Back Safe

Alina hoisted him up from the shoulder, Stephen joined in, carrying the other one.

"We need to move faster now." Sebastian ordered. Stopping our walk, we shifted to running, Alina and Stephen practically dragged him while we sped off through the gas and the buildings. Feeling more and more things keep falling. When the fuck will this furniture falling shit end?

As more of the gas parted and vision became better and better. The tunnel stood in front of us in the distance, the safe area. With it in our sights, the group ran noticeably faster towards the tunnel. There were already other teams heading to the tunnel, nearer to it and escorting their survivors inside. A truck was also parked on the side, people in similar suits like ours departed from it, bring out a gurney while they started piling black bags on top of it.

The other teams leaving, and their recovered survivors now on the other side, we joined in with them, quickly putting in all our gear. The crack didn't let any gas seep in throughout the run, Sebastian was right, didn't go all the way through. Alina and Stephen continued bringing the injured man, his face was now bleeding from different parts, his hands showed a few small blisters.

As the disinfection stopped, we retrieved our equipment, the survivors took off their gas masks, thanking us for helping them before being escorted by other medical personnel waiting outside.

The two rushed the injured man outside who was promptly carried by other medical personnel, lifting him up onto a stretcher before bringing him away to a tent.

The place was more crowded than before, more people in suits were walking around and a few transport ships were arriving, personnel, most likely mercenaries like us departed from these transport ships. Trucks were parked on the side, revealing marked boxes inside them with more personnel taking them out of the van, bringing them to different tents around the place.

We did it, we saved many lives from the contaminated city, hopefully more can be saved by others, or even us if we return back there. But i have to get this crack issue fixed.

"We did great out there." Sebastian congratulated us. We began celebrating our rescue victory. But the feeling of that cracked gas mask man still lingers with me.

A single person in a medical suit approached us.

"Thanks for your help, we were a little shorthanded, the operations tent is over there if you want to replace your suits, since one of you has a damaged visor, and you can replenish your equipment there." He said through his suit, after speaking he went towards one of the tents, presumably to tend to more wounded.

There was a large tent, far bigger than the others in the middle of the road in front of us. People in suits were exiting and entering it with different equipment in hand.

"We should head to that tent, they probably have food and stuff there or other things." Sebastian suggested. Nobody disagreed, settling with the new place to head to.

I looked around while we walked, so many injured were being escorted to the tents, how many are even in those things? I wondered while continuing to observe the area.

A small booth separated us from the inside of the tent.

A small sign hung on the side reading "ONE AT A TIME" In black bold letters.

"Leader first?" Sebastian humorously asked. Making a small chuckle in the group.

Sebastian stepped through the small clear gate, immediately after it shut, the small space was engulfed in a gray mist. Dissipating shortly after, the gate on the opposite opened, but there was no view of the inside, blocked by a door which opened once Sebastian left the small booth, moving closer to it.

"Damon, you're next, you do need another suit." Stephen said.

The gate opened to me, stepping inside, i stood by. With the gate closed, i couldn't see anything through the mist as it sprayed me down.

As it slowly went away, the gate to the door opened. I stepped out, my suit drenched in wahtever was in that mist, the door opened once i got close enough. Stepping inside, i got a full view of what was there.

Smaller rooms in front of me and on both sides with a long table in the middle littered with maps and papers. The rooms were divided by clear gate, giving a clear view to what was inside them. There were other medical teams already inside some of the rooms, taking and leaving the rooms while a few were staying next to the table, examining the map.

Medical suits, medical equipment, boxes with the words "Provisions" Marked on them, a small amount of rifles and ammunition, gas masks, among other medical equipment, all separated and inside their respective rooms. All but one was filled with medical supplies, one room in front was full of communication devices with 2 medical personnel already manning it. Computers, phones, radios. All placed inside the room.

"Damon, the suits are over there." Sebastian pointed at the room with medical suits. Emerging from one of the rooms.

I headed for the medical suit room, the clear gate opened as i approached and closed promptly once i was inside. Suits hung on clothing lines on both sides with a large yellow box in the middle along with a small table on the corner of a clothing line, the box was already filled with other suits, probably used. The words "DISPOSE HERE AFTER USE!" Was written in black. Putting down my tools on the side.

Placing my things on the side, I began unzipping. Shutting off the oxygen and taking off the suit. Now bare in my normal academy clothing. Throwing the now damaged and used suit inside, i pulled out another suit that fit me. Is someone gonna come take that box?

I zipped back up with a new and fresh suit with a new oxygen tank. I grabbe d my stuff and went back outside. My teammates were standing around, talking with one another.

"There you go, Damon boy got a new suit." Lennox spoke. Causing a smaller chuckle in the group.

"Refill what you need and just stay here, i'll see what else is gonna be done here. Maybe get a link up with the Strategist." Sebastian said, walking towards the communications room.

Inside, he began talking with the two.

The team slowly dispersed, entering different rooms, to refill or to perform other tasks. I needed to refill my ammo box, in case were gonna return.