25 Chapter 24
While Jacob waited at the storage facility with Sophia, he continued to work on the LEDs. They hoped the colony would be safe as they distracted themselves.
Sophia continued to research the Gravitalodium with her scanner and some basic equipment.
Jacob, on the other hand, would move the diodes to the graphene printer before they could get damaged by the air. The batteries having been charged during the day because of their large amount of solar panels having finally sped past the printers' consumption rate.
***
The guards were patrolling the new colony walls in duos. One guard had a rifle, and the other did not. The walls were flat and relatively wide so people could walk on them.
Adewale had recruited 40 rifle wielders. He had purchased his own as well. Having received points for creating the first military system of the colony. Only receiving that today, as he had created a recruitment and training area using the AI.
Anyone looking to join the guards could ask their AI and follow the holo to the location at the right time. The volunteers would begin training and also be used for emergencies if needed.
Adewale only gave people batons the first two days without training them because they were dealing with an emergency. But now things were calming down … slightly and the needs of the colony were becoming clearer.
They didn't need many men patrolling streets. The AI has fixed that issue through their surveillance state level of monitoring. If people sneezed and Jacob wanted them to report it, they could and would.
Taking this to his advantage, Adewale could focus fully on defending against the unknown predators.
He had also created a training area where volunteers and recruits could come in the morning to learn and be assigned tasks. Adewale was surprised with the amount of people who volunteered, having 100 come that day.
It seemed they were afraid of the Swiftstalker's but would rather know how to kill them, then hide in their homes like most of the colonists. And a few were service people from earth, being police or military, first responders, etc.
During the entire day, the tree line had been cut back a lot. This gave them much more time to react when the swiftstalkers charged. Taking away one of the beast's advantages. Added with the makeshift wall that, while worked, it would give any passerby a sliver just by looking at it. Now the swiftstalkers would have to climb over or jump before attacking civilians.
This would reduce their ability to surprise the colonists and allow for the guards to get a few shots off before the gap was closed.
The colony was large enough to force the guards to be in charge of a large 30 meter area still. But now they had the eyesight of their neighbours on the wall and could give supporting fire, albeit with less accuracy.
The sun had finally disappeared behind the mountains.
All the guards became tenser as the light faded, Li and Adewale included. They did not know if the attack would happen soon, or at all.
The entire colony was silent, the non guard colonists having entered their apartments. Many doubling and tripling up. There were a few unattended fires going, having been set up on each street like a street lamp in the middle. Giving some illumination.
For the next two hours, nothing happened. Some guards became a little lax, stretching and drinking some water while talking to each other.
***
Two guards were standing, facing the northern forest. One was an alert female. While young, she was clearly trained in these situations. Having a serious face, and did not stop her scan of the forest, except for a quick drink of water here and there. Her hair was red, and she was average height with a fit body, like that of a gymnast.
"So, Kelly, what do you think about Jacob? Think he will try to become a dictator or something?" The beside her asked. Trying to make small talk.
She didn't stop looking at the forest, but made a frown at the question. Answering back, "Paul, pay atten…"
Suddenly a large black shape jumped from the forest and ran towards the two guards, who were chatting.
All the AI immediately turned red, warning every guard of the attack.
The guard with the rifle didn't fumble, quickly raising it and pulling the trigger.
At the same time, she shouted out "ENEMY SIGHTED!"
BANG
BANG
The Swiftstalker dodged her first shot, however, the second one clipped it in the neck.
She had fired in anticipation of it moving. Kelly was a professional back home in Kansas. She travelled around the USA doing shooting competitions, often winning or coming a close second. One of her trademarks was her insane accuracy in hitting moving targets.
"RO…" The beast's voice was cut short as kelly fired another shot.
BANG
It fell to the ground with a hole in its skull. However, before it landed, more shadows emerged from the forest!
Multiple Swiftstalker's barred down on the guards. They came from the same spot. However, they split into three groups, attempting to attack all three guard groups on this section of the wall.
"Idiots," Kelly said as she continued to fire with a straight face. Her guard mate breaking out in a cold sweat as he watched the Swiftstalker's approach him. He was so terrified that his body froze.
BANG
BANG
Shots rang through the camp. Many colonists in the closer apartments put their hands over their heads to block out the noise.
Kelly clipped off her second one. However, the last one was less than 20 meters away. She aimed at the beast, but it moved with all its strength at the last second.
BANG
She clipped the leg.
The other guards were firing frantically at their respective charging beasts. Much less accurate than Kelly, and not caring about ammo. 'Amateurs' she thought.
BANG BANG BANG
One of the other swiftstalkers attacking the guards fell. One other continuing its charge.
Those two attacking the other side were each hit by bullets, but none took them down.
The guards on the wall panicked and jumped down. Other guards farther down the wall fired as they had gotten into range.
BANG BANG
Both of the swiftstalkers quickly fell. Having finally been taken apart by the shots, they were fast, but not too durable.
During this, Kelly had survived. While the last swiftstalker charged forward. The shot in its leg slowed the beast down enough for her to push herself and her partner off the wall before its tails could kill them. As she fell, she turned her body around. And listened for the beast to leave the ground. Because of the adrenaline, she could hear its footsteps and everything appeared in slow motion.
As soon as her gut told her, she pulled the trigger. The instant the bullet left the barrel, the beast's head appeared over the wall, which quickly connected with the bullet. Before it could even send electrical signals to its tails. This one did not take the time to come up from the side like the one Li had killed. This Swiftstalker simply jumped straight over to kill them on the other side.
For the colonists listening, as soon as they started, the bangs stopped having only lasted 10 seconds or so.
Those inside could not know what had happened.
However, the guards knew, especially kelly and Paul, who first saw the swiftstalker's. They were on the ground, breathing heavily as leaking brain matter and blood wet their clothes. Draped over the wall, tails stuck in the wooden floor the guards had stood on moments ago.
The other guards ran up thinking the two were dead, having dealt with three swiftstalkers alone. But what they found surprised them: a man and a woman fully covered in blood. Kelly was holding her partner up, acting as support, rifle on her shoulder.
"We need Dr. Amrit. I believe he broke his leg." She said, as she held the guy up and leaned him against the wall. Then started walking towards the dead Swiftstalker on the wall. "I'll be back at my post."
A running man out of breath came from the direction of the storage facility. "I can take him, are you two ok!? You're covered in blood!? Is that hers?" Dr. Amrit became shocked when he realized they were covered in blood.
She waved him off. "I'm fine, in fact… I've never felt so alive." Kelly said the last part with a sadistic smile.
Dr. Amrit and the other guards could only stare in shock at her intimidating response.
As Kelly walked away she couldn't help but think, for the first time in her life, she felt truly alive! The smile stayed on her face as she walked back, dripping in her enemy's blood.
