The Golem City (Complete)

Chapter Twenty-One

The platoon of Crimson Commandos marched in formation down the city streets toward the palace, twenty-four soldiers in total. Kicking open the door, they covered each other's flanks while advancing warily into the foyer. After ensuring there was no threat present, they gathered around the platoon commander, awaiting his orders.

"This is a cleanup operation," the commander called out. "Unless advised otherwise, anything you find here that breathes or moves, you deal with it like you would a threat. First Company, we'll take the ground floor. Second Company, you head upstairs. Third Company, see if there's a floor below this. If not, head back to us. Second Company, you do the same, once you've cleared upstairs. Be careful of everything and ready for anything. Move out."

The three teams headed off, the platoon commander leading his seven-man company out of the foyer and into the adjacent chamber. Fanning out, guns raised, they examined each space in turn. The chambers were huge, spartan, and devoid of life though comfortably furnished with what looked to be newly made couches, tables and chairs.

First Company entered a long hallway, lined with portals leading into more large rooms that were windowless and entirely dark. Wall-bound candles flickered, making the shadows dance. As they made their way cautiously down the narrow passage, all the candles in the hall suddenly and inexplicably went out. There was movement. Something reached out from the shadows along the floor and dragged two commandos by the ankles into a neighbouring room. There was a short burst of gunfire, followed by the soldiers' petering cries.

The commander ordered his men to keep from pursuing their comrades into the opaque darkness beyond the doorway. His crimson lenses picked up nothing.

"Flash out!" He tossed a flash grenade into the room. Two seconds later, it flew back out. There was no time to react. The device filled the hall with a searing burst of white light that momentarily blinded the commander and his men.

"Hey! Kingsley and Goyer are gone!"

The commander clenched his jaw, as the two men's shouts could be heard echoing through the palace. He'd now lost four men to these invisible foes, leaving him with less than half his original team.

"Everybody, fall back," he ordered.

They fled the dark hall and returned to the foyer. One of the commandos pulled the helmet off his head so he could wipe the sweat from his eyes. "We had our backsides handed to us by that dragon the other day," he growled, "and now Balsa drops us into a city where we're getting picked off like vineyard grapes. What does Balsa expect us to do?"

"What we were ordered to," answered the commander sternly. "Regardless of what we're dealing with, this sortie is our responsibility. And we will not concede defeat without a fight."

Several figures charged into the foyer and all of First Company turned about in reflex, guns raised.

"Hold your fire, damn it! It's Third Company." The commander stepped up to meet them. "Report."

"We found no sign of any floor below this one." The leader of Third Company looked around curiously. "Sir, where's the rest of your team?"

Sounds of gunfire erupted upstairs.

"Third Company, you're with us," ordered the commander, cocking his gun. "Everybody, upstairs. Move!"

The troop charged upstairs. They rushed down a long narrow corridor, halting when the head of the pack spotted something down an adjacent hall.

"Hostile!"

The trooper turned about and opened fire, two others with him lighting up the hall with gun flares, the roar of their weapons deafening.