The truck came to a stop. They reached their destination. The Zelle's man gestured to Nina and Del to get out.
The place was another scenery Nina haven't had the chance to see. Yet this one felt more homey. She was already familiar with the futuristic views of the city. But that and the fantasy-esque forest was far from her daily life in her last world.
The place looked like the eerie abandoned factory right outside of her city. The kiddies used to play there all the time even when it got scary at night. Last she heard, gangs and yankees use the place. Different, but still scary in its own way.
"Nghh..."
She tried to unlatch the back of the truck to carefully jump out. The old man beside her didn't agree with that move, apparently. He yanked her quickly enough to scare her.
"HAA-!"
The others frown on the show of force. They didn't know what he was trying to show from that move.
"What are you doing?"
"This is NOT how the contract goes! This is NOT the work we agreed on! WHY ARE WE HERE!?"
He blew his fuse on the two Zelle families. The man almost clocked the old man if not for the woman stopping him.
"Miss?"
"Wait here, I'm going outside."
She had to work her way around the people sitting between her and the closed door. Before she reached it, the old man again stopped another from getting out.
"Just look out from here."
"!!!" Now she got it. "Driver! Why are we stopping here!?"
The miss asked for the driver. She cast her loud voice to let the driver know despite the distance. As for the driver, he answered. But the voice was surprisingly clear and unmasked.
CHRCHK!
Everyone's eyes were looking forward. They didn't realize the driver had passed beside the truck to assist in opening the small door.
"Yes, miss?"
He was not the same driver as the last she checked.
"Who told you to drive us here-."
SPLAT!
The driver's brain matter was blasted toward the truck.
"DUCK!" She screamed.
"EVERYONE, TO THE LEFT SIDE!" Another voice followed.
The man who had no weapon in his build! He took off his jacket revealing a blade in his forearm. The concealed blade was in a clear image of a mantis. From the steely look of it, the blade was part of his cybernetic arms.
His body was filled with all kinds of "replacement". That made him the bid deal that he was.
Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.
From his scythe-arm, he gained the skill [praying blade]. It still only had a dozen levels statistic-wise. But that didn't matter, even military-grade automobiles wouldn't pose much resistance.
"HOLD ON!"
The truck cut in two, and their weight tipped it to the left. They used the truck's bed as an impromptu shield in a few moments. Their view of the building was obscured by the truck.
It would do for now. Except that was a poor judgment.
"WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENI-"
"[SOLIDIFY]!"
The enemy had not withdrew their attacks, though. The head of the man who screamed at Nina flew off. It helped in a way, nobody needed a loud crude fool.
Zelle's miss was a beat late to use her skill. The attack that killed that man went through the truck. Her skill infused [thickened] to its target.
From that little ambush, they would lose five people.
"BURR! Keep the girl secure! The head's order!"
"Why, miss Newl!?"
"Head's order! SHE IS NOT A FIGHTER!"
---
"A COOK!? She's a cook who had two main statistics in the 90s?"
Eric asked Dusk as he prepared an antidote to his bag. Dusk laid hand on any medications he could take. He then threw the packed handbag aside.
"Yes, that's why I need to save her. My men can protect themselves. worst case, there's a chance some mercs will die. But they chose to live this way and it's not our fault. But NOT ONLY she's a kid, I PUSHED her to the reserve force."
"I can see you're as soft-hearted as ever."
"Not now, please."
Dusk searched for his gear in panic. To him, it was more important than anything at that moment.
"I can lend you my man?"
"No, going by bike. It's faster and easier for me to find them."
"I'm still sending them. Catch!"
Eric threw a small phone at him. It had a strong tracker in it.
"We're not losing you either."
"... Thanks, Eric."
"I wish I could say it's fine because Del is also there... But I can never understand the way he thinks. I don't think he will let a girl die, though."
"..."
WHUMP! Dusk didn't realize he slammed his boss's door.
"That man is too impulsive..."
---
That Del boy... he's not here... Nina scanned the seven remaining survivors. The realization added some to her fear.
"Lady, how long will it hold?" The old man, the famous merc, Benjie asked.
"I don't know exactly. But it won't be long!"
Newl and Benjie took each end of the shield. Burr moved to his task of handling Nina who was scarred for her life.
BANG! CLANK!
"Hiii! Noooo... Maya... Key..."
Nina cowered with hands on her head. At the corner of her eyes, through a fresh bullet hole, she saw a figure standing.
"Ah? AH! M-mister! THERE!"
"..." Burr was hessitant. "!!! Is that!?"
"Y-Yes!"
Beyond the hole was Del's figure. Hiding from the attacker under their nose. Not only hiding he also responded to the attack in kind.
There were three corpses on the floor. Two more he was holding. The identity of their attacker was an Arthros horde. Four of them had their thoraxes split from their abdomens. The last one's head caved from Del's grip force.
"Miss Newl! Look under the building!" Burr spread the information.
There's no hiding place around us. Following that boy sounds like the better- no, the only option.
"EVERYONE, GET READY TO MOVE INTO THE BUILDING!"
The seven were divided into the two ends of the truck.
"WHOA!"
Burr lifted Nina. That would be the faster way.
"Three, Two, One! THROW EVERYTHING YOU GOT! GO GO GO!"
It was chaos. The survivors released all their skills aimlessly. While the horde sprayed down on them. The distance was so close that crossing it only took some-teen seconds.
Those seconds felt longer for them, though. On the other hand, Del was simply looking at them as they crossed.
"Welcome. All four of you." Del's eyes swelled into a smile. Although his lips welded to stay the same way.
"Four? HUH!?" Newl turned to see a man fell as he was shot by the horde.
Of the twelve of them, only five were left alive and well. Del, Nina, Burr, Benjie, and Newl. They survived, but that hell had not finished just yet.
"Wait, wait, where are you going?" Burr interrogated Del who was about to leave without any farewell.
"Up."
"What do you mean!? Hey! HEY WAIT!"
"They started this fight! I'M GOING TO FINISH IT!" Del yelled.
The rest was left there. Several more staircases were there.
Leaving the building is not a choice. Stay there long enough and there was a chance the horde would surround them from the stairs. Once again led by Del, they chose to climb the building.
"Welcome again."
Del was standing not too far from the stairs, looking at them. Behind him, tens of Arthros had swarmed the open area.
Del had taken care of a couple of them. In fact, his right hand was firmly stuck in one of the Arthros.
"You choose to follow me.
"Brace yourself. I don't mind some help." His unchanging voice invited them.