The first mantid flew overhead. Tessa aimed up and blew its head off with her Vindicator before it could land. Beau reached for the rope ladder hanging off the side of the Jeep and climbed. Tessa slung her rifle and followed him up. Rena led the troopers in the Escalade behind them.

  From the guard posts constructed inside the Jeep and the Escalade, militia fired their Vindicators. Hundreds of slugs pierced the air, hurling into the mantid swarm.

  Beau and Tessa ran over to the command center on the Jeep’s dash, then held their rifles up and looked for the next target in the sky.

  General Karakis was there. He flew fast, overhead, then disappeared back into the darkness of the mighty chamber. His flight pattern became impossible to predict. He moved with a contemptuous ease. Twice, Beau lifted his rifle and fired at him. He missed both times.

  “We have to move!” Beau shouted. “Get this convoy going. Now!”

  Rick Paul sat at his station beside them. He slapped the side of his chair three times. “Ready to roll!”

  Entire patches of Paradise Dome 101’s wall were now caved in from the mantids slamming into it and slicing through it. The mantids surged in droves. They tore at the dome, demolishing it.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  One of the mantids landed on the Jeep’s hood. Another dug its claws into the side door. A third mantid hacked at the front bumper. Another mantid swooped down and tore the arm off a soldier in the closest guard post. A medic with a red cross on his helmet jumped into action. Another mantid grabbed a second soldier and flung him off the vehicle. Five more mantids swarmed him on the ground and tore him to pieces.

  They were completely surrounded. Tessa kept firing. Her hands were shaking. She didn’t stop. Nobody did.

  Chief Mahoney barked coordinates to Rick Paul who slammed the vehicle into gear. Dr. Lorne hugged Nancy and prayed in whispers. Tessa scrambled to the edge of the front window, leaned, and fired, killing the mantid on the hood and the front bumper, both which fell and crunched under the back tire.

  Mayor Carnie crouched down into his seat.

  Tessa locked eyes with Beau. “Ready?” she asked.

  “Ready!” yelled Beau. “Hit it, Rick!”

  The engines whined and the wheels turned.

  The vehicles surged forward—two massive toys reborn as war machines—plowed ahead further into Dr. Gerben’s mansion toward the atrium and the final corridor to freedom. The last of the Dome 101 survivors, bound by some real memories and mostly fake ones, said their last goodbyes amongst the chaos knowing that would be the final time they saw their old home and were now on the path into the unknown to find a new one.