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multiple hostiles. Non-human! I repeat, non-human, attacking us from all sides! Request immediate -’
                It sounded like Fifth Unit. Corporal Stevens. Stevens’ team entered the Complex by the northern stairwell. Coleman could only imagine the carnage if they became trapped in the stairwell.
                What have we walked into?
                Listening now, Coleman heard automatic CMAR-17 fire coming from every corner of the Complex. Multiple skirmishes. Every team sounded heavily engaged.
                Desperate engagements , Coleman realized from the sound of the sustained gunfire. The creatures are everywhere.
                He heard another voice he recognized on the headset, Corporal Harrison’s, a friend of Coleman’s since basic training. Harrison was attempting to fight and make a combat report simultaneously:
                ‘- got too many…(static)…be everywhere…(static)…defensive withdrawal through…(static)…civilian casualties coming…(static)…trapped in -’
                The radio message cut off.
                Coleman stopped trying to make sense of the fragmented messages. Third Unit was scattered everywhere. To the west, Fisher and London stood back-to-back firing. Closer to Coleman’s position, Marlin and King sidestepped around a creature thrashing wildly under their assault. They lifted their weapons high and angled their shots downwards to avoid hitting passing civilians.
                To Coleman’s right, to the east, Tremaine, Gill and Forest each worked on their own, weaving through the chaos, shooting, moving, shooting again.
                Coleman noticed a pattern in the creatures’ behavior. Gunfire affected their movements. Even the creatures not being fired upon moved erratically and changed directions every time a weapon discharged nearby. He saw the pattern, but didn’t have time to dwell on it.
                Because at that moment he saw Forest in trouble.
                Forest’s assault rifle had run dry. He stood plugging aimed pistol shots into a creature charging straight towards him.
                Coleman keyed his headset radio. ‘Forest, get ready to reload.’
                Forest didn’t respond. He was busy shooting for his life.
                Coleman dropped to one knee and leveled his assault rifle between Forest and the creature.
                He thumbed the weapon to fully-automatic and aimed. When the creature’s wasp-like body filled his weapon-sight, he squeezed the trigger. The blast of fully-automatic fire ripped down the side of the creature like a cheese-grater.
                The creature rolled away from the impact, its momentum thrown off by the side-attack.
                Forest reacted instantly. He holstered his pistol and in one smooth motion lifted out a fresh ammunition magazine for his rifle. He rammed the magazine home, cocked his weapon, and started firing downwards into the creature like he was hosing leaves off a driveway.
                Coleman spun towards the sound of sustained gunfire to the west. Third Unit’s attack had formed a temporary breach between the creatures and the evacuees. At the head of that breach, Privates Fisher and London faced the full force of the swarming creatures.
                Standing back-to-back, Fisher and London used a three-hundred and sixty degree arc of gunfire to hurt everything in their range. Creatures swarmed towards them from everyside. Their CMAR-17s fired white-hot, but the creatures surged closer every moment.
                Fisher’s voice burst over Coleman’s radio. ‘Backup. We need backup right now!’
                Coleman searched for a way to help. He couldn’t reach Fisher and London in time. King and Marlin looked closer, but were maneuvering to place a