Satisfied, he joined me on the other side of the door. Reaching across it he turned the handle and pulled back while I pointed my rifle inside. The corridor was empty so I didn't waste any time getting in and starting down it. Far ahead I could hear muffled shots which puzzled me. There were two more large rooms to pass through and both had surprises. The first was a human crouched behind an overturned table with his back to me as I came running in. He turned to fire but I was faster and two rounds pushed him aside to flop on the floor. Bruce was by my side in a second and took it all in.
“Shit Eddy, that guy wasn't waiting for us.” he said as he took the dead mans place behind the table and centered his rifle on the far door. I moved a few meters away and did the same. There was a large body laying on the ground in front of him and it looked to be one dead Goliath.
“Yeah, well tough shit for him.” I said. But I knew I had just killed someone who had found himself between us and our attackers. Poor bastard had been protecting our back and probably had no idea he was doing it. Just shooting at whoever was trying to barge into his home. No time to dwell on it though as four more Goliaths stomped out of the door and into a barrage of fire. I let Bruce take the first one and shot the second one in the face twice before going for the third. Number four turned and ran but Bruce was ready and got off three bursts. I crossed the room using my thermal vision and saw a large body squirming ahead of me. Stepping up I glanced further down the hall to make sure it was safe then put my muzzle to the base of his skull and fired twice. He twitched once and died.
“Surprise.” I said to Bruce and the two of us hauled ass down the corridor to the next room. We had plenty of warning and came to the door silently. There were five people inside arranged in a semi circle covering the doorway. They had boxes and furniture set up as protection but it would take a lot more to stop steel cores traveling at 1,000 meters per second. And of course we could see them but they couldn't see us. We both dropped to the floor and crawled the rest of the way to the door. I took right while Bruce took left. He counted softly.
“One, two, three.”I got my pair, he got his and we split the one in the middle. Literally, I swear we cut him in half. Bruce kneeled then stood while I stayed on the floor.
“All clear.” he said. I stood and surveyed the room with him. It looked like a kitchen with several doors leading away. Looking back I saw no sign of Billy so I tried my radio. Nothing.
“I'm going back.” I said. “Worried about Billy. Check the doors.”