After the Pandemic: The Enemy of My Enemy (part 12 ): Trial by Bleeding (1022 hits)
Category: Quotes & StoriesRating: 1.96 on 32 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by TheCaes (View user info) at 2005-05-20 18:38:36 EDT
http://www.ubersite.com/m/61238 -- Introduction -- Jack McCallum
http://www.ubersite.com/m/61350 -- Variant C -- Jack McCallum
http://www.ubersite.com/m/61505 -- Part 1: Brianna
http://www.ubersite.com/m/61614 -- Part 2: Khalid
http://www.ubersite.com/m/63145 -- Part 3: The Meeting
http://www.ubersite.com/m/63504 -- Part 4: The Conversation
http://www.ubersite.com/m/63663 -- Part 5: The Story of Manhattan
http://www.ubersite.com/m/64024 -- Part 6: On the Streets of Jersey
http://www.ubersite.com/m/64325 -- Part 7: Tome
http://www.ubersite.com/m/64611 -- Part 8: Faing
http://www.ubersite.com/m/65301 -- Part 9: The Gathering
http://www.ubersite.com/m/65871 -- Part 10: Men Amongst Giants
http://www.ubersite.com/m/66684 -- Part 11: The Temptress and The Aristocrat
Chief Turner and his squad huddled against the side of an abandoned building. The target was fifty meters from their position. His men had taken out all the perimeter guards and sentries - with a little supernatural help. Khalid had his Kin ready to storm the installation. Turner and Tyler had coordinated their squads into the proper positions. Once the vampyres breached the walls, it would be up to humans to block the exits, provide support fire, and prevent escapes. This would be the fourth milking station that they had tackled in this manner. They were getting good at it.
Anthony never liked the waiting. He wondered if he had enough time to double check ammo and equipment. He busied himself by sizing up the state of his team, looking for details. God is in the details, he thought to himself. Then he considered the people he'd seen die because of the tiniest negligence, and recognized that the Devil lived in the details just as comfortably as God.
Brianna was standing close by. In previous excursions, she had remained on the perimeter teams with Tyler or Rick, securing the exits and hunting down runners. This was the first time she was going in with the assault team. She looked nervous, but Anthony knew she was shitting bricks. He didn't mind. You'd have to be either a born warrior like Rick or a fucking maniac like Ferdy to not be scared when you charge into the lion's den. But he knew Bree could handle it. She could face the fear; she could use it and do the job with a cool head, even if her knees were knocking. Anthony was proud of her. Tyler didn't like it, but she volunteered for this, and there was no changing her mind. Turner knew he was proud of her too. Just the same, Anthony intended to stay close to her.
It was all set. Tyler and Rick's team were on the back and side exit. Heather's was securing the front. His own team was ready. He was just about to triple check his gear when he heard the signal; a loud crashing followed by a slew of Scottish curses.
"Go go go!" Anthony shouted, sprinting for the front door.
****************
The members of the Blood Guard and the installation staff were caught completely off guard by the attack. They all heard the abrupt blast and thought it was an explosion, but when they turned to look, the volatile intrusion turned out to be an unfeasibly wide and hairy Scotsman who apparently had crashed in through the ceiling from a great height. His red hair was half gray with dust and debris, and his expression was disturbingly cheerful.
"OI! Yeh fancy a doin', ya wee arse bandits??" And then with a bellow that would curdle William Wallace's blood, he charged forward and knocked three leeches down like a dump truck running over parking meters.
One of the nearby armed leeches reacted with an urgency that spoke as much for his wit and experience as it did for his speed. Before Faing had even made contact with the dumbstruck vampires, he had already begun to aim with his Ingram M11 at him - but he was dead before he could touch the trigger. Bashir, wielding a katar in each hand, punched through his spine. He had been there long before Faing came through the ceiling, of course. No one had seen him.
Most of the leeches had still not reacted when Khalid and Katsuo smashed through the front door. With scimitar and katana, they cut down the leeches closest to them like chaff. Then, Vilhelm and Svetlana came in from the side door, while Cash and Domokos burst in from the back. Within a minute of that, Anthony's squad came in and set up firing positions, and the battle was joined.
A leech guard fired a short burst from his machine gun at Bashir. With blinding speed he took evasive action, running along the side of the wall as if it were the floor. The bullets perforated the wall, trailing the tattooed man's path just inches behind him. Still at a full run, Bashir's arm twitched, launching a telltale flash of metal into the air, and suddenly his attacker ceased fire. A dagger was imbedded between the leech's eyebrows, nearly up to the hilt. The leech's eyes crossed as he tried to get a look at what hit him. Then they rolled back into the whites, and he fell dead.
Domokos clung to the ceiling like a jagged black stain. His pets scurried along the floor, squeaking to him, singing information and warnings. Two leeches were using a battery of computer terminals for cover, standing up only long enough to deliver short bursts of gunfire. Domokos clambered along the ceiling, taking counsel from the chittering only he could hear.
He dropped on them from above, a nightmare of tooth and claw. One crumpled beneath him, the other one lost an ear and an eye before Domokos even landed. Domokos swatted the leech who was standing, lifting him off the ground with the blow. As he landed some seven feet away with a broken jaw to add to his list of injuries, Domokos turned his devouring attention to the soldier he had still pinned to the floor.
The vampire reached for his rifle, but the sewer dweller was already too close, he had no room to aim. He thought to grab for his pistol, but it was too late. Domokos's jaw unhinged like a snake's, and suddenly his foul breath was hot on his face. His crooked fangs bit into either side of the leech's temples. There was a scream and a crunch, and then Domokos tore everything above the leech's ears off between his uneven tangle of teeth.
With his one working eye, the first leech saw Domokos hunched over his partner's half-headless, twitching corpse, blood running rivulets down his scarred skin, staining his yellow fangs red. And he realized that the monster was chewing.
"FUCK!!" He cried through his ruined jaw. He sat up and fired his rifle.
Domokos charged him on all fours. Five bullets hit him in the chest and shoulder and deadened his right arm, but they could not defeat his momentum. Domokos crashed into the leech, knocking the rifle away. He never got a chance to see where it landed. The creature raked his claws across his face, robbing him of his other eye. In his last seconds, he felt a pain in his side and a wet snapping that might have been his ribs. Then mercifully he died, not seeing what the monster was doing to him.
************
Brianna entered the building in a crouched run, weapon at the ready, just as the Chief trained her. Mentally, she had prepared herself as best she could, but when she crossed the threshold, she froze despite herself.
Undead gods were waging war on their bastard children. Leeches were being tossed in the air like dolls in a windstorm; people were clinging to the walls and darting around like she was watching a movie on fast-forward. Body parts were everywhere, a hand here, a head there. Leeches who were missing arms or legs were firing their weapons as if their lost appendages were mere inconveniences.
Then, her survival instinct took over, and she grabbed cover. She remembered to breathe, and began aiming her weapon at the enemy. There were huge vats lined up against the walls. Brianna knew they were filling with human blood. There were tubes and pipes running from the vats, along the ceiling, and into the other rooms. Computer equipment was set up here and there, presumably monitoring the life signs of the facility's unwilling donors. She was glad the immunes were not being kept in the main room, where most of the fighting was taking place. The Chief had told her this was primarily a seek-and-destroy mission, not a rescue one, but any human they could save from the fate of essentially being turned into a cow was a huge benefit to the cause and to morale.
Brianna saw a leech dressed in a lab tech's uniform rush towards Mike and Ferdy's unprotected flank. They didn't see him. Brianna leveled her AR 10A2 rifle at him, and somehow remembered to squeeze the trigger instead of pulling on it. The gun barked and kicked in her hands like she knew it would, and she kept it as steady as possible. The leech's feet kicked in the air as if he ran into an invisible rope with his chest. It wasn't a mortal wound. He struggled to his feet and continued his charge, staying lower to the ground this time and making himself a much more difficult target. Brianna wasn't sure she could hit him again. Thankfully, Mike had seen him and emptied his clip into his chest from close range, shredding his heart.
Brianna's muscles relaxed slightly in relief. Then she steadied her grip and looked for her next target.
************
A hot pain erupted in Khalid's lower back. He turned without looking and pushed at the empty air with his hand. The leech who had shot him was several meters away, but he flew backwards as if Khalid had physically touched him, and he slammed against the wall hard. He fired again, the bullet singing past Khalid's ear. The Arab made a grasping motion with his outstretched hand and then pulled back with it, as if he were pulling down a curtain.
The leech found himself airborne, drawn towards the angry vampyre by a violent invisible push.
"KOS OHKT ILE NAFADAK!!" Khalid roared, swinging his scimitar in a horizontal arc. The blade caught the leech just above his navel and sheared through him easily. His legs and torso hurtled past Khalid, spinning independent of one another. He came to a stop thirty feet away from Khalid and ten feet apart from the rest of himself.
Khalid took in the state of the battle, and silently praised Allah for his good fortune. His warriors were doing well, as were Turner's soldiers. The Kin had approached from the outside, herding the leech resistance before them into a tighter and tighter circle. Stragglers or runners were cut down efficiently by either Bashir's blades or human marksmanship. Soon the leeches would be surrounded with nowhere to hide.
Svetlana prowled in the shape of a wolf, tearing away hamstrings and muscles, temporarily crippling their foes. Draconis would deftly stab at his victims with his rapier, and then shift to his mist form, drifting harmlessly through their attacks instead of facing the conflict like a warrior. Khalid did not appreciate his methods, but the aristocratic oaf was doing his fair share of keeping the leeches off-balance.
Domokos was a monstrous nightmare, and having faced him in the tunnels, this offered no surprise to Khalid. He assaulted his prey with animalistic savagery, consuming them in a whirlwind of tooth and nail. Often the victims in his path would turn and flee like dogs before facing him.
These leeches would regularly run right into the Scotsman, who would happily dispatch them with frightening strength and enthusiasm. Each time Khalid heard Faing bellow some unintelligible curse, a leech would crash against the wall as a ruined mess of shattered bones.
"Shitebag!!" WHAM.
"Mowdiewark!!" WHAM.
"Come aheed, ya dobber!!" WHAM.
"Come an' have a go if'n ye think ye're hard enuff, ye manky cunts!!"
WHAM.
WHAM.
WHAM.
In fact, at least three of them so far had been thrown through the walls. Even though Abayome was stationed outside with them, Khalid hoped the human perimeter guards were alert enough to ensure these unwilling escapees were finished off. If they were still capable of moving, of course.
But the two most efficient killers by far were the cowboy and the samurai. Cash's accuracy with his pistols was unerring. Each thundering boom that issued from his six-shooter dropped someone dead with a stone-sized hole in their head or heart. One shot, one kill. Khalid had not yet seen him miss. Katsuo approached his task with the skill and lethality that one only obtains when one conquers the fear of death. His katana swooped and arced through his foes with fluidity and grace, reducing leeches to gruesome puzzle pieces, twitching and groaning on the blood-slick floor. Watching him was like seeing some violent poem sprung to life.
Yes, there were only a few left now, being squeezed in a death-dealing circle that was inexorably constricting. Khalid kept his eyes and his sword ready for any leech that had ideas of retreat.
But he did not see the grenade.
The explosion sent shards of metal and debris in all directions. A fragment imbedded itself just below Khalid's knee, bringing him to the ground. The circle of Kin had been broken apart, and a handful of leeches surged towards the front entrance in a desperate dash to freedom. The only Kin in a position to stop them was the aristocrat. His mist-form had protected him from the blast, and he stood now directly in their path.
Khalid battled with his injured knee to stand. The chunk of metal grinding in his joint told him he would not be fast enough. "Draconis! Stop them!"
"Halt, foul creatures!" Vilhelm cried, brandishing his thin blade in an unthreatening Errol Flynn fashion.
The two escapees in the lead opened fire on him without hesitation. Vilhelm barely had time to shift before the bullets whipped through his mist-body, leaving spiraling fog-trails in their wake. The insubstantial barrier of his body offered less resistance to their charge than a sneeze.
"Fire! Fire!" Turner shouted.
The air filled with cries and gunshots and lead as his assault team opened up on the leech advance. Vampires dropped to the ground in mid-run, then got back up and returned fire. Some vampires fell with mortally wounded, others soaked up bullets and ran with relentless purpose. The humans were not as resilient. Turner caught one in the vest and went down, gasping for air. Mike caught one in the ear and didn't gasp at all. In a ten second span the surge was halted, with all the leeches either dead or immobilized or firing from behind cover.
Except for two. And with Anthony down, the only thing in their way was Brianna.
"Shit shit shit!" She aimed at the closest one and opened fire as bullets winged by her ears and crumpled into the floor and walls behind her. Thank god, her hands weren't shaking too badly. Her target gurgled and went down hard.
She didn't get a chance at the second one. Something smashed into her face with a crunch. As the leech scooped her up in one arm with inhuman strength, she had a funny sensation of weightlessness, but that was all.
By the time he had thrown her over his shoulder and broken past the lines into the clean night air, she had blacked out.
User Reviews
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2006-04-06 10:57:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by rad1101 (user info) at 2005-10-19 04:13:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
There are a solid four pages of +2 streaks with 30 or more reviews. That is stupid. I am weeding it all out by giving every one of them a +1; that way posts that have 1.99 with 200+ reviews gets best ever.
Submitted by zakalwe (user info) at 2005-08-28 11:51:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
excellent. the installment I've been waiting for.
I was waiting for Draconis to turn out to be a hardcore killing machine though, not an ineffectual ponce. shame.
Submitted by Bayley (user info) at 2005-07-09 02:29:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Going through and reading them all for the first time. Had to pause to pay homage to this line:
"Undead gods were waging war on their bastard children."
The whole thing is amazing so far! Can't wait to read the rest!
Submitted by notyou (user info) at 2005-07-07 13:58:19 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by MyNameIsTim (user info) at 2005-07-02 11:48:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
cool.
Submitted by MyNameIsTim (user info) at 2005-07-02 07:41:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
fucking money
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2005-06-17 11:56:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Just blew through a shitload of chapters with my morning coffee.
Now I must rate the ones I forgot to rate.
GOOD stuff.
Submitted by Professional_Peon (user info) at 2005-05-31 16:16:20 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
2 words
"OOOOooooooooohhhhhhhhh"
and
"AAAAAAaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh"
But not necessarily in that order
Submitted by Yes (user info) at 2005-05-25 16:11:26 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
so sweet... so juicy.
Submitted by mbstateside (user info) at 2005-05-25 09:50:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Veeeerrry Nice.
I think you did this really well. You haven't had much action up untill now apart from the firt couple of installements and you've been teasing us with it for a while and you really didn't disapoint.
This piece had a nice style and pace. It was nicely descriptive without going over the top into giving us every gory detail of every blow. You gave us a close up of the Rat boy eating of someones face and then pannned out to allow us to see all the rest of the action which I loved.
Good work fella
Submitted by runswithscissors (user info) at 2005-05-24 18:00:59 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I am in complete awe.......................
Submitted by hcp28 (user info) at 2005-05-24 15:56:40 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
this was great. Surely there must be some leech out there with the skills to battle.
Submitted by nrduncan (user info) at 2005-05-24 14:10:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Spam (user info) at 2005-05-24 07:57:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
yep
Submitted by thecaes (user info) at 2005-05-23 13:01:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Revolutionman (user info) at 2005-05-21 06:18:57 (#)
Ranking: 2
you make me not want to get bannt
******************************
Strangely, this is one of the most flattering reviews I've ever gotten. Thanks, guys.
Viper, I know what you mean. I keep having to go back and re-read stuff so I can remember what the hell is going on. This damn thing was only supposed to be 10 parts, for Chrissake, but I can't...stop...typing!!
I blame bob.
Submitted by Jungle_Jimanee (user info) at 2005-05-23 06:02:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Great.
Submitted by Viper_04 (user info) at 2005-05-23 04:51:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
longer than 15 parts....It's already hard trying to remember why they're doing all this as it is....maybe time for a re-read!
Submitted by Benny (user info) at 2005-05-22 23:26:15 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Perhaps not the best title but it was a very good instalment. Plenty of well described action, which is always a bonus.
You are definately one of my favourite authors on Uber.
Submitted by LadyPlural (user info) at 2005-05-22 14:43:24 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Rockage.
Submitted by Revolutionman (user info) at 2005-05-21 06:18:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
you make me not want to get bannt
Submitted by munkeypants (user info) at 2005-05-21 01:46:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This was made of awesome.
Submitted by thecaes (user info) at 2005-05-21 00:35:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
It just ocurred to me that 'trial by bleeding' is probably the worst title ever. Jesus.
Well, I'm going to bed.
Submitted by thecaes (user info) at 2005-05-20 20:24:11 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Gnat -- when you post twice in one day it pushes the first post off to the second page. I did that on purpose.
Bob -- Yeah, this is going to be longer than 15 parts, god dammit.
Submitted by thecaes (user info) at 2005-05-20 20:23:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
"Mowdiewark!!" -- Hump made in trousers by erection
KOS OHKT ILE NAFADAK -- Fuck he who brought you into this life
Come Ahead Ya Dobber! -- I challange you to a duel you penis.
In case you were wondering.
Sorry, I doubt I'll have the next part up for a few days, on account that I have not written it yet. I'm glad you guys like this one, because I put it together relatively quick (wrote most of it this afternoon) for such a long installment and didn't do a lot of proofing for it.
I know a lot of you were crying for action, so I might have gone a little overboard...hopefully I haven't shot my proverbial wad.
Submitted by Grownasskid (user info) at 2005-05-20 20:03:53 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
worth the wait for the asskicking
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2005-05-20 19:41:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by knucklesnelson (user info) at 2005-05-20 19:37:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
kicker of all mutha fuckin ass
Submitted by bob (user info) at 2005-05-20 19:35:18 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
damn right mother fucker
thats what im talking about.
although i doubt that 15 will be good enough anymore.
MORE DAMNIT
Submitted by yermom (user info) at 2005-05-20 19:34:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I can't believe this worked.
http://www.ubersite.com/m/66684#1338273
I demand you post the rest of the story in it's entirety.
Submitted by Gnat (user info) at 2005-05-20 19:28:27 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
This seems pretty well written I'll have to read the others some time.
How come your other posting is gone though?
Submitted by corn_nugget (user info) at 2005-05-20 18:59:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
<lie>
I read it this time.
</lie>
Go on msn right now.