why?
Spencer wondered.
“Major?” Spencer briskly whispered. His
eyebrows went up showing the silent question.
“There were too many, we need a better
strategy.” Major Walters said.
The sun lowered quickly as the hours passed,
many of the soldiers spent much of that time
cleaning their guns, as though it would increase
their efficacy. But many were just preparing to
die knowing that no rescue was coming, and
there was nowhere to run and nowhere to hide.
Spencer found Gretchen in a discussion
which included Captain Huddleston and Major
Walters. Sunset was mere minutes away.
“Scouts have confirmed it, we’re
surrounded.” Major Walters reported.
“Can we make it to the west parking
garage?” Spencer asked.
“Are you suggesting we run?” Major
Walters demanded.
“Are you suggesting we stay and die?”
Spencer shot back.
“If your girlfriend can’t rig up a
detonator, then we may have no choice.” Major
Walters said.
Spencer couldn’t believe what he was
hearing. But on the other hand, he did have a
point.
“With all due respect, Major. Our chances
of surviving another assault are not looking good,
we can’t get everybody away in time and even if
we could there’s no guarantee those things won’t
pick us off.” Captain Huddleston summarized
pointing toward the demon army that had them
surrounded.
“Are you suggesting we just surrender to
the enemy?” Major Walters demanded.
Captain Huddleston paused.
“You know, that’s not a bad idea.”
Captain Huddleston commented.
“What!?” Spencer asked as though the
captain had lost his mind.
Captain Huddleston smiled as he revealed
his plan. “We take out the queen and the rest will
be easy pickings, so we just take her out.”
“With what?” Major Walters demanded,
“We don’t have a sniper rifle that could take her
head off, and we can’t get close enough to do it.”
“Unless you were surrendering.”
Gretchen surmised, realizing what Captain
Huddleston was planning.
“But even if you managed to get close
enough there’s nothing you could use to kill her
and that’s assuming you could get away at all,
it’s a suicide mission.” Spencer argued.
“Especially if she figures out what we’re
up to.” Gretchen commented.
“If we do nothing we’re dead anyway.”
“But who would kill her, and what would
they use?” Spencer demanded.
“We still have a small stash of C-4; I
could get close enough to use four pounds of it;
that would take her head off and leave behind
little more than a messy smudge.” Captain
Huddleston offered.
“You?” Major Walters asked.
“It can’t be you, sir. But we need one of
our best if this is going to work, and we need to
do it now or we’re all dead,” Captain Huddleston
commented. “We don’t have a choice, sir. It has
to be me.”
“Good luck, Captain.” Major Walters
reluctantly agreed, offering a heartfelt salute
which the Captain returned before he left to
prepare to die.
The sun finally set when Major Walters
met Captain Huddleston just inside the entrance
nearest the hive queen.
“Are you sure we can’t talk you out of
this?” Major Walters asked.
“If you’re asking if I want to die, the
answer is ‘no’. But it seems fate has other plans
for me.” Captain Huddleston replied,
disheartened.
“We’ll wait for your signal to detonate.”
Major Walters assured before saluting Captain
Huddleston one last time. Captain Huddleston
returned the salute before heading out the door
with his hands held high. Major Walters headed
back to the forward command post they had
established several hours earlier.
“I surrender!” Captain Huddleston cried
as he emerged from the exterior door. Within
seconds he was set upon by dozens of demons,
but none of them attacked him, they seemed to
escort him to the hive queen.
As Major Walters arrived in the forward
command center he took up a position by a
window and watched as Captain Huddleston
reached the hive queen under heavy guard. For
several seconds they
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