The only sound was the clatter of our boots running down the ramrod-straight blast channel. I didn’t even know if there was anyone left at the evac node. It had all been one big panic before I’d given up trying to get orders and told everyone to get going. We’d been two doors in when the first nuke hit. They just kept coming too; city must be glass and echoes now. Most of the bay too.

Logan was gone. Henrik too. I remembered them joining the squad so many years ago. Forging them into deadly warriors. Drinking with them after missions. Their expressions – and lack thereof – as they turned to set up their last stand.

Weren’t many soldiers left now. Shot, stabbed, overrun by the swarm; lost all the others somehow. Might even be my own stupidity somewhere in that list of causes. I didn’t know how much longer we could keep running. The VIPs were flagging a bit – civvie suits didn’t provide as much power assist as ours did.

Damn it all to hell. We’d run until we got somewhere, even if that meant the afterlife.