Sway's Demise (11 page)

They seemed to be endless, but Sway couldn’t stand to feel the souls of her squad members surrendering, and bolstered her courage with a shout. “We’ve got this you guys!”

Scrapes and whining metal turned her head. Sojin braced against the cracked concrete, holding a rusted sedan above her as she yelled, “Out of the way!”

Sway shoved at Reese and River, pushing them to the sides of their perch as the vehicle soared past them. It nicked the top of the wall, putting it in a spin as it dropped onto the hapless Priyon below.

Crunching deafened all other sounds as their shells broke apart with skin still attached, spewing unknown organs over the road. The car rolled to a stop twenty meters from the gate and the Priyon backed off. Sway pulled out her spotter’s scope, watching as they ducked down the next street heading west.

“They’re moving!” She shouted.

Xander asked for the scope, and then nodded. “Everyone to the truck. We’ll head them off at Singh, then get our asses to the train.”

Reese patted his shoulder. “They’re going to make it out, just like we are.”

“I know.” Xander’s eyes held no light of hope, yet he smiled in acknowledgement. What he was really acknowledging, what he truly knew, was their demise.

Chapter 9: Escape

The black and red blood spattered walnut heart rolled across the bed as they skidded to a halt around the corner of Singh Street. Reese caught the love project with his foot, gripping it, and his AUG, until his knuckles whitened. Before the truck was in park, they jumped out and clambered up the wall.

Bangs and scratches echoed off the empty train cars that had been welded together, only confirming Sway’s worst fears. The Priyon knew where they were loading onto the train and wanted the direct avenue there. She looked back on the residents still evacuating, trying to carry too much. They’d only be able to hold the aliens another minute, if luck was on their side.

“Conserve ammunition, we’ll still need it for the train!” Xander flicked his gun to semi-auto, taking aim at their heads. “Only take a shot to kill, no more maiming!” He fired, blood spraying from the sensory nerve of the nearest Priyon.

The Priyon must have known they’d abandoned their post at Tranquille-Fortune, and the horde would be coming their way, inside the walls. They all took aim with care, firing when they knew they could kill, and sometimes still missing the mark.

Sojin patrolled on the streets, ushering the citizens to hurry to their salvation. Sway’s head snapped back to the oncoming mass of enemies, and she fired as a limb hooked on the edge of the wall. Eli screamed, “Watch it, Sway!”

“Sorry!” She said in a panic, shooting again as another Priyon used the deceased to jump farther up the wall.

Blood splashed over her face, and she reeled. Eyes blurry, she wiped away the salty red liquid. Hairs raised as her stomach floated inside her, and she gasped. Landing back first, she coughed as her ribs flexed. Her head swam, all sounds dampened as they sky rotated sickeningly. The helmet rolled away from her and she grasped at it desperately as she was ripped from the ground.

Sojin steadied her, gazing at her abdomen. “You’re fine, just shock.” Her eyes lingered on the right side for far too long, and Sway knew, by the nagging sensation in her lung, something was wrong.

“It’s dislocated?” She heaved.

Sojin’s ocular sockets jerked up, “Broken.”

“Fix it.” Sway demanded.

“There’s nothing I can do.”

The adrenaline kept her from doubling over, but the sharp sensation in her side let her know movement was not welcome. A scream, then silence, brought their attention back to the wall.

“River!” Reese grabbed at her, but it was too late; a sharp, taloned leg back penetrated her back. They all shot downward to the offender. One final yelp and River disappeared from sight, her body flung over the edge.

“Back up! Get down!” Xander screamed, pulling on Reese.

Tears streamed down his cheeks, “She’s not dead! She can’t be!”

“It’s time to go!” Leandra grabbed his vest, and Sway limped towards the ladder helplessly.

Xander pointed to her, “Start the truck!”

Taking a deep, agonizing breath, she jogged, holding the damaged side. Sojin swept her from the ground, ensuring she didn’t bounce as she laid Sway in the cab.

“You’re only making it worse, harder on them.” She slammed the truck door, her acidic words searing Sway’s wounded heart. “Aim down Tranquille and stay out of the way.” She turned the key and the engine ignited into putts. A look at the gauge informed Sway it was nearly empty.

The fuel can! She turned and opened the cab window to the bed, then with a single glance, remembered how the back—and the can—had been torn off.

“Sojin!” Sway shouted, needles of torment wriggling up her esophagus as if the bone had splintered into her lungs.

Sojin pointed to her eyes, then down Tranquille, and Sway jerked that way. It was sooner than she guessed, but the Priyon managed to get through their previous post and stampeded with conviction. She took aim, and shallow breaths, praying her cell would hurry.

Richard scrambled into the back, tripping on organic debris as he held the open cab window. “Sway, get us out of here!”

“I can’t.” The words gurgled, and she realized, in that moment, she couldn’t live past the day. Each shot felt like a punch to the gut as she fired on the closing enemies.
If I can just make it to the train,
she negotiated with herself,
if we can just get there, Isla can fix me.

Xander threw Reese in the bed, followed closely by Leandra, and Eli. Sojin charged at the approaching horde, her original design, her
true
nature, singing in the twilight of their last day. Speed beyond that of her enemy, and strength far surpassing, she yanked them apart at the legs, using the disoriented Priyon as weapons. Shells cracked mere meters from them, the sound sickening, and the sight even more so.

“Sojin, time to go!” Fabel shouted as he shoved Sway into the center of the cab. She cried out uncontrollably, pushing back against the seat with her M4. Sojin tossed a final enemy, dashing for the truck and holding to the passenger door.

Xander slammed on the gas, and the truck responded with a series of rough spits, then tore off down the street.

“Sway, what’s your damage?” Xander pulled her to sit upright and she yelped again.

“Broken rib, or ribs.” Her lungs could no longer fill with air, and each word was a painful stab in her chest.

Eli gripped her shoulder. “Hang in there, you’re going to make it.”

“I’m not so sure,” she laughed with difficulty, “fell off the wall trying to defend my post. That’s what I have to explain to God when I see him.”

“Suck it up, Sway!” Fabel shook her, fury in his voice.

Somehow, her pain lessened at his command. “Yes, sir, Second Lieutenant!”

The truck bumped, but she hardly felt it. A warm sensation of hope swelled inside her as she thought they just might survive. The truck was quickly approaching the train, and frightened citizens as they clambered onto it. Sway turned to glance behind. The Priyon were a few blocks back, but not slowing.

Her heart sank as the truck lurched, sputtered, then died. They were still a hundred meters from the train, which was already moving. People were throwing their belongings up onto the carts, then leaping into others, doing whatever they could to not be left behind.

They hopped from the cab, Sojin taking Sway up into her grip once again.

“What is it, what’s wrong?” Reese ran alongside them, his red eyes welling with tears now for Sway.

“Broken rib, she’s fine.” Sojin barked at him, “Get moving, help those people!”

Sway wheezed, looking over her shoulder at the mass of death no more than four hundred meters from them. “I’m sorry.” Sojin didn’t respond. Pain, greater than the one in her side, leapt into her mind as she thought of Dymtre. Had he made it to the train? Was he safe with Isla?

They passed other citizens, the train becoming louder. Looking forward, she saw they were nearly there. Vendum was at the platform with several other Mews, guiding the humans, helping those who could not help themselves.

They came to the one functional power depot in town, just a few meters off from the train tracks. “Sojin, put me down. Help them.” Sway pointed to a man wrangling two young girls and a baby, alone. She set her on the cold, cracked concrete without hesitation, and Sway knelt, aiming her M4 down the street. Eli fell beside her, taking careful aim at the Priyon between the streams of fearful humans.

Leandra joined them, her deafening .50 shaking clouds of dust from the ground. They were still out of range, but Eli and Leandra pelted back the front runners effectively.

“Hurry!” Sway shouted to the stragglers who were dropping their belongings, bolting with desperation. The screeching of the metal train wheels on the steel track rang in her ears, dousing the screams of frightened families. Dozens of Beacon members worked together to throw citizens up onto the carts, the train picking up speed.
They can outrun them
, she thought,
they’re going to make it
.

But then what? Her mind went cold as she fired a round into the aliens, dropping one as ten more took its place. They were outnumbered, possibly millions to one. She fired again, down went a Priyon. They were getting much too close. They’d hide in Vancouver for a matter of days before the swarm was on them, and the Priyon would prevail.

She took steps back, though she knew none of it mattered. The broken rib, while feeling numb from adrenaline, would likely kill her if the beasts didn’t.

“Eli, Leandra, get to the train!” Sway’s voice was rough with rawness. Leandra ditched, dragging her massive weapon with her.

“I said I wouldn’t leave you,” Eli snapped another Priyon down, the horde seeming meters away.

She ripped him from the ground despite the screaming pain in her chest, “I’m going too, let’s move!”

“But the others!” He looked back as she forced him to run to the train. Desperate shouts of the slower citizens were muffled by sparks and the splashes of blood.

“They’re fucked, Eli! Go!” Her heart ached. What if it was Dymtre back there?

There were still so many at the tracks. Unable to run and catch the train, they depended on the robots to toss them up onto it. The last of the day’s light had all but faded, leaving a deep blue sky above them and orange outlined clouds. Sway inhaled, as deep as she could, smelling the pine, the smoke of the wood stoking train engines, the blood.

Turning on her heel, she took careful aim at the power station to the right and unloaded on it, shooting down the transformers. Sparks erupted at the station, and explosions rocketed toward the street. Strips of lightning hopped from body to body, setting fires as they went. Humans and Priyon alike stumbled, engulfed in flames. The shockwave pushed them back, and maybe, just maybe, bought the remaining citizens enough time.

Her nerves unraveled as she limped to the back of the line with Eli, Fabel, and Richard, their guns trained down the street. The smoke made it impossible to see, and they coughed. The houses on the left side of Singh caught fire, and it spread wildly.

“They’re burning!” Leandra cried, her finger limply pointing to the people they’d once called family, neighbor, friend.

Vendum grabbed Eil’s shoulder. “It’s time to start running.”

The Priyon cleared the smoke, stumbling and disoriented, but advancing still. They looked to each other, then to the crowd of twenty still waiting for assistance at the side of the speeding train. The caboose was nearing the loading platform. There was no way all of them would make it.

Xander waved to Fabel, “Get them out of here! It’s your cell now!”

“Sir!” Fabel yelled, gripping Sway under the arm.

She pulled away. “I’m too slow. Go!”

Seeing he was about to protest, Leandra grabbed Eli, yanking him towards the tracks. Sickening crunches came from behind as citizens threw themselves at the carts, falling under the wheels instead. Sway’s gaze rested on Reese as Xander pushed him west to run and board the departing salvation. Their eyes met, and he screamed.

“No! Sarah, no!” He struggled against Xander, but Vendum grabbed Reese around the waist, hauling him and the last child onto the train. For a moment, she negotiated again.
Broken ribs aren’t fatal. If I could run just fast enough to catch the end, I could still…

She whirled back towards the street, firing on anything, everything. It was too late, no point in hoping. The last train car passed, and the remaining civilians cried out in fear. Taking steps back, each shot became wilder and bullets ricocheted off the hard protective casing of their enemy.

Click, click, click.
Her trusty M4 was empty. Dropping the useless weapon to the ground, she pulled her sidearm from its holster. The wall of aliens was silhouetted by fire, an orange tidal wave about to crash over them.
Bang!
One Priyon dead. She would make them pay for every life they took.
Bang!
Another down. She would be the final wrath of Kamloops.

Xander stood beside her, his sidearm drawn, and they backed into a half circle around the last humans. Sojin sprung from behind, laying waste to the enemies at their front. They were coming down Halston too, from the east. Xander and Sway didn’t waste a shot, though it was futile.

Her cell leader shouted over the commotion, “You’ve still got balls, Sway!” He took several more steps back, their fate closing in around them.

“They’re going to make it. It’s not all lost. Just us.”

Time stopped.

She felt as though she understood everything, and nothing, all at once. The Priyon had never wanted peace. They didn’t agree to a cease-fire to protect themselves; they did it to rebuild.

It took infants years to mature and break through their shells. Apparently, eighty years. That was what they needed to overcome what was left of Humanity. There probably was no
darkness
, no unstoppable force attracted to technology. How stupid. How could she have been so stupid? Eli was right. She was too trusting.

Then, everything happened so fast.

The first hit felt like running headlong into a brick wall, the second, like being crushed by that wall. Sway stumbled, turning and tumbling as she was knocked to the ground. The pain in her ribs was a distant, pleasant memory in comparison to the exquisite agony brought by a Priyon leg piercing her gut, then her shoulder.