Chapter 129: Moving out
"The storm is subsiding," Eric said as he looked outside. Storm clouds were giving way to sunlight, and the divine rain no longer fell.
Mia sat up from their pile of makeshift bedding, rubbing her eyes. "Mm. It appears so. Good. I am getting tired of MRE’s."
They kissed, and Mia pulled out her phone. She sighed and watched a video of Liara giggling. The baby was now crawling everywhere, and Samara had her hands full keeping Liara from getting into things she shouldn’t. She scrolled down to the next video, and Eric laughed at it. Liara had sniffed so peppers and started crying. He stroked Mia’s ears.
"In between reports, radio checks, and damage assessnts, it’s good that we can see how she is doing." He said, kissing her head.
"We’re going to have our hands full as she grows up."
Mia leaned into him, her body trembling. "I feel like we are missing so much ti with her."
Eric held her firmly.
"My father was gone most of my life when I was younger. He deployed eight tis in ten years. I didn’t know him very well until I was a man. I promise not to do that to you and Liara. When this war is over, I will get out of the Army."
Mia ran her fingers along his scruff. He hadn’t been able to shave in the past three days, so his face felt like sandpaper. She smiled. "I’ll look forward to that day. What do you want to do when this is over?"
He chuckled, his arms wrapping around her waist.
"I want to weld."
Eric’s phone buzzed, and he grumbled. "Duty calls."
Mia checked her own phone. "Oops. Remory texted
like two hours ago."
Eric couldn’t help but shake his head. "The fact that a king from a country that was still stuck in dieval tis a year ago has a phone still sses with my mind." He said. He got up and stretched, groaning as his back cracked. "I feel like I’m forty."
She stood up next to him, layering kisses on his jawline.
"It’s your fault for telling Riemskin about the phone stores in Austin. Naturally, the royal family would want phones after that."
They got ready quickly. The blankets were packed up and put away in Eric’s rucksack, and he threw on his top. He wiped his face with field wipes and opened the door of their office. Down the hallway, soldiers were sleeping on pads or directly on the ground. He walked quietly to the command room.
Generals Milano and Miher were waiting, alongside most of the staff officers. Eric took his seat, with Mia joining them a mont later. After everyone was seated, Milano looked at Eric.
"What are we hearing from the teorologists in Austin?"
Eric checked the notes he had on his phone. "Sir, the storm is moving faster now. It will likely be out of Riemskin and over the sea by the end of the day. We do not know an exact ti, but they are confident in saying this will be the last full day of feeling its effects."
Milano nodded. "When the storm is out of Riemskin, we will assess damage and casualties. Given what Dragon King Tryasche told us, we will have duty rotations at every post. Twenty four hour guard coverage will now be in effect at Freedom Town and Hood Hill."
Milano then turned to the map of Brishan.
"After the storm passes, Riemskin and the Dragons will et us here at Hood Hill. We will begin the Dreskin operation the following day. Dryer, you have the list of personnel ready?"
Eric nodded. "Yes sir. We are taking one company each of Armor and ch. ISR has confird that Dresken isn’t heavily fortified. Given the ti constraints and the nature of Dresken, I have high confidence that will be enough."
Milano stood up, his back turned to the command staff as he looked out the window. Specks of sunlight were beginning to show between the clouds. He sighed. "The B2 will strike their testing facilities tomorrow night after the storm clears. After that strike is conducted, Dryer’s elent will move for Dresken. Echo, Fox, and Hotel companies will assist with clean up and casualty assessnt."
Keyboards typed rapidly as Milano gave out orders, and Miher spoke up. "We have been recieving reports from the convoy caught in the forest. So far, Dragon King Tryasche’s warning has not co true, but that doesn’t an it won’t. When you are out on mission, watch for monsters that may have evolved in the storm. Complacency kills. Do not allow that to happen to you."
Milano turned back around. "When the all clear is given, you will all be able to return to your residences and allowed a twelve hour reprieve. After that ti period, those with orders to move out will et here at Hood Hill and move out. Any questions?"
There were none.
"Dismissed. Wait until the all clear."
Eric left the command room and walked back to his office. The hallway had beco a ss hall as soldiers began to open MREs. He shook his head as he watched two soldiers bartering with another for his cheese spread.
"Hey man, I’ll give you this pound cake for your cheese spread."
"Nah, don’t listen to that fucker. I’ll give you my chocolate shake, and the M&M’s for the cheese spread."
Eric ignored the scene, walking into his office. Mia was at his desk, typing away on the computer. He crossed his arms and watched her work, a sly grin on his face.
"She’s better with computers than I am, and I’ve been around them my whole life."
She was typing faster than he could ever hope to.
Mia looked up, seeing him standing in the corner.
"I am sending an email out to a contact I have in Austin. Apparently so monsters made it into the city during the storm. The divine rain stopped almost six hours ago over there, so I am hoping to get so pictures and if possible, video footage. We can examine the files and see what kind of evolution monsters underwent under the divine rain."
Eric nodded. "Were the monsters able to be put down?"
Mia sighed. "He said sothing about ’rednecks on four wheelers shouting yeehaw!’."
Eric rubbed his hands against his face. "Of course they did." He grumbled.
"What is a redneck?"
He took her hand in his after she finished with the email. "Sweetheart, I would be here explaining that all day. Just know they are crazy people that live in the middle of nowhere. They are very creative, and have ingenious ways to practice dangerous things in a semi-safe way."
She tilted her head. "What?"
"Crazy people with too much ti on their hands."
A few hours later, the sky was clear. Mia read through a report while sitting on Eric’s lap.
"Hammond said he sent detachnts to the villages your convoy evacuated. There were a few of those wicked beings."
He sighed. "That must not have been a pretty sight. Milano told
that the villages who refused to evacuate were wiped out. No survivors. I am glad that we were able to evacuate Frielet and Julia. When I co back from Dresken, we will have to take Liara and visit them."
Mia smiled, leaning back against him. "I’d like that. Julia makes the best coffee cake."
Eric ran his fingers through her hair. "Yes she does."
"Attention all 6-8 personnel, attention all 6-8 personnel, all clear. I repeat: all clear." A voice said over the intercom. Eric hugged Mia tightly, smiling.
"Let’s go get our kids."
Erica sighed as she leaned back in her chair. She was staring at a report she wrote. "I can’t believe we had four of these new monsters attack in a day!" She grumbled. "It hasn’t even been an hour since the storm cleared."
Justin kissed her head.
"I guess this is our life for the ti being." He said, looking at the pictures. A large deer like animal with sharp fangs and curved horns was depicted. It was the size of a large truck. "They seem to have so sort of armor on their skin. Kind of like a crocodile. I wouldn’t say the armor is scales, more like their skin got stronger."
Erica nodded. "Yeah. And those fangs? That’s nasty looking. I expected so changes, but not a peace loving and gentle breed to beco violent man eating monsters overnight."
Erica scrolled to the next picture. "Bats the size of cars, deer the size of trucks. I hope that the T-rex didn’t evolve as well." She groaned.
Justin looked up at the sky and sighed. "Yeah, cause the last thing we need is so monstrous mountain sized dinosaur able to shrug off artillery."
Erica turned around, glaring at him. "Dear."
Justin gulped, his eyes frantically searching for an escape route. He found none. "Yes, my love?"
"I hope to God you did not just jinx us."
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