Artificial Earth

43

Strike Team
Earths Temporary Outpost

AFTER SETTING UP THE DEFENSES and securing the left side of the ship, Sergeant Andrew and his men headed back to join the others. The Sergeant was pretty much confident that he and his men did an excellent job in making sure that the entire section of the area was totally secured by Installing barb wires around the perimeter, motion censors with automatic guns to home in on the target, trip wires ten feet apart,.. fifteen feet beyond the barb wires, surveillance cams above the trees and leaving five of his men on gaurd duty.
His concern for the moment were the unusually large "Cats". According to one of his men, there were at least twelve sets of pawprints, probably a whole pride. What's really bothering him though were not just the "Cats" but what else is out there that has grown.
"Lieutenant..." Sgt. Andrews said, walking towards his superior.
"Sergeant..." Lieutenant Briggs greeted back. "I assume you've finished securing your side...any problems?" he added.
"Left side all the way back's secured, Sir. I've also left five men on gaurd duty."
"Good work." Briggs said, looking at the rows of tall trees a few feet on his right side. "Let's head on back inside then, get ourselves a little drink before Charlie Team departs. We'll be their back up if the need arises....till then we stay here with the ship." he added, turning around, moving back towards the ship.
"Sir...." Sgt. Andrews called out, following the Lieutenant.
"What?" Briggs asked, turning around, looking back at the sergeant. "Is there a problem sergeant?" he added.
Sergeant Andrews hesitated. He knew that the "Cats" were not much of a threat to the ship, and that if those large Cats were to try to attempt to cross the defenses they laid out within the perimeter, they would no doubt be cut to shreads. Out there in the jungle however.....that would be something else entirely.
"Sir,...We found something unusual...." Sergeant Andrews went on. Briggs listened intently as Sergeant Andrews told him all about the "Cats." Briggs knew that this operation wasn't going to be easy, that the lack of intel about the place would work against them. They were bound to have a problem or two, and this was definitely serious.
"Bravo Team's scouts are out there....Aside from those overgrown Lions....If there are others...animals that have grown twice or maybe even....." Briggs was saying. "We need to warn them....Get me a comm link!" he ordered.
"Patch! Give me your Sat Comm!" Sergeant Andrews called out.
Patch was seated near a tree on their right side making adjustments on his equiptment. Hearing the sergeant call out, he then stood, took his portable computer then walked towards his superiors. The Sergeant took the Gadget then typed in the necessary code. A beeping sound resonated then abruptly stopped.
"Something's wrong.....Powers been cut!" Sergeant Andrews exclaimed, looking at the Gadget with disbelief.
Inside the ship, at the very core of the ships super computer, the man with the black tactical suit and ski mask worked methodically, cutting the wires from the main communications board. He then inserted a micro chip inside the mainframe, making one last call.
"Delta...Everything's green. I repeat...everything's a go....proceed as plan. Initiate phase two." the man in black said.

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First Lake
The Church of St.Anne

OUTSIDE THE CHURCH, CARS WERE lined up blocking the road, stretching all the way back over four blocks from the church's entrance. Sheriff Gilbert, Deputy Monroe and Officer Nelson stepped out of their patrol car and motioned for Burt Donavan and the other civilians who were following them to do the same, they would have to go on foot and brave the storm. Several other people were in their raincoats, some with umbrellas, were also heading for the church, walking in groups amidst the fury of wind and rain. Lightning cracked and thunder followed almost without siezing, urging the need for those who're seeking sanctuary to pick up the pace. Dark windows from houses and stores lined up, abandoned by their occupants, greeting those heading towards the designated evacuation site. It was organized chaos, as more and more lanterns and lights joined the procession.
A bloodcurdling scream coming from the left side of the road near the closed bakery store on a corner down 3rd street pierced the monotonous drone of the wind and rain. Those within hearing range stopped then turned towards the direction of the sound. It was a womans voice, probably in her mid twenties. Another scream, this time on the right side of the road, a mans voice, just across from the bakery store,..then another one on the left side, near the hardware store. Something was picking them off.
"My God. They're here.." Sheriff Gilbert thought out loud.
A single shot rang out from the far end of the procession triggering a stampede. People started pushing forward, running, dropping their umbrellas, hysteria. Sheriff Gilbert started running toward the direction of the shot but was knocked down butt first into the ground as a man in a transparent raincoat collided with him. Deputy Monroe rushed forward against the tide of people, nearly got knocked down himself and raced to his superiors side, helping him up.
"Get those people inside that church!" Sheriff Gilbert exclaimed. "Nelson and I will give you time!"
A succession of shots suddenly erupted coming from Burt Donovans group farther back.
"We're under attack!" Nelson cried out, pulling his gun out of its holter.
"Monroe..." Sheriff Gilbert said.
Deputy Monroe sprang into action, running back towards the herd of panicked people pouring towards the church.
"We stand here Nelson. We hold the line." the Sheriff said. Nelson just nodded, now pointing his gun in front of him, holding it with both hands. Beads of sweat poured down his face, along with the rain. Though He would not admit it, especially to his superior, he was actually pissing in his pants right there and then.
More shots erupted in the not so far distant in front of them, followed by a mixture of other sounds, screaming, curses, agonized dreadful sounds, some inhuman. The curtain of rain cloaked both officers view, like watching performers doing a play behind sheets of thin paper linens, soft shapes, silhouettes, scattered flashes of light from shots fired,..and there were other shadows as well, huge serpent like shadows, devouring human like ones. Both officers watched in agony, fear and awe, wanting to rush forward yet couldn't move a step further. Then came an odd unexpected brief silence. A man in his late thirties holding his bloody torn arm emerges from the shadows, his face a mask of terror, his clothes, tattered. Sheriff Gilbert recognized him as one of the men who went into the grocery with Burt Donovan and watched him hurriedly limp pass them. Another figure emerged from the veil running pass them, an older man, perhaps in his late forties, his head bloody, his clothes shredded. The next figure that emerged was Burt Donovan, one hand holding his riffle and the other was supporting someone with a piece of his thigh eaten off.
"Burt..." Sheriff Gilbert said barely above a wispher, reaching out towards the two. Nelson stepped further forward, providing protection, covering their retreat.
"Where are the others?" Sheriff Gilbert asked as they move towards the direction of the church.
"I don't know. Them lizards were everywhere...can't see too much." Burt answered back.
"Are you alright?" Sheriff asked, looking at Donovan and the other guy.
"Not sure. Got whipped by something....next thing I knew...urgh..this guy's heavy...I was flying...landed on top of a car...couldn't move for a few minutes.." Burt replied as they retreated.
"Aarhhhg!!" the wounded guy cried out.
Another volley of shots resumed,echoing from the distance.
"Keep moving!" Sheriff Gilbert said, squinting.
"The others..." Burt Donovan said, glancing behind.
"Just keep moving! They just have to make it on their own!" Sheriff Gilbert exclaimed, agonized by the thought of leaving others behind. He has no choice, a part of him wanted to race back to help those left behind and another part's telling him to keep moving..."What good will it do to go back? He'll just end up dead...What about the people inside the church?"
Nelson fired three consecutive shots, startling the others.
"They're coming!" Nelson cried out.
"Faster!" Sheriff Gilbert shouted back. "Get inside that house!" He added, dragging the injured guy along with him towards a pretty petite house down the corner. Nelson fired three more rounds, backing away as he did so.
"Go! Go!" he cried out.
They got to the front of the small house,..Gilbert kicked the door open, let the others in, rushed inside then closed the door.
"Push that couch over here!"He ordered. Nelson and Burt pushed the couch to block the door.
"We're safe." Gilbert said.
"No...We're trapped." Burt Donovan said back, looking around the small room.

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Authors Note

Hi!!! Thank You so much for sticking around!!! What do you think will happen next? Share your thoughts, comment below and don't forget to vote if you enjoyed reading, you can also share it with your friends!!! Have a great day!!!