Chapter 8: Enter Crawler

This is the 8th Chapter in the HSATM installation.
==Description==
Orion and the gang depart into the destruction of the Necromorph attack. However, things quickly change as they encounter a new, more deadly type of Necro.
==Story==
Alright, this is it. I'm sorry if I choke up any, this is a really emotional part of my life. I need you guys to really pay attention to this, it could save you. I'm not sure how much the Necromorphs have evolved, but this should still help...
As Orion and his friends leave their safe house, they hear an explosion in the distance. But this isn't a normal explosion, it's fairly small but leaves all of their ears ringing. Startled, and slightly scared by the size of the explosion, the group tries to make heads or tails of what it was.
Orion: What in the hell? That wasn't an Exploder.
Drake: And it wasn't man-made. What the fuck was that?
Logan: No clue. Maybe something we haven't encountered before, human or Necro. We better be careful.
Orion: We're supposed to be careful period...this isn't child's play. *looks at his arm* We should know this by now.
The group looks away from Orion in grief, still feeling guilty about his arm, which was cut open by a Slasher.
Michael: We should split up into teams.
Drake: Split up? What the fuck are you, stupid?
Michael: No, no, not like that.
Orion: Then how?
Micheal: Well, there are eight of us, and that is an even number...we could split into a frontal assualt/scout team, a middle team, and a back team, to watch the rear. It sounds like it would be best.
Drake: I gotta admit, that does sound pretty smart..I'm sorry for snapping at you.
Michael: Apology accepted.
Logan: It's still risky.
Orion: It's probably our best bet. Now, who wants to take what?
Logan: I'll take front, I think Ukitake should go with me.
Ukitake: *slightly shocked* Alright..
Drake: I'll take back with Jonnie and Michael. *waves them over*
Orion: I guess that leaves Egil, Emily, and me in the middle.
Emily: Hmmp, *crosses her arms* I can take care of myself.
Drake: Emily, stick with the plan. We don't need any casualties.
Michael: He's right, we don't even know what we're dealing with yet.
Emily: Fine, but only because I have to. *glares at Orion, who looks down and shuffles his feet*
More explosions go off, closer this time. The group becomes even more startled and they get into position. Logan and Ukitake go 20 feet ahead of Egil, Emily, and Orion while Jonnie, Drake, and Michael stay 15 feet behind them. Ukitake comes running back to Orion and tells him that Logan sent him back to relay a message.
Ukitake: Logan says they're Necromorphs, but not any that he's ever seen before. They're like baby Exploders he said, but they look Enhanced.
Orion: Shit this won't be fun, and it looks like we'll need a relay team. Tell Logan that you'll run messages for him, Egil will run messages for me, and Michael will run messages for Drake.
Ukitake: Alright will do, I'll come back with more information in a minute.
Orion: Egil, relay what I just told Ukitake to Michael and them.
Egil: Alright, I shall return.
Egil runs off to the rear team and tells them what Ukitake and Orion talked about, and then starts to head back. However, he is suddenly ambushed by an Enhanced Lurker. Orion sees a dead security guard lying on the ground, and with him a Seeker Rifle. He picks it up and quickly shoots the Lurker off of him and Egil then stomps it to death. He finishes his trip back just as Ukitake arrives with more information. 
Orion: Egil are you ok?
Egil: Yes, just a scratch. *they look at his RIG which has only gone down half a bar*
Orion: You seem ok, no need for a Med Pack. Ukitake, what's up?
Ukitake: Logan says that we should get closer. Us be only 10 feet ahead and the rear team only be 5 feet behind.
Orion: Sounds good. Egil, I'm sorry, but you know what to do.
Egil: I shall return with the others.
Ukitake: Same. Oh and Orion.
Orion: Yes?
Ukitake: I'm apologizing ahead of time just in case I choke and cause anything bad to happen..
Orion: Don't worry about it, this is gonna be hard for everyone. Even someone like Logan who's dealt with these things before. *squeezes his shoulder* Now go get Logan, and hurry back.
Ukitake: Will do, thanks Orion.
They run off and shortly return with the rest of the team, but staying apart as directed. Shortly after, the surrounding buildings are lit up with small, glowing, orange-ish yellow objects about the size of an infant.
Orion: *shouting* Logan, are these what I think they are?
Logan: *shouting back* Yeah! They can crawl on things like Lurkers but have the deadly abililites of Exploders! Shoot 'em while we can!
Orion: *still shouting* Alright will do! Rear team, destroy those glowing Necros where they stand and don't let them get close!
The groups begin firing at the Necromorphs which explode everytime they're hit. Most of them set off chain reactions, quickly eliminating the threat. The buildings are left in shambles for the most part, but are still standing in terms of the structure. Just then one of the buildings explodes as a gapping hole suddenly appears in its front side. The groups gather into one large force, awaiting a Necromorph like no other. Suddenly an Enhanced Brute appears above a human in the building where the hole just appeared, and then is shot by some sort of beam or blast. It's now missing half its body, and then is killed by an explosion, most likely one that came from a Pulse Rifle's secondary fire. The human then makes his way down the building and to our group of survivors.
Stranger: Hello there, are you guy's survivors or Tiedemann's men?
Orion: Survivors, you?
Stranger: Survivor. That thing was hell in that small space. Thanks for clearing out those baby things for me, allowed me to make some room.
Orion: Yeah, how the hell did you do that?
Stranger: Anti-matter rifle. *taps his gun* Pretty legit I know, I'm one of the only people who own one, let alone know they exist.
Orion: Wow, what's your name?
Stranger: Ryusenka, don't worry about my last name or past. I'd rather not talk about it, but I am from Earth.
Orion: I'm Orion, I'm kind of like the leader here. This is Ukitake, Drake, Jonnie, Michael, Emily, Logan, and Egil.
Ryusenka: Nice to meet you guys, you seem to know what you're doing.
Orion: For the most part kind of, Logan here has had past experience with these things. But some of them, like those babies, are new. They must be evolving somehow, but we don't know why or how that's happening.
Ryusenka: That doesn't sound fun. Just makes shit more complicated.
Orion: Yeah it greatly complicates things for us. We could use someone like you, care to join our group? Safety in numbers you know, plus that weapon would come in handy.
Ryusenka: Sure why not, I hate traveling alone as it is. These things make it worse.
Orion: Alright, sounds good. Listen here, Rule 1: These things die by dismemberment, so shoot the limbs; Mainly the arms, that seems to kill them the quickest. Rule 2: Don't get close to the glowing ones, they explode and it's very deadly. Rule 3: Don't forget about Stasis and Kinesis, as well as Med Packs, Stasis Packs, and O2 Packs, they could save your life. Rule 4: Stick together, unless told otherwise. We don't want confusion or separation. Rule 5: While I'm the so-called "leader," this is still a democracy, sort of. Rule 6: No stealing anything from anyone in the group. Rule 7: Only use the weapons you're best with, and reload after each fight. Rule 8: Know where your teammates are and act accordingly, we don't want casualties. Rule 9: Kill no survivors, we need them. Rule 10: Stay alert and careful, we could be attacked anytime anywhere. Rule 11: We sleep in shifts with guards: 4 shifts of 4 and a half hours. Rule 12: We drink a little water, eat a little, and stretch before doing anything, even sleeping.
Ryusenka: I can follow that, where to boss man?
Orion: Well, either GovSect or a way out.
Ryusenka: Are you crazy?! Why the hell would you want to go there?!
Orion: To destroy the thing that's causing all of this living hell of course.
Ryusenka: That's suicide, don't be stupid!
Orion: Doing anything with these things around is suicide.
Ryusenka: Touche. But it's still a bad idea.
Orion: Got a better plan?
Ryusenka: Well I-
Michael: Orion, maybe we should move on, it isn't safe here. *looks around*
Drake: He's right, those things are bound to know where we are by now, and they're probably on their way.
As if Drake himself willed it, a giant group of Necromorphs begins heading towards the group. The group glares at Drake who gives a halfhearted apologetic smile as they draw their weapons once again. But something's off, they're being lead by a single Necromorph. The power that eminates off it makes it feel like a god, like a single, god-like entity, straight from the depths of Hell.
Emily: *stuttering* L-logan, what's that th-thing l-leading them?
Logan: *squints his eyes and then looks upon it in horror* I have no idea, I've never seen anything like it before. Fuck why do these new things keep appearing!?
Egil: It appears to be made out of different parts from the various species of Necromorphs.
Ukitake: Guys I'm scared.
Jonnie: OH YEAH, LET'S DO THIS YOU STUPID NECROMORPH BITCHES!
Logan: Shut it dipshit!
Ryusenka: This is serious man, we have no idea what we're up against!
Orion: Ryusenka,-
Ryu: Just call me Ryu for short.
Orion: Oh, ok. Ryu, hit that thing with your AMR.
Emily: Yeah! That should get rid of it quickly! That thing gives me the creeps..*shudders*
Drake: I second that, and I'm not scared easily.
Ryu: Guys,-
Michael: Yeah, your gun should be able to kill it!
Ukitake: Yay for Ryu!
Ryu: GUYS!
They look at him with shock and in unison answer him with a hesitant, "yes..?"
Ryu: My gun isn't ready for another shot, neither is my body.
Orion: What do you mean?
Ryu: This thing does quite a bit to my body as well as the frame of the gun, I can't over do it.
Logan: Makes sense, something that powerful has a limit.
Ryu: There's nothing wrong with waiting.
Michael: No offense, but this is life or death.
Emily: They're getting closer...
Orion: Fuck, what to do what to do...
Egil: *coughs* I have an idea.
Drake: Lay it on us Mr. Science Man.
Egil: Well, we could lure them between two buildings with some bait and then use a bunch of Detonator mines to destroy the bottom of the buildings. Thus destroying the supports and causing the buildings to collapse towards each other, crushing the Necromorphs. This should kill them, or at the very least wound them and slow them down allowing us to escape.
Orion: That's a pretty good plan.
Logan: You're forgetting about that mystery man up front, we don't know anything about it.
Drake: Do you have a better idea?
Logan: Kind of. How about we put me with my Surge and two people with Pulse Rifles in an alley way, still using bait, and draw them in there. We then let loose on them, completely demolishing them. Then, we launch a wave of Stasis at them and set up Detonator mines around them, and that's where Egil's idea comes in.
Drake: That would use a lot of ammo and Stasis, it's risky.
Orion: We don't seem to have a choice, we go with Logan's idea. Who's gonna be the bait?
Emily: I'll do it..
Michael: What, but you're a girl!
Emily: *scoffs* And?!
Michael: You don't have very good stamina and you can't run very fast. I'll go, I should be able to escape them.
Emily: You sexist bastard!
Michael: I'm saving your fucking life, you should be grateful and stop being a bitch!
Emily: Why you little-!
Drake: ENOUGH! STOP FIGHTING AND CONCENTRATE! *sighs heavily* Jeez..
Orion: He's right, we don't have much time. Everyone get ready, this is gonna be a close one.
The group sets up in an alley between two pretty beat up buildings, one of which is the one that was damaged by Ryu's AMR earlier. Logan, Drake, and Jonnie get ready for the oncoming Necromorph assault while Michael attempts to get the group of Necromorphs' attention. The leader spots Michael and lets out a noise, after which all the Necromorphs focus on him and start charging. The leader unleashes a storm of barbs at Michael which clips him in the arm and leg, hindering his movements. He barely makes it into the alley way as Emily and Ukitake help him towards the back. The Necromorphs move into the alley way where the trap has been set.
Logan: Say hello the my little friend you fucking bastards from Hell!
The group then begins firing at the hordes but it doesn't seem to make a difference in the sheer number of Necromorphs. As the Necromorphs are being torn limb from limb the leader advances, seeming to ignore the damage it's taking.
Drake: What the fuck is that thing made of?!
Logan: Probably something close to the Brute would be my guess, since it's lasting this long against us!
Jonnie: It's time, head back!
The group then lets out a final burst of fire as the Pulse Rifle's secondary fire launches at them. The Necromorphs are knocked back quite a ways and then everyone fires two bursts of Stasis at them and then Emily launches a Stasis bomb that she found at the middle of the group. The Necromorphs are seemingly frozen in place and everyone plants the Detonator mines and then runs. The Necromorphs all at once rush forward setting off all of the Detonator mines, destroying the bottom of the buildings and causing them to collapse inwards on the group. As our heroes look back, they notice the leader looking directly at them. A few of them shudder and then Logan steps towards the rubble.
Logan: Good riddence you piece of shit, may Hades welcome you into its firey abyss. And this time, stay put! *he then unleashes a hail of shots at the leader, completely descimating it* I hope we never see you again. *he then takes out a few Molotov cocktails and throws them all over the rubble, catching almost all of it on fire.*
Drake: Damn dude, that was a bit uncalled for.
Logan: Shut your fucking mouth, you haven't dealt with this shit before.
Drake: So, I am now.
Logan: You haven't seen your fucking comrades and innocent people torn apart and transformed right in front of you! SO SHUT THE FUCK UP BEFORE I FEED YOU TO THEM!
Drake: Ok, ok I'm sorry..
Orion: Actually, that was pretty smart..
Drake: What?! Orion what the hell!
Orion: He made sure that leader thing was dead, and then set fire to all of them. That'll make sure they're dead, or at least too wounded to chase us. And even if they do, we can kill them easily.
Drake: *mumbles something* I guess you're right..but, where'd you get those things Logan?
Logan: Made them, I have lots more. Here you guys go. *he then hands everyone two, and keeps four for himself.*
Jonnie: These should come in handy until we can find some Flamethrowers.
Orion: Yes, they should.
Egil: I've managed to stop Michael's bleeding.
Emily: He wasn't hit anywhere vital, and they barely got him.
Drake: That's good to hear, what's his RIG status?
Egil: 3 bars down, 7 left.
Orion: Give him a Small Med Pack, that should give him a bar or two.
Drake: God that was close..
Logan: Orion's right, we need to be more careful and serious. That's two injuries already and the journey just started.
Orion: I told you so, no offense.
Logan looks at Orion with a "yeah-yeah. I know, I know" face and Orion chuckles at him.
Emily: At least they weren't serious, and we could treat them quickly.
Drake: This is true.
Emily gives Michael a Small Med Pack which manages to raise his health one and a half bars, then hands everyone who used Stasis a Stasis Pack. Drake and Egil then grab Michael and our heroes head off further into the city towards GovSect, wondering what they'll encounter next. With three injuries so far (Drake shot by a gun, Orion cut by a Slasher, and Michael cut by a Lurker's barbs,) the group is sure to be more careful and aware of their surroundings and what's going on. The only question now is, which way is GovSect? And what was that mysterious Necromorph and is it really dead?
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