Space Odyssey: Spectre-Chapter 428: Demon’s Meal

Jace double checked the explosives that were strapped to the back of his dirt bike. They are the standard military models. They are not bulky and are mostly mechanical and electrical parts. These ones had a set of solar panels on it. It would charge while they rode and there was an extra battery that could be replaced.

It would get them into the canyon and even part the way into the canyon. But there was a good chance that the dirtbikes would run out of power before they reached their destination. Which was why Sergeant K had five extra batteries stored on her dirtbike. While Sergeant Foulm and Captain Uti had plastic explosives like Jace and Corporal Quest had on their bikes.

Jace climbed on and kicked up the stand. Looking at the other members of his team he nodded when he saw they were ready. "Let’s go, I will lead the way."

Vrroom

He raced off on the dirtbike through the gate and started moving through the muddy field as he moved south toward the fog and canyons. It was still early so they could not see clearly. But Jace was using his electrical vision to make a path that went around any mines or traps that the Oda military had set up.

Unlike the area he passed through yesterday, this section was not a complete battlefield. Yesterday the travel to the city was filled with muddy terrain and destroyed mechs of various types. As well as debris from the Fuji-8 and several other destroyed vehicles that likely came from previous battles. All of which were on something that used to be rolling grass hills.

But the area they were moving through today only started out as some muddy battlefields where corpses of demons were located. After a mile they were out of the muddy area and started on a gravel path that ran through grass hills. Because of the terrain it was difficult to spot anything until they were in the same area. Especially since the gravel path did not go up any of the hills but went around them instead.

Jace came around a corner and waiting at the side of the path in a camp were a group of demons. As he came around the corner they appeared to be in the middle of eating. He could tell because they were shuffling bleeding mounds of flesh into their mouths. He caught them completely off guard as he went right toward them.

One of them screamed as Jace yanked upwards on the dirt bike and did a wheelie. Smacking the front wheel into the closest demon’s head.

Crack!

The demon’s skull cracking was clearly heard by its two allies as they moved to grab their helmets and weapons. But Jace was already off his dirtbike and his knife appeared in his hand. He slashed through the demon that was nearest him. Slicing right though his head and the helmet the demon had quickly put on. Jace then threw the knife at the third demon who was pulling up its rifle.

The first demon fell to the ground with the front wheel of the dirtbike embedded in its head. Making an improvised stand for the dirtbike to stand in. The second demon’s head split in two and then the demon collapsed to the ground with a pool of blood spreading out from it. The third demon fell backwards with the knife sticking out of its forehead and its eyes rolled back into its head.

Jace looked over as the rest of his team arrived and stopped at the road. He could see the disgust on Sergeant K and Corporal Quest’s faces. But Doctor Foulm frowned and then had a look of horror as he looked at what the demons were chewing on. "They are still alive." He pointed out.

Jace looked down at the demon’s meal. A human man about twenty-five years of age. Skinny but not too skinny. He had large chunks of his flesh torn out in some spots. Jace stepped over and crouched next to the man. He was missing both legs and an arm. His remaining arm and parts of his torso were where they were currently working on feasting. But he was definitely dying. They could not save this man if they tried. But he was still conscious and was looking at Jace with a lost look.

"Do you want to live or die?" Jace asked.

There was a raspy cough as the man tried to speak. Jace watched as the man began crying. Then he spoke. "Please... kill... me..." The man mumbled quietly.

Jace nodded and put a hand on his body. Removing the electrical charge from his body completely. A second later the man’s breathing stopped as he died. Jace stood and moved to his dirtbike. Yanking it out of the first demon’s skull he climbed back on and prepared to continue.

"What did you do to him?" Sergeant K asked.

"Gave him his wish. Come on, we have plenty of ground to cover." Jace told them as he sped back down the road.

There was only so much they could do when their primary resources were cut off. Jace was feeling a mix of emotions from annoyance to anger. But he also knew that he had to cut them off. He could not allow them to cloud his judgement. He would make the demons pay later. But for now, he had a job to do.

About an hour later they ran into another small patrol. This time the demons were moving on the road away from them. So Jace just did a driveby and killed two of them with a knife. The third was killed by Sergeant K who fired several shots into the back of their head.

After a few more hours of travel they ran into three more demon patrols and found the remnants of camp along the road several more times. All they left were the bones and blood of the people and sometimes creatures they ate. Each time Jace realized that these demons were acting more like animals than any sentient creature.

Seven hours into their journey they had to stop for the first time as they reached their first obstacle. The Canyon was still an hour away but they ran into a structure that was definitely made by the demons. It was like a small outpost with a tower and walls.

"We could just pass right past it." Corporal Quest suggested. A good suggestion since they really could slip past it by slowing down and going around some hills. At least if they were willing to go on foot for a bit it would work.

Except there was one problem with that plan. "We can’t do that." Captain Uti announced as he looked through some binoculars. They were in a position that they could partially see into the outpost over its walls and through one of its gates. But they did not get a full view of the situation. But they got enough. "I am seeing several cages inside with people inside of them."

"Then we don’t. Kill them and let’s free our people." Sergeant K grunted out with a slight tone of annoyance. She was clearly suppressing her anger like Jace had been.

"I agree. We need to kill these things." Doctor Foulm growled out. Jace raised an eyebrow and looked over at the doctor with a raised eyebrow. He was not the only, the others did as well. "What? I may be a doctor but even I can tell these demons are nothing more than an animal that walks on two legs and has opposable thumbs."

"Okay..." Jace nodded slightly and turned back to the outpost. "Then we have to take the outpost and free the people they have. That tower has a lookout and there is no cover between the top of the hills and the outpost. As soon as we enter the area we will be spotted."

"Not if I shoot the lookout." Corporal Quest answered as he laid down and started taking position. "I will be able to hit him from here. It will just take me a moment to take out the second one. Not to mention the flash of light will be enough that someone will notice something amiss."

"Then we reorient." Sergeant K responded. "I will have to guard you anyways. So we will move to a new position so they never see Jace coming."

"Where do we come in?" Captain Uti asked with a grunt of approval.

"You don’t." Jace answered. "It would be best that you two stayed back and called out the enemies positions. You could also act as a spotter for Corporal Quest. With covering fire and a sniper I should be able to clear the outpost. Once it is clear I will send the all clear signal and you can all move in so we can start freeing the people they have." Jace told them.

They all exchanged looks and nodded. But as they started separating Jace touched his comm piece. "Comm check, are you reading me?"

"Affirmative." "Yes, sir." The others gave acknowledgement as they separated.