The Wilted Planet

Chapter Eight: Soldier's Remorse

The hulking armored giants stomped into the room. Their dark midnight blue armor shined under the sunlight streaming in from the windows above. Their backs covered in thick metal spikes that could impale any human easily. Caleb and Dean watched as they appeared to look around. Caleb saw Dean shoot a glance at him and he nodded at him.

The two marines rose as one and opened fire at the twins. Their bullets ricocheting off of the dark colored armor. The Hunters roared and held up their armored shield arms to protect themselves from the onslaught. Caleb growled in frustration but continued to fire his battle rifle trying to think of a plan.

Dean knelt down once his clip was empty and grabbed one of his grenades. He pulled the pin, waited a second to let the grenade cook, then tossed it at the Hunters. The giants visibly braced themselves for the blast. Caleb and Dean squatted down reloading as the grenade exploded. Concrete pieces sprayed over the tops of the barriers above them.

Caleb shot back up rifle ready and cursed as he saw the two aliens had been unharmed by the blast. "Dean we have a problem!" He shouted letting loose a round at the Hunters. His bullets continued to ricochet off their armored bodies harmlessly. Dean rose up beside him releasing his own round into the giants. The Hunters roared in fury once again holding up their armored shields.

Caleb lowered down again reloaded quickly. His mind raced as he tried to remember his training. Any weaknesses the Hunters had. Something he could use to bring them down. Caleb's hands shook as he rose again, releasing another clip of his rifle. Dean going down for another grenade. He pulled the pin and got ready to throw.

"Aim at their legs!" Caleb shouted at Dean as he threw. Dean slightly curled his fingertips catching the top of the grenade knocking it downward. It rolled to a stop at the closer of the two Hunter's feet. Just before the blast it roared out a warning to it's twin. The explosion knocked the Hunter back a few steps. But otherwise seemed to have no effect on the armored alien.

"How are we supposed to take these things down?" Dean exclaimed emptying his clip at them. Caleb thought quickly putting a plan together. He glanced at Dean who had gone down to reload and felt his eyes widen. "Oh no." Caleb said looking over the side to see the Hunters pointing their plasma cannons at them. The green glow of the plasma starting to illuminate the inside of the their gun.

"Dean move!" Caleb whispered urgently rolling to the barrier beside the one he was behind. Dean glanced at him in confusion but grabbed what he could and moved over to where he had hidden, making sure to duck beneath the barriers."Why did we move?" Dean asked in a harsh whisper. Caleb tried to reply but was covered by the sound of the concrete barriers they had been hiding behind being blown to pieces.

Dean blinked face pale with understanding. "Oh." He murmured. "That's why." The Hunters roared in confusion as their shots were wasted and started stomping towards the rubble. Dean looked at Caleb. "Please tell me you have a plan." He said panicked. Caleb smiled nervously and nodded. "You bet I do. But I need you to do something for me." He replied.

Caleb explained his idea to Dean as quick as possible, his face visably grew paler under his visor as Caleb went on. The Hunters approaching slowly towards their hiding place. Caleb grabbed his shoulder and gripped it tightly. "Got it?" He asked after he finished telling Dean his plan. Dean thought for a moment then nodded. "Yeah. I think so." He answered.

The two Hunters neared the barrier they were hiding behind. Their plasma cannons green glow lighting the area around them. "Now!" Shouted Caleb. He stood up with only the shotgun he has taken and sprinted around the twins. As he had hoped, the Hunters roared and turned to shoot him. Completely forgetting about Dean being behind them.

The plasma exploded close behind him. Caleb ran faster, trying to keep them busy so that Dean could complete his part of the plan. The Hunters fired another round blasting the steel walls behind him. Feet away from where he was. Caleb flinched slightly trying to be a faster moving target. "Come on Dean." He murmured seeing the green glow of the plasma cannons being charged.