The Rift
Calvin Endwall passed down the sidewalk, his hood hung over his face. He looked out of place; they all did in their gray cloaks. Not that it mattered.
The bullets coming from the south had ended a mintue ago, but the siren was still blaring and people were running wildly about in the streets and the rain.
Following Calvin were Angela, Ferdinanad, and Richie. Jonas and Charlie were scouting the streets to the left, while John and Tom were covering the right. Straight ahead, just beyond view, was the warehouse.
Calvin's hand bumped the small pistol on his hip -- the only weapon he'd brought -- and then grabbed the plastic radio. A moment of static as he held the reciever.
"Tom, how does it look?"
"We are seeing nothing suspicious as of yet," said Tom. "A few soilders seemed to be going Mike's way."
"Jonas?"
It was Charlie who responded.
"We're good over here, Calvin," he said. "There's still some people losing it in the streets, but we haven't seen anything unusual yet."
A hesitant pause.
"... We can add at least one casualty to the list, though."
"Alright." said Calvin.
Broken glass crunched beneath their boots. City lights glimmered off the dark water on the pavement. Lighting still occasioning the sky.
A few blocks ahead, the buildings on the right fell away and a vast open lot filled with shopping carts opened up. The building close by had a blue marquee overhanging the sidewalk with a faded sign above. The white strip of neon tube curving across spelled out "Quel-Mart".
In the back, was the vague shape of a large building. Sheets of tin on the sides and a parabolic roof. The warehouse.
"Well Calvin, I'm no genius, but the coast looks clear to me," whispered Richie. "What does your radar say?"
"It's picking up shit everywhere, of course," said Calvin. "With all these people running around, it's hardly useful."
"We need to get some with shorter radii."
"Our scientists are working on it, Ferdinand. They've got their hands full with more demanding things right now."
"I know."
The waited a few minutes in the silence and the storm.
To shapes emerged in the distance at the end of the street.
"Here's Jonas and Charlie," said Angela, motioning with her head; wet black hair brushing across the smooth face.
Lightning streaked the sky with so much energy that for a moment it appeared to be day again. Calvin waved a hand at them as the barreling thunder filled the city like a waterfall in an empty pool.
"They're all off their regular patrol as far as we can tell," said Charlie as he and Jonas approached. "We should be all set."
"Alright, Tom told me the same thing," said Calvin.
"They're setting up turret?" asked Charlie.
"Yes, they're in the shop right now."
"And then us six are going down?"
"Yes, just like we planned."
Charlie sighed and took a deep breath.
"Okay," he said.
Angela, Richie, and Ferdinand were facing the warehouse. As Calvin watched them, he noticed something odd. On the right hand, Angela's fingers were crossed.
The bullets coming from the south had ended a mintue ago, but the siren was still blaring and people were running wildly about in the streets and the rain.
Following Calvin were Angela, Ferdinanad, and Richie. Jonas and Charlie were scouting the streets to the left, while John and Tom were covering the right. Straight ahead, just beyond view, was the warehouse.
Calvin's hand bumped the small pistol on his hip -- the only weapon he'd brought -- and then grabbed the plastic radio. A moment of static as he held the reciever.
"Tom, how does it look?"
"We are seeing nothing suspicious as of yet," said Tom. "A few soilders seemed to be going Mike's way."
"Jonas?"
It was Charlie who responded.
"We're good over here, Calvin," he said. "There's still some people losing it in the streets, but we haven't seen anything unusual yet."
A hesitant pause.
"... We can add at least one casualty to the list, though."
"Alright." said Calvin.
Broken glass crunched beneath their boots. City lights glimmered off the dark water on the pavement. Lighting still occasioning the sky.
A few blocks ahead, the buildings on the right fell away and a vast open lot filled with shopping carts opened up. The building close by had a blue marquee overhanging the sidewalk with a faded sign above. The white strip of neon tube curving across spelled out "Quel-Mart".
In the back, was the vague shape of a large building. Sheets of tin on the sides and a parabolic roof. The warehouse.
"Well Calvin, I'm no genius, but the coast looks clear to me," whispered Richie. "What does your radar say?"
"It's picking up shit everywhere, of course," said Calvin. "With all these people running around, it's hardly useful."
"We need to get some with shorter radii."
"Our scientists are working on it, Ferdinand. They've got their hands full with more demanding things right now."
"I know."
The waited a few minutes in the silence and the storm.
To shapes emerged in the distance at the end of the street.
"Here's Jonas and Charlie," said Angela, motioning with her head; wet black hair brushing across the smooth face.
Lightning streaked the sky with so much energy that for a moment it appeared to be day again. Calvin waved a hand at them as the barreling thunder filled the city like a waterfall in an empty pool.
"They're all off their regular patrol as far as we can tell," said Charlie as he and Jonas approached. "We should be all set."
"Alright, Tom told me the same thing," said Calvin.
"They're setting up turret?" asked Charlie.
"Yes, they're in the shop right now."
"And then us six are going down?"
"Yes, just like we planned."
Charlie sighed and took a deep breath.
"Okay," he said.
Angela, Richie, and Ferdinand were facing the warehouse. As Calvin watched them, he noticed something odd. On the right hand, Angela's fingers were crossed.