We abandoned everything that we could not carry and most were carrying wounded. A few of the priest was still here and they were helping where they could. We were forced to leave the dead where they were. Two priests had dedicated themselves to giving final prayers for the dead.

As we walked across the plaza, the zone was slowly following us. The sounds of weapons fire from the North and South continued, but I had learned to spot them falling back.

We quickly crossed the open space towards the buildings on the side.

“What’s the name of this plaza.” I asked no one in particular.

“This is the Piazza San Pietro.” Hawk tells me. “Saint Peter’s Square in English.”

We continue onto the front of the cathedral. Another line of barricades having set up here and is guarded by additional military personnel. More priests and quite a few nuns were moving around or in groups praying. They were being ushered away now as I saw transport helicopters landing behind the cathedral. I think it’s a cathedral.

I looked back towards the zone edge and noted that it now had covered the battle site in the time it took us to cross the square.

We were let through the barricade. The wounded were quickly taken away. I took this opportunity to sit on the stairs. My body was aching from the day’s exertions. I felt I had to sleep for a week.

Henry joined me. Goldsmith was talking to someone further away. The rest of the RCT had been pulled back or evacuated. The rest were scattered across the plaza. I noticed that Lou had reappeared and came over to us.

“Gregson’s been evacuated.” He told me. I nod and pull out my canteen. He looked back across the square as I unscrewed the lid. I lift my faceplate, which I notice has a crack and start drinking.

I noticed that the quiet had returned. Not just here but all around. The sounds are weapons fire has died off.

“It’s quiet now.” I point out.

“Yeah, they pulled everyone out now. The city has been almost evacuated.” Lou confirmed. He was still looking around the square.

“How long before we are gone?” I ask.

“We will be some of the last to go.” Hawk answers as he comes over with Goldsmith. “Sgt, head back to the transport point you are being pulled out.”

He turned to look at the Major and was about to argue. However, the look he got from the major told him not to and go. He went grudgingly and muttering darkly beneath his breath the whole way.

“As you all know, we are evacuating. We need to hold here a bit longer, though. You three and two other Euro Corp operatives are the only ones left standing here. The British government has agreed to have you hold dear as long as you can. When the time comes, this is your evacuation route.” He gives each of us a map with the pickup point and backups if required.

“Are you staying major?” Goldsmith asks.

“No, like Sgt Green had been ordered to withdraw. All British military personnel apart from yourselves are falling back right now.” Goldsmith is unhappy about this but doesn’t say anything.

“I and several others had requested to stay but were overridden. Stay together, look out for each other and I will meet you at the airport with the ride home.” He was unhappy at his orders but obeyed. There was nothing else he could say and he turned motion into the remaining British personnel and they quickly moved away.

“Fucking politics!” Goldsmith muttered.

“What’s up?” Henry asked her.

“Think about it. We “three” make up the best in British Zone Command operatives.” It can be hard for her to admit that about me. “We make up an important group of military assets. Yet here we are, holding a position with very little support. With the world’s media watching us. It’s all politics and we have been classed as expendable by it.”

“What media?” I asked, looking around. I can see any film crews here at all.

“The drones idiot!” She exclaims in great frustration. Rolling her eyes.

I look at the drones again. I had noted earlier that there were few military drones and the remaining ones were civilian. Paying more attention, I noticed the different media outlet logos and many of them.

“This is all being transmitted live and going out around the world.”

“Fuck!” I say quietly, shocked.

“Yes, John. Your last set of escapades was seen by a large number of people worldwide.” She told me gleefully, knowing how much I hated the limelight. She was now enjoying this too much.

Before anything else could be said, the soldiers manning the last barricade began picking off zombies that were emerging from the fog. I perked up. We quickly counted them off and I knew there was no threat. There were only eight and they were quickly put down.

I relaxed back as they were picked off. The other two had made the same calculations I had and had relaxed as well. The zone continued its expansion relentlessly but still slower than earlier.

“We will not be here long anyway.” She continued. “30 to 45 minutes at most. That’s how long the zone edge will take to reach this building and subsume it.”

That sounds about right to me.

“So, it’s all just a public relations stunt with us.” Henry mused.

“Fundamentally yes.” She answered him.

“Fuckers!”

He fell quiet at this and I was in no mood for talking anyway. I was looking at the fog. I had said anything but the feeling of being watched was still there. There was something out there watching me still.

I stood up, groaning as my body protested at every action. Especially my knees and back. I stretched, relieving some of the pressure and knots that were forming.

More zombies had appeared from the fog and were quickly dispatched.

Looking at the wall of grey in front of me, I saw no red eyes or blue light. So far, so good. But I knew I wasn’t that lucky. There was something else. I was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“Nothing we can do but wait.” I thought about and the others agreed. So, we watched and waited.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have to wait long.

They came from the fog. Twisted humanoid figures. Humanoids, as in they had a roughly human shape except with a lot more mass in most cases. Walking mounds of flesh encased in some form of bone/metal/other? It was black. I think I was reflecting light oddly like it was covered in oil.

The armour was some form of a parody of ours. But I realised it covered all the vulnerable spots extremely well, including the head. As they approached, I could see red glowing eyes through the visor slits of the helmets, even from a distance.

Their hands were claws that were covered in the same material as their armour. I knew at once I did not want to be on the business end of those things. I looked around and found what I was going to need.

I ran over and picked up a tactical compost shield. It was shaped like a riot shield but made of layers of different composts to give it greater strength. Command had been trying to get me to adopt one. I slipped my arm into the straps and tightened them.

The line of bodies defending the steps was a lot less now. They had steadily pulled off all the priests and several of the soldiers. Two European operatives were still with us on the line, but the remainder had been wounded or removed.

The few soldiers left were now shooting at what was approaching. Unfortunately, the distance between the wall of fog and our line was not that great. The bullets were not having the desired effect.

Whatever these things were, their armour was protecting them. Here and there, one went down but was getting back up. The majority pushed on. Walking at a steady pace towards us, there was at least a dozen still moving.

We stood shoulder to shoulder, waiting for the attack. Henry was in the middle while I was on the right and Goldsmith was on the left. We were located to the far right of the line.

Suddenly the remaining twelve figures broke into a sprint. It turns out they were bloody fast for their size and obvious weight.

They were quickly upon us.

They jumped over the barriers with no real impediment. And the killing began.

Grave Chill.

Hit me so bad and was the kind I had only experienced ever in my life. It was like my entire body had suddenly become frozen. I honestly started shaking from the cold it was so sudden.

One engaged us while the rest began ripping through the defenders. It jumped the barrier and barrelled into Henry. He got a shield up in time, no problem, but the sheer force of the impact sent him flying backwards onto the stairs. I turned slightly to face the creature while Goldsmith attacked from the other direction.

She had always favoured the sword and used its point to get into the armour sections. I opted for the blunt force route and started hacking at it with my axe.

Whatever the armour sections were made of were tough. My axe did not bite into them not at all and the shock of impact quickly travelled from my arm into my shoulder. Goldsmith, too was not having much success in whatever we were facing and quickly decided to return the favour.

It ignored me at first and lashed out at Goldsmith. Its claws shredded the shield she used to block with like it was paper. She screamed out in pain as blood flew from her arm. Even the armour sections of the suit were ripped open. She fell down as the force of the impact knocked her into the barriers.

I took the opportunity that the creature presented to me as it was facing her and I was slightly behind it now to ram my axe head into its neck. Luck was with me as I got between the head and shoulders armour plates.

Black blood poured from the injury as my axe ripped deep into the flesh but was stopped by the spine’s bone. One of its clawed hands grabbed onto the axe’s head and ripped it from his body with such force that it flew from my hand.

I was knocked off balance by this as I was pulled towards the creature by the force of the pull as it turned.

My shield, however, was in the right place to take the blow that the creature responded with. The top third of my shield was just ripped cleanly off and I was flung to the right by the kinetic energy of the blow.

My entire left side was exposed, but no follow-up came. Henry had re-entered the fight. He was using a large spiked mace that was weighted towards its head more than normal. This was to give extra hitting power when it connected.

Like it did now.

The side of its armoured head suddenly cracked. Whatever material was protecting the skull was clearly broken. It was knocked into the barriers by the impact. Henry didn’t get any time to celebrate as it quickly turned and began to attack him.

I use this opportunity to grab my Gladius and draw it from its sheath.

Its back was to me again as it ripped Henry’s shield to pieces. I jumped onto its back, angling my gladius to the back of its neck. I used my body weight and force of momentum to drive the blade through its spine.

It was knocked forward a step or two by the force of the impact.

It then collapses to its knees, with my blade protruding several inches from the front of its throat. It had been completely silent through the whole fight. It was still silent as I cut my boot onto its back and pulled my blade from its neck and Henry then smashed its skull in with repeated blows from his mace.

Looking quickly up and down the line, it was clear we were in trouble.