by Dawn Norwell
My heart sped when I spotted dozens of Nova soldiers, creeping slowly up the street toward the unsuspecting invaders. But the TIMs were smarter than that. Being able to detect body heat with their temperature sensors, they quickly spotted the soldiers. I watched in dismay as the androids pointed their weapons at the soldiers, spraying them with deuterium fluoride, melting their bodies before my very eyes. Their cries of pain echoed deafeningly through the air before the soldiers went quiet.
I glanced at Ximea, who was ghostly pale. I could see my fear on her face- fear that we might become the next fatalities of the heartless androids, fear that the loves of our lives may have been in the group who was just cremated, fear that the TIMs would be able to sense the large group of children hiding just a few yards away.
I tightened the grip on my weapon as the TIMs continued scanning the area, searching for anyone else who might be nearby. I knew that it was only a matter of time before they found us. Sure, the doors were locked, but how much good would that when the androids had infrared scanners that could detect human temperatures? What good would my little pistol do, when the TIMs could cremate human flesh within seconds? My heart wrenched as I gazed at the dozens of terrified children, looking to me to save them. How were Ximea and I supposed to single-handedly protect them from TIMs and Syndicate soldiers when the time came?
Suddenly, the ringing of the nearby church bell echoed through the courtyard. We all turned to see where the noise was emanating from- TIM, suit, and unsuit alike. I was filled with heart-gripping terror when I saw Zander standing in the tower, banging the brass bell with the butt of his gun, drawing attention away from the school, and the children within its walls. Ximea grabbed my hand, trying to reassure me, but she was trembling as she stared up at her best friend.
The plan worked well, too well, because all eyes were on Zander. My heart dropped as the Concord army aimed every gun, aircraft, and TIM directly at him. I wanted to close my eyes, to shield my mind from what was about to happen, but I found them frozen wide with terror, unable to look away as the love of my life became the sole target for thousands of soldiers.
Before the enemy had the opportunity to fire at Zander, a group of Nova soldiers ambushed them from behind. I recognized many of the soldiers as the parents I had helped calm just minutes before. They fought with all of their strength, hell-bent on protecting their children and their intrepid leader. By the time Concord realized what was happening, an entire unit of their militia was dead.
With the new weapons that Blythe had created, taking out the human soldiers was a breeze. It was the TIMs that caused the most trouble. They had built-in defensive shields that initiated upon attack, preventing the Nova weapons from penetrating their hardware. We were ill-equipped to handle their chromium exteriors, even with our strongest artillery.
Though their human comrades were gone, the TIMs stood strong. Within seconds, their chemical lasers slashed through our soldiers as easy as a knife through butter. I watched the violent scene in silence, praying that none of the children looked out the window and saw what was left of their parents’ disfigured bodies.
Suddenly, Zander’s voice resonated through the Nova PA system.
“Charge!” he cried, and thousands of terrified but determined soldiers busted out of hidden buildings, alleys, and military vehicles, shooting the TIMs relentlessly. Time after time, they shot at the androids, but the TIMs never faltered. They ripped through our soldiers with ease, taking out dozens of unsuits at a time.
I noticed the carnage from my peripherals, but I only had eyes for Zander. His physical finesse and lifetime of training were apparent, as he was by far the most skilled soldiers on the field. From his vantage point on the church steeple, he shot his way through the suit soldiers without breaking a sweat. TIMs hovered nearby, but he even balancing on the overhand of the church tower, he dodged their lasers with ease. After taking out an entire rank of enemy soldiers, our adversary realized that he was the one to beat if they wanted to win.
I watched in horror as twenty gun barrels were aimed at Zander. Other suit soldiers had broken into the church and were making their way up the steps to corner him. TIMs surrounded him as he stood on the precarious ledge of the church tower.
My heart hammered as the enemy sent showers of bullets and acidic lasers in his direction. Zander was skilled enough to evade the TIMs’ lasers, but without the weaponry to take them out, how long he could continue this dance of life-or-death? He would eventually tire, or misjudge the path of a bullet, and I knew what would happen then.
It’s no use, I thought to myself. As long as the TIMs had their defensive shields activated, we would never be able to take them down. They were too strong, and there were too many of them. We’d never stand a chance unless we found a way around their defenses. But how? Chromium was the hardest metal known to man; our weapons would never be able to penetrate through it.
Unless we didn’t aim for their shields... And then it dawned on me.
“Their emissions valves,” I mumbled, thinking about the small devices that protruded from their bodies from which the deuterium fluoride was ejected. It poked out of their shields about three inches and was the only part of their makeup that wasn’t covered with chromium. It wouldn’t be an easy target, but if we could penetrate their emission valves, the TIMs would be vulnerable.
“We have got to take out their valves!” I said, grabbing Ximea’s arm. She stared at me, alarmed by my sudden outburst. “It’s the only way we can take them out. If we can shut down the TIMs, we will be on an even playing field with Concord. Then we might stand a chance!” I exclaimed.
“Do you think that will work?” she asked, her voice hopeful, but wary.
My eyes never left Zander when I spoke. “I don’t know, but it’s the only plan I have right now.”
Ximea nodded.
“Take this,” I said, pulling the assault rifle over my shoulder and handing it to her. She reached for it tentatively, as though afraid of the weapon. “Protect the children for as long as you can. I have to alert the others about the TIMs, or we won’t stand a chance.”
“You’re going out there?” she asked, her eyes widening. “It’s too dangerous, Kai. There has to be another way.”
I shook my head. “There is no other way. None that won’t bring the soldiers to the school, at least. I won’t take that chance,” I mumbled, glancing at the trembling children.
“What about you, Kai?” she whispered, grabbing my arm as though to stop me. Her eyes fell to my bulging stomach.
I rubbed ran my hand across my abdomen as my baby girl somersaulted inside of me. “I have to try, Xi. I know it’s a risk for both of us, but I have to do something.”
Gut-wrenching guilt filled me at the danger I was about to put her in. But then Zander stumbled, nearly falling from the church tower, and I knew that I didn’t have a choice. He was barely holding off the suit army, and wouldn’t last much longer. He would be infuriated when he saw me, but if I didn’t do something, we would all be dead within hours. It would be selfish to let thousands of people die just to keep my own family safe, and I would never forgive myself if something happened to Zander that I could have prevented.
Ximea’s face was torn, but she must have seen the determination in my eyes and knew that there was no way she could stop me. With a sad smile, she released my arm.
“Just be careful,” she said, turning away so that I couldn’t see the tears falling down her cheek.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE: THE FINAL FRAY
I pulled the pistol from my belt, gripping it tightly as I opened the backdoor of the school. I tiptoed down a back road toward the courtyard, careful not to make any more noise than necessary. It had just started to rain, making the feat difficult. Every step on the wet surface echoed through the alley. Each pool of water or unseen puddle slowed me down, an obstacle that could give away my position if I stepped too hard.
Outside of the safety of the school, it was a completely differe
nt world. For the first time since I’d arrived, Nova had an eerie feel. The streets were completely abandoned, except for the center of town, where the battle raged in full force.
The sound of the TIMs slicing humans apart echoed through the city, their lasers killing so quickly that the soldiers didn’t even have time to scream before they went from someone’s child, lover, or parent, to a pile of ash.
The smell of burnt flesh filled my nostrils, causing me to gag. I bit the inside of my jaw to keep from being sick as I crept toward the courtyard, stepping over piles of human remains. I tried to avoid the faces of the dead for fear that I would recognize one of the lifeless bodies and lose what little resolve I had left.
I was midway between the school and the courtyard when a low hum resonated behind me, filling me with dread. I turned slowly and saw a TIM sweeping the alley with its scanner, looking for signs of human life. I knew that I should try to escape, but I barely had time to acknowledge the TIM’s presence before the red beam scanned over my body. I stood frozen, terror bubbling inside of me as the TIM contemplated my results.
Within seconds, I heard the gears churning inside of the machine, preparing the acid that would end my life. I knew that it was too late- I didn’t have time to run, didn’t have time to hide. All I could do was close my eyes and prepare for the pain that was to come.
Before being engulfed with the cloud of deuterium fluoride that would melt my skin like candle wax, the sound of a collision echoed through the alley. I opened my eyes a fraction of an inch, and my mouth dropped open in shock. Standing above the drone with a baseball bat raised over his head was possibly the last person I thought would ever help me- Jax.
The TIM lay twitching on the ground, trying to recuperate enough to return to flight, but each time it started moving, Jax knocked it back to the ground.
“Any idea how to destroy these motherfuckers, suit?” he asked, his voice strained as he struck the machine again. Despite putting his full strength into the assault, the chromium exterior didn’t show a dent. The TIM was growing stronger; it wouldn’t be long before it would be able to avoid his attacks altogether.
“Well?” he asked, his cheeks flaming with anger as I continued to stare at him, dumbfounded.
I cleared my throat. “Try the emission valve.” I pointed to the cylinder piece of metal sticking out from the machine.
Propping his baseball bat against a fence, Jax swung a daunting machine gun off of his shoulder and pointed it at the TIM, shooting the valve with terrifying accuracy. The blast echoed through the alley, the sound lost in the chaos from the courtyard. The TIM laid motionless on the ground, finally defeated.
My eyes shifted from the lifeless TIM to Jax’s dark face. For a moment, we gazed wordlessly at one another, measuring. I narrowed my eyes in distrust; Jax had saved me, yes, but I couldn’t fathom why he would do so when his hatred for me was so apparent.
My inquiries were answered when he raised his rifle to his shoulder and pointed it at my face, a wry smile forming on his lips. It all made sense now. Jax didn’t save me from the TIM because he had compassion- he just wanted to take me out himself.
I measured the odds of reaching my own weapon before Jax could fire; I had to admit that they weren’t good. Jax shook his head slightly, as if reading my mind and confirming my fears.
“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t kill you here and now,” Jax muttered between clenched teeth.
My heart hammered as I stared at him down the barrel of the gun. If Jax ever wanted to murder me, now was the time to do so. It would be all too easy for him to make it look like an accident, like I was caught in the crossfire between the suits and unsuits.
I took a deep breath to steady the shaking in my body and held my head held high. A part of me had expected to die today. Not at the hand of an unsuit, but nevertheless, I hadn’t expected to make it through the battle alive. I had long ago accepted that fact. So my voice was strong and steady when I answered him.
“I can’t,” I said, watching as his cold eyes furrowed in surprise. “Not after everything the suits have done to your people; not after everything they continue to do.” I indicated the mayhem behind us. “If I were in your shoes, I would want me dead too.”
His eyes softened, thrown by my answer. Perhaps he expected me to argue with him, to plead for my life; maybe he wanted one last disagreement with me before I was gone for good.
But I wouldn’t give him that satisfaction. I was mentally exhausted, emotionally drained from the months of animosity between the city I had been born into, and the one I had chosen as my adoptive home. I didn’t have it in me to hate him any longer, no matter how just the cause might be.
I sighed, my shoulders slumped in defeat. “Do what you have to do, Jax. But even you can’t deny that this conflict between suits and unsuits has gone on for long enough. Our history shows that violence has only begets more violence. Killing me won’t solve the issue, and deep down, I think you know that,” I continued, sensing a break in his resolve.
“If you really want to stick it to the suits, let me go so we help the others take out the TIMs. Otherwise, you’re committing your people to death; they will never win as long as the TIMs have the upper hand,” I said. “If you want to take down Syndicate, Jax, we have to work together.”
He hesitated for a moment. I could see a battle waging in his eyes, one that was just as terrifying and violent as the one happening a few blocks away. If he heeded my words, we might stand a chance. If not, then at least I wouldn’t be around to see the aftermath of the Syndicate’s victory. For that, I was grateful. I would rather be dead than repeat my time in the Concord dungeons.
Jax’s forehead crumpled, conflicted. The gun wavered slightly in his hands. His eyes fell on my protruding stomach, unsure, back and forth between the baby and my questioning face.
His hesitation infuriated me more than the gun barrel pointed at my head. We didn’t have time to waste. At this very moment, Zander was fighting for his life. He could be on the brink of death, along with thousands of other unsuits, all falling victim to the TIMs deuterium fluoride for no reason.
“If you’re going to kill me, then go ahead already.” My voice was hard, my gaze unwavering. “Either do it or don’t. But whatever you decide, you need to hurry, because innocent people are dying while we stand here. We can stop the bloodshed, Jax,” I said, indicating the sputtering TIM lying between us. “But each moment you hesitate is another life gone.”
He contemplated this for a moment. Grinding his teeth in frustration, he finally lowering the gun. I breathed a sigh of relief.
“Come on,” he said, grabbing my arm and pulling me behind him to the edge of the alley. “Head to the courtyard and spread the word. I’ll cover you.”
Though my stomach twisted with anxiety, I didn’t argue. There was no time to dispute the plan when Zander’s life was hanging in the balance.
I felt both nervous and protected at having Jax trail me, shooting down any TIMs or unsuits we happened across along the way, working as a team instead of rivals. I usually had to look over my shoulder when Jax was around, but now I was depending on him for my survival. It took the threat of war and our impending death for these two adversaries to squash our differences and unite for a joint cause.
I was acutely aware that he could point his weapon toward at me in a moment’s notice, choosing to kill me while my back was to him. But he stayed true to his word, keeping me safe as we made our way toward the courtyard where the battle was in full swing.
When we arrived in the center of town, my eyes immediately wandered up to the church steeple. I was relieved to see Zander was still dodging the TIMs lasers. But the task was strenuous, and it was obvious that he was beginning to tire. We had to hurry to help him, to tell him to aim for the emission valves, but how could we get his attention without attracting the TIMs? I deliberated on every scenario, trying to construct a plan that put everyone in the least danger possible.
Al
l of that contemplation was thrown out the window when Zander lost his footing and slipped from the ledge. Jax took a step forward, ready to help his friend, but I grabbed his arm, holding him back as a TIM buzzed by, barely missing us. His forehead creased with worry as he gazed at Zander. Despite our differences, Jax cared for Zander and would do anything to save him.
Zander managed to pull himself back up, but the lapse allowed just enough time for a TIM’s laser to graze the side of his arm. Blood poured so profusely that I could see it from far below.
I glanced up just in time to see the TIM gearing up for another shot, one aimed at Zander’s head in an attempt to incinerate him.
“No!” I yelled, throwing caution to the wind. I didn’t care if the suits heard me or the androids focused their attention on me instead. Seeing the TIM targeting Zander filled me with such anger that I couldn’t think straight.
Jax’s eyes met mine, and he nodded. No matter the danger, we couldn’t remain hiding in the shadows any longer. Not when our loved ones’ lives were hanging in the balance.
“I’ve got your back, suit,” Jax said, taking out the closest TIM. “Go save our man.”
Without a second thought, I ran into the courtyard, and toward my love, in a desperate attempt to keep him alive.
“Aim for the emission valves!” I yelled to unsuits as I ran, trying to spread the information as I made my way across the courtyard. “Aim for the valves!”
In the center of the courtyard, I paused for a nanosecond, aiming my pistol at one of the dozens of TIMs getting too close to Zander for my comfort. Remember your training, I reminded myself, thinking back to evenings spent with Zander at the gun range.