The Hidden

Derek struggle to keep himself in check, puking as they reached the other end of the portal, staining Maximilian's back.

"Aww come on! The rain just washed me up! Shane!!! Check on him!!!" Max complained as the rest landed on top of him, causing them to trip.

Shane rolled her eyes as she got up. The place is as quiet as she remembered with only several street lamps being lit in the torn city. Max, Hanson and Baku were amazed. However, Max was a little disgusted, seeing the gooey lumps of indigested instant noodles with white powder all over his back, he looks at it with curiosity, weird how it was there before swiping it away and burning up his soggy fists with heat. With a sigh, they entered the abandoned city.

Shane is surprised. Normally they would have been caught by them by now. But they are nowhere to be seen. They walked past signs of war, tanks and cars piled up and flipped over, skeletons scattered around in their final moments as building debris block the road. Fire is still alight, burning brightly in the dark with little fuel, leaking from coal underneath the road. Signs of mechanical parts resembling pieces from a portal is still seen under a blown up building, probably part of the place about to be scrapped. All before it stopped when it came.

Derek stuttered, looking at the lack there-of of life. He spots apparitions of dark figures moving around, loud thuds thundering the broken pavement.

"It's just me... it's just me..." he cowers in fear closing and opening his eyes. This time the creature was right in front of him. In fact, it was all around the group. They were skinny, bloated monstrosities with scrawny bodies, their backs contorting to unnatural positions which lowered their stature. A black blob stuck to their backs like a sore thumb. Their intelligence lowered, unable to speak, growling. But they were still beasts, like humans, able to trap them in a circle, preparing to strike them.

They had gone insane.

Baku grinned, this was nothing to her. Her tiny arms transforming into large cannons. Tearing up the darkness with heat. The bright, uncontrollable amber light unfazed them, growling as they pounced. Hanson quickly pulled out his Omega, the aging effects accelerated with the monsters, struggling to run at speed before collapsing into a pile of hardened skeletal remains.

The monsters were stunned, falling back. The group was glad. They have the ability to fend themselves here. Derek however was skeptical. He doubts that that would be their end. He was right.

Suddenly more and more growling noises are heard. Large apparitions appear from the top of the buildings, crashing down for their presence is made known with a huge gush of wind. Shane fires back, tripping them. As they fell, more monsters emerged. They quickly overwhelmed them. Derek looked on, wishing he had a gun right now. He watches Iron Face who seemed irked by his actions punching as many as he could, spotting many fists bursting out of the air and hitting them all in seconds, but all of them just get back up. They already lost several limbs in the process. All he managed to do was to make them angry. He kicks the creature again, crushing their skulls as the creature slumps onto the ground, truly dead with its bloated proportions. The black sludge tries to grabbed onto him, he quickly kicks it hard enough, the moisture turning to fire as it became nothing but ashes. He raised his fist in triumph. But that was only one miserable victim finally put to rest.

Seamaster feeling the moisture in the air creates a huge water tornado, blasting the creatures far away as they ran for it, heading back to the portal to escape. Shane was certain that they were killed by it and that it was nothing but a waste of time. As the group reached closer to the portal, creatures were all waiting. The group were all tired, Baku and Timeraker were the only one whom seemed rather energetic, but even they know that the two can't defeat them with their large numbers. He wished Leroy was seeing this, he could ask for their help. But now they don't even know of the crisis unfolding.

Derek looks at the abandoned cop car next to him, a pistol is still there, armed and ready. He quickly grabs it and fires. A creature standing in the middle groaned as it slumped dead. A perfect headshot. Baku looked at him surprised as he fires another shot. Just as perfect as the previous as it also falls flat. The creatures stammered, walking back, still surrounding them. He looked at the pistol amazed. Feeling weird how he is able to shoot perfectly and how somehow have firepower capable of killing them. He smiled, impressed of the firearm as he tries to fire again. It jams.

"No bullets!!!" He looks on as more creatures now stamped towards them. He closes his eyes when a loud 'brrrrrrt' sound was heard, the group looks up to see the Silovsky. It's bright lamp nearly blinding them. At the turret, Dwayne shot them all dead as the pilot quickly landed.

"Get in!" He shouts, shooting as many monsters as he could as they climbed on, barely escaping as the monsters made an annoyed growl. They flew towards the hills where bright lights brighten the darkness engulfing the place. It was a rich district. Many survivors all stationed there, finding was to strengthen their defenses with training in several houses and turrets through the fences. Shane spots workers working on broken fences, adding an extra layer for protection as others stood guards. Spotting the large helicopter coming in for the landing.

They landed on the roof. He leads the group down the large modern house. It is the literal embodiment of a house in the 21st century with just rectangles stacked on each other. White and grey paint all starting to crack from the lack of care. Windows stained with algae and vines falling all the way They head down the roof. The large men closing their nose as Max wandered into the stairwell.

Unlike the outside. The place still have some semblance of life. The wooden planks on the floor in good condition with large sofas and decorations of what was the city then. They spot a garage with the Lamborghini and Lotus Derek recognized. Pictures of his old family was littered all over the cupboard. Dwayne's girl still by his side with several goopy creature on their back as he takes a peek at it before continuing. The only thing that was not normal was the large boxes found with resources for survival. He heads into a study room where a dark skinned guy with short hair was fiddling with chemicals, beside him, a short haired girl worked on filling up tubes. Other large men were concentrated on their work, all using the usual lab equipment working hard, until Dwayne broke the silence.

"Hi," his voice nearly jumped the dark skinned man and the girl as they turned around. Shane observed the number of freckles on the man's face, his voice muffled as he asks, "Dwayne who are they?"

"Meet the group that I told you yesterday, Zane. You know ones from the other dimension?" He said as Zane raised his eyebrows.

"Seriously them?" Zoe added as Maximilian thrusted his fist into the air, igniting it. She closed her mouth and looked away, pretending she did not say that.

"I suggest we provide with the liquid." He replied as the place rocked. Zoe removed the curtains to reveal the darkness covering up a huge section, swallowing huge sections of the city like a hungry man without food or water for three days. As it stopped everyone looked on in fear. Then it stopped. Everyone continued to look outside and then nothing.

The chip must be breaking. They didn't have time to rest. They quickly packed as they grabbed the goods. Dwayne sighed as he brings them back, grateful that the portal is still in place.

With one last cautious look, he resigned to his fate. Their fate. It was just too bad they can't survive for long. He looks at Shane as she enters the portal with a wave. Carrying their solution to deal with these gooey creatures. Hopeful that they can survive their problem, unlike them...