The End

Back On The Streets

I woke with a start as a loud knocking sounded on my door. "Coming!" I mumbled groggily as I sat up, sunlight shone through a grimy window I hadn't noticed last night and birds, or at least it sounded like it, chirped outside. I slipped my feet into my boots, got up,walked to the door and opened it.

Geneis stood there all kitted out with her leather jacket, backpack, combat trousers, rifle and helmet. She smiled before saying "morning Jason good nights sleep?" "Great" I said sarcastically, rubbing my eyes and Geneis laughed. "Shame, well get your stuff Jason were leaving now" I groaned and she smiled "meet us in the lobby okay?" I nodded and gave her a smile before closing the door.

I yawned and stretched on the spot before striding over to the table and armchair, picked up my military jacket and put it on, I swung my bag over my shoulders and then picked up my M4. Then I walked over to the door and opened it stepping into the corridor. It was eerily quiet at dawn and the carpet muffled my footsteps as I walked towards the staircase.

I walked down briskly and crossed the now empty casino floor and went down the final set of stairs to the lobby. The group stood loosely around the centre of the floor chatting and Ray was leaning against the reception desk waiting for me, "nice sleep?" He asked "terrible" I replied as I threw my room keys at him, who deftly caught them an put them in a pile with all the other keys on the desk.

"Well our trip should wake you up a bit" said Ray as he stood up. We both walked back to the group and I caught Myles's eye who smiled and said "ready?", "to take on the world" I answered jokingly and the group smiled. "Okay listen up" said Ray as we stood in a circle, 'we certainly look formidable' I thought as I looked around. We all had helmets and tactical vests on and carried an assortment of the deadliest looking weapons.

Bull carried what looked like a miniature Gatling gun in his hands and 2 disposable rocket tubes were also slung over his shoulder, Ray carried his light machine gun in his hands a new ammo box brimming with bullets hanging on the side. Tyler had a semi-automatic rifle in his hands with a reflex sight on the rail, Myles had his battle-worn AK in hand.

Geneis carried a heavily modified Scar-H assault rifle with red dot sight and under barrel master key mini shotgun, Kate carried a SA80 rifle, a futuristic looking weapon with a ACOG scope, and Anna with a long elegant bolt-action rifle, a long high powered scope attached. How did I know all these weapons? Well lets just say I had a plethora of books on weapons at my home station. "We're going through dangerous ground guys so watch each others backs and stay close".

We all nodded solemnly and Ray looked around at us before smiling and saying "good luck guys", he stuck his hand into the middle of the circle and we all placed our hands on his. "Let's do this!" He said and we all threw our hands up and cheered. We then walked over to the front doors, pushed them open and stepped outside.

The square in front of the building was completely empty now and the whole area was slightly misty. We walked along in silence towards the checkpoint Ray, Myles and I had entered through yesterday. As we approached the checkpoint we began to hear the fractured sounds of arguing, I looked questioningly at Bull, who walked next to me, and he shrugged.

I felt uneasy and I tightened my grip on my M4, the sounds became louder and clearer as we approached a turn in the road and I also saw a subtle change in the groups posture, more alert and aware. We finally rounded the corner and were a mere 18 meters away from the checkpoint and we could see what was causing all the noise.

At the checkpoint stood 6 guards, two were having a blazing argument in front of a beleaguered and defeated looking woman and a terrified child. We could hear the argument and we listened as we walked closer. "We have to let them in Joe!" Shouted the first guard "they're my wife and son!!" The guard named Joe answered "No! Orders are orders Mike and you know it!" Joe was turning back to the distressed woman when Mike punched Joe's back "you're better than this Joe!!" He yelled.