Rim of the Earth

Chapter 4: "Searching for Answers"

"Kaplan?.. Yumi!"
Kai shouted, looking for Kaplan but instead finding Yumi pinned by the pipes.
He grabbed them one by one and threw them aside, lifting Yumi up onto his shoulder and looking through the fire and the flames engulfing the base.

"So much chaos.. so much destruction.."

Kai took off through the door and found Kaplan laying on the floor, getting up slowly.

"Kaplan, we've gotta go man.
Yumi's hurt pretty bad, are you okay enough to use a gun?"

"Y-yeah... just give me a second.
Wait.. the base. Its under attack."

"Yeah, so?"

"So this is my chance to find the answers to all my questions.. while there's still chaos."

"Okay.. well if you'll help me get Yumi to the medical bay, I can help you sneak into the tech storage lab."

"Alright, sounds solid.
She okay?"

"I don't know.
She may have broken a rib, but she's still breathing.
Lets go."

Kaplan led their way down the passage.
Soldiers were scrambling all over the base and gunfire could be heard way out there.
It seemed the entire base had been set ablaze in fire.
What could cause so much damage so quickly?
This base was supposed to be impenetrable, and even so, alarms would have sounded long before enemies attacked once they were detected.
Which made the answer simple: this was either a stealth operation, or an inside attack.
As the questions stacked, Kai and Kaplan were slowed down by a large group of soldiers fortified at the end of the passage.
They were all armed and alert, aiming at the door near the end of the passage.

"Soldiers! I'm Kai of alpha, we need to get Yumi to medical bay or she could be in serious trouble.
Help a soldier out?"
Just then, Bravo team came out of the crowd and flagged them down.

"Make room for them to pass everyone, keep those guns aimed at the damned door!
It'll be here any second!
Alpha, move through the door right here next to me, take the passage all the way down and go left.
That'll take you to medical bay."

"Alright, thank you Bravo.
And what are we against out there?
Just the swarm?
We haven't heard any additional details."

"No, this is much worse!
We've got the swarm to deal with.
Damn lab scientists released it by accident from the cat body we destroyed in operation knockout, guess the swarm is a weapon system designed for the catbots.
And the base is under attack by an all-mech marine army.
No zombies.
But they're wearing better armor Alpha.
If I had to guess, they're here for something.
If they were only here to kill us, it'd probably be an all zombie army.
Been here too long guys, fought too many deads to not notice when something's off.
Watch yourselves out there brothers.
And good luck.
Alright Bravo, hold your ground!"

Kaplan and Kai nodded, then took the assigned path.
Bravo sealed the heavy crank door behind them, and got back into firing position at the opposite door.
The passage to medical bay was silent and there was no fire or structural damage at all.
Strange, Kaplan thought.
As they arrived at medical bay, there were many people already being operated on.
A couple doctors greeted alpha and took Yumi into their group, getting her on a table for x-rays.

"Take good care of her. I think she may have a cracked rib, a bunch of overhead pipes fell on her."

"We'll do everything we can.
The more soldiers we let die, the less firepower we have between us and the dead."

The doctors were in a hurry between patients, so Kaplan and Kai departed back to the passage way.
Recalling where the Tech zone was, Kai led Kaplan down a series of passages and corners in a full sprint until they reached the restricted zone.
They both stopped when around the last corner, the power was completely out.
The lights were normally blinding in here.
But now it was pitch black.
Kaplan glanced at the wall for a camera, which had been laid down and deactivated by the power being down.