Kwartz raises a brow, looks at his Hardline, then back to the remains of the Mortemcursor. " Ehh, Good Enough. I'll take horrible Maim over death I suppose. Seem to have a knack for it. "
Kwartz stayed ready. " Check the Scavenger, same process. Whose next for door-duty? "
Lemon steps forwards at Kwartz' question.
Aside from two more bodies of scavengers as the group moves they see nothing else until arriving at a stair well.
Lemon leans against the door, shotgun readied. "We good?" he asks.
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Bob moves up near Lemon.
"Ready here!"
" Good as we are gunna be. Make sure to make them nice and squishy so my shot makes them dead. Or Horrifically maimed... that's good too. "
At this point Kwartz shouldered his Longfang and Held his Hardline in two hands.
Lemon nods and then turns and kicks open the door.
The sound of smashing glass is combined with a gust of cold wind as the door to the stairwell explodes in ice.
Lemon stands ready at the door looking around confused, "Wait..." he says as he lurches backwards and hits the ground.
An odd crunching sound fills the air, "Son of a b&#$+. Liquid grenades." says Lima moving forward to Lemon and grabbing up his shotgun.
"How are ya feeling?" Lima asks Lemon.
"I'm good, the ice just has my legs stuck is all." says Lemon.
Lima shakes his head, "Fraid not son, if you were in horrible pain, that'd be a good sign, but I don't here any screaming. The only thing keeping your legs attached right now is your armor."
Lima racks the shotgun, "S$*~ way to go son, I'm sorry, I'll be kind." says Lima placing the shotgun against Lemons forehead.
"No! No! Wait, just give me - -" but the shotgun finishes Lemon's sentence for him.
Lima throws the shotgun into the hands of the Occams, Johnstone.
"Point." says Lima indicating to the stairs.
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"Damn it!"
Bob gets ready to continue.
Lima looks at the door to the stairwell from the other side as the group moves in.
"I'm conflicted. We can take these stairs straight to the top, but there are scavengers still alive somewhere in this building, and if they have liquid grenades, they may have more. Could be worth getting a hold of." says Lima.
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" I'm not. Its not worth it. if they have more Liquid Grenades then they would use them and I don't know about you but by my count the number of Occams we have is getting lower. Evac is Primary objective, whatever losses we might take from getting those armaments will be less than a free body who can fire a gun. Let's move up. " Kwartz said a-matter-of-factually, his Hardline trained ahead.
Well Lemon is now a refreshing dessert for a dog... This is why I didn't take point. Audric thinks to himself as he files in to the next room.
Johnstone turns a corner at another stairwell and yells out, "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Stand down! We're friendlies, we won't - -"
A loud thunderous rapport interrupts Johnstone and the doorway he occupied suddenly stands empty.
Quickly followed by the sounds of shrieking,
"Heavy weapons fire! Get back! Get back!" Calls Lima immediately behind where Johnstone stood.
A few seconds elapse and the sounds of shrieking from the room doesn't abate and the Occams in the front peeks the door ever so slightly before motioning the group forwards.
Entering into the room reveals a woman wearing a piecemeal assortment of various Jotunheim armor. She lays prone on the floor rocking back in forth in anguish, her arms twisted and contorted violently. In the corner of the room across from her lies an enormous shotgun.
"You f&~+ing b&*#+", says Lima who grabs the woman lifting her up from the floor and presses her hard against the wall. You hear the cracking of bones before Lima produces an Echidna and separates the women from the groin up and spitting on her corpse.
"We keep moving up. Someone get that shotgun."
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Bob sighs heavily. Puts his swords away and picks up the shotgun and any ammo for it he finds.
"Well, we already know I'm no good at entries. So I guess we'll see how this goes.
'I'm going to f$$$ing die. Damn!'
Kwartz rose an eyebrow and shook his head. " Four, We have four left. And you wanted to get more grenades. Damn, you could have least have left her to the dogs, but I guess I'll have to give you that one. Johnstone didn't deserve being blasted away like that. Not to mention the lack of equipment now. One of you Occams carry that shotgun, preferably NOT the one opening the door. Check for ammo. "
Kwartz would think on their numbers and evaluate the chances of survival, it was looking bad. Even if they located the Evac zone, the manner of getting there would cause some issues with their escort. At the same time going with just Loki ensured at least one of them would likely perish, that wouldn't be good. He perked up from his thinking face, " We shouldn't be far from the top, Pablo you are on next, try not to die too quickly. "
He, as always, kept his Hardline ready for hostile reaction. " Let's not make this entire Mission a bust. "
Pablo exits the door onto the roof, losing an arm right away as a Mortemcursor strikes down on him from above. He reacts by shooting his Wyvern one handed and missing horribly.
Lima exits onto the roof and guns down the beast.
Motioning for the others to join.
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Looking out across the cityscape Lima points out to another large building about half a mile away.
"That's very likely it. Look there." Lima says, pointing to four people a far distance away moving through a swath of Mortemcursor together.
"Longitus is en route to there."
Pablo still clutching his stump yells out, "Incoming! TOOOOAAADDD!"
The rooftop shakes and Pablo is quickly snatched up and yanked into the maw of the Loricatus.
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Bob's shot pierces straight into the beasts right eye and the creature's brain matter explodes outwards.
As if in slow motion for a moment the beast begins to lift off the ground, before being catapulted off the side of the building where it falls over a hundred and twenty feet, long dead before it hits the ground. Pablo wasn't as lucky.
Bob stomachs the shotgun blast and remains standing.
Lima turns to Bob and nods and hands him an Echidna.
"Alright, let's get back on the ground. What's your name? Mendez? Yeh..You first."
"Damn! I actually hit it!"
Bob reloads the shotgun.
"I hate to say it but it would probably be faster and safer for you Loki to run and jump from building to building than to take to the streets with the few of us left."
" Good S@!* Bob, you may very well not die horribly. " Kwartz looked down at the wrecked mess of Pablo and Friend. He gave a low whistle, making it clear how far down they went splat.
" Three left, but hey with those Longitus or ass will be more or less covered. So guys, no pressure. "
Kwartz looked to Lima, " I'm curious, how many missions have gone this bad for you? Or am I just unlucky? "
Bob switches to his Hardline and Viper.
'Once more for Blood and Glory! Or something like that!'
Bob laughs as he prepares to move out.
"Ready when you guys are!"
"I'll take that shotgun if you don't mind... My body can handle recoil well." The ever impending doom creeps up Audric's spine. Being on Point is wear he doesn't want to be.
"This is true Bob,... What d'you think Kwartz?" Serai scopes about checking a clear route preparing for their next move.
Kwartz raised an eyebrow, " You sure about that big guy? Bob did fine but I don't really care which one of you shoots the damn thing. It's only got one shot left. "
He thought on the escape route, then shook his head, " Fact is, we could hop the building to there but there is just as likely another Toad comes out and causes a problem. We still have 3 Occams left, might as well keep them as long as we can. I'm not using that shotgun. "
"Unless you train your body to take that kind of recoil, you could end up like that woman did and no offense to Bob, but I rather he die at the hands of an enemy rather than die because his body couldn't handle the weapon he was using. Using it once doesn't mean you can use it twice. But whatever, the three of use will die soon enough regardless."
Audric nods to the two remaining Occams and keeps moving.
Bob walks over to Audric. Hands him the shotgun.
"Thanks! I never got the hang of close range shooting. I think I was always itching to pull out my swords and that screws up my aim. Honestly surprised I hit that beast earlier."
Bob laughs and nods to Audric.
The group exits the building at top speed and moves to close with the Longitus.
As they do so a large group of Mortemcursor is moving ahead of the group of six, towards the Longitus last seen location.
One seems to take notice of the group of Occams and Loki and screeches out, and the Mortemcursor pack turns and begins to move to aggress onto the small band.
In the opening fire two are killed, one by Serai and another by Kwartz, with Kwartz hitting a second and sending it spiraling end over end off the building it had been running where it crashes out of sight into the alley below it.
The remaining six Mortemcursor charge towards the group at top speed.
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Bob looks at the group of dogs. "Well, let the fun begin!"
Kwartz checked his ammo, he had about 7 left in his Hardline that should be enough. " How convenient of them to bunch up like that, I was running low. "
He adjusted himself a bit and aimed so that he could get a good straight line on as much of them as possible before firing.
" Seven " he counts as the shell flew.
Audric drops the heartbreaker and takes out his Wyvren. "No need to waste the last shot on you lot."
Serai lift's her long fang trying a bead on her next victim, "damn these things are annoying..."
Audric's and Kwartz' shots go wide.
Serai blows the legs off another Mortemcursor killing it.
Bob hits another, but strikes its arm and dealing no real damage.
Lima shoots the same one as Bob and manages to hit the same spot as Bob did, this time sheering away the beasts arm, but it continues its charge.
Right before the beasts make it to you, Mendez steps up and fires his shotgun, blowing a second arm off the already injured Dog, killing it. And shooting the head off another.
The remaining three dogs crash into Mendez.
All of their scythes crash down upon him...
And he lives.
Mendez shouts out "Not today you scum f*$$ bastards!" As he parries a blade with a Viper, kicks another Dog in the face as it tries to cut him in half, and slaps the final blade away with the flat of the shotgun.
Mendez screams in raged anger.
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Kwartz simply blinks at his failure, likely the charge from round was too much. The recoil likely didnt reset well enough for a good shot. Ah well, they were close now. Moving to the side of them at a line and fires on them once more. " Six "
"F!~+ yeah, Mendez!"
Bob smiles as he shouts out. He quickly switches his Hardline for his second Viper. Going to quickly back up Mendez.
Kwartz shot goes straight through all three Mortemcursor, through the head of the first, the arm of the second and the leg of the third.
The first is stunned and hits the ground, the second's arm seems relatively unharmed, but the third's legs are blown off and the dog expires.
Bob moves up and slashes into the second dog, cutting the tendons in its leg before cutting it in half with the second swing.
Audric sighs at his own miss. And attempts again to shoot the remaining dog.
Audric puts the last dog out of his misery.
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"Awesome, we got them and everyone is ok for now. We should probably hurry up and move out."
Bob says this as he puts a Viper away, pulls out his Hardline, and reloads it.
Kwartz looked upon his current success and the smallest of smirks could be seen on his face for a moment. " Well then, why can't they all just do that, makes ammo use much more efficient. I've got 5 left. We got a ways till we meet with the Longitus group. Audric I think its technically your turn to lead this time, Mendez got his turn's worth. "
The Loki seemed to check his equipment momentarily, " Well I can run if I need to now.. That's fun. Lima, Juliett Three; Let's get back to report this mess. Occams form a 'V' like before. Oh and watch our backs, not sure if the one I shot off the building is dead. "
He gripped the Pistol in both hands once more, his Jade eyes focused.
Serai nods, "agreed,... we need to keep moving while we can."
"Well maybe I will get to use this gun after all." Audric states picking up the heartbreaker.
The group moves off at a strong pace and soon you are able to draw close to the surviving group of Longitus as they fight their way down the street.
As you draw close you feel the air become electrified and the dull hum from inside the drop ship returns to you.
The Longitus make no acknowledgement of your presence as they move, excepting to not shoot you.
Arriving at the building that Limits suggested was the point of extraction, you find its an intersection of several streets.
It's from the east street you notice movement, as a lone man comes into view.
The east street itself is occupied with several Mortemcursor who barrel down on the man. But as they draw close to him they slow to a stop, shrieking and hissing at him but they do not attack, instead slowly backing away.
As he gets closer you can see he is holding a red blade at his side and in the other hand he is holding onto something large, heavy, and oddly shaped.
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Serai would pull up her gun to see get better specs of the man and what he was holding through her scope, relaying it to the others.
"Holy s+$#..." She exclaims in a lower than casual tone.
Having finally found some place to stop running as much, Kwartz holsters his Hardline relatively satisfied with the recent outcome. With a methodical process the Loki armed his own Longfang with a practiced efficiency, scoping the scene as well. He was sure of who the man may be but it never hurt to make sure. Serai's exclamation keyed his interest however.
" Last thing I knew who I think this was with was Cancer, maybe he brought back its head for a gift? Damn, at least I don't have to deal with it. "
His statement followed by the clink of a magazine being loaded into the weapon.
Audric does and equipment check, during which he notices the man with the large lump of something in his hand and the dogs discomfort with the situation.
"That... I have never seen..."
As he approaches you can tell what he's holding is throbbing and pouring blood, which he himself is covered in.
It looks like a heart, but it's almost the size of a Mortemcursor.
Reaching the group, you can see his eyes are stained red with blood.
"Is that?" the Longitus begin to ask.
"Heart." says Owens.
"Dead?" they ask.
"Doubtful." he responds.
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Bob looks on in awe as November approaches with a huge heart.
"Damn, that is a beautiful and terrifying sight to see."
A Heart, now that could have some use. Even with Regeneration, it takes some time to recover from certain organs. Eyes, lungs, heart, tendons hearing apparatus, etc. Kwartz was legitimately impressed.
" Nice work Novemenber, I'm curious. Any status on the rest of your squad or whereabouts of Longshanks? None of the Titus Squads made it by the way. And these .. Three are the last Occams to my knowledge. "
Aiming his head towards Oscar Nine. His answer wouldn't change Kwartz's Perimeter sweep.
"Dead, and ran off. Last I heard he was moving to Skadi Bravo, but she made it back to Jotunheim."
"Yeah, I remember you from a half hour ago. Good to see some of you lived."
"Let's get top side?" Lima asks and Owens nods when you hear a woman's voice cry out suddenly from nearby.
"Help me!" she screams.
"Help!!!"
"Sierra?" asks a confused Lima.
"Dead." says Owens.
"Please! Please, help!?" cries the woman again.
"For sure?" Lima asks again.
"You don't survive what happened to her." Responds Owens, "Inside, now."
But as the group begins to move inside, Longitus turn to a building nearby and begin to train their weapons on a target.
Crouched and looking over the side of the building is Longshanks, who opens his mouth and begins to speak in the woman's voice, "Please! Please! God please help me!" this time the voice sounds absolutely terrified.
Owens puts two rounds into the air at the demonic creature, who sidesteps them and turns and bolts off laughing hysterically in the woman's voice.
"Inside." repeats Owens who turns for the door.
"surprising as it is I figured as much" Serai says walking into the building. "this will be good to take note of"