Ramos was shocked to hear him talk in such plain and brutal terms, especially to a young civilian, but it was the truth. She looked to her brother for help, but she found none. He was right behind the Master Sergeant.
"Lee? You’re up for this?"
"I saw what those things did to people in town and out here. Damn right I am."
She looked to Kelly as her last bastion of hope and could see she was going to find no support there.
"Has everyone gone crazy, can you not see how crazy this is?"
"It's not us that are crazy. It's them. Whoever it is that came here, Sis."
"Whoever these people are, they came to our homes and killed our friends. I say we give something back," added Burns.
"This thing you were fighting, a Mastiff, we've only seen them by night," said Ramos.
"Yes, that hasn't changed. If it's still around, it must have taken refuge nearby. Those things hate light. I let off a flashbang, and it went ape shit crazy. Look, I know none of you want to face these things. It stinks, all of it. But they have come after us, and they won't stop coming. I want to know what this monster has to say for itself before I end it for good."
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's hunt this asshole," replied Ramos.
There was a cheer of support, and even Emma felt roused by it. They were unified in their purpose, and for once going forward rather than running away.
"Emma, you up for this?" Kelly asked.
She looked to her brother. Despite thinking he was a little quirky and obsessed with his pursuits; she always valued his opinion. The fact he had been right to pursue his survivalist hobbies cemented her belief in what he had to say.
"We’ve a chance to take something back. Maybe get some real insight in to what is happening here. I'm sick of running. It's time we fought back."
"Then I'm in."
"Are you up for this?" Burns asked Ross, concerned for his health.
"I took on these assholes in a far worse state. A few hours’ sleep can work wonders. But this thing we’re going after, it's not like the robots we've been dealing with."
"Trust me, I know that," replied Miles.
"Same," replied Donny.
Ross and his team had encountered them before, but this was different. They were low on equipment and ammunition, and above all, morale.
"Okay, what have we got? Payne, still got any grenades?"
"Two."
"What else do we have?"
"We've got what ammo we're carrying and that's it," replied Ramos.
"This won't do at all. We’re here to fight, how can we fight without the tools and means to do so?"
Ramos agreed, but he had no answers.
"I've had enough of these assholes dictating our lives. Time to make 'em pay, let's do this."
A cheer rang out as they gathered their supplies and put out the fires. The meals they had been preparing were left where necessary. They had a new purpose now, fuelling their every thought and action. Ramos looked out across the group.
"What is it?" Kelly saw him studying them.
"Just something I didn't expect to see anytime soon."
"Oh, yeah, and what's that?"
"Hope."
Ross rushed off enthusiastically, back the way he had come in. The rest of them were taken aback by his energy and enthusiasm, but they followed like a hunting pack. His energy was spurring them on.
"Feels good to not be taking a step back, doesn't it?" Kelly asked.
Ramos agreed, but he wasn't sure this was a step forward. They went on for several hours as Ross retraced his steps. There were various markings he had left; a trail of breadcrumbs only he would know what to look for. It gave Ramos some hope that his old friend was actually still sane. The sun was once again going down when they reached a canyon Ross had told them about. He stopped at the edge and pointed down to the makeshift dummy he had erected, and the blast damage beside it.
"This is where I fought the second one. The last time I saw him he was right there. Hurt, but still moving."
There was no sign of the creature, but a trail of blood at the spot he was pointing to, and debris spread far and wide.
"You weren't kidding?" Ramos looked at the shards of steel that must have come from the beast.
"What are we really hunting here?" Lee asked.
"Something that might give us some answers," replied Donny as they noticed Dunn and Ross pick up the trail. They followed on enthusiastically. More like a lynch mob than a hunting party. The sun was low in the sky when they reached the opening to a cave where the blood trail led inside.
"No way, we aren't going in there," said Emma.
"Damn right we are, but you don't have to join me."
Ross stormed inside without any caution or consideration of the others, determined to see his mission through, and was doing so fearlessly. The whole of Ross' team followed him inside, as did Donny and Lee. Emma groaned as she let her curiosity get the better of her, but she looked back at the last moment to Kelly, concerned for her and the others.
"We'll hold here. You do what you got to do. Just don't do anything stupid, you get me?"
She rushed after the others into the cave. Ramos and several of the others activated the torches on their weapons as they went deeper into the dark cave. The blood trail was easy to follow.
"Is this thing even going to be alive when we get to the end of this trail?" Lee asked.
They continued on until the cave opened up a little. The basin was flooded, hiding the trail they had been following, and there was as fork ahead. They were already roughly divided evenly as they approached, and Ross gestured for them to split up and follow both paths. Ramos didn't like it, but he didn't question it either.
Ross took the left spur, with Ortiz, Lee, Donny, and Emma. Lee led the way, but Ross stuck close by his side. They were going back up towards the surface, and the water level was lowering.
"That's it," said Ortiz as he spotted the blood ahead.
He and Ross rushed onwards, but as they neared a bend ahead the cave opened up once again, and something struck Ortiz. He was thrown back against the far side wall of the cave, landing hard and unconscious. His rifle had landed by his side. Lee’s torch faced towards the hulking enemy soldier standing before Ross, a Mastiff.
"That's right, you recognise me, don't you, you son of a bitch?" Ross asked.
"You cannot win this fight. Your world is ours."
World?
It seemingly confirmed all the suspicions they had, but he had larger things to worry about. He lifted his rifle and fired a burst, but it was knocked him his hands before he'd got three shots off. The Mastiff swung for him. Whatever weapons it had, it either didn't want to use or couldn't. He ducked under the mighty swing and drew out his knife, but the Mastiff kicked at him. He was launched back and crashed into the wall, dropping down beside Ortiz. He got back to his feet as Payne appeared from nowhere and took aim with his Milkor.
"Wait!" Ross yelled.
It was too late.
"Eat this!"
Payne pulled the trigger. The shell landed at the feet of the creature as Ross ducked down to cover his unconscious friend. The cave lit up with fire, and the shock of the blast threw him back against the wall. Rocks fell into the cave, and a dust cloud burst out over them, but it soon began to settle. Payne was still standing and had a huge grin on his face, despite the fact he was covered in rock dust.
"Are you crazy? You could have brought the whole thing down on our heads?" Donny asked.
"You're welcome," he replied without any sympathy.
Ross picked up Ortiz's rifle and went forward to the body of the Mastiff. To his amazement it was still alive, but one of its legs was blown off, and the other buried in rock. It appeared incapacitated. Ramos and the others rushed to the scene a few seconds later, gathering around the wounded and trapped creature.
"You really just fired that cannon in here?"
"Yes he did," replied Lee in disbelief.
>
The others were too busy look at the wounded soldier. It thrashed about for a moment as it tried to escape, but finally went still and glared back at them.
"So what now?"
"It’s time we found out what these assholes are, and what they really want."
"Damn right, it's time we stop being hunted, and start being the hunters," replied Ramos.
Ross looked back to the stricken creature with a triumphant smile.
"Time for you to start talking."
PART 2
Prologue
A powerful and technologically advanced enemy has struck the United States of America. How widespread the attacks are is an unknown. The town of Wood Point and the few soldiers in the area are cut off.
Who are they? Where did they come from? What do they want? These are the questions on everyone’s mind, when they are not fighting to survive. Master Sergeant Jack Ross and his elite team, Max Ramos, Jesse Dunn, Jose Ortiz, and Payne, have led their ragtag group of civilians to their first victory. But it came at the price of one of Ross’ closest friends, Bobby Olsen. The rescue of prisoners from enemy facilities gave them all a newfound sense of hope. Hope for their country, and their survival. Civilians were quickly turned into soldiers to fight a guerrilla war on their home soil.
But the enemy’s retaliation was swift. The survivors’ camp was struck with overwhelming force, scattering all who were not killed or captured. Ross was alone and hunted by one of the larger enemy soldiers, what they had come to call Mastiffs; they came at night, but were twice the size of the more common soldiers. Ross barely survived the hunt, but soon turned the tables on his pursuer.
Beyond survival, it is answers that everyone seeks. The chance of capturing one of these soldiers alive could make all the difference. Knowledge and information are power, and Ross and his group are dearly lacking. The hunted became the hunter as Ross and others chased the wounded soldier and captured it alive. The survivors of Wood Point are barely hanging onto their lives and their sanity. But their willpower to fight has not been broken yet. The captured Mastiff might provide some insight into the horrors they are facing. Horrors that are not in some distant land, but at home in their very own country.
Chapter 1
“Watch and observe, report back, that’s what we’re here to do,” insisted Ramos as they watched a convoy of enemy vehicles rise up over a ridge ahead of them. The group was well concealed. Donny was kneeling beside Ramos, who was leading their operation. He didn't look happy as he studied the enemy.
“We’ve got a chance here. Look at this. We’re perfectly placed to hit them.”
Ramos grimaced and shook his head as if he’d been through this several times before. He opened his mouth to speak but couldn’t get a word in, as Donny went on in an animated fashion.
“They’re coming for us eventually, do you want to fight them on their terms, or ours? We have a chance here to do some good. Hell, we might even get another prisoner, maybe learn something new.”
Ramos gestured up to the sky. It was grey and bleak, but they were well lit, being almost noon.
“Ain’t gonna be nothing in there but the drones we always fight.”
“We’ve seen officers among them.”
Ramos sighed. “We aren’t here to fight. We aren’t looking for trouble, you hear? We observe, and we learn. We start firing, and we could raise all kinds of hell. That is trouble none of us need right now.”
Donny wasn't happy with that answer at all.
"These assholes could just as well be looking for us. We could take them down now!"
"And they could be fishing for us, too, you get that, right? They could have air support minutes away, ready to rain down hell on us..."
"But..."
"Guys, guys!"
They were both silenced as they noticed Lee studying the enemy through his binoculars. He'd clearly spotted something they had not. The convoy was closer now and the trucks a little more side on so they could see more than just the cabs. The largest of the vehicles had a mesh-like cage on the rear.
"What is that?" Donny asked.
"It's...people," said Lee.
"What?" Ramos ripped the binoculars from the younger man's hands and looked for himself.
"There’s got to be more than a dozen people in there." He passed them to Donny, as if he'd forgotten their dispute altogether.
"Recognise anyone?"
"Sure, they're from Wood Point, at least some of 'em. And...that's Sheriff Willis."
"Yeah, we met him when we came into town."
"How is he even still alive?"
"What d'you mean?" Donny asked.
"When our school was attacked, the deputies tried to fight back. They were shot up pretty bad," replied Lee.
"Maybe he didn't put up a fight?" Miles had been sitting behind them and listening in.
"No, he looks pretty beat up, and his arm is in a sling. Looks like he went through hell," replied Donny.
"That's his problem," replied Miles.
"Come on," replied Donny angrily.
"What?"
"None of us would be here if it weren't for each other."
"Bullshit, I was doing fine till you lot showed up."
"Really?"
"Yeah, really,"
"Enough!" Ramos shouted.
They were silenced, but there was a puzzled expression on his face, as if he were trying to figure out the next course of action.
"We have to do something now."
"Come on, Donny, you wanted to hit them, this is just an excuse. I say we keep ourselves out of trouble. We're here to look after ourselves. We aren't looking for trouble," said Miles.
"Because it's the right thing, and hell we need the support. We're half our number since the attack. We need them as much as they need us."
"And if they're hopeless and useless? If they’re in that cage because they can't fight for shit? Do we want those kinds of hangers-on?"
"Everyone deserves a chance to fight back," replied Lee.
"Really? Maybe if the people in this stupid town had been prepared for trouble, we'd never have got into this mess?"
"That's not fair, and you know it. You had a well armed bunker, and you still got your ass handed to you," replied Donny.
"And yet here I am. Still living and breathing, and not in a cage."
"But you didn't do it alone, did you?" Ramos added.
"What do you want to do?" Lee asked.
"I don't want to do anything, but neither will I leave those people to their fate."
"Why not?"
"Because, Miles, I'd like to think if the day comes that it's us in there, that someone with the ability to help us won't just stand by and watch."
"People got to look after themselves," snarled Miles.
"No man is an island."
"Really, Lee? You learnt that shit in school?"
"Yeah, and plenty of other things."
"Things that'll help you fight and survive out here?"
"Enough!"
Miles looked angry, but Ramos had heard enough.
"I'm not hearing any more of your crap. Lee is right. No man is an island. You can’t fight and survive out here alone. We need help, and those people do, too. We're hitting this convoy, and we're getting our people out."
"Our people?"
"Americans."
Miles rolled his eyes.
"We've got plenty enough to divide us, I get that. But none of that matters anymore. We’re in this fight together. Against whoever or whatever they are. They are the enemy, and they want this country. Hell, maybe they just want us, for whatever nefarious plans they have. I won't stand for it, and I know whoever is in that vehicle won't either, not given half a chance. We've come close to being where they are. So stop judging what you know nothing about."
"Guys, whatever we're gonna do, it better be fast." Lee looked back at the approaching convoy.
Ramos sprang into action, giving hand signals to Payne and Dunn that were
a little further along the road. He wished they had time to cross to the far side of the road, but they had no such luxury as the convoy closed on them. He took another look through the binoculars. Two light vehicles were at the head of the column. A larger heavily armoured vehicle with a turret behind them, then the prisoner truck behind that. A light truck brought up the rear.
"You sure you want to do this, it’s not a few guys we're talking about? What have we got? Eight of us?" Miles asked.
"We've got the element of surprise." He gestured towards Payne. It was clear to them all what he was asking for. Payne's grenade launcher was still the most powerful weapon they had between them, but ammunition for it was also drying up, a concern that had deeply influenced Ramos in not wanting to look for a fight.
"All right, you all know what you have to do. But there are civilians down there, so watch your fire. I want to come out of this thing with more than we went in, you hear?"
Miles still looked angry, but he didn't argue any further as they spread out, readying for the fight that was to come. Lee was checking his weapon and his ammunition over and over when his brother put his hand on his shoulder.
"You're good."
Lee nodded.
"I don't think I'm ever gonna get used to this."
"I hear you," he nodded.
"Do you think this is the best idea?"
"If we can't free a dozen of the townspeople, what hope is there for any of us?"
"We don't need them. We can survive out there. Go further into the wild. We can make it on our own," replied Miles.
He'd moved off to their right flank, and yet was still listening in.
"I didn't sign up to fight for myself, but for my country," replied Donny.
"Sure you did, but I didn't, and neither did you." He looked to Lee.
"But you swore a pledge of allegiance, didn't you?"
"Bullshit, Lee. We were forced to say that crap as kids. It don't mean nothing. That's just the government indoctrinating you so that you follow like good little sheep."
Donny sighed as he shook his head.
"Jesus, not this crap again."
"You might not like hearing it, but it's true."
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