5th Column Comics: Fireteam Hades #2 (of 12)
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The Bronze Adze Building, Mattock Military Solutions Headquarters
The assembled security force opened fire, bullets whizzing through the air not towards the intruding criminals, but rather the rapidly forming bulk of Myrmidon, each round vanishing inside the humanoid swarm of ants. Swinging round Stallion landed a punch on Myrmidon, only to recoil in pain as dozens of stinging fire-ants crawled onto his hand, the skin becoming inflamed from their bites and stings.
“Well ain’t you disturbing!!” Stallion spat, as he jumped back as Myrmidon threw his own punch, the blow hitting the floor, a greasy smear left behind as he recovered. “Don’t just stand their men, get the others!!” He ordered as the other members of Fireteam Hades leapt into action. “Caracal pin them down while I deal with this one!!” He ordered, as the gunfire resumed, punctuated by the sharp crack of a sniper rifle.
“This is great, I didn’t sign up for a firefight.” Vulcan grumbled, as he ducked behind a barricade. “Anyone care to throw me a gun.” He added, as Rosa shot a salvo of quills up at the nearest walkway, three of the mercenaries falling to the floor convulsing while the others ducked behind their own cover.
“Should have brought one with you.” Collins sneered, as he flew level with the opposite walkway, his sharpened wings cutting through the railings and the men shooting down at the intruding criminals. Seconds later the sniper switched targets and fired, a bullet stabbing into Collins left wing sending him crashing to the floor, his attacker already refocused on the other members of Fireteam Hades. Groaning he got to his feet, only to be knocked down again as three mercenaries bum-rushed him, as Myrmidon and Stallion continued their battle-royal in the centre of the chamber.
“Eland come in.” Stallion said as he dodged one of Myrmidon’s punches before firing a few shots with his machine pistol, the bullets burning holes where they impacted. “Give me an up-date on breaching the control room.”
“Almost there boss, Drake reckons it’ll be another five to ten minutes at most.” A voice from the other end of the radio stated, as Stallion unclipped a canister from his belt, before slamming it into Myrmidon’s chest.
“Tell him to halve the time, we have hostiles in the building!” Stallion announced, as he looked over to where Collins had finished gutting his attackers. Dodging one of his opponents blow, he watched as the canister detonated in a massive popping explosion that caused Myrmidon to collapse into smouldering fragments. “I’m dealing with them but I’d rather you get in there as soon as possible.” He added, as he advanced on Collins.
“Did you hear that?” Vulcan asked, as Earthstar caused the earth around the sniper’s platform to subside, the ensconced marksmen bailing onto the floor with a thud seconds before her perch was reclaimed by the earth. “Sounds like our employer is in trouble, and while I won’t shed a tear for him if he does die, I was kind of hoping to snap his neck myself.”
“Get in line.” Rosa added, as Collins slashed out as Stallion, only for the Texan to counter the blow and throw him to the sniper’s feet. Shaking his head, Collins began to recover only for the sniper to slash out with a pair of kukris, each one having a cat-paw cut out of the blade, the knives leaving a slash-mark on his armour. “But your right, who knows what kind of nasty thing will happen to us if he dies.” She added, as she and Vulcan looked towards the corridor to the left. “What about him?” She asked, as Collins finally got to his feet, only for Stallion to slam him back into the floor.
“Leave him, the spawn of the earth stirs in retribution for his destruction.” Earthstar told the others, as a few ants scuttled towards Stallion, Collins and the sniper. “Plus he’s a jerk, we probably would be better off without him.” She added, as the three criminals sprinted towards the control room.
“Hey I heard that you f****g b*****ds!!!” Collins bellowed, as he met the snipers knife with one of his wrist blades with a clash of steel. “Who the f**k is going to help me?” He asked as Myrmidon grabbed the sniper and threw her over his shoulder. “Better than nothing I guess.”
**
Rosa kicked the door to the control room corridor open with a bang, seconds later a hail of gunfire sounded and her body fell back, holes cut through her body as thick sap bled out of the wounds. Standing flush against the wall either side of the door, Earthstar and Vulcan peered through the gap to see a massive dark skinned man dressed in fatigues armed with a sizeable machine gun, a pair of ammo-belts slung across his shoulders.
“Any ideas?” Vulcan asked, as Rosa moved her head to one side before dragging herself out of the line of fire.
“Get me under some natural light and I can regenerate.” She groaned, as the mercenary opened fire again, this time aiming at the walls, bullet splashes spraying masonry and plaster across the pair of criminals.
“I meant about him.” Vulcan stated, as Earthstar rolled her eyes and summoned up an array of granite spires formed to shield the criminals from the defending mercenaries. Moving up, with Vulcan dragging Rosa up to the stone blockade, the trio listened to the sound of machine-gun fire and grenade blasts raining down on their position.
“Bronco stop.” A deep powerful voice ordered. “Don’t waste your ammunition on them. As soon as Drake opens those doors we win.”
“Roger that Eland.” A man with a Canadian accent replied. Rubbing his forehead Vulcan checked Rosa’s wounds, toxic sap oozing onto his hand.
“We’re running out of time.” Rosa moaned. “Unless we can make ourselves bulletproof.” She added as the hiss of a welding torch sounded, the noise amplified by the rock and steel of the corridor. “They will be through that door in minutes.”
“You know it may be time for that personal earthquake you promised me.” Vulcan stated coyly, before shooting a look at Earthstar. “Don’t you think Morningstar!?” He added in a cruel voice.
“I warned you!!” Earthstar hissed as she slammed a fist into Vulcan, his body suddenly vibrating with an unnatural vigour. Staggering forward Vulcan smashed his way through the granite shield, splinters of rock bouncing off him as he headed towards the mercenaries, all four of them opening fire, only to see their bullets, grenades and buckshot bouncing off his skin harmlessly. As he reached them, the first of the mercenaries, Bronco struck him with his fist, the bones in his hand shattering on contact.
“What the!!!” The only woman in the group yelled, as Eland slung the machine gun at Vulcan, only for his weapon to disintegrate on contact, before he fell to a palm slam to the ribs. Turning his attention to the last attacker, Vulcan strode towards her as she opened fire with her shotgun until all the ammunition was spent. Groaning she fell to her knees, her body bleeding from multiple ricochet wounds.
“Wisnet!” The last mercenary yelled in a mid-European accent, his eyes glowering behind the fires suit he wore, as he pumped the flamethrower he was armed with, fire washing over Vulcan’s body before fanning out to the side. But while the flames were deflected, the heat wasn’t, causing the criminal to drop to his knees, the defending mercenary advancing on him. “Everything burns, you are no exception.” He hissed, as he got ready to open fire again.
“Everything does.” Earthstar agreed, as she raised her hand, the condensation within the fire-suit vaporizing into steam, the heat increase causing the last of the defender to fall back defeated. “Including you.” She added, as she dragged Rosa over to Vulcan before placing a finger onto the big-man’s skull, the vibration ceasing.
“That didn’t do my tinnitus any good.” Vulcan moaned, as Earthstar burnt through the door into the control room to reveal a figure in CBTF ballistic armour sitting at the console waiting for them.
“You took your time, luckily I have the data we were meant to acquire so we can leave.” The man in armour stated, as Earthstar raised her hand, only for an electric shock to convulse through her body. “Try that again and you won’t be walking out of here.” He added cruelly, before walking past her teammates. “Now what did you do with the others?”
**
Stallion elbow-slammed Collins before removing two thermobaric canisters and throwing them to the floor, a wave of popping heat washing over the floor to keep Myrmidon away. With a hiss Myrmidon charged through the fire and tackled Stallion, the master mercenary hitting the floor with a thud, ants crawling onto his skin stinging and biting.
“Time for you to die solja boy!!” Collins cackled as he placed his foot on Stallion’s chest, his wrist blades flashing as he got ready to gut the mercenary. Grimacing Stallion grabbed his attacker’s arm and flipped Collins over his head, before flipping to his feet. Pulling out his sidearm he fired an entire round into Myrmidon, his body collapsing into a heap.
“You were saying?” Stallion asked, as he slipped a new clip into his weapon. Before he could take the shot however, a bang sounded, and the mercenary captain doubled over clutching his gut. Wheezing he looked down to see that a bullet had pushed the Kevlar of his armour into his skin, and while it stung, he was still alive.
“We’re leaving.” The CBTF agent announced, as he stood at the corridor entrance, the barrel of his magnum smoking.
“Who the f*****g hell is that?” Collins asked, as he walked past Stallion, spitting on him as he went.
“The name is Hades, the one person you don’t f**k with!” The CBTF agent announced, as the team of criminals left the room and headed for the garages. Groaning Stallion reached for a syringe on his belt, popped off the top and injected himself, his wounds healing as he got to his feet.
“Oh I don’t know about that Hades…” Stallion grunted. “I really don’t!”
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