Free The Last Mission of the Living (The Last Bastion Book 2) by Rhiannon Frater

coming over the walls or down the stairs,” Franklin answered.
    “Then we keep our backs to the doors.” The two red dots on Lindsey’s screen were still a safe distance away. “Petra, open it up.”
    The blast doors behind them shuddered as the gears within twirled and opened the locking mechanism. A second later, the doors started to part.
    “Let’s see how desperate they are.” Lindsey adjusted her crouch and pressed against the steps, her gun resting on Hobbes’ shoulder. Her leg and hip were on fire with pain, but Lindsey ignored the discomfort.
    Franklin and MacDonald also tried to minimize how visible they were from the top of the stairs and lifted their weapons.
    The doors continued to yawn open.
    Lindsey could only hope that the Abscrags took the bait. It wasn’t just her life on the line, but those of her squad, MacDonald, and the city. The intelligent Inferi Scourge would cause serious trouble for the forces clearing out the valley. If the Anomaly Scrags continued to ambush squads and transform them, a new outbreak would cause delays The Bastion couldn’t afford. The very survival of The Bastion’s populace depended on the valley being retaken and the lost resources being reclaimed. Humanity was hovering on the brink of extinction.
    The Abscrags had to die.
    “Where are they?” Franklin’s voice whispered through the feed.
    “Watching,” Lindsey answered.
    If she were her enemy, she’d be weighing her options. They were under duress to make a choice and soon, which meant they might act on impulse.
    “I have to shut the doors, Vanguard,” Petra said.
    “Understood.” Lindsey knew this would be the pivotal moment. Once the doors started to close, the Abscrags would have to make a decision.
    “They’re going to rush us now,” MacDonald said with certainty.
    A loud Scrag screech sliced through the night. The two red dots on Lindsey’s readout started to turn back. Body tensing, Lindsey aimed at the top of the stairwell.
    The attack came from both flanks. The two Inferi Scourge bounded over the low wall at the same time from opposite sides. The Abscrags hadn’t dared to fire on the three soldiers below in fear of losing precious seconds they needed to get into the subway station. The woman, Alkan, landed on top of the insensible forms of Hobbes and Giacomi, lost her balance, and slammed backwards onto the stairs.
    The male, Reese, landed in close proximity to Franklin, almost striking her, but she managed to roll to one side. Landing awkwardly on one leg, there was an audible snap as his femur took the brunt of his weight. Howling, Reese lost track of his weapon as he toppled over.
    It was all happening so fast.
    Lindsey attempted to aim at the female, but Alkan swung her electroshock weapon toward Lindsey and MacDonald and fired in short bursts. Ducking, Lindsey hunched behind her two unconscious friends. Hobbes’ body seized as a disc struck him. Flinching, Lindsey mentally apologized to him.
    Behind Lindsey, Reese grappled with Franklin. Lindsey gritted her teeth and lashed out with one leg, her boot slamming into the side of his head. With a terrifying screech, he turned on her, red eyes illuminated by the light from Lindsey’s weapon. Her finger started to pull on the trigger just as Reese was struck by one of the discs. Collapsing, Reese’s body fell toward the closing doors. Franklin grunted as she kicked him with both feet, knocking him away from the entrance.
    “I’m good, I’m good,” Franklin said breathlessly. She had apparently only received a minor shock. With a grunt, she fired a single bullet into Reese’s head.
    Meanwhile, next to Lindsey, MacDonald attempted to get a good shot at Alkan. The female Abscrag was relentless and had MacDonald pinned. He couldn’t even risk lifting his head for fear of being hit. The second she had to reload, Alkan had to know she was as good as dead. Lindsey and MacDonald both waited for that inevitable moment, fingers ready on the