Chapter Eighteen – Going Back Up

Chapter Eighteen – Going Back Up

“To say that the world changed after the first incursion would be… not a lie, but an exaggeration. The day the first Antithesis set foot in Ohio, people in Florida were still cursing the sun, farmers in Europe were complaining about the sudden shifts in weather, the Asian stock market saw another downswing that had forecasters worried and another brush fire was started in Australia.

“The world changes at its own pace, but it always changes.”

–Excerpt from The Fall and Rise of Humanity

***

Simmons overlooked the distribution of ammo like a volunteer overlooking the handout of snacks. The analogy worked even better when I saw the eager looks on all the security guard’s faces.

As it turned out, the way to a man’s heart did involve bullets.

“Alright, what can you tell me?” I asked the chief. “What was your plan until now, other than to hold up here. Are the other shelters as great as the one above?”

Simmon huffed. “This building is meant to be brand-new and state of the art, but corners were cut. The shelters were meant to be operational months ago, but they kept stalling. The money went into some fancy AA system on the roof.”

“There’s a fancy AA system on the roof?” I asked. I imagine I would have heard something like that going off by then. “You sure cause I didn’t notice shit.”

He nodded, then shook his head. “It’s there, it’s just inactive. If I could turn it on remotely, then I’d have gathered everyone here up and prepped a few busses to leave already. Let it distract any xenos while we make a run for it.”

“I don’t like that look you’re giving me,” I told the man.

There was a cold calculating gleam in his eyes. “We’re stuck here, unless you can clear the path out from here to wherever the front line the military has set up is. But, no offence, you look a little green for that.”

I scrunched up my nose in distaste, but had to give it to him. “Alright. So that AA system?”

“Look, it’s a hunch, an idea. But if you can get to it and turn it on, then come back, we can activate it from here and leave. It’s supposed to be damned effective. Lasers and rail cannons and all. Made by some Samurai down south.”

“It’s an option,” I said. I had other ideas in mind, but I wasn’t about to do a fetch quest for a rent-a-cop. “I’m going to get the kids from upstairs. One way or another we’ll be leaving this place, so, you know, get people ready for that.”

He nodded. “Fair enough. Want me to send some of my boys with you?”

“No,” I said. A glance at the way the two stooges from before were fawning over their guns had me almost trembling in revulsion. “I’ll manage on my own. I think most of the aliens will be coming from below, so we should be alright.”

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He nodded. “Don’t die.”

“Likewise,” I said. I rolled my eye in response to his salute and walked back towards the door I’d come from.