First Contact - Kansas City

by Shadow Walker

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"The purpose of drills and exercises is less to
strengthen the back then it is to toughen the mind.”
Spartan saying

Location - On Route 73 Outside Atchison Kansas
Time - 0320

As the Radio van speed down the abandoned road, the small crew of humans on board tried catching their breath, their close encounter with the mythological creatures leaving them all winded. The white van traveled down until they reached the outskirts of the Atchison Kansas, a small town, peaceful and quiet. Small plumes of smoke were rising around the area as well as fires flowing down the residential areas.

“So much for a safe area.” Hernandez said staring out the windshield. In the back, Sergei opened the door allowing the rest of the team to disembark.

“All right.” Isaac said climbing out of the passenger’s side. “We’ll leave the van here and continue on foot. There should be a lookouts somewhere in that mess keeping a look out for hostiles, we just need to find them.”

As the small party of humans walked down the road, not wanting to catch the attention of anything non-human, they keep to the shadows hoping that nothing would turn around and jump out at them. After their little raid on the radio station and the subsequent fight before that, they were desperately low on ammunition, not the best situation when your enemy could literally be all around you.

After a couple of minutes the group reached the border of the small Midwestern town. The scene was the same one back in Leavenworth, burning cars, destroyed buildings, and the occasional crater dotted the landscape. All in all, not the most uplifting sight.

Walking up to Isaac, Fernando spoke his next question so only they could hear it. “Think we’ll find anyone in there?”

“Hopefully yes, I don’t want to get caught with our pants down, but unfortunately we have no choice.” Isaac whispered back, his voice matching his Sergeant’s. “We’re going in, make sure you top your weapons off and conserve ammo. Keep your eyes down range, your fingers on your triggers, and we all go home in one piece. Move out!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Location - Radio Station, Leavenworth
Time - 0320

As Aderladus looked down at the destruction and the carnage, he unconsciously counted the piles of corpses that lined the walls. When he was finished almost all of the entire echelon was stacked under white sheets. The attack had taken everyone by surprise, so much so that help could only arrive when the creatures had entered the building and set traps that paranoid any others that followed them. And when they finally found the creatures, a slaughter had taken place, those that had not taken the liberty of wearing protective gear had been cut down instantly, those that had were sparred that fate, if only for a moment.

“Field Assistant Aderladus?” So entrenched in thought Aderladus didn’t even notice the lone Griffon landing next to him. The Griffon was dressed in the Grand Teacher’s robes, gold trimmings, dark blue coloring and dark red outlines adorned his armor and robe. A Gem infused helmet rested in his talons while a razor sharp sword rested against his flank.

“Grand Teacher, forgive me for I did not hear you approach.” The stunned Griffon said as he thumped his fist against his chest in the standard salute to his superior.

“Calm yourself young fledgling, the Grand Charioteer wishes to speak with thee. Follow me.”

The older Griffon took to the air as Aderladus soon followed after him. “Oh joyous day.”

Location - Atchison Kansas
Time - 0350

“Sir, we’ve been looking for signs of life for the past half hour, there’s on one here.” Hernandez stated with an exasperated sigh.

“Yes I know that Hernandez, but this is the only location we know that could have military personal. So if we can’t find them here, than we are royally screwed.” Isaac said as they walked down the war battered street.

“When I moved to American, I thought that I would be as far away from conflict as possible. Shows what I know.” Lee said looking into a blown out shop window.

“Da, my thoughtz exactly.” Sergei said walking over a fallen street light.

“Alright, as soon as we reach a safe zone, we are having a school circle. No more secrets.” Isaac said stopping in the middle of the street and turning around. “If we are going to work together I need to know your past. Now let’s see if we can’t find anything in the Police Station.”

“Sir! Got movement to our twelve o’clock.” Audrey yelled breaking eye contact with Isaac.

“How far?”

“Hundred meters, closing in fast.”

“Move to cover now!”

As Isaac’s crew took shelter behind burned out cars, collapsed walls, and empty shops, he could make out faint movements in the distance, but identifying them through the smoke was near impossible. Daring a look through the destroyed car Isaac took shelter behind, he could make out the shape of the figures in the smoke. There were three of them, each one walking on two legs.

“Minotaurs, Great. As if one wasn’t bad enough.” Hernandez hissed, taking aim at the closest one.

“Wait, hold your fire.” Fernando said waving off Hernandez. “Sir, friendlies.” True to his word three human figures came running out of the smoke, crouching at the corner.

“Alright bring ‘em in.”

Fernando whistled catching their attention then waved them over to cover. Running through smoke and over debris, they moved making as little noise as possible. When they reached the group they identified themselves as the 138th Missouri national guard from Kansas City. After a meaningful discussion on the values of calling ahead to let the guard know that they were coming, the group of humans were escorted to the Southern edge of Town.

The Safe zone that had been promised did not disappoint, the area they were using was an old underground bunker that used to be a storage facility by the US Army. Back in 2013 the area had been converted to an underground shelter for an end of the world scenario, there was enough room for all of the LAV’s, Bradley’s, and HWMMV’s with room to spare. There was even ample room to train new volunteers and even a command and control center for the higher ups.

Inside the bunker everyone around moved with a task to complete, each one either trying to bring the lights on in areas, setting up tents, or moving supplies for the troops. It looked like an ant colony had taken over as no one seemed to stop for anything. As Isaac watched the flurry of activity Wilcot approached the group.

“Isaac. Damn, I was sure I would never see you again.”

“Yeah well, I’m kinda hard to kill.” He joked at his own expense. “Is Bellman okay?”

“Yeah he’ll be fine. The man is tougher than nails right? Just worry about your own hide.”

“Thanks. Is there anything I need to know before I can take a nap?” Isaac asked wiping some sleep from his eyes.

“Yeah actually, word got out about what you did and the Majors want you down in their office, I’ll take you there.” Wilcot said pointing to an elevator behind him.

“Alright, Sergeant you and the others try to find us a place to crash and I’ll join you momentarily.”

Fernando saluted and Isaac’s little gang of miscreants went to find a place to lay their heads, with that Isaac and Wilcot went to find the Majors’ office.

“So tell me, what are the head honchos like?” Isaac asked when they reached the elevator. Wilcot pressed a lower level button and they descended lower into the caves.

“Well for starters they are not happy about you calling off the main attack on the station, they would rather a larger force reclaim the station and hold it then let a smaller force do a surgical strike and run away.”

“That makes no sense, do they know that we didn’t even have half of the men up? There was no possible way we could have reclaimed the station and held our position.” Isaac asked looking up at Wilcot with a questionable look.

“Hey, don’t shot the messenger, I think you made the right call. There was no way we could have held that position, they,” he said with a finger jab towards the ground, “are too used to winning all the time.”

“Well. I’m sure they will be more than reasonable after they hear my side of the story.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“WHAT IN THE NAME OF SWEET BABY JESUS WERE YOU THINKING TEMPLE?”

“Or maybe not.”

If Isaac had been close to sleep before, he certainly wasn’t now. The moment he had stepped through the door his report sounded more like an interrogation than a questioning. After he had given his report the questions pilled on fast. Questions like, why didn’t you take more men? Why didn’t you try to hold the station? And why did you send back the LAV’s the second you got through? It was never ending, even after he explained himself he could barely keep Major Arthur from throttling him.

“Calm down Arthur, I’m sure he sounds like he was in the right mind set when he gave the order.” The Major for the Marines said, who Isaac learned was named Jonathan.

Major Arthur, who called the Army his branch, with one last killing look begrudgingly took his seat next to the Air Force Major, who was Major Stark.

“Well we can’t really blame him, it is his first mission as a Lieutenant.” Major Benson, the Navy Lieutenant Commander, said with a disinterested look. “Besides, he is not the biggest fish we have to fry right now.”

“Fine. You are dismissed Lieutenant.” Arthur said with a wave of his hand.

That was all the initiative Isaac needed, saluting he turned around and walked very calmly back to the reception area, trying very hard not to bolt for the door. Once through, Wilcot leaned on the wall opposite wall, a smug look playing on his face.

“You knew that was going to happen, didn’t you?” Isaac said trying very hard not to slam his fist in to Wilcot’s now laughing head.

“Sorry, just had to let you have the experience of being integrated. You really needed.” The taller man said after he finally got control of his laughter.

“Well, what happens now?” Isaac asked as they made their way to the elevator.

“For starters we go out and collect every piece of ammunition and spare weapon we can get our hands on. Also, some of the older hands volunteered to train the civvies, so theres that going for us. Apparently they are going to make the training two weeks long.”

“What could they possibly accomplish in two weeks?” Isaac asked as the both of them stepped back into the elevator.

“Beats me, probably just basic physicalness, weapons training, and communications. Oh, and when I say basic, I mean Stone Age Basic.”

Isaac pressed the button for the sleeping quarters and the elevator began to rise. “Well looks like we’re going to be busy for the next couple of weeks.”

Reaching his floor Isaac stepped off, waved goodbye to Wilcot, and made his way to Fernando Standing over by a rather large tent. Stepping inside he found the team seated around a makeshift stove, a fresh pot of coffee resting on the burner. Closing the flap to the tent, Isaac pulled up the closest chair the the group and sat down. “Now. I believe some of you own me a life story.”

Author's Note:

Well I have to apologize, I did not want to make this a shot chapter but I did, so there. As for why it is a short chapter, I will be leaving for 13 weeks starting Monday. That's right I leave for the United States Marine Corps. I should be back sometime around October, but that will be for only ten days. Again sorry for leaving you like this but duty calls and I hope to bring back good experience for all.

Heh heh duty.

Comments

[Ice4smaster]

Its good, keep it coming XD

[swisspony]

well great chapter again, Keep going

[Slaaneth]

Row row row your boat.
Up into the the stream

Lock and load in tactic mode
United States Marines

[TimedRaven117]

Thats going to be a while for you to be gone...... Probably not getting another chapter for a good 8 months. And thats if we're lucky.