Beyond Earth

I'm Just Like You

I was given a fresh outfit, similar to the uniforms worn by the rest of my squad. It was dark, military, fitted with several pockets and protective padding. I secured my machete in its sheath behind my back, then joined the others.

Nobody said a word as we entered the elevator.

The doors closed, we began ascending, and the journey took several minutes, though I couldn't tell exactly how far beneath the surface we were. Eventually, the elevator slowed to a stop, its doors sliding open to reveal a concrete passageway that led to a security checkpoint.

We passed through it, emerging into what appeared to be an underground parking facility. Rows of military vehicles occupied the spacious lot, their dark surfaces reflecting the harsh fluorescent lights overhead.

My squad headed towards a large military truck parked near the exit. Before climbing in, everyone brought out black masks, pulling them over their faces. Marcus noticed I wasn't wearing one, tossing another in my direction.

"Here," he said flatly, barely looking at me.

I caught it, glancing at him.

"I don't need it," I replied, my voice steady.

He shrugged, his expression unreadable behind his own mask. "Suit yourself," he muttered, climbing into the truck without another word.

Captain Hayes took the driver's seat, Marcus settling beside her. The rest of us climbed into the back, where two long benches faced each other. Daniel sat beside Ethan, leaving me opposite them. The engine roared to life, the truck pulling out of the parking facility.

For a while, nobody spoke. The atmosphere was uncomfortable, at least for me, because I could feel their eyes occasionally drifting towards me, as though they were still trying to figure out what to make of their newest teammate.

Ethan eventually broke the silence, leaning forward with a curious tilt of his head.

"So, you've always known you were half-Xaryth?" he asked, his tone half curious, half suspicious.

"No," I said shortly, keeping my eyes on the floor.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by the bluntness of my answer. "No?" he repeated, leaning back.

"I only discovered what I was a few days ago," I explained, my jaw tightening slightly.

"Convenient," Marcus muttered from the front, his voice low, dripping with distrust.

I looked towards him, my patience already thinning. "What's that supposed to mean?" I demanded, my voice sharpening.

"How are we supposed to know you're telling the truth?" he shot back, glancing at me through the rearview mirror. "For all we know, you could be waiting for the perfect opportunity to turn on us."

"Marcus has a point," Ethan added, crossing his arms as he studied me. "How do we know you'll have our backs when things get ugly?"

I leaned against the side of the truck, my expression hardening. "Believe whatever you want. I don't care," I said coldly.

"That's reassuring," Ethan said sarcastically, rolling his eyes as he let out a dry laugh.

"The only thing I care about is killing as many Xaryth as possible," I said firmly, my voice carrying a quiet intensity that made them pause.

That seemed to get their attention. Daniel adjusted his glasses, his eyes narrowing with genuine curiosity.

"Can I ask why?" he asked softly, his voice more gentle than the others.

"They killed my friends," I said, my voice coming out quieter than I intended. For a moment, the faces of Kara, Blake, William, and Sheldon flashed through my mind. I looked away, unwilling to let them see the pain in my eyes.

Nobody said anything immediately. Then Marcus gave a slight nod, his earlier hostility fading a little.

"Fair enough," he said gruffly, almost with respect.

Ethan leaned back against the truck, his arms relaxing. "I guess that's one reason we all have in common," he said quietly, his usual sarcasm gone.

"More than one," Daniel added, looking around at the others before continuing, his voice thoughtful.

"Before the invasion, we all had lives. Families, jobs, people we cared about. I was studying medicine. Ethan wanted to become a professional marksman, or at least that's what he kept telling everyone," he said, a faint smile touching his lips.

"Still do," Ethan interrupted proudly, straightening up.

Daniel smiled faintly, shaking his head at his friend's stubbornness.

"Marcus had a wife and two children," he continued, his voice growing heavier. "Captain Hayes was working her way up through the military. We all had plans for our lives," he said, the weight of those lost plans hanging in the air.

The atmosphere shifted, growing colder, more solemn.

"Then the aliens came," Marcus said from the front, his voice hard, bitter. "And everything we knew disappeared."

"Some of us lost our families," Ethan added, his voice dropping to a murmur. "Others lost everything else. Doesn't really matter anymore," he said, staring down at his hands.

Captain Hayes kept her eyes on the road, her grip tightening on the steering wheel.

"The Xaryth took our world from us. Now we're taking it back, one body at a time," she said firmly, her voice filled with cold determination.

There was a brief silence. I studied their faces. It was strange hearing them talk about their old lives, for they sounded like ordinary people forced into an existence they never wanted. I understood that feeling better than I cared to admit.

"So, where are we going?" I finally asked, breaking the heavy quiet.

Daniel turned towards me, pushing his glasses up. "Rescue mission," he said simply.

"Rescue who?" I asked, frowning.

"The vice chairman of Aeternum's daughter. She was travelling to her safehouse when her convoy was ambushed by a group of Xaryth. Apparently, she and some of her friends managed to escape, taking shelter inside an abandoned high school," he explained, his voice calm, factual.

"And we're supposed to get them out?" I asked, already gripping my machete tighter.

"Exactly," he said, nodding.

I nodded, settling back against the seat. The conversation gradually died, leaving only the rumbling engine and the occasional rattle of equipment.

We continued driving. After a while, Captain Hayes glanced at us through the rearview mirror, her expression sharp.

"Buckle up. We're almost there," she ordered, her tone leaving no room for argument.

I reached for the strap beside me, then—

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The entire truck jolted, a series of bullets tearing through the vehicle's exterior, sending sparks flying across the metal.

"CONTACT!" Marcus shouted, his voice booming over the gunfire.

Captain Hayes slammed her foot on the brake, the truck skidding violently before coming to a stop.

"Everybody out!" she barked, already grabbing her rifle.

I was already moving. We jumped from the vehicle, taking cover behind it, while bullets continued striking the truck, the sharp impacts echoing through the surrounding streets.

I looked ahead. There they were.

Several Xaryth stood scattered across the road, firing directly at us, their dark, intimidating bodies partially concealed by the smoke and abandoned vehicles littering the street.

My squad immediately returned fire. Marcus unleashed a burst from his heavy weapon, forcing several of them to take cover, while Ethan positioned himself behind the truck, picking off targets with precise shots. Daniel stayed close to the captain, his weapon raised as he watched the surrounding area.

"How many?" Captain Hayes demanded, her eyes scanning the street.

"At least eight!" Ethan shouted, ducking as a bullet whizzed past his head.

"Keep them occupied. We need to get those civilians out of that building!" she ordered, already studying the battlefield, searching for an opening.

I didn't wait to hear the rest. I pulled my machete from its sheath, charging.

"ALBERT!" Her voice rang out behind me, sharp with panic and fury.

"Get back here! That's an order!" she screamed, but I ignored her.

The distance between us and the Xaryth disappeared quickly. One of them noticed me approaching, turning his weapon in my direction. He fired, the bullets striking my chest and shoulders, but they barely slowed me down, for I could feel the impacts, yet they seemed no more threatening than someone throwing stones at me.

The Xaryth hesitated, clearly stunned. I took advantage of it.

My machete swept across the first one's neck, sending his body crashing to the ground. I turned towards another, driving the blade into his torso before pulling it free.

A third rushed towards me. I ducked beneath his attack, slashing across his abdomen.

The remaining Xaryth continued firing, their weapons flashing in the darkness. Some of them looked genuinely stunned by the sight of me, for they had probably never seen a human charge directly into their gunfire and keep moving.

I couldn't blame them. I was still getting used to it myself.

One of them attempted to retreat, but I caught up with him, bringing my machete down. Another fell moments later.

Five.

I counted five bodies on the ground before the remaining Xaryth finally broke formation, fleeing. I watched them disappear between the abandoned buildings, then turned towards the school. From the corner of my eye, I noticed my squad moving in that direction, for they seemed to have decided I could handle the remaining enemies on my own. Judging by what had just happened, they weren't entirely wrong.

I wiped the blood from my blade, following them. The abandoned high school stood ahead of me, its windows shattered, its entrance partially damaged, the building looking as though it had been deserted for years.

I stepped inside. Darkness swallowed the entrance, but my eyes adjusted almost immediately. Even without the lights, I could make out the abandoned desks, overturned chairs, and dusty corridors. I tightened my grip on the machete.

My right hand held the weapon while I moved cautiously through the building, almost hoping another Xaryth would cross my path. Then I heard a voice.

"Son of Avada," it whispered, feminine, calm, yet strangely soothing.

I stopped, my whole body tensing.

The voice seemed to come from somewhere nearby, but I couldn't immediately identify its source. I looked to my left, then my right.

"Who said that?" I demanded, my voice echoing through the empty hallway.

"I'm right here," she replied softly, her voice drifting from the shadows.

I turned towards the door on my right. It was slightly open. Pushing it aside, I stepped into what appeared to be the school's basketball court. The wooden floor was covered in dust, several basketballs lying scattered around the edges. Moonlight filtered through the high windows, illuminating patches of the otherwise dark room. I slowly scanned the area.

"Where are you?" I called out, my grip tightening on my machete.

No answer. I took another step.

Then I heard footsteps behind me. I spun around, just in time to catch a glimpse of someone slipping through the doorway.

"Hey!" I shouted, my voice sharp with surprise.

I immediately gave chase. Whoever it was moved quickly, disappearing around the corner before I could get a proper look. I pushed through the exit, almost colliding with someone.

"Whoa!" Ethan yelled, stumbling back in shock.

I stopped abruptly. My squad stood in front of me, every weapon pointed in my direction. Captain Hayes had her rifle raised, her expression somewhere between anger and disbelief.

"Jesus Christ, Albert! Don't scare us like that!" she snapped, her chest heaving as she lowered her weapon slightly.

I raised my hands slightly, trying to calm them down. "Relax. It's me," I said evenly.

"That's exactly the problem," Ethan muttered, lowering his weapon with an exasperated sigh.

Three frightened girls stood between my teammates. They looked exhausted, their clothes dusty, their faces pale, one of them visibly trembling.

I glanced past them, my eyes still searching the corridor.

"Did any of you see a girl run out of here just now?" I asked urgently.

Daniel frowned, confusion written across his face. "What girl?" he asked, glancing around.

"Someone was inside. She ran out through that door," I insisted, pointing behind me.

"I didn't see anyone," he replied, shaking his head slowly.

I looked around, but nobody seemed to know what I was talking about. Captain Hayes stepped towards me, her jaw clenched in anger.

"What the hell was that?" she demanded, her voice low, dangerous.

I turned to her, still distracted. "What?" I asked blankly.

"I gave you a direct order to stay back, and you completely ignored me! Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?" she shouted, her face flushed with fury.

I said nothing. She stepped closer, her eyes narrowing.

"I'm the leader of this team, Albert. That means when I give an order, you follow it. I don't care how strong you think you are. You don't get to make your own rules out there," she said sternly, each word sharp, deliberate.

I remained silent. She leaned in, waiting for an answer. "Do you understand me?" she pressed, her voice hard.

"Captain," Daniel interrupted gently, his tone pleading, "give him a break. It's still his first day."

Hayes shot him a warning look, her eyes flashing. "Stay out of this, Brooks," she warned, her voice cold.

Daniel immediately closed his mouth. I was about to turn away when the voice returned, soft, haunting.

"Why are you killing your kind, Son of Avada?" she whispered, the words sending a chill down my spine.

My body stiffened. Slowly, I turned around. There, behind the entrance door, I caught the outline of a shadow. She was standing just outside.

I didn't think twice. I ran after her.

"Albert! Get back here!" Captain Hayes's shout followed me, but I didn't stop.

I burst through the school entrance, looking around. Nothing. The surrounding buildings stood silent beneath the moonlight. I scanned the street, searching for any sign of movement.

Then—

A whistle came from my right, light, teasing. I turned.

There she was.

A figure standing on the rooftop of an abandoned building. Even from that distance, I could tell she was looking directly at me. Before I could say anything, she jumped, landing on the rooftop opposite hers, continuing to run.

I stared for half a second before taking off after her. She moved with incredible agility, leaping from one rooftop to another as though the gaps between the buildings barely existed.

I followed. We crossed several rooftops before she reached another building, attempting to jump across. But the moment her feet touched the opposite rooftop, the weakened structure gave way. A loud crack split the night.

The roof collapsed beneath her. She disappeared into the building. I rushed towards the edge, looking down. Dust rose from the broken structure, drifting through the moonlight.

Without hesitation, I jumped down, entering through a nearby opening. It was an abandoned house. The interior was filled with broken furniture, shattered pieces of roofing, and thick layers of dust. And there she was.

She lay on the floor, surrounded by debris, coughing as she tried to push herself up. I approached cautiously, my machete still in my right hand. She looked up as I stopped in front of her. I raised the blade, pointing it towards her throat.

"Who are you?" I demanded, my voice low, threatening.

She stared at me for a moment, her eyes calm despite the blade at her throat, then answered.

"I'm just like you," she said quietly, her voice steady, strangely sincere.

My eyebrows drew together, confusion and suspicion warring inside me. "What do you mean?" I asked, my grip tightening slightly.

She didn't answer immediately. Instead, she slowly rose to her feet, brushing some of the dust from her clothes. Then the moonlight fell across her face. She was beautiful.

Her skin was smooth, flawless, her features delicate but striking. Long, dark hair framed her face, falling loosely around her shoulders. Her eyes held an unusual depth, calm, observant, as though she knew something about me that I hadn't yet discovered.

She wore an entirely black outfit that fitted her slender frame, dark trousers and a close-fitting top beneath a lightweight jacket. Despite the dust covering her clothes, she carried herself with an effortless confidence.

There was something different about her, something I couldn't quite explain. I studied her face, then slowly lowered my machete. I didn't understand why, but I felt no desire to hurt her. In fact, for some strange reason, I felt as though I could trust her. And that was perhaps the most unsettling thing about her.