U.S.S.A HellField

Chapter 7 Burned bridges

"How are you still alive? What's happened to you?"  She raised her hand towards me, placing her hand on my face, the skin on her hand felt rough and calloused. "Damian?"  She said in a hoarse voice. I stood back up, lifting her to her feet with me. I heard multiple footsteps approach us from behind, Looked behind me and saw Af'ziel and his two remaining bounty hunters. - "What're you doing? Subdue her or get out of the way."  Af'ziel said exasperated.- "No."  He looked at me like I had lost my mind, maybe I did.- "What do you mean? She's the Blood witch, our bounty. Has she cast some kind of spell on you?"  Did he think she could cast spells?- "No, she's why I came here, I don't know what happened to her to change her like this. Just let us go peacefully and I'll give you what I can to pay for the bounty."  I tried to appeal to him, but Metis told me he didn't look like he was having any of it.-  "I can't do that Damien, she's killed too many of my people for me to let her go. Now stand aside or we will fire on you."  I looked back at Alice, and she looked at me, confused as to what was happening. I put my helmet back on.- "I guess you'll have to go through me then."  They aimed their weapons at us; I didn't want to fight them but they were leaving me little choice.     

A gunshot whizzed past us, hitting Af'ziel in the chest, I turned back and saw a large group of what looked to be bounty hunters or raiders on top of the ridge.- "You're not getting away with our bounty Af'ziel, or you big purple man."  The bounty hunter I assumed was in charge boasted. He was larger and much more armored than the rest who were wearing scrap metal at best. "Hand the witch over and we promise that will be the only one of you that will be shot."  I looked over at Af'ziel to see if he was alright, one of his men helped him up, the shot only left a dent in his chest plate. " Well shit, and I was hoping that would've killed you old man, anyway hand her over now!"  Af'ziel stood there annoyed, as he brushed the spot where he was shot.  -"You think I'd hand over my biggest bounty yet? You're an idiot Mue' amadeen."  He growled.- "You're not going to do that are you?"  Metis asked uncertainly. - "Fuck no."  I un-holstered my new rifle and fired off 3 shots as fast as I could, trying not to break the bolt. I hit 2 of them before any of them could react, the last shot that was intended for the leader just missing. they all scattered across the area as I switched to my sidearm. Alice disappeared to somewhere I didn't see, while Af'ziel and his men went for cover near several of the rocks around us. - "What do we do? I don't know how to operate in a firefight, I don't know what to do."  Metis said, starting to panic.- "Just focus and tell me who to shoot first!"     

I ran across the field, keeping alert for any riflemen who pop up from cover; still no sign of Alice anywhere. - "3 o'clock popping up from the rock!"  I immediately turned my sights on the hunter's head and fired, several of his buddies got up and joined him. All I saw was violet mist and the body of one fall from up top. Several rounds hit me in the chest, shoulder, and visor, I lifted my arms to protect myself from the hail of bullets. I still wasn't used to wearing armor that was impervious to small arms, maybe I didn't have anything to worry about from these split lips. I took out one of the frags I got from the Abaddon armory, measured the trajectory, and pulled the pin; throwing it right after doing so. It landed right behind 2 of them, the blast knocked them both off their feet and into the pit, one was even missing both legs on his way down. I killed several more who tried getting more potshots on me, these guys were good shots, I wouldn't have lasted longer than 5 minutes out in the open in my marine armor. Af'ziel fired on one that tried his luck with an automatic energy rifle, streaks of yellow light seared into the alien, striking him dead. Damn, I needed one of those.    

It was quiet now, there was no way that was all of them, they were up to something. I walked slowly towards the ridge to see if I could hear what they were up to. I heard grunting then a heavy clang, I looked up and saw a mounted weapon trained directly at me, I barely had the time to react before it fired multiple shells at me. The air and sense were knocked out of me with a loud bang, I looked up and saw they had their sights on Af'ziels position, I raised my cannon at the turret. A shout came from above me in the form of Alice jumping across and throwing her spear at the gunner, I heard it pierce him, and the guy behind him, she certainly had practice. Alice rolled down not too far in front of me, she looked back at me with those piercing red eyes, they were no longer those soft caring eyes I once knew.- "In the name of Mubra'Ker! Kill them already!"  Amadeen angrily commanded his men. Alice shot up and charged their position head-on, had she gone crazy?- "What is she doing?"  Metis asked bewildered by what Alice was doing. - "I don't know but it's going to get her killed."  I got back up and made a sprint for her, I had to ignore the pain in my body much less the pain in my legs to catch up with her.