"If anything happens and we have to split up, make sure you either go with Tristan or me, got it?" Brynn addressed, checked the magazine of her .22. She looked up and made sure to look at Lilly, Mark, and Nadeen separately. They gave sharp nods. The five of them were two buildings away from the dentist office that the rest of the group were in. "If that happens and you can't, meet back here. Do not go back to the building, just in case you're followed. We don't want to put the others in the mix."
Mark was looking overwhelmed as he tried to take in everything Brynn said. Tristan put a hand on his shoulder, hoping to get him back to reality. Brynn thought for a fleeting second that he shouldn't have come, but it was too late.
Brynn took a moment to study all of them deeply. Nadeen stood to the left of Brynn with a worried look on her face as she hugged her arms around her body. Lilly shifted from foot to foot in front of Brynn with Mark close by on her right. Mark looked slightly determined, like he had come to a conclusion inside his own mind. Brynn pulled out another pistol from her back pocket, her own in her other hand. It was one that Tristan had brought from the duffle bag just in case they needed another.
Nadeen had been traumatized by guns, from her parents being shot. Brynn also didn't want her to get hurt. Lilly was too much of a know-it-all and would definitely overestimate her ability. But Mark? Mark was somewhere in the middle. He seemed to be in the headspace where he wanted answers. After having to kill his radiation-crazed mother, he would do anything for answers. Brynn studied the pistol then flipped it in her hand, extending it to Mark. He looked up at her in surprised and opened his mouth to say something.
Instead, Mark grabbed the gun and copied where Brynn had put hers previously. After Tristan briefly explained how to work it, they determined that would have to be good enough. And they were off.
In a single file line was Brynn first, then Nadeen, Lilly, Mark, and Tristan bringing up the rear. They crept as close as they could to the edge of the building where the sidewalk met the street. They needed to get across while avoiding the bright LED lights that the soldiers were shining. They were far enough that they wouldn't be seen head on if the lights weren't pointed at them, but it was still possible. Brynn scouted the street then turned back to Nadeen.
"One at a time. Get in front of this car, then across the street to that one, then that building." Brynn determined, motioning for Nadeen to tell it to Lilly, then Lilly to Mark, and so on. After that, Brynn went for it. Sticking close to the ground, Brynn went to the car and squatted down. The lights weren't on their street at the moment. She dashed across the street to the next car, loving the adrenaline that pumped through her veins. The wind was slightly chilly, but not too cold. The sky, however, had begun to spit. It was enough to give a cross-breeze that fueled her body as she dashed to the other building and put her back against it.
Brynn quickly relayed what she saw to Tristan across the street with her hand signals. There were about 6 soldiers outside that she could see. Two were patrolling, two were at their posts, and two were sitting playing cards. That was all she could see though. She knew it was possible that there was more inside some of the buildings inside the chain link fence. They were all in hazmat suits and had weapons nearby. Their two tanks were sitting so they were pointing down two streets, thankfully not one she was on. The rain was getting slightly heavier, making Brynn squint to keep her vision clear.
One by one came Nadeen, then Lilly, then Mark. Mark was about to run across the street but held himself back when he saw the light came back to our street. After a minute survey with the light, it pointed to a different street. Mark came over, then Tristan, who had to show off with a ninja roll. A quiet chuckle came out of Brynn's mouth. They began the journey around the side of this building to get on their route toward the chain link fence. After a couple more sprints across streets and gaps between buildings, they neared the building where they needed to hop roofs. They were all with their backs against the building, stepping quietly toward to door. The lights were even brighter up this close, and they could hear the soldiers talking. They were speaking English, but they wore no identifiable signs or symbols. The symbols that would have been obvious on the tanks were painted over with black paint. They were hiding something.
They were so close to the door that Brynn could taste the anticipation and feel her body heat up with adrenaline. The rain pitter-pattered on the pavement. They just needed to somehow open it. Worst comes to worst, they have to try and break the knob off the door. There was a loud noise suddenly. Brynn whipped her head to look back at what it was and saw Lilly with a panicked look on her face. There was a glass bottle that her foot had hit which rolled across the alley. Shit.
There was a loud yell, followed by a loud answer. The sound of the chain link fence rattled loudly through the rainfall and Brynn knew they were made. Brynn's heart rate picked up so fast she felt it in her neck. They were close, and it was too late to sprint back as they would probably see their backs just as they started running away. Improvise time.
"Get back!" Brynn whisper-yelled. Her twin brother immediately came up by her side. She could hear the footsteps get closer and closer. She didn't bother telling Tristan that it was two soldiers as he probably already knew as well. She took out an army knife that she brought in her pocket. Her grip was tight on the weapon despite the rain giving it a slick sensation. The two soldiers came up faster than she thought. Without a second thought, she grabbed one of the soldiers in the hazmat and turned him so his back was against her front. He fell into her but was held up by the neck with Brynn's arm. They didn't have time to yell or scream, because Brynn put her knife to use in their neck. The hazmat suit slowly deflated and Brynn set the soldier down quietly. The one Tristan grabbed struggled against him, but they soon went limp as Tristan twisted their neck. Hard.
Brynn knelt down beside the soldier she stabbed and flipped him over to unzip his suit. Tristan followed her lead, doing the same to the unconscious soldier.
"A plan, huh?" Brynn remarked, looking up at Lilly. She had a terrified look on her face and tears in her eyes. "Someone help me."
Mark and Lilly were still frozen. It was Nadeen who stepped up and came to help get the soldier out of the hazmat suit. Her fingers were shaking, but determined. Brynn stood corrected, Nadeen was the one to step up in this situation. Maybe Brynn should have given the gun to her. Now, someone would need to put the suits on.
Tristan was quick with his, pulling it up his legs and putting his arms into the holes.
"Look," Lilly shakily spoke, pointing at the dead soldier. He had light brown hair and wore a grey t-shirt. Lilly was pointing at his neck, where Brynn's knife had sunk in. Around it, scaly red wounds were appearing. That confused Brynn. "The radiation. It has to be."
Brynn's eye caught something, something shiny on the mans neck. Her face contorted, and she reached down in the midst of taking the suit off his foot and grabbed at the shiny necklace. It was so familiar.
The metal necklace had a chain-like feel and it was warm from the skin of the soldier. Brynn pulled it to reveal... dog tags. From the same place Brynn and Tristan got theirs. She tugged it off and put it in her bra. She had no other pockets.
Nadeen held the hazmat suit in her hands, looking as if she were having an inner battle with her. Finally, she put her feet in and began to zip it up. Brynn was quick to help her while sending her a reassuring glance.
"I have an idea but it's crazy," Brynn whispered loudly, then proceeded to tell her plan very quickly. This would require someone to volunteer once more. It was Mark. He shoved the gun into Lilly's hands and gave her a quick hug. "Let's go."
And so Mark walked out with his hands behind his head. Behind him was Tristan, holding him by his shirt collar and Nadeen, aiming the gun that the soldier's had dropped at his head.