Operation Phoenix: Turning Point Battle, Part 6

        by CyberPyro (cybrpyro@iac.net)

        Samhain had returned!  After CyberPyro unpinned him from the mall
parking lot, Samhain was prompted wrapped up in CP's arms, followed by
everyone else present, welcoming him back to the realm of the living.
        "*ack*!  froinlaven froinlaven!  Enough with the hugging and
everything!" mimicked Samhain.  "let's just get on with this already," he
concluded in his own voice, a wry grin turning up the corners of his mouth.
        "Right," said Cerberus, straightening his uniform, "I'll drive."
        "IIIIIIIIIIII don't think so.  I *do* live around here, ya know.
Gimme the keys--*I'm* driving," said Samhain, holding his hand out.
        "True," said Cerberus, tossing the keys to Sam who hopped into the
driver's seat and fired the engine up.  With a squealing of tires the Spam
truck, even more cases flying out the back now, barreled off towards the 801
Grand Building in downtown Des Moines, Iowa.

...

        The Luv Troopers patrolled around the 801 Grand Building, their mauve
uniforms matching the sky.  At Lord B'harnii's command they'd seized the
building and started fortifying it against possible attack.  Why It of The
One Tooth was so interested and insistent about this place, none of the
sponges could understand.
        But who really cared?  b'harnii luved them and gave then happy songs
to sing, so what did it matter?  Soon those icky Jihaddi would be gone and
they'd be able to forget about their guns and play games all the time.

...

        "Damn," said Owsen standing up from his scrying session.  "The 801
Grand is completely held by heavily armed spongin."
        "Oh, darn," said CyberPyro with dripping sarcasm as he loaded
grenades into his XRifle[tm].  "Guess we'll just have to kill 'em."
        "Don't get those rounds wet, CP," said J. FoxGlov, a bit perturbed.
        "We can take 'em without a problem," said Most Holy as he counted
shells for his 10 gauge.
        "Not liking guns at all, I am" said Windigo as she flexed her claws.
        "Remember, we're not here to kill spongies, we're here to get to the
top.  Only kill those who get in the way," said Samhain, slamming clips into
his two Berettas.                                  
        "Right, lets get this show on the road," said Cerberus picking up his
XRifle[tm] and heading for the door.  J-Rock was the first on his feet,
followed closely by everyone else.

...

        "What is _that_?" asked the wyrm minion Captain, pointing to a Spam
truck approaching from the west.
        "It's a TRUCK!" yelled the nearest Luv Soldier next to him, delighted
he could provide a good answer.
        "Obviously, moron," said the Captain, once again exasperated he had
to deal with these fools.  He grabbed his walkie-talkie and signaled command
about this development...
        A squad of luv soldiers deployed in front of the entrance, waving to
the oncoming truck.  The spam truck spun around, using the icy road to do a
sliding 180, as the luv minions yelled in surprised, and tried to take cover.
        The back door of the truck rattled up, revealing an M249 poking out
between a crevice in stacks of sandbags.  Most Holy's battle cry went unheard
as the M249 opened fire.
        A group of seven Luv Soldiers did a jerky dance, bullets tearing
through their bodies as steaming chunks of flesh and streams of crimson
splattered across the snowy sidewalk.  Four Luv Minions hid behind USA Today
and National Inquirer newsstands, trying to return fire.  One of the four
discharged rifle into the air, falling backwards to a steaming, wet sidewalk
as bullets punched through sheet metal, glass, newspaper, and flesh without
prejudice, blasting small craters into the marble of the 801 Grand Building
behind them.
        Five more Luv Minions met their doom as the side door of the Spam
truck flew open, disgorging Samhain, Cerberus, CyberPyro, and J-Rock.  The
four Jihaddi made a move for the front entrance, only to hit the pavement as
crossfire from farther down their side of the street slammed into the side of
the truck.
        "Dammit, there's a batch of Luv," started Samhain as he rolled to his
left, a stream of bullets ripping the pavement apart.  "Minions behind those
cars!"  Most Holy, seeing this, directed his M249 towards them, but to
minimal effect.
        "Wondering what we'll do about this ... *HISS!*" screamed Windigo as
a bullet grazed her right ear.  Owsen watched in recognition as her pupils
dilated slightly, white fur stood up on the nape of her neck, muscles
twitched, and Big Ass[tm] Claws flexed for killing.
        "NYAR!" howled Windigo, a white blur of claws, teeth, and fur headed
directly for the Luv Soldiers hidden behind the cars.
        "COVER HER!" screamed CyberPyro as his XRifle[tm] blazed plasma bolts
across the battlefield.  Everyone fired, filling the air with bullets, 
shells, ER PPC bolts, plasma bolts, and spells.  It proved effective: Windigo
reached the cars where the minions hid unharmed, and easily jumped them to 
get at her prey.
        A luv minion pulled out his 9mm browning and pointed it at Windigo,
intent on killing.  His forearm disappeared, ripped from its socket by a
swipe of his enemy's claw.  As shock and recognition began to set in, so did
Windigo's second attack, nearly separating his skull and spine as her nails
turned his throat and face into bloody ribbons.
        A Luv Soldier sprang at her from the side, a Ka-bar aimed at her
stomach.  He flew backwards, his blood impacting on the sidewalk moments
before his corpse landed, its torso torn wide open.
        Little chunks of safety glass showered Windigo's fur as a Mauve AK-47
shattered the windows and side of the car behind her.  The Luv Minion put her
arms up, shrieking in horror, as Windigo pounced.
        An attacking sponge lost his momentum, his former comrade's leg
knocking the wind out of him as the other pieces slid down the sidewalk.  His
larynx disappeared before he could attempt to draw another breath.  Moments
later, every minion was dead, Windigo howling over their fresh corpses.
        "C'mon Windigo!" yelled CyberPyro, motioning for her to rejoin the
Jihaddi.  In the time of her WarpSpasm the remaining Jihaddi had terminated
all resistance and were ready to enter the 801 Grand.
        "Impressed by this efficiency, I am," said Windigo as she looked at
the dozens of dead spongin strew about the entrance.

...

        [Excellent] thought the Empress as she viewed the Jihaddi entering
the Building.  [They are falling into their own trap.]

                                                                        CP

Copyright, Pyrokinetic Productions, Inc. (1996)