The euphoria of my first battle is just now wearing off. Looks like we are pulling over. I imagine to examine Spear’s wounds and take account from the incident over all. I am pleased to write that my Smoke buddy, Collins, seems to be back to his perky self. He tells me we are less than an hour’s drive from Chicago…No Man’s Land.

Marks and Ito gingerly pulled Spears from his seat and onto the wet pavement. His leg was stiff and damp to the touch. His lower pant leg was brownish in color from the amount of blood that soaked into the fabric. Marks used a small pair of scissors from his first aid pouch to cut open the lower part of Spears’ trousers.

Spears sucked in air with a sharp hiss. His wound was already infected.

“Chavez!” beckoned Marks.

Miranda jogged over to the trio, but flinched at the gruesome sight. Spear’s raw flesh was covered in a strange pale slime. Most of his muscle had deteriorated away leaving flecks of white bone visible in the wound.

“Spears won’t make this trip if he doesn’t get to surgery,” said Miranda. She zoomed her camera sights and waited for it to focus on the corrosive slime. “The host’s saliva acts as an acid, to break down its meal. Much like we’ve observed how the Helix eat.”

“C-can’t f-feel a thing, Sarge,” grunted Spears.

“You’ll start feeling it soon, trust me.” Marks cleaned the wound to the best of his ability and began wrapping the gash with a bandage. “And I can’t have you on this mission in your condition.”

“W-who apart f-from the gods is without p-pain for his whole l-lifetime’s length? Aeschylus,” responded Spears. His face shivered and sweat.

“I really don’t care what some Roman dead guy has to say about this, Spears.”

“Greek, Sergeant,” corrected Miranda.

Marks glared at the doctor before turning to Ito. “Take Spears to the nearest post.”

“With all do respect, Sergeant, The mission is Fubar!” Ito said, raising her voice.

Fucked up beyond all recognition. I always found military jargon amusing. Fubar and Snafu are my two personal favorites.

“Stand down, Corporal.”

“Spears might lose a leg and you want to go into one of the most dangerous spots without any support for a hundred miles?” Ito was shouting now. Collins and Flores climbed out of their respective SMC’s.

“Stand down, Corporal,” Marks repeated.

“All because some civilian has a death wish and a fascination for these things?” Ito thrust her finger on Miranda’s chest. “You ain’t worth it, Fragglerock!”

“I said Stand down!” Marks roared. The entire squad cracked to attention at Marks’ thundering voice. “You think I don’t agree with you? I know that we are in for a world of shit. I know that! You know why I know that?” Marks didn’t wait for Ito’s response. “Because we’re the god damn Dead Man Division! We take the missions no one else will take and no command wants to give.”

“Hooah!” Collins cheered.

“Our mission is to bring Chavez to the No Man’s Land so she can learn something we don’t already know about the Helix.” Marks lifted up Spears and shouldered him. “Maybe it will be something that can help us win this damn thing…”

Hopefully.

“…And maybe it will just be another thing to show us how screwed we actually are.”

Hopefully not.

“But none of that matters, Ito. What matters now is that you get Spears some help.” Marks and Ito rested the wounded Spears into his seat.

“Marks…Tyler…If you don’t make it out of this, you taught-” Ito tried to say as she buckled her harness

“Save it,” said Marks. He pulled the SMC’s driving shield down.

Miranda watched as Ito and Spears drove away.

Marks put a hand on her shoulder. “Get to your Smoke. Chicago is our next stop”