Tempest

19 - The Eleventh Hour

The two medics on standby in the temporary infirmary they'd rigged up were having quite the field day.

With these pods raining down now, ground forces were finding it difficult to keep them back. The damn things just kept coming, an onslaught of wave after wave of horrifying creatures. Morbidly, they'd realized fairly quickly that they didn't have much of a job; anyone who found themselves on the wrong end of those things was probably not going to make it to an infirmary. Most of them ended up being converted, or mutilated beyond recognition.

In fact, the only wounds that had come in so far had been from firearms; apparently, the damn things knew how to handle weapons despite the fact that their entire body could be used as one. They'd seen more than a few riflemen and Pilots alike come into the med-wing with bullets in the arm or leg. What these 'Amalgamates' lacked in accuracy, they made up for with sheer numbers and force. None of them needed to be accurate when there were ten of them firing simultaneously in the same direction. While these soldiers may not die, they definitely weren't going to be back in the fight until all of this was over ... one way or another.

Not to mention that they had the rather ... unusual patient in a bed at the end of the room. From what they'd been told, it was some kind of alien, a female that was helping humanity to stop whatever was happening with the invasion. Not knowing its proper anatomy, they'd settled for stopping the bleeding and letting it rest. Hopefully there'd be some proper answers soon.

An explosion could be heard outside, and both medics turned towards the source as the lights flickered and the walls shook. One of them turned to the other. "Damn, that was close."

She shook her head. "Too close. Those things must be getting closer."

The former shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing we can do about it. Just gotta wait it out-"

From seemingly nowhere, a staticky screech pierced their minds. They didn't so much hear the cry as they felt it. Looking towards the end of the room, they saw the alien kicking wildly as it woke up. Quickly, they rushed to its aid.

"Calm down!" the male medic ordered, "You're safe! It's alright!"

There was a momentary pause as the creature looked at them (at least it seemed to, it didn't have eyes), and assessed the situation. After another few seconds, they felt a voice speak to them mentally; Where is the Inferno?

They looked at each other in confusion. "Uh, we don't-"

Tobias! it clarified frustratedly, Lieutenant Four, the one who brought me here! He needs to know what awaits him!

The female medic understood. "We don't know, Captain Gates would have a better answer. I can grab her if you like-"

Before she'd finished speaking, the alien had fallen back onto its cot in apparent regret. I have to warn him. He doesn't know. Forgive me.

...

With heavy footfalls trailing their every step, three Titans ran through the streets of chorus. KT lead the trio while Skids and Cee followed closely behind.

Tobias guided them towards their destination. From the map they'd looked over, it seemed that every street converged into a backroad that led out of the city and towards the Floating Gardens. That convergence point was north of their position, roughly three miles away. Just under two by now, if they'd covered enough ground.

The bad news is that more pods were falling every minute. The calm of the city had quickly turned to a war zone, and then back to a more sinister calm. They'd come across groups of other soldiers and Titans fighting for survival against the onslaught. If they infantry didn't fall to the weaponized Amalgamates, then they quickly fell prey to the creatures physical advantages instead.