The Trinity of Extinction

Oceans Apart: Part 3

                                                                                         Ribbon

The two of them said nothing as they passed by rundown homes, poorly made shacks fashioned from anything from scraps of metal and the hulls of old buses. Raunchy bars lit up the dull, misty, morning with faint glows of red, pink, and blue neon. The air smelled of tobacco, starchy fruits, freshly caught fish imported from New Knossos, and piss!

There were puddles of it everywhere. Some were there for so long that it took the color of very strong green tea. Yuck! Ribbon thought to herself, it was disgusting! Some of the citizens pointed at the two girls, hollering at them, and whistling flirtatiously. They saw the patch on their leather jackets. On a field of black was the white silhouette of a beautiful girl's head, her hair tied into a ponytail that flowed behind her like the wind. There was a golden ribbon in her hair, just like the one Neilina wore that earned her the callsign Ribbon.

Nefeli Squad.

The squad was famous for being comprised of all girls. But it was also why it was mostly seen as infamous, oftentimes making them the butt of many jokes. They weren't even used for combat at all, just scavenging operations and escort missions, protecting caravans that traveled from Taratrus to the numerous settlements from Athens to Mykonos. Every now and then some lads served in the squad, but they were few and were assigned to Nefeli Squad for the sake of being humiliated by the other units.

Ribbon and Kriss hurried towards Gate Alpha, where scores of Myrmidon recruits were waiting eagerly — or nervously in most cases — to begin their final exam. The two girls had to push and shove their way through the throng of rowdy, young soldiers until they reached a motor pool with armored Hilux's and even Humvees rebuilt and heavily modified with armor plating.

The rest of the Nefeli Squad recruits were sitting around a fire, warming up biscuits and rusty cans full of soup by a heavily armored black truck. The driver, a friendly-looking man, waved hello as he adjusted the LED light bar on the hood of his truck. Big packs of supplies were tied onto the roof as well.

A girl with blazing red hair was kicking a ball around with another young lady with a long, thick mane of auburn hair, a diamond face, and thick brown eyeglasses.

“Ribbon,” the girl with the red hair said, kicking the ball back to her friend. “How are you?” She walked over to her and shook her hand. “I'm Maria.”

The girl with the wild auburn hair head shook Ribbon's hand as well. “Saya,” was all she said, followed by: “Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you,” Ribbon said, wincing from the girl's powerful grip. She breathed a sigh of relief when she let her go.

Another girl with platinum-blonde hair streaked with pink highlights stood up to greet the Neilina, too. By the way she was dressed, Ribbon guessed that she had not a care in the world what was out there. She wore a black recon hoodie, a short, red plaid skirt, and athletic black leggings, giving her the appearance of a schoolgirl.

"Hi,” she said with a voice that was sweet and as soft as a whisper. “Remember me? I'm Mika.”

“Oh!” Ribbon said out loud as she gently shook her hand. “So good to see you again, Mika.”

She examined the young lady from head to toe. The year before, she had seen her on the training grounds. The girl always cried and got injured and failed even the most basic of drills. It seemed like a miracle that she made it to the final exam. Or perhaps — and Ribbon dreaded to think this — some cold-hearted officers were making bets on her life.

It was no secret that officers and vets placed bets on how long a certain recruit would last out there in the jungle. Actually, her brother did that to her with his friends. One of them bet a candy bar, a sack of marbles, and a poster of his favorite swimsuit model that Ribbon wouldn't even last a day out there during the test.

“Look who we have here,” said a young soldier, approaching Nefeli Squad with his group. He had long, black hair, and a pointed nose.  He sniffed the air. “Nefeli Squad. Reeking with perfume as usual. It's no wonder the predators always seek you out first.”

Ribbon had to admit the air smelled awfully fruity. She turned around, following her nose. No surprise the sweet smell came from Mika, who shyly hid behind a girl named Ela.

A boy with a ponytail chuckled at the veteran's remark. He and the others in his squad proudly showed off their shiny M4 carbines, far and away better the old Hellenic military G3 rifles Ribbon and her friends had.

Kriss wrinkled her nose and spat at the boy's combat boots. Lucas Leventis. He was the son of an officer in the High Chancellor's special security forces who had good connections with the best weapons manufacturers outside the wall. It explained the top-of-the-line gear they had. Neilina could clearly see the boy's father bought nothing but the best for his son and his friends who were nothing more than his drinking buddies from the bar. It absolutely disgusted her.

“We don't want any trouble, Lucas!” Ela said, stepping forward. “You'd better back off or you're going to go back home with more than a scar on your neck.”

“Is that a threat?” laughed a youngster wearing a beanie. “Lucas, you're just going to take that from her?”

“Come on, I can take you!” Ela yelled.

“Ela stop!” Kriss shouted, grabbing Ela by the handle of her backpack. “Stand down, that's an order!” She looked at Lucas. “And you! I'm sorry for what happened. But it's no excuse to take it out on us. Hopefully, I don't need to remind you who I am and who else is in our squad.” She looked back at Ribbon. “Unless you want the commander on your ass I suggest you leave. All of you. Now.”

“Ooooh!” The lads said, some wiggling their fingers mockingly at Kriss.

“What are you going to do about it?” sneered a lad with a shaved head.

Lucas held up his hand to stop him. “Forget it, guys. We'll let the dinosaurs take care of them,” he growled, eyes locked on Ela and Kriss. “Besides, everybody knows Nefeli Squad is nothing but a bunch of scavengers getting the easy work, while the rest of us go deep into the wilderness and do the real fighting.” He spat at their feet in retaliation for what Ela did earlier. “After the carnivores s**t you out, they're finally going to see I was right all along. You girls have no place out there.”

“You piece of rat filth!” Ela shouted, lunging for him. Kriss and Saya grabbed her by the arms. They both lost their footing, Kriss tried to help them, but the combined weight of their bodies and gear caused her to lose her balance as well, and all three of them tumbled to the ground.

Lucas and his team laughed at her and taunted the girls even further.

Suddenly a soldier standing on a metal platform on the side of the wall blew a whistle. The doors to the gatehouse beside him burst open. A man, bald and sporting a grizzled beard, and wearing a long trench coat with a mammoth fur collar walked out of a gatehouse to the platform overlooking the soldiers below.

“All right rookies!” he shouted. “Shut up and assemble!”

The Myrmidons quieted down and stood at attention. Commander Alessandro Konstantinopolis put his hands behind his back, looking down at the rookies fresh from basic training. He seemed to be a king standing up there above the scouts. He felt that way, too. Why wouldn't he? The Commander was a veteran of more than ten years, a highly decorated and respected soldier, a descendant of one of the Myrmidon's original founders, and…Ribbon's father.

The way he stood there breathing heavily as he looked down at the rookies was as if he was looking around for Ribbon, and Ribbon alone. This made her uncomfortable. She backed up behind her teammates until Kriss completely blocked her from view. Alessandro started to pace back and forth on the platform. His heavy boots thumped loudly on the metal with each step. He wore a pendant made of teeth from carnivores he had killed; it jingled around his neck. He grunted like a beast as if he was displeased that he could not find his daughter.

The commander looked around one last time, smiled, and began his speech.

“Welcome little ones!” he shouted. His voice echoed across the motor pool and over the towering metal walls. “Congratulations. It's time for you to call mommy and daddy. Tell them that all the hard work they put in to sustain you was worth it. That the pain your mother had to endure to push your sorry ass out into this miserable world was worth it. That the long nights of dealing with your infernal howling and putting up with having to give up eating so you can — was worth it. This is going to be your final test. The big one to see if you qualify to call yourself a Myrmidon Ranger. But don't go thinking this is going to be a career. Oh, no, only those worthy of the Myrmidon name can call this a career.”

He paced back and forth, eyeing the recruits sternly. “This is no honor and glory mission, kiddies. This is to separate the wheat from the chaff. If you want to earn that prestigious badge, earn your glass dog tags, and stand where I'm standing, you must put all that you've learned to the test” — He pointed over the wall — “and survive out there in the wilderness for the next couple of days.”

He paced to the left. His officers proudly sneering at his words which brought fear to the young ones below. His speech was like a hammer pounding reality into their heads and bending their egos. They came to the lot eager to come home with stories of their first encounter with a carnivore outside the wall. They were on their phones taking selfies, but Commander Alessandro started to make them feel like they were taking one final photo for the memorial wall in the Myrmidon headquarters.

“For many of you,” he continued, “this is going to be one final walk in this miserable world of ours. If you want to live to see the next few days, then you all better listen very closely to the next hundred or so words that are coming out of my mouth. Because not only might they be the last words you'll ever hear” — He marched to the right and pointed over the wall again — “but they will fill you in on your new reality. And walking out there is going to be your new reality. The moment you signed up to become one of us you surrendered your life to me. You will go where I tell you, do what I tell you, and perhaps even die when I tell you.”

Ribbon gulped. That goes for her, too.

“Out there you will encounter monsters beyond your wildest nightmares. If you thought Compys and distant roars filled your souls with fear and caused you to wet your bed, well, you're in for a world of hurt. There are things out there that even I refuse to encounter again. But despite the dangers that lurk out there, we must venture outside the wall to find food. To trade with other settlements and cities. To combat those barbarian marauders who threaten our way of life. To survive. And possibly retake this world and make it what it once was before those damn Lanterns destroyed everything we held dear to our hearts. If we stay stuck in here, then our species will go extinct as those beasts out there did millions of years ago. They think because the Lanterns have brought them back that they have taken this world from us. But they're wrong. I have seen Myrmidons who made even the biggest carnivores think twice before messing with humans.”

The veterans held their fists up and cheered. Commander Alessandro marched back to the center of the platform and smiled. His scar stretched on his cheek.

“This is your last chance to back out of the army. Those who wish to do so right now, please report to the barracks. You will be flogged fifteen times for cowardice. Afterward, you will be treated with a hot bath and coffee and donuts in the mess hall. And just so you know, kiddies, this is your only chance to quit with your lives. After tomorrow, anyone quitting or attempting to run will be forever marked a coward, tried for insubordination, and hanged. So…any quitters?”

A couple of boys did. Five guards grabbed them and forced them toward the barracks where they would be punished.

“No one else?” Commander Alessandro called out.

No one spoke. Alessandro nodded. He looked down and spotted his daughter amongst the crowd. His grin grew crueler and wider. He just nodded at her and walked away. Then he shouted: “Open the gates!”

The tall, thick, metal doors made a deafening grinding noise as they lifted off the ground. Drivers for each team were shouting at the recruits to get into their vehicles. Ribbon and the rest of Nefeli Squad boarded the back of a black Toyota Helix while Kriss sat in the front passenger seat.

“Daddy's little girl,” said a girl with chocolate brown hair named Filoxenia.

“Don't do that,” Ribbon said, gripping her rifle tightly. “That's the last thing I want to hear right now.”

“Don't worry about Filo,” said Ela. She gently patted Ribbon on the shoulder. “She's just joking around. Anyways, it's a real honor to serve alongside you. I mean, you're come from the line of two Myrmidon legends. Your grandmother and your father. You've got big shoes to fill, don't you?”

“Don't psyche her out, Ela,” said a boy named Gregory, one of two of Nefeli Squad's only males. “She doesn't need that kind of pressure.

Ribbon nodded, thanking him silently. She nervously watched the driver check the truck over and over again to make sure it was working properly. The last thing any of them wanted was a break down out there in the jungle. Drivers were responsible for their vehicles. If anything went wrong, the team could die and the mission would fail, resulting in more misery in Tartarus. God help them if they come back alive with such a failure on their shoulders.

“Please give me one second, ladies,” said Toulouse the driver.

“And gentlemen,” a young man named Zander added.

“And gentlemen, of course,” Toulouse said. “I'll get this hunk of junk working in no time.”

“So what was up with that guy, Lucas, anyway?” Mika asked, fidgeting with a shell for her Origin-12 Shotgun, a parting gift from her mother, who was once a ranger herself before losing her leg to a landmine.

“It's a long story,” Kriss answered, tying a container to the bar, mounted along the sides of the truck. “One we will not get into. Lucas is a chauvinist who thinks he can overpower us with his big guns and shiny gear. Pay him no heed and focus on the test.”

Ribbon heard a few trucks already driving through the gates. The Myrmidons riding on them were cheering and singing crude songs about women as they passed bottles of vodka and liquor around as though they've already graduated and passed the exam.

“Idiots,” Toulouse said, shaking his head. “They think it's all fun and games. Sadly, most of those youngsters won't come back alive. Speaking of which. Kriss, roll call if you please.”

“Right,” Kriss said, reaching between the seats and pulling out a checklist.

“Ribbon!”

“Here.”

“Scarlet.”

“Here!”

“Saya!”

“Here!”

“Greg.”

“Present and accounted for, ma'am.”

“Just say here next time, please. Ela.”

“Here!”

“Mika.”

“Here.”

“Aion.”

“Right here, ma'am.”

“Nostalgia.”

“Here and here.”

“Zander.”

“Present.”

“Here next time! This is the last time I'm telling you guys. I mean it. That's all of us. Toulouse, is the truck ready?”

“Aye, let me fill her up, and we'll be ready to go in two minutes. Do all of you have your mission packs?”

“Leave that to me,” said Kriss. “I'll pass them around once we get out of here.”

Toulouse finished his inspection of the truck and finally transported them out of Tartarus. Ribbon shivered once Toulouse drove through a muddy path surrounded by thick concrete walls for about four hundred feet. Soldiers from the security forces walked back and forth along the path, checking cargo and goods of various traders from different settlements. Finally, the doors opened to let him and another truck carrying the rowdy recruits for Mars Squad out into the jungle.

The air felt colder once Ribbon found herself in a strange and different world. Thousands of exotic birds chirped in the trees and buildings, now nothing more than crumbling ruins. The trees were so large and so tall, they blocked out the sun.

Cars, trucks, and military vehicles were at a standstill on the once busy roads of Old Athens. They were rusted beyond repair and covered with vines. Some had flowers and even small trees growing out of them. Thousands and thousands of trees were growing out of all sorts of unexpected places. Some were burgeoning out of buildings, from storm drains, trucks, and shops.

“What is that!” shouted Nostalgia, pointing at a flock of small flying reptiles. They were light brown in color, and covered in peach fuzz, with long tails, and mouths with rows of needle-sharp teeth. They flew over the truck, honking and screeching.

“Peteinosaurus,” Ribbon said calmly. “Don't tell me you haven't seen them before.”

“No,” said Nostalgia, keeping a firm grip on her pistol.

Greg laughed. “Well, they're pretty common and harmless. See? They're only eating dragonflies.”

The peteinosaurus grabbed the large insects with a loud crunch. Ela took out her camera and started taking pictures of them. “For the paper,” she said. “I know a guy in town who will pay an armful of rations for a picture of a dinosaur.”

“I don't think he's going to want those tiny things,” said Aion, twisting one of her pigtails around her finger. “Maybe we'll run into a T-Rex or something.”

“Please don't say that!” yelled Toulouse, jerking his finger up and down. “Don't even joke about it. That monster has been clocked at thirty miles an hour. It can catch up to our truck and gobble us up in one sitting. I know — I have seen it. I have lost a dozen friends to that monster, girls. Don't jinx your final exam by wishing to run into it.”

Big, sloppy, tears started dripping from his eyes. Kriss sympathetically caressed his shoulder. “Have you seen it before? Really?”

Toulouse wiped his face with his jacket sleeve. “I have once. And I never want to see it again. I can't burden myself with knowing I've brought another group of kids to that beast like a buffet. If any of you should encounter it” — he made the sign of the cross — “then run and duck into a nearby building. He can't reach you there. And don't waste your ammo trying to kill him. Bullets only make him madder. That creature is no ordinary animal. He is the devil.”

The squad went silent. Not even Kriss wanted to speak, and she was the team leader.

“Uh oh,” said Toulouse when he saw the uneven road ahead. “It's going to get bumpy ladies. Hang on.”

He hit a few holes on the ground that caused them to bounce up and down violently. Zander yelped and grabbed his mouth with his hands. Blood was coming out of his lips. He had bitten his tongue. Saya cursed and gave him some water from her cantine so he could wash it off. He took two large gulps and spat over the side of the truck.

“Our first casualty of the day,” laughed Toulouse. “Kriss, fill them in on the briefing.”

“Of course,” she said, flipping through the pages on the clipboard until she found the map of the terrain. “Okay, guys. Our first assignment. And let me tell you - Whoa, easy!” She cried when Toulouse drove over another large hole on the road. “As I was saying. It's not going to be a pleasant one. Our job for today is on The Hill. The communications camp went down, that's why the wifi has been s**t all day. All contact with the team assigned to the radio tower was lost. I think you know what that means.”

“They're all dead,” said Nostalgia. She nervously brushed her autumn-red hair over her ear and bit her lip nervously. “It has to be. Right?”

“It seems so,” said Kriss. “Something attacked them in the night and wiped them all out.”

“But they're so heavily armed,” said Ribbon. “They have light machine guns, rockets, and more ammo than three squads put together. It couldn't have been dinosaurs.”

“I think you're right, Ribbon,” Kriss said followed by a heavy sigh. “Be prepared for anything, and keep an eye out for survivors. Ribbon. You, me, Scarlet, Nostalgia, Ela, and Mika will go to the Hill. I'll try to fix the tower. There are gangs of marauders lurking in the city ruins. Most likely they will try to loot the gear the engineering team had up there, so it's going to be our job to keep it secure. Filoxenia and Aion, you two will provide overwatch. Gregory and Zander, you two will scavenge for food. There are Dodos around Gaia Fields; they'll make good roasts for supper.”

“I can't believe they brought back Dodos!” groaned Zander. He slapped his palm over his face. “Why? All those cool things to bring back and someone chose the Dodo?”

Kriss grinned. “Hey, if you hate them so much, make them extinct again. Shoot as many as you want, just make sure to save enough for us to eat.”

“Sounds good to me,” said Greg. “I hunted pests like the Compy for years. I'll bag a few of those birds.”

“Good,” said Toulouse. “If there is an emergency call me! I have a radio, a phone, you name it. Call me, damn you! Good luck and stay safe.”

Toulouse stopped the truck in front of a once luxurious hotel that offered a spectacular view of the Acropolis. Filoxenia and Aion grabbed their gear and ran inside. Then Toulouse drove off to a nearby block to drop off Ribbon and the others. The drive was long but very scenic. A lake had formed around the area of the Acropolis many years ago. The buildings and streets were replaced by dense swamps, grasslands, and jungle as far as the eye could see.  

“What is that?” Gregory almost shouted, pointing at the trees.

A large mammal walked out of the trees on all fours. It saw the truck and gave a low bellow, warning them to stay back. Its fur was almost snowy white, with brown patches on the neck and over the paws and feet with black splotches going down its shoulder to the gut. The snout was covered in short, black fur. Its size and long claws made the group nervous. Mika aimed her G23 at it, hoping to scare it off, but Kriss told her to put it down. If they posed any threat to the large animal, it could charge and attack. It was certainly big enough to destroy the truck, and its claws could disembowel them with one strike. Ribbon held her breath and clutched Ela's jacket tightly as the animal stood up on its hind legs and started ripping plants from the top.

“Easy, boys and girls,” said Toulouse. “That's megathrerium.”

“No,” Ribbon corrected him. “It's too small. That's nothrotheriops. I can also tell by the color of its fur.”

Kriss chuckled softly, turning to look at her friend and slapped her playfully in the behind. “Well, look at you. Our little Paleo expert.”

“Is it a carnivore?” Gregory whispered nervously.

“Duuuh, no! That's why it's eating plants,” Nostalgia mocked him. “Jesus, Gregory, weren't you paying attention in class?”

“No,” Zander laughed, patting him on the back. “He was too busy thinking about the class trip to New Knossos to care about the animals and the danger inherent of leaving the wall.”

Toulouse slammed his fist on the wheel. “What is this, a field trip? Come on you two, hurry and begin your hunting expedition.”

Greg shook his head almost a dozen times. “But that thing —”

“—won't hurt you unless you pose a threat,” Kriss interrupted. “Now go. I want to eat some dodo tonight.”

The two boys nervously got out of the truck. They crossed themselves and went into the meadows to begin their hunt. Ribbon couldn't wait for them to return. She had Dodo meat soup before. It tasted so good and smelled wonderful. Her father hunted at least a dozen of them when he was still a Ranger in the Myrmidons.

Her tummy rumbled just thinking about it. She hadn't had a decent meal to eat in months. Cans of beans, frozen waffles, and stale biscuits sure didn't satisfy her appetite. Hopefully, Greg and Zander were good marksmen as they claimed to be. If so, Ribbon had a few requests to make for dinner tonight. She wanted to call dibs on the legs and have them charbroiled Peruvian style the way Sword said he prepared chicken in his home. He sent her pictures of the meal to show her how he made it.

Her mouth started watering. Oh, man, that meal in that photo looked so good. The meat was black and brownish gold. It lay next to golden fries with glacier lettuce, somehow still in abundance in America. That was one thing she loved about having a friend like Sword. He was a good cook. Despite the world in ruins and mankind just an edge away from extinction, there were still people like him making the most of what they had.

Ribbon was proud to admit that her life seemed a little brighter since meeting him. 

"We're here," said Toulouse. "Good luck out there, ladies. If I don't see you when I come back, I'm going to find you in the afterlife and kick your little asses." He wished them good luck and then drove off, leaving all alone in the jungle and at the mercy of its wildlife.

She monitored her tablet stealthily as her companions checked their gear, wrapping belts with pouches full of ammo, food, water, first aid, and even kits for feminine care. She turned around and went to the website where users with creative and poetic minds would flock together and share their work. Even though she was close to the Hill, the signal was very weak.

It took a whole minute for the page to load. But, she was patient, and it paid off. She saw that Sword had updated not too long ago. Perfect! She thought. What a way to end the day. A successful first mission, WiFi at full bars after their work, Dodo la Brasa, and a good story thanks to Sword.

Sword was an avid fantasy writer, creating in-depth worlds with kings, dragons, and beautiful princesses. Ribbon loved Sword's literature so much; for his writing was so rich, it brought her into another world; a world far and away better than the one she was stuck living in.

He told his story with such detail and heart, that she sometimes felt as if she was there, breathing fresh air and going on an adventure with his main protagonist. Without him keeping her spirits up, she would have surely failed training. Perhaps...she would have even killed herself. His stories, his life, and his sense of humor kept her in good spirits when she returned to the barracks, weary and broken from hours and hours of intense training under the watchful eye of her father.

Kriss started walking towards her. “Did he update?”

“Not yet,” Ribbon said, putting her tablet in the tablet pocket of her backpack. “He promised me he will every Sunday. I can't wait to see what happens next. It's going to be so epic!”

“I'll bet it is,” said Kriss. “Keep the tablet in your pack and don't take it out until the mission is over. Otherwise, there's going to be trouble when we get back. Okay?”

Ribbon grimaced. Kriss had never spoken to her that way before. She sure was taking this whole team leader thing very seriously. “Yes, ma'am,” Ribbon said, putting her rifle's sling over her shoulder.

Kriss led the girls to a rusty picnic table underneath a tree and unrolled the map. Something big honked in the distance. Ribbon felt excitement shiver through her frame, for she hoped it would be a sauropod; tall animals that can look over buildings. In the evenings, she could see the silhouette of their necks and heads from her window and heard their beautiful, eerie, songs in the dark. But she never had a good look at them. She thought she would snap a photo or two for Sword back in DC and grabbed her camera.

“Pay attention, Ribbon,” Kriss said, examining the map. Her companions gathered around. “Okay. Let's see here. This should be what remains of Monastiraki.”

She looked at the lake and saw the domed roof of what was once a church. The cross was still visible on the top, reflecting the sunlight beautifully, making it shine like a star.

“Yup, I was right. It looks like we're going to have to make a long trek that way” –she pointed eastward– “and cross through these two buildings here to get to the other side of the lake. Miller Squad built bridges some time ago, so getting through them should be a snap. As Toulouse said, we need to keep an eye out for herbivores. They are far more dangerous than any carnivore if provoked. Speaking of which, there's a lot of wild game around here, so don't be surprised if they're close by.”

“That's what I'm afraid of,” said Saya. She swatted a mosquito off her face before nervously looking around. She heard the animal in the distance honking again.

“Don't worry, Saya,” said Ela. “Filo and Aion are equipped with Fifty Cals. Those babies can blow a hole the size of our soccer ball in a T-Rex's skull. Plus, they've got a good view of the area. If anything big comes into our AO, they'll let us know.”

“She's right,” Kriss said, slipping on her backpack.

She made a few adjustments to her Volk vest, and then led her friends down a dirt path surrounded on all sides by tall, golden grass and dense jungle. They kept silent most of the time. The only sound was of chatter in their radios and their boots crunching on the pebbles on the ground and their gear jingling.

A river was gently flowing beside them into the lake which flooded over the once beautiful square. Ela kept her camera up, taking pictures of ancient ruins and the lush scenery all around her. “Nobody back home is going to believe any of this. I mean, this is so surreal. To think our forefathers were on their way to work before it all happened.”

“Why did it happen?” Nostalgia asked timidly, keeping a firm grip on her rifle. “Why did it have to happen?”

“We have no control over these kinds of things,” said Kriss, still marching down a dirt path toward a river valley. “Antares struck without warning. It must have been devastating if countries all over the world fell when the dinosaurs returned.”

“The world was already in shambles so I heard,” said Scarlet. “There were riots everywhere. A wave of illegal immigration, corrupt governments, virus outbreaks, out-of-control leftists, far-right fools, and America elected a reality-television star to be its leader. Man, those were so pretty messed up times.”

“Seems like paradise compared to what it is now,” said Mika. “At least there was still civilization. And good food.”

“You would think of food,” laughed Ela. “We just had a big breakfast before we left. Can't you wait until later to eat?”

“No, I cannot. Biscuits and eggs aren't a hearty breakfast. I'm starving.”

“I've got granola bars in my pack,” said Kriss. “If you promise to shut up, it's yours.”

“Deal.”

Kriss stopped. “Front pocket,” she said looking over her shoulder. “Take as many as you want.”

So she did. Mika unwrapped the first bar greedily and took a savage bite. Honey and peanut butter flavor, freshly made from a faraway settlement that still had the luxury of being modern and dinosaur-free. “How long until the next shipment?” Mika asked with a mouthful of the treat. “I could stock seven or more of these.”

“Until the Old Road is clear of predators,” Kriss answered quietly. She made a gesture with her hand, telling Mika to lower her voice. “Good luck getting any though. Now that food is getting scarcer, the crowds are larger and wilder. I had to wake up at dawn just to be first in line for a box of these.”

Her radio clicked. “Do you read me?” Aion asked.

“Loud and clear,” Kriss answered. “What's going on?”

There was a burst of static from the radio. “We've got eyes on you and the team. Stand perfectly still and don't move. Something's coming your way.”

The girls came to a halt by the river. Mika clasped her hands over her mouth, for she started breathing heavily. Was it a predator? She wondered. Not now. Not on their first mission. She heard the sound of distant thunder coming from the jungle. Trees snapped, palms snapped as they were tossed around.

“What is it?” Kriss whispered.

The radio clicked. “Something big,” Filo replied. “Don't move.”

It felt like an eternity before the animal showed itself. A tree fell and splashed into the water. A huge creature bellowed on the right side of the river ahead of them. It caused another tree to snap at the base and fall into the water. Ribbon could not believe her eyes. Her brain searched through her memory looking for the name of the massive beast parading out of the foliage. She gasped when it finally came to mind. A stegosaurus! It let out a cry as it walked across the water, announcing proudly that he was on the move and anything in its way should move aside, lest it wanted to be toe jam beneath its feet.

He was dark green with black stripes on the legs and tail. The plates on its back were the color of chewing tobacco and faded into black along the edges. stegosaurus was a herbivore, but it was very dangerous. There had been reports of it knocking over trucks with one shove of its massive shoulder. The meter-long spikes on its tail made the girls incredibly nervous, but they learned enough about stegosaurus at school to know that it would leave you alone if you posed no threat.

Soon another stegosaurus came into view, following the first one, who was no doubt the alpha male of the herd. He was huge! Bigger than the first one, who was serving as the herald of the herd. The scars on the alpha's body and chipped plates he wore with pride; for they meant he was old, strong, and undefeated. All the females in the herd were his. More came stomping out of the jungle, grunting, bellowing and snorting. There had to be fifteen of them.

Ribbon could feel the pebbles underneath her boots tremble as the mighty beasts marched across the river. She stood beside Kriss and held her hand. Both of them had broad smiles across their faces, and their laughter came out as light heaving and gasps, so as not to startle the animals. At long last. After years of seeing these magnificent creatures as nothing more than drawings in her books, Ribbon finally saw it up close and in the flesh.

“Aww, look!” Mika said, pointing towards the right side of the river. Little baby stegosauruses were waddling beside their mother's feet. There had to have been at least ten of them, and five juveniles the size of a baby elephant.

“They're so cute,” she squealed, clasping her hands together. Her legs wobbled like jelly. She was frightened but was mostly in awe at what she was seeing. The stegosaurus was her absolute favorite since she was a little child. And to finally see them gently and proudly marching in large droves was just the most beautiful experience of her life. Her training was hard, but if she could see these majestic animals in the flesh like this, then it was well worth it. She couldn't help but feel tears pooling up in her beautiful sky-blue eyes.

Ela got down on one knee and snapped as many photos as she could “This is...this is incredible,” she said.

A loud snort came up from behind them. The girls jumped and turned to see more stegosaurus walking out of the jungle. They were orange in color with white underbellies and black splotches on the sides. They had black stripes on the tail and legs and on top of the neck, their plates were the color of burnt orange outlined with black patterns. The green stegosauruses honked and bellowed at the orange ones.

Two young males stopped and reared on their hind legs, then splashed the water as a warning to keep them back. The orange ones must have been a rival herd. The males from their group also honked and roared. They spread their legs and raised their tails, swinging them from side to side as a warning to not engage them. They just wanted to drink in the bay like everyone else and wanted to be left alone.

The girls huddled close together, hoping they wouldn't get caught in the middle of a turf war. The dinosaurs roared loudly. One from the orange herd charged. Kriss grabbed Ribbon from the hood of her jacket and embraced her before the beast could trample her. It moaned loudly, not caring at all about the strange animals right next to him.

Kriss signaled them to get back. They did so slowly until they had their backs against the slope next to the river. Males from the green herd blew steam out of their noses and snorted. The orange ones backed off and continued marching into the jungle with the females. A green stegosaurus splashed the water with his tail as an act of disrespect towards the orange herd.

The orange male who charged looked at the girls. He, too, snorted, releasing steam from his nostrils as a warning for them to stay back. He then followed the females, but not before he splashed the girls with his tail. They yelped and backed away even further. The arrogant male shook his head as he grunted and walked away with the rest of the herd.

Ela cupped her hands over her mouth and shouted: “Yeah, nice meeting you too, you big jerk!”

“Shut up!” Ribbon hissed through her teeth.

They waited for the animals to leave. When they were all gone, Nefeli Squad exhaled loudly, relieved to be in one piece after that. In no time at all, they started laughing. Ribbon released herself from her friend's arms. “Thanks, Kriss, that was close.”

“Is everyone okay?” Kriss gasped, bending her knees and placing her hands on them.

“That was amazing,” said Saya. “I got the whole thing on my GoPro. Kriss, that was such an awesome save.”

“I like those!” Nostalgia whispered, pointing at the orange stegosauruses. “Look at the colors and patterns. Just glorious.” She started digging through her backpack. “Oh, where did I put that damn camera?”

“To think this world belonged to them before us,” said Ribbon. “Just look at them. They're so big, so alien-like. Hard to believe we share the same world as them.”

The radio crackled. It was Filo.  “Okay, the herd is on the move. Looks like they've chosen your AO to graze. It's good news because it will keep the predators away. Not even a full-grown allosaurus will want to take on a stegosaurus.”

“What about T-Rex?” asked Mika.

Everyone went quiet.

“Not even T-Rex,” Kriss replied. “It's been reported that one swing of those tails can break the leg of T-Rex. If there is one around, it will ignore the heard go for much easier prey. This gathering is full of mostly adult and juvenile animals. Come on, the communications building us just a twenty-minute hike this way. Let's get it done and get our sanctuary back online.”

They followed Kriss through rivers and rickety bridges connecting from building to building so they can traverse through the lake with ease. Ribbon moved slowly across the bridge. She could see the water below her from between the planks. The water bubbled and a dark shadow zoomed below the surface. The lake was filled with aquatic predators ready to drag Ribbon down to a watery grave.

“I saw something swimming down there!” cried Mika.

“There are a million things swimming in those waters,” Kriss whispered, trekking the bridge carefully. “Keep steady and keep a firm grip on the rail. Have faith in the Engineering Corps. They can build some pretty amazing things. This bridge is nothing for them.”

“I hope you're right,” said Nostalgia. “LOOK!”

“What? What?” cried Saya.

“What is that? In the water?”

They saw the head of a reptilian beast skimming along the surface of the water. Its smooth skin was dark gray with a cream-colored underbelly. It had bright, yellow eyes and dozens of sharp teeth protruding from the lower jaw, poking through the water like yellow towers.

“Nothosaurus,” Kriss whispered nervously. “Oh, save us.”

“Hurry, hurry,” Mika urged them. “This bridge feels like it's about to collapse. And I don't want to fall in that.”

“Don't worry,” said Ribbon. “Nothosaurus eats fish.”

That did little to calm her friend. “Oh, sure, that's because it's never tasted a girl before.”

“Just shut up!” yelled Ela. “Move it! Move it! I don't want to stand here any longer either.”

Nothosaurus started circling underneath the bridge. Ribbon's fact about the animal eating only fish didn't seem logical anymore. What if it did want to taste human flesh? They sure as hell did not want to find out. Finally, the cleared the flooded area and made it to the Hill. From where she stood, Ribbon spotted the walled-off communications post where the technicians and security detail of the military's engineering corps were stationed, working round the clock to keep a healthy and secure internet connection with the bigger settlements.

As they climbed higher and higher to the hill, Ribbon got a good view of the wilderness below. In the distance, she saw the concrete wall of Tartarus City. A herd of Sauroposeidon was on the move, crossing the river valley into the forest. The stegosaurus herd stopped by an estuary to drink and feed. In the sky, Pteranodons soared over the ruined buildings and plazas.

In the lake surrounding the Hill, two Brachiosauruses were up to their knees in the water, helping themselves to a nice, long, drink. A herd of Olorotitans had arrived from the north to rest. Ribbon enjoyed the sight of them; I daresay their colors and their calls brought out the child in her.

The vivid dinosaurs gave out heavenly bellowing sounds; it was almost like a song from another world. Their crests were colored in light blue, fading into white and then goldenrod. Their flesh was light tan, with a white line that ran down their spines. And three orange stripes adorned both sides of the body.

Ribbon sniffed the air. She noticed something. Now that she had a moment to see the world around her, her senses lit up all at once, especially her sense of smell. The air. It was cool, crisp, and sweet. Clean. No more did she inhale the stench of urine, feces, drugs, trash, and rotten fruit. She smelled nothing but fresh air. Clean air.

“It's beautiful,” said Ela. She took photos of the animals gathering around the lake. “Just beautiful. Those engineers and techies sure have a great view, don't they?”

Kriss stopped. “Speaking of which, you'd think one of their security guards would have greeted us by now.”

The radio clicked. “I don't think you'll have anyone welcoming you,” said Aion. “We don't see anyone out there. It's deserted. I don't like this.”

“Me neither,” said Kriss. “Okay, everyone. Keep together. Weapons up.”

They proceeded further up the hill and were shocked to find the place completely abandoned. But there were signs of a violent struggle. The walls and the rocks were stained with blood. Shell casings littered the ground, colored dark brown from the puddles of blood that now dried up.

Ela and Nostalgia ran ahead and discovered that a portion of the fence that surrounded the communications center was torn apart. Nostalgia knelt down and studied an indentation on the dust. A footprint. A predator no doubt, and it had to have been a big one. She followed the tracks to a tent that was torn to shreds. Flies buzzed around from the inside. Ela looked away, hoping not to see a body, but Nostalgia said there was nothing in there, save for a bloody notebook.

“Kriss. Over here, I found something.”

Kriss and Ribbon gathered around Nostalgia. She brushed her silvery-blonde hair over her ear to keep it from blowing over her eyes. The notebook was a journal kept by a soldier from the center's security detail. The pages were full of radio frequencies, charts manifesting shipments and rations and schedules, and a few games of tic-tac-toe. The final pages, however, detailed the soldier's last days.

She read aloud:

April 15th, 2534

Loud roars woke us in the night. They broke the silence like thunder and shook the Hill with a terrible might. Anthony could see something running from them into the jungle. Just as I feared, he says the animals looked carnivorous.

We radio headquarters for hours, demanding backup. But none would dare go out. Thanatos, the Black Death. He was spotted roaming the wilderness near the bay. He has returned. And he made it well known when he destroyed an expeditionary force of mercenaries from Apollo. Though he and his mate cannot reach us, we are not safe from the new monsters that the Gates have dumped into our time.

April 16th, 2534

We request to evacuate the Hill.

We are a small group and our trucks are fully fueled. We could drive back to the sanctuary, resupply, and come back in the morning with a superior fighting force. But Mr. Bostark demands that we stay put. Of course, he does. He wants his damn internet.

Damn him. Damn him to the farthest reaches of hell. He intends to sacrifice us just so he can watch swimsuit models and thots on his social media channels. God, I can hear them screeching in the darkness. They see us. They surround us. Sgt. Evelyn says to turn off the lights and stay out. Since Anthony has the night vision scope, he was ordered to keep an eye out all night.

I'm scared. I want to go home.

April 17th, 2534

We see them darting from shadow to shadow. For being animals so big, they sure are fast. I think they're just being cruel to us now. They're playing with us. The intelligence and the malice are just unreal. They're psyching us out. They're poisoning our minds with fear. And that alone is stronger than brass.

April 18th, 2534

They're all dead. I didn't even see them. They broke through the fence with those sharp claws. They're too sharp. Not even our combat knives can slice through that cable so easily. Why did God create such beasts? I can hear them outside. My friends. Screaming. Shooting. Then silence. Now I hear ripping and tearing. There is no surviving this plague. Not us. Not Tartarus. Not anyone. Our time is ending.

Nothing we build can stop them. No weapon we wield can fell them easily. They will never stop coming. They will never stop eating.

They will never show us mercy. I fear it is we who are doomed to extinct…

The final letter was nothing but a streak of ink across the page. Drops of blood dotted the passage.

“They were eaten?” Mika whispered. “Oh, God. We need to get out of here.”

“You're right,” said Kriss. “Ribbon, call Toulouse and tell him to pick us up. We never should have come here like this.” She pressed the mic on her headpiece. “Nefeli Squad to HQ. We've reached the Hill. We're back online.”

“Good work, Nefeli Squad. What's the status of Cerulean Team?”

“They're all KIA. They've been wiped out by a pack of very powerful predators. A storm of some kind opened up an unknown number of Gates, releasing them into the jungle. Request permission to return to base to rearm and regroup.”

“That's a negative, Kriss. The engineering corps have purchased turrets and other resources to reinforce the compound. But the traders carrying the goods won't arrive until tomorrow morning. You've been ordered to hunker down for the night and await their arrival.”

Kriss's mouth fell wide open. “Wait a minute! The animals that wiped out Cerulean Team are still out there. The wall around the Parthenon has been breached and we don't have the firepower to deal with…”

“The mission stands. These are orders from the General himself. And his orders come down from the High Chancellor. There's a video game tournament being held tonight in honor of his son's birthday. You need to remain on the Hill and keep that signal green. And you must defend it from all threats until the merchants arrive. Once they do, another team from the engineering corps will come by to reinforce the defenses. Besides, you and your squad are on your final exams. You cannot come home until it's complete.”

“But Commander Alessandro's daughter is with us! And my father…”

“I don't care who's with you. You ladies knew what you signed up for. Stay where you are and secure the communications facility. If you leave your post for any reason, don't come back to Tartarus. HQ out.”

Kriss looked around. She kicked a helmet into the wilderness with all her might. She took a few deep breaths and said, “I've heard about being expendable but this is ridiculous.”

“What now?” asked Ribbon.

Kriss sighed and rubbed her eyes. “We set up camp and keep the facility secure for the little princes' tournament. Stay alert everyone. This is going to be a long night.”