Nicholas Smith - Allegiance

“Captain, we’re in!” Magnolia said over the comms. “Get back here!”

Les checked his six and then tapped Michael on the shoulder.

“Rodge, let’s go!” Les said.

The men ran and Cricket followed, still launching grenades to cover them. The ground rumbled from the impacts, and the air filled with the cries of wounded and dying Sirens.

They were halfway to the launch bay when something burst out of a shop entrance on the right side of the road. The thing shook dust and concrete from its massive frame of muscles and bony armor.

“Bone beast!” Michael yelled.

The hulking mutant stormed out onto the sidewalk. A black-taloned hand ripped a steel signpost from the ground. Holding it like a spear, the beast hurled it through the air.

The projectile hit Cricket, breaking off the arm with the blaster and knocking the drone off-kilter. Sparks rained from the machine’s broken limb. A flurry of chirps followed as the robot tried to stay airborne.

The divers opened fire on the bone beast, but the bullets did nothing against its bony armor and only pecked away at the muscular flesh. It held up a wrist to protect its eyes from Michael’s laser bolts.

“Come on!” Magnolia shouted, waving from the launch bay. Alfred and the militia soldiers joined her, firing rifles at the monster.

The flurry of bullets drew its attention, and it pulled a bone dart from over its shoulder. It hurled the missile at the open launch bay, hitting a militia soldier and knocking him backward.

“Over here!” Les shouted, waving.

Michael fired a flurry of bolts that hit the beast in the shoulder, breaking away armor and burning through flesh. When he pulled the trigger again, the gun sizzled.

“It’s overheated!” he yelled.

“Get to the launch bay!” Les shouted.

“No way!” Michael said.

Rodger took off running, leaving them both alone.

But they weren’t alone.

Cricket moved overhead and launched a grenade at the storefront. The explosion blew out the overhang and dumped debris over the monster, pinning it to the sidewalk.

Les jammed the last magazine into his rifle and ran over to the struggling beast. Michael joined him, still waiting for his gun to cool.

The creature swiped at them as they approached. Michael distracted it, giving Les an opportunity to move in from the other side. He jammed the barrel of his machine gun against an eye and fired a burst.

The rounds punched through the brain, and the creature went limp.

“Watch out!” Michael shouted.

Raising the handgun X had given him, he fired at the top of the ruined building. Les moved back, but too late to avoid the Siren that jumped down. The creature landed on him, crushing him to the ground.

He tried to move but couldn’t, and wondered whether his back was broken. Maybe that was why he couldn’t feel claws ripping into his flesh. Blinking, he saw blood trickling from a hole in the thick skull. Les tried to get out from under the limp carcass, but the big dead son of a bitch had him pinned.

A robotic hand grabbed his shoulder armor and hauled him out from under the beast. “You okay?” Michael asked.

Les wobbled. His limbs felt like jelly. He put an arm around the commander, and Magnolia ran over to help the three divers get back to the launch bay. Cricket covered their six and then joined them going up the ramp. Once inside, Michael hit the button to retract the platform.

Les collapsed on the deck, and Michael bent over, hands on his knees, panting like Miles. The doors began to close behind them as the ship rose off the ground. Before they shut, Les spotted what Magnolia was pointing at. A herd of perhaps twenty bone beasts ran down the street below, tearing into the Sirens and letting out their monstrous roars.

The airship thumped as winged Sirens crashed into the hull.

“Get us out of here, Timothy!” Les shouted.

The turbofans lifted them higher into the air as the legs retracted. More thumps sounded against the starboard and port sides as Sirens latched on.

Les knew they weren’t safe yet. He pushed himself up and, with Michael’s help, stood.

The ship shook again, knocking both divers back to the deck.

“Everyone, hold on,” Timothy said over the public address system. “We’re leaving this monster-infested hellhole.”

The ship continued to ascend, but the thumps from Sirens banging on the hull only grew louder and more frequent.

Les got up on his knees and looked at the new faces in the launch bay. The thirty-odd people from the bunker were all looking at him and Michael. The kids were wailing; the adults just stared. Several had taken off their plastic masks, revealing shocked and mystified faces.

A crack sounded across the launch bay as a Siren slammed its clawed fist against one of the portholes. Another beast head-butted the glass over and over until it cracked in a bloody halo.

“Faster, Timothy!” Les yelled.

“Activating thrusters,” replied the AI.

The ship jumped forward, rattling the launch bay. Les tried to keep his balance, but the acceleration shoved him back down to the deck.

Screams rang out around him.

“Everyone, hang on!” Magnolia yelled.

The ship climbed, the nose spearing through the clouds. A Siren’s eyeless face filled a porthole, slamming against it before being ripped away into the darkness.

Discovery gained altitude and speed, and one by one, the Sirens outside were peeled off the hull.

“Almost clear,” Timothy reported.

Lightning flashed outside the portholes, capturing a single Siren still holding onto the hull. Its black hole of a mouth opened, smearing spittle across the window, where it froze.

And then it was gone, torn away into the sky.

“All clear,” Timothy said.

Les heaved a sigh of relief. “Timothy, see if you can find the Sea Wolf. I’m not going home without her and the two men who might still be alive down there.”

“Roger that, Captain,” replied the AI.

Michael clapped Les on the back. “Thanks, Captain,” he said. “Thanks for coming down here after us.”

“Thanks for saving my ass,” Les said. He almost smiled, but that somehow felt like disrespect toward all who had died on this journey.

But they had succeeded in part of their mission, anyway.

Les checked on the people from the bunker. They were safe now, and soon they would see sunshine, but they were busy enough trying to wrap their minds around the inconceivable present. Most of them appeared to be in shock. The medical team and technicians fanned out to check them for injuries.

Alfred had already put a blanket over the militia soldier killed by the bone beast. The bone spear lay on the deck beside him, its sharp end covered in blood. Les said a silent prayer for the man and moved over to help the living.

The doors to the passage outside the launch bay opened, and Layla ran inside. Michael slung his laser rifle and ran over to meet her. They embraced in the center of the room.

“Timothy, I need you to translate for me in the launch bay,” Les said. He took his helmet off and stood in front of the survivors huddled on the floor.

Timothy’s hologram emerged, offering a warm smile.

Les pointed at his own armored chest and said, “My name is Captain Les Mitchells.” Then to Timothy, he said, “Tell them this airship is called Discovery , and it is taking them to their new home.”

Michael pulled away from Layla and walked over, holding her hand. He smiled wider than Les had ever seen him smile.

“Do you want to say something?” Les asked.

Michael nodded. “Timothy, ask them if they are ready to see the sun.”

X awoke on a boat thumping over the waves. Ton, Victor, and Lieutenant Sloan were with him, all of them wearing the same worried look. Another militia soldier piloted the boat toward the capitol rig.