Dimensional Travels: World at War-Chapter 72: When whispers calm

After setting up the perimeter, Engineers and construction crews began to clean up the area. The original encampments were all now piles of rubble, so the next order of business were to clean and rebuild. Eric shook hands with the sustainment commander, and got back in his truck. Hammond would stay back to oversee the construction and rebuild.

At the battalion hospital, Eric was standing in front of the young woman who had been found on the side of a mountain. She was crying as he stood there watching her. According to the nurses, ever since she woke up she had been wailing.

"So... uh. Sarah?" Eric started after looking at the doctor’s notes. He took a gentle approach as he sat down near the bed. "Would you mind telling me how you ended up on the mountain?"

The girl’s words were incoherent. She began sobbing as she grabbed the sides of the bed. She was clutching the rails so tightly they threatened to break.

"Sedate her." Eric said, knowing they weren’t going to get anywhere. "And get a therapist for her if we have one. Put her on a seventy- two hour psych hold."

As his orders were confirmed, he headed to a quiet room. He took out his phone to call Mia. As he typed, the screen blurred. Two screens drifted apart in his vision. His hand slipped, and the phone dropped.

His body shut down.

His vision went black as he slumped over the chair.

Mia screamed.

She reached down to her stomach as she looked at her phone. Jessica ran over as she hugged Mia.

"Mom? Are you okay?" Mia had been having contractions for the last day, but she never reacted like this.

Mia huffed out, trying to steady her breath, but she groaned again.

"The baby is coming."

The room locked in place as no one moved. Liam looked up, frozen. Jessica held Mia’s hand.

"Okay. We need to go."

No one moved.

"Now!"

Mia turned to Liam. "Get the truck, and pull it to the front!"

The truck roared to life as it pulled to the front of the house. Mia hurried to the seat, huffing as she got in and slammed the door. "Drive!"

Screaming woke Eric from his slumber. He came to, and grabbed for his rifle, only to realize it wasn’t there. Bright lights shone in his eyes. "Whoa! Easy there Master Sergeant."

He relaxed as he looked around. The doctor standing in front of him put his flashlight away. He slumped back in his chair as he heard a voice from down the hall. Jessica. "She has your eyes."

She.

Eric stood up, almost falling. The doctor caught him, steadying him as he backed away. "Second to last room on the left."

Eric’s hands trembled as he meandered to the room. Each step felt like the entire world was pushing him back. He wanted to run, but he could barely walk. He turned at the doorway. Mia looked up, smiling.

"You’re late."

Eric didn’t answer as tears fell from his face. He gingerly wrapped his arms around Mia as he looked down at the bundle of blankets. Two small cat ears, green eyes, and a puffy face stared back at him. "She is perfect." He whispered. "Come here Jessica."

The world stood still as the small family embraced, looking at their newest addition.

"Liara Dryer."

Eric picked Liara up, and the newborn stirred. She cooed as Eric coddled her, wrapping his arms under her neck. "I told you she would be a girl." He said to Mia.

His wife rolled her eyes.

"Men."

Dreha appeared next to Eric. The phoenix observed Liara in silence.

"The merging of two worlds arrives in a bundle of fate. I will bless your family."

Eric nodded, his eyes wide. "Thank you."

As Dreha began to murmur some words, he paused. He turned.

"Something is coming. And I know not if the world is braced for it."

The Earth began to shake as Eric looked out the window. His eyes widen as he saw the ground stretch and spasm. Purple trees disappeared, replaced with pavement. The ground continued enlongating as he looked up. A night sky mixed with the sunny backdrop, and colors warped together. A massive barrier of mana grew to the sky, opening like it was a circle with teeth spitting out what it ate.

Horns honked and Music blasted at full volume. He heard rap music intermix with country lyrics. The ground roared as it continued stretching. Panicked screams began to erupt from the barrier, and tires squealed before loud crashes echoed out.

The ground stopped stretching, and the night sky disappeared, replaced with the two suns that hung over Brishan. Right next to the foothills of Esponia, a massive city took its place where a once quiet valley lay. 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"Fuck." Eric said as Jessica walked over.

"Uh... Dad, is that...?"

Eric nodded, looking at the Capitol building with a sigh. The Texas flag flew high into the sky.

"It is."

He kissed Liara on her head before handing her back to Mia.

"Are you going to go?"

Eric looked at his wife, then back to the city. Sirens blared as more crashes could be heard. "Stupid Texas drivers." He could only imagine the amounts of accidents that would happen.

"No. Not right now."

Mia laughed. "Good, cause her diaper needs to be changed."

Eric smiled and kissed her head, gently scooping up Liara.

"I wouldn’t miss it for the world."

After changing the diaper and handing Liara back to Mia, Eric sat down next to Jessica. He wrapped his arms around the teen, holding her. "How does it feel to be a sister now?"

Tears still flowed down the young woman’s face. "I can’t believe it. She is so precious, and I already know she will have us all wrapped around her tiny fingers."

The family shared a laugh.

Eric’s phone started buzzing again, and he sighed. "Should I just turn that damn thing off?"

Mia brushed Eric’s hand with hers. "Go. They need you."

Eric looked up at her. "Mia..."

She shook her head. "We will be fine, my love. You have a city to save."

Eric nodded, kissing her. He gently rested his hand on Liara’s stomach, looking at his little angel. "Daddy loves you." He whispered.

Then, he pulled Jessica into a tight embrace. "I love you." He said, hugging her too tight. "Dad!" The teen squealed. "Let me gooo!"

He chuckled as he set her down. He picked up his phone and walked out of the room. He took one last look at his family before calling Milano. "Yes sir?"

As he walked to his truck, battalion med trucks were leaving from the hospital. Humvees rolled past him, their engines roaring and tires squealing. He barely heard Milano’s response as sirens began to erupt across Austin. The EAS system activated, and a broadcast blared over every other sound.

Eric ignored it as he got into the truck. "Alright, what are your orders?"

Milano paused. "How is your family?"

Eric sighed. "My daughter is the most precious thing I have ever held in my life."

Groans erupted from Milano’s end as someone shouted out. "Hahah! Suckers, pay up!"

Neither Milano or Eric commented on that.

"We are setting up a perimeter around Austin. Like with the Vegas strip, you will coordinate a perimeter outside of the city. The police will contain the city as best as they can. Riemskin reinforcements will make their way over."

"Yes sir."

"And Dryer? Once Austin is secure, you will go on leave. You will spend time with family. That is an order."

"... yes sir."

Eric arrived to a chaotic scene. Civilians were being wrestled to the ground as screams of anger and fear echoed out from a large crowd at the gates of freedom village. Eric looked at Michael as the captain pulled up, shaking his head at the scene.

"You have lipstick on your forehead."

Michael wiped it off.

"You have baby powder on your hands."

Eric wiped his hands on his uniform.

"So... got a megaphone?"

Michael shook his head.

"This is gonna be great."

Eric walked forward. "ALRIGHT! ENOUGH!"

The angry crowd quieted down as they saw him approach. Police backed away, standing outside the perimeter of the city.

"Any of ya’ll got a megaphone?" An officer handed him one. "Thanks."

He turned to the crowd, turning the device on.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I ask that you remain calm. Right now I ask that you please go back inside. If you do not have dwellings, we will provide them for you at no cost. All I ask is that for now you stay off the streets and inside."

As the crowd began to disperse, Eric shut the microphone off and turned to Michael. "It’s going to be a long day."

Michael sighed and leaned against the truck, pulling out his Marboro Red’s.

"Can I go back to bed?" He groaned.

"Oh, you’ve already made it that far with her?"

"I’ll kill you."