Misdirection

After the last attack, Second Company was able to progress through the city unhindered another mile further. To prevent sinkholes like the one that happened to Jocelyn, Myada makes certain to regularly switch to a different road in a random pattern. Though always making sure their road takes them closer to the tower.

This time around Caroline finds the tank ride a little more difficult. She’s not used to having her naked butt rested on cold metal. Not only that but everybody can see her boobs now. And that she’s shaved off all of her pubic hair. It also doesn’t help any that she’s apparently the only one in her Company that got stripped of her clothes. Oh well, seems like she’ll just have to deal with this embarrassment. Worse things could have happened.

When Second Company reaches 6 miles from the tower, they arrive at a crossing. There they see a large group of towerlings coming at them. The enemy units contain Lupick, Octi and Raptors. Even a few spiderlings. The tank at the front opens fire at them and sends a message to the Commander to let her know. The APC’s escorting the tank already join in the fight before Myada orders them to unload their troops and open fire. The rest of Second Company moves to join the counter attack, but then a trooper yells something about another attack coming from their right flank.

Myada brings her tank and some other vehicles around and forms a line to defend the right. Troops exit the APC’s there and line up, using the vehicles as cover. Soon after that fight begins, the tank at the back of the column turns its turret 180 degrees and fires it’s cannon.

“Another group, coming from behind us.” The commander of the tank radio’s to Myada.

The tank and it’s escort form a line as well. Troops deploy, women with flamethrowers crawl on the vehicles and spray fire all over the approaching towerlings.

“We’re being boxed in.” The Commander yells. “Keep your eyes on the left road. Another attack may come from there as well.”

But Myada is mistaken. A fourth attack never comes. Which leaves one path open for them to retreat to should the three attacks overwhelm them.

In the middle of the battle, one soldier using a shotgun turns away from the approaching towerlings and look towards the left road. The one left empty. She stares at it and then slowly starts walking towards it.

“Sylvie? What are you doing?” One of her fellow soldiers asks.

“It’s like … I think I hear something over there.” Sylvie says. “I should check it out. I need to check it out.”

Then Sylvie starts running. Away from the battle, deserting her Company and braving the abandoned city. After Sylvie another soldier turns toward the empty street and starts running towards whatever she hears over there. Then another, and another.

Myada sees this happening and orders Caroline to go over there and stop those soldiers whatever it takes

Caroline gets off the tank and runs over to the street the soldiers are deserting into. When she reaches one of the soldiers abandoning their line, she blocks her path and asks, “What are you doing? You’re abandoning your sisters!”

“There’s something there.” The soldiers tells Caroline without looking at her. “Can’t you hear it too? I need to go.”

The soldier then pushes Caroline aside and runs off.

The short conversation shocked Caroline. The soldiers eyes looked weird. She looked right past her like she was focused on something far away. When Caroline turns around she sees Lizette running to her.

“Lizette!” Caroline says with a smile. “There’s something wrong with these troops. They’re not just running, they …”

But Lizette interrupts her saying, “I need to go.” With the same expression in her eyes as the previous soldier did.

Caroline can’t believe it. Lizette, who saved her earlier, is now abandoning them. When she hears another run towards her Caroline’s frustration overcomes her. She screams and swings her rifle towards the person running up to her. The butt of her rifle hits the woman on the forehead, knocking her ****. The soldier falls on the grounds and lies still.

“Well, at least she’s no longer running off.” Caroline says, and brandishes her rifle like a club to knock out any further deserters.

After a while, the attack lets up. Dead towerlings lie everywhere and no soldiers were taken by them. The only troops lost were those that abandoned their posts. Caroline managed to knock out another three before another unaffected soldier took offense to her. Together they tried to block other troops from deserting but soon they had more deserters than they could handle. The more the towerling attacks diminished, the more soldiers could leave their posts to help them restrain the deserters. Eventually only forty-five soldiers decided to run off, out of which fourteen could be restrained. Including the ones Caroline had knocked out. The restrainees keep struggling, calling out that they hear something and need to go to it.

Lydia holds back in one of the buildings. She rests on the back of a Raptor and waits. She’s not sure if her plan will work, but she has to try it. She sees an enemy soldier run through the street. No, not that one. Then another. Yes, that’s who she needs. She spurs on the Raptor which jumps out the building. It rushes towards the female soldier named Lizette. The Raptor sends out its tentacles and lifts her off the ground.

Lizette struggles with her arms and legs but keeps her eyes straight ahead of her.

“No, let go of me! I need to go!” Lizette yells.

“I know.” Lydia says calmly. “But I have different plans for you.”

Then Lydia commands the Raptor to get away from here, leaving the other soldiers to whatever fate they are running to.

After a while the fourteen restrained women stop struggling. Their eyes return to normal and they seem unaware of what happened. Some people want to go after their fellows. Maybe they can find and save them. But Myada decides it’s too dangerous. She’s already lost 30 troops to it and can’t afford to lose any more. So Second Company continues.

COMPANY STATUS

Abrams tanks:
Fully operational x 3

Armored Personnel Carrier:
Fully operational x 8

Humvee:
Fully operational x 5

**** rifle soldiers:
Determined x 48
Light infected and impregnated by the beetles x 1
Deserted x 7

Shotgun soldiers:
Determined x 33
Deserted x 9

LMG soldiers:
Determined x 14
Deserted x 4

Flamethrower soldiers:
Determined x 16
Deserted x 4

Sniper rifle soldiers:
Determined x 22
Deserted x 5

Grenade launcher soldiers:
Determined x 9
Deserted x 1

Commander Myada: Determined
Arms: **** rifle, pistol

Caroline: Nude, Admires Commander Myada, Confused by Lizette
Arms: **** rifle

Lizette: Kidnapped by Lydia
Arms: **** rifle, pistol