Death Returns by J. C. Diem

Author:J. C. Diem [Diem, J. C.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Goodreads: 21844731
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Published: 2014-04-03T22:00:00+00:00

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Chapter Sixteen

Drawing closer to the centre of the city, I detected the sounds of battle long before the soldiers did. I wasn’t surprised to hear gunshots ringing out. Guns had been outlawed in Australia but Americans had different laws and they still had the right to bear arms. Bear them these townsfolk did and they weren’t shy about using them. Many of the civilians had opted to defend their city. They weren’t about to cower inside their homes and be invaded without putting up a fight.

The soldiers hurried their pace when they drew close enough to hear the defiant screams and civilian gunfire. Piping cries from the Kveet imps added to the cacophony, creating fear in even the stoutest of human hearts. For most of the soldiers, this was their first encounter with extra-terrestrials. Only Sanderson’s diminished team of six hundred men and women recognized the sounds that they were hearing.

Sanderson remained in constant contact with his men. In a well-choreographed manoeuvre, ten thousand soldiers moved in to eradicate the enemy. More hazmat suits must have arrived along with the extra troopers for our force to have grown that much.

We reached the outskirts of a large park where most of the civilians had gathered to fight the enemy. Sensing movement from the Viltaran ship overhead, I tilted my head back but it remained hidden from view. Dropping lower and lower, it halted only a few streets away. The camouflage was switched off and the black hull became visible as it disgorged more automatons and Kveet imps. Hovering just above the rooftops and moving in a wide circle, it continued to drop its payload of clones and imps.

“We are about to be in serious trouble,” I said to my friends. Before they could ask me what I’d meant, I hurried over to Sanderson. “The Viltarans have just dropped off another eight thousand droids and twenty thousand imps.”

The general seemed almost to age ten years right before my eyes at the grave news. “Where are they?”

“They’re mimicking our attack and are encircling the town.” I wasn’t much of a strategist but even I understood that we would now be under attack from two sides. It wasn’t a position any of us wanted to be caught in.

“How far behind us are they?”

“They’re a few streets away and they’re closing in fast.”

Reaching for his radio, Sanderson changed his orders. “We’re about to be attacked by a large force from behind. They don’t know that we are aware of their presence yet so use this to your advantage. They’ll be here in a couple of minutes so take cover and look sharp.” He signed off and cast a look at the beleaguered civilians. We didn’t have enough people to fight both forces at the same time. For now, the townsfolk would have to battle their foes alone.

Obeying the general’s hand signals, we scattered to find shelter. Some of the soldiers ducked down behind cars that had been parked on the street. Several hundred readied death rays.

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