Deliverance (Forgotten Colony Book 1) by M.R. Forbes

Author:M.R. Forbes [Forbes, M.R.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Published: 2018-10-14T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 27

Caleb led the civilians, including the former Lieutenant Jones, up from the Marine module on Deck Twenty-nine, through empty corridors to the lift to Deck Sixteen, and from Deck Sixteen toward the bow in the direction of Metro’s south entrance. He was in the lead of the small unit, with Sho beside him and Washington and Hafizi in the rear. He had already informed them of the former lieutenant’s decision, and they had taken it in stride, keeping their comments to themselves, at least until they had delivered the group to safety.

Doctor Valentine stayed in contact with them, monitoring their exodus from the Research module’s sub-network terminal, watching the sensors for signs of trife, both their current location and suspected paths. The goal for the moment was to avoid confrontation, to get the civilians into the city and make it back to Deck Twenty-nine in one piece. Once that was done, Caleb would start worrying about coming up with a plan to get the trife off the Deliverance.

There was only one group of trife that threatened them on the way, a small segment of five demons who were wandering across their path, likely in search of any wayward survivors. Caleb kept the group well away from them, circling the area and back to the entrance to Metro.

The second group of trife had taken root there, hanging out near the hatch in case it opened, somehow aware of all the people on the other side. Caleb and Washington moved in on them first, coming hard around the corner of an adjacent corridor and gunning them down before they had much of a chance to react.

“Valentine, any reaction from the others?” Caleb asked. His ATCS showed the area was clear, but he couldn’t see anything the sensors on his or his unit’s SOS couldn’t see.

“Negative, Alpha,” Valentine replied. She seemed to have gained a new respect for him after Lieutenant Jones informed her of the change in command. Caleb supposed some respect was better than none. “If they heard you, they aren’t interested.”

“Roger that,” Caleb replied. “Adam, you have the key.” It still felt strange to call the lieutenant by his first name, but there was no way he wasn’t going to do it.

Adam approached the security panel, putting his wrist to it and letting it scan his ID chip. The door thunked and began sliding open.

“Alpha, we have movement,” Valentine said as soon as the hatch started to rise. “Hurry them in; you’ve got three groups rushing your way that we can see, nearly a hundred in total.”

“Shit,” Caleb muttered. “No time for goodbyes. Get in and close the hatch.”

The hatch was large and heavy and hadn’t been designed to open and close in a hurry. It rose at a snail’s pace, revealing a few pairs of feet on the other side.

“Vultures, cover the rear, full line defense fire. Hawks, we need you at the Metro entrance.”

He had organized the Guardians in three teams of four, sticking with the names of birds of prey as callsigns for the units.

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