The Tainted

Chapter 3: Meetings of the unusual kind

Maddison's P.O.V

I looked down at the young mans face, it was covered in dirt and blood yet his expression was soft and content. His breathing was laboured and harsh, and his body ladened in his armour looked beaten and worn; using my hand I pressed down on the wound on his forehead whilst checking his pulse. "Mads..." I glanced up to Mike to see a worried expression on his face, I gave him a puzzled look in return "What? What is it?" He shook his head and turned away "nothing" came his solemn reply as he paced on the spot. Turning my attention back to the man in front of me I noticed the emblem on his chest, it was the logo of UNSAF; underneath was written 'Captain of the Delta Squadron' I let my fingers trace the lines of writing memories swirling in my mind, ones that I had buried many years ago. Shaking my head to rid my mind of the thoughts I took a closer look at his wounds mentally noting them down to keep check of at a later date. "I think he'll be alright. He hasn't sustained anything major." Mike simply nodded in reply grazing the landscape around us, when a voice crackled through his walkie talkie on his hip. "Mike, Mike do you read me?" He unsheathed it from its case lifting it up to his stubble covered face "Tori, I read you. What is it?" his voice was irritated even though his face was expressionless. "I think... i think you should come over here.I...I" she was stumbling over her words, this caused Mike to scrunch his eyebrows up "Would you spit it out already!!" i jumped to my feet at the harshness of Mike response, walking over to him laying a hand on his arm he looked down at me with slight glare in his eyes "s..sorry. Its just that I've found people! 4 to be exact and I need some help quick!" A yelp of pain can be heard through the walkie and my eyes widen. "You go, your better at this medical stuff. I'll stay here with him" Mike looked back at the man laid behind us, rolling his eyes before telling Tori I was on my way.

I nod my head at him before sprinting off, taking a sharp turn to the left then right, dodging the falling debris and small fire pits that had been created in the crash. Slowly I began to hear voices, it started off as one or two and soon began to multiply. I slowed my pace as I approached an opening between two derelict buildings another yelp and grumble of pain drifted through the air to me. The next thing I knew I was surrounded by people, each of them looking more disorientated than the other. I looked around for Tori, only to notice she was crouched beside a young man. I cautiously made my over watching as his face contorted with each breath he took, I soon reached the pair and knelt next to him as well. Immediately I saw what the problem was, a large piece of metal was sticking out of his shoulder " Is there a medic with you?" I asked the man in front of me, he simply squinted his eyes and was about to open his mouth to reply, when a female one beat him to it. "Yeah there is. He's the medic." her finger pointed at the lad "Okay" came my response; I looked up at Tori, and she looked at me both of us wearing the same expression. I stood up once again turing to the small group that had placed themselves in a circle. "Right, errm" I scratched my neck thinking of what to say. "Are the rest of you fit to walk, we need to move now!" they all looked between themselves before simultaneously nodding. "okay, good. Follow me then" the two other men walked over and picked up their friend who had gradually slid down to laying on the ground, Tori sped over to me "so what are we doing exactly?" I turned my head to her, glancing back at the small group to whom we had gathered "We're going to pick up Mike and the man we found, go to the block Jake told us about, help them and maybe use them as our ticket off this planet" Tori looked at me with incredulous look before nodding "Sounds like a plan. Lets just hope it works out that way."

"yeah, lets hope"