Arc 2 - Chapter 40: Soldier Uniforms

(Libertatem 1, 59 / 3:56AM)

“For the first evacuation team, you guys will search and rescue any civilians within downtown. Eliminate any threat you see fit.”

“On it Fenix.”

Nodding at Luke’s words, Benn turned his head toward the group that he’ll be with. And as he turned, he felt a piercing dagger of glares, which were thrown by none other than Ada.

Folding her arms, she scrunched up her face to the fullest she could. Feeling a hand pressed onto her shoulder, she didn’t budge one bit.

“You heard him, we have to go.”

“You taking orders from sharky?”

“Does it look like I care? We’re agents. We have to fulfill our mission to ensure the people are safe.”

Pulling away his hand, he made his way toward the shark-human and teenage girl. And as he walked, Ada walked behind him, who didn’t want to even look at Benn. Rolling his eyes, he slouched his head forward, and pushed up a casual smile.

“I’m so sorry, she was raised in a mansion. I’ll try to hone down her discrimination at best…”

“Don’t bother. She’s nicer than the other discriminants.”

Sensing many soldiers glaring at him, Benn sunken his cheeks down to his lower jawline. As Loraine let out a quiet hum, Benn placed one of his hands inside his pocket, and turned his attention onto the jeep behind them. Clearing his throat, he nudged his head at it.

“Let’s get in. I’ll drive us there.”

“Either that, or you’ll just take us somewhere to—”

“Enough.”

Having his hand already balled into a fist, he thumped the top of her head hard. Raising both her hands up top, she tilted her head down to see the asphalt, and clung her scalp with her stinging nails.

Pushing his eyes down, a bag of darkness clouded his eyelids, as he eyed the shark-human.

“Let’s just get this over with…”

________________________________________________________________________

(Libertatem 1, 59 / 4:45AM)

A jeep prowled through the paved road ahead.

Being in the middle of downtown, all of them had their groggy eyes scanning the streets. On the verge of sleeping, Benn was lucky he had a radio.

“This is Platoon Leader Sigma. We’re seeing no signs of activity or odd behaviors. Scanning the road ahead.”

“Got it.”

The vanguard were the soldiers who were prowling the streets ahead, while Benn, Loraine, Ada, and Eren hung in back. Once static began to commit from the radio, it led Benn to turn it off right away. Because of this, it pushed Loraine and him to overhear Ada and Eren’s little chat from behind.

“How is a teenage girl part of an elite force anyway?”

“Don’t you remember that survival game we set up? The old chubby man with the bowl-cut hair?

“Ah … so it all makes sense now…”

Loraine sitting passenger, she looked like she was on the verge of falling asleep, considering she is still a growing kid.

But to overcome her boredom, she jabbed her hand underneath the passenger door. Pulling out a simple sheet of paper, she began to squeeze and fold so that it resembled a ball. Without turning her head over, she threw it underhanded, and plopped down onto the female agent’s head.

“H-Hey!”

Chuckling to herself, she covered her mouth with one of her hands, as she squeezed her eyes shut.

Gasping, the right side of her forehead sprouted a vein, while inhaling air through her small mouth. As if her words had broken down, she tried to find the pieces to conjure up whatever she was trying to say.

“W-What was that for!?”

“You look funny.”

“Excuse me!?”

“Let it go Ada. She’s just a kid.”

Folding her arms, she looked at the passing buildings that were filled with darkness. Having her right leg over her left knee, she huffed out a single breath filled with frustrated air.

Eren began rubbing his eyes with his smoothened knuckles.

‘And besides, you deserved it.’

Benn glanced at Loraine, who continued to have a cheeky grin. His eyes still littered with eyebags, he had one of his eyebrows raised, while his grip on the wheel loosened.

“Why did you throw that ball at her?”

“She was mean.”

“Mean? She wasn’t mean to you.”

“But she was.”

Benn returned his focus onto the patch of black asphalt in front of him. As he saw that she was about to fall asleep, he let the words drown in his mind. Realizing the little action she took, he felt a tinge of warmth belittle his face.

‘Guess she isn’t that bad after all…’

—They all heard a bump from above.—

“What the…” Muttered Benn.

“Is it a zompire?!”

“Stay alert!”

Both agents yelled, as they all scanned their eyes around the downtown sidewalks and streets. Although they were inside a jeep, the darkness from the alleyways and buildings were enough to make them feel … hunted.

Nothing stood out, leaving Benn to tighten his grip on the wheel.

Loraine sniffed the air, and enlarged her nostrils to make it happen. Arching her head forward, she smelled the air like a dog before widening her eyes, and paling her face.

“He’s here…”

“Who’s here?”

“Round two!”

—A blur of white plopped onto the windshield.—

Unable to analyze the figure, Benn was too shocked to even push the brake. Instead, he jerked his hands to the right, all the while he gripped the steering wheel with an utmost of intensity.

Which caused the car to swerve to the right, leaving the wheels to lock. And if the wheels are locked, the car will have no other choice … but to flip over.

“Hold on!”

Their world slowed, Benn let go of the wheel, and extended his right hand to cover Loraine’s face. Upside down, the windshield and windows all crackled, allowing glass to pierce across their skin. Their visions blurred, pieces of metal scattered throughout the air, as the jeep continued to roll along the asphalt.

Until it stopped. Landing on its left side, everyone had gripped onto something near. Followed by Benn gripping the wheel with his left, and Loraine gripping the handle of the door, all of their bodies were tilted leftward.

“Is everyone all alright?”

“Barely.”

“pfft … this is nothing.”

Benn had his head near the broken window, as glass pinched his left cheek. Turning to his right, he saw Loraine unscathed, as his right hand was brittle in metal shards. Pulling it back, he unveiled a small breath of air.

“Let’s get the hell out of this jeep.”

The windshield broken, Benn pushed his body forward, his seatbelt unbuckled. Crawling through the barren pavement full of glass, it scraped against his forearms and elbows.

Once he was able to stand up straight, he turned his eyes down to the two agents who followed him. Along with Loraine, all of them were discombobulated from the crash.

“pants … How did we crash again?”

“Something was in front of the car…”

“What an excuse for a lousy driver.”

They heard a voice from behind. Turning their heads, they witnessed a man standing on top, as he wore nothing but a simple white cloth. Having ghostly pale skin, he had both of his hands extended out, as his palms excreted pure white clouds.

Loraine widened her eyes, and placed herself in the back of Benn.

“That’s Pedro…”

They all heard the sounds of rumbling footsteps, which drew in back of them. As Benn and Loraine kept their eyes on the lich, Eren and Ada glanced at the designated cloud of smoke…

A smoke that held a collection of slow walking silhouettes.

“Eren, contact the soldiers that were with us.”

Eren placed his right hand into his jacket, and immediately took out a walkie-talkie. Placing it to the edge of his mouth, he cleared his throat, he kept his widened into the cloud of death in front of him.

“Platoon Leader, give us your location!”

Static was heard. Digging into the metal with his fingers, he creaked the object while gritting his teeth. That was, until Ada squinted her eyes into the smoke.

“Platoon Leader! Please we need—”

“Eren, give it up!”

“This is a dire situation Ada! We need those soldiers!”

“T-They’re already here!”

Pointing her finger at the walking silhouettes, Eren then turned his head to the direction she pointed. Although Benn and Loraine couldn’t, as they kept their eyes on Pedro, it led both of them to sulk in sweat.

Both agents quivered, and their knees shook amidst the change of tides. Despair creeping in, it led Pedro to give himself a little chuckle. For the zompires that walked through the smoke—

—All wore soldier uniforms.—