives and hunger...
"I believe I deserve some praise, Uzil..." the massive Skjall spoke to the wounded RAAM who was overlooking the fleeing sight of Anvil Gate's plume of smoke, the fires had died out but the human's had not faded yet, He held his boltok on his hands as he listened to Skjall: "We've dealt a heavy blow to humanity, even with your divergence from the plan we've achieved the Queen's wishes" He turned to look at RAAM, locking eyes with the General:
RAAM: Don't you overstep your place Skjall, not all plans go as expected... -he says, his breaths are short but calculated and his words of power masterfully hide the pain of his wounds-... Many of the humans escaped the battle. -he walked towards the impromptu war-table and ordered Skjall to come as well-
Skjall: Not escape, flee... -he said as he stood opposite to RAAM-... They flee in fear deeply rooted in their hearts. -he pointed at the map of the area and gestured at the north-... a few soldiers and couple dozen other humans fled into the destroyed city of Char, I believe they're trying to head towards a settlement of humans on a old base between destroyed city and this city called Mercy. -he draws a line between from Anvil Gate to Char then to an Air-base just before Mercy-
RAAM: Fleeing in fear is not the TASK!... -he smashed his fist on the war table then buckled in the pain on his body-... Those humans were meant to be exterminated! -He stares at Skjall as he looks over the edge of the Gasbarge and looks down to the locusts hunting Humans-... However this is but a mere inconvenience, they shall die regardless.
Skjall: You got some nerve Uzil, you caused this! -he said as approached RAAM-... Your recent impatience caused this, the plan was you and your forces were suppose to breach and destroy their defenses while my forces were entrusted to surround and kill them all however you forced them to start fleeing by entering their shelter! -he got to RAAM's face-... This is YOUR FAILURE!
RAAM struck Skjall on the Jaw with a haymaker causing Skjall to stumble back before whipping a bit blood that came out of his busted lip, Skjall looked at RAAM and chuckled at how the Uzil coughed up a bit of blood and stumbled back, a Elite Theron came up and pointed it Torque Bow at Skjall but RAAM called it off; The Boomer evilly smiled as RAAM struggled a bit to stand up straight:
Skjall: You're getting old and weak Uzil... -this made RAAM growl in anger-... The Queen made a mistake in making you her broodmate, having offspring has dulled your cunning and made you as bullheaded as Sraak was... -Skjall walked away from RAAM, he quietly laughed to himself-... Even with this failure, we're doing the will of the queen, I wish you get your mind and body battle-ready... -he looked over his shoulder towards RAAM-... If today was any indication, your current lack of focus will be your end. -he whistle loudly, calling his own personal Reaver and leaving RAAM to ponder his words-
WITH MYRRAH, MOUNT KADAR-
The miners returned up the massive tunnel and roared in victory as their task was achieved, Locusts rushed into the tunnel and were followed by Palace Guards who were flanking Myrrah and Adam in both directions; A larger Palace Guard was on the rear leading a Boomer tugging a wheeled container were Myrrah's children were within, covered in warm furs. The Palace Guard leader walked passed Adam and ordered the Boomer to stand behind Myrrah who approached the massive metal door.
Palace Guard Leader: [STOP!] -He pulled Myrrah back as it spotted the machine guns on the door-... Danger!... [Shields up, destroy those weapons!] -he moved away as the Maulers came forward to provide cover to palace guards and Boomers who quickly destroyed the sentries thanks to all their explosive firepower-
Myrrah: Good work [Commander]. -she said to the Palace Guard Leader-
Palace Guard Commander: [A Duty Honorably served, My Queen] -It bowed his head at her word before continuing ordering the locust onto different tasks-... [Your Orders, My Queen, what it shall be?] -he says to Myrrah-
Myrrah: Stay close to me and Adam, There may be more security inside but if memory serves right, what awaits us inside should be no problem at all. -she walks into the hallway and finds the opening mechanism and after a second of hesitation pulls off her glove then inserts her hand within-
The machine clamps down on her hand and pricks her, drawing blood into tiny stasis container which then lets her hand go and starts unlocking the door. She stands with scowl next to Adam as the door opens revealing a small robotic creature with a screen, a face within it: Dr Niles Samson or at least his subconscious inside the construct. This was a shock to Myrrah as she steps back as Niles is left astounded at her sight:
Niles: Myrrah?... -he says as he approached slowly-... You've returned home and with the children too.
TO BE CONTINUED...