Omaha Burns
Chief Abel said as he sat down at the head of the meeting room table, peering at those already seated.
“I’ll give you the quick version,” Christopher began as he stood, pulling out his newest notes and spreading them over the table for the chief to view. “My last research trip was to the Malcolm outpost. Thanks to the help of everyone in this room,” his eyes scanned over Thaddeus, Jacklynn, Isaac, and Beth, “we found some very interesting things during our time there. Things that could change the way we view the renders in relation to our world.” He paused, looked down at the notes organized before him, and then began his account. “The five of us explored the exterior and interior of the derelict vessel at Malcolm, and over the course of our inspection, we found something truly shocking.” He pointed to the blueprints on the table. “This diagram for an Apricco colonization vessel matches the structure at the outpost almost perfectly. This can only mean that the ship is human in design, and the renders commandeered and repurposed it before they invaded Earth.”
Abel chuckled briefly and turned a skeptical gaze up at Christopher. “That’s absurd,” he said matter-of-factly. “Everyone who’s ever seen a render ship knows that they look entirely different from anything made by human hands. The outer parts are covered in a black, textured shell; something organic. We never constructed anything like that in all of our years of aerospace advancement.”
“Is it so hard to believe, though?” Christopher asked before pointing to more of his notes. “We already know the renders are capable of transforming our weapons, our vehicles, pretty much any human technology or structure, into something they can use. They use their technology to change ours. Now we’ve discovered they do this using a biosynthetic compound called pliasten, and that they were using it pre-invasion. So, tell me, if renders had ships of their own to begin with, why would they repurpose those Apprico vessels? Why not just destroy them and then invade in their own ships?”
Abel rested his chin on his fist as he listened to Christopher speak. “Alright, you’ve made an interesting point,” he began, picking up the Apprico diagram, “but where are you going with all of this?”
“My point is that there is still so much we need to learn about these creatures if we’re to survive.”
“We’ve been trying to learn about these things for almost twenty years, Mr. Atwater,” Abel said, “and we’re no closer to finding a weakness now than when they first arrived. At least, not one significant enough to make a difference.”
“Let’s agree to disagree for the moment, Chief,” Christopher replied. “How little or how much we know of the renders isn’t the issue here. The issue is that we’re defenseless against what we don’t understand. But based on what we learned at the Malcolm outpost, we now know the renders draw strength from a radioactive energy source.” He paused and nodded to Jacklynn who placed the small gray shard she had found on the table for everyone to view. Christopher gestured to it as he continued. “Wherever this synthetic compound is in abundance, they operate at their best. And I believe the beacon is the key. So after some discussion, we’ve decided we want to come up with a plan to go to the Lincoln City beacon and destroy it.”
“Absolutely not!” Abel’s voice rose as he stood from his chair. “That is suicide, and you know it, Chris.”
“Not if we carefully think—“
“Careful or not,” Abel interrupted, “the beacon is off-limits. As you’ve said, the renders are at their peak when they’re around that thing, and it’s the heart of their territory. When we still had a National Guard, they tried to infiltrate that area, and not one soldier walked out alive. If you think you can do better than an army of well-trained, armed men, then I’d just as soon put you all in a nuthouse.” The room was filled with a long, tense silence before Abel took a deep breath. “I appreciate what you’re all trying to do here.” He looked over at the dejected Christopher. “Your research into render behavior has proven invaluable to the security force time and again, and don’t think that I’ve forgotten the sacrifices you’ve had to make along the way. But I will not permit you to put your lives at risk for this. It would be a wasted effort and we would only lose more good people.”
Christopher lifted his head and squared his shoulders to the chief. “I understand,” he said in a soft tone. “I don’t agree with you, but I understand.”
Abel’s features softened a little as he gave Christopher’s shoulder a pat before he turned to glance around the table at the others. “Why don’t you all just take some time to relax? Give yourselves a break from this constant pursuit of the renders. It’ll probably do you some good.”
They watched the chief turn and leave the room, then Christopher dropped heavily back down into his chair.
“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Chris,” Thaddeus said as he nudged the man’s elbow. “I thought you gave a pretty convincing argument.”
“He’s right, though,” the older man responded, his expression one of defeat. “We’re not equipped to infiltrate the most congested render base for miles. You lost two men just going to that outpost for a rescue mission. Thinking we could just storm right up to the beacon is nothing but sheer stupidity.”
“One man’s stupidity is another’s ambition,” Jacklynn said with a smirk before standing. “Abel may have said no, but that doesn’t mean we have to quit. There’s too much riding on this. We just have to figure out another way.”
The others nodded. Though their faces were drawn with disappointment, at Jacklynn’s words, their eyes held a spark of hope. The group left the room and, deciding to take the chief’s suggestion for relaxation seriously, went their separate ways—Christopher and Beth to their home, and Isaac, Jacklynn, and Thaddeus to the clinic.
Jacklynn’s eyes snapped open as a hand clamped over her mouth. She squinted against the darkness of her room to see Thaddeus hovering over her with his index finger pressed to his lips. He removed his hand from her face and reached to the foot of the bed to pick up a shotgun he had set there.
“What’s going on?” Jacklynn whispered as she sat upright, blinking a few times to wake herself up. Just after she asked, she heard a muffled scream from somewhere outside and then feared she already knew the answer.
“They dropped in over central Omaha without warning,” the doctor replied gravely, confirming her concern. “Looks like the city’s already burning. Survivors are being routed to the outer perimeters, but the renders are probably going to follow them here.”
“Where’s Isaac?”
“In the other room,” Thaddeus said. He stepped back from the bedside and adjusted the strap of his gun over his chest, allowing Jacklynn to get up and start getting ready. She grabbed her holster and pulled on her socks, boots, and jacket, listening to him continue. “We need to get somewhere safe. The security force has miniature bunkers set up near—“
His words were cut short by a loud hiss, immediately followed by an intense blast. Blinding blue light dazzled their eyes, and the next thing they knew, a shockwave flung them to the floor while the room collapsed around them. Thaddeus scrambled to shield Jacklynn’s body with his own as the space erupted with hurtling debris. When the room—or what was left of it—settled, Thaddeus groaned and shoved aside the split panels, chunks of drywall, and random objects that landed on them. He looked down as Jacklynn pushed herself off the floor with quivering arms, body and hair covered with dust.
“You okay?” he asked her, his voice tight as he stifled a cough.
Jacklynn didn’t acknowledge his concern, her own overwhelming her. “Isaac!” she shouted, clambering to her feet. She rushed across the remains of the hall and rammed her shoulder against the busted door. It splintered in parts as it shot open. Isaac’s room was half caved in. “Isaac!” she called again. She bent down to grab pieces of the wreckage and hurl them aside. Thaddeus stumbled into the room to help, tripping over junk as he went.
“Here,” a weak voice said through the noise of their searching, and the two looked up to see dirty and bloodied fingers peeking out from the rubble. Thaddeus vaulted over what remained of the exam room cabinets and with all his strength, lifted the bed and varying objects on top, shoving it back to reveal Isaac underneath. Deep cuts littered his skin, and his expression was one of shock and pain. Jacklynn reached down and hooked her arms under his before dragging him free of the clutter.
She staggered under his weight but quickly righted herself and examined him for serious injuries. “Are you alright?”
“More or less,” the teen groaned, then winced as Jacklynn’s fingers brushed an angry gash on his forehead. “What happened?”
“Renders,” Thaddeus said quickly as he reached over and pulled the younger man free of Jacklynn’s grasp. “We’re not safe here. Let’s get moving.” He helped the injured Isaac along as was necessary. The teen was able to walk on his own for the most part, but he mentioned the injuries left him with a splitting headache.
The three of them stumbled and maneuvered their way down the hall and into the lobby, which was almost unrecognizable. Despite his trying to conceal it, Jacklynn noticed the look of heartbreaking disappointment on Thaddeus’s face.
The clinic was his home and his livelihood, and now it lay in ruins. She could only imagine the pain he felt at losing it all so suddenly. Glancing over, Jacklynn saw the plaque still hanging on the wall, crooked now after the force of the blast. While Thaddeus helped Isaac toward the door, she reached over to pull it off the wall, tucking it inside her coat. A moment later, she caught up and joined the other two outside. They hobbled away from the wreckage, only to freeze in the middle of the street as they took in the scene around them.
Distant buildings were on fire, the scent of smoke and the sound of screams mingled in the air. Dozens of people lay unmoving on the pavement, dead or dying. A familiar, reverberating hum began vibrating the ground beneath their feet and filling their ears.
“Ship’s coming back,” Jacklynn said quickly as she urged Isaac and Thaddeus along. “We have to get out of the open.” She led the way around the remains of the clinic, hoping that the truck was still there. They rounded the corner, and to her relief, it was, but the feeling was short-lived when a watery growl resonated from the shadows. She stopped in her tracks and motioned for the two behind her to do the same. Climbing over the top of the truck was a tall, armored figure, its four arms and powerful legs helping it along. The top of the metal roof creaked, then caved in under its weight as it looked around from its vantage point. “Hunter,” Jacklynn whispered to her companions.
“Get back,” Thaddeus said, releasing Isaac to free up his hands. The doctor reached for the shotgun strapped to his back, pulled it forward, and switched the safety off. Stepping in front of Jacklynn and Isaac with a firm, protective stance, he took aim and waited for the render to notice him. As soon as the beast settled its four black eyes on him, it leapt down from the truck and charged. Jacklynn instinctively stepped in front of Isaac, even though she knew Thaddeus had the hunter in his sights. In an instant, the gun blast rang out, and the creature collapsed with a long, deep groan before it moved no more. The powerful shot passed clean through its exoskeleton and out its back, destroying its weak point.
“Nice shot,” Jacklynn said, adjusting Isaac’s arm around her shoulders.
“Thanks,” Thaddeus replied while his eyes scanned the surroundings. “Let’s keep going. That shot’s probably going to bring more renders to the area.”
Jacklynn nodded and watched as he moved over to help support her nephew. “How far to the shelter?”
“Not far,” Thaddeus said. “Just a little south of the west gate.” He directed them along with one hand on Isaac’s hip to help steer him through piles of rubble and overturned cars. In the distance, a siren blared into the night, seeming to herald the end of Omaha. Glancing down at the teen in his grasp, he asked over the haunting noise, “You doing alright, son?”
Isaac gave a weak nod, sweat dripping from his brow. “I’m a little dizzy,” he admitted, then winced as his foot caught on something. Jacklynn and Thaddeus steadied him.
“Hang in there,” Jacklynn said, looking him over. He was clearly exhausted. It was a wonder he was standing, or that he was even conscious after half a building collapsed on top of him. Whatever specific injuries were agitating him, Jacklynn decided it wasn’t worth discussing at the moment. She had to stay focused or none of them would live to see morning. With that thought, an anxious prickling sensation embedded itself into her very bones. Her senses heightened. The instinct to survive had kicked in.
As they staggered through the lines of rugged debris, trying to ignore the bodies strewn amongst the wreckage, the engine of a nearby car screeched to their left. Jacklynn whirled at the sudden, deafening noise to see someone inside a damaged vehicle trying to start it.
“No, no,” she growled through clenched teeth. Releasing Isaac, she rushed over to the car and yanked the driver’s side door open to see a frantic woman turning a key in the ignition. The girl’s body was covered in lacerations, and her hair looked like it had been burned. “Get out,” Jacklynn ordered, her voice low but firm.
“I almost had it,” the woman rasped, twisting her shaky arm to try again before Jacklynn could stop her. The engine clunked and squealed as it turned over.
Jacklynn reached in and gripped the woman by the wrist to keep her from turning the key a third time. “You’re going to bring the renders right to us with that racket,” she spat, trying to drag the struggling woman out of the seat. Just as she pulled the girl outside, the entire vehicle swayed and a droning growl reverberated from the darkness.
Jacklynn froze, moving only her eyes to glimpse the silhouette of a hunter framed by the blazing horizon. The beast climbed onto the hood of the car. It hadn’t seen them yet. But the woman next to Jacklynn saw it and sucked in a breath as if to scream. Clamping a hand over the girl’s mouth, Jacklynn pulled her down out of sight, their backs pressed against the rear tire of the car.
The creak of metal grew louder as the hunter moved over the top of the car. Further off, she heard the heavy footsteps of more renders converging on the area. Jacklynn tensed, blood thrumming in her ears. Leaning down just far enough to peek under the car, she counted at least five pairs of armored render legs stalking the ground. As she leaned back up, she allowed a glance to where Thaddeus and Isaac were crouched in the shadows of the rubble a few yards away. The two men watched her with wide eyes, as if both of them were silently offering help. Jacklynn shook her head. If they tried to help now, it would only provoke the hunter and draw its attention to all of them, and cause the others nearby to swarm in a matter of seconds.
Instead, she crept her hand around, searching for something she could use. Her fingers soon closed around a small but heavy chunk of concrete. Pulling it up to her chest, she looked over at the frightened girl. Staring the stranger in the eyes, Jacklynn lifted a rigid finger to her own lips. Then, leaning toward the back of the vehicle, she adjusted her grip on the concrete, aimed, and chucked it at a nearby structure. The jagged piece of debris slammed into a metal door with a reverberating clang.
The hunter swerved with a growl before leaping off the car and running to investigate the noise. Jacklynn grabbed the other girl’s arm and yanked her up. While the render swiveled its head to find the source of the noise, Jacklynn quickly pulled the terrified woman along. They climbed through more wreckage as quickly and quietly as they could. All the while, Jacklynn kept her eye on the agitated hunter behind them.
“Over there,” Jacklynn whispered, pointing the girl to a metal shop building ahead. Thaddeus and Isaac had moved to hide in the building, probably after she had provided the distraction. If she and the younger woman could reach them, then they could work on distancing themselves from the renders. Looking back, Jacklynn saw that the other hunters were approaching the one already by the door, drawn by the earlier sound.
Good, she thought. As long as they’re distracted, we have a—
The warbled crackle of sliding concrete seemed to echo like a gunshot. Jacklynn’s head swiveled to see the girl had slipped and fallen, disturbing the landmine of rubble around them. The stranger lifted remorseful, glistening eyes to meet Jacklynn’s a second before the clamor of dense footfalls charged their way. Jacklynn’s face paled as the crowd of renders sped toward them out of the shadows.
“Go, run!” Jacklynn ordered as she turned around and scrambled through the wreckage. The girl struggled to find her feet on top of the unstable slabs of broken up pavement. Rushing up to her, Jacklynn gripped the stranger’s arm like a vise and jerked her upright just as the first render charged over the hill of debris. “Run!” she repeated, pushing the girl forward.
The growls behind them sounded close, but Jacklynn didn’t dare look behind her to confirm it. They sprinted for the cover of a nearby house at the end of the street. The roar of approaching renders drowned out their footsteps and labored breathing while the pair fled toward the structure. They ran straight past the spot where Thaddeus and Isaac were hiding with barely a glance. It was better that way. Since there was no avoiding the renders now, Jacklynn would rather lead them as far away from her undetected loved ones as possible. Blasts of energy zoomed past them as the group of hunters opened fire. If she and the girl could break their pursuers’ line of sight, maybe that would be enough, Jacklynn thought, picking up speed. She could only hope that Thaddeus and Isaac would find a safer route to the shelter.
The two of them were almost to the house when a strangled yelp from behind drew Jacklynn’s attention in time to see the girl trip and collapse with a jarring thud. Spinning around, Jacklynn started to reach for the stranger, then her chest knotted as she glimpsed movement overhead. The hulking frame of a render ship hovered into view above the buildings.
Before she could blink, a flash of blinding blue light exploded all around her.