Kenn, Devon
Day 5.75
The three sat in the Bunker for another hour before the steady stamping of Cursed feet faded.
The three crept out and quietly hurried into the house. Not that the house would protect them if the worst happened.
But it felt safer than a dark basement
Bonus Additional Quest [Optional]
Physical Training Complete. Cull The Cursed - 55/50
Lead The Cursed Horde Out Of The Shelter Area And Evade Complete.
Quest reward - Combat Gear.
A pile of what looked like leather armour dropped on the floor from midair.
Triss squeaked in surprise. " Where did that come from?" She asked in shock.
Colin rubbed his neck awkwardly, wondering what to say.
They're kids mate, tell the truth. They're more likely to believe you than an adult anyway.
So he told them. Everything, saving the gruesome parts as much as possible.
"I've seen this!" Blurted out Bradley, "Seen it on Anime shows. It's called Transmigration, but instead of you going to another world and getting given superpowers, our world changed. Your a Hero now. Or Champion. Something like that" His looking at Colin in awe suddenly changed to a questioning look.
"What's that noise?" He said while listening to nothing.
Colin panicked for a moment, thinking the Cursed had returned. He listened for 30 seconds till he heard it. " Helicopter!"
They all ran out to the backyard, trying to hear where it was coming from. In the dying light of the day, the kids saw it approaching first. "There!" Triss squealed, louder than Colin would have liked, but the noise heading there way made his concern pointless.
It wasn't a small Helicopter, not to them. They found out later its make is called a Merlin, which for them made it truly magical.
The roar of the Helicopter filled their world, the vehicle itself rapidly dropped from the sky to land some 50 metres away.
The three just stood there in shock for a minute, not knowing what to do.
They all almost screamed ( Triss did) when a blackened face popped up at the fence
The head disappeared for a moment, then the fence palings where rapid torn off to create a metres wide gap. Four soldiers came through the gap spreading out in formation, ignoring the three civilians, entirely focused on the surroundings.
The fourth walked up to them and shouted over the Helicopter noise.
" Sergeant Connelly, Royal Marines Commando. Please come with us Sir."
Colin nodded, " Get on the Helicopter kids!" He yelled to them, pushing them towards the Sergeant " I'll be right back."
He ran back inside, grabbed his spear and new gear and left the house, heading straight for the gap in the fence. The three soldiers fell in behind him. Other soldiers outside the property behaved the same as the first three as Colin jogged to the Helicopter. They watched the surroundings.
A small pile of Cursed bodies was growing near the road, another dropped from a commando's fire. They then retreated in formation back onto the Helicopter which lifted as the last boot left the ground.
Bradley and Triss sat on fold down seats, headphones on, looking comical among the soldiers.
Innocence among Sudden Death.
Colin took the headphones offered, and spoke in to the mic "Where are we going Sergeant Connelly?"
"Royal Marines Barracks Chivenor Sir. Orders are to find and recover any and all Contenders possible"
Colin nodded. That's what he'd do, if he had been asked.
"How many of us have you recovered Sergeant?"
The Sergeant frowned, not in a pleasant way. "Two Sir, including you. We've taken a beating Sir. The boys here are hoping that, with your help, we can start handing more beatings for what the grunts have been getting ". The grim look on all the faces said they were listening. Waiting for his reply.
"Well I'm glad they didn't send the SBS for me then"
That got him a roar of laughter and none to few shoulder slaps from those closest.
Although the kids jumped from the laughter, it was just the medicine they needed. Seeing a bunch of seriously bad-ass soldiers relaxed, without a care in the world.
The Helicopter flew a circular route back to base. Perhaps so not to lead a Horde of Cursed back there Colin thought to himself as they cam into land from the sea.
Disembarking, they were met by an officer.
"Sergeant, if you would see the children handed off to the civilian section". The officer seemed almost dismissive of the kids.
"One moment please Sergeant. Colin knelt by the kids. "Sergeant Connelly here is going to take you over to where we'll be staying OK?" Taking his eyes off the kids, now looking directly at the Commando "And he WILL take a personal interest in making sure you are safe and taken care of "
The Surly Sergeant, a world-class, Stone cold elite killer looked back at Colin and nodded " aye aye Sir. I'll be sure to let them know just that in the civilian section. Come along children, you've nothing to worry about with me n the boys around " he said to Colin, loud enough for the other soldiers nearby to hear.
As the Sergeant lead them away, they had a literal wall of combat killers surrounding them.
The Officers expression, which had started out as annoyed, had change to concern after witnessing a mere civilian, who had spent little time with the Commando Sergeant, give him orders that would have been barely acknowledged if given by any officer outside his Unit. More over, the Commandos were going above and beyond to ensure those orders would be followed, to THEIR satisfaction.
After watching the kids leave, Colin turned back to the Officer "Lead on sir" he said, hoisting his gear into his arms.
They climbed into the waiting Land Rover, a soldier in the back with him, the officer and driver in the front.
"We will be required to take you weapon and equipment when we arrive at Base HQ" the officer stated from the front seat, it was not a request.
No having that, thought Colin, THEY invited me here.
" Driver, please take me to the nearest exit point off Base, I'll find my way home from there, WITH all my equipment ". Colin wasn't playing any games with these people.
The driver, surprised, looked at the officer in the passenger seat.
" Uh I will consult with my superiors to allow you to retain your equipment." He said, a little to hurried to be believable.
" See that you do. Sir" Colin stated, a glance at his Royal Marine "guard" showed a smirk on his face, quickly covered.
Wasn't a popular officer it seemed.
The brief ride to the HQ had shown him a Base at a war-time footing. Lights were at a minimum, Patrols had at least one soldier using night-vision goggles. Few actual vehicles were in use.
Sound and Noise Discipline they called it in the old war-time movies.
HQ was busy inside. Colin didn't think this was the original office's for the base, rather a setup near the primary electronic surveillance unit.
Waiting for him in the Operations Room was a number of officers, clearly waiting for his arrival.
"That will be all Captain" the ranking officer said to Colin's escort, who acknowledge the order and ducked out.
The same ranking officer greeted Colin with a handshake. "Brigadier Jonathan Goodman. From left to right is Brigadier Lucinda West. Colonel Dominic June and Marine Emerson Fisher, who has the same Contender ability as yourself."
Nodding to the rest of the group, he introduced himself.
"Colin Braithwaite Sir. And yes, the " God's of the Multiverse" have given me this ability. The reasons How or Why I was chosen, when it is God's doing the choosing, is "Because" I imagine."
"That's about what we have figured out. And thank you for your concise assessment. Time is very much of the essence.
I will not mince words here Mr Braithwaite. What left of our fine Royal Military wished to bring as many Contenders together to train as a new Unit. Will you join us?"
Colin was surprised, expecting only to be here to provide information about his Contender abilities.
Bradley had called him a Hero, and Colin had spent a wasted life up till now, far from any Hero status.
"I'll join Sir. I'll also want the two children under my care I flew in with to be well taken care of. I left them being escorted by a Sergeant Connelly, with his promise to look out for them, over to the civilian section"
The Brigadier smiled at that. "In Connelly's promised care? Mr Braithwaite. I am a Brigadier in this Royal Army. The ranking officer on this base and Command Group South. And in less than 30 minutes of arrival, you have befriended the single man that will do more for those children's protection than I can. Well done Mr Braithwaite, for a young man you certainly have a way with the troops"
"Thank you Sir.". Colin couldn't think of any other reply.
" Colonel June, as Chivenor Base Commander, will take you from here. He will see you to a Rack and Purser for any equipment needs."
Looks like I just joined the Royal Marines thought Colin.