Alien Storm Read Free Page A

Rachel nodded as data appeared on the screen: close-up pictures of the camp and thermal scans of the vehicles. People inside the camp showed up in red.
    Commander Craig studied the thermal overview. “Looks like we’ve got about sixty warm bodies in there, sir. There’s a scattered group of about twenty moving to the south on foot. Probably deserters from the camp making a run for it. We’ll pick them up later. Our intel suggests we’ve got at least thirty wanted criminals amongst this mob.”
    â€œI want zero casualties,” she reminded him. “You have permission to proceed.”
    â€œWe have a go,” Craig said into the comm. “Air support, take out the unoccupied vehicles. Let’s clear a path for the ground assault.”
    The first missile hit as Eco was running across the central area of the camp. An ageing camper-van to his left exploded, rising into the air and coming down with an almighty crash that rocked the entire camp. Eco’s legs fell from under him and he hit the sand, rolling onto his back and blinking in confusion. The sound of the explosion was quickly replaced by a ringing in his ears. He looked around and watched people running left and right, their mouths working as if they were screaming, but all he heard was the ringing.
    I’m deaf , he thought as something like a massive, black bird appeared overhead – a helicopter hovering directly over the centre of the camp. Eco watched in fascination as it made a leisurely turn, taking in its surroundings, completely unconcerned with the chaos it had created below. The machine stopped its rotation and fired a second missile, lighting up a bus that formed the back door of the camp. Eco pulled himself to his feet and walked backwards, noticing for the first time that the helicopter had no spinning blades. He wondered how it stayed in the air, as two identical machines appeared above the camp.
    â€œHey!” Eco yelled as a man ran from his hiding place near the east wall. “Do something! Shoot at them!”
    The man tossed his shotgun at Eco’s feet. “You shoot at them!” he said and fell on his knees, hands on his head. “I’m surrendering!”
    Eco was about to call him a coward when he noticed that at least thirty other people had abandoned their positions and were walking into the open area. They followed the man’s lead and threw their weapons down, kneeling before the three machines hovering above them. Shaking his head to clear the ringing, Eco bent down and picked up the shotgun. It was heavier than expected and felt alien in his hands.
    â€œKid, don’t be a fool!” a woman on her knees beside him hissed. “Look!”
    Eco held the gun limply and followed her gaze. Through the hole torn in the bus by the second missile he saw a line of black shapes approaching across the heat haze of the desert. Humvees – Eco had seen them in a film about Iraq. A few seconds later the first tank-like vehicle blazed into the camp, smashing aside the remnants of the bus and drawing up fast before the kneeling occupants of the camp. Doors on both sides of the machine swung open and six armoured soldiers ran out as the other Humvees pulled up.
    Eco’s legs went weak and the gun slipped from his fingers. The woman tugged at his T-shirt.
    â€œGet down!” she said. “You’re gonna get shot!”
    Eco didn’t move. He was fixated on the soldiers forming a line around the kneeling camp-dwellers. One of them raised a loudhailer to his mouth.
    â€œEveryone else, come out with your hands up!” he ordered. “You won’t be hurt if you give up now.”
    Immediately, twenty or so others emerged from the vehicles around the camp and assumed the position in front of the soldiers. The soldier with the loudhailer looked at the captain next to him and grinned.
    â€œMission accomplished, sir?” he said.
    His superior looked around the camp.