April 3rd, 2025. Salt Lake City, Utah.
A helicopter scans the outskirts of the city, the thermal not picking up freezing anomalies apparent before a rift fully materializes.
WYVERN2: The area near Farmington Bay is clear, moving over to Antelope Island.
ODIN: Copy that Wyvern 2, Wyvern 3, and 4 will follow.
The national guard unit grows restless as they scan the city limits.
PRIVATE1: We've been doing this for three days, and still no sign of a rift.
PRIVATE2: Are we even sure this rift is even in Utah?
PRIVATE1: We spotted scouts in medieval armor in the area of Antelope Island, yet since we destroyed the last scouting party there haven't been any more sightings.
The second private lowers his binoculars, and a confused look settles on his face.
PRIVATE2: The reports never said anything about medieval armor.
PRIVATE1: They didn't... then what the hell were they wearing?
A rifle lands between the two, as the tank commander climbs onto the tank they're standing on. The commander grabs the rifle and throws it into the vehicle.
PRIVATE2: you have to treat those new Scarf M5s with care, otherwise it will stop functioning after a while.
The commander turns toward the private, his ears perked up.
TALUN: When I first got this rifle they said throw it around as much as you like, just don't leave it where it can get crushed.
The commander laughs as he enters the vehicle.
PRIVATE1: Looks like they weren't wrong, when they said these federals were abnormal.
PRIVATE2: To think they meant interdimensionals.
PRIVATE1: I think it might only be the federal armored force.
The tank's engine comes to life. The two soldiers jump off and head for their unit to begin the search in the next area. While the armor heads back into the sprawling concrete jungle that is Salt Lake City
The tank moves down a street, coming to a stop at a crosswalk. Talun peaks out of the commander's hatch, watching the civilians walk across. A group of teenagers walk across, staring with wonder at the dog eared tank commander. The commander sinks back into the tank closing the hatch.
LOADER: Don't get too offended, you're one of the first non Innerworld interdimensional to set foot in our world. So it's only normal to get a stare or two.
TALUN: I'm moving back into the tank because those guys smell of gasoline.
Talun puts on his helmet and lowers the microphone attached.
TALUN: Tell some of the troops to search those teens that just crossed, they smell of gasoline and are acting weird around us.
ODIN: Copy that Jackhammer, proceed as normal.
TALUN: Roger.
The tank lurches forward turning left down the street the teens are walking on. Talun opens the hatch and stares at the teens. Five soldiers run up and push them against the wall, emptying their bags with molotov cocktails and fireworks falling out of them.
TALUN: Those are some interesting toys you got there fellas.
Talun laughs as the tank takes a right turn and stops outside Temple Square. The convoy stops with the troops offloading from the trucks to begin the second search of the day. Talun jumps down and stretches, seeing Apaches fly overhead. Talun sits down and leans against the wheels of the tank, taking out a cigarette and lighting it. The driver hops out and goes to the rear of the tank, jumps up and grabs one of the bags attached to the turret.
TALUN: Something wrong?
The driver throws an MRE to him.
DRIVER: Breakfast, we didn't get a chance to eat due to us arriving here after 0600.
Talun puts out his cigarette by smashing it in the asphalt.
TALUN: Thanks.
He rips it open, and the ground shakes. Talun looks back to the driver seeing smoke rising from the city center. The two scramble into the tank, as the tank gets moving a ball of flame strikes the temple.
ODIN: All units are to advance to Liberty Park, I repeat all units to Liberty Park.
The tank moves forward getting slowed down by the crowd of civilians on the roads. Talun flips a switch near the hatch, and presses a button on the right side of his headset. The speakers mounted on the tank's turret squeak out.
TALUN: Clear a path for the armor, or we'll run you down.
The crowd in front of the tanks slowly parts, the crowd clears a path and the tanks gun it, tearing up the road and crushing cars in the way. Apaches above spew a hoard of rockets in the direction of the park.
The tanks move down the street, moving past the corpses of civilians and soldiers cladded in late 1800's uniforms. Talun opens the hatch and scans the surroundings, but quickly ducks back in when a few shots hit the turret. The machine gun opens up tearing apart the retreating infantry. The armored force is the first to arrive, breaking through the fences and moving across the tennis courts. The infantry arrives on the other side of the park clearing the frightened enemy with their IFVs. The Apaches above make quick work of the few wyverns that made it through. The Abrams advance to the rift that has appeared in the middle of the park. Talun looks through the visibility port, as the turret rings when a cannon ball strikes it. The Abrams keeps moving forward flattening the cannon and crew. The tank stops in front of the gateway, leveling its gun at the entrance. Talun peaks out of the hatch. He stares down the empty darkness of the entrance way. The Abrams gun fires, lighting up the gateway and illuminating the darkness, before exploding halfway through. The infantry secures the area, rounding up or killing the remaining survivors. Talun lights another cigarette, the armor units surround the rift awaiting.
STOKINS: Tell me the damages.
ODIN: It's minimal, 20 dead civilians, and a lightly burned temple. The enemies suffered 5 wyverns down, 40 infantry, and 10 artillery pieces. We have suspicion that it was a unit to secure the gate in preparation for the main force.
Stokins leans on his desk.
STOKINS: What type of enemy is it we're facing?
ODIN: early 1880's type equipment, so a pretty modern fighting force for the Innerworld. The samples we took from the wyverns match the ones from the Innerworld down to the molecule.
STOKINS: So there's more to the Innerworld than we thought, some countries seem to be more advanced than the Philians.
ODIN: Our allies have already mustered their forces for similar purposes.
STOKINS: Alright, send in the troops, once they secure the other side, close it.
ODIN: Yes sir.
The sun sets as the determined American leader ponders on the many situations and conflicts settling upon his mind.
YOU ARE READING
Hells Bells
Science FictionHey you, Yes you! Do like traveling, adventure, getting 50% discounts at Applebee's, and possible fighting in horrific conflicts that will break your mental fortitude and make you possibly witness horrors mankind has created that are well beyond you...
