Free The Tide: Deadrise by Anthony J Melchiorri

into the flanks of the Skull horde. They turned their attention on the new airborne combatants. Some scaled the trees and leapt into the air, their claws flailing desperately as they tried to reach the helicopters. It would have been almost funny if Meredith didn’t know how deadly the creatures were.
    “Ignore the choppers,” Dom said. “These are the same people who fired on the boat. Get the hell back here!”
    Meredith’s entire body felt like it was on fire. She couldn’t tell if she was overheating in her combat gear or burning up with adrenaline. Either way, she used the excess energy to power through the streets with the others. The sawblade-like churn of machine-gun fire sent rounds spraying into the Skulls. Blood spilled. Bullet holes pocked abandoned vehicles and the sides of buildings.
    A spray of gunfire arced overhead, and Meredith ducked. It was far too close for comfort. The individuals in those choppers weren’t too careful about their aim. It made Meredith wonder if these people were actually military or if they were some rogue faction of survivors desperate to secure a place for themselves by quelling any threat, Skull or human, in their territory.
    All she knew was that she didn’t want to stick around to find out.
    “Watch out!” Andris cried.
    Meredith had just enough time to dive and roll. She felt the sting on her elbows as her fatigues tore. But it was a small price to pay for avoiding the chunk of concrete that flew overhead. As she watched the trajectory of the projectile, she realized it hadn’t been intended for her anyway. She heard the victorious roar of a Goliath when the concrete and rebar missile crashed into one of the helicopters. Metal screeched. The bird listed and shook. It continued to tilt and then fell into a slow descent. The chopper slammed sideways into a nearby parking lot, and the spinning blades were shorn off, sending fragments of metal flying. A piece of blade severed the head of one Skull, and a long shard embedded itself in another beast’s chest. A final blast of fire bloomed from the chopper and tossed dozens of Skulls backwards.
    But instead of dissuading the Skulls, the monsters surged to the downed chopper. Several broke into the burning cockpit. Meredith felt a fierce urge to help the two people she watched torn from their seats. She knew it was already too late as the Skulls ripped into the flesh of the pilots. There would be nothing for her to save even if she could reach the helicopter.
    Three more choppers still hovered nearby, raining down vengeance for their lost squadron members. Flames licked into the sky. Skulls, silhouetted by the conflagration, rent the air with demonic howls. Human screams answered from the downed chopper as ravenous monsters dug through the burning wreckage.
    It was, Meredith decided, hell on earth.
    ***
    D om wasn’t certain why the choppers had flown from the Joint Force Base. He could understand their aggression toward a boat that might be carrying people infected by the Oni Agent toward their base. But taking an unnecessary risk by coming to this side of the Potomac seemed, well, unnecessary. In his paranoia, he wondered if the military units there had somehow identified his little ragtag band as the Hunters that Kinsey had been looking for. He sure as hell hoped not. Maybe there was some other, more prudent reason for their actions, but Dom didn’t bother trying to figure it out. He knew his team might have one shot to escape, and they could no longer delay. He’d seen what was headed in their direction, and he didn’t like it.
    “Spencer, you ready to move?” Dom said, gathering up as many of their supplies as possible. He placed a few planned C4 charges around the damaged columns of the building and pocketed the detonator.
    Spencer nodded. His jaw was still clenched, and the bandages covering his face had bled through again. Despite this, the man looked stolid as ever. He grabbed the rest of the packs and grunted,