The Humans slowed down as they neared a dilapidated and crumbling building.
“Michael.” Iverson demanded, resulting in Michal falling back behind the rest of the team and flying off in a different direction. “Navarro.”
Navarro's drone detached from his back and flew into the ruin, the Sky Jumpers landing on a ledge as Navarro's drone scouted the building.
They stood there for a few minutes before Navarro nodded his head. “Tommy, Tony: you’re up.”
The two silently walked in, Tommy pulling out his baton as he walked backwards behind Tony. There was a long silence as the rest of the team waited for further orders.
“File in.” Iverson finally ordered as he walked in, the rest following suit with Navarro being the last. “Michael?”
“President's convoy has been spotted. He’s still alive, he and Charlotte are holding out in an apartment complex, but they’ll soon be overwhelmed.” Michael said over the radio, looking down at the scene before him on top of a tall building.
“How many?” Iverson asked.
“About three hundred Hydra, sixty Lost, and a couple dozen Drones, Warbots, and Hounds. Their vehicles have already been destroyed.” There was a plume of smoke from a window of the apartment complex, a large explosion following soon after. “... Make that two hundred and fifty.”
“Affirmative. Keep the Hydra away from the apartment, we’ll clean up the rest.” Iverson commanded as he busted down a door. Finally, the Skyjumpers found a hole blasted through a wall overlooking the fight. “Navarro.”
Navarro held up his left arm, revealing a holographic map of the fight. “We’re on the three hundredth level, most of the Hydra forces are concentrated on the road. Perhaps if we have Andy-”
“Negative. We need to preserve our demo charges.” Iverson commanded, cutting Kowalski off. “We might need them for later.”
Navarro merely nodded, staring at the map for a few more seconds. “We could stealthily surround the Warhost, catch them by surprise by unloading explosives around their back. While they’re disoriented, Tony can unload his minigun in the Warhosts front. When they look at Tony, we’ll ambush them all at once.” He pointed to a collapsed wall on the apartment's side. “Alex can sneak in through here and reinforce the President.”
“Will Tommy be coming with me sir?” Alex asked as he looked between the map and the apartment.
“No, he’ll be a runner, keeping the Hounds and Warbots from getting too close.” Iverson answered. “Any other questions?” The Sky Jumpers merely shook their heads. “Good. Now move out.”
The Sky Jumpers jumped out of the building, flying down and gathering around the Warhost, using the rubble and smoldering vehicles for cover. Alex broke away from the group and hid behind a wall, waiting for the signal.
“Is everyone in position?” Iverson called, a chorus of various acknowledgements following soon after. “Good. Light ‘em up.”
The various Sky Jumpers pulled out their grenades, Andy readying a wrist fired rocket, and threw them at the Hydra's back flank. Four explosions ripped through the Warhost, attracting the attention of most of the Hydra.
Tony then jumped up and revved up his minigun, tearing through the Hydras ranks. When he shot through a Hydras stomach, bright orange slime oozed out of them.
Those whose stomachs were punctured fell to the ground and convulsed for a few seconds before dying. Those that didn’t got up, their wounds healing in a matter seconds regardless of severity.
A few vicious looking quadrupedal animals snarled at Tony and ran forward, while the remaining Hydra looked over. Tony jumped back behind cover as they began shooting at him.
As the Hounds started scrambling up the pile of rubble, Tommy flew out of cover and kicked one's head clean off. He took out his shotgun and shot another point blank. The remaining Hound jumped on him, biting his left arm as it tried scratching at him.
Tommy pushed forward and crushed the Hound between him and a wall, reducing the Hound's head to a pulp just in case.
Just then, the remaining Sky Jumpers poke their heads out of cover and begin firing at the Warhost, Ritchie taking the initiative to sneak into the apartment.
“Be not thou far from me, O Lord.” Michael whispered as he lined up a Hydra and shot a bullet through its stomach. Anything that got too close to the apartment's entrance, or was hiding behind cover, was quickly taken out by Michael.
A Hydra was barely given time to process that their friend was killed before Michael killed them next. “All my strength… haste Thee to help me.” He prayed as he killed a Hydra rushing towards the Skyjumpers, sword in hand.
Alex was weaving through the winding hallways, making his way towards the sounds of gunfire. As he entered a room, he was sent flying into the wall by a Hydra standing over six feet tall.
This one had a more menacing look to it, it’s armor thicker and covered in strange runes. Two Hydra eyes were painted next to where the Hydras' other eyes would be.
Alex's eyes widened as he recognized it. He reached for his knife but yelped in pain as his vision blurred, his brain feeling like it was on fire while the Hydra stared at him intensely.
He screamed in pain as the Hydra doubled its efforts, a faint glow coming from its helmet. The veins around Alex’s eyes became pitch black, slowly creeping into the edges of his Sclera.
Alex shut his eyes tight and blocked everything from his mind. ‘You are Alexander Ritchie. You will not be lost.’ He thought as his mind began slipping away. He shut his eyes even tighter and desperately started searching his memories.
A young girl with brown hair appeared in his mind's eye. Freckles dotted her smiling face while she tried on a bright pink bow from Alex’s shop. She was suddenly replaced with a bleeding corpse amongst a pile of rubble. Tear streaks accentuated her pained features while Alex held onto her.
‘Victoria.’ The black corruption started retreating from his face, his eyes opening up and glaring hatefully at the Hydra before him. He fought through the pain and grabbed his knife, attempting to stab the Hydra through the stomach.
His blade merely bounced off the Hydra's thick armor, the Hydra laughing at the Humans futility. It brought out its own sword and was about to impale Alex, but screeched in pain as it’s arm was suddenly cut off.
Alex fell to the ground as the Hydra let him go, watching as the Hydras arm grew back as it turned around.
It didn’t have time to react as a figure in bulky power armor stabbed its helmet with his wrist blade. It merely growled as it pushed the man off, gabbing it’s sword from the ground as blood began dripping from its helmet.
The two began trading blows with their blades, the Hydra constantly parrying swings towards its stomach. Alex struggled to get up, still recovering from the assault on his mind.
Finally the man pushed the Hydras sword out of its grip, grabbing its arm and running behind it to grab its other arm as another figure ran in.
She was slender, wearing tight fitting black armor and wielding a one sided sword. The Hydra struggled against the man’s grip as she got closer, seizing up as she pushed the sword through its stomach.
She twisted the blade and pushed it upwards, practically cutting the Hydra in two. The man pushed the corpse forward as the girl jumped out of the way, turning to Alex and looking down at him for a moment.
“What took you all so long?” He asked as he helped Alex up. His helmet retracted, revealing a man with combed brown hair looking down at Alex with a smug smile.
“I think the words you’re looking for is ‘thank you’.” Alex snarked, standing up shakily.
“Thank you? For what? Saving your ass again?” He turned to the girl next to him. “This is what? The sixth time I’ve saved one of Iversons men?”
“Eighth time.” She answered curtly, a playful tone in her voice.
“Ritchie, what’s your status?” Navarro's voice called over the radio.
“President Adrian has been secured, moving to exfil.” He answered.
“Secured? Not how I remember it.” A hologram detailing various suit functions and settings appeared over his left arm. “What frequency are you using Corporal?”
“289 MHz sir.”
Adrian nodded and inputted the frequency. “Captain Iverson?”
“Sir.” Iverson answered. “We’ve taken out most of the Warhost, we’re cleaning up the few remaining stragglers.”
“Very good. What’s the status of Command?”
“Last I heard Hydra forces had taken the building, they cut off communications half an hour ago.”
“If that’s the case, then they should’ve taken Berlin with them by now.” Adrian said mostly to himself. He was quiet for a long moment, deliberating on how to deliver his next set of words. “Team, Operation Judgement Day is green to go.”
“WHAT!?” Everyone but Iverson yelled over the radio.
“But sir! We can’t give up yet!” Andy pleaded.
“There’s still reports of fighting in Northern Africa, Tokyo, the New York Arcology, and the Underwater bases.” Tommy added. “We can’t just destroy Earth!”
“Hydras got this whole planet under their control and their entire damn fleet in orbit.” Adrian argues back. “This is exactly what we wanted them to do, we need to think about Humanity’s future. We can’t do that if we fight to the last man on Earth.”
“The President's Right.” Iverson said joining in. “We don’t have enough manpower to weather the remaining Hydra forces. We’ll just die and they'll steamroll over the Galaxy.”
“Exactly. They’ll just colonize the system and re-establish a connection to Triangulum. We need to spare our descendants from further Hydra blight.” A long quiet followed As everyone thought it over.
“This is fucking bullshit.” Tony growled, shaking in anger.
“I don’t disagree, but this is the only way.” Adrian said somberly. “Captain, for the duration of this mission, you are in command. I won’t overrule you.”
“Understood.” Iverson acknowledged. “Navarro, how far is the Millenium Park bunker?”
“Three Klics northwest from here.” Navarro answered.
“Good. Let’s get a move on people.” Iverson demanded.
“Copy that sir.” The Skyjumpers said as they made their way to the rally point for the last stand of the human race.