Gatekeepers Fan Fiction ❯ A Rising Power: Your Heart ❯ Sudden Showdown! ( Chapter 5 )
A Rising Power: Your Heart
Chapter 5 - Sudden Showdown!
Legend:
Word - denotes character thought
<Word> - denotes sound effect
[Word] - denotes concept of time
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[Pasay City - Metro Manila area, Philippines]
The invader ball continued rolling towards its target, Danilo, who was running fast away from it as his legs could carry him. Buildings and other edifices were being destroyed in its path, while passerby scurried away from the pursuit with panic. Police officers were being stationed in key spots of the city as calls rang through emergency lines.
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Inside Metropoint Station, a task force code named Alpha-05 was called in to guard the building. They were one of the many PNP task forces deployed in high emergency alerts.
The building served as a middle point between the LRT Edsa Station (serving as the second to the last stop northbound in the LRT route system) and MRT Taft Avenue (serving as the starting point from northbound of the MRT route system). It was considered a vital area of the city. All civilians were evacuated from the building, leaving the team occupying it.
Inside, the task force leader was giving last-minute instructions to his team.
"Men, we have an emergency situation. It seems a big threat is heading this way to destroy this facility. We must neutralize it at all costs! HQ has given us orders to guard this area," Fernando Santos exclaimed. Having been in the task force for six years, he didn't expect a drastic situation occurring in the city. He had a well-fit stature and was in his mid-20s. He ranked as a squad commander.
"Sir!" his team responded. They numbered to twenty men at maximum.
"Reyes, Alvarez, you two will be the sharpshooters. Head to the roof. Alejandro, Sotto, and Yan, you three will provide support. The rest of you, divide yourselves into two men in a group, so that makes it a total of seven groups formed."
"Sir! This just came in from PNP (Philippine National Police) command," a task force officer reported, bringing a walkie-talkie close to the leader.
"All available units are to head to Roxas Boulevard to remove threat that is reported to head in the area. I repeat…" it radioed.
"Tch! Then that leaves us guarding this area without reinforcements. Typical," Fernando said with a furrowed eyebrow. He turned to his men.
"Any questions? Good. That's it for the briefing. Move out!"
His men dispersed to their assigned positions. A frown passed on Fernando's face. The officer noticed this.
"Sir, what's the matter?" he asked.
"Hmm…nothing. Just thinking. Contact HQ if they can't provide us with support," Fernando replied with a concerned look.
Something's not right about this dispatch call. Humph, I don't have time to worry now. I've got a job to do.
He shook off the thought from his mind and headed to the roof with the officer following behind, doing his command.
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Inside the armored road racer that was speeding after the invader, Shun was relaying out the situation to the AEGIS branch commander via com-link.
"Sorry for the delay, commander, but it seems that an Invader has appeared and is on a rampage through the city," Shun remarked to a man on the mini-screen of the com-link. He had short black hair, dark brown eyes, and looked easy-going.
"Hmm… so the readings from our radar were true. So you're with Reynaldo now?"
"Yes sir, I've met him and we're on the invader's trail as we speak."
"Well, let's get to the short introductions. I'm Jose Ferriols, commander of AEGIS Philippine branch. You must be the agent commander Shinrei sent here to investigate the invader rumors --- the famous Shun Ukiya. I'm honored to meet you."
Shun slightly blushed with embarrassment at being complimented. An awkward smile was plastered on his face as he ruffled the back of this head with his hand.
"T-Thank you, sir. Ha, ha, I'm not used to the fame that's plaguing me after the incident in my country."
Jose smirked in response.
"Just as Shirei described to me. Anyway, back to business. Reynaldo?"
Reynaldo glanced momentarily and saluted the commander before resuming driving.
"Sorry for not facing you sir, but I've got my hands full driving after the enemy."
"Never mind that. I want you to assist Shun in any way possible. I give you clearance to use the weapons in the armored road racer."
"Yes sir."
"Also, I want you and Shun to investigate any clues as to this sudden arrival of the invader. Head back to HQ after you're done. That's all."
The two AEGIS agents saluted him before the screen switched off.
"Ah, finally some action! It's been a boring desk job for me until now," Reynaldo said, keeping his eyes on the road.
"Looks like we'll have to track down the invader. Where's the button for the radar?" Shun asked.
"Press that button there near the power switch of the radio."
<CLICK>
<HMMM>
<CHING>
The radio/tape player turned instantly into radar. It was no ordinary radar used around the world; it was designed to track down energy surges, distortions, etc of invader activity. It also contained a map of the city divided into squares with coordinates. A big dot blipped on the center; Shun traced his finger on it.
"Hmm… it seems to head towards the center of the city… wait a minute, now it's turning left and… going around then straight! This is no ordinary invader by the looks of this."
Reynaldo took a quick look on the radar.
"It's going on Roxas Boulevard before heading directly to… um, Makati area. It'll pass by through Metropoint Station! Oh boy…"
"What's wrong with that, Reynaldo?"
"Metropoint Station serves as an in-between of the LRT and MRT system. If the invader wrecks the place, it would cut off the routes of the two. LRT and MRT are like your train system in Japan."
"Sounds serious."
"The PNP (Philippine National Police) should have dispatched some men to temporarily stop it on its path for us to catch up. But they won't last long though."
Shun checked his fighting gloves and readied his bokuten.
"Hang on, Mr. Ukiya! I'm going to put the pedal to the metal!" Reynaldo exclaimed.
"Why don't I use my Gate power to speed us up?"
"Huh? I don't know, we might get way past it!"
"Don't worry, I'll add a little speed boost."
Reynaldo sighed in defeat and shook his head.
"Alright."
Shun smiled and opened his window of the racer. He outstretched his body and held on. He extended his arm and opened his hand.
"Gate… open!"
A greenish ring of circles appeared in front of the racer and enveloped it in its light. Reynaldo widened his eyes in surprise as he stared at the tachometer and speedometer. The readings were increasing to the max.
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Danilo felt his lungs about to burst as he struggled to keep up his running from the invader. He pushed aside panic passerby on his way.
"Huff… puff… huff… puff… out… of the way! Move!"
He approached a fork ahead and took a right turn leading to an alley. He found a large garbage bin nearby and lay against it, hiding out of sight from the invader.
"Huff… puff… this sure beats the hell out of my PE subjects I took on my first four terms in APC," he remarked to himself. He peeked aside and saw the invader rolling onward.
"Whew… it didn't see me. Yukino, my new Gate power, and now this… thing! Why me, God?"
<DOKI>
"Ugh!" he exclaimed in pain as he felt a dull throb on his forehead.
<DOKI> <DOKI>
"I have to move…"
He forced himself to stand up and stepped outside the alley. He saw a trail of destruction left by the invader during their chase.
How horrible… damn.
He clenched his fists in anger and gritted his teeth.
On second thought, I'm not planning on running away. I've got to stop it one way or the other!
He started running, following the invader by its trail.
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Alpha-05 was in their assigned position inside Metropoint Station. Fernando looked left to right at his men who were flanked in-groups of two around him. He tapped his foot impatiently.
What the hell is taking so long for Tomas to get word from HQ? It's been about an hour since we have taken position here.
The said officer who was trying to contact HQ by radio came back to him with a worried face. Fernando looked him with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, Tomas?"
Tomas shook his head.
"Negative sir, they said we're on our own. They can't provide us back up, for all other units are in Roxas Boulevard and are meeting the threat."
Fernando threw his arms up in aghast.
"What! Are you sure about this?"
"Affirmative, sir."
The task force leader walked back and forth looking the MRT and LRT system adjacent to each other.
Guard duty. Damn those fools. We're just going to sit here and do nothing!
<BUZZ>
A walkie-talkie attached to his flak jacket rang out. He flipped on a button.
"This is Alpha-05 Leader, what is it?"
"Sir, this is Reyes. You're not going to believe this… something huge is heading this way!"
"What?"
"It's approaching from the left side of the station, sir! Should Alvarez and I shoot it down?"
"Hold on, I'm heading to you to see."
Fernando flipped the walkie-talkie off and headed up the roof. As he arrived, he saw his two sharpshooters in shooting position. One of them noticed him and pointed out a large object to him.
His eyes widened a bit at the sight of the invader ball heading their way fast.
"What on earth…"
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Danilo stopped in his tracks, panting his tongue out. Sweat poured over his face from running on the invader's trail. He looked around for anyone reluctant to answer his question in the midst of panic passerby in the area.
"Huff, puff… hey you!"
He found a traffic officer sitting against his patrol bike on the ground. He was exasperated.
"Excuse lang, but anong nangyari dito?" Danilo asked.
The officer looked him with a shocked face.
"Grabe… yung malaking bola… mabilis at nagsira nang mga buildings."
"Saan ba nagpunta ito?"
"Sinabi yung dispatch pupunta dyan sa Metropoint Station."
Danilo furrowed his eyebrows in short thought.
Metropoint Station… another block from here.
He patted the officer on the shoulder in thanks and hurried off to his next destination.
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"Shoot it down!" Fernando commanded his men who were with him just outside the building. They were shooting the invader ball with M-16 rifles, emptying their magazines. Support fire from the sharpshooters was also provided.
<BA-DA-DA-DA-DA-DA>
<CLANK> <CLANK> <CLANK>
Their bullets bounced off from the invader.
"What is the thing, sir? Our weapons have no effect!" Yan asked in bewilderment, loading another magazine into his M-16 rifle before resuming fire.
"Why do you ask me? I certainly wasn't expecting this!" Fernando exclaimed in reply, unloading a round of fire. He noticed the invader ball rolling slowly towards them. He called his men to back away from a safe distance.
Now what? This sure isn't a toy model.
The invader ball stopped and paused for a few seconds. Suddenly, it dislodged a portion of itself to uncover a huge cannon. Energy was heard gathering inside.
"Take cover!" Fernando ordered his men. They hurriedly scrambled for cover.
<PHOOSH>
A large amount of energy taking in the shape of a ball was fired at them. Fernando ducked inside an abandoned jeepney as the projectile narrowly missed it in a few inches.
<BOOM>
A huge hole was made in the building, with the facilities inside partly destroyed. Smoke clouded from the damage done.
The task force leader stumbled out from his cover and looked at the damage in bewilderment. He flipped on his walkie-talkie.
"Cough… this is Alpha-05 Leader, report!"
<BUZZ>
"This is Reyes. Alvarez and I are ok, but shaken. What was that before!"
<BUZZ>
"This is Yan. Alejandro and Sotto are ok!"
<BUZZ>
"Reyes, I want you and Alvarez to get down here and assist some of the injured here! Yan, see what you can do for Alejandro and Sotto until I can find our medic. Over and out."
Fernando surveyed the area for any signs of survivors of his team. He spotted Tomas carrying two injured members with him arm in arm.
"Tomas! Glad to see you ok. Status report?"
"Out of the 15 men (three were from the support and two were the sharpshooters), two survived, two are injured, and the rest killed. Cough, cough… what is that thing, sir?"
The task force leader looked at the invader ball covering up the cannon. Suddenly, it dislodged again, but this time, pieces of itself. Those pieces took up humanoid forms and turned into multiple men in black armed with energy cannons.
Fernando looked at the sight with anger and anticipation. He grabbed an M-16 rifle from a task force member lying lifeless nearby.
Rest in peace. I'm sorry, he thought as he looked at the member's face.
With twin M-16 rifles in hand, he started shooting at the divided invaders marching towards him and his remaining men.
<BA-DA-DA-DA-DA-DA>
<CLANK> <CLANK> <CLANK> <CLANK>
He spoke to Tomas as he continued shooting.
"Tomas, get the injured out of here! Contact HQ and tell them that the threat is here in Metropoint Station! Forget me!"
"But, sir…"
"Now! That's an order!"
Tomas sighed in defeat and reluctantly followed his commander's order. He did his best to quickly carry the two injured members along with him.
The divided invaders fired back at Fernando as they marched.
<PHOOSH> <PHOOSH> <PHOOSH> <PHOOSH>
Fernando found himself in a dangerous crossfire. Despite that much enemy fire, he was lucky not to get hit.
<CLICK> <CLICK>
He found his M-16s out of bullets.
"Damn it!" he cursed himself. He whipped out a semi-automatic pistol while discarding the rifles and let out a few shots. He performed evasive maneuvers and retreated inside the building, jumping through a store window.
<CRASH>
As he tumbled down, he flipped on his walkie-talkie.
<BUZZ>
"Yan, Alejandro, and Sotto, get your behinds down here! I need some support. Reyes, Alvarez, join them, I'm inside Rustan's."
<BUZZ>
"Sir!"
<BUZZ>
"On our way."
<BUZZ>
Fernando wiped off shards of glass of the window he broke through and quickly got back up. He fumbled through his pockets and took out a couple of tear gas. Biting their holders off with his mouth, he flung them to the marching invaders.
This should stall them for a while!
<PSSS> <PSSS>
The gas emitted, clouding them. Unfortunately, they pressed on as the gas slowly dissipated. Fernando had his jaw drop in awe.
"No effect? Impossible!"
His remaining members then arrived, gathering around him. They looked at the invaders marching onward.
"This isn't good," Reyes commented. The other sharpshooter, Alvarez, shook his head in agreement.
"They're not human, that's for sure! Sir, what now?" Sotto asked.
<PHOOSH> <PHOOSH> <PHOOSH>
"Get down!" Fernando exclaimed. The entire group hit the ground as trails of energy fire hurled past them. They quickly went back inside the damaged store.
"Alejandro, where are the extra weapons we stored?" Fernando asked.
"Extra weapons stored, sir?"
"We're going to need more than just bullets to stop them."
"Well we packed in a few grenades, extra ammo, a rocket launcher, and others in the convoy parked outside…"
<BOOM>
An explosion was heard a few blocks away from the building.
The task force leader groaned in frustration.
"Of all the places, why was it parked there!" he exclaimed. He pondered about the situation.
This is bad. Definitely we need more firepower to stop these things. Now the convoy carrying that extra firepower needed was blown up! We have no choice but to retreat.
Alpha-05, like other task forces, was more of a specialized SWAT in the PNP. However, government funds were inadequate to provide the supplies needed for law enforcement in Philippines. This left them with no choice but to use their own resources. Alpha-05 was fitted with the standard setup --- flak jacket / bulletproof vest, tear gas, rifles, pistols, flash-bang grenades, and a uniform.
Now with their convoy destroyed, all they had now were their pistols, tear-gas, and flash-bang grenades.
"Men… we have no choice but to retreat," Fernando remarked, making up his mind.
"But sir, we're just going to run away?" Yan asked.
"This is no ordinary enemy. Our weapons are useless, tear gas has no effect on them, and we're down to our M-16s, pistols, and flash-bangs, with the exception of Alvarez and Reyes, who have sniper rifles. This is the best option."
"Well I'm going to fight! Our group will not be disgraced by these things!"
Yan then ran off outside with pistol in hand, to fight head-on with the invaders.
"No, you fool! You don't understand!" the task force leader exclaimed, running after him. The others tried to follow suit, but he stopped them.
"No, stay here! I'll get him back!"
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Yan stood before the marching invaders and eyed them with determination.
"I'll stop you no matter what! Take this!" he exclaimed firing off his M-16.
<BA-DA-DA-DA-DA-DA>
<CLANK> <CLANK> <CLANK>
His bullets ricocheted off them. He threw his stock of flash-bangs as an added measure.
<FLASH> <FLASH> <FLASH>
No effect.
The invaders fired back at him.
<PHOOSH> <PHOOSH> <PHOOSH>
Yan ducked, rolled, and sidestepped the many trailing energy shots coming at him. As he did, he felt his endurance crumbling slowly.
<PHOOSH>
From the corner of his eye, he saw one energy shot headed towards him. He didn't have time to avoid it.
<POW>
"Ugh!" he yelled in pain. The impact of the shot knocked him back.
"Yan!" Fernando exclaimed, avoiding the invaders' shots. He dragged the injured member back to their cover. After setting him down against a wall, he surveyed his damage. A large hole was made on his chest, penetrating the flak jacket / bulletproof vest. He could see his damaged skin with blood slowly flowing out.
Yan looked at his leader and smiled.
"Cough, cough… sorry sir. I'd do anything… cough, cough… to bring honor to this team… cough."
Fernando motioned him to be quiet. He removed his vest and took out a long strip of cloth from his pant pocket. He tied it around the injured area to stop the bleeding.
"Quiet, you fool. You had to go against my orders. Why are you so stubborn?"
"Ha, ha… cough… I'm glad to be part of this… team. Thank… you… sir."
Yan slowly dropped his head down and closed his eyes.
The task force leader watched him for a few seconds and punched the floor in frustration. The rest of the team were in silence.