Sentinels&Vanguards (Semi-open, Attn: Alexlantis)

[Alexlantis]

Reid tossed his grappling hook up to the hole where the grate used to be and attempted to pull himself up.


Erin screamed and hopelessly waved her crowbar into the darkness. She gasped for air and tried to make her way to the door, hopelessly disoriented. Erin ended up tripping and falling onto the blocks. She attempted to rise, but couldn't find a hand hold, slipping on dried blood and fabric. "HELP! PLEASE! OH GOD! HELP!" She grew dizzy and hyperventilated, aimlessly grabbing air in the darkness. Her headlight whacked against the block and fell off, spinning into the darkness. She screamed.

[Unified Western States]

The vent was stable, made of some sort of permeable plastic. He could easily get himself into the grate.

Just when all seemed lost for Erin, the rapid retort of an assault rifle filled the room. Muzzle flashes came from over on the other side and something started screaming before being sharply cut off by a final shot. A few seconds later, Erin found herself staring down the barrel of an assault rifle but also at a hand extended towards her. It was a gloved hand, clad in what looked like heavy armor.

[Alexlantis]

Reid pulled himself up and into the hole.


Erin shakily took the hand, murmuring to herself.

[Alexlantis]

OOC: bump

[Unified Western States]

The soldier pulled her up, then smashed through the door with a strong kick from the power armor. Light flooded in. He dragged her out. He was clad entirely in black power armor, with a helmet the completely obscured his face. In fact, not an inch of skin could be seen. The armor had no markings on it. He put the assault rifle on his back.

The rifle:



As Reid pulled himself into the vent, a horrible stench penetrated his nose. He turned to the left and saw the source. A pile of red mush, with flies buzzing all around it.

[Alexlantis]

"H-hu-Who are y-y-you?" Erin muttered, still in a bit of shock.


Reid, after some wrangling, donned his oxygen mask and, once the stench was mostly gone from his nostrils, clicked on his headlight and took a look around.

[Unified Western States]

The soldier looked at her, then spoke. His voice was almost digital, because it was being fed from speakers on the outside of the helmet.

"I am Brandon. Who are you and what are you doing here?"


The rest of the vent was empty, except for the red pulp pile.

[Alexlantis]

"E-Erin Haise. I-I'm a r-rescue worker."


Reid decided to climb into the vent anyways and crawl in the opposite direction of the pile, figuring that that would be the safest bet.

[Unified Western States]

"A rescue worker? Why are you down here then? The blast is up there." He said, pointing upwards.

The vent was stable, but small vibrations could be felt in it, as if there was something else far ahead or far behind.

[Alexlantis]

"W-we decided to see if there was anyone d-down here. Plenty of other wo-workers up th-there."


Reid continued on, figuring that it was a fan of some sort.

[Unified Western States]

"Bad choice. You were safer in the blast zone."

The vent continued, seemingly with no other grates. It finally came to a fork. One of the ways dropped straight down, the other gently slant down.

[Alexlantis]

Erin shakily curled up into a ball, hoping that there were no more... well, creatures anything like that to be found.


Reid decided on the more gentle slope, figuring that he'd try the other slope later. He removed his tool belt, the vent growing tight on him due to him not being a small child nor as skinny as a rail. "What I'd give to be like Paul. Goddamnit."

[Unified Western States]

bump

[Alexlantis]

Reid crawled on, scrunching through the vent.

[Unified Western States]

Erin shakily curled up into a ball, hoping that there were no more... well, creatures anything like that to be found.


Reid decided on the more gentle slope, figuring that he'd try the other slope later. He removed his tool belt, the vent growing tight on him due to him not being a small child nor as skinny as a rail. "What I'd give to be like Paul. Goddamnit."

The soldier spoke, looking down the hall. "That isn't going to help. And if your'e going to creep around this facility, at least get some protection." He pulled a handgun from his holster and handed it to her.


"Do you know how to use one of these?"


The gently sloping vent came to an abrupt halt after 50 feet when it became apparent that the vent had been ripped open from the corridor below.

[Alexlantis]

"Basically." Erin said, taking the gun.


Reid peered out through the hole, looking around, headlight on.

[Unified Western States]

The soldier nodded. "Be careful. It fires 12mm rounds, larger than your average handgun. It has a bit more kick than your probably used to. Oh, and it has a three-round burst mode. Use it sparingly."

The corridor was empty, but pitch black. A dark wind seemed to blow through it, as if a window was open somewhere.

[Alexlantis]

"Alright. Thanks." Erin said, regaining calmness and clarity of thought.


Reid jumped out of the vent and into the room, almost landing on his face but catching himself. He took a look around the room.

[Unified Western States]

"Take care of yourself. I have to go." The soldier said, turning to leave.

The corridor was black, but it look nearly identical to the other corridor he had been in.

[Alexlantis]

Erin checked the gun, making sure it was loaded. She didn't want to be tricked at this stage. She never wanted to be tricked, but this was the point in time where being tricked may cause her death.


Reid turned his headlight up and looked around for any sign of difference from the corridor he'd been in.

[Unified Western States]

The gun was loaded, and an extra magazine was clipped onto the side. When she looked up, the mysterious soldier had vanished.


The corridor was essentially identical, except for a sign hanging from the ceiling. It pointed straight ahead and read "Vehicle Hangar"

[Alexlantis]

Erin grabbed a spare headlight from her backpack and attached it to her helmet. She decided to check the other rooms, figuring that a surprise attack would be the best option.


Reid followed the corridor to the Vehicle Hangar, curiosity getting the best of him once again.

[Unified Western States]

The other rooms were empty. Some had blood stains, others were pristine and clean. But non held any of the creatures.

The hangar door, a massive metal thing, had been wrenched open by some unknown force.

[Alexlantis]

Erin decided that she'd aimlessly follow the halls, looking for the creatures or other signs of life. She couldn't leave without Reid or a report of Reid's death, so she decided she'd just roam the halls.


Reid walked through the doorway and into the hangar, looking around.

[Unified Western States]

As Erin was walking down a corridor, a door behind her creaked open, then swung shut.

The hangar was huge. And bright. The massive lights were on full blast and illuminated the contents of the hangar. It was astounding. Tanks, HUMVEEs, the components for what looked like of the the huge combat walkers. An entire armies worth of armor was there.