Chapter 271: Vexical Prime: Mercenaries
Jace pushed aside the communication soldier’s body to the side and sat at the station. While the others ransacked the base for weapons and gear. "Set up grenade traps on the bodies once we are done." Jace ordered. "It will not take long for them to realize something was wrong. Also make sure there is one at the door."
"Will it be like that explosion earlier?" Shepard asked as he looked at the impact point of the two grenades which had turned into a fiery bomb.
"No, that was because these grenades use a miniaturized nuclear reaction to throw beams of lights in all directions. Having two so close together compounded the explosion in a volatile manner. It was why I used a person as a shield in the first place." Jace explained as he found the more advanced encryptions that the Holy Empire of Gregory were using. Once he was done he put his hand on the equipment and ran an electrical pulse through it. Destroying all of the communication gear. He then opened one of the panels up and set up a grenade trap. If anyone came to repair it they would get a face full of a laser grenade.
He then stepped back and nodded at his work before moving to the bodies. He grabbed some more grenades and replaced the knife he used. "Which direction are we heading?" Atlas asked as he tossed aside a laser rifle. He had decided to just use his silenced pistol.
Jace checked his heads up display and saw the direction of the indicator. Lazily pointing in the direction as he double checked his new equipment. Once he was confirmed it was fine he pulled the laser rifle off his back and moved in the direction of the point of interest that he dropped.
Once they were ready he led the way. Walking up out of the river ditch that the soldiers had been situated in and getting their first good look at the surroundings. The area they were in had towers high into the sky. At the moment the sky was filled with dark clouds that were forming into thunder and lightning.
They could see several ships dogfighting in the skies above. As they climbed up to the street that ran right on the bridge they could hear heavy combat in the air. In addition to seeing distant explosions.
Jace moved immediately across the street toward a building. It would take longer but they would move from building to building. Dodging as much combat as possible. As he came upon the door he hit it with his shoulder and it swung open with a crash. He immediately moved into the room and looked around. He had entered the backroom of a building. They were at least a few buildings away from their target. So he moved in one direction hoping the building had another exit they could use.
They closed the door behind them as they moved through this room. The front lobby was probably all glass and open so it would be disadvantageous to enter. Because they would be easily spotted from anyone moving on the streets.
Jace had to stop as he found a back door exit in the direction they wanted to go. But just inside the door was the corpse of a soldier. By the type of armor and emblems he could tell it was a mercenary of some kind. They had another symbol on their armor and gear as well.
"A Circle of Yuri Mercenary." Shepard crouched by their body as Jace moved to the door and pushed it open slightly to take a look at the outside. "Looks like he was injured by a blade, cut across the chest. Someone tried to patch him up, but he died so they dropped the gear they were using and left."
"Or they had to abandon their task." Jace informed them as he looked out the door and then pushed it open a bit more as he moved out. The door opened up to a backstreet so it was out of the way. But all around up to the main street there were bodies, scraps of metal, and a few destroyed mecha. "Looks like a slaughter."
The others followed him as he walked across the back street heading toward another back door that led into another building. But as he walked he spun around and his steps faltered as he spotted something partially up the side of the building. It appeared to be a person’s skeleton. But the corpse is shriveled up and curled up on itself. While there was blood and guts spread out around them on the wall centered around the skeleton that appeared to be the impact point.
"Circle of Yuri Mercenaries and that up there is a vampire, probably a half breed. They are usually in charge of mercenaries instead of central units." Shepard explained as he looked around. He then looked in another direction and frowned, "the other group managed to take their dead with them. Which means their commander survived. I guess it was the Holy Empire. They are the only ones that go out of their way to kill and display dead vampires like that."
Jace pulled open the door and swung the rifle from side to side before he began moving into the building. Unfortunately this time the bottom floor was just one giant lobby with only pillars and elevators as the only form of cover. Fortunately the walls were not all glass. Only the wall that was facing the main street was.
He checked his HUD again before moving toward another wall. He walked straight up to a door and stopped. He slowly opened the door, peaking through the crack to see what was on the other side. He then let the door shut and explained what he saw over the communication channel.
"We have a small group. Looks like the survivors from that mercenary group have taken up a spot out here. Want to go around or go through?" Jace asked over the channel and glanced back.
"Let’s go around-
BANG BANG BANG BOOM