Грань будущего

           Ifabuildinggotinourway,wecarvedanewpaththroughwithourbattleaxes.WedetonatedafueldepottodestroyanentiremobofMimics.Wewrenchedoffpartoftheantennatower’sbaseanduseditasabarricade.TheFullMetalBitchandthesquireathersideweresteeldeathincarnate.

           Wecameacrossamanhiddenbehindtheburninghulkofanarmoredcar.AMimicwasbearingdownonhim,andIknewwithoutbeingtoldthatthisonewasminetotakecareof.Istruck,andtheMimicfell.Quickly,IputmyselfbetweentheMimic’scorpseandthemantoprotecthimfromtheconductivesandspillingoutofitsbody.WithoutaJackettofilterthenanobots,thesandwasdeadly.

           Ritasecuredaperimeteraroundthewoundedman.Smokebillowedfromthecar,reducingvisibilitytonexttonothing.Tenmetersaway,ataboutsixo’clock,layasteeltowerthathadfallenonitsside.Beyondthat,ourDopplerwasswarmingwithwhitepointsoflight.Ifwestayedherewe’dbeoverrunbyMimics.

           Theman’slegwaspinnedbeneaththeoverturnedvehicle.Hewaswell-muscled,andanoldfilmcamerahungfromaneckwhichwasmuchthickerthanmyown.ItwasMurdoch,thejournalistwho’dbeensnappingpicturesatRita’ssideduringPT.

           Ritakneeledandexaminedhisleg."Ithoughtyoutriedtostayoutofbattle."

           "Itwasagoodshot,SergeantMajor.APulitzerforsure,ifI’dmanagedtotakeit.Didn’tcountontheexplosion,though."Sootandgrimefouledthecornersofhismouth.

           "Idon’tknowwhetherthatmakesyouluckyorunlucky"