Nick Thomas - Battle Earth II

“No, they didn’t escape from here. They were taken.”

The other marines poured into the room and stared down at the bloody mess. They all thought it was evidence of the two soldiers’ demise, but no one wanted to say it.

“This doesn’t make any sense,” said Taylor.

“What is it, Sir?” asked Silva.

“They were taken from here, not killed.”

“They could have been taken for execution.”

The Major turned to Silva with a grim expression. “Why? They aren’t trying to hide anything. They may well still be alive.”

“But we have no way of finding out their location, Sir.”

Taylor nodded. He’d hope they may be alive, but he knew that this was not the day when they would be found.

“Sir, we should get the hell out of here before they come calling again.”

Taylor looked down at the pool of blood. He looked over at a Private.

“Get a sample of that blood.”

“Uh, Sir, how?”

“Get a piece of cloth and rub it in.”

The marine looked foolish for asking for what was such a low tech solution. Taylor turned back to Silva as the man did as he asked.

“Today’s search may be over, but I won’t give up on Jones and Walker.”

“No, Sir, I’d expect nothing less.”

Taylor’s disappointment was obvious to them all. He hated losing any of those he fought alongside, but to not know was even worse. Images of the torture of his friend went through his head until he finally asked himself, what would they want with Jones? He turned to Silva.

“Why would they take them prisoner? What use would they have for them?”

“We don’t know if they were taken prisoner, Sir.”

“Come on, Sergeant, all the signs are there.”

“If it was me, Sir, fighting an unknown enemy, I’d want to know them a little better.”

“You think they’re studying them?”

“Maybe, Sir.”

He turned to see the Private folding a bloodied rag into his pocket.

“Our time is done here, nothing more we can do, so let’s move out.”

“Sir, you think this is going to work?” asked Lewis.

The comms officer watched as his Commander pulled on his dusty armour once again. Kelly shook his head, not knowing how to answer.

“You must have some faith in the plan, Sir?”

Kelly strapped the armour down and rested back again a desk. He looked up at the young officer.

“I can’t say with any certainty, none of us can. What I can tell you is that we will choose the battleground for this fight. If we die, it will be on our own terms on our own soil, and not skulking down here waiting for those bastards to break down the door.”

Martinez came from the conference room where he’d relayed the Commander’s plans to the other officers.

“Sir, we’re ready to go, but…”

“But what, Captain?”

“Well, Sir, I don’t think you should be in this fight, Sir. You’re our leader, and an asset we cannot afford to lose.”

“We cannot afford to lose any asset. I will fight alongside those who I ask to fight for us.”

Martinez nodded. He understood it was no use arguing further. Kelly could see some excitement in the man’s eyes. They were advancing to face a most deadly enemy, but he knew the Captain believed as he did, that it was better to face them than to wait to die in the pits they had been forced to live in.

“Have all the orders been issued?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Communication reels issued?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Good, it’ll be chaos once we get up on the surface, so we’ll need to stay in contact. Lewis, you’ll be managing communications through the exchange. If any lines fall, you will have to send out runners. I have already allocated three to you.”

He pointed down to two boys and a girl. None of them could be much more than fourteen years old. Lewis opened his mouth to question the responsibility and risk being placed upon them, but Kelly’s glare stopped him.

“Everyone must play their part. They can die just the same as the rest of us, so let them have their chance to help save themselves.”

Martinez strode up to the three runners and patted one of them on the head. Lewis recognised that it was the Captain’s son. It was yet another sign of how desperate their times were. He turned to Kelly as the Commander picked up his grenade launcher.

“Sir, if you were to fall?” Lewis asked.

“In the event of that occasion, Martinez will receive an automatic field promotion to take over my command. Be sure that is noted.”

He turned to the Captain.

“You may not be the highest ranking, but you would be the best man for the job.”

Martinez nodded as he considered the tragic circumstances which would have to arise for him to receive such a promotion, and the horrific responsibility that would come with it.

“Send out the word. We advance immediately.”

He slung his weapon over his shoulder and took to a quick stride out of the room with Martinez close behind.

“How many troops do we have, Captain?”

“Under our personal command?”

Kelly nodded.

“A little over two hundred, Sir. Captain Morris and Lieutenant Perera will be accompanying us. The other companies will approach as ordered.”

“Good.”

“Sir, why the Parliament building? It means nothing to the enemy.”

“But it means something to us, Captain. It’s been the symbol of our government since the colony was established here. It’s as good a place as any to take the fight to the enemy.”

“You think we can take and hold ground against them?”

“I reckon so, yes. Did you put out the order for masks to stay on at all times?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Good, a breach is more than likely when this battle gets underway.”

They walked through the colony tunnels passing hundreds of civilians who lined almost every passageway. Nobody cheered them on. They watched the bleak journey of the troops who marched to what could likely be a quick and brutal butchering.

“There is little hope left in them,” said Martinez.

“Can you blame them?” replied Kelly.

“Do you believe there is any hope for us?”

“Of course. Humanity has lasted this long, so we could well weather it.”

“I didn’t mean our race, Sir. I meant us, our colony, and our people.”

Kelly turned to look at the Captain as they continued through the corridors. The Commander’s eyes told him everything he needed to know. They all knew there never much hope once they had fled below the surface.

Ten minutes later they reached the access shaft. It would take them up into the basement of the parliament building via the Prime Minister’s underground bunker. It was the most robust building of any on the colony, and it could only be accessed by Kelly and a handful of other officials. They reached the lower entrance to the bunker, and Kelly activated the doors with the retinal scanner and key code.

The vast doors prized apart, not having been opened in decades. The command centre itself was still fully lit but abandoned. After the attack on the building during the first day of the invasion, the Commander had thought it prudent to avoid any further usage of the facility. They passed through the centre with the other two units at their backs.

A broad and long flight of stairs led up to the surface. As they reached the very top, Kelly lifted up his hand for the column to stop. He waited a moment for the sound of the troops to silence, and then moved cautiously towards the security doors that opened out into the parliament structure. They were hidden to anyone on the inside, but mirrored windows allowed vision from the stairwell.

Kelly peered in through the glass with Martinez at his side. They looked into a storage room that was still lit like most of the building. There was no sign of movement. Huge transport cases and shelving were stacked through the room, but there was plenty of space to move. He drew back and nodded to Martinez. Kelly reached for the keypad and punched in the code. The doors opened and they went in.