by Marty Chan
Ehrich slipped out of his harness and opened the hatch, dropping to the ground. The distraction was all he needed to slip under Farrier’s unit and pull open his hatch. Ehrich drew his pistol and fired a dart into the man’s chest. Farrier was stunned and his unit went limp.
Ehrich waved at the other unit to engage the enemy. The behemoth turned toward the main forces and lumbered off while Ehrich hauled the one-legged man out of the cockpit. A few feet away, Tesla directed two travellers to join him in helping Ehrich.
Tesla rushed to his friend’s side. “Are you injured?”
“No, sir. I’m fine. A lot better than Farrier, anyway.”
Tesla smiled. “A good catch.”
Ehrich slapped the unconscious man’s face several times. “Wake up! Up!”
Groggy, the southerner barely mumbled an answer. “What? What?”
“We know you’re working with Ba Tian. Where is Kifo? Where are the rest of the exoskeleton forces? Tell me!”
Farrier began to regain some of his self-control. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“You see those hunters over there? I throw you to them and you’ll be joining the generals on the execution line.”
“That doesn’t matter anymore.”
“Why not?” Tesla asked.
Farrier chuckled. “Because it’s over for you and your forces.”
“We’re already getting the upper hand on your units, Farrier,” Ehrich said. “Take a look around. You’ll see that your machines are starting to lose the war. Between our people and the hunters, it’s only going be a matter of time before we rout your men.”
“You’re too late, kid. Far too late.”
Ehrich ordered the travellers, “Pick him up. Follow me.”
“What are you doing?” Farrier asked.
Ehrich motioned the travellers to push the man forward, half-carrying him toward the hunters who had their rifles trained on the group.
“Take a good look at who we pulled out of the units attacking you. Recognize him?!”
The hunters looked at each other, puzzled. Then they peered at the struggling Farrier in Ehrich’s custody.
“The wooden leg!” Tesla shouted. “Look at his leg. Surely you remember your old commander.”
The penny dropped for a couple of the men. Ehrich could hear them holler “Farrier!” to the others.
The name seemed to spread like wildfire through the small crowd. The battle still waged beyond. A scrawny hunter retreated, pushing through the crowd and calling, “Commander! Commander. You have to see this.”
Ehrich called to the rest of the group. “We’re not fighting against you. We’re fighting with you.”
The hunters lowered their weapons and spoke heatedly amongst themselves. There seemed to be some disagreement as to how to proceed. A few kept their rifles raised, but others hesitated.
Ehrich shoved Farrier ahead and yelled, “We have him as a prisoner. We can turn him over to you and you can do whatever you want with him. Hang him or electrocute him. I don’t care which.”
Tesla grimaced. “Not electrocute. Anything but that.”
Ehrich nodded at Tesla and escorted Farrier one step forward.
Farrier began to push back, his good foot digging into the dirt as he tried to move back. “You can’t do this to me, Weisz,” he hissed.
“You showed your hand, Farrier. Now pay the price. I’m sure the hunters would love to get their hands on you now that they know you’re responsible for the deaths of so many of their squad mates.”
“I’ll make you a deal,” he whispered. “I’ll tell you what you need to know if you let me go.”
“Not interested. You could be lying to me just like you betrayed the people of this world.”
“I betrayed no one. The south should never bow down to the likes of these smug northerners. The country belongs to us.”
“You did this to settle the score of the Civil War?” Tesla asked.
“Once a Reb, always a Reb.”
“Well, grey coat, it doesn’t matter now,” Ehrich said. “You’re going to face an execution squad for betraying not just the country, but the human race.”
He motioned the armed hunters to come closer. Farrier stiffened.
“You want to know where Ba Tian and Kifo are? I’m the only one who can tell you. Turn me over to the hunters and you’ll throw away your only chance of stopping the warlord.”
“At least I’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you’ll pay for what you’ve done to this world.”
“I’ll tell you everything,” Farrier squealed. “Just don’t hand me over to them.”
“Talk. You’d better hurry.”
The hunters drew nearer.
“Ba Tian planned to attack this site and rescue his generals, but Kifo showed up in a new body and with a new plan. He wanted us to split the forces. Kifo knew Edison’s men would be spread out between Devil’s Island and here. He believed most of the protection would be around the generals.”
Ehrich glanced at the remaining hunters on the battlefield and realized the truth in the strategy.
“Where are Kifo and Ba Tian?” Tesla asked.
“This was their best chance to storm Devil’s Island and take control of the place. Ba Tian and Kifo are leading my men to Devil’s Island. We’ll be able to take over the island and hold it for weeks. Long enough for Ba Tian to open the portal and bring through his army. You’re all doomed.”
Ehrich shot a look at Tesla, his eyes wide with dread. They had been led to think that the generals mattered. He didn’t count on Kifo’s convincing Ba Tian to focus on the portal. Kifo had outsmarted them all.
“Now will you let me go?” Farrier begged.
“Well, well, well. What do we have here?” a voice boomed.
Ehrich glanced over at Thomas Edison pushing past the crowd, following the scrawny hunter who had run off earlier. The battle waged on in the distance, but the wizened commander was keen on Ehrich and Tesla.
“Mr. Tesla. Is that really you? Why am I not surprised to see you involved with this mess.”
Ehrich waved at the old man. “We are on the same side, Mr. Edison. The true enemy is right here.”
Farrier glared at Ehrich. “You lied to me.”
“I don’t know how I’ll be able to sleep at night,” Ehrich shot back.
Edison stopped in front of the trio. “Is this George Farrier?” he asked the scrawny hunter.
He nodded as did many of the others.
“Well, then. This is a troubling development. A former Demon Watch commander has turned out to be the traitor and Mr. Tesla and Ehrich Weisz have apprehended him. Only they did it with the help of the demons.” He glared at the travellers just behind Ehrich and Tesla.
“Travellers or Dimensionals,” Ehrich corrected him. “They prefer either of those terms over what you call them.”
“I don’t actually care about what to call them. I want them out of my dimension.”
“But you’re targeting the wrong ones. These people mean no harm to anyone. In fact, they’ve sacrificed their lives and friends to come here to help you.”
“Help us with what?”
“The men you are about to execute are generals of an invading force,” Tesla explained. “One that has destroyed other worlds and driven refugees to our dimension. The man leading this force intends to do the same to this world. In fact, he’s launching an attack on Devil’s Island as we stand here.”
“A likely story,” Edison said.
“Think about it,” Ehrich said. “You have in your custody the generals who masterminded the attack on the airship. Why would they want to take over the ship unless it was part of a greater plan? Open your eyes. The machines that are attacking you now are part of a larger force that is about to descend on New York. My people ar
e trying to make sure that doesn’t happen. You can fight with us or against us. Either way, we’re not going to stop until the forces are put down.”
An explosion just beyond the group rocked the area. Edison and the others turned to see the dozen exoskeletons behind the stage engaged in combat with Amina’s forces. It was clear from the few travellers left standing that the exoskeletons were winning.
The time for discussion was done. Now it was time to pick sides.
Ehrich ordered his fighters, “We have to take the heat off Amina and Hexacate’s forces.”
The remaining travellers sprang into action, leaving Ehrich alone with Farrier. He stepped back and let two hunters take Farrier into custody. The man limped along, resisting.
“Are you with us, Mr. Edison?” Ehrich asked.
Edison flashed a grim smile. “The enemy of my enemy is my ally.”
“What about Farrier?” Tesla asked. “Do you have a place to lock him up?”
“No point in having a traitor in our midst,” Edison said. “Chain him to the wagon’s wheel. He’ll make a good shield if the exoskeletons turn on us.”
“No. Wait. Don’t!” Farrier pleaded.
Two hunters hauled the one-legged man away while Ehrich and Tesla led the travellers and hunters to fight the enemy.
The Battle Turns
Ehrich tried to direct the hunters to fire on the left flank, noting that his people were trying to steal behind the lumbering units, but no hunter was willing to take orders from him. Tesla grabbed Ehrich’s arm and pulled him down as a volley of disks flew overhead. The melee was chaotic and some of the fighters fell. The travellers tried in vain to sneak behind the units, but the exoskeleton pilots fired on them, pinning them down.
The exoskeletons continued to advance on Thomas Edison’s position. Ehrich pulled out his communicator and tried to contact Charlie. “What happened to Amina and Hexacate?”
He waited for a few seconds. Then repeated his call.
Charlie responded. “Dash sees them. Both machines are down. Dash, do you see Amina? Is she all right?”
The communicator hissed for a few seconds, but it seemed like an eternity.
Finally, Charlie clicked back on. “Dash says she’s out of the cockpit. No sign of Hexacate. She must still be inside. They’re pinned down.”
Ehrich clicked off. “We have to move on the exoskeletons before it’s too late.”
The lanky scientist surveyed the battlefield then the generators near them. “I have an idea.”
Ehrich raised an eyebrow in question.
Tesla pointed at the cables snaking across the ground and the giant coils. “I tinkered a bit with the generators earlier so they wouldn’t function, but with a few adjustments, I think I can weaponize them.”
“Mr. Tesla, do you think you could hurry?”
His friend smiled. “It won’t take long. Grab the cables connected to the generators and head to the machines.”
He pointed at two long cables coiled beside the generator.
Ehrich turned to two hunters and explained, “We have a way to defeat the units but I need your help. Take these and unroll them.”
The hunters turned to each other, unsure whether to obey.
In frustration, he grabbed one by the front of the shirt and screamed into her face. “You either help us or those things cut my friends into ribbons.”
This seemed to light a fire under everyone. They dropped their rifles and each uncoiled the cables, snaking them out toward the attacking exoskeletons. The other hunters and travellers advanced on the machines. Smoke filled the air from the downed units.
Ehrich glanced over at his friend, who was now working at the generators. Suddenly, an exoskeleton lumbered through the wreckage in front of the stage and charged toward the generators. Ehrich fired on it with a dynatron pistol. No effect. One of the iron giants raised its arm and fired on the hunters, cutting one of them down. The other dropped the cable and ran for cover.
Ehrich had to stop the attack. He fired on the cockpit. None of the electro darts penetrated, but they did attract the attention of the pilot, who turned the machine around to face Ehrich. He dove to the ground as a volley of disks sliced the air over his head.
The unit continued to advance on the generator. Ehrich stood up and fired, but his pistol cartridge had been spent.
Tesla screamed, “The cable! Grab the cable!”
Ehrich ran to one of the snaking cables and tried to pick up the end. A stray disk slashed at the back of his leg. He tumbled to the ground, clutching his thigh. He rolled upright, holding the end of the cable in one hand. He was a sitting duck. The exoskeleton raised its gun turret and took aim. He braced for his final moment.
A loud hum filled the air and Ehrich’s hair stood on end. Then a blinding flash and a loud screech deafened him.
“Point the cable at the unit!” Tesla barked.
Ehrich obeyed. Lightning flew out of the end of the cable and lit up the exoskeleton from top to bottom as the electric current coursed through it. Inside the cockpit, the pilot howled and writhed in pain. Whatever current was electrifying the unit was making its way through the iron and electrocuting the pilot. A second later, the unit went inert, lowering its arms. In the cockpit, the smoking body of the pilot slumped forward.
Tesla ran to pick up the other cable and charged at the dozen units about to decimate Amina’s forces. He planted his feet and took aim. Lightning danced out of the cable and lit up the rear units. Ehrich took his cue and followed suit with his cable. The air was singed and the stench of fire filled his nostrils. The two units at the rear toppled over, sizzling with electricity.
The travellers and hunters approaching the units turned around, gaping with wonder. They stopped.
Tesla beamed as he waved them off. The end of his cable was still smoking.
“You weren’t kidding when you said you had a powerful weapon, sir,” Ehrich said.
Tesla beamed. “It’s like a cannon. The cable is the conduit. You just have to aim and shoot.”
“What’s the range on this?” Ehrich asked.
“About fifty feet, but the cable is long, so you’ll be able to get closer to the battle. Let’s finish this, shall we?”
They charged at the units attacking Amina’s forces. Ehrich aimed at the nearest unit. Beside him, Tesla followed suit. Two bursts of pure white electrical energy shot out from the cables and caught two of the units. They stopped moving immediately.
The travellers cheered and fired upon the remaining units, which began to turn to engage. The hunters fired on the attackers. Fire sparked on two of the units and the exoskeletons seized up. The tide was turning. Ehrich cheered as he hauled his cable across the field and launched another bolt of energy at an exoskeleton now trying to flee the battlefield.
The unit lurched to a halt and the humans cheered. Ehrich barked at them, “Get into the unit. Pull out the pilot. You can use the machines against them.”
Edison yelled, “You heard him. Get inside!”
Four hunters rushed to the inert exoskeleton. Two provided cover fire on the other machines, using the iron behemoth as protection against the flying disks. With the Tesla cannon, they were able to turn the tide of battle. The hunters and travellers engaged the remaining exoskeletons, moving further away from the stage and the paddy wagons.
Ehrich dropped his cable and rushed to his friends’ fallen units. Amina peeked up from the other side of one of the exoskeletons, propping up Hexacate and her son as they rose from the wreckage.
“Amina!” he yelled.
She waved. “We’re safe.”
Ehrich stopped in front of her and checked her for wounds. She seemed none the worse for wear. Then he checked on Hexacate and her son.
“We’re sturdier than we look,” Hexacate said.
“Took you long enough,” A
mina quipped.
“Sorry, I had to stop and sightsee.”
“Well, I see Mr. Tesla found a new toy to play with. Impressive electricity cannon.”
“I wish the generators were portable. We could use this for what’s to come.”
She cocked her head to one side, confused. Before he could explain, Edison and Tesla joined the group along with some of the surviving hunters and travellers. They stood shoulder to shoulder, humans and Dimensionals as brothers in arms.
Edison eyed the paddy wagons. “We have the generals. Now we need to put an end to the rest of the forces.”
Ehrich shook his head. “We have to get to Devil’s Island.”
“No, we have to finish the battle here.”
“You do, but we have unfinished business with Ba Tian and Kifo.”
An explosion from the battlefield interrupted their argument. The battle wasn’t over yet.
Edison turned from Ehrich and ordered, “Give them help. Go. Go!”
Both the hunters and travellers trotted off to the battlefield with Edison urging them on.
Diversion
Ehrich pulled out his communicator and signalled Charlie, Dash, and Bess. “Do you read me? We are all safe, but the battle is still going on. Stay where you are. I’ll let you know what we’re doing next.”
Charlie answered. “Looks like the hunters and travellers are working together. Is that what I’m seeing?”
Ehrich replied. “Yes. For now. How are Dash and Bess?”
“Your brother has eagle eyes, but he’s got no stamina. Bess has been doing all the pushing.”
Over the communicator, Ehrich could hear Bess’s voice. “You could stand to lose some weight, Charlie.”
Amina scratched her head. “I thought there would be more exoskeletons. I swear there were far more taken from the tunnel.”
“There were,” Ehrich said. “This was a diversion attack. The real plan was to take over the Demon Gate portal on Devil’s Island. Ba Tian wanted Edison to concentrate the hunters on the execution site so that the island wouldn’t be well defended.”