The Group Project

~Chapter 10~

Screams and shouts filled the air as people began to scramble in every direction, some trying to flee the base while others turned on each other in their fear and desperation.

I grabbed Bea's arm, pulling her close. "Stay together!" I shouted over the noise. "We need to stay together!"

Gannon and Jon closed ranks around us, their faces grim. "We need to get out of this, people are trampling all over one another." Jon said, his voice barely audible over the commotion.

A man sprinted past me, bumping my shoulder with enough force to send me staggering back a few steps. I watched his face contort with fear, and his eyes fill with panic as he continued past me. His long brown hair, streaked with the white strip that marked all survivors, whipped around in his face. He collided with a group of people, his panic spreading like wildfire. "We're all going to die! They're going to tear us apart! THOSE THINGS ARE FUCKING MONSTERS!" he screamed, eyes wild and darting.

Before anyone could react, General Marceline Mertens stormed through the crowd with fierce speed, sporting a megaphone in her left hand. She grabbed the man by his collar bringing him closer and with a swift decisive punch, knocked him out cold.

"I'm sorry, but it's for his own good," she said, her tone regretful but firm. Then she stood tall and brought her gun out of the holster, firing it into the air. The deafening crack echoed through the base, and the pandemonium briefly halted as all eyes turned to her.

"Everyone, listen up!" General Mertens' voice rang out, commanding attention. "There's no point in trying to stay silent anymore. They're already on their way. We need to prepare for a fight."

The crowd began to settle, though fear still lingered in their eyes. I could see the Sentinels trying to restore order, their faces grim and focused. Many were rushing to the base walls and watch towers.

"Emergency response teams, gear up!" General Mertens barked into the megaphone. "Savage Response Teams Alpha and Beta, your mission is to flank the horde and divert it away from the base. Team Gamma, you'll plant grenades and fireworks to disperse and divert the herd."

The designated teams sprang into action around us, grouping up and heading towards the armory with practiced efficiency. The general then turned her attention to the rest of us, her gaze sweeping across the anxious faces.

"We need volunteers to help support the perimeter," she said. "We need every able body. Who's with us?"

For a moment, there was a tense silence. Then, almost simultaneously, hands started to rise. I glanced at my friends and saw the same determination reflected in their eyes. Bea, Jon, Gannon, and I all raised our hands, along with several other survivors. In total, about twelve of us stepped forward.

I glanced over to examine the other volunteers and was met with a diverse mix of faces. There were twins, a boy and a girl with brown eyes and matching white streaks in their jet-black hair, standing resolutely side by side. They looked young, maybe in their late teens, but their expressions were hardened with determination. Next to them stood a muscular man in his thirties with a shaved head and a white strip through his beard. He had a calm, focused demeanor. Beside him, a woman with short, curly hair and a scar running down her left cheek raised her hand.

"Good," General Mertens nodded, her expression resolute. "Those of you volunteering, report to the armory immediately. Get equipped and be ready to hold the line. We'll get through this, but we need to work together."

I was still in disbelief that all of this was happening but before I knew it Jon grabbed my arm and was pulling me foward as our walking pace turned into panicked dashes. Finally arriving at the armory, the reality of the situation was starting to settle heavily on my shoulders. We were going to be fighting to protect everyone in the base and putting our lives on the line for a mere speculation of unearthly power. My stomach began to churn with discomfort and fear.