The downed craft's engines clunked in effort and then stopped working entirely. Heine and Liv approached the cabin door, guns aimed and alert. Whoever exits the hatch will meet their weapons first.
"Damn it" The hatch opened and unexpectantly a crowd of Zombies barreled out.
Mark drew out his double blades. Several Zombies ran right toward Xiao Yan.
Stand UP! Come on!" Liv shouted at Xiao.
Feeling death was imminent, he didn't know where he found the strength to get up. With his left hand carrying the heavy box, he smashed it into theface of the zombie. The contact fragmented its skull and brain matter spattered outward.
The next was already upon him and Xiao had no weapon or strength. He watched helplessly as the corpse cracked open its mouth, its yellowed teeth gnashing. Xiao closed his eyes, accepting his fate, when a sharp blade speared the zombie's mouth. Its teeth were mere centimeters away from Xiao's face.
His heart felt like it had already stopped beating.
With a thick slosh, that vibrated along Xiao's nerves, the sword pulled out leaving a wide puncture wound.The corpse pitched forward onto the ground. That familiar blade cut the night and Xiao glanced over at the indifferent expression of Heine Burton. Looking at him, Xiao Yan felt as though he were the one stabbed. This man has already penetrated deep into his mind; his presence firmly rooted in Xiao's awe of him.
Behind Heine is a sea of fallen zombies.
He has cleared them all in less than aminute.
Mark kicked open the cockpit door and yelled out. "Boss!"
Heine turned away from Xiao as though he were an bothersome insect.
The pilots had committed suicide.
"Xiao, are you okay?" Liv hurried to his side and looking at his pale face realized he was hurt.
"Where is Captain White?" Xiao realized he hadn't seen him since the attack.
Liv bit her lips and Xiao followed her gaze. Captain White was laying under a tree, his face coated in blood. Clutching his shoulder, Xiao moved closer and saw that Captain White's head was shot clean through. He pushed a finger against his neck. Although his body was still warm, no pulse could be felt.
Bowing his head, Xiao felt a choking thickness in his throat. This is his first time seeing a companion die in front of him. It was his first time smelling this amount of blood.
The unique warm metallic scent of death.
"Xiao we must get to base 14 immediately."
Xiao nodded.
"We still have to get the Uranium back, the quicker the better so... " Liv trailed off.
"We have to leave his body here."Xiao finished her sentence.
Xiao grabbed the other box from Captain White and stood up. "Liv, Let's go."
White was dead, doing anything at this point was superfluous. They had to get the material back to the Shire.
Xiao gave Captain White a farewell military salute and as he turned he saw Heine's fingers were also to his forehead. He slowly pulled them down, as if the motion transformed the moment into the past. All ties cut. Xiao had never seen such solemn movements.
Liv and Mark did the same. No matter how the elite forces may look down on non combatant technicians, they still pay homage to their sacrifice as compatriots.
"Let's go." Liv took the box from Xiao Yan and he struggled with great difficulty to keep up.
Liv looked back. Seeing Xiao weakened stumbles, she feared he would collapse on them soon.
"Hey Liv, if you are so worried about him, it is best to give him a kiss." Mark shouted jokingly but his expression was quite serious.
Every special forces soldier was infected with the X virus, this was the reason for their extraordinary ability and rapid healing. A kiss would transfer enough of the virus to heal Xiao, without infecting him.
Liv sighed heavily and approached Xiao Yan. She placed her hand on his chest but didn't even have enough time to reach for his chin when someone grabbed Xiao Yan and threw him over their shoulder.
"Ah!" Xiao yelped as his shoulder was jostled at the motion. The pain threatened to steal his consciousness.
"Boss?" Liv let out a surprised shout.
Mark, who stood not very far away also had a stunned look on his face.
That was when Xiao realized he was on the shoulder of Heine Burton.
Heine carried both boxes, his steps steady and smooth.
Xiao however felt as though the agony of death was running through him. He felt the bones plunging against muscle with each step, the agony forcing the bile in his stomach to his throat with every minute movement. Xiao ground his teeth together as they trembled from the torturous journey. Each moment was excruciating.
Finally Xiao fainted from the pain.
He was unaware how much time had passed as he felt weightless, then his cracked shoulder pressed down on something, the sensation rousing him.
He was in a brightly lit passage way. The lights stimulated his mind, allowing him to properly assses what was happening.
Medical staff surrounded him, he was transferred to the equipment room to recieve proper treatment.
At that instant he saw the retreating back of Heine and his arrogant steps. Feeling wronged, Xiao felt in Heine's eyes he was not more than an ant. Nothing to give a second thought to, just another being that would one day be rotting sludge under the boot of Heine Burton.
Xiao Yan's shoulder was almost completely shattered. He suspected that Heine not only used him as a springboard, but also took revenge for that accidental kiss.
When he learned the students, that stayed behind to wait for rescue, were all killed by the Surge he was secretly pleased with his decision.
At least he was still alive.
There are many choices one faces in life, although his decision to leave was risky it was wise in the end.
The most gifted part of Xiao Yan is his brain's ability to automatically filter out negaive events; he should have spent the night restlessly tossing about the days events.
Current medical technology is quite advanced. Even if a limb is lost and seperated from the body, the nerves can be re connected. His injury wasn't nearly so severe. Within three days , his shoulder was fully healed. While lying sick the past few days, he heard a lot of talk regarding the 14th base commander and Col. Heine Burton.
Although Heine personally rescued all of the 12 class B trainees, they ultimatley died. The rescue mission failed in the end. Even the only officer, Captain White perished. The whole base was talking about it. They thought that the trainees died because of a dereliction of duty by the special forces. That they did not value the techs lives. Heine succeeded in circumventing the Surge's attempt to prevent the delivery of the uranium to the base. He also returned with Xiao Yan. Even if they were to complain to the Military Services Department, who would take on Heine Burton? Would they dare investigate?
Turns out the one who would dare such an investigation, is Colonel Raven's Lieutenant. Captain White was his cousin and his death was great blow to him. He sent an enraged report to the Shire.
Xiao is not particularly interested in this dispute. As the only survivor of his class, he will eventually be assigned to another group by the commander of the base. For now he just wants to lounge around in leisure and then return to the Shire. As he leaned against his bed, listening to music he was summoned to the command center to file an action report on the mission.
Xiao Yan tiredly rubbed his forehead. Of course the trouble would find his door.
He straightened his uniform,meticulously smoothing it out, and then followed the secretary into Col. Raven's command room. He looked to be about 30 years old and though he had no spectacularly heroic exploits under his belt, he was nonetheless a very stable figure at the base.
In front of him sat a steaming delicate teacup. Xiao saluted and Col. Raven nodded in response before lifting the cup to take a sip.
Next to him is his Lt.
"What made you decide to leave the aircraft and follow the special forces on foot to the base?"
Raven cut through any small talk and reached right to the heart of the matter; addressing the situation directly. His eyes told Xiao the information that he wanted.
"I agreed with their judgment of the situation"
"Their judgment? How critical was the situation at the time? Don't you know that, when away from base, it is far safer to have shelter than not?"
Xiao knew of the conflict between the Special Task Force and the Central Academy of Sciences. The special forces are resentful of the technical soldiers, they are not only are exempt from basic military training, they can go a lifetime without even seeing a zombie. Despite all this they may rise in rank and in many cases exceed the ranks of the special forces. The balance of burden and sacrifice seems extremely unfair.
Most of the technical soldiers look down on the special forces as nothing more than zombie hunters. They believed that the future of the military was with its technical soldiers. As far as Xiao is concerned this argument has nothing todo with him. Regardless of anyone's rank, Xiao gives the appropriate respect.
He really didn't want to get wrapped up in this political debacle between the Academy and the Special forces.
"Lt. Col. When we landed at the supply base's platform it was already occupied by the Surge organization. They launched a tracking missile at us, we managed to shake it and then the engine overheated forcing us to land. We suspect they were after the uranium and if we risked waiting for base 14 we would lose not only our forces but also the uranium."
"Col. Burton decided the best chance of success was to walk to base 14. I analyzed my choices and found his decision to be more sensible than staying with the craft."
Col. Raven coldly looked at Xiao Yan, his arms folded over his chest.
Xiao's expression remained calm, not the slightest ripple disturbed his countenance.
The man next to Col. Raven could endure no more and grabbed Xiao by the collar.
"Liar. You are the only one of your team alive. It must be the fault of Heine Burton. He clearly neglected to value the lives of the skilled technical soldiers."
The lieutenant's eyes were bloodshot and red rimmed. His teeth grinding with such force he seemed as though he were close to devouring Xiao Yan alive.
"I'm sorry, but I am telling you the truth."
"truth? What is the truth? You said that Captain White decided to walk to the base as well. How could Heine Burton be unable to protect no more than 2 technical soldiers. It has to be neglect. He never intended to bring Captain White back alive."
Xiao analyzed the man's face, his features were quite similar to Captain White. Seems the rumor that they were cousins was true.
Colonel Raven frowned, "Will! He is a student, not a soldier."
Xiao let out a faint sight that was caught by Col. Raven, "Why the sigh?"