“Miles, Miles!” Kyle screamed from across the cavern. “Stay still, don’t move!” but even as he screamed Anna and Kyle were backing towards the facility’s medical hallway.
Miles did what he was told, he couldn’t move if he had wanted to. His body was frozen in terror, with the exception of his stomach which was still trying desperately to get him to throw up and, in the process, get them both killed. The orb focused on the prone old man tangled in the mess of body parts and the yellow lights of the orb shifted several times. One of its legs snapped up and hovered four feet above him for a few heartbeats. Miles had enough sense through his terror to realize the thing was trying to decide something. To Miles, it seemed like an eternity, as death by skewering hovered above him. Then the leg zipped forward striking faster than a snake.
The steel leg pierced Murphy’s ruined hips just inches from Miles's face before he could even flinch. The beast struck again and again, and then it began to violently swing the bloody chunk of meat back and forth ripping it apart. The first swing pulled the intestines Miles was wrapped in and jerked him hard to the left. The backhand of the swing struck Miles right side and launched him six feet to the right. He flew out of the glow of the blue light and landed with a thud barely missing the edge of the wall. Miles had the clarity to realize his arm was broken and to hope the sticky blood that coated him was still all Murphy’s and then mercifully he passed out. The monster jabbed at the now unrecognizable piece of meat a few more time and then raised its disk-shaped torso again to scan the room for a fresh victim. Across the cavern Coal and Rory still fought viciously, the beast turned and began to move in their direction.
Kyle and Anna reached the hallway leading towards the medical clinic. Kyle looked down the dark hall dubiously, knowing that direction held no escape and whatever this thing was it would stalk them from room to room without mercy. He spun back trying to decide what to do and watched as the beast ambled across the dead field approaching Coal and Rory with fascinated horror.
“Run Coal! Run you bastard!” Kyle screamed.
If Coal heard him at all, he made no response he just continued his deadly dance, slashing, ducking, and lashing out at the Ranger. The two men seemed lost in their own world of revenge and bloodshed. They were either oblivious to the death that moved towards them, or they were simply too enraged to care.
The Scavenger drew his pistol already knowing his two measly rounds would not be enough. He took a step forward but Anna’s hands wrapped around his arm holding him back.
“No, no. You’ll die!” she shouted at him.
Kyle looked at her, then back up to his friend. He knew she was right. He glanced around the dead field hoping to find something to slow or maybe even just distract the beast. The field was littered with long-dead crops and recently dead men. In frustration the Scavenger shoved his hand into his own pockets, looking for something, anything that may be of use. His hand settled around a smooth plastic tube in his jacket pocket.
Rory lunged forward again, desperately trying to run the half-breed through and end the fight quickly and permanently. Both men were tired, bone tired, each nearing the end of their rope, but the wound to Rory’s knee was making it hard for the older man to move. For Coal’s part, he was happy to stay just out of saber’s reach, darting in for a quick feint or a wild slash now and again. The half-breed knew the Ranger was slowing that his strength was fading and that soon enough he would get an opportunity. Both men were bleeding in several places, along with his knee Rory had taken a slash across the forearm and another across the thigh. Coal was cut across his left bicep, and one of Rory’s thrust had taken off most of his right ear. The only injury that had really started to concern him though was the cut across his back. Warmblood was still trickling down his back and the back of his legs.
The men circled one another and Coal glanced to his right, the metal monster would be on them in moments. The look nearly cost Coal his life as Rory’s saber slashed out at his face again and Coal was forced to spin away.
“Rory, you fuck head. That thing is coming to kill us!” Coal shouted.
The Ranger kept his head up and risked a quick glance at the approaching beast himself.
“Yeah, I reckon so,” he replied. “What of it?”
“Well how about we take a break from killing each other? You know, try and maybe escape. Then once we are outside then, we can go back to killing each other again. How does that sound?” Coal asked glancing back and forth from Rory to the approaching monster. The thing had moved with blinding speed before, seemed to be moving towards them now at an almost casual pace.
Rory did the same, looking between Coal and the killing machine.
“Yeah, Ok,” Rory grunted regretfully.
“Truce?” Coal asked.
“Truce,” Rory replied and lowering his sword asked. “Which way are we going?”
“Back that way, towards the door. It’s the only way out. Stick close to the wall,” Coal pointed back over Rory’s shoulder.
“Alright,” Rory replied.
Coal moved towards him as the Ranger turned back to face the wall, but neither man was done moving. Rory continued his turn spinning and sweeping his blade out in a murderous arc back at Coal. Or at least where Coal would have been. The half-breed had tucked and rolled forward the moment the Ranger had turned. The vicious slash sailed above his head cutting only air. Coal lunged forward with his blade low and driving it deep into the startled man’s stomach. Coal then spun to the side, slicing as he pulled the knife free and with it spilling Rory’s guts. The Ranger screamed in rage and agony, he dropped his sword as he tried desperately to keep his insides actually inside.
Coal stood in front of the dying man, Rory wore a wild, bewildered look. Coal pointed a finger at his face. “Fuck you, I win!” he yelled with glee.
A heartbeat later Rory’s chest erupted in a geyser of blood as he was speared from behind by one of the steel legs. The Ranger tried to scream, choking on his own blood as he was lifted off his feet. The steel demon held the dying man up in front of its glowing orb for a moment as if examining its catch. The moment passed without warning and three more steel legs pierced through the Ranger’s body. Simultaneously all three legs pulled outward and tore Rory into bloody chunks.
Coal couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “Couldn’t happen to a nicer guy!” he shouted as he began backing away, putting his back to the wall of the cavern.
Coal’s foot hit something on the ground, and he reached down taking up Rory’s saber. The half-breed still held his hunting knife in his other hand. The beast finished its inspection of the remaining pieces of the Ranger and let the chunks drop to the ground. The glowing orb rose up to look directly at Coal and took another stride forward. Now it towered over him, and the Indian had to crane his neck to look up at the orb. Coal felt the cavern wall touch his back and he knew then that he had run out of room to run. The body pitched down just low enough for the glowing orb to see him. The monster raised a pointed leg ready to strike.
“We’ll come on you fucker. It’s time to die!” the blood-soaked Indian screamed up at the beast.
A small object flew between the man and the monster, and it landed on the bloody ground just at Coal’s feet. The startled Indian looked down as the beast held back the killing blow and likewise tilted its orb downward. A moment later the chemical light began to flare to life and then glow faintly green. Coal’s eyes slid up from the glowing light back to the looming monster and then across the cave towards Kyle.
“Big help, thanks,” Coal shouted.
The steel beast’s reaction was completely different. It took a full step backward and lowered its body to the ground. The glowing orb focused in on the green plastic tube, its leg that had been poised to strike a moment ago slowly reached forward and hesitantly poke at the chemical light. The light in turned rolled away a bit in the loose soil as the beast reached out to try and touch it again. Coal just watched completely dumbfounded by what he was see
ing. It reminded Coal of a kitten batting at a ball of yarn.
“Run!” Kyle screamed at him.
The Indian’s head snapped up to see Kyle and Anna running hand in hand across the dead field. He shot a quick glance at the towering beast that seemed to still be completely perplexed by the glowing object. He made up his mind and bolted after them. As he raced across the field bathed in blue light towards the doorway, he watched as the Scavenger and the Doctor veered to the right and ran to the opposite wall.
“Where are you going?” Coal screamed after them and chasing after them.
Behind him, the Steel beast still perplexed by the green light seemed to change its tactics. With blinding speed, a pointed leg shot down to spear the glowing plastic tube. But the green chem light simply bounced around in the loose soil, the tips of the legs just not pointy enough to penetrate it. Soon a second and then a third leg joined the attack as soil flew into the air with the speed and fury of dozens of strikes.
Anna and Kyle found Miles lying on his side just in the shadow of the wall. The old man was still wrapped in bits of intestine, he was covered with a layer of sand and blood. Anna bent down to check his pulse, but Kyle simply scooped up the limp figure and threw him over his shoulder.
“No time, just go, go!” Kyle shouted, and they were running towards the narrow doorway again. A few strides later Coal intersected their path running with both sword and knife still in hand.
Across the cavern, the monster switched tactics once again. It pinned the chem light between two legs and then brought the third one down directly on top of it with a violent jab. With a faint snap, the plastic casing cracked in two and with a quick hiss sprayed out a jet of glowing green fluid. The beast’s three legs were immediately covered, and the thing took a few hesitant steps backward. It held the three legs covered in the glowing chemicals up in front of the orb. The orb bounced back and forth in rapid movements as it examined the glowing splatter on its limbs. Then seemingly ready to dismiss its new color scheme the limbs dropped back to the ground and the beast turned and refocused on its fleeing prey. The thing launched into motion using all eight of its legs to propel itself across the cavern with terrifying speed.
Anna reached the doorway first and she turned seeing the charging beast let out a scream. Kyle carrying Miles was a half dozen paces behind, Coal glancing back at their swiftly approaching death threw his shoulder underneath the unconscious man’s other arm.
“Fucking go, go, go!” the half-breed screamed.
The trio hit the doorway at the same time, tumbling through the narrow gap to collapse into a heap on the other side.
“Crawl, Crawl!” Kyle shouted, the blood of Murphy’s man that had been skewered in the hallway still covered the walls.
A heartbeat later the beast arrived on the other side of the partially open door and thrust a pointed steel leg into the hallway. The limb missed the top of Coal’s head by less than an inch. The two men struggled forward on their bellies trying desperately to pull Miles behind them. The leg began to whip back and forth smashing both sides of the hallway, sending chips of rock and dust flying in all directions. Coal and Kyle cleared the edge of the hallway just beyond the reach of the leg and standing grabbed ahold of Miles outstretched arms. Together they pulled backward sliding the old man out of reach just as the flailing leg changed directions. It bashed against the ceiling of the narrow space and then down to where Miles had lain just a moment before.
The pair didn’t stop, they kept pulling, dragging the old man across the steel grating of the garage and towards the large open doorway. Anna stood her arms wrapped around Juan protectively next to the wagon, both were in tears. The steel beast pulled the leg back through. Kyle looked up and could just make out the outline of the beast lowering its body to bring the orb in line with the door. Kyle could guess what was about to happen next. The beast’s whole body began to glow blue and flare with light as the orb focused on the three men. They were dead Kyle thought, they would be turned into ash in the blink of an eye just like Murphy.
Then Coal and Kyle hit the edge of the grating, near simultaneously the two men tripped on the edge of the door frame and fell backward. They landed with a thud in the dust outside of the facility with Miles body landing nearly in their laps a moment later. Kyle choked on the small cloud of dust they had made, and his eye went right back to the beast and its gazing orb. The body that was glowing brightly blue a few heartbeats before seemed to be losing its intensity. A moment later the body was back to its original black steel coloring. The orb stayed focused on them a few moments longer and then looked away as the beast turned back towards the inside of the cavern and out of their sight.
“Why aren’t we ashes right now?” Coal asked his eyes still on the doorway.
“Hell if I know. Let’s get out of here before that thing changes its mind,” Kyle replied.
The pair stood awkwardly untangling themselves from the old man and began to drag him once again towards the wagon. They were halfway there when a series of blood-chilling screams echoed out of the facilities.
“That got to be what’s left of Murphy’s men, getting their due,” Coal said with a grin and Kyle simply nodded. Amazed after so much bloodshed that his friend could still be entertained by it.
The pair reached the back of the wagon and for the first time since the start of their escape Miles started to make noise. They were just semi-conscious groans, but at least they knew he was still alive. Anna and Juan had the tailgate down and waiting for them.
“Get him in quick! Coal see to the horses when that thing is done with those men it’ll be coming after us,” Kyle yelled.
Coal’s reply was almost casual, and in the heat of the moment, his tone stopped Kyle in his tracks. “No, I don’t think so.”
Kyle turned to see the Indian staring up at the top of the mesa. The top of the beast was just visible standing on the top of the mesa near the same hole through which it had climbed. It stood with its legs fully extended and its orb was gone, seemingly retracted back inside of its body. The steel monster began to glow with an intense blue light again, and then silently the thing lifted into the air. It tilted away from them towards the West and began to pick up speed as it soared across the sky. After a few seconds it was just a blue-white dot, and after a few more it faded from sight completely, lost in the blue of the morning sky.
Miles groaned again in Kyle’s arms.
“Just lay him down here,” Anna commanded as she spread a blanket down on the ground in the shade of the wagon.
Kyle did what he was told, and Anna began to carefully wrap a cloth sling around the old man’s broken arm. Juan kneeled next to him, the boy obviously happy to see Miles was alive but still concerned. As Kyle looked down at both of them, his adrenaline spent, he suddenly felt overwhelmingly tired. A few feet away Coal sat down heavily on the ground, leaning against one of the wheels of the wagon. Kyle wearily knelt down and joined him.
The men sat silently for a few moments before Coal spoke.
“So, that was…something.”
Kyle just nodded. “Yeah.”
“That thing, it wasn’t alive,” Coal pointed out and then added. “Made out of metal I think.”
“Looked that way,” Kyle replied as he stretched out and laid on the ground.
“You said this place used to be run by NASA?” Coal asked.
“Something like that,” the Scavenger replied his eyes closed.
“Well, it looks like those bastards finally did it. They kept making them damn robots smarter and smarter and then launching them off into space. Just a matter of times before they got fed up and revolted,” Coal replied with a nod.
Kyle couldn’t help but Chuckle at that. “Yeah, that thing must have been Wally 2.0.”
Kyle sat considering and then turned to look over at the still unconscious Miles. Anna looked up at the old man and gave him a small reassuring smile. “I don’t have any clue what that thing was, but I bet you Miles will have so
me theories when he comes around and a pile of questions to go with them.”
“Why didn’t it follow us out here? I doubt we could have outrun it, even in the buggy,” Coal asked.
“I don’t know. Once we left the facility it’s like it simply lost interest in us,” Kyle replied.
“That thing you did with the chemical light. That was a good trick,” Coal said, and Kyle knew it was as close to saying thank you as Coal would ever get.
“Yeah, just lucky really,” Kyle said.
“How did you know it would react that way?” Coal asked.
“I didn’t, just acted on a hunch. That thing was so fast and methodical, it killed Murphy and his men without a second thought. But did you see that way it killed them?” Kyle asked.
“You mean like in the bloodiest ways possible? Yeah, it was kinda hard to miss. I’m going to have some nightmares about that, and I’m not afraid to admit it,” Coal replied.
“Every one of its victims was complete overkill. A single thrust and that would do in anybody. But it was stabbing each one a dozen times over and then ripping the bodies into pieces. The only reason Miles survived at all is because he got wrapped up with what was left of Murphy. The thing wasn’t even sure what to stab. It went after the severed parts while Miles lay there just helpless,” Coal was nodding to Kyle's words.
“I understand, it’s worried they’ll come back as zombies. Smart really,” Coal pointed out, and the Scavenger just shook his head again.
“I don’t think it really understood how people work. I mean literally what makes our bodies function. Every time it came across something it had never seen before it stopped and examined it, not quite sure how to react. Like when that poor dying bastard held on to its leg, it had to stop and think about what to do next,” Kyle pointed out.
“Yeah, it sure took its time before it pounced on Rory and me, may he burn in hell,” Coal pointed out.
“I bet you it’s never seen two men more concerned with trying to kill each other than trying to attack it. Or more than likely just run away I’d guess,” Kyle added.
To Cross a Wasteland Page 46