Donovan timed his shots with Anna shooting the floor around the entrance to the armory. The floor began collapsing more and more as the weight of the army of aliens cracked the damaged floor. An eater was coming towards Donovan. He could feel the things hot breath as it came on him. He flipped his revolver out and shot the the creature in the head. Brain splattered everywhere and the creature fell down the hole Vic had made. Donovan went back to expanding the hole. There were still plenty of aliens in the armory but the main army had been cut off.
Reese could hear in the hallway from the vents the chaos that had continued. He could go down the hall to where they were or he could help them. Helping them was closer and easier he just had to be quick about and not lose any of the four jars. He hugged the jars tightly no matter the pain in his arm or his chest. He began to run down the hallway. He while running he tried to keep his breath all the same. But it was hard every now and then he would miss a breath. Or maybe it wasn't him missing a breath. He didn't even have time to even realize the taste of copper in his mouth. He found the door he didn't even set the jars down. He fumbled with his keys, and stared at the doors header that read Sprinkler System. He found the key opened the door quickly and walked over to a large tank filled halfway with water. He hoped to god these things still worked. He dumped the water out of the large tank. He set down the jars, frantically and then fought through more pain and filled the tank with the jars chemical inside the tank. He closed the lid of the tank. And stared at the intercom button. Could he even try to talk? He pressed the button, he hoped to god the speakers worked too...or this would be for nothing. "This....is........Reese......I'm sending......Corasia.......through.....the....fire.......sprinklers......take some cover," Reese said as he spoke he noticed flecks of red spurted onto the wall. He didn't have time for them to react or not to react. He pressed the button. He hoped it worked, he had no more strength. He slid down on the ground and his world went dark. His fire in his chest left him. * * * The sprinkles began to shower acidic chemical down onto the alien horde. The Juicers fled, the Wiggles followed the Juicers, the Eaters burned, and the group hid somewhere under shelter. They had heard the speaker phone as Reese told them to get cover. Though the speaker was cackly they understood. When the shower was over the group came out from cover and stared at the mass grave. Bodies of scientist, and some bodies of to weak to flee aliens.
Keira looked around in horror at the aftermath. Dead aliens, dead scientists, dead bodies . . . everywhere. Keira pressed her hand to her forehead, breathing deeply. She closed her eyes, standing in silence for a while before coming to her senses once more. They were safe. The battle was over. The aliens had either fled or been killed. They were safe. Good. But where was Reese? He had contacted them on the comm-link somehow; miraculously it had still worked. But his voice had been pain-filled, almost like he had been dying. And he wasn't with them. Where was he? Keira looked around again, just to make sure he hadn't returned. He was nowhere to be seen. She gasped, bending over to catch her breath. When she had calmed down, Keira stood up straight once more and spoke, addressing her companions. "I think that we should go and look for Reese." She said this in a professional manner, neutral, trying to sound like she really didn't care one way or the other. I mean, why should I care?
Vic crawled out from under the table. It had shielded him from the acid rain, but he didn't like hiding under s***. It made him look like a b****. Seeing the room had been cleared, he immediately made his way to the med box, stuck his arm in, and switched on the cell repairer. The wounds slowly closed up and he wiped away the remaining blood. Good as new. He still felt faint form the blood loss -- the cell repairer couldn't fix that -- so he grabbed a candy bar form his pocket and scarfed it down. he in the middle of eating a second one when Keira spoke. "I think that we should go and look for Reese," she said. Vic almost choked. "What!?"
Vic apparently didn't like her idea. Keira didn't blame him. She didn't know why she even bothered, Reese was such an idiot. But . . . she had to look for him. He was her boss, after all. Well, she supposed that was the reasoning behind it. But that reason didn't make much sense either. Keira frowned, her brow creasing as she turned in Vic's direction. "Well, we have to look for him. He did save our skins, you know," Keira said, only an excuse. "We could at least make up for it."
Stewart stepped forward. "I agree," Stewart paused, "I mean if he didn't think of that quick plan we could have been toast by the time he actually got here." Stewart stared at Anna. Anna was the only one who ever fully backed her up. * * * Lex put a chip in his mouth. He had been saving a bag of chips for himself. He was now tired and hungry from the battle. Lex just smiled as they all thought of they were going to save Reese or not. Lex wasn't going to get in the way or even make a vote. "Once you go Reese you can't go back," Lex joked though.
"Well, we have to look for him. He did save our skins, you know," Keira said, only an excuse. "We could at least make up for it." "I don't owe him s***," Vic said. "How many folks have died because of Reese Maris? Are you forgetting he made all this!?" He gestured to the room all around them; the dead scientists, the mutilated alien corpses, the scarred walls riddled with bullet holes. "He built his own personal Hell. Now let him burn in it. F*** Reese Maris."
Donovan crawled from underneath the lockers he had pushed over. "Vic is right. I could care less what has happened to Reese. If we had known what was going on from the begining we would have been better prepared. Hell we lucked up having the weapons we do have."
Keira's eyes narrowed, and she took a threatening step towards Vic, pointing a finger in his face. "You would be dead if he didn't tell us to take cover! You would be dead, laying face down on the floor with the rest of the corpses! He's not the best man, but at least he has common sense. If you were in his position, you probably would have gotten us all killed. You would probably be off smoking somewhere, or getting high. I know you, and you're just as bad as he is." Keira took another deep breath, trying to calm herself. She had never flared up so easily before. "I . . . I'm . . . No, forget it. It's not worth it. At least Stewart's with me. And he's worth more than you are, Vic." Why was she being such a bitch? She had never acted like that before. But it was too late to take everything back. Keira didn't say anything to Donovan. She was sick of all of the idiots in the group. Well, Donovan wasn't necessarily an idiot . . . But she still didn't reply to his comment.
"That was fun. I didn't even have to fire a shot. Though I wanted to help." Andrew looked around at the results of the battle. Bodies and blood. Everyone, except for him, was breathing hard. "Maybe next time I'll show the aliens a thing or two, but you took care of them," Andrew slapped Vic on the back, "Right buddy?"
"You would be dead if he didn't tell us to take cover! You would be dead, laying face down on the floor with the rest of the corpses! He's not the best man, but at least he has common sense. If you were in his position, you probably would have gotten us all killed. You would probably be off smoking somewhere, or getting high. I know you, and you're just as bad as he is." "You mean if he hadn't told me to take cover from the acid he rained down on us?" Vic remained absolutely calm, which he knew only infuriatd her further. Hell, nothing he could say or do was going to calm her, so why bother. "I've got more common sense in my left nut than in this entire building. Staying blazed 24-7 is the only thing stopping me from calling you people out on all your stupid mistakes." "I . . . I'm . . . No, forget it. It's not worth it. At least Stewart's with me. And he's worth more than you are, Vic." "To you he is." Vic grinned from ear to ear. "To you, he's worth more than this whole group. My exceptional common sense tells me that maybe -- just maybe -- you LOVE him." Andrew, clueless as ever, decided this was a good time to speak up. "...you took care of them," he said, slapping Vic on the back, "Right buddy?" "I wish I wasn't right," Vic said. "Excuse me, I need a smoke."
"We do need to leave this room now. If Reese is still around then he will find a way to catch up. I am glad to be alive as well Keira, but dude was a pain in the butt." Donovan Looked Keira over. "Besides, I am sure there is someone better for you to get eyes for." Donovan went around checking the other members of the group to be sure they were okay. With Reese gone some of the stress had eased off his shoulders and he was able to tend to those who needed him.
Keira's face turned beat red. She felt like blowing up and screaming in Vic's face, but she couldn't. Not today. "You don't know anything!" she shouted, turning her back on him. Of course, he needed a smoke. Just as she'd expected. "I'll go alone if I have to." Keira turned to Stewart, hoping he would support her. "Are you coming with me, Stewart, or would you rather stay here with Vic?" When Donovan made another comment, Keira calmly replied, "Get eyes for? I don't have "eyes for" anyone, alright?"
"Hey keira don't bite my head off. But the blushing gives you away. There is something you are trying to leave unspoken that the body language is blaring." Donovan gave her his most charming smile. He could take the time to relax now that danger had passed.
Keira rolled her eyes. "I don't know what you're talking about," she replied. "There's nothing going on, Okay?" She forced a smile, trying to make it look fake.
Donovan backed off. He knew when someone was in denial. The armory room was damaged beyond recognition. There was nothing left for them here and he decided to get everyone moving. "Ok we got to head towards the ships. If Reese is still alive he will find a way to get there." He saw smoke coming from behind one of the rows of lockers. "Vic is your rail gun still serviceable. We may need it. Reese used the chemical so I am guessing there is none left."
Vic went aside and rolled a blunt. The group was still talking about Reese. Reese, Reese, Reese... even when he's dead, people can't seem to shut the f*** up about him. Vic gathered a few red leaves with blue stripes on them from his pocket. He'd smoked this before; it was relatively mellow and wouldn't leave him too spaced out. Now wasn't the time for experimenting with new s***. He lit up and walked over to Donovan. He retrieved his rail gun from Donovan, who was busy going back and forth with Keira. Vic generally didn't like people touchin' his s***, but it was a matter of life and death. He'd let it slide... this time. "You're wastin' your time, man," he said to Donovan. "You can't talk her out of it. It's a chick thing," he added as he changed the power cell on the rail gun and refilled the magazine, then slung it over his shoulder, ready to go. "She's delusional. In that state, she'll probably get herself killed going after him alone." He turned to Stewart. "Where is the sprinkler control room? It's time we lay this s*** to rest, once and for all." Looking to Keira, he added. "After we see the body, you promise to shut the f*** up about this dude?"
Stewart watched as Keira blew up in everyone's faces. Donovan may be correct there was certainly something more. Vic asked him to bring them to sprinkler control room. Stewart stared at him with eyebrows raised. How did the military not know what was in the military halls? "Follow me," Stewart said with a smile.
"Everyone just shut the f*** up!" Anna snarled, surprising everyone with the rage in her voice. She hopped out of the locker she had taken cover in and hoisted her gun, flinching at the new pain that burned through her arm. "I don't care what any of you think at this point--we need to get out of here alive, and no matter how much any of you hate it, me included, we need Reese for that. You hear me? So stop being a bunch of moronic assholes and let's go before he's dead."
"Hey Vic, did you see what the ladies were drinking cause I think Reese slipped them a mickey." Donovan laughed out loud enjoying the humor. The laugh caused his sides to hurt but that was fine. Pain meant you were alive. He manuvered around the hole in the floor and stepped into the hallway.
"Anna's got a point, as much as I hate to admit it....we do need Reese to get out of here." Jena's voice was quiet, "Stewart what is it that happen's again when one of those Wiggles throws up on you?" She could feel her voice shaking slightly and she tried desperatley to steady it. She didn't want them to see her fear, but she was so scared of being alone again....
Keira listened to the others talking about some sprinkler system. That was probably where Reese was right now, if he was still alive . . . No, he was alive. He had to be. "He's alive, and if we're gonna find him we'd better hurry up. I don't care if Donovan and Vic come or not, but I'm going, and I'm sure the rest of you are smart enough to come with me." Keira followed Stewart, deciding to put her trust in him and allow him to lead her. He would find Reese, if anyone could.
"Follow me," Stewart said with a smile. Vic followed Stewart into the hall. "Let's hurry up and find this mutha f****, dead or alive, so psycho-b**** can have some closure." "Everyone just shut the f*** up! I don't care what any of you think at this point--we need to get out of here alive, and no matter how much any of you hate it, me included, we need Reese for that. You hear me? So stop being a bunch of moronic assholes and let's go before he's dead." Vic didn't respond to that. Anna had a knack for stating the obvious, only she stated it after everyone else had figured it out already and stated it VERY LOUDLY. Vic inhaled a lungful of sweet blunt-smoke, totally drowning out how annoying she was. Mmmmm. "Hey Vic, did you see what the ladies were drinking cause I think Reese slipped them a mickey," Donovan said, trying to make a lousy joke. "He ain't gotta slip 'em anything," Vic said. "Apparently they're just into guys that treat 'em like s***. Whatever, man." "Anna's got a point, as much as I hate to admit it....we do need Reese to get out of here." Jena's voice was quiet. "Gee, ya think," Vic said. He was about to say something very insulting, but realized she was covered in alien barf and terribly afraid. Even he couldn't talk s*** to someone in that sort of predicament. He just kept his mouth shut and tapped Stewart on the shoulder, urging him to check her out.
Donovan watched Jena shaking. The wiggles marked you. Put something like a beacon on you. He sucked his teeth and let out a sigh. "Jena is there something we need to know? You seem anxious."
"What, I'm fine. Fine." She tried even harder to stop shaking, she was falling apart and she could feel it. But she couldn't fall apart infront of all these people. The mask of harsh unemotion that she had built up was slipping again, and the armor around her past hurt was beginning to crack. Thay were both getting worse and she had to struggle simply to maintain one, let alone both. But she needed both, she depended on them. "I'm fine." She said again, but her voice fooled no one, not even herself.
