chapter 7 : humanoids

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Finally, Joe reached the northeastern part of the city.

He skidded to a halt, instantly jumping out of the vehicle and rushing to the malfunctioning device.

His fingers flew over the controls, initiating the reboot sequence.

As the device began to hum back to life, Joe raised his head and locked eyes with the mutant. The creature's eyes were filled with primal rage as it charged toward him.

Joe glanced at the device, his heart racing as he saw the reboot sequence stuck at level 3. He needed it to reach level 5 for the reboot to complete.

The mutant was closing in fast. Desperation fueled his next move as he sprinted toward the nearest building, the creature right on his heels.

In the command center, chief watched the holographic display with growing dread. "What are you doing, Joe? Help him!" he shouted.

The technician grimaced. " I can't. The noise of the drones would only attract more of the creatures to him!"

Chief sighed, frustration evident as he ran his hand through his hair, unable to tear his eyes away from the screen.

Joe dashed into the building, cursing under his breath, "Fuck this!" He took the stairs three at a time, the mutant's rampaging footsteps echoing behind him. He reached the second floor and kicked open a door, locking it behind him in a bid to buy a few precious seconds.

Panting, he scanned the room and spotted a rope swaying just outside the window. Without hesitation, he climbed out and grabbed the rope, taking a deep breath before making his daring escape.

As the mutant smashed through the door, Joe slid down the rope, his hands burning from the friction, but he didn't slow down.

Reaching the ground, he glanced at the device.

The reboot sequence had hit level 4.

"Almost there"

He turned just in time to see the mutant clambering down the building, its eyes locked on him with murderous intent.

"Come on, come on," Joe muttered, urging the reboot to complete as he sprinted back to the device. Just as the reboot reached level 5, the mutant lunged at him.

Joe grabbed the device and spun around, pointing it at the creature. The high frequency sound burst forth, slamming into the mutant. It let out a bone chilling shriek, its body convulsing violently before collapsing in a heap.

"How do you like that, you filthy animal!" Joe shouted, adrenaline surging through his veins.

Gail's interface lit up " Device 5 is fully rebooted and online."

Joe fell on his butt, catching his breath in the process.

Chief's voice crackled back, filled with both relief and urgency. "Good work, lieutenant."

Gail's interface lit up, displaying a series of rapidly updating data streams.

"Atmospheric pressure is now 100 percent",

Gail announced in its precise, emotionless tone.

One of the soldiers turned " ready when you are, chief."

Chief took a deep breath, hie eyes narrowing with determination, "Now!" He commanded.

The soldier pressed a large red button on the console, and almost immediately, a deep, resonant hum filled the air. The noise echoed throughout the capital city, reverberating off buildings and streets, creating a surreal, almost otherworldly atmosphere.

Suddenly, the sky above the capital began to shimmer. Tiny, flickering lights appeared at the city's perimeter, gradually connecting in an intricate web of energy.

These lights intensified, forming glowing lines that arced and twisted upwards, joining together to create a vast, dome-like structure.

The force field took shape with a luminous, pulsating aura, its surface rippling like water. Holographic patterns danced across it, resembling a futuristic latticework of energy, sparkling in a spectrum of colors.

The entire city was enveloped in this shimmering barrier, casting a radiant glow that could be seen for miles.

Everyone watched in awe as the force field solidified, its edges humming with power. The air seemed to crackle with electricity, and a palpable sense of anticipation hung in the atmosphere.

The soldier turned to chief, a mix of excitement and anxiety in his eyes. "It's up, chief. The force field is holding."

Chief nodded, his expression of blend of relief and determination. "Good!"

#####

With the force field up, the high-frequency soundwaves began to build in the air. The energy bounced off the dome, amplifying and cascading back onto the land below. The resulting reverberations unleashed an intense barrage of sound directly onto the creatures.

Everyone watched in tense anticipation as the creatures let out bone-chilling shrieks, their bodies convulsing in agony. The cacophony was both horrifying and exhilarating, a testament to the effectiveness of their plan.

Chief spoke into his communicator, his voice steady and commanding. "Keep them in!"

He then placed his finger on another button, pressing it down firmly as he addressed his other team. "Bring those people home."

The leader of the rescue team responded without hesitation, "with honor."

With his signal, the team mobilized, armed with their high-frequency guns. They moved swiftly and with purpose, navigating through the now vulnerable creatures to reach the trapped civilians.

Chief's eyes almost watered at the sight of the people being rescued. Families reunited, fear giving way to relief as they were ushered to safety. The city's evacuation was in full swing, and for the first time, hope seemed tangible.

Within minutes, the soldiers reported to their team leader, "evacuation complete, lieutenant"

The team leader nodded, determination etched on his face. "We move in deep."

The team advanced, their high frequency guns held at the ready.

Finally, they were here, our rescuers. But so were they, our death!

They took a sharp curve, only to come to an abrupt halt.

Chief noticed the sudden stop and spoke into his communicator. "What is it? Why are you stopping?"

The team leader responded with unease in his voice,

"Erhhh, chief... you need to see this!"

Chief ordered, "Gail, zoom in."

The holographic display focused on a group of humans standing eerily motionless. Chief furrowed his brow. "What are they doing?"

The team leader scratched his headgear in confusion. "Are we suppose to save them?"

He cautiously approached the group, removing the mask covering his face. "It seems you are okay. My men will lead you to safety."

There was no response. They stood still, their faces blank and devoid of any emotion, their eyes glassy and lifeless.

Chief murmured, "something seems off about them."

The team leader tried to make his way through but they wouldn't budge.

"We have others to save and very little time. Let me through."

The technician zoomed in further, focusing on their eyes. " I do not think those things are hum—"

Before he could finish his sentence, a sickening crunch echoed through the communicator. The team leader's head was smashed into pieces, his body collapsing lifelessly to the ground.

The soldiers recoiled in horror, their guns now trained on the motionless group. Panic surged through the team as the reality of their situation sank in.

These weren't ordinary people—they were something far more sinister.

Chief's voice came through, urgent and filled with dread. "Everyone, fall back! Those aren't humans. Get out of there!"

The team scrambled to retreat, their once orderly mission now turned into a desperate fight for survival. The eerie, motionless figures began to move, revealing their true nature as they closed in on the fleeing soldiers.

The air grew thick with terror as the creatures' eyes glowed with an unnatural light. Their movements were jerky, almost puppet-like, as they advanced with chilling purpose.

The sound of heavy breathing and panicked footsteps filled the air as the soldiers fought to escape the clutches of these nightmarish beings.

Panic set in as the soldiers realized that there was No Escape!

The soldiers frantically fired their high frequency guns. But the guns, powerful against the mutants, were like mere toys to these lifeless beings.

One soldier was grabbed by the neck and lifted off the ground, his screams cut short as the humanoid twisted his head with a sickening snap.

Another soldier tried to flee, but a humanoid's arm elongated unnaturally, impaling him through the chest and pinning him to a wall. Blood spurted as he gasped for breath, his eyes wide with terror.

A third soldier, in a desperate bid to escape, threw his gun and ran. A humanoid caught him effortlessly, lifting him high before slamming him into the pavement with such force that his body shattered like glass.

The remaining soldiers, realizing the futility of their weapons, attempted to retreat. One soldier stumbled, falling face-first. A humanoid was upon him instantly, tearing into his back with razor-sharp claws, ripping his spine out in a grotesque display.

Amidst the chaos, their screams echoed, and the ground was soaked with blood.

Chief watched on, his eyes filled with tears. "No."

The humanoids moved with relentless precision, leaving no one alive in their wake.