Harbinger

by Ken Lozito

  Connor brought up the recon drone video feed, and it showed that the area they’d been in was now a smoking ruin. Samson had one of their soldiers go back and confirm that the way back was blocked off. They weren’t going to get out that way.

  “Any idea what this place is?” Samson asked.

  Connor glanced over the edge of the landing they were walking on and could hear the sounds of water not far away. The tunnel they were in had a rocky bottom, but it had been built by someone.

  “It’s gotta be a sewer system,” Dash said. “I’ve seen something similar in the Ovarrow capital cities. We should be able to take this all the way inside. The walls are reinforced, but I don’t think we want to stay here very long.”

  Samson raised his eyebrows and glanced at Connor.

  “He’s right,” Connor said. “The Ovarrow built their cities by major waterways.”

  Samson looked at Dash. “So, anything else we should know? How bad is this place going to smell?”

  “I have no idea,” Dash replied. “The running water provides a natural filtration system, so hopefully it won’t be too bad. The ones I saw had been abandoned for hundreds of years.”

  They made their way deeper into the sewer system along drainage pipes that were emptying into the area from the ceiling above. The bombardment had faded to a dull thud but was a constant reminder of the battle being fought above them.

  The waterway became deeper the closer they got to the city, and the sounds of a waterfall were almost constant. They found doorways that had been blown open, so they knew they weren’t the first to have come down there. They carefully scanned the area, looking for sensors that could detect their presence, but there weren’t any. Given the way the Krake were conducting their war games, Connor didn’t believe for a second that this was an oversight. They must have some other way to secure this entry into the city.

  The drainage pipes that connected to the main waterway were about a meter and a half across, and Connor didn’t relish the thought of trying to climb through one of those to reach the surface. They were dark and curved away from view. Anything could be living in there.

  The soldiers ahead of him came to a stop, and Connor peered into the distance. The walkway they were on split as they reached a major filtration system where dark shadows scurried amidst the water. They looked like the glistening bodies of wet otters a meter long, and they were clamoring to climb out of the waterway. Some of them came from multiple drainage pipes, as if a clog of them had been shoved out. Dozens of dead otter-like creatures floated by. Their bloated bodies were still, their snouts frozen in agony.

  Connor wanted to know what the otters were running from, but typically in nature, if rodents were running from something, it meant there was danger nearby. They reached the area where the walkway split and saw that the otters kept trying to climb up the waterfall, each using the one ahead of it to climb above. It was a savage display of determination to live. Teeth and claws were tearing into one another. Hundreds of screeches and growls pierced the sounds of the waterfalls. Beyond the water treatment center was a giant pumping station. All the waterways were filled with the scrambling otters.

  Connor looked at Cerot. “What are they doing?”

  “It looks like an infestation. Small numbers are used for maintaining the sewage system, clearing away debris and blockages,” Cerot replied.

  Across the pumping station, there were several levels above that looked clear of the rodents. Suddenly, a loud roar overwhelmed all other sounds and sent the otters into a frenzy. The soldiers at the rear began firing their weapons. The otters were storming the walkway they were on. Something large bumped into Connor’s leg, and the otter flailed as Connor kicked it off over the side and into the water below.

  They raced ahead, and the combat suit heavies brought up the rear, decimating the oversized otters attempting to race toward them. The heavy gauss cannons chewed away the walkway, and the otters began spilling down into the water below. But still, they came. Enough of the dead piled up to form a grisly bridge.

  Several more loud roars came from the watery depths below, and the otters tried to flee in waves. There was something big down there.

  Samson gestured toward the upper levels. “We can get up there,” he said.

  The Nexstar combat suits had grappling hooks, as well as suit jets. Connor looked over at Dash, and Corporal Bradley was already telling him to climb onto her back. Connor gestured for Cerot to grab hold of his combat suit, while Esteban and Felix grabbed onto the nearest soldiers with combat suits. Combat heavies provided covering fire while they raced to the edge of the walkway and engaged their combat suit jets. One by one, the CDF soldiers launched into the air, using the suit jets to give them a massive boost, and then fired their grappling hooks to the other side. The hooks bit into the walkways above, and the automatic retractors pulled them quickly upward.

  Connor felt Cerot give a double tap, indicating he was ready. Connor raced to the edge and engaged his suit jets just as a large shadow burst from the watery depths. As he launched in the air, a gargantuan mouth with savage teeth opened, chasing him. He fired his suit jets at maximum, but the teeth were closing the distance toward him. Cerot shifted, and Connor felt his ascent slow as the suit jets tried to keep him level. They slammed against the far wall, and Connor instinctively reached out to grab hold of anything to avoid falling into the mouth of death. At the same time, the creature slammed into an area beneath them. Connor’s armored fingers found purchase, and they stopped slipping. He spun around and paused, making sure Cerot still had a hold. Cerot fired his weapon at the dark beast below, and other soldiers joined him.

  Connor couldn’t get a good look at the creature. The way above was blocked, and he scrambled to the side. He jabbed his fingers into the rocky wall, and small bits of rock fell. The combat suit assisted his movements, and Connor was able to move faster, almost scrambling around the outcropping as the giant beast below made ready for another lunge. He saw movement above him and realized it was Dash hanging off the back of Bradley’s combat suit. There were bright flashes as the CDF soldiers unleashed the fury of their weapons at the monsters below.

  Connor reached for a ledge and managed to pull himself up a little bit before it started to break away. He scrambled over to another handhold and dangled, his feet unable to find purchase. He heard Cerot growling as he tried to hang on for dear life.

  “General Gates,” Corporal Bradley shouted, “we’re dropping you a line. Take it and we’ll haul you up.”

  Connor glanced over to the side and saw a synthetic line with a stubby end drop next to him. He reached with one hand to grab hold of it and the magnetic end attached to his suit. He let go of the wall and was quickly pulled up. Once he reached the top, they helped Cerot off Connor’s back, and then Connor pulled himself up the rest of the way over the edge. There was a small group of them. Connor took a few moments to catch his breath.

  “Is everyone all right?” Connor asked.

  Dash nodded, and Bradley said she was all right. Private Marsters was peering over the edge of their shallow outcropping.

  “There’s no one else down there,” Marsters said.

  They had been separated from the main group. Connor opened the comlink to Samson. “What's your status?”

  Most of the 7th had made it across, but they were still rescuing a few stragglers.

  “What's your position? I’ll send a team to get you,” Samson said.

  “Negative. We're down from your position, and I see a way for us to get out. We’ll meet up topside,” Connor said.

  Samson began to protest, but several more roars rocked the cavern, rising above the pitch of the waterfall.

  “You have your orders, Captain. Gates out.”

  Connor closed the comlink and went to the edge of the outcropping, looking up. There appeared to be a maintenance shaft not far above their position. If they could make it up there, they might be able to get away.

  “General, thos
e things aren’t dead,” Marsters said, looking over the edge they'd just climbed up from.

  Connor went over to Marsters, and the others joined him. Down below, three of the large monsters were scaling the walls.

  “Corporal, there's a maintenance shaft above us. Take Dash and go there. We’ll be right behind you,” Connor said. Dash hesitated for a moment, but Connor told him to go ahead. “We’re going to stall them.”

  Connor went to the edge and Cerot stood next to him. Connor looked at Marsters. “Change your ammunition type to incendiary and check your fire so the weapon doesn’t overheat.”

  The AR-71 utilized a nanorobotic ammunition source that was capable of becoming various types of armaments. The monsters' hides had to be thick, and the best thing to penetrate that besides firepower was firepower that was extremely hot. They leaned over the edge and fired their weapons. Incendiary darts glowed red as they streaked down into the faces of the monsters. Cerot show a particle beam from his Ovarrow weapon, and one of the monsters screeched in pain. Connor aimed for its clawed hands as it tried to lurch upward. As the monster got closer, he saw that its face was speckled with dark liquid. They were shooting the thing up, but it wouldn’t stop. Its eyes were almost black, and like a shark that had caught the smell of blood, it was beyond anything even resembling reason.

  They backed away from the edge as the creature closed in on them. Connor glanced behind them and saw that there was synthetic rope hanging. He ordered Marsters to get up the rope. Cerot kept firing his weapon, keeping his focus as a giant clawed hand reached over the edge. The Ovarrow weapon wasn’t strong enough to do much more than surface damage. Connor told Cerot to get back and launched a grenade.

  The grenade blew chunks of the creature’s flesh away and it wailed in pain. Connor gestured for Cerot to climb onto his back. Connor secured his weapon and ran for the edge just as a rescue line reappeared. As he grabbed hold of it, his momentum carried him away from the edge. He used his suit jets to angle him away from the enraged creature. Engaging the main thrusters below his feet, he surged upward with Cerot. Corporal Bradley retracted the line and brought them up out of the reach of the creatures.

  They went into the maintenance shaft and ran. He wasn’t sure how big that monster was, but the maintenance shaft wasn’t exactly a tight squeeze. If it was determined enough, it could probably follow them.

  The shaft angled upward, and they kept running. Cerot moved to climb off his back, but Connor told him to stay put. As they turned up the speed, he heard the loud roars of the creature entering the shaft. The thing wasn’t going to give up. They had to get out of there.

  They reached the surface and emerged into a shell of a building from which they could see the gray skies overhead. They were in the city, so at least they wouldn’t have to worry about a bombardment. They walked to the edge of the building, and Connor looked down an empty street. Cerot climbed off and walked. Dash did the same. The MPS had kept him safe. Bradley and Marsters were on either side of him.

  As Connor took a few steps out into the street, a small ship flew overhead. It was extremely quiet and came to a complete stop right above them. They tried to run back into the building, but the ship quickly sank down and thick, dark cords sped toward them, impossibly fast. The cords wrapped around their waists and yanked all five of them up into the air. Connor tried to force his way free, but he couldn’t. The thick cord had one of his arms pinned, and he couldn’t even draw his weapon. He heard the others shouting as they sped toward a larger ship. They were going so fast that Connor thought they were going to collide with the hull, but at the last second, a door opened and they were pulled inside.

  19

  Connor’s teeth rattled as he was pulled through the darkness. He slammed into the walls and flailed, trying to break free. He thought he heard someone else screaming, but his senses were jumbled with each bone-jarring slam into the walls of the tunnel. Then he was free-falling for a few moments until he hit solid ground. Between the combat suit and the MPS he wore, he was protected from the impact, but he was still disoriented.

  Connor pushed himself to his feet, and the glowing lights of his suit pierced the darkness. Dash called out for him, and Connor answered but couldn’t see him. He sounded as if he was speaking through a wall. Looking around, he saw that he was in a dark cell. A large shape detached itself from the wall, and Connor raised his weapon, but when the helmet’s night vision adjusted he saw Cerot and lowered his weapon.

  Cerot held up one hand as his other hand clutched the broken shaft of his weapon. He took a step and clutched at his side. Pieces of his armor had broken off.

  “We’re in some kind of a cell. Can anyone see a way out?” Connor asked.

  “Same here, sir. They dumped us in a box,” Bradley replied.

  “We still have our weapons. Can’t we just use them to get out of here?” Dash asked.

  Connor was thinking the same thing, but he frowned. “I’m cut off from the others. I've got no comlink signal or anything that would reach to the reconnaissance drones. Bradley, Marsters, are you experiencing the same thing?”

  “I’m cut off too, sir,” Bradley confirmed, and Marsters did the same.

  Connor glanced up and saw that there was light coming in from the outside. “There’s a window above me. I’m going to climb up and see if I can get a look outside.”

  “There are no windows in here,” Dash replied.

  Cerot tried to get up and Connor told him to stay where he was. He walked over to the wall. It was smooth but looked as if it was made of some kind of metallic alloy. Engaging the magnetic sensors on the palms of his hands, his knees, and the tips of his feet, he climbed up the wall to the window, which wasn’t a far climb and required minimal effort on his part since the suit did most of the work. He reached the top and peered out the small, round window. It was open to the outside, but there was a faint bluish force field that separated them from the outside. Connor couldn’t reach it. It must’ve been some kind of gas that was keeping the atmosphere sealed in the ship.

  The ship banked to the side, and Connor caught a glimpse of the ground below. They were being taken away from the city toward the Krake military compound. He’d wanted to infiltrate the compound, but he hadn't wanted to be a prisoner when it happened.

  “What do you see?” Dash asked.

  Connor climbed back down. “They’re taking us to the compound.”

  “General,” Bradley said, “I’m not detecting any other life signs. We’re the only ones in here.”

  Connor frowned and saw that Bradley had deployed a personal recon drone, which was smaller and was able to leave the area they were in.

  “We might’ve triggered some kind of automated escaped-prisoner retrieval protocol once we got inside the city,” Connor said.

  “What about the others? Won’t they be captured as well?” Dash asked.

  “There’s no way for us to know, but they’re not on this ship, so we’ll just take this one step at a time,” Connor said.

  They checked their supplies. Marsters and Dash had dropped their weapons, so Connor and Bradley were the only ones still armed, which wasn’t optimal. Connor opened the panel on the side of his combat suit and activated a personal recon drone. Flying toward the window, it approached the force field slowly. The recon drone was able to fly through the force field and get outside it, at which time Connor lost his connection to it. The video feeds cut off, and he cursed. He climbed up to see if it was just hovering along outside the force field, but it wasn’t.

  He dropped to the floor and helped Cerot with his wounds. They were trapped. He couldn’t risk using explosives because of the close quarters they were in.

  “How can we get out of here?” Dash asked.

  Connor slammed his fist against the bulkhead wall. It was solid, and hardly a blemish showed from the force he’d used. “We’re not getting out of here,” he said.

  “There has to be a way. We can’t be trapped in here,” Dash said.


  Connor heard Bradley trying to calm Dash down, but his voice was rising in fear.

  “Dash,” Connor said in a firm voice, “no one is giving up. Any second now, the ship is going to land. Even if I could blow a hole in the bulkhead, we'd have to jump out. We might survive, but Cerot definitely wouldn't. We’ll make our escape attempt when the ship lands. I doubt they intend to keep us in here. I need you to calm down and listen to Corporal Bradley. She’ll keep you safe.”

  “All right, all right,” Dash said. “And for the record, telling somebody to calm down doesn’t make them calm down.”

  “Understood,” Connor said. “Did anyone get a look at the ship as we were getting pulled up into it? I couldn’t get a good look.”

  “Negative, General. It happened too fast,” Bradley said.

  Marsters echoed the same.

  Connor peered at the ground and saw that it was smooth, with no seams, even along the wall. How were the Krake going to get them out of there? He began putting together a plan in his mind but had to do a lot more guessing than he would’ve liked. There were no two ways about it. They'd been captured.

  “We need to keep our heads. We're going to get out of this,” Connor said. Now all he needed to do was come up with a way for them to do just that. He thought about his personal recon drone and shook his head. He should’ve uploaded a message and set a secondary protocol to search for Samson and let him know they were alive. Once it was cut off from Connor’s suit, it would just fly around uselessly until it acquired a signal. If it never reacquired a signal, it would just go into standby and be otherwise useless.

  “Is your recon drone still active?” Connor asked.

  “Yes, sir, it’s still flying through the air ducts,” Bradley answered.

  Connor nodded. “Good. Let me know if it finds anything.”