The New Haven Incident - Part Forty-Three

Mendez emptied an entire canister on the three kobolds, not stopping until they were little more than sizzling piles of unrecognisable meat.

Sebastian did not intervene. Mendez might be wasting resources, but Sebastian was in agreement with his reaction to the scene before them. Five university students; five people he had failed to save. It was personal for himself as well as Mendez.

A shrill screech from behind Sebastian indicated another kobold somewhere in the tunnels behind the group. Sebastian turned, his weapon ready. Another shriek answered the first, from further back. And then another, and another, until the air was filled with the sounds of kobolds. They were approaching. Rapidly.

“We have to move,” Sebastian said. “Run!”

No one had to be told twice. They took off, following the curve of the tunnel. Mendez switched canisters on the fly, dropping the nearly empty one on the ground. He shot a short blast as he crossed a junction, sending the kobolds that had gathered there running back into the dark briefly, permitting his new unit to run past.

Sebastian jumped over the discarded canister. He turned and fired. The bullet pierced the can, and it exploded, sending kobolds back, screeching in agony. The flash of light briefly exposed the scaly, undulating mass of hundreds of kobolds in pursuit.

“There’s the exit!” Mendez barked, answering Sebastian’s quiet pleas. All Sebastian could do was grunt in return. The remaining kobolds were quickly gaining.

Mendez burst through the door into the afternoon light. He turned quickly, the flame thrower at the ready as Lilith and Hannah followed him through. Sebastian was last. He quickly snatched two canisters of flame thrower fuel and threw them into the dark passage.

“Oh shit!” Mendez said. He rose to his feet, grabbed Lilith and tackled her and Hannah to the ground off to the side, covering them both with his broad frame.

Sebastian fired once, then dove out the way as the canister he shot exploded, igniting the other. The flames blasted out of the door with enough force and heat that a tree several feet from it burst into flames. There was a cacophony of loud shrieks from inside the tunnel, then it was silent.

Mendez uncurled himself from around Lilith and Hannah and turned his head towards the tunnel entrance. It remained dark and quiet. He looked over to see Sebastian on the ground, unmoving. He rose and jogged to the agent’s side.

“Hey,” he said, touching Sebastian’s shoulder.

Blue eyes shot open and a lazy grin greeted Mendez. “Did I get ‘em?”

Mendez laughed. He rose to his feet and offered his hand to Sebastian. The agent took it and Mendez pulled the man to his feet.

“That was some quick thinking, Agent,” he noted.

Sebastian grunted. He looked over at Lilith and Hannah, who both stared at the two men with wide eyes. “You okay?” he asked them.

Hannah giggled, then shyly buried her head in Lilith’s neck again. Lilith nodded at Sebastian, the briefest shadow of a smile flickering across her face.

“Good.” Sebastian rolled his right shoulder, working through the stiffness that had settled there. “We need to get moving.”

Mendez?

Oliver pressed his comms unit. “Wu? Is that you?”

We’re on your left, Olly.

Mendez turned, seeing the Sigma unit holding position at the buildings across the road from the parking lot, guarding several young people holding katanas he didn’t recognise. Mendez lifted an arm for a vigorous wave. “Hey!” he called.

Shhhh, you big idiot! Wu hissed. Have you forgotten about the swarm that has descended on campus?

Mendez’ grin twisted into a lopsided smile. He pressed the comms unit again. “Sorry.” He turned and tapped Sebastian on his chest with the back of his hand.

“I see them,” Sebastian noted. He walked over to Lilith.

“Take Hannah and go with Sigma Team Four,” he said. “She needs to get back to her aunts, and Mendez and I have a few more survivor groups to round up. Keep them safe for me.”

Lilith nodded. She examined Sebastian’s face for a moment. He smiled at her and nodded back. “I’ll see you at the extraction point,” he said.

Lilith nodded again. She paused, then gave Sebastian a quick peck on the cheek before turning. Sebastian stopped her, grabbing her arm at the elbow. “Be careful,” he murmured. Lilith smiled. She reached up and stroked Sebastian’s cheek. Nodding, Sebastian let her go.

Mendez came to his side as Lilith moved quickly across the parking lot, then the road before joining with Sigma Team Four. Captain Wu offered a wave, which Mendez returned, before Team Four melted into the shadows of the building, making their way around the campus to the extraction point.

“We should go,” Mendez said.

Sebastian grunted. It was nothing short of a miracle that the ruckus they had managed to create during their most recent escape had yet to draw more attention. With Mendez on his right, Sebastian turned and together they moved quickly to the shelter of the buildings opposite the campus parking lot.

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