{Int} 'What happened then?'

{glancing away, tears in eyes, clutching material of dress, steadying herself} "At that moment, Strike Team Golden arrived."

{Int} 'Arrived?'

"From the sky."

Breach War Memorial Library, Washington, DC. Archive Index 464.700.120 Interview Index 87.146.2 Topical Index: Battle of Madrid (2025, +8 A.E.) Interviewee: GALLEGO, Maria N. Interviewer: Archivist # 124 Location: Madrid, Spain Date: October 21, 2029

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=3030904&forum_id=2#29071424)

{Int} 'Did you fight back?'

"We did. You have to understand, by that point, the Spanish Army had withdrawn from the City -- written it off as a lost cause and left us to fend for ourselves. {turns to side, spits on floor} Perros."

{Int} 'How did you fight?'

"We formed groups--family and friends from the neighborhoods. Tried to organize, relying on what we had at hand--pistols and rifles, knives and bottles. Whatever could be turned into a weapon. We struck mostly at night--thought the darkness would give us some protection. But the casualties were high from the start. Many were just children; they had no training."

{Int} 'Did you ever see Harold?'

(dead air)

{the sound of swallowing, deep intake of breath} "Once. Mostly, it was his minions. But we were caught out one night while on a patrol raid. Near the Palacio Real. It was supposed to be a routine hit and run. We didn't expect him to be there."

{Int} 'What happened?'

"He ran through our ranks. I saw horrible things that night. I ... I watched him eat--*literally eat*--through my cousin's face. It was a massacre. Of the fifty men in our group that evening, less than a dozen came home. I ... I barely survived with my own life."

{Int} 'At the very end, were the people of the City giving up? Losing faith?'

"We were still receiving intermittent broadcasts, despite the blackout. We'd heard on the BBC that the Americans were coming."

{Int} 'What did that mean to you?'

"It gave us hope."

Breach War Memorial Library, Washington, DC. Archive Index 464.705.444 Interview Index 87.148.4 Topical Index: Battle of Madrid (2025, +8 A.E.) Interviewee: SUAREZ, Tomas S. Interviewer: Archivist # 455 Location: Madrid, Spain Date: November 15, 2029

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=3030904&forum_id=2#29071911)

{Int} 'What were your thoughts during the insertion?'

"Even from high above the City we could ... we could see the signs of Harold's work. The rooftops appeared bright red--easily visible from the entry altitude. It was like a continuous carpet, spread out across the buildings. Would have almost been beautiful, in its own way--if we didn't know what it meant."

(dead air)

{Int} {clearing throat} 'In that moment, were you afraid?'

"Of course. I suspect we all were afraid. But we had a mission to fulfill."

{Int} 'What were you thinking, as you descended?'

"That we were their last hope. And that we couldn't fail them."

Breach War Memorial Library, Washington, DC. Archive Index 464.709.035 Interview Index 87.149.1 Topical Index: Battle of Madrid (2025, +8 A.E.) Interviewee: BECKER, Sgt. William T., Strike Team Golden Interviewer: Archivist # 55 Location: Kansas City, MO Date: December 1, 2029

(https://xoxohth.com/thread.php?thread_id=3030904&forum_id=2#29075212)