“T-thanks,” muttered Silvio through a wince. “You be sure to thank those guys in the tanks for me. They came into the picture at just the right time.”
When McCoy sauntered out of the tent, it was just Dr. Deal and Silvio once more. The doctor wrapped a blood pressure cuff around his arm and tracked his vitals, making notes on a clipboard. “ARTEMIS is currently being repaired. It took less damage than any of us expected. Emil will be working around the clock. Once the repairs have been made, we'll be shipping out after the Colossus. Or so I've been told.”
“Shipping out? What's that supposed to mean?” He rolled onto his side, stretching his beat up limbs like a cat on a sunny windowsill. “Didn't it head back to the lake or something?”
Dr. Deal's hands trembled a little as she removed the cuff. Gravely, she shook her head. “I'm afraid not. The worst seems to have happened.” She gulped. “We got word that it went past Lake Liliana. In fact, recon claims to have tracked it just past the Wisconsin border. It's left Michigan, Silvio, and we aren't sure just how far it's going to go. It's on a rampage.”
“A rampage?”
She nodded. “It's cutting across the country towards the west coast at a frightful pace, and it's leveling everything in its path. I know this isn't what you want to hear just after waking up, but we're going to have to give chase, and fast. Now that you're awake and stable, we'll need to start planning.”
Shit, it's already in Wisconsin? He closed his eyes and tried to imagine the monstrosity racing across the country, completely unchallenged. What if it made it all the way out west, to California, where Sarah and Leah were? It was the worst scenario imaginable, but suddenly it didn't seem particularly unlikely. A trip of that distance could be made easily by the creature.
He threw off the flimsy blanket and sat on the edge of the gurney, feeling suddenly dizzy. He held out an arm and grabbed onto the white sleeve of the doctor's lab coat. “We need to get moving.”
23
There wasn't much road free of debris, which made for a bumpy ride. The hulking vehicle they were in, a big, green thing Silvio couldn't put a name to, rolled over a mass of rubble. He was doing his best to sit up against the stiff backrest, arms crossed. Dr. Deal had given him a few pills; some of them painkillers, others meant to keep him relaxed. He'd chewed them up to make them kick in faster and could still taste them. The inside of the vehicle was dim, the only light coming from small slits in the sides of the metal body. There were two drivers in the cab of the thing, but he'd seen precious little of them since setting out.
It'd been almost a day since he'd woken up in that medical tent, and his body was still a mess. Bruises were spreading, deepening in color. If not for the drugs in his system he might've been rendered an invalid.
He was stuck in this vehicle with Dr. Conway, Dr. Deal and Emil. Dr. Deal was leaning back as best she could, sleeping lightly, while the other two sat across from Silvio, bickering. It was strange to see the ordinarily quiet Emil complain in this way, but if the dark circles under his eyes were any indicator, then he'd been worked like a slave over the past day.
“You people want me to just pull fresh parts and repairs out of my ass, but it takes time.” He tugged on his overalls, lowering his head and loosing a great sigh. “When you hurry me, mistakes get made.”
Conway said nothing for a short time, peering narrowly through the slits in the sheet metal at the passing scenery. They were nearly out of Michigan, which would have been cause for celebration, if not for news that the Colossus had just stormed into South Dakota. It'd been intercepted by a squadron of high-altitude bombers, however the planes had exhausted their payloads upon the beast without scoring any decisive injury. If anything, they'd only pissed the thing off further and given it more anger with which to fuel its furious sprint across the US.
“This arrangement we have with the government is disgusting,” said Conway after a time. He crossed his legs, his face pressed into a scowl. The wrinkles on his face were those produced by a life's worth of scowls. Had he smiled, his face might've crumbled away like a clod of dried mud. He straightened his lab coat, smoothing it out as he continued. “We're allowing them far too much information. They've been poking around my ARTEMIS more than is appropriate, and I doubt they aren't taking notes. If Mr. Aderhold only knew what these feds were up to, he'd void the contract at once and let them try to deal with the Colossus on their own. Surely they've violated the terms.” He threw up a hand. “I can't say I blame them; ARTEMIS is the single most intriguing piece of technology ever produced, however their examinations during repairs are tantamount to theft.”
Silvio smirked. It wasn't that he completely disagreed with Conway. ARTEMIS was incredible. There was no denying it. Conway was a prick, but his invention really lived up to the hype. Nevertheless, whenever he talked about ARTEMIS, he came across as an overly prideful parent, talking about their honor student. It was enough to make Silvio roll his eyes.
Hoping to change the subject, Silvio cleared his throat. The pain killers were starting to kick in; a bit of relief washed over him. “So, why hasn't the thing stopped, eh? Why is it just... charging across the country?”
Conway's eyebrows perked up and he fell into thought. “Well,” came the reply some moments later, “it probably won't stop until it reaches some substantial barrier. It's gone berserk. Perhaps when it calms its nerve it'll settle down somewhere, but more likely it'll push on till it gets to the Pacific. Then, possibly, it'll dive into the ocean and keep going. It's anyone's guess.” Conway evidently didn't care much about the beast or its intentions. Immediately he returned to the subject of ARTEMIS, discussing possible refinements to its future arsenal.
“Well, what about the Rockies? Won't the mountains at least slow it down?” The question had only just left his lips when he realized how stupid it sounded. That thing was a mountain. It could scale the Rockies without breaking a sweat.
Silvio was chilled to his very core by the thought of the Colossus making its way to the west coast. What if it made it to California? If it indiscriminately trampled his home and family underfoot? The very notion was sufficient to make him squirm. He wanted to jump out of the vehicle and sprint all the way home, just to make sure everything was OK. He didn't have any way to contact Sarah; he had no phone on him, and under the circumstances he doubted the military would allow him to contact anyone who wasn't associated with the operation.
He shook his head, remembering what he'd told Sarah before leaving. He'd assured her everything would be OK, that Aderhold Corp. simply wanted his help cleaning up the area in the aftermath of the Colossus' attack. You fucked up, he thought. That's a hell of a lie. You almost bought the farm back there... what would Sarah think if she saw you on your way to duke it out with that scaly motherfucker again? She'd lose her damn mind...
“The way they're going, they'll have enough information to develop their own robot in the next few years. Goddamned thieves, the lot of them. I wish we'd never worked with the military on this. Mr. Aderhold has made a grave error in allowing them even this much access to ARTEMIS.” Conway held his thumb and pointer within a hairs' width of each other to demonstrate his point. “They're learning too much and will steal this technology, mark my words.” He slapped his knee, looking to Emil. “It's blatant theft. Disgusting, no?”
As much as Silvio wished he could give a damn about the ethics of intellectual property right then, he had far more important things on his mind.
Hang in there, guys. Do what you have to do to stay safe. I'm on my way, and I'll do whatever I can to protect you. I'm going to wring this thing's neck. And before you know it, I'll be home and we'll be happy again. We'll be able to put this whole nightmare behind us.
24
After choking down a hastily-prepared MRE, it was Silvio's turn to get some shut-eye. He leaned back against the stiff seat and closed his eyes, attempting to shut out the horrifying visions that cluttered his waking thoughts. Everyone in the vehicle had urged him to get some rest, and D
r. Deal had dispensed a few more pills to help him get some sleep, but none, so far, had touched him. He was wired, on a stack of potent steroids that gave him strength while promoting wakefulness and allowing him to ignore the pain that wreaked his body from every quadrant.
Finally, though, when he learned to ignore the frequent bumps in the road, Silvio managed to drift to sleep.
At some point, he dreamt of the one bedroom apartment he shared with Sarah. He walked through it like a ghost, watching Sarah sleep peacefully in bed with Leah. They were both rendered so clearly he felt convinced he was there. He could hear their breaths, could see Sarah's light hair spilling over the edge of her pillow. He could see Leah's small feet sticking awkwardly out of the covers, the very same feet that frequently ended up in his face when he shared the bed. He ambled over to the bed, adjusting the covers over his daughter.
He ambled out to the kitchen, saw the table where they shared their meals. On the ground, scattered in a corner, was his old training gear. Sarah always got after him for leaving it laying around.
BOOM.
The ground shook.
He was suddenly in the bedroom again, watched as Sarah sat bolt upright, clutching their daughter to her chest.
BOOM.
Something was coming.
And he knew exactly what it was.
“Run!” he screamed at them.
Sarah and Leah, however, couldn't hear him. They didn't even know he was there. He was frozen out of the scene completely. His repeated shouts at them were about as effective as shouting at the actors on a TV show. It didn't matter how he felt about the plot; his feelings weren't going to change the episode's ending.
The apartment building shook.
The two of them stayed in bed, clutching at each other. Vivid, tear-stained horror plagued their faces.
Then came the foot. That very same foot that'd stomped on him while he'd been at ARTEMIS' helm.
The Colossus stepped on the complex, leveling it underfoot without the least bit of effort.
Screams were silenced. Lives snuffed out in an instant. Everything he'd ever known was destroyed. There would be nothing for him to come home to. Nothing he cared about in the world would be preserved.
Silvio awoke with a scream.
Everyone in the vehicle was startled awake, looking to him with annoyance. “Keep it down over there,” grumbled Conway, folding his arms and struggling to get back to sleep.
Dr. Deal was awake, and she leaned in, placing a hand on Silvio's shoulder. “What's wrong, bad dream?”
Massaging his forehead, he nodded. His heart was thumping like mad. He could feel it in his temples, in his teeth. “Yeah... bad dream.” He knew damn well that if the team didn't intercept the Colossus soon, it may become more than just a nightmare. “Anything new?”
“I heard that the creature has crossed into Utah. We're starting into Wyoming. It hasn't shown any signs of stopping yet.”
Silvio nodded, then stared at the metallic ceiling. It was just a dream, he reminded himself again and again. But it could very well become a reality.
***
Silvio spent the night sleeping in fits. When he awoke, the dim light of morning entered in through the slits in the vehicle. He yawned, stretching his legs and turning to the others, who had woken up before him.
“You looked uncomfortable,” muttered Emil, looking little refreshed for his night of bump-ridden sleep. “Sleep poorly?”
“Don't look so comfortable yourself there, tex,” replied Silvio, sporting a little grin. He wiped some drool from the corner of his mouth and looked to the others. “Any news?”
Conway sniffed at the air. “We received word just an hour ago that the Colossus has moved into California. It has hardly stopped since leaving Michigan. Its endurance is incredible.”
Silvio's heart almost stopped. “What the hell do you mean, it's in California?”
Conway arched a brow, looking at Silvio as though he were stupid. “I mean what I said, Mr. Echegaray. It's as I expected; it's raced straight for the west coast. Whether the ocean will stop it remains to be seen.”
Silvio punched the side of the vehicle, his knuckles screaming out in pain as he did so. His greatest fear was coming to pass. The Colossus had made it into California. “Where are we?” he asked.
“We're more than half-way through Utah, as of an hour ago,” said Dr. Deal, combing a lock of tangled hair behind her ear. “Why? What's the matter.”
Silvio's face was painted in sheer panic. He grit his teeth, shrinking back and clawing at the leather seat beneath him. He wanted to break free, could have climbed the walls for all of the anxiety he felt. “OK, why don't we fly to California and head it off at the pass, then? Why follow it in this clunky thing? We flew into Michigan before-- we could do the same this time and save a little time, you know?”
Conway shook his head. “Absolutely not.”
“And why the hell not?” demanded Silvio, balling his fists.
“I decided at the onset that we would drive, Mr. Echegaray,” replied Conway, raising his voice. “You needed as much time as possible to rest. Putting you in the cockpit straight after that last battle would be a suicide mission for ARTEMIS. Moreover, it was my hope that the cross-country trek would tire out the Colossus. It hasn't slowed yet, but by the time we get to California, perhaps it will have been tuckered out. ARTEMIS has been loaded into specialized transports, and Emil has taken it upon himself to direct the packing so that the unit may be deployed more quickly than it was in Michigan. Nevertheless, we mustn't rush into this. Rushing into the fight in Michigan very nearly ended in failure.”
Dr. Deal attempted to voice agreement. “It's true. You need your rest, and the only way we can hope to win is if you and ARTEMIS are both in fighting shape.”
Silvio dug his nails into the seat. If it had been a living thing, he would've drawn blood. We're running out of time. I can't just sit in this damned thing and get shipped around. I need to get out there, stop it in its tracks before... His dream flashed vividly through his mind; visions of his family, his apartment, getting stomped on by the beast. Conway doesn't even care about all of the destruction. State after State has gotten fucked by this thing, but he's driving us there nice and slow because he doesn't want his precious robot getting dinged up. He's a goddamn monster. Doesn't he have a conscience? Why doesn't he care about what's happening to all of the people who live along the creature's path?
25
The announcement that they'd made it into California hadn't come through even a minute when Silvio demanded they stop.
“I want to pull over. I want ARTEMIS constructed here and now. I can give chase on foot. It'll be a lot faster that way. We've wasted enough time, driving after the son of a bitch. Let's get ARTEMIS up and running. Please.” He looked to Conway pleadingly.
“I'm not sure how feasible it would be to--” began Conway.
“Come on. The roads are awful; it will be faster if the three of you fly and I follow the bastard in ARTEMIS. It's a solid plan. Plus, the Colossus is far enough away right now for us to safely get ARTEMIS put together. Not like last time.”
Picking up his radio, Conway hit the button. “Commandant, this is Conway. We'd like to stop here and assemble ARTEMIS. Me and the rest of the team would like an airlift to the target's position, and ARTEMIS will chase the thing on foot.”
A few moments later, the familiar voice of Commandant McCoy came through. “Fine with me. The sooner we get moving, the sooner we can tie the sumbitch down. Is our golden boy rested enough to take him on, though?”
Conway narrowed his gaze, dissecting Silvio silently for a time. “Perhaps.”
As the vehicle rolled to a stop, Conway set aside his radio and leaned forward. “I'm not sure you're rested enough yet, if I'm being honest. You seem to want to rush into this. Why?”
Silvio grit his teeth. He wanted to slug Conway for his heartlessness. “Don't you care about what's happening out there? So many people are
dying in this thing's path. Take what happened in Michigan and multiply it a hundred times. That's what we're dealin' with here.”
“Oh.” replied Conway with a sardonic grin. “You want to play hero, do you? To save them all? How... noble of you.” He stood up, opening the door to the vehicle and stepping out into the sunlight. “I needn't remind you that we aren't here to play hero, however. We're engaged in a test of ARTEMIS' abilities. That's all this is, at the end of the day.”
Silvio was floored by Conway's callousness. He'd known the doctor to be a selfish monster, but to hear him express his opinions in this way only made Silvio hate him more. Silvio ambled out after him, his good eye accosted by a dose of bright sunlight.
“Silvio, why are you in such a hurry?” asked Dr. Deal, climbing out. “It's still going to take a while for Emil to get ARTEMIS together. We can't rush this... so, why are you in such a panic? Why the urgency?”
“It's because my family is in California!” spat Silvio. “My girlfriend and daughter are here, and the monster might get to them. You understand? My family is in danger.” He was so angry he was shaking. “I need to stop the thing, and fast.”
Laughter escaped Conway's lips. The man was almost doubled over, laughing. “So, that's what has you so worked up, is it?” He stood upright and sucked in a deep breath, the amusement sapped from his visage at once. “Perhaps, then, you aren't in fighting shape. This anxiety of yours could be a liability.” He took his radio in hand and traced the button with his finger. “I should probably tell the commandant to halt things until you can calm yourself down. It won't do to send you into the fray, being so worried about your loved ones. Perhaps we'll... set off in the morning, instead?”
Before he even knew what he was doing, Silvio had the collar of Conway's coat in his fist. “Listen here, you fuck,” growled Silvio, his nose pressed into Conway's. “You get that goddamned robot together now or I'll kill you right here. Understand? We get moving now or you're dead.”
Bonecrusher: A Kaiju Thriller (The Armageddon Tetralogy Book 1) Page 14