by SW Matthews
The large hooded man then turned toward the others.
Chapter 65
Doc, Bandit, and Elvis huddled together at the corner of the window as they peered into the large room at the two men inside.
“That’s him,” Doc said to Elvis. “The one holding the commlink.”
“I don’t think it will be too difficult to apprehend him,” said Elvis. “He’s fit, but old. He doesn’t appear to be a fighter.”
“I hope you’re right. I’ll go tell Kat he’s here. She’ll call the others, and we’ll wait for them before we go in.”
Doc headed back to where his sister, Rosie, and Jaq were waiting. The trio had remained slightly behind during the entire search. The blue lights on Kat’s suit were rather noticeable, so Kat had to hang back until others had made sure the coast was clear.
But as soon as Doc left to speak with Kat, Bandit drew his sword. “We don’t need to wait for them,” he said to Elvis. “Like you said, he’s not a fighter.”
Before Elvis could respond, the younger man was stepping toward the glass door, in full view of the two men inside. The panther leader had no choice but to grip his rifle and fall in behind him.
***
“You are certain this is the only way,” Cole said.
“Our forces are starting to retreat,” replied Sullivan over the commlink. “They’re outnumbered, and the drone attack has weakened their will.”
“What did you do to the drones?” Braxton asked Cole.
“It wasn’t me,” Cole answered. “It was Billy.”
“Billy? How on earth could he manage something like that?”
Cole shrugged. “He told me not to cancel the drone attack. He said he needed them to launch.”
“Inside help somehow,” said Sullivan.
“Perhaps,” the old man replied. “No matter. We’ll investigate that after we’ve finished this little skirmish.”
The commlink beeped, and Braxton hit a button. A robotic voice came from the speaker. “Prisoner attempting escape. Intercept and detain activated.”
“What was that, Will?” Sullivan asked.
“My CNS soldier, functioning perfectly.” He looked up at Cole. “Are you ready?”
Cole nodded. “Yes, if there is no other choice.”
Braxton held the commlink out to Cole. “Then give the order.”
At that moment, the door to the deck opened, and Bandit and Elvis entered, their weapons drawn and ready.
“William?” Braxton said.
“Hello, Grandfather,” replied Bandit.
“What are you doing here?”
“We’re here to stop you, once and for all.”
Doc, Kat, Rosie, and Jaq appeared in the doorway. “William!” said Doc. “You should have waited!”
“No more waiting,” replied Bandit softly. He advanced on the two men. “It’s time for this to end.”
Following the younger man’s lead, Elvis spread to cover the two men’s flank. Kat also began to advance, but her attention was strictly on Cole.
“Sy?” she said. “What’s happening?”
Cole looked at her, then at Braxton. “He’s told me everything, Kat. I understand now. And you will too. I know you will.”
“What? What are you saying?”
“He’s right, Kat. We don’t have time for the politics. We have to take this step, so we can make the next leap before it’s too late.”
Braxton smiled and held the commlink out to Cole again. “Give the order.”
Cole accepted the commlink and held it up—but he remained silent. He looked at Kat once more.
“What order?” she asked.
Bandit bounded over the couch at his grandfather and attempted to decapitate him with a single swipe of his sword. But the old man was fast. He dodged the blade and grabbed Bandit’s wrists. Bandit tried to break free, but the old man’s grip was like a vise. Bandit began kicking Braxton in the chest, but it was no use—the old man just smiled.
“The custom serum makes me essentially invulnerable, William.” Braxton threw his grandson across the room. The sword flew from the young man’s hands.
Elvis aimed at Braxton, but the old man pulled Cole in front of him as a shield. Elvis looked at Doc, who shook his head.
“All of you are just in time,” Braxton said. “We were just preparing to remove China from the face of this doomed planet.”
“What?” shouted Doc.
“That’s right, Billy. Years of planning—decades, in fact—and now, after multiple painstakingly planned attempts at covertly destroying the Chinese, in the end it has boiled down to the simple push of a button.”
“What are you talking about, Dad?”
“A nuclear barrage, the likes of which has not been seen since World War Three.” He growled in Cole’s ear, “Give the order.”
“Sy, no!” Kat pleaded.
Cole lifted the commlink to his lips and opened his mouth to speak. But as he looked Kat in the eye, he paused—then lowered the commlink. “I can’t,” he said.
Braxton sighed, snatched the commlink from the president, and broke Cole’s neck. The president’s body hit the floor.
Elvis opened fire.
Braxton stood his ground, letting the bullets strike him. ““That does hurt,” he said when Elvis paused. “But it’s invigorating!” He leaped at Elvis and backhanded him. The panther leader flew across the room.
“What’s happening, Will?” said Sullivan over the commlink.
Braxton smiled and looked around the room. It was clear he was relishing the moment. He held the commlink to his mouth. “Fire, Sully. Take China out.”
“Will? Where’s Cole?”
“He’s dead. We’ve had another terrorist attack, this time here at Rainier. Chinese terrorists have killed President Cole.”
“Oh my God!”
“Launch the missiles. That was his final order.”
The line remained silent for a moment. “Roger that,” Sully finally responded.
Braxton dropped the device and turned to face his children. “William was right about one thing,” he said as he walked toward them. “It is time for this to end. It’s time to finally tie up these loose ends.”
“Dad,” said Doc. “You don’t have to do this…”
“No, Billy, it’s too late for that,” said Kat. “He’s too far gone.” She stepped forward, placing herself between her father and the others. “There’s no saving him. All we can do is stop him. And the only way to do that is to kill him.”
Braxton smiled as he closed the distance to his daughter.
“You always were the smart one,” he said.
Chapter 66
Piper fired the net-rifle at the hooded guard, wrapping him in an electrified web. But Luc didn’t even slow. The electricity seemed to have no effect on him, and he tore the net from his body with one quick swipe of his arm.
Andy stepped between them and emptied his handgun. Only four bullets found the target. Two struck Luc’s body, one in his chest and one in his arm, and exploded out the other side. The other two hit his hooded head—and ricocheted off. None of them slowed him in the least.
With one hand, Luc grabbed Andy by the shirt and tossed him aside; with the other, he backhanded Piper, knocking her to the floor. He then reached for Tuck—
And his right arm, from the elbow down, fell to the floor.
Bash stood off to one side, his large bloodied hunting knife in his hand. “Hand’s off, Luc,” he said.
Luc swung with his left hand at the scarred man. He powerful blow connected with Bash’s face and sent him sprawling.
Luc then picked up his severed arm. He lined it up with the stump at his elbow and held it in place for a few seconds, then released it. To Tuck’s amazement, the arm remained attached. Luc wiggled his fingers, then picked up Bash’s knife with his reattached and fully healed right hand.
Tuck realized he was the only chance his friends had of escape. He charged at Luc, hoping to tackle h
im and take away his height advantage. But as he rushed forward, Luc raised the knife and impaled him on it, then flung Tuck’s body aside.
“Nooo!” Andy screamed.
Andy was instantly at his friend’s side… and saw the gaping wound in Tuck’s chest close on its own. His eyes went wide.
“How…?”
I’m a demon,” Tuck said. “Braxton stuck me with that serum. The same one Hoff used.”
Piper scrambled over to join them. “So you could turn… into mush?” she asked.
“Yep.”
“We’ll protect you,” said Andy. “Just stay away from that… thing,” he said, indicating Luc.
Luis and Bash had recovered, and they were circling Luc. “You will not disturb my friends anymore, creature,” said Bash. “I am here now to protect them.”
Luc swung the knife at Bash, who caught the blade in his gloved hand, then used his other hand to punch Luc in the head as hard as he could. The sound of metal on metal reverberated through the room, and the large man toppled to the ground.
“Behold,” said Bash, “I send an angel before you to guard you on your way.” He pulled his knife from Luc’s grasp and stood over him defiantly.
“A demon and an angel,” Andy said, “and they’re both on our side. Maybe we’ll get out of this yet.”
Tuck laughed.
Before Luc could rise, Luis fired eight shots directly into his head. All eight ricocheted off and struck the walls. Luc reached up, grabbed Luis by the shirt, and threw him through the window and out onto the deck.
Andy scrambled to his feet. “Stay here,” he said to Piper. “If things start to look… you know, not so good… run. Get Tuck out of here.”
He joined Bash, facing Luc, standing between the hooded man and Piper.
Luc stood. Although the bullets hadn’t damaged him, they had ripped his hood, exposing the metal sphere beneath. It was covered with small holes, some holding what appeared to be lenses, others with tiny grates or screens.
“What the hell?” said Andy.
Bash glanced at his friend and realized he was unarmed. He handed him the knife. “Take this,” he said.
Andy accepted the blade. “What about you?”
Bash removed his gloves. “This is all I will need.”
Andy stared at Bash’s metal forearms and hands. “This shit is getting out of control,” he muttered.
Luc’s head started rising, his neck elongating, and the remnants of his hood were pulled away, fully exposing the metallic orb. It stopped after rising enough to view Tuck over the heads of Bash and Andy, but Luc himself remained still.
“Why isn’t he attacking?” Andy asked.
“Because I’m not trying to escape,” said Tuck.
“So as long as you stay still, he will too?”
“Let’s find out,” said Bash. He rushed at Luc, grabbed his head, and began to squeeze and twist, his metal fingers denting and piercing the sphere.
Luc grabbed Bash’s forearms and tried to pry him off.
“Must have a self-defense mode,” said Andy. He stepped in and started slashing with the hunting knife.
Luc twisted his body and used Bash to knock Andy away. Bash continued to struggle against the creature, but Luc was more powerful—and tore the metal arms from the scarred man’s body. Bash screamed and stumbled backwards, blood and fluids pumping from the stumps where his arms had been. Luc used Bash’s own arm to backhand him to the floor. Then his head returned to its lower position, and he turned to face Andy.
Andy made a feeble attempt with the knife, but Luc knocked it to the ground. He then dropped Bash’s arms, grabbed Andy by the throat, and lifted him from the ground.
Piper was across the room immediately. She began beating on Luc with the butt of her rifle“. “Let go of him, you asshole!” she yelled.
Her assault made no difference to the big soldier. Andy soon stopped struggling against Luc’s grip, and Luc dropped him to the floor. He then tore the rifle from Piper’s grasp and swung it at her head.
Tuck knocked her to the floor and out of harm’s way just in time. He stood in her place, holding Bash’s knife. “I usually use a rifle to kill the bad guys,” he said, “but in your case I’ll make an exception.”
“Tuck, no! You can’t!” Piper called out.
“It’s okay, Sparky,” he said, his gaze never leaving Luc. “I’ve got this guy’s number.”
He rushed forward.
As Luc raised his left hand, Tuck cut it off, then ducked as the right hand came speeding in. Tuck spun around, leaving a large gash in Luc’s abdomen before backing out of range. But Luc’s legs were long, and he planted a heavy boot on the side of Tuck’s face, knocking him to the floor and causing him to drop the knife.
Luc picked up the knife and assessed the situation. Piper was closer to him than Tuck, so he turned toward her and raised the blade.
Tuck leaped and landed on Luc’s chest. He wrapped his legs around Luc’s torso and grabbed his spherical head with one hand on each side.
Luc refocused his attention on his newest attacker. He raised the blade and began stabbing Tuck over and over.
“No, Tucker!” Piper screamed.
“Only… one way… to stop… this thing,” Tuck managed to say. His fingers found the areas which Bash had damaged, and it was enough to give him something to grip. His serum-enhanced strength made the holes bigger and he began to twist. He started to feel the slightest give.
But the pain was intense. There wasn’t enough time between stabs for his body to heal, and each penetration was causing more and more damage. He could hear Piper crying, but it sounded like she was a million miles away. The muscles of his shoulders and arms were throbbing as he strained, matching the pain from the knife wounds. But he knew there was no going back now. He screamed as he used the last of his enhanced strength to rip the sphere from Luc’s body.
At the same moment, his vision began to darken, and a numbness enveloped him.
“Nooo!” Piper cried.
She watched in horror as Tuck transformed into a bubbling mass of tissue and fluid. As Luc’s motionless body collapsed to the floor, the liquid that had been Tuck splashed over him.
Chapter 67
H194 was in his seventh sentry. He had lost the first two trying to keep the scientists from UNA hands, but when it had become clear that that mission had failed, he had been ordered to join the battle outside of Kashgar. He lost sentries three, four, five, and six fighting the UNA soldiers, some in large robotic suits, others on flying boards that could maneuver faster than he could think.
It was while he was in his sixth sentry that the UNA drones appeared. Orders came through to engage the new threat, but then the drones did something completely unexpected: they fired on the UNA soldiers. Confusion rippled through the troops, both UNA and Chinese, but H194 didn’t waste time questioning his good luck. He continued fighting until that sentry went down.
Now, in his seventh, he charged the nearest enemy, a soldier in one of the suits. There were several types of these UNA robotic suits, but this particular one was about eight feet tall, approximately the same height as the servo-sentry. It was roughly human-shaped, with two legs and two arms, but the limbs were extremely oversized, and the arms were loaded with machine guns and missile launchers. But the least human aspect of the robot’s appearance was that, where the head should be, there sat instead a turret. The pilot’s actual, helmeted head was visible through thick transparent material in the middle of the robot’s chest.
H194 fired all three of his cannons directly at that chest.
The blast rocked the oncoming behemoth, and it stopped for a moment. As the smoke dissipated, H194 saw the driver’s face. He’d had his helmet blown off, and his face was a mutilated mess. But as H194 watched, the face healed, then grimaced, and the robotic suit raised its arms to fire.
H194 moved laterally on his four spherical tires, barely escaping his opponent’s missiles.
A line of s
ix UNA soldiers on flying boards lay down a field of suppressive fire. It didn’t harm H194, but it distracted him just long enough for the suited soldier to quickly advance and rip off one of H194’s tires with a massive metal hand. The soldier then turned his head turret on H194. On this particular soldier, the turret turned out to be a flamethrower.
H194 knocked the soldier back. Both he and his opponent were on fire, and H194 had lost his maneuverability. The UNA soldier raised his arms to again fire missiles, and H194 saw the smirk on the driver’s face as he claimed victory. But then an electric bolt rattled through the suit. H194 looked up and saw a UNA drone fly overhead, firing at other UNA troops. He looked back at his opponent and saw the man’s face aging rapidly. The soldier screamed in agony as the fire consumed him.
H194 turned his attention back to his own machine. The flames were melting his outer layer, which meant his ammunition and missiles would soon detonate, followed by his fuel cell.
“H194 powering down. Ready sentry for launch.”
Within seconds he was back at the Hotan launching tunnel, and then airborne, racing toward Kashgar once more.
It appeared the tide of the battle was starting to turn in their favor. Many UNA troops were retreating, although many more remained engaged and were inflicting a lot of damage. H194 focused on a group of six soldiers on flying boards who were heading toward the main battle. As he closed on them, he saw a UNA drone coming up beside him. The drone seemed also to be focused on the group of flying soldiers.
H194 let loose two missiles, knocking two troopers out of the sky. The drone fired at almost the same time, hitting one of the others. The man dissolved, and the board he was on fell from the sky.
The other three troopers split up. One made quick work of the drone, sending it crashing to the ground, then all three pursued H194 together.