Chapter Fifty-Seven – Collateral Damage

“Collateral Damage is my middle name!”

–Tracy ‘Collateral Damage’ Weiss, Tier 3 Samurai, defending herself in court after excessive property damages caused during the Lancashire Incursion

***

The truck might have been a bit of a clunker, but it was in good enough shape. I could spot patches of paint over rusted bits and could tell that a few of the exterior parts had been replaced. Growing up as I had, it was easy to tell when something was old but well-maintained. Myalis had picked out something that wasn’t terrible.

I shouldered Whisper and pulled out ahead of Speedy. The woman’s only weapon was a handgun that she was holding out ahead of her. I had to keep her safe until we could get moving.

We came around the front of the truck and stopped. There were Model Threes rushing around, an entire pack of them, their clawed feet clicking across the pavement.

Speedy was quick to snap a shot at the nearest.

Not to be outdone, I fired at the next in the line and watched as the bolt I’d fired split apart and crashed into the Model Three I’d aimed at.

Seeing the alien get shredded was satisfying, but there were a lot more of them behind it. “Fire!” I called out.

My Lancejets started spitting out thin rows of missiles that pelted the nearest aliens. I joined in, firing until my Whisper clicked empty. By the time that happened I was out of xenos to target.

A look towards the far end of the street showed a couple of them coming around the corner. Not just Models Threes. I spotted a few of those worms and some Model Fours in the lot too. The tide was rolling over towards our position.

“Get in the truck,” I said.

Speedy nodded, a spent magazine falling behind her as she rushed to the driver’s side and hopped up to the door. “It’s locked!”

“Myalis?” I asked as I slotted the concussion bolts back into Whisper.

Unlocking the truck now. And I’m deactivating all of its safety systems for good measure.

Speedy was in the truck a moment later, its engine revving to life. The window rolled down. “Where to?”

“Get closer to the others,” I said. “Empty the back and load the civilians in.”

“Yes ma’am!”

The truck backed up a bit, then turned to head closer to the others. That was one thing done. It only left a whole bunch of aliens to deal with. “Myalis, how are we on ammo?” I asked as I moved away from the others. I crossed under a spot where there were no bridges above and let the rain splatter across my hood.

You could use a few more magazines for your shoulder mounted weapons. Your handguns are fine except for one partially used magazine in your Trench Maker. You are not carrying any additional ammunition for your Whisper.

“Hrm,” I said as I reached a poorly parked truck. It had large protrusions on its sides over its wheels. Placing Whisper there, I crouched a bit, made sure my jacket’s invisibility was working, then ordered some ammo from Myalis. It took a bit to restock everything, but it was better to do it now than when in the heat of battle. “Okay,” I said. “Time to kill things.”

I pulled up Whisper and aimed down its sights. My tactical visor did point to where the gun was aiming, but it felt cooler to shoot it properly.

The Model Three in the lead was only a hundred meters off by then, and it was coming in fast.

Whisper hissed and a bolt plunged into the alien’s chest.

A moment later it exploded, the burst nearly silent if it wasn’t for the clatter of alien bits smacking the road.

I aimed at the next, another Model Three, and fired. Then the next.

The ammo counter in the corner of my vision slid down to nothing and I swore. It’d taken out a dozen or so aliens, some of them blasted apart even if I hit the bastard next to them. That still left a lot of them.

Looking past the front of the horde, I could make out Model Sixes coming around. “Myalis, I’ll need something with more bang.”

How much bang?

“Clear the road bang?” I asked.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Then perhaps I can offer a unique solution!

“I’m listening,” I said. My shoulder mounted guns spat a few rounds, taking out the Model Threes leading the pack.