Chapter 118

The ghouls are overpowering the others. I need to take action fast.

Patel was down. The others were holding their own.

The ghoul is on top of him, tearing into his shield. This gives me an opportunity as it is entirely focused on him. Running the short distance, which was a few steps, the ghoul never saw me coming.

The impact of my axe head sent a shock up my arm from my hand. The skull collapsed, with gore and brain matter splattering about. The body fell forward, pinning Patel under it.

I could not stop and moved to the next, fighting Holden. This one saw me coming, punching her shield and knocking her down. It turned to face me. Colliding with it as I was moving fast, using my shield as a battering ram.

The impact knocked the ghoul over as I hit it as it turned. The shock caused pain to flare in my shoulder. I gritted my teeth and pushed on—my axe hacking at the ghoul.

The blade cut into its arms as it sought to protect its head. Black blood oozed from wounds and flew as I pulled back to strike again. The ghoul struggled to get back up, but I did not allow it.

My fury was rising and I focused it into my attacks. Again and again, I struck, ignoring my protesting body. The ghoul's arms broke under the assault, allowing me to get through to its head. The front of the skull was smashed by my axe blade, ending the ghoul’s threat.

Holden was back on her feet by then but was not able to help.

“Help Davids!”

We moved to help in taking down the last ghoul. Davids was holding his own for the moment but was being worn done. We attacked together and the ghoul could not stop all three of us.

The attacks by Holden and I distracted the ghoul enough that Davids found an opening, driving his sword through its skull. The ghoul collapsed to the ground, withdrawing his sword as it fell.

“Holden, check Patel. Davids, let's go after the other two.”

We split as they knew now was the time for action. Davids and I turned and went after the two who had passed us. We found the support team engaged with the ghouls. Hills was helping as much as she could, dragging back a wounded soldier. One body was lying unmoving on the ground.

We attack each from behind. The fight was savage but brief, as the ghouls were not ready for an assault from their rears. They fell in quick order to our weapons.

Now we had to count the cost.

“Patterson, check everyone over. Davids, Holden, we will form a new perimeter.”

My orders we quickly followed as the wounded we treated. Looking around the empty stadium, the feeling of being watched only increased. The woman was coming. I knew this.

The brief pause in the fighting we were enduring allowed me to take stock. My body was aching from countless places. My knees, arms and back are throbbing, pulsing with my heartbeat. I would be bruised all over when I got out of my armour. I will need a week in a shower to even begin to feel clean.

The chill conflicted with the heat I was producing from all the exertion. I was sweating, but my body was shivering from the cold that was sitting in my body. Depression dragged on my mind, slowing my reaction time and greying my vision.

I was exhausted. My body and mind were near their limits and the others were probably at theirs. Thankfully we were at the end and it will soon be over. Then we all could heal and rest.

Patterson had finished with his duties and was walking over to me. He looked at me, but I nodded for him to begin.

“One dead, three wounded amongst the support team. Operative Patel has also been wounded.” We look at the wounded. Patel’s right arm was mauled and the armour was torn up. The medic was removing the armour to the best of their ability to treat him. He was sitting leaning against the device's trolly wheel.

“Shit.”

“The only good news is we are only half a football pitch from the breach and finishing the mission.”

“True. Let’s finish this.”

We walked to the group and finished treating the wounded.

We gathered everyone and due to the injuries, we nearly all had to help to push the sealing device the last few meters. Davids in the rear with Holden and another soldier moving debris as we advanced the device. I helped push the machine. Just as we reached the edge of the bubble, I heard a scream from the other side.

“Contact!”

I abandoned my position and ran around the device. Finding a confused fight. A twisted ghoul had pushed through the team member and attacking the device. The team members were hacking it down as I ran to help. It was ignoring everyone and was focused on the device only.

It had tentacles, but the claws were what I was scared of. They were the same as the armoured nightmares I had faced in Rome. The tentacles were trying to block the attacks, but they quickly overwhelmed it as it was focused on the device. It fell back dead from the machine, but there was damage to it for all to see.

The sealing device team swarmed the machine inspecting the damage. They were trying to find out if we had been fucked at the end. The medics went back to checking the wounded.

“Form and new perimeter. What happened?”

Davids and Holden spread out. Emotions swirled within me at this turn of events. Anger, frustration and fear warred within my chest and mind. The grave chill was adding and complicating the mix.

We could not fail! Not here, not now, right at the end.

This cannot be it! Time passed slowly as we waited. Tension was thick among us, waiting for the results of the inspection.

Sargent Patterson and the head of the device team approached me. Looking at them, it was time to find out if we had failed at the final hurdle. They were using chemical light sticks as the stadium was darkening fast as the weakening sunlight was disappearing. They were prodding the device and muttering as they inspected the damage.

“Well?”

“The ghoul was hidden in part of a collapsed tent. We did not see it until we were right on top of it.”

Patterson then looked to the other man to speak.

“The device has been damaged. The outer armour section protected the internal systems. It looks worse than it is.”

“So, we are still able to finish this mission.”

Hope burned bright in my chest that we could finish this.

“We have a problem.”

Those four words hit me like a bucket of cold water. Guttering the hope that was there wholly and utterly.

“What is it?”

My tone was one of weariness and resignation. I was not surprised by this situation. It was never easy.

“The mechanical timer has been damaged. As far as we can tell, the sealing device is functional but cannot be set to trigger.”

We fell silent at this. So, I had to make the decision.

“We scrub and evacuate as we cannot trigger the device.”

“Looks that way.” Agreed Patterson.

“Well….” The technician began.

“Well. What?”

I asked, looking at the technician. What was he not telling us?

“The mechanical timer and trigger are damaged.”

“Yes, you said that.”

“Well….When we checked the machine, we noted that the manual trigger is still functional as far as the inspection can tell.”

“Manual trigger? What the hell that has never been used before.” I was getting worried.

The technician squirmed under our stares.

“As a backup, a manual trigger is installed away from the mechanical one. If the device is damaged, it will allow a volunteer to activate it once charged. It was all in the briefing before we left.”

We were silent as what was going to happen became clear. I had to ask some follow-up questions to make sure.

“So, when charged, the device will activate with the manual trigger is used.”

“Yes, as far as we can tell, the device will charge and trigger.”

“Someone will need to trigger it by hand.”

“A button will need to be pressed when charged.”

“Ok, this is what we will do. Call Davids over first.”

Patterson turned and waved at Davids for him to come to join us. He had been watching us more than the perimeter. I was not surprised by this. He came over at a trot.

I had decided on what needed to be done. I hated it but knew I would have to do it. The feeling of being watched was still present and I felt she would make an appearance.

“Davids, this is the situation. As far as the technicians can tell, the mechanical trigger is damaged, but the device is still operational. It turns out that there is a manual trigger that can be used when it is charged.”

His face contorted through different emotions as the situation was explained to him. He was going to ask many questions, but I cut him off.

“This is what we are going to do. We are moving the machine into position and getting it charging. Davids, you will fire the flare to let command know we are here. Patterson will get everyone together and move out of the stadium. I will wait for the machine to charge and trigger it.”

The other three men fell silent, understanding what I was telling them.

“Are you sure?” Davids ask.

“No. But this is what needs to be done.”

They went quiet again, accepting the fact of our situation.

“Okay, let’s do this.”

We split up and began to get organised. I knew that I was going to have a hard conversation with Hills. Walking over to her, I led her aside.

“We are moving the device into the bubble as it charges.”

“That’s good. I thought the device was too damaged to be used.”

“The timer has been damaged. It turns out the device has a manual trigger that can be used when it is charged.”

“Right, that means we can…… Who is triggering it?”

“Me. The rest of you are pulling out while it is charging.”

“What! You cannot remain here alone! We don’t know what happens if you are here when it triggers around a breach.” She was getting agitated.

“Hills! Focus! This needs to happen.”

Her face went through emotions rapidly. I could not even try to identify any of them, so I waited until she was ready to start speaking again.

“Why you?” She asked quietly.

That surprised me. I did not expect the question she asked or the way she asked it. There was something more to it, but I did not know what. The look she was giving me was a demand for an answer.

“The odds for success are best with me.” Looking her direct in the eye when I told her. “Out of all the unwounded operatives, I am in the best condition. I also have the most experience.”

I did not tell her that I was terrified as I was the only person who knew what was out there. The feeling of being watched was getting stronger. Chills not from the grave chill increasingly travel up and down my spine.

“We need to get things moving.”

“We need to talk….”

“No, we don’t! I need you to follow orders!” Time was against us and I needed to get this done.

She looked like she had been slapped. It was not a polite or kind thing to do, but I did not have an argument with her. Not here and not now. She turned and stormed back to the rest of the team, who were gathering to leave, walking over to the device I needed to speak to the technicians about how to trigger once it was charged. The device was positioned outside the bubble.

“Start the charging process.” The lead technician was instructing his team. A whine started from the machine.

“Looks good.” Came a voice from the other side.

“We are stable.” Another said.

“I need to know how to do this.”

The technicians all turned and looked at me. They were giving me a mixture of looks.

“Well?”

“If you step over here, I will show you what you must do.” The lead technician spoke.

Walking a few steps forward, we were standing next to the device. He turned and indicated to the ruined box protruding from the device. Claw marks were the means of the damage.

“The timer was located here. The trigger is fine. This button here is the manual trigger.” He points to a small section that had been opened. It had revealed a big red push button.

“This gauge is how you tell how long you have until it is charged.” Pointing to an old fashion pressure gauge. Numbered from 0 to 100, a needle was slowly moving as the whine was gradually increasing.

“Once you reach the 100% mark, hit the button and the device will trigger closing the breach.”

“Nothing else?”

“No. That’s all.”

“Okay. Let’s move it into the final position.”

We moved the device the last few meters into the bubble. Exposure to the breach swept over us, making us all exceptionally more uncomfortable. We all evacuated the bubble back to the damp fog. Sargent Patterson and Davids were waiting for us.

“Ready to go?” I asked.

“Yes. We are ready.”

“Davids, fire the flare and get going. Head to the evac point. I will join you there as soon as I have triggered the device.”

Davids pulls out his gun and fires off the flare. Patterson holds out his hand and I shake it. They turn, join the rest and walk away as fast as possible, supporting the wounded.

Hills looks back briefly but continues with the group and they are lost from my sight to the fog. Checking the dial, it was approaching 10.

“Right, going to take a little time.”

Scanning the area and the stands, I could just make out. The fog was hinting at movement.