Meanwhile Issac and his team had come across the machine yard. Burning vehicles littered the area and those that were not on fire seemed to be battered or in a state of disrepair. One truck had been turned completely on its side. The wheels and axle bent at a wired angle.

Creeping closer, he bent under a ruined shed door, batting spider webs or whatever the local equivalent was out of his way. The building was partially collapsed and stank of some unidentifiable substance. Issac stepped on something, sending the object clattering noisily across the narrow space. He paused, partly to discover if anything had heard him and partly to see what the object was. He smirked when the item turned out to be a can of ready to eat general issue. Even without eating it, it was trying to kill him.

After a minute Issac continued onwards. He had to almost climb down a series of wooden supporting beams that had fallen from the roof in order to reach the side of the building overlooking the machine yard. Some dust was disturbed by his passing, drifting down before being pushed behind him by the air current coming in through the fractured wall. Hopefully it wouldn't cave in on me Issac thought. He enjoyed the good view he had of the machine yard for a while, taking note that it looked a lot more war-torn this close up. Ruined and blackened in places, he hoped they'd find something working or at least serviceable in there.

The plan was that he would act as a lookout while the rest of the team moved up. Since they didn't enjoy the benefits of micro-beads they had to do things the old fashioned way, sound. If any beasts showed up he would blast them, thereby alerting the rest of the unit. It wouldn't matter about the sound as the cover from nearby skirmishes would mask things and if there were any hive mind linked creatures around the sound wouldn't matter in any case.

Issac focused on Lando and Douglas as they approached the large entrance which was tall enough to accept the passage of massive 8 wheeled supply trucks and battletanks. It was completely black inside besides the foreboding red light which bathed the closed vehicle in a crimson glow. Lando stopped at the overturned truck, looked around quickly before waving Douglas forward.

The two men ran up to either side of the entrance, looked at each other to confirm they were reading from the same page, and darted inside. Issac held his position, just in case something came in behind them. All he could do was wait there and hope things went well inside. Well trust was an important thing in the guard. They trusted him to watch their back and he in turn should rely on them to carry out their job. Gunfire echoed out of the machine yard. Evidently they had ran into trouble.

One burst of lasfire, two, and then silence. Soon after that Lando appeared and gave a quick wave for everybody to move inside. After everyone had assembled, a few men were detailed to guard the entrance while the rest of the men searched around for a working vehicle. The gunfire as Lando had explained had actually come from a group of panicked mechanics who had opened fire at the first signs of movement. They had been forced to gun the three men down, no point in trying to talk down nut jobs Lando had stated. Douglas had been grim faced and nodded. Clearly he was of the same mindset. The red light mixed with the darkness was unnerving, constantly making you double check areas that had been previously cleared. One damaged battle tank at a distance looked like a fire breathing dragon, annoyed that its slumber had been disturbed.

Ben called over that he had found a flatbed truck in somewhat good condition. Only thing is that it needed a replacement battery. Finding one would have been impossible in this light, even with the aid of a torch had they not been stacked in the same area in typical guard efficiently. Of course a lot of them were unusable. Rancid acid polls had formed underneath a number of them. Ben, who had been detailed to find one and then fit it had tied a bandana around his face so as not to pass out from the fumes.

"Hey, I'm getting a signal through," said Jenkins, who was unhooking the vox unit from his back and setting it down on a metal table covered in documents which he pushed off to make room. "Its the Sergeant!"

With the earpiece pressed firmly against the side of his head, Jenkins listened intently while the message was relayed to him.

"Says he is having trouble finding this place. Hes using a vox unit that they found, its too large to carry so this will be his only transmission. Two men down, large enemy creatures in the area."

A few people turned their heads to listen, including Douglas who was on watch at the gate but one tap on the shoulder from Lando was enough to keep his gaze on the outside.

Jenkins set the receiver down and looked at Issac. "He said he wants you to give them a landmark that they can follow, something tall for them to use as a waypoint to find this place."

Issac nodded. "Hold on." Jogging to the nearest window he could see, Issac fumbled for the switch to raise it. As soon as he found it, warm light flooded into the dank workshop floor. He only opened it a fraction though, before removing his hand from the button. Looking for something large and easily identifiable, his gaze was drawn to a large tree which grew the poisonous blue pommy fruit. It towered over the other trees and plants and was also on fire which helped a bit. He thought for a moment.

"Ask the Sergeant to look for the pommy tree, its burning. The machine yard is on its southern side, about 200 meters."

Jenkins relayed the message back. We waited, Ben still working on the flatbed.

"He said he sees it and he will be with us in 15. Out."

So they'd lost a man as well. Hopefully it was Reed. Issac closed the window, it cluttered down with a grinding sound like metal on metal. Red black darkness again. He pulled out a flashlight and thumbed it on, ah that was much better. He hadn't used it before for fear of standing out like a beacon while holding a sign that read 'all you can eat right here' but he was confident that the place was empty after everyone had given it the once over.

Issac spotted a jeep which looked promising before looking at the underside and noticing that it lacked two back wheels. Well that was hardly helpful. Doubt they would have the time to scavenge a set of spares, and that's assuming the only problem with it was the lack of backwards propulsion. He noticed Jenkins in the yards office, the glass door hanging wide open. He spun around as Issac entered, autopistol in hand but didn't raise the weapon as soon as he realized who it was.

"Hey Issac, they have a proper long range vox unit laying on the table here. Its broadcasting and I was flipping through the channels, trying to find the one it was set too." He had already sat his pistol back on the table and was busy tampering with the vox.

"Ok, carry on. I'll keep watch for you so keep working."

He nodded before turning back and resuming his work. Issac looked around the workshop, silently thinking about the general state of things. His own reflection staring back at him in the offices glass wall. Things seemed worse than usual but didn't they always? The only break from fighting mankind's most dangerous enemies was fighting mankind itself when some no name dictator decided they could do a better job than the Imperium. Rebellions and peacekeeping missions were always jokingly referred to as holidays in the ranks of the guard.

"Hey Issac, I'm getting something. On the general channel, no wait, its being broadcast on all the common channels. Here, I'll set it to speaker."

A gruff male voice suddenly filled the room who sounded like he was reading from a script.

"...to the nearest city or Imperial base and await further instructions. The emperor protects. Due to an upsurge in enemy activity all guard elements in all are to disregard current orders and proceed to the nearest city or Imperial base and await further instructions. The emperor protects."

And so it went on. A recording that was set to loop endlessly, playing out the same message.

"What does this mean?" asked Jenkins with some uncertainty in his voice.

"It means that nothing has changed. Our plan was to get out of this meatgrinder and meet up with the nearest guard element as soon as possible and that's exactly what is..."

He stopped talking as a rather frantic looking Ben came running out of the gloom.

"Issac, there you are. We got trouble out front. Theres Tyranids moving around out there, they noticed us yet but its only a matter of time. What are.."

"Fine, get back to the truck and get it ready. I'll see about the gate." Issac cut him off, not wanting him to work himself up any more.

Douglas and Lando were on either side of the main entrance, one of the men held a shaving mirror in one hand to view what was going on without being seen. Issac approached as carefully as he could and ended up standing just behind Lando on the right hand side.

"What are we looking at here?" Issac asked.

"We're looking at a whole load of trouble hanging around outside. Large beasts, and many smaller ones are right next to us swarming around. Its only a matter of time until some of them decide to check out this area for anything to eat. How long are we going to have to wait here Issac?"

"Not long now, the Sergeant and the rest of the men are on their way here, they should be very close now. We got a ride, Ben's working on it. Just sit tight."

Lando didn't say anything after that, he just continued to watch the nids with his mirror. A few of the larger ones were carrying some heavy looking ordinance judging from the size and the amount of fleshy cables hanging from them, joining them to their carriers. Maybe they were the same entity altogether? Who knew?

The smaller creatures, like those whom they have fought in the thick jungle parted like free flowing water as the larger ones moved, avoiding their crushing feet as if they were one mind.

He retracted his arm and the mirror and listened to the constant chattering and growing from outside. Death was so close to them now, with just one wall of sheet metal separating him from a entire hoard of Tyranids. Most of the time you didn't know where the enemy was, didn't know when they would show up, to claim your life finally, but here, you knew. It was only around the corner.

A engine coughed and sputtered deeper in the building, sending an echo bouncing down throughout the structure.

"Who in the name of the holy emperor did that?" said Douglas, who looked like he may boil over at any minute.

"Ben, it must be Ben. He was looking shaky when he came to get me."

Douglas gripped his rifle hard, his jaw set.

"I'll kill that stupid idiot when I get my hands on him"

The noise from outside had picked up as well. Unseen forms were moving close, towards our position. The baying and snarling growing ever louder as they approached.

The engine noise was also picking up, a loose screw on the floor jumped up and down, being thrown around by a heavy object approaching. Then light lit up the 3 soldiers like deer in headlights from the headlamps of the flatbed truck that was hurtling forwards, a panic-stricken Ben in the cab.

Issac moved in front of the speeding truck, shouting out "Stop, stop" while waving his arms. Ben didn't slow down and Issac just barely had enough time to jump out of the way before it barrelled past him and left the machine yard.

"That scumbag left us out to die!" Lando exclaimed, moving a few steps after the vehicle before his rational mind took over and he stopped himself from charging into a mass of bloodthirsty enemy monsters.

Issac stabbed his finger at the door. "Hey, close the bay doors. They will be on us in a second thanks to Ben's idiocy!"

Douglas and Lando searched for a few frantic seconds for the shutter controls. Douglas was the first to spot the red lever mounted near the side and almost yanked it off the wall in his effort to pull it. The metal stutter doors lowered with a loud mechanical drone.

Come on, damn it, faster, Issac thought as he watched the doors lower what felt like slow motion.

He stole a glance outside and immediately pulled his head back as several bright discharges flared up on the horizon, blinding him with their intensity for a second. The metal wall plating near him sizzled and melted under the powerful effects of the corrosive acid, filling his nostrils with noxious fumes.

Before he become light headed, Issac backed up a few steps. If the acid could do that to solid metal, then he dared not think what it would do to human flesh. The metal shutter had almost finished closing, the motor above rumbling with the strain. He didn't expect it to hold the enemy for long but hopefully it would buy them some much needed time, however short.

"Lets get some space between us and the opening gentlemen," Issac shouted to be heard above the shutter, waving his arm behind him.

"Some of them might try to make it through before it shuts!"

The three men backed up, keeping the area in front of them covered. Just before the shutter reached the ground a blue shape darted under it, barely avoiding the gate as it hit the floor with a loud clang. Lasfire studded the 4 armed monster as it speeded towards the soldiers. Its body was peppered with holes and burn marks. One of its clawed arms was shattered and hug limply at its side. It let out a piercing cry, perhaps because it was denied its prey having been so close to it. It skidded along the floor, leaving a blood trail in its wake before coming to a halt.

A resounding impact drew everyone's attention to the shutter. Another, and another, one after the other! Rents began to appear in it, claws could be seen as they ripped through the metal. Not wanting to waste the limited time they had, Issac was just about to tell everyone to move to the rear of the warehouse when the seemingly dead Tyranid twitched, then lunged itself at the nearest target which happened to be Douglas. Caught unawares, he only had the time to register a look of total surprise before the Genestealer barrelled into him, a storm of slashing teeth and fangs. Douglas snapped off a shot into the roof as it caused him to lose he footing and pushed him onto the ground.

"Damn it, Douglas!" Issac screamed as he rushed towards his friend without thinking of the risks. Lando followed suit and together the two of them repeatedly battered the alien with their rifle stocks. In its weakened condition, they were able to knock it clear of Douglas for that brief moment they needed to empty their entire energy clips into it to make sure it was down for good.

"How is he?" Lando asked, standing over him with an unreadable expression.

He didn't look good. He was breathing heavily and had many cuts and lacerations across his body. Cruel looking puncher marks could be seen on his chest, which leaked lifeblood in a rapidly growing pool on the concrete around him. Douglas looked up weakly, tried to form some words but coughed up blood instead.

"Just grab his left arm Lando. Whatever happens we need to be away from here right now!"

The two men took one arm each and half dragged Douglas towards the other side of the machine yard, all the while the monsters baying for their blood could be heard as they threw themselves at the gate denying them with ever increasing force.

The noise was even loud enough to get through to Jenkins who had been enclosed in his own private little world, working on the vox unit with his ears muffled with headphones. The repeating message hadn't changed and he had been unable to find any other frequencies that offered anything better. Better check on the others and find out what was going on. He picked up his weapon and opened the glass door that lead into the main work area which opened with a c. Was that banging he heard? Had the enemy found us already? Jenkins felt his stomach knot with anxiety at the thought. Still he jogged towards the sound, not taking a step backwards. In his other hand he flicked on his flashlight. Not much use if he couldn't find them in the first place.

Issac saw the beam of light before Jenkins came jogging out from behind a big industrial tractor, he also saw his face change as he looked upon the sight in front of him. Two men covered in blood, propping up Douglas who looked as pale as a native maroot.

"Issac..." he began before he was cut off by Lando.

"We got the enemy breathing down our necks, not much time before they get in here. Go ahead of us and find a way out of here."

Jenkins just stood there, his mind sruggling to process what he was seeing.

"Now man!" Issac shouted.

Spurred to action, he gripped his weapon and ran, searching. A way out? What happened to getting out of here, they should have had the whole thing covered by now. His head spun left and right, there must be a back entrance to this place. Follow the wall he thought. He almost tripped on a pile of rubber tubing, such was the light. A loud booming crash filled the entire yard, something large hitting the factory floor behind them with a solid thunderclap. And then, a different sound. The not so distant bellowing of the Tyranid flood which hit Jenkins from all angles at once as an echo. Oh emperor, they're already in here. I have to get out of here!

Just then his enitre mood lifted as his flashlight illuminated what he had been looking for, a side door that must lead outside. He was just about to sprint back to the others when he heard gunfire just outside the door. The tensed up, waiting. The side door that promised sanctuary began to open.

"You hear that Issac? They must have bust down the door."

"I know, I know. Just keep moving," Issac replied with a little more unease in his voice than he would have liked.

Just a little more now. They passed endless rows of vehicles of all shapes and sizes, all neatly lined up together. Waiting for the loving care of technicians that would never come. It almost seemed like a graveyard at night.

Something was swinging from the roof, slowly swaying from side to side. It turned out to be a hook connected to a long chain. False alarm.

Issac took another look at Douglas. he had been silent for a while now, the bleeding wasn't stopping. They needed to get him out of here, and not just because of the Tyranids.

There was a clang that came from one of the trucks, something heavy had just landed on top of it. The flashlight was immediately killed. The guardsmen stopped dead.

Perched on top of it was another one of those four armed blue Tyranids, genestealers now that he had more than a free second to look. It cranked its neck from side to side, searching. Issac couldn't see the fine details of its face in the light but he could visualise it's malicious eyes rolling in their sockets, searching for them. They were completely in the open, in between the two lines of vehicles and it didn't take long for the Tyranid to look downwards and spot the three men with its excellent night vision.

"Hit the light!" yelled Issac. No point in staying in the dark if the things weren't hindered by it.

They both dropped low, letting Douglas slip on the floor. Lando lit up the target while firing with his other hand while Issac took accurate shots, holding his rifle two handed. The high pitched wine of lasrounds knocked the genestealer back a few steps, each flash from the lasgun lighted up the entire area like fireworks.

The onslaught pummelled the Tyranid horror, causing it to spasm and fall back out of sight.

"Grab his arm Issac, we need be gone, now!"

"Yeah I know."

Douglas groaned at the pain as he was quickly hoisted up and carried, his wounds opening up at the strain.

With constant glances back and the weight of a full grown man, progress was depressingly slow. They would never make it out at this rate. That gunfire would act like a beacon, drawing everything to them. Had Jenkins found a way out? Where was he?

The sound of something cutting through the air could be heard before several sharp spines shot past them and smashed the windscreen of the truck in front of them.

"Hit the deck!"

Issac dropped low, spun around and lined up his weapon, panning left and right, looking for the source of the fire. Damn this lack of light. A shadow moved a hairs breath near a black cube, probably a crate or something. He was sure it wasn't human as Jenkins would be on the other side.

Issac set his lasgun to single shot which would up the power and squeezed off three shots. One shot hit the crate with a show of sparks but the other two hit the shadow. It gave off an squeal and crumpled down to the concrete.

"Kill," he said out of habit.

"I got more targets moving in the darkness."

Issac could see the shapes as well as Lando could, could just about make out something raising a weapon.

The two men ducked down and scattered as a second barrage of spears was launched at them. Several stuck into the ground around the men as the Tyranids advanced on them. Lando dropped one of them that ventured too close but the return fire sent a spear into his leg, just above the thigh.

He doubled over, cursing the aliens with words they wouldn't understand. By this time Issac had kicked over a workbench and was busy laying down covering fire. It was laughable cover but you had to use what was at hand. He couldn't get to Douglas with those bastards taking pot shots.

With one hand, Lando clutched the white bone spear embedded in his leg. He didn't dare pull it out as the blood loss would kill him.

"Ahhh, damn son of a grox!"

He began to drag himself towards the sound of lasfire. A familiar sound, the sound of safety.

Isaac unclipped a grenade from his webbing, a frag, pulled back his arm and threw it in the direction of the enemy. It exploded in a dazzling display of brilliance, showering the area with super heated shards of metal.

The screams of his enemies filled the machine yard and it was music to his ears however the blast also blew away the darkness long enough for him to see a new threat. Four blue and green genestealers were sprinting in from the side, in between two massive sheaves filled with maintenance tools, their armoured carapaces reflecting the blast for only a moment.

Lando and Douglas were closer. Issac shouted a warning but there was no chance for them to get away, even as the words left his mouth Issac knew it was a lost cause. Lando, who was crawling, pulling his leg with him looked up in horror at the direction of the noise. The scrape of taloned feet could be heard, gouging holes in the concrete floor as they came. Out of the blackness came creatures from hell, one after the other. Lando screamed in defiance, holding the trigger down, promising himself that he would take as many of them with him as possible. The lead stealer took the brunt of the fire, its face disintegrating under the high powered laser fire but there were still more waiting behind it.

Issac couldn't see Lando and Douglas under the moving mass of genestealers, like an ocean of living death. They hadn't noticed him yet after he took out the gaunts. His squadmates surely dead, Issac unclipped a second frag grenade, threw it and started running down the row of vehicles. IF they were still alive, this would be a mercy.

A loud thump could be heard behind him before the mild shockwave hit, shaking some tools off the shelf and dust into the air.

Not all the aliens were killed in the blast as the now familiar clattering of talons told Issac that he was being followed. He didn't stop to look back and instead continued running, turning around a large pile of spare tires.

"Hey, Issac!"

That was Jenkins voice. Issac adjusted his direction and veered towards where it originated from. He was starting to tire, his breath becoming ragged. How long could he keep this pace up? In the gloom he could make out the rusted rear wall, almost there!

Inhuman shrieks felt like they were brushing the back of your neck. Issac spun around and saw three genestealers, their claws held high in an attack posture, ready to strike.

He backed up a few steps, as if that made any difference at all, sighted the nearest one and took aim. It was rocked with lasfire, but not his own. All three of them were assaulted with what looked like multiple lasgun fire, two dropping with a sickening sound of laser punching into flesh. They still tired to drag their broken bodies forwards, one claw at a time. Behind him Sergeant Cormac and the remainder of the squad were laying down covering fire. The last stealer which got the closest tried to leap at Issac but it only got a few centimetres off the ground before it was knocked back with lasfire. Issac finished off the crawling enemies with head shots, his expression cold and taking no little amount of satisfaction considering what they had done earlier.

Inhuman shrieks felt like they were brushing the back of your neck. Issac spun around and saw three genestealers, their claws held high in an attack posture, ready to strike.

He backed up a few steps, as if that made any difference at all, sighted the nearest one and took aim. It was rocked with lasfire, but not his own. All three of them were assaulted with what looked like multiple lasgun fire, two dropping with a sickening sound of laser punching into flesh. They still tired to drag their broken bodies forwards, one claw at a time. Behind him Sergeant Cormac and the remainder of the squad were laying down covering fire. The last stealer which got the closest tried to leap at Issac but it only got a few centimetres off the ground before it was knocked back with lasfire. Issac finished off the crawling enemies with head shots, his expression cold and taking no little amount of satisfaction considering what they had done earlier.

It was them who had been on the other side of the door and as soon as Jenkins had explained the situation they had went back to find Isaac.

"Where's the rest of them. Issac?" asked Jenkins.

"Dead," Issac replied, simply.

Everyone was silent for a few seconds after that, before Cormac took charge of the situation.

"Right, Jenkins has already filled me in on things."

He pointed his finger twice. "You and you, stack those barrels by the tires. The rest of you, keep watch."

Issac was one of the men keeping watch. Despite was had happened just moments before, now here he was, standing guard in a place he wanted to get out of with every fibre of his being. But his pride as a guardsman wouldn't let him leave.

Holes were stabbed into the red fuel drums which were than overturned and stacked near the tire pile. Flashlights scanned the dark, the only thing moving in the cone of light was dust that had been disturbed by the manual labour.

"Right, everyone out! Reed, light that sucker up when everyone is clear."

Issac ran outside, low, and took up a covering stance for the rest of the men. He breathed in great lungfuls of air. Ah, it was great to be outside again. Even this jungle hell was better than being trapped in a maze with monsters.

As soon as the last man was clear, Reed ignited the fuel with his lasgun.

The doorway burst into flames, a roaring inferno could be heard inside. Issac hoped they all burned to death.

Cormac ordered the advance and took the lead. Where he was going was anyone's guess though it was good for the men if the person in charge seemed to have a plan. Ben had really screwed them good. What would happen now?

The surrounding area this side of the machine yard was just more tents and trees though with dirt tracks that lead from the yard due to the vehicle traffic.

Several Tyranids followed us out of the burning building or maybe they were just trying to escape? Either way, lasrounds didn't even have to be wasted as they simply fell down after a while and died.

"Hey, we got company!"

Before Issac could ask, Cormac told him that it was Macallister who had been put on watch since he was still under the effects of the poison. It had worked its way through his system somewhat and he was starting to recover but he still wasn't in tip-top condition.

He moved up to us as fast as he could.

"We got a lot of nids coming round the side of the machine yard sir, larger warrior forms and countless smaller creatures."

"They must be what remained of the forces out front, those that didn't go into the barbecue," added Issac.

"Lets get out of here, someone help Macallister.

And so we ran again, always a fighting retreat. Many of the men just wanted to get back to a unit so they didn't have to run anymore, so they could stand and fight, drive the enemy back and destroy them.

The same scenery filled their gazes, the same endless rows of trees, tents and grass. The same smells of burning jungle and the occasional sent of death carried by the wind. This continued for a while until they reached the edge of the camp, where they heard a human voice.

"Come on, put your back into it!"

Cormac pushed his arm behind him, the signal for everyone to stay low and silent. Then he indicated Issac and Abel to flank him as he investigated.

They walked on the edge of the central dirt track, which had been churned up by months of war. One man could be seen in the side ditch, keeping watch.

"Right, you two keep me covered. We don't know these people but we don't have the time to be picky."

Issac and Abel nodded, checked their weapons and took up covering positions.

"Hey," yelled Cormac.

The man in the ditch jumped a little at that and turned, trying to see where the voice came from.

"Who's there?"

"My name is Sergeant Cormac of the 23rd Haneul rangers, can I come up? We don't have the time to mess around."

A slight pause before the man responded. Probably talking it over.

"Yeah, come on over."

"Right, you two wait here."

And with that, he rushed over to them. Issac moved a little closer in order to cover him. He could see that there were three men clustered around a medium sized sex wheeled truck which looked stuck in the ditch. The men wore the same green jungle issue uniforms that everyone used so it was impossible to discern which unit they belonged to.

After a short while, Cormac came running back with the lookout in tow who was cradling a flamer in his hands. They jogged past Abel and Issac and waved for them to follow. Issac looked and Abel who shrugged and followed in step behind them. Issac did the same.

When they reached the rest of the men Cormac held his arm up to stop.

"Right, I'm going to make this quick for all concerned."

His voice was loud to make sure everyone could hear.

"This is trooper Mulan. Him and two others found that truck a little while ago and have been trying in vain to dig and push it out. It must have come off the road and the occupants made a break for it. Bottom line is we're going to help them get it out and buy time for it to happen."

"Wilhelm, Macallister, Jenkins and Draco, go back and help them. The rest of us will hold the enemy here for as long as it takes. Understand?"

"Yes sir," came the answer.

Issac was paired up with Abel. The two of them overlooking the approach up the road from the machine yard. The rest of the unit were scattered about here and there in mutually supporting positions. They had found a heavy bolter and another team had set it up behind a nearby row of sandbags. Besides the flamer that the newcomer had brought with him that had nothing else besides the weapons they had been carrying with them this whole time.

Issac made sure to keep on eye glued to the trees. This time he wouldn't be surprised by anything. Abel didn't try to break the ice or make light of the situation like normal. He was as focused as the rest of them. The sounds of distant gunfire had died down to the point that the only sound that could be heard was the crackle of the fire raging at the yard. Had everyone else been killed or had some men managed to escape?

Issac would be one of the men escaping, just as long as they could survive the next few moments.

"I got contacts over here!" shouted Reed. He was with Flint on the north side. Shortly after they opening fire but Issac didn't have too much time to imagine what was happening as Abel tapped his shoulder and indicated some movement in their area. Along the road came two hulking warriors, easily double the size of the lesser breeds. Both of them carried big organic weapons and had a set of cruel barbed talons, their hard exoskeletons glistening in what sunlight made it past the treeline.

They called up the sighting to the heavy bolter team behind who trained the weapon on the approaching warriors and opened fire. The deafening hail of high calibre ammunition drowned out the cry from the warriors as they stood their ground, taking the brunt of the humans attack. Issac and Abel lent their own lasguns to the attack and one of the beasts went down, its chest full of smouldering craters. The remaining warrior fired off a few shots from its venom cannon but couldn't see where the attack came from and didn't come close tom hitting the dug in defenders. It retreated behind the nearest full-grown tree, bleeding from several wounds but not before bellowing in rage.

As if in answer, a whole swarm of Tyranids rushed up to take the place of the retreating warrior, making sure that the larger animal made it out alive. Many of them were blown apart as they stood in front of it and many more rushed onwards, following the sound and muzzle flashes of the imperial guns.

Issac must have counted up ten or more kills in a short space of time but there were still more coming, a endless wave of attackers. Had the entire alien force decided to attack them and only them?

The heavy bolter did the most damaged and only a handful made it to within charging range. They spirited up the hill towards the closer Abel and Issac.

"Grenades!" he shouted as both he and Issac rolled two frags down the hill and took cover behind the earthworks. A resounding boom filled the two soldiers ear drums and dirt was throw over them in a wave but they came back up as soon as it was over, to pick off those that had survived. Many of them were still moving, even those that had gaping holes in them or missing limbs.

Abel shot one threw the head and it fell, catching another as it went, causing them both to fall back down on the roadside. The temptation to run became all the more tempting as they came closer but they stood firm and made sure that not one enemy made it past them. In front of them lay countless Tyranid dead. All around them they could hear the sounds of lasfire as the other men fought their own battles but something was missing. The heavy bolter had stopped firing.

"Hey, that bolters been silent for a while Issac."

Issac nodded. "Something must have happened. Lets check it out while we still have the time."

Meanwhil Mulan roasted a group of gaunts that had ventured too close to Cormac's position. They had managed to hold the enemy here but at the cost of two soldiers. One of the men had been by Cormac's side when a burrower round had hit him in the chest. Living ammunition that was a lifeform that dug into your very flesh, killing you in agony. Cormac had shot the man and hoped that his men would do the same for him if need be.

"Not long now men, hold them firm."

The next attack on Cormac's front consisted of ranged units instead of the mindless charge that they had fought off successfully moments before so they played a shooting duel with the aliens. They came crawling out of the trees or behind some cover and snapped off a few shots and retreated, avoiding any return fire. Cormac still nailed one of them with a shot through his beady little eye before it could return to the cover of a thorn bush. Perhaps they were trying to soften them up before another push? That was fine with him, the more time they mess around, the better.

The bolter team was dead, body parts scattered about, blood covering the area like a blanket. Issac moved closer to examine further but a warning from Abel made him stop dead and kiss the ground. A ball of bio plasma disintegrated the nest, melting down the various elements into a white hot paste that covered the area that the bolter and sandbags had been occupying not a few moments before.

The Tyranid warrior that had pulled back earlier emerged from between two trees, steam rising from its bio weapon. Its jaw barring its shape teeth, almost in a grin. It was bleeding and had wounds from the heavy bolter but it was still very much alive. The trees parted as its immense weight uprooted them, pushing past them with the ease of a man wading through water. They crashed to the ground, kicking up plant life either side of the giant Tyranid as it advanced on the two men. Slowly at first but it soon picked up speed, flexing its talons in preparation.

The one advantage that the two soldiers had was their size. As they tried to put some distance between them, they could run around trees, tents barrels and other objects while the warrior had to barge its vast form past, slowing it down.

Abel was in front.

"Where are we going, Abel?"

"I don't know, its not like I have a plan," he said between breaths.

He felt, more than heard the venom cannon fire again, which impacted and utterly destroyed a nearby patch of grass. Some of the bio plasma splashed into his combat fatigues and ate away at the fabric.

A single gaunt wandered into the path of the two men and pursuing warrior and was blasted apart without a second thought, Issac and Abel running past it before its body even realised it was dead.

The jungle floor shook with each earth shattering step. Issac unclipped his last grenade and told Abel to go the same with whatever he had on him. As one, they unclipped the firing pin and counted down a few seconds before dropping them in the path of the rapidly approaching monster. The warrior walked right into the multiple detonations, shredding its leg muscles to pieces. It let out a ear piecing screech as it toppled over head first into the muddy jungle floor, pulverizing anything underneath it. Its bladed armed trashed about, cutting down any branches or vines nearby. Since it was now at ground level, its head was a lot more vulnerable as it swayed from side to side. Issac and Abel let loss a torrent of lasfire, punching through the soft areas like the eye sockets and mouth. Its body jerked, carving up huge tracks in the earth. It let out a howl and stopped moving.

"Its ready, come on!" shouted Jenkins.

Cormac looked back, almost smiling at the first good news today.

"Alight people, fighting withdraw."

They took turns falling back, covering the other and then returning the favour. The nids made them keep their heads down. Every time someone left cover they would emerge and try and to snipe them down but their efforts only resulted in more of their own dead.

There was the sound of tortured metal, coming from the machine yard. As others rushed past him, Cormac saw the entire southern wall buckle and collapse as something huge smashed past it. It was the Carnifex, the one they had narrowly avoided once today always. The flames bellowing behind it from the burning building, it truly looked like a scene from hell.

"Move!" Cormac shouted at the top of his lungs. "Everyone to the truck right now!"

Everyone forgot about the fighting retreat and rushed for their very lives, pushing their legs to the limit and pumping their arms for more speed.

Issac and Abel quickly followed suit as soon as they made it back to the rest of the men. The Carnifex crushed everything in its path in order to get to its prey. Vehicles, emplacements and junglelife were all flattened or shoved aside in the face of its relentless advance.

Cormac made it to the road with Jenkins close behind. The men were on guard, clearly on edge. Good thing they hadn't left without them.

"What in the name of the warp are you doing? Get that engine started!"

Soldiers started to reach the vehicle and quickly piled up into the back of it, almost fighting each other to get inside. Cormac got into the cab alongside one of the new troopers and pulled the door closed. He adjusted the side mirror and looked into it. Not long now.

"What's that sound?" he asked Cormac, as the truck jumped slightly every few seconds.

"Nothing to concern yourself with soldier. Just get this thing ready to move when I tell you too."

Issac scrambled into the truck, then turned around to lend a hand to Abel. It was tight inside, no room to even sit down. The interior stank, that familiar smell of many soldiers who hadn't had the time to take a shower and had been out in the field for far too long.

Cormac could see the Carnifex now in the side mirror, the driver could see it too.

"We gotta get out of here Sergeant, right now!"

He put his hands on the gear stick. "You move this rig before I give the order and I'll leave you behind for the nids. Now stand down and sit tight you got it?"

The last man climbed inside the back. Jenkins hammered the wall connecting the cargo compartment with the cab.

"Everyone's loading up. Go, go go!"

Cormac turned to the drive.

"Well, you heard the man. Get a move on!"

The truck start to crawl forwards inch by inch, picked up speed and soon the burning imperial base was speeding by, along with the hellish jungle that had almost killed the lot of them. In the back, Issac saw the Carnifex roar in frustration as its quarry sped away, running after them at first but quickly giving up as they moved away. The truck hit something on the road and jerked the men around inside. Someone cursed. Someone else laughed.

Even sitting blot upright, packed in the back of a truck like sardines, Issac managed to fall asleep while staring at the endless expanse of jungle as it hurtled past until eventually it all combined into a green blur. He hoped they never ordered him back here.