Broken Armageddon

6.Within the Iron City

Once past the check point, Karl and his refugees were filtered through a screening machine which thoroughly scanned every inch of their bodies for weapons and other dangerous objects.

Beep beep went the screening machine performing it's task with smooth agility and in a short while it was Karl's turn.

Stepping inside a circular cage, a pair of robotic arms equipped with tube like objects casted a blue laser grid around his body and with precise movements those arms moved up and down along the grid.

Once done, green lights beside him blinked and the metal cage split open powered with a low hum from its motors.

"After screening, please head straight to the yellow tent for registration. ," repeated an announcement through the intercoms.

"Next one please. ," announced the soldier standing guard next to it and Father Paul went in while the children behind him watched in amazement and being a curious bunch they began bombarding the poor guard with questions only for them to be shooed away by the poor guy out of annoyance.

And one after one stepped in and went out till all had been screened and registered by the officials inside a yellow tent that was packed with drawers, file holders, printers and computers.

They then were each given an identification card which hung around their necks which would also be their housing keys in the residential zone that had been made by repurposing a stadium along with a supermarket.

"So where are the fresh batch of civilians ?," inquired a soldier wearing a grey beret hat and a matching unform to a guard manning his post outside the yellow tent.

"Oh, Captain Pyotr. The refugees are still inside registering, should be done soon. ," the guard replied,"Command's order, sir? ," he added

"Yes, another night of caretaking. ," said Pyotr sighing with reluctance and stating ," Part of me wishes to be deployed in the frontlines but it'd be wrong to yearn for such a thing."

"This place does get a bit boring indeed , sir. But on hindsight, I'd rather clean the weapons and gear than dig a six feet hole."

"Couldn't agree more, Private..."

"Pardon me Captain, but did you hear about what happen to the garrison stationed at Pyiskova ?," said another guard cutting into the conversation who must have overheard the Captain's statement.

"Please, enlightenment us, Private... Zavrutza ," taking a quick glance at the soldiers name tag Pyotr curiously inquired.

"The fifth reservist corp were wiped out along with all its inhabitants. But from what I heard, think they made a last stand which managed to slow down the Tengu advance."

"Seriously?!," the astonished Captain remarked with a hint of fear in his wide eyed expression.

"Yeah, that AC of theirs was a tough nut judging from word moving this place."

"May we avenge them, comrades. ," Pyotr said with a solemn tone mixed with a hint of anger and hatred to them who then silently nodded in agreement.

Recomposing himself, he dismissed them both and went inside the registration tent to introduce himself to the refugees as their kind-of caretaker and guide.

Once all of the refugees were ready, he led them out on a street where they got onto a bus headed for the residential zone.

As the vehicle drove along the nearly empty street where the only ones moving along it were them and occasional military patrols accompanied by a tank or an armoured fighting vehicle.