The Red Phoenix 12: Strength Comes in Numbers (44 page)

The ceiling opened, dropping two-ton chunks of broken concrete to the floor, almost crushing a few of the soldiers.

***

The stairwell door on level minus sixty-nine kicked open as Braddock, Osborne and the others rushed out to the corridor.

“Keep your guns on them!” said Braddock, heading down the corridor.

Chris, Siddoway and the clones were grouped, watching Braddock become more flustered as time went on.

“We’re running out of time, boss!” said Osborne.

Braddock, breathing hard, stared down the corridor that looked to be the length of a football field.

“Where to now, Commander?” asked Osborne.

“Looks like the elevators are going to be our only option,” Braddock replied.

“I can show you a way to the surface,” said Siddoway. “But we’ll have to split up.”

“I don’t want to run to the surface and I’m not splitting up my platoon,” Braddock stated. “We’re going after the box.”

“Are you crazy? Take a look around,” said Siddoway. “We’re all going to end up buried down here!”

“Shut up!” Braddock yelled, backhanding Siddoway across his face, knocking him against a wall. “I think you’ve done enough,
Mr. Wizard
. I’ll take it from here.”

Siddoway wiped a little blood off his bottom lip, glaring at Braddock.

“Down the corridor, now!” Braddock hollered, leading them up the passageway.

As they ran towards the elevator vestibule, there was tumultuous rumbling like there was another earthquake as the floor, walls and ceiling shook, making bits of sheetrock and dust fall from the ceiling. Everyone stopped to catch their balance until the shaking stopped.

“Where are the elevators, boss?” asked Osborne.

“At the end of this hallway then around the corner,” Braddock replied.

“Do you think we can make it?” asked Osborne.

Before Braddock could answer, something in one of his pockets began to beep repeatedly. He pulled out his silver, ball-shaped life detector, watching it as the beeping became more frequent. He tore off his helmet and gas mask, staring at it as sweat began to stream down his face.

“Something is coming, Commander,” said Osborne.

“Affirmative,” he replied. “About fifty-yards away.”

The beeping continued as they heard the sounds of the mutated creatures roaring in the distance.

“Do you know what those sounds are, Commander?” asked Siddoway.

“It’s the creatures and they’re coming for us,” Chris added.

“Whatever is coming is closing in, boss,” said Osborne, sounding worried. “It sounds like they’re going to have us surrounded.”

“Commander, don’t be a fool,” said Chris. “Give us each a weapon. It’s the only way any of us will make it out of here alive.”

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?” asked Braddock.

“This is going to a team effort to get out of here,” said Chris.

“We give you a gun, you’ll put one right between my eyes,” said Braddock.

“You have my word and the promise of these clones that I have trained that no harm will come to you or any of your men,” said Chris.

Braddock snickered at Chris’ suggestion, glancing at Osborne.

“We’re all going to die, Commander, if you don’t listen to me,” Chris insisted.

Braddock stared at Siddoway, pacing, knowing Chris was speaking logic as the mutated creatures’ roaring became louder.

“They’re about twenty-five yards away, Commander, and closing,” said Osborne.  “We better come up with a strategy and fast, boss.”

“All right, you and your clones want a gun, Michaels? Fine,” said Braddock. “First row of clones on a knee here. Guard this side of the corridor. The other five clones on a knee on the other side of the platoon. I want them to kill anything that comes down the other side of passageway. Michaels? You and Siddoway post here in front of me. You move an inch the wrong way; I take your heads off.”

“Okay, you heard, guys, get into position!” said Chris.

The clones collected a weapon and lined up with their weapons on a knee, aiming down the corridor, waiting for the attack. Braddock, Chris and Siddoway waited for the incoming gust of creatures, aiming their Mp5 machine guns. Kirk Three turned on his freeze gun, making a soft revving sound. Kirk Four turned on his blow torch.

Four creatures punched through a wall up the corridor as a horde of them came around a corner, roaring.

“Mother,” said Osborne in a quiet voice, gazing at the hideous sight of the creatures.

At the other end of the corridor, creatures filled the passageway, running toward the battalion of men and clones, slashing their claws, shrieking.

“Here we go!” said Braddock, firing a grenade from his assault rifle.

The first row of six creatures exploded from the blast, sending their heads, arms and legs all over the corridor walls, floors and ceiling in a splattering mess.

Everyone opened fire, lighting up both sides of the corridor with machine-gun fire. The first two rows of creatures fell dead after their heads, shoulders, chests and legs were shot up, causing them to heap up in a pile across the hallway. The next row came through, roaring, as they leaped over the dead creatures on the floor and rushed towards the soldiers.

Three creatures rushed up the corridor. Kirk Three fired his freeze ray, turning them all into ice statues with icy spikes running off their heads, arms and legs. More gun fire came in, shattering the iced creatures into pieces on the floor.

Kirk Four fired his blow torch, engulfing the next row in flames. The creatures screamed, waving their arms, running into the walls as they continued toward the soldiers until they were gunned down.

“They keep coming, boss! There are swarms of them!” Osborne yelled, reloading his weapon. “We’re going to run out of ammo soon.”

“Platoon! Work your way in my direction! C’mon, we’re going to force our way through towards the elevators!” Braddock ordered, reloading another magazine as the soldiers worked their way up the corridor, dropping as many creatures that came at them.

Another legion of creatures came through on the rear, slashing at the clones, knocking them across the corridor. The first rows of soldiers were overtaken, getting stabbed through their chests, slashed across their faces and chests by the creatures’ vicious claws then thrown out of the way.

Braddock fired his machine gun until it went empty. He pulled his thigh-holstered pistol as he watched some of his men be killed by the creatures as they were thrown against the wall like rag dolls then slashed by claws. He fired his pistol, killing a few more of them as he watched a creature lift Osborne up and bite into his neck, making him scream.

“Osborne!” Braddock cried.

The creature dropped Osborne to the floor. Osborne’s clothing ripped off him as his head, shoulders, back and arms grew larger. Braddock watched his lieutenant change into a mutated creature, stand up, growling, turn to Braddock and roar.

“You’ve served your country well, Lieutenant,” said Braddock in a quiet, hard tone, aiming his gun at Osborne then firing two shots.

A round fired into Osborne and the other creatures’ heads, splattering green and red fluid out the rear of their oversized scalps as they fell dead.

“This way! There’s a hole!” Chris yelled, leading his clones up the corridor around a pile of dead creatures and soldiers.

Braddock and twenty-five of his soldiers ran up the corridor firing what ammo they had back at creatures that chased after them, dropping as many of them as they could.

Chris and Kerry sprinted around a corner with Siddoway and the clones to the elevator vestibule.

Braddock rushed into the elevator foyer after dropping a couple more creatures with his pistol.

“Sanchez, McGee, you take two teams and meet us on L-M 9!” said Braddock, backing into an open elevator with Chris, Siddoway and the clones.

“Yes sir!” Sanchez answered as he and McGee split up the remaining soldiers into two separate elevators as more creatures were heard coming toward the vestibule.

***

Inside the elevator, Braddock put himself against the back wall, grabbed Kerry by the hair and put his muzzle to the side of her head, scaring her.

“Hey!” Chris hollered.

“All of you put your hands behind your heads,” said Braddock.

“Is that really necessary?” asked Siddoway, holding an AR-15 rifle.

“Drop the gun, Siddoway, and do it!” Braddock commanded. “All of you step as close as you can to the elevator doors. Now!”

Chris, Siddoway and the clones complied.

“It doesn’t have to be like this, Braddock,” said Chris.

“You think we’re brothers-in-arms now because we waxed a few mutated freaks down there? Huh?” Braddock asked in a tough voice.

“We thought it may have a little effect on you, yes,” Siddoway replied.

“I just lost half my damn platoon down there, not to mention I had to ice a loyal lieutenant who has been on more missions with me than I can remember!” Braddock said in scornful voice.

“So, what now, Commander?” asked Chris.

“What do you think? We’re getting the box from the vault,” Braddock replied.

“I don’t want to tell you your job, Commander, but maybe you should just let it go,” Chris stated in a pleasant tone.

“After you take me to the vault and I collect the prize, then I’ll decide whether I’m going to put a bullet in both of your heads,” Braddock answered. “Understand I have authorization to put both of you down with no questions asked.”

“Is there any way we could work something out, Commander?” asked Siddoway.

“You have nothing to bargain with, Siddoway,” Braddock responded. “A best case scenario for you two idiots is me letting you both be taken into custody for treason and terrorism, after we reach the surface.”

“Yes sir,” Chris replied in a quiet voice with his back to him.

The elevator doors opened on level minus nine.

“Everyone out,” said Braddock in a forceful tone.

Chris, Siddoway and the clones stepped into the foyer as the other soldiers arrived across the vestibule.

“McGee, you and some others collect their weapons in the elevator,” said Braddock.

“Yes sir,” McGee answered.

Siddoway exchanged looks with
Number Twelve
who gave him a quick nod before helping pick up the AR-15s, Mp5s and the freeze gun off the elevator floor.

“Michaels, you got the lead; take us to the vault,” said Braddock, still holding his gun at Kerry’s side at the rear of the group.

“The auditorium,” Siddoway whispered to Chris.

“What?” Chris replied in a barely audible voice.

“Tell-them-the-vault-is in the auditorium,” hissed Siddoway. “It’s coming up on the right.”