She was glad Thomas was dead, but it didn’t bring back any of the people she’d lost. That was why it was so good to see Mass and Addy again. Portsmouth had changed, but there were still plenty of familiar faces. It was her home and she would fight for it.
Now, atop a firing platform on the east wall, she unleashed round after round at the incoming hordes. She had survived countless battles but had never encountered anything like this. The sheer number of demons racing through the ruined city was demoralising; she could see it on the faces of all those around her. No one expected to win. They were fighting only because there was no other choice. There would be no prisoners of war, no signing of peace treaties. This was a war of extermination, and you fought until you died, not just for yourself but for anyone who managed to survive longer than you.
She had to be careful not to hit Sorrow with her shots, for the large demon had scaled the walls to go and fight amongst the enemy outside. He tore apart all those around him, dispatching demons with unparalleled ease. He even seemed to be enjoying himself. Scarlett was atop the wall, firing a handgun, but her focus was only on Sorrow. It was clear that she was worried about losing her friend and protector.
There must have been a thousand demons or more attacking the walls by now. Machine-gun fire and a line of wrecked vehicles parked end to end were the only things keeping them at bay. It wouldn’t hold them back forever though.
“I didn’t think it would get this bad,” said Tosco. “I tried to call in the boats, but they aren’t recognising my authority.”
Maddy cursed. “Then let’s hope Wanstead makes good use of them.”
Tosco’s radio hissed. He frowned at Maddy and held it up so that both of them could hear.
“Maddy? Fräulein, are you there?”
“Klein? Yes, I’m here.”
“It’s good to hear your voice, ja? I understand that the other boat captains refuse to accept Commander Tosco’s orders.”
Maddy looked at Tosco, who was listening intently. “Looks like he’s going to have to wait to have his privileges reinstated.”
“Ja, vell, I vish to inform you that my vessel is ready and awaiting your orders.”
Maddy was taken aback. “You don’t accept orders from anyone, Klein.”
“Nein, but I am villing to take suggestions from a friend. What do you need, fräulein?”
“We need it to rain,” said Tosco. “Do you have plotting for the area west of the main wall?”
There was a brief crackle of static before Klein replied. “I could drop a bomb down ze toilet anywhere in the city. Hold on to your bottoms, ja?”
Tosco shouted for everyone to take cover.
Ten seconds later, a whooshing sound cut across the din. Two seconds after that the world lit up, flames rising upwards and ripping apart the dusky sky. Three huge explosions. Three seconds more and it began to rain masonry and demon body parts. A few people got struck on the shoulders and back, knocking the wind out of them, but when Maddy pulled herself back above the walls, she saw that the minor losses were worth it.
The area outside the walls had become a crater, reaching right up to the edge of the wall where they were taking cover. A few feet closer and the wall would have been blown to smithereens. Klein could not have been more accurate. Where a thousand demons had been attacking the walls, there was now only a blackened pit of char. It was impossible to make any of the corpses out.
The radio hissed again. “I can do zat only von more time and zen I have only nuclear warheads. Trust me ven I say you do not vant me to send those.”
Maddy put her mouth closer to Tosco’s radio so that the German commander could hear her over Portsmouth’s triumphant cheers. “It’s taken you long enough to get involved, Klein, but thank you.”
“And it took you long enough to handle Thomas, but all ends zat is vell, ja? Good luck, fräulein. I hope we can play poker with our friends again soon.”
“I’ll be happy to take your money. Thank you again, Klein.”
“Auf wiedersehen for now.”
Maddy looked back over the walls at the massive black crater. Maybe they had a chance.
Mass, Smithy, and Addy looked at one another in shock. The devastation beyond the walls was absolute. The massive crater had swallowed everything in its midst, a massive swath of demons.
“That was insane,” said Smithy. “The demons are all gone.”
“Wanstead must have called in the boats,” said Addy, “but I didn’t think we had anything like that.”
Mass didn’t know much about boats, but the pure destruction gobsmacked him, and he couldn’t believe that mankind had originally built such weapons to kill other humans. They’d been on a bad path, but it was certainly helpful to harness such forces against the demons now. Screw the power of Heaven, mankind had powers of its own.
But it won’t be enough.
More will come. This isn’t over.
“Yow got any more of whatever that was?” asked the small man who had arrived with Maddy through the gate.
Mass looked down at Frank and shrugged. “I have no idea. Let’s hope so.”
“I’m Frank. Pleased to meet yow.”
“Mass. Thanks for your help.”
“What kind of a name is Mass?”
“A nickname.”
Frank rolled his eyes slightly, but it was more a humorous jest than an insult. “Yow a cockney, aye? Who’d yow support?”
“Crystal Palace.”
“Ha, my condolences.”
“And who do you support?”
Frank did a little hop on the spot. “Boing, boing. West
