The Colony by John Davis Page A

do.”
    Jack turned to her, pausing for a moment before finally lowering his sidearm and awaiting her explanation.
    “I think it is the children,” she admitted. “When the attacks began, they seemed to stay clear of the buildings where children were. I don't know why, I just know that when we brought them into this building they began to ignore us and decimated the remainder of the colony.”
    “ And you said nothing of this?” the general asked loudly.
    “ I didn't know. I thought it was my own mind thinking into things too deeply. I had no idea they were connected, and still don't.” Julia replied.
    “ Makes perfect sense.” Jack replied.
    “ How so lieutenant?” the general asked.
    “ They used some serious hardware out there. Never seen anything like it before, but I know it could have easily punched through the skiff when it was attached to our front door. Hell, even the front door for that matter. They also rerouted their punch shot into the air and hit my crew's skiff. No way they didn't have time to lock onto the skiff filled with kids.”
    “The kids are gone.” Renaldo stated clearly.
    “Yea, I'm aware,” Jack replied. “Means we're gonna have to haul ass pretty soon. It's only a matter of time before they hit us.”
    “Haul ass, there's nowhere to go?” the general replied in a questioning manner.
    “I'm a master of improvisation.” Jack replied.
     
    -
     
    The giveaway was the scratching against such a battle-thick door. High pitched dragging of nails across human steel. Moments later, the door which had separated the group from the alien race outside – it began to pull away a bit. Brute force tugging against hold of large bolts.
    It took a few minutes, but finally the light of day, masked in rainfall of course, was easily seen through a large gap between the door and the frame surrounding it.
    Snap.
    The thick steel was finally broken from its hold, snapping apart from its hinges behind incredible force. The group watched as several of the succubus entered cautiously, each of them toting a weapon which resembled a human rifle. Though it was different at the ends, particularly the glowing end which faced away from the soldiers.
    Patting Renaldo on the shoulder for a job well done, Jack remained silent – as did the rest of the group.
    The sniper had pulled an LCD screen from one of the battle rifles and linked it to the LCD screen on his own weapon. Working as a two-way system, the group could watch their hunters stalk them with detail. All while remaining hidden beneath a large steel flooring tile to the rear of the building.
    Jack had first thought himself mad when seeing this new race of beings. Fearing nobody would believe him. After finding out the human race was at war with this new foe, Jack thought in an entirely different manner. A military manner – his experience taking over in such a situation.
    The beasts searched the small building for nearly an hour, but to no avail. Finally grouping together and speaking to one another in language that seemed very strange, Jack watched as a single soldier was posted to the interior of the door.
    Their fuck up. Their mistake. The enemy taking Jack and his experience too lightly.
    “ Gonna have to do this quietly.” Jack whispered.
    “ Quiet is what I do,” the sniper replied. “How do you want to play it?”
    The sniper awaited Jack's command, while slowly attaching a silencing chamber to the long barrel of his bolt-action rifle.
    Easing the steel from beneath their heads, all while watching the LCD screen which now acted as a security system, Jack finally peeked from their safe haven below.
    Motioning the sniper up, Jack helped Renaldo ease himself from the spot beneath the large tile of steel as well.
    “Count silently to twenty,” Jack said, directing his comments to the general and Julia, both of whom remained hidden below. “Then make as much damn noise as you can.”
    “ Are you sure?” the woman asked.
    “ I'm sure,” he