Station 89 [Feb 9]

[X2-a-holic]

Ermm... If they were on level 3, and going UP, then the monsters would be underneath them. How the hell did a monster get around to the top of the elevator?

Sorry to blow apart the whole plan at the end of that scene.

[parameter]

I wondered that but then thought maybe the 'monster' has friends on other floors; maybe another 'little' version that can fit in the shaft! Must say it is still a good read. Hate to think there is something of tooth and claw that can survive even a minigun burst but can be spiked by a Split. Eek!

[-=Legendary=-]

For X2-a-holic you will see .

and for Parameter the BIG monster knocked out all the lights.

the smaller monster is what attacked Cypher head on.

Think of them as human like raptors.

[parameter]

Hello -=Legendary=-
When the numbnut went to touch the fungus stuff, on the back of the afflicted Argon Security Guard that he had just wasted, I was thinking you don't want to do that! you will get infected. Doh! The poor guard was covered in sores and was able to transform to something alien to his species but the numpty still went to touch the fungus and only stopped by a commotion nearby. Flamethrowers are needed!

Good story telling! Almost like watching Aliens for the first time in a dark room and forgetting your friend has a cat! Aaargh! -It's got me!

[-=Legendary=-]

Max’s superheated shotgun tore through the maintenance hatch with his second shot. There was a quick gasp of air on the other side as something fell rather quickly into the elevator.

Everyone had their sights on it by the time it hit the floor. It was the upper half of a Argon, he wore a white uniform and had a I.D badge smeared with the greenish red blood.

Argon Scientist…

He convulsed on the floor looking up at Jake and reaching for his boots. He managed to get a hold of one just as Leo crushed in its skull with his right boot.

Suddenly a pair of arms came into view and then a head, it was another Argon scientist, its mouth was wide open with its tongue hanging out spewing saliva. It grabbed a hold of Jake who was standing closest to the open hatch and pulled him through.

“JAKE!” Leo yelled as he jumped out grabbed at his boots

Max aimed around where he thought jakes body was and began to shoot sporadically.

“Ah!!!” Jake yelled

Random shots of Plasma fire illuminated the shaft as Jake struggled to keep his attackers from tearing the flesh from his body.

Cypher stepped over the dead scientist and grabbed Jake by both legs moving Leo, who then began to shoot up into the shaft as well.

There was a crunch and Jake began to scream madly.

Cypher pulled down hard and then changed his grip to Jake’s waist and once again pulled hard bringing down the horrified soldier. He was covered in slime and scratches and was only bleeding a little. Then immediately afterwards the large
split jumped right out of the shaft and pulled out both of his combat knives. The Split stood there motionless light of the open shaft, he could hear the infected but couldn’t see them, their breathing seemed difficult and filled with mucus.

He heard movement, and in less then a fraction of a second he crouched and jumped over his would be attacker kicking him with his two feet in mid flip, sending the infected into the open hatch. In response to the new target there were several gunshots.

As Cypher began to land they all attacked at once, there was 5 of them. The first one came at him from the left, he merely took a step back and made a quick jab to the face with his knife as the point. The second came from right who got a quick slash to the neck severing it from the body. The third and fourth came from the front and the back, he was grabbed from the back and for the first time Cypher realized the strength of these infected things.

Although they looked diseased, it must also somehow make them stronger and faster. The initial shock of the attacker caused Cypher to take his attention off the fourth that came at him from the front.

Cypher made to slash at the one in front but the infected looking at what had happened to his comrades had no intention of getting slashed. The infected ducked and lunged at Cypher with a open mouth and ready hands. Cypher quickly made his arm to block at the same time as throwing the knife which stuck to his attackers foot and then into the elevator causing him to stop only inches away from Cyphers face.

With his free hand he grabbed the head of the one behind him and with a Split growl crushed his head! The body still clawed at him, so Cypher smashed his back into the side of the elevator shaft, crushing all the bones and nerves of the headless body.

The infected argon with his foot nailed to the ground clawed wildly as it screamed trying to reach Cypher. From the corner of his eye he saw movement and instantly ducked sending a infected flying over him.

The lights began to flicker on and off. Cypher found himself facing a much different infected.

They stood at opposite ends of each other, the only noise coming from the infected with his foot impaled on the ground. Cypher quickly slashed his head off and grabbed the other knife without taking his eyes of the new infected.

It was Argon alright, except it had torn out of its security combat armor. It looked like a soldier on spaceroids. The light kept flashing on and off creating a creepy like movement when the security guard moved its neck from side to side. Its arms were massive, and he had to be standing a full foot taller then Cypher. Only the pants and boots remained on this security guard. As far as Cypher could tell the marks where the puss used to be were only faint scars.


“Cypher you alright?!” yelled max

The rest of the team looked up through the shaft expecting a answer, but the only was Cyphers growl.

*Boom*

There was suddenly a large dent on the bottom of the elevator.

“Looks like our big friend is back” Max said as stood closer to the dent and shot a round into it.

In response their was a quick roar and the elevator began to move again, then there was the sound of metal being scratched then the elevator came to a halt again.

“It must have been holding on to the cable then tried to stop itself from falling on the wall” Leo said

The top of the elevator was suddenly filled with a flurry of movement; a fight was going on up there.

Leo looked up at the floor indicator.

8…

Lets get Cypher an then get out of this hell trap.

Jake crouched underneath the hatch; Max aimed his gun at the elevator floor waiting for another indication of where the monster was. Leo stood on Jake’s shoulders as he raised his head through the hatch.

Leo looked on in disbelief. Cypher was being held up to the shaft but his neck, one of his arms had been broken and hanging limply at his side. Although he tried to kick and punch with his other arm and legs they seemed to have no effect on the infected that had him.

What astonished Leo even more was the vine of fungus that was traveling from the infected spine to Cyphers open wounds and mouth.

Leo quickly raised his gun and started firing aiming for the back of his head.

*Blam*Blam*Blam*

Chunks of flesh fell to the floor only to be replaced anew by new flesh like a spider weaving a web.

It turned its attention from Cypher to Leo, Leo kept nailing shot after shot into the attacker’s chest, but again the flesh re-grew. Suddenly it must have come under immense pain because it fell it its knee’s.

Its elbows began to pulsate and from the flesh tore through a spike, and then on the other elbow. Then the top of its head, a lot like a split!

“Oh no…Down!” Leo said

Jake brought him down and rolled back. A massive muscular arm reached in, it was in elevator light that Leo could see it had gray skin with blue veins. Everyone began shooting again at once. The arm disappeared after being able to grab nothing, moments later something smashed through the hatch tearing it much larger.

Everyone looked on only to see that it was Cyphers mangled corpse…

Their was no time to contemplate what had just happened because in the next moment the monster from below was back again, with two quick punches it tore through the bottom of the elevator and with its large Jurassic arm it grabbed Cypher and pulled it into the darkness of the shaft.

There was a lurch and then…

9…10…11…12… Silence

[-=Legendary=-]

Ok to all the readers here is a quick rundown.

There is one large monster which i reffer to as the monster, this is the one that broke through the centuar in the beggining.

There are smaller raptor like creatures that are also infesting the station.

There are infected scientist/security detail/civilians

There is a evolved infected, which just managed to take out a split in unarmed combat. and that was only a Argon form .

And the fungus...well you will see

[parameter]

Well! That makes sense I suppose?
Ignore me, that was very entertaining but I wonder if Leo will ever learn to count faster, or even that the fungus can be stopped with an application of powder before he dies?

[-=Legendary=-]

well leo isnt counting its just the perspective of the reader looking at the level indicator


and the fungus must be stopped i know!

[-=Legendary=-]

Everyone sat with their mouths open. Unable to completely understand what had just happened. No one said anything, they wouldn’t get any answers anyway.

13...14…15…

They all reloaded their weapons, and stood at ready for the opening door.

“It was good serving with you two…” Jake said grimly

Max cocked his gun “No piece of S*** science experiment is taking me anywhere” he said defiantly.

21…22

They both looked at Leo, who was staring at the elevator doors. He checked his gun one more time, and without looking up he said.

“Above all else, complete the mission.”

Jake and Max looked away, slowly aiming at the elevator door.

“Then we can get the hell out of here” Leo finished

They didn’t look at each other but they each knew they were smiling, despite what had just happened.

*Ping*

The door opened revealing a poorly lit control center. It was much smaller then the rest of the floors, it was maybe 40ft by 40ft. The walls were replaced with glass that looked out into space, two layers one to deflect most of the shinning rays of the sun millions of miles away. It had an amazing view; the clear panels looked out showing the asteroids creating a greenish glow because of the sun behind it. Outside you could see long circular tubes stretching from what seemed to be the first floor to each of the four sub hubs; from inside the CC they looked enormous. Each like a miniature city, which wasn’t far from the truth since for many races station 89, was a permanent residence.

A swarm of space flies passed by the clear panels and disappeared into the brightness of the greenish blue sun.

It was bright enough to see everything inside; the middle of the CC was on a decline, by a few steps. It had two huge screens each blacked out except for the words “Lockdown – Contamination Breach” displayed across the middle of both screens.

The three of them spread out from the elevator with their guns up and laser sights on. After a clear sweep they decided it was clear and strapped their weapons to their backs.
Leo pressed a button on his wrist pad which displayed a small holographic image of the time.

1942 hours… this meant they had a little more then 6 hours to secure their objectives and get out of here. That didn’t seem to hard, he thought to himself.

Leo looked over at Jake, who seemed to be having a hard time keeping his eyes open. That’s when Leo noticed it… there was a gash on his shoulder pad. He couldn’t tell if it had penetrated all the way through to his skin, or if the combat armor had held.

“You ok Jake?” Leo asked

Jake shook his head slightly. “Yeah im fine, just a little shook up.”

Max walked up to him and smacked him on his back. “Suck it up soldier”

Leo walked over to one of the few monitors that was still lit. After a few moments of looking around he found what he was looking for. The communications server.
Leo synced his headset to the stations, then opened up another open line.

“Command this is AR Leo come in…”
Static
“Command this is AR Leo come in over….”

“Im sorry Leo, but Command cant help you” responded a raspy voice

“Who is this…” Leo asked
“I am the caretaker, and I am watching…” responded the voice
“I am from the Argon Core and we have come to extract any survivors” Leo said
“I know who you are… and you aren’t going to get anyone out”

The transmission cut.

“This place is getting on my nerves more and more…” Max commented

Leo walked from one terminal to another and pressed some more buttons. Finally he came to a patient index screen. He clicked the one that read:

0105 Paranormal Studies – Status – Quarantined Cell 13

It then went to another window

Subject 0105

Symbiosis Project – Active

Objective – Classified

The entries seemed to be listed in chronological order.

Subject – Subject has grown restless, complaining of nightmares of some other planet. Insomnia, aggressive behavior seemingly more and more common to that of Host.

Patient has become sick, is unable to eat or communicate with staff. Blood samples show no abnormalities, further testing his required.

Patient has completely lost all speech function. Muscle tissue samples show a increase in tissue fibers by 120%, heart rate at 150 bps when stationary. Further testing is required.

Patient attacked Senior Physician Arnold Morgan, both Arnold and the Patient have been quarantined for further examination.

Patient’s heart rate has backed down to 130 bps, aggression has decreased and can somewhat communicate with staff through arm signals.

Heart rate is at a 110 bps now, no aggression. Patient has resumed eating, very docile and quiet. Will remain in quarantine for further tests.

“Found you” Leo said

“Lets do this” Max said

“The lockdown only lets us use the Transport rails to get to Sub Hub 01, from there we can get to 02 or 04, then we can get through to sub hub 03” Leo said

The three of them got back into the elevator, slightly eyeing the large hole that the monster had made earlier.

Before the doors closed Leo looked out into space…and began to wonder what exactly they had just walked into. He took in the way the sun illuminated the asteroids outline which created a blue green glow, trying to take it all in and appreciate it. The vast emptiness… the chances that somewhere out there something just as horrible was happening to someone else…no… this was just one nightmare in a land of dreams.

[parameter]

Where's my Mummy?....


So Leo doesn't check Jake over, what with the slashed armour and starting to look a bit green around the gills?

I must say that this story should be set to film. Move over Doom! Great work!

[McItoshi]

wow that was gripping ! . . cant wait for the next installment.

[Jwsmall]

Wow this is great

Can't wait for the next step in this wonderful plot

[-=Legendary=-]

Leo pressed the 20th floor, which had the transport rails that breached out like a X to each of the Sub Hubs. Each Hub acting like the corner of a square each side being the maintenance rails that the remains of Leo’s squad would use to get across.

Leo caught scent of the rotting flesh above and inside the elevator. He pushed a button on his neck guard which extended panels which quickly formed the helmet of his combat suit.

‘Damn it’ he thought to himself, the smell was just as bad inside. ‘Its all in your head’ he thought to himself.

The elevator slowly lost momentum and everyone’s stomachs tingled slightly as it came to a full stop.

‘Don't you wish the elevator could freefall…it would all be over.’ Said a voice

Leo slowly turned his head, it wasn’t Jake or Max, their helmets were on and the comm-net wasn’t on.

‘I could end it…just let go…’ said the voice again

Leo shut his eyes, shook his head and took the first step out of the elevator gun up and ready.

They came out to a junction; Leo aimed forward Max left Jake right. They all saw similar scenes, the hallways were crowded with debris. Some lights flickered; others illuminated brightly defying the ever approaching darkness. Blood covered some of the walls, small puddles gathered made by a constant dripping coming from an exposed ceiling hatch. Leo looked up; whatever had been bleeding up there was gone now.

Jake and Max assumed their positions behind Leo as he took point. They quickly made their way to the Rail Bay. It was a pentagon shaped area in the middle of the floor. There was only one door to get in, the rest was closed off by glass windows. There was four tubes each going in a different direction, above the tube tunnels there was a light, each one was red and the tube’s lights were off, except for the one labeled Sub Hub 01 Residential which was lit bright green.

The four tubes met on a main platform which was elevated above the rails themselves. On top sat a long oval shaped seating car, which seemed to have more on top waiting to be pushed down like bullets in a chamber.

They walked in through the glass door and made their way to a few steps which led up to the transport car. The doors automatically slid open, once inside Leo saw that it could seat about 20 people at a time.

Jake walked towards a terminal and set it for Sub Hub 01. It began a quick system check making sure that the rail was clear. Jake met Max and Leo inside the rail car. There was a small ping and the rail began to descend onto the actual rail itself.

As it touched the rail a series of clicks indicating that the rail sliders had gotten a hold of the car were attached.

The tube leading from the main station to the Sub Hub was made out of clear panels with a ring of light at regular intervals. As the rail car started to move towards the Sub Hub, the lights began to turn on illuminating the sparsely lit tube.

Leo looked out through the tubes as the rail car gained speed, the light rings began to blur by, but the stars remained the same, distant and unmoving. Everyone in the rail car stood still as they raced through the tube at a blurring speed, they didn’t seem to notice. Everyone’s minds were still trying to make sense of the events they had just gone through, the things they had just seen.

+++++

Professor Grey stood in his office looking through his computer terminal. Grey was a 63 year old Argon Scientist. He stood curiously eyeing the screen with his hands behind his back. He was 6’1 with a full head of white grey hair, and although he was old he still had the posture of a new private at attention.

For the past hour he had been watching as a second military squad entered through the docking bay of the main hub. He watched as they were torn apart one by one until they were down to three. He had watched the split soldier take on a few of his “patients” through one of his spyder bots, only to be torn apart by his Gene-soldier.

He felt a twinge of sadness, although he didn’t want the soldiers to survive he didn’t necessarily want them to be killed by him. His Gene-soldier was out on the hunt for the escaped Kha’ak clone and those shriekers.

“Sir, this is Alpha 1” a voice crackled over his headset

“Go ahead…” Grey said in a dry raspy like tone

“Sir, my squad has encountered infected civilians in 01 the whole damn city is infected!”

“Proceed with the mission, find the patient!” ordered Grey

“Sir! This is Delta 2!”

“What is it! Did you find the Kha’ak monster yet?”

“It found us sir! We are in paranormal studies, iv lost 2 men and one wounded we ar-.” The transmission cut to static

“Delta 2…” Grey said not expecting a answer

‘Damn…’ He thought to himself, so far he’s lost Delta and Charlie squad that’s 10 men trying to find the monster. He’d hoped his Gene-soldier Jericho would have found it by now and killed it, but Grey had no such luck. ‘Maybe these recon soldiers…yes maybe
they could be used…but how…’

++++++

The squad looked up in sheer amazement at the Hub they were approaching, at this angle it looked like a giant dome covering a city. The closer they got the more it seemed to dwarf them and their transport.

“We are going to do a quick scan of this place and then were going to split up, I know we still got a few hours, but I doubt we will last that long.” Leo said over the comm

“Who goes where…” asked Jake as he scanned the docking bay they were approaching at blurring speed.

“I’ll weapons development, we need something bigger if we run into that monster again” said Max

“Or that huge soldier…”

“Okay Jake you keep our escape clear, you need to perch yourself on a rooftop somewhere close to the sub rail” said Leo

The rail car began to slow down dramatically with ease, it didn’t seem to effect the passengers. As they got closer the tube lights at the end of the rail flickered. When they got close enough to see soon saw the loading dock. Except when the flickering lights permitted they saw what looked like a war zone. Rubble was everywhere, bodies lay in awkward positions beneath rubble or over it. Dried blood smeared the walls and the ceiling.

“At least the lights are on…” Max said sarcastically

[parameter]

Ahh! The smell of rotting flesh; the whiff of oxidising blood...! Erm?

Nicely done yet again!, Legendary. Down to three and some mad scientist responsible for the carnage is looking to use the trio as the GrotBusters. At least the guys can still be sarcastic! In my Army days we developed a sick sense of fatalist humour; on one tour against terrorists a bomb went off on my immediate right, a piece of shrapnel from it went into the wrist of my colleague on the left. I looked down at it in that instant of hearing a meaty 'thwack' and said his outfit was screaming for accessories.

[-=Legendary=-]

haha im sarcastic under pain too..

*boom* "aww shit!! ow...does it look awesome?!"

[KennethX3Freak]

whens the next installment?

cant wait.

[-=Legendary=-]

Leo came out of the rail car first with his gun up, quickly scanning the area for any more infected, the rest of the trio coming up from behind.
The rail car doors slowly closed with a hiss of gas power hydraulics, locking into place and then the lights inside the car turned off waiting for the next batch of unfortunate souls.

Through his helmets visor he could see decimated pillars, that once acted as a support system for ceiling. Their was blood and body parts everywhere, some slumped over piles of bodies and others have crushed by the rubble. It was obvious there was a panic to escape here, poor fools.

The lights were for the most part in working order, except they were dimmer and flickered.
A noise to the left made them all turn with their guns up and safeties off.

A exposed fuse line was sticking through a tear in the walls. Leo walked closer to it and noticed a streak of blood going in the direction. He turned on his light.

Revealing some pipes and some type of increte (a form of concrete) Leo looked at Max and nodded. At the same time they both stepped into the tear and faced opposite directions, they both saw similar scenes, they were in a maintenance tunnel.

“This probably runs through the whole sub hub” Max said
“Lets find out” Jake said as he brought the map on his Tactical Display Screen in his helmet.

Everyone brought up their maps on the TDS, individually it showed where they were at that exact point of time. The more they explored the station the more detailed the explored map would look, against the default map they downloaded, unreachable locations, hazard zones etc…

“Looks like this is the tunnel that connects to each hub” inferred Leo.

“It should lead us to the maintenance rail car” Max said

The map showed 01 as being the residential hub, 02 Weapons and Defense, 03 Bio Research, 04 Paranormal studies, with 03 being the furthest according the their position like the opposite corners of a square.

There was a quick flurry of footsteps and then a scream.

The trio quickly spread out and followed the noise with quick short steps. Using what remaining pillars and large couch sized pieces of debris as cover.

They each found the source of the noise, a woman lay on the ground with a crippling injury to her leg, there was blood spilling out. She looked behind her into the hallway leading the interior of the hub in horror. Whatever it was, was out of the squads view. She was slightly silhouetted by the bright light inside the hallway.

Jake looked over at the crouched figure of Max who was intently watching the scene from behind some increte rubble. He looked for Leo but could only see part of the lens of his helmet behind a pillar.

Jake began to leave his cover “Jake…wait” ordered Leo

“She needs our help” protested Jake

“Look…”

“Please help me!” she seemed to be starring straight at Jake
“Stay down Jake” ordered Leo
“PLEASE!!” her scream became even more desperate
“She knows im here…” Jake responded
“So do they…” Leo said

That’s when Jake looked where Max used to be…gone….Leo gone…Jake looked back at the woman, she was gone too.

The rail station became filled with the roar of gunfire.

A body slumped over next to Jake, it was a Paranid civilian, his body was marked with sores and puss, a hole in his head still steaming slightly. Jake looked up and saw several more infected Paranid clinging to the ceiling with those glowing eyes looking down at him, tracer bullets from a different direction picking them apart.

Jake sprinted from his position and ran towards the source of the tracer bullets.

Leo and Max had abandoned their positions, at first realizing the infected had spotted Jake.

He met up with Max and Leo and added to their gunfire, pieces of Paranid splattered against the walls.

They were quick, jumping off the walls and hiding behind the rubble.

“Lets go!” ordered Leo

“Lead the way” Max responded as he blew the face off a Argon at point blank range. The loading dock was essentially a pentagon shape with one 3 exits, the rail car, the hallway to the interior of the hub, or the maintenance tunnel. They quickly circled around using the walls as safety while picking off the infected, they just seemed to keep coming and coming.

Jake emptied his clip and exchanged it for another cell. Just as he began to look up at the battle again he was grabbed by throat and pulled up against the wall.

Jake dropped his gun and reached for his combat knife, then found himself starring at the same woman he was trying to help. He looked into those lifeless glowing eyes and felt sad, she was once beautiful…her pale skin complimented by soft long blonde hair and a petite nose…then her mouth opened revealing a tongue covered by a purple fuzzy substance, it looked like it was extending its way to his throat. Then without warning her face exploded and their bodies both slumped to the floor.

“Get up!” Leo yelled as he picked him up while he loosed a few shots at the oncoming horde of infected. Jake got up and pulled something from his utility belt and stuck it to the wall.

It started blinking green.

Max was waiting for them at the entrance of the hallway blowing apart the infected dumb enough to leave their cover.

“They know…” Max said softly
“Know what” Leo asked as he scanned the hallway
“Even if they all tried to force their way in we would cut them down at this chokepoint” Max answered

“They even set up a trap” Leo added
“So did I…” Jake said as he pressed a button on his wrist.

At once every pair of glowing eyes turned their attention from the squad to the left. Their was a small beep, inside the station the blinking green light turned into a red light. A moment later it triggered a photon burst engulfing everything in the loading dock. Every infected roared at once as they were incinerated to ash…

[KennethX3Freak]

sweeet

[parameter]

"Revealing some pipes and some type of increte (a form of concrete) Leo looked at Max and nodded. At the same time they both stepped in...!"
Excrete?



Great work yet again but we need more!...

[-=Legendary=-]

Three black armored figures emerged from the loading dock stairwell, each holding a weapon at their shoulders scanning the area around them. Their helmets showing faceless soldiers, nothing hinting what they had seen except for the blood stains on their flex pads all over their bodies.

The hub was literally a miniature city in a bio-dome, there were buildings, shops, restaurants, parks, and even a shield that reflected sunlight at different levels to mimic the hours of the day, right now it was a red grey and the walkway lights were on, or most of them anyway.

Leo looked down the walkway, that acted as streets since there were no vehicles except cycles. Newscreens were still on, updating this isolated community of life in the other sectors.

Leo made a motion for them to spread out evenly, Leo in the middle, Jake left, Max right. They all crouched down looking at their surroundings as they made their way to the middle intersection of the hub. He noticed Max’s posture which was as uncaring as ever, even this hadn’t shaken him up yet. He was surprised he himself wasn’t more affected he’d been hearing that little voice at the back of his head.

“Look up” it said to him when they were back inside the docking station. He listened and was able to see the infected ambush. But who was helping him and why…it sounded like a little boy…

Leo looked over at Jake, that’s when he noticed it. The wound on his shoulder that the Gene-Soldier inflicted, it had punctured the armor. There was a small tentacle coming out of the combat armor where it had been pierced.

“Hold” Leo ordered

Max stopped and laid down on a near bench facing the direction they were going.

“What is it…” Jake asked as Leo walked towards him still scanning their surroundings.

The little voice inside Leo’s head spoke again… Kill him….

“How are you feeling?” asked Leo
“Like your mother…”
“Look” Leo pointed at the little tentacle coming out of his damaged shoulder pad.
“What the hell!” Jake said as he turned his shoulder as close to his helmet as he could

Leo grabbed it and pulled, the sound of goo sliding on goo responded. Jake staggered slightly showing his pain. Jake nodded his head, so Leo took a quick wind up and pulled as hard as he could.

There was a horrible shriek, the tentacle started wriggling around, Leo threw it on the ground. Blood squirted out of Jakes wound, and onto the walkway. The tentacle tried to wriggle back to Jake, still screeching loudly.

Max looked over for a moment but something caught his attention somewhere else.

Leo immediately recognized this as the same fungus he saw on the dead security personnel in the main hub.

*Splat* Jake lifted his boot and slid it on the walkway to remove the guts.

“Nice…” Leo said

“Ugly Indian…” Max said over the comm “Straight ahead”

Leo turned his attention to the middle of the walkway.

“That’s one of those little buggers that attacked us in when we first got into the main hub.” Jake said as he moved his arm around slightly to stretch

The dog sized monster was just as ferocious looking as its larger counter-part.

Jake lifted his rifle and put the little shrieker in his sights.

Just as a barrage of bullets tore through it, from a unseen source to the right. The shrieker was taken aback from the sudden force and attempted to crawl away just as another shot blew its head off, littering the walkway with more blood.

“Cover!” Leo ordered

Jake crouched under a bench setting up a improvised sniping position. Max into a full sprint to the end of the walkway and into a restaurant on the corner of the walkway. Leo crouched behind a tree.

Just then 5 soldiers came into view, each wearing something similar to Leo and his squad except it looked more mechanical. They had hydraulic joints, their suits probably amplified their speed and strength from what Leo could tell.

“Leo…” Jake asked, hinting whether to open fire or make contact.

“Hold positions” Leo ordered

Leo slowly came out of his cover turned the external vocals on.

“At ease!” Leo said

The 5 soldiers glanced at each other, then with blurring speed the four soldiers on either side of the middle one had their guns up and aimed directly at Leo’s head. The green laser sight clearly visible through he darkened walkway.

The middle soldier seemed to be talking to someone over the comms.

“Leo…I got head target…” Jake said

“Silence is a gift” Max said

Leo saw Max’s figure slowly emerge from behind the soldiers, he had picked the farthest point to hide very tactically allowing him to be behind the soldiers.

This was either going to be the quickest fight he had ever been in or the last he thought to himself. Leo slowly took the safety off his rifle, and whispered something into his headset. His shoulder pads responded by sticking him with a tiny needle in both shoulders, he began to feel lighter almost immediately.

Hyperdrenaline…