Anthony DeCosmo - Disintegration

Trevor told Shep, "Us locals call that one the Bicentennial Building because it was built back in '76 for the-"

"Bicentennial. Okay, I get it, I’m not that slow."

Shep heard a drop in Trevor’s enthusiasm as he asked, "How many we lose so far?"

"Not a one unless you count the monsters downtown. The Redcoats have killed off a heap of them."

Trevor asked, "What about Dustin?"

Another cloud of smoke drifted near. Shep waved it away again.

"Garrett says they patched Dustin up just fine. Nothing we can do about his ear, ‘course, but he refused to go home. The three of them are held up in the hotel across from the 'Bicentennial Building', right under the Redcoats’ nose. That Stonewall sure is ballsy."

"Is Ross’ group with him?"

"No. Bear is bunking in a college dorm. You know, those mortars are dry on ammo and those guys are worn out; they did the heavy lifting today. Honestly, I think they're done for a while. Say, what’s Jon’s status?"

Trevor answered, "They’re hiding in a strip mall on the west side of the river waiting for you to give the word when that 4 ^ th Regiment moves. That’s when things will get interesting."

"No doubt. And you two?"

Trevor's tone changed from the strong commander to something akin to a teenage boy speaking with a girl's father before a first date: "Um, me and Nina are held up here in a house on the north end. We’re going to sleep in, you know, separate rooms and all. We’ve got enough K9 noses here to let us know if anything gets close and our chopper is hidden good. Um, you?"

"Well, the temperature is starting to drop like a rock, so we got ourselves blankets and some God-awful coffee. Seems to me the Redcoats are shutting down for the night, so maybe we can get some shut eye."

"Sounds like a plan, Shep. Keep me informed if anything happens, otherwise goodnight."

Shep put down the radio and gazed out the window. Far across the way, he spied the lights of the Redcoat camp. Above, a blanket of thick clouds obscured the stars and a light snow drifted to Earth.

More smoke stung his eyes.

"Hey, I’m trying to breathe over here."

– Trevor examined the radio in his hand but-in actuality-he studied the situation.

Things went according to plan. The Redcoat regiments fought the monsters in the city with Ross and Stonewall aggravating the alien army from a safe distance. If tomorrow went as well as today, the Redcoats' numbers would dwindle to a fraction of their initial strength and the monsters infesting the city would be similarly culled.

However, he knew the danger would increase exponentially tomorrow. Certainly the Redcoats would adjust their tactics or, worse, they would swallow their pride and withdraw to continue their march on Harveys Lake where they would find and destroy the estate, undoing months of progress.

Nina-in a flight suit similar to Trevor's-walked into the kitchen where he stood.

"I checked on the chopper from the window," she told him. "Nothing has messed with it."

Trevor chose that particular house on the north end of Wilkes-Barre to use as their staging point because it sat next to a golf course nestled amidst a neighborhood, all just a few seconds flying time from the alien encampment.

Nina asked, "What's Shep have to say?"

"Everything is going according to plan."

"That's great."

"Yea, but it's kind of scary," he said and drifted to the kitchen table where a kerosene lamp lit the room in a soft glow. "We've brow-beaten an alien army and the worse we've taken is Dustin McBride losing an ear."

"Good planning," she said. "And a little luck."

"Maybe. Or…" he gazed at her as his thoughts drifted off. "Or maybe we're too good at this; at this whole fighting thing. Ever since man made fire we've done nothing but divide into tribes and countries and fight each other. Maybe a dress rehearsal for all this?"

Nina, returning his stare, whispered, "Maybe we're a race of killers. Maybe that's why they're here; to snuff us out because we're so damned dangerous."

The two realized they stared at one another and quickly averted their eyes.

– The combatants in the Battle for Wilkes-Barre awoke on the second day to a ground covered with the remains of a snow squall. The early sun managed to burn away low-hanging cloud cover but it could not chase away the cold. Soldiers on both sides spoke through puffs of chilled air and wet, icy snowflakes fluttered on the wind.

Stonewall and his companions gathered in the bridal suite on the top floor of the Ramada on Public Square. Dustin cleaned the bandage on his ear and Benny ate a stale candy bar.

The General gazed out the window toward the blue and white building across the street where the enemy camped. Strategies and goals rolled over in his mind.

Eventually he boiled it down to one order: "Gentlemen, let’s go for a ride."

The unit descended the hotel via a stairwell, released their horses from the banquet room, and rode into the early morning light whooping and hollering and firing into the air.

The horse hooves c lunked and c lapped on the pavement as Stonewall led the three around Public Square, brazenly passing in front of the 1 ^ st Regiment of alien soldiers in the Bicentennial Building. The sentries fired hastily aimed potshots but scored no hits.

Stonewall waved his hat at the Redcoats and veered north on Main Street, galloping between burned out abandoned vehicles.

A half-mile north they happened upon yesterday's battleground-dead alien bodies, ghouls, and a multitude of big-but-squashed insects-as well as the remaining members of the 2 ^ nd Redcoat Regiment hunkered inside a small wooden building that had been a print shop ("Quick Print Your Summer Bazaar Flyers Here!").

Stonewall lit and threw a Molotov cocktail. It splashed and spread flames fast along the front wall, forcing the Redcoats to evacuate.

Satisfied, McAllister turned his cavalry south again. A Redcoat aircraft followed their progress as the three horse soldiers slipped inside the large King’s College gymnasium ("Home of the Monarchs!").

The burning wood of the print shop attracted more unwanted attention to the besieged 2nd Regiment. As thirty-five battered and weary soldiers evacuated the burning print shop, they confronted another mass of acid-spitting roaches slithering forth from the burned-out bottom level of the parking garage where-no doubt-the creatures had spent the night gorging on barbecued Redcoat carrion

Much to the surprise of the 2nd Regiment, a furious volley of massed energy balls shredded the insects. That volley came from the 3 ^ rd Regiment as it marched up a side street to join the action. The equation shifted in the aliens’ favor.

A devilbat swooped low. Well-aimed, coordinated fire knocked it spinning from the sky.

A seven-foot-tall troll lumbered toward the group and was blasted to pieces.

Enthusiasm swept the aliens, despite the cold air, the blustery snow flurries, and the losses they had endured. A new day meant a new opportunity to finish the battle.

Plans went into motion.

The remnants of the 2 ^ nd Regiment merged with the 3 ^ rd and spread along Main Street.

The 1 ^ st Regiment further entrenched on Public Square, occupying positions on the top of the tallest buildings. Boxy alien flyers circled the sky.

The Redcoat General dispatched his 4 ^ th Regiment from the assembly area in the shopping district, which resulted in several enthusiastic radio communications from Shep to Trevor and Jon. Regardless, it took most of the morning for the 4 ^ th formation to march downtown and align itself perpendicular to the Redcoat forces on Main Street.

When combined with the Susquehanna River bank to the west, the Redcoat army effectively sealed off several square blocks of city, including the heart of the college campus.