*Author's Note:*
Hello all of you patient, understanding, and might I say physically attractive readers!
It's that special time of year when I finally manage to upload something! I had really hoped to stick to a monthly schedule as part of my new years resolution, however I unexpectedly ended up returning to college to get a second degree. That, on top of my full time job and other life obligations have made finding ample time (and motivation) for writing a bit of a trickier situation than I'd hoped. I won't lie to you all, I'm definitely experiencing some serious burn out here - not just in my writing, but in pretty much all creative outlets of mine. However, I'm determined to push through and keep going without compromising on quality. It just means I take some extra time to find the energy and discipline now and then.
So thank you for sticking with me through all this as the story continues :) As always, thank you for reading and for your feedback!
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Sarah and the others watched from the shadows as the unexpected group of strangers moved down the mall walkway in precise, practiced movements. They kept to a tight triangular formation while checking their surroundings, guns at the ready. Some of them wielded assault-rifles, while others simply held handguns, but all of them seemed comfortable with their firearms. Sarah wondered why they even bothered carrying such weapons given how ineffective they were against the Krinis, but perhaps it simply bolstered their courage.
Despite them all wearing bulletproof vests, face bandanas, thick layers of sleek, water-proof clothing, and other concealing, defensive garments, their body shapes and movements suggested that the group was composed of four men and four women. Each of them also carried large canvas duffle bags over their shoulders, all of which were so bulging with items that their zippers were threatening to burst.
As the squad filed past the windows of the shoe store, the man at the front of the formation meticulously checked the corners ahead of them all. Instead of speaking, he gestured to the rest of the group with various, swift hand signals. The rest of the strangers followed him silently, matching his steps as if he had several shadows.
The formation leader finished surveying the area, and, apparently satisfied that the zone was clear, gave a sweeping hand motion to direct the group towards an outdoor seating area that was well-hidden within a circle of trees and decorative structures. Their hushed voices could just barely be heard through the broken window near Sarah's head.
"Shit, what the hell happened?" One of the men whispered angrily in a strained voice. "We snuck by the 'Behemoth' no problem, so why did it suddenly send out an alarm call?"
"Could there be other survivors around?" A woman replied. It was hard to tell if her tone was worried or hopeful.
"More likely to be other raiding parties," another man responded gruffly. "I hope it got 'em; less competition for us." He snorted and spat on the ground.
"It may be related to that loud crash in the woods we heard earlier," the man who was leading the group scowled. "Though no need to waste time on conjecture. What's certain is that our position has been compromised. We need to return to base immediately. We managed to gather enough supplies to get us through the next week, at least." He gently placed his duffle bag down and zipped open the top of it, taking stock of the contents, which proved to be a hefty pile of canned food.
"We could just blast all these fuckers away if it weren't for them morphing to protect their cores," the woman next to the leader growled. Unlike the other members of her group, she wasn't wearing a hat or helmet. Instead, she just opted to have her raven-black hair out in the open, done up in a messy ponytail that still allowed several dark strands to fall around her furrowed brows. She spoke with a very subtle Indian accent.
"Cores'?" The first woman stared at her, aghast. "Those are people! Living humans! We should be thankful that they are at least being kept safe while... imprisoned." She shifted her feet uncomfortably. The dark-haired woman rolled her eyes and turned towards the group leader.
"Remind me again why we brought the naive new girl along, Cutter?" She asked, impatience building in her voice with every word.
"We already went over this, Priya," the leader -- apparently named Cutter -- sighed. "She knows this area better than the rest of us. This is her chance to prove herself useful." He then pulled Priya closer and the two of them began to quietly argue amongst themselves in low voices.
"What are they talking about?" Zoey whispered, eyeing the strangers warily. "'Cores'? Surely, they aren't suggesting killing the humans captured by the Krinis in order to, what, immobilize them?"
"Most likely..." Adam sighed, shaking his head. "I think it's safe to assume that those guns aren't meant for the Krinis themselves."