Page 10 of Trigger Discipline

Tommy nodded, squaring his shoulders as he grabbed the bag. There was an edge of determination in his eye now, and Blake was proud of him. Hell, the kid was barely twenty. He still cried after shifts sometimes, and still found it in him to care about all his causes, to educate himself and others. Tommy even went to protests and stuff.

He dropped a hand on Tommy. “Focus on one thing at a time.”

Nodding, Tommy shouldered the bag. “First the truck.”

Then they’d swing east and try to hit The University Hospital. With any luck, they could get some answers.

After sticking his head out to check the street, they jogged out across the gas station lot. They didn’t need to worry about being quiet. The crackling fire was loud enough to cover their progress.

Blake slammed into the side of the truck, wrenching open the door and taking the bag from Tommy as he climbed into the driver’s seat. Tossing the bag through the opening between the front seats, he tried the computer again. Still dead.

Tommy cranked the engine and blessedly, the ancient ambulance turned over. Steering around potholes and upended trees, they made their way east.

CHAPTER 5

RUCK UP

Gabriel slammed the clip into place, cocking his M4. He couldn’t hear the telltale click over all the noise. Phin was roaring to his right, the SAW barking out 725 rounds per minute. Getting his feet under him, he steadied his rifle on the tire of the car they were crouched behind, settling his eye to the scope. His finger curled, and the gun bucked twice against his shoulder.

He had no idea if his aim was true.

The giant bipedal alienseemed to be impenetrable. It took their hits, barely staggering backward. Hissing and clicking, the triangular head swiveled back and forth as it tried to pinpoint their location.

Standing at least eight and a half feet tall, its long arms reached past what Gabriel could only assume were its knees. Knees, which twisted and rotated like human hips, with a ball and socket joint. On its shoulder sat two mounted guns moving independently to the weird bug-like head between them. It was unnatural and disturbing.

And holy hell, what guns they were.

If he hadn’t seen them with his own eyes, he’d never believe it.Rail guns.

Gabriel only had a rudimentary understanding of what a rail gun was. He knew that their military had been working on them for close to twenty years, with little more than fancy 3D renderings for their efforts.

What he did know was that these things were firing softball sized chunks of metal thatincineratedon impact. Not just an explosion, the things turned into molten lava, burning through anything they touched.

He couldn’t see any type of ammo on the matte black creature. Its body was all smooth lines and curves—sleek and aerodynamic. The sensors lining the points of its triangular head must be some sort of eyes or mouth; Gabriel had been aiming for them.

“Where’s the weak point?” Judd yelled as he changed out ammo. “Nothing’s penetrating!”

Gabriel traced the creature’s body again. He couldn’t find a seam in the armor. Not a single indication of a weak spot.

“Aim for the head,” he called out.

“Sounds like a cop out,” Judd griped back as he took aim, and a burst of ammunition peppered the alien’s head. It stumbled backward, the head spinning as if it were affronted by their bad manners.

Phin assailed the thing with his bigger rounds. Something sparked and cracked as the alien slowed its progress forward. Gabriel pulled his head away from the scope to see its head wobble a little.

“Go for its fucking neck!”

They had been chased by the drone thing to this intersection. Diving behind a car flipped on its roof, they were using it as cover. The drone seemed to have disappeared the moment it herded its prey towards something larger. Behind them, the entire block was on fire. Flames licked at their backs as the building’s highly combustible materials fed the fire.

Trapped between fire and an alien, they had to make a stand. One, they were losing.

Phin yanked a grenade from his belt, pulling the pin with a finger and tossing it. “Frag out!”

As one, his squad ducked down, hands over their heads on instinct.

Unlike the movies, grenades didn’t explode in a massive fireball. They blew with a small bang, smoke, and shrapnel flying out at 360 degrees. Gabriel could hear some of the debris embedding itself on the other side of the car.

Hefting his gun, he peered over the car again, only to see the alien moving through the smoke. Its chest and legs were scraped up. Chunks taken out by the hand grenade Phin had thrown. But it still wasn’t stopping.