Deserted cars sat across the wide street, several with their doors open, numerous bodies littering the frosted tarmac, Medvedev straining his eyes as he saw dogs feeding from the corpses, their jaws tugging at chilled flesh and chewing ravenously as the morsels were ripped free.
Raising his fist once more, he glanced at the illuminated dials on his wristwatch, realising the next group would be following shortly, raising two fingers and indicating to either side of the street. The scraping of boots followed, soldiers scrambling over the rubble and raising their assault rifles to their eyes, scanning the two side streets that ran in either direction along the side of the high wall, the snipers dropping to their knees to cover, eyes lowering to their scopes.
The soldiers swept across the streets two by two, crouching next to the corners and glancing round with raised weapons, Captain Medvedev holding his breath as he glanced back into the darkness to the housing estate, staring up at the tall black blocks in apprehension.
The darkened sky seemed to glow behind the blocks, fires burning out of control in the city beyond, tracers sweeping upwards as flashes spread across the surrounding neighbourhoods on either side, the roar of battle seeming to rise from a lull. Medvedev’s eyes narrowed briefly in suspicion, a slap on his shoulder distracting him as his head spun round, staring back across the street, lunging upwards to follow his men with the snipers.
The group progressed down either side of the long street, glass fragments cracking beneath their boots, darkened high buildings on either side with shattered windows, several still smouldering with smoke billowing from other scorched openings. Ducking behind shattered cars and in doorways, the soldiers progressed, their rifles raising to cautiously study dark windows above, the dogs running for cover as the dull thud of boots echoed across cold walls.
Behind in the housing estate, the second and third groups had now departed, lowered soldiers moving with raised rifles southwards towards the edges of the tower blocks, the section leaders gesturing their men forward nervously as they approached the open ground and playing field. Stopping on either side of the last tower block, the officers stared out across the frozen mist, wincing as the escalating gunfire seemed to resound to the west and east, explosions behind as the sharp cracks of sniper rifles rang out.
The remaining soldiers left in the blocks were becoming nervous, firefights breaking out on the northern outskirts, the snipers firing more regularly as they glimpsed movement in the approaching streets. Many of the experienced men were becoming increasingly uneasy, the enemy not returning fire, but seeming to study their strength, several biting their lips in dread and wishing for the order to move south to come.
Captain Medvedev was nearing the end of the long street with his lowered men, an intersection ahead followed by a further wide thoroughfare continuing to the south. The abandoned cars and vans, buses and still flickering street lights were making the men increasingly nervous, the only sign of life being scavenging dogs in the cold, the bodies becoming more numerous.
Reaching the major junction, he indicated for the soldiers to stop and seek cover, his nervousness rising as he glanced along the three deserted streets, several cars burning in the distance to the east and west, his head shaking in confusion at the lack of any moving civilians or soldiers, the air seeming thick and crisp with the freezing cold.
Indicating for the troops to cross, he held his breath, chewing his lower lip beneath the scarf, his stomach twisting uncomfortably. Four men lunged forward, crouched and ducking behind the deserted cars, stepping over frozen corpses as the nearby dogs scattered and ran for doorways in fear.
Nearing the opposite side of the four lane intersection, Medvedev turned back to the next four soldiers, his lips pursing to urge them across. The sudden crack of a rifle from the east caused him to stiffen, the muffled scream cut short as a rifle clattered onto the tarmac. Several more shots rang out, his head spinning round as the bodies of his men ahead twisted and fell, his mouth opening to shout in alarm.
Bullets poured from the nearby windows, screams ringing out as one by one his men crumpled, the survivors diving for doorways, frantic shouts ringing out as frames shuddered, wisps of green sludge flying through the air, the acid shells exploding across the corners and splattering over the survivors. Desperate screams rang out, bodies writhing on the tarmac as the green acidic sludge seeped through body armour, steaming as flesh and resin body protection melted and twisted.
Captain Medvedev and the two last surviving men forced their way into one of the corner buildings, the door ajar as they pushed through the opening. Gasping in the entrance hall, Medvedev indicated for them to move inside, the three stepping forward as a loud click resounded, his eyes widening in horror. The trip wire activated as a nano mine exploded on either wall, the figures spinning and slumping downwards as the powerful blast waves swept over them.
The tiny metal machines activated in the energy of the explosions, burying through the victims’ body armour, the pained and terrified screams echoing across the darkened hallway as bodies shuddered and shook. As desperate death spasms commenced, the micro robots ate through internal organs and arteries, ripping through the soldiers flesh as the room slowly fell silent, a last few shudders and gasps signifying the end of one captain’s command.
To the north, the second two units had reached the wall, one officer raising his binoculars to witness the firefight in the distance, his head turning in fear as he shouted, ‘Back! It’s a trap…they have drawn us out of cover!’
The soldiers turned, lunging away and across the
