Dogfights

Dogfights - Red (Chapter 17)

Alkazar looked out at the city. The morning fog was coming in, cascading over the towers with their brilliant glowing lights. Billowing clouds made up the skies above in beautiful agony. It was as quiet as death for no one lived in this place.

Alkazar and his men had met little resistance as they spilled into the unexplored northern-half of the city. Now they waited, with their black guns and wicked grins.

There was an explosion in the horizon which sundered the atmosphere and caused swathes of gold to bleed into the sky above. Alkazar nodded towards the squad of red soldiers under his command and then drifted forward, into the fog. They passed through abandoned streets and pilfered empty homes without interference. It was as if the nation was sleeping.

One of the red soldiers raised his gun, disturbing the silence. The others turned towards him.

"I heard something," the startled red soldier said.

Alkazar shook his head and chuckled. "Those are the ghosts of the city, brother. Do not pause. We're on the clock."

So they continued. The dark buildings rose high above, masking their approach. Cold air winded through the streets, howling in the distance.

Despite his bravado a kernel of doubt had planted itself inside Alcazar's mind. He knew they should have met some type of resistance by now. He shifted in his anxiety, betraying his emotions. Reports had flooded in, talking of great technological change ever since Malum had gained total control over the populace. Yet the city looked the same to Alkazar.

"There it is again!" the red soldier said with a raised voice.

"Quiet you fool," Alkazar said sharply. But he could not help but share in his subordinate's panic. Unease ran through the squad now. They raised their guns high as they oriceeded, albeit more slowly than before.

A rustling sounded down one of the many alleyways. Alkazar turned to the origin of the noise, only to find nothing. He cursed himself for a fool and snarled as he went forward, down the wet concrete street which shimmered under the moonlight.

A great howl erupted from some unknown place, ripping through the atmosphere. The cry was electronic in nature, a noise which pierced viciously. The red soldier immediately readied themselves for combat as Alkazar began barking orders.

"Form a perimeter!" the commander shouted. "Shoot anything that moves!"

A few panicked shots were taken, yet nothing appeared. The shadows that had once masked the invaders before had now turned on them. A strange scratching was heard. Something was out there.

The red soldiers tightened their circular formation around Alkazar, kneeling to gain better accuracy, their padded combat armor scratching against the floor.

Another howl, in a different direction. Alkazar realized then that they were being toyed with. He pointed his pistol into the darkness. Only the whistling of the wind could be heard, alongside the distant call of crows. A nibbling sensation coursed through Alkazar. He looked up.

The augmented creature leapt upon the red soldiers, emitting a bitter howl. A flurry of metal and steel rained down. Blood and body parts were tossed into the wind. Any bullets that found their mark bounced off the hard carapace of the augmented creature, doing no damage.

Soon only Alkazar remained. The creature was the height of two men, its being composed of thin metal bars and levers that creaked whenever they moved. A white exoskeleton clothed most of its mechanical insides. Its weaponry was composed of two metal bars which made up its arms. Blood dripped onto the ground as the creature started towards Alkazar. In a fit of rage the red army commander pulled the trigger of his pistol. The metal clink of the empty weapon went through the alleyways.