“I need one of those for my store,” said Oberon.
“Sorry, we can’t keep them. They’re on loan from the U.S.S. Enterprise,” said Zammy, “which is on its way to port in Long Beach. I called in a few favors to get them here.”
“Lord, I hope I live to see the day!” Romeo proclaimed.
The hovercraft came to rest. A ramp opened and a man wearing a business suit and body armor trotted over. He transferred a large assault rifle to his other hand and shook hands with Zammy. He then exchanged a hug with Delilah. The diagonal black lines of cammo paint on her face and the submachine gun in her hands were equally foreboding.
“I’d like you all to meet a close friend of ours,” said Zammy. “This is Senator David Stein. He chairs the Senate Joint Armed Services Committee. We share a passionate dislike for Les Grossman.”
Senator Stein laughed. “That’s an understatement. When he was just making movies, it wasn’t a problem. But his pervasive anti-robot rhetoric has become a national security threat. He’s made a lot of enemies, including in the military and Pentagon. The fact is that the world can be a hostile place. We need to be able to meet threats of any kind. Robots are crucial to that mission. Robots save lives. And they tend to make one helluva valiant soldier.” The Senator nodded to Howard and Bernard, both of whom wore body armor and had green and black cammo paint on their faces, and carried assault rifles.
“That was a nice speech,” said Zammy.
“Did I rush it? I felt like I rushed it.”
“No, it was good. Did you bring help?” Zammy asked.
“I brought the house.” The Senator spoke into the small boom microphone attached to his ear. “Activate and deploy.”
All around the airfield, ramps unfolded from the hovercraft. Robots poured out. Large, silver robots. Danny recognized them at once.
“Pagaz.”
“Pagazim,” said the Senator, “plural. And they’re ready to kick some ass.”
“That makes about a hundred and fifty of us,” said Blendo.
“Alright, let’s get ready to move, everybody!” Danny called.
Tim and Maggie turned to Gali, Copper, and Turing.
“You girls look so cute in your face paint and body armor,” said Rony. “When we get home the four of us should have a nice tea party with some dolls and a couple pounds of C-4.”
“Okay!” Gali, Copper, and Turing exclaimed, smiling.
“You girls get the command center up and running,” said Tim. “You’re our eyes and ears once we get inside.”
“We’ve got you covered, dad,” said Turing.
“We’re leaving a full complement of Pagazim to guard the airfield. No one will get within five hundred yards of your girls,” said Senator Stein.
Automatic gunfire erupted. Rounds plinked off the armored hovercraft in a flurry of sparks.
“Get down!” Danny yelled.
Everyone dove for the tarmac.
Howard and Bernard leveled their weapons and returned fire. Howard spoke calmly between bursts of gunfire. “If you’ll escort the girls to the command center, Miss Maggie, we’ll be underway.”
Maggie veritably pushed Gali, Copper, and Turing up the stairs and into the jet. Blackie, Whitey, Kong, and VanCat escorted Maggie while she helped the girls into the Gulfstream.
All around, everyone was returning fire. A horde of humanoid drone robots had descended upon the airfield.
The Pagaz units were dropping them like flies, but they kept coming by the dozens.
Bella aimed his .50 caliber rifle and fired. A drone’s head exploded.
“Nice shot,” said Rukara. He let loose a burst from his assault rifle and another drone fell.
“Thanks,” said Bella, firing again.
“We can’t stay here all night,” said Rony. She held an Uzi in each hand, and fired in alternate bursts, dropping two more drones.
“She’s right,” said Atom.
“Let’s get ready to move,” Blendo added. He and Atom both fired, and two drones dropped.
“Senator,” said Poo, “get the bots into a wedge and we’ll fall in inside of it.” Poo whirled and shot a drone that was concentrating its fire on the G-950 where the girls were. The drone toppled over.
“Right,” said the Senator. “By the way, I’m a huge fan of your work.”
“Thanks.” Poo emptied his clip into three drones fighting hand-to-hand with a Pagaz. The drones fell in the dirt. Everyone waited for the Pagaz to stand up, but it didn’t move.
“Our first casualty,” said Blackie.
“Looks like it just got real, honey,” said Romeo.
Isaac and Nik each unloaded their weapons on a drone. Beside them, Oberon drained his magazine and dropped four drones.
“Hey, Romeo,” said Oberon, shouting over the gunfire, “if we make it out of this, promise to tell me how you make that vegetarian fish.”
“You got it, sweetie,” said Romeo, squeezing off rounds in short, controlled bursts, “but only if lover boy over there agrees to shave off that rats’ nest he calls a beard. I want to see his face because I think I’m in love.”
Bella fired another round from his massive rifle. “What can I say?” He chambered and fired again. “Robots love me. Whoa–!”
A round hit Bella in the chest and he fell on his back.
Rony and Rukara knelt beside him while Atom and Blendo concentrated their fire and destroyed the drone that shot Bella.
Bella gasped for air, coughing and choking.
Rukara slid his hand inside Bella’s body armor. It came away dry. “It’s okay. The round didn’t penetrate.”
Bella sat up, grunting as he drew breath. “Sure feels like it. I think my ribs are broken.”
“That was close,” said Rony.
“Too close,” added Rukara.
Bella gasped as he heaved himself to his feet. He retrieved his rifle from the tarmac and chambered a round. “I’m done screwing around. Let’s go.” Bella walked from behind the hovercraft.
Senator Stein stood and called, “Move out!”
Everyone moved at a fast walk, weapons at the ready, firing as they went.
Kong carried a gatling gun with six long black barrels that spun when fired. A long belt of ammunition was fed from a massive pack on his back. Kong squeezed the trigger, shredding drones to pieces, until the barrels glowed red-hot.
VanCat held an Uzi in each hand. He sprayed bullets everywhere, dropping drone after drone, and used his other two hands to tear fresh magazines from the dozens on his body armor, popping in the fresh clips and blazing away.
“On your left!” Blackie called, and Whitey turned and shot the drone just before it fired.
Moshe and Tikva and Helen and Sparky leapfrogged forward, moving in pairs. They took turns covering one another, advancing quickly.
Tim and Maggie came next, followed closely by Isaac and Nik.
Floyd and Susannah followed with Canary and Laura, all firing like mad and slamming fresh magazines into their weapons.
Atom, Blendo, and Poo advanced with Zammy and Delilah. Rony and Rukara were on either side of Bella. Bella grunted with each step but moved quickly. He fired round after round from his massive rifle despite his injury.
Danny and Rory brought up the rear, accompanied by Howard and Bernard.
The team assembled and took cover behind the line of Pagaz robots.
“How much further to the house?” asked Laura.
“I’d say about fifteen hundred meters,” said Rukara.
“How far is that in feet?” asked Maggie.
“Almost a mile,” said Atom.
“We’re going to fight our way uphill for almost a mile, outnumbered?” Susannah asked.
“Damn right,” said Danny.
“It would help if we knew what was waiting for us,” said Poo.
“Right,” said Tim. He keyed his radio. “Ladybug, this is Papa Bear. Do you copy?”
~
Down at the airfield, inside th
e big Gulfstream, Gali, Copper, and Turing reclined in the jet’s luxurious leather chairs, eating chocolate and drinking from pouches of coffee. A portable computer console sat on the table.
“What do you guys think Candy and Harley are doing right now?” Gali asked.
“Probably sitting by the fire,” said Copper, “watching Grossman O.D. on Diet Coke, and keeping warm. Instead of freezing their asses off in an airplane like us.”
Gali licked melted chocolate from her fingers. “You think Les will get elected President?”
“Probably,” said Turing. “My teacher Mrs. Graves said he will.”
“It would help if he lost a little weight and got rid of the body hair,” said Copper. “It’s really gross, man.”
Turing flattened her pouch. She grabbed a new one and squeezed the bottom. “I love the crunching sound it makes when you activate it.”
“That’s your third one, Tur,” said Gali.
“I know,” Turing smiled, “and I feel great!”
“Mom’s gonna kill me!”
“Mom’s not here,” said Turing. “And she’s not going to find out. Here, have some more chocolate. They go good together.”
“Who do you guys think is cuter,” Copper asked, “Danny or Rory?”
“Danny,” Gali replied.
“Danny’s cute,” said Turing, “but I think Rory is cute, too.”
“What about Poo? Or Bella?” asked Gali.
“Poo is a babe,” said Copper.
“I agree,” said Turing. “Plus it’s important to be with someone who makes you laugh. But Bella is handsome, too. He just needs to shave off that beard. It looks like a home for wayward spiders.”
Gali and Copper laughed.
“You think Rony and Poo are going to get together?” Gali asked.
“Definitely,” said Copper.
“Definitely,” said Turing.
“What about Harley and Rory?” asked Gali.
“Oh please,” said Turing, “don’t even get me started on those two.”
Tim’s voice sounded from the computer on the table. “Ladybug, this is Papa Bear. Do you copy?”
“Oh, look!” said Turing. “Daddy’s calling.” She donned the waiting headset. “Hi, Papa Bear. This is Ladybug.”
“I’m supposed to do it,” said Gali.
“I can do it,” said Turing. “We read you loud and clear, Papa Bear. Go ahead.”
“Roger that, sweetie,” said Tim. “We need some eyes in the sky. Go ahead and launch it.” Maggie’s voice was audible in the background, “Tell Gali not to let Turing have more than one pouch of coffee.” Tim added, “And mom says no more coffee for you.”
“Daddy says launch it,” said Turing. “And no more coffee for me.”
“See?” Gali scolded. She removed the small black quadrocopter from its protective case and handed it to Copper. “Get ready to throw it through the door.”
“Roger,” said Copper. “Fire it up.”
Gali tapped the screen a few times. “Initiating start-up sequence.”
Copper’s face appeared on the screen. “We have visual.” Her voice sounded from the speakers. “Audio is good.”
Gali tapped the Rotor icon. All four rotors whirred to life. The copter nearly flew itself out of Copper’s hands.
“Okay, Copper, launch it.”
“Roger.” Copper moved to the open door of the jet.
Bullets plinked off the sheetmetal and sent up a shower of sparks.
All three girls dove for the floor.
When it was clear, Copper inched forward, closer to the door. “Get ready, Gali! One . . . Two . . . Three!”
Copper leaned forward and hurled the copter through the door.
Rounds hit the jet.
A nearby Pagaz returned fire, shattering a drone within range of the parked aircraft.
Gali slid her finger up the screen on the laptop and increased the throttle.
The copter took to the air.
A live feed appeared in the eyes of Danny, Rory, Tim, Maggie, and the others, real-time video captured by the copter and relayed to the contact lenses in their eyes.
Gali piloted the quadrocopter over their heads, then climbed vertically. The increased altitude provided a live shot of what was coming down the hill toward them: an armada of drones.
“We are so dead,” said Atom.
“There’s just too many,” said Rukara.
“What do we do now?” Susannah asked.
“We need backup.” Danny keyed his radio. “Egg Roll, this is Viper. You read?”
“Loud and clear, Viper. Go ahead.”
“Have you got eyes on us, and on what’s coming toward us?”
“Affirmative, Viper. We are inbound. Hold your position.”
The distant whine of jet engines became audible.
“Here comes the cavalry,” said Blendo.
“Death from above,” Oberon added.
Dragon jets appeared. Danny counted eight in all, spread over two formations. The jets hovered overhead.
All eight jets opened up with their Vulcan cannons. Streams of bullets washed over the advancing army of drones. Green tracer rounds lit up the night. The drones were cut down.
Yet on and on the drones came.
“You kids might want to plug your ears,” radioed Egg Roll.
Scores of missiles fired from the jets and streaked toward the oncoming drones.
“Oh yeah,” said Egg Roll, “duck.”
Everyone knelt behind the row of Pagaz units.
The scores of missiles broke apart. Each projectile became dozens. And each smaller missile zinged to the ground and hit a drone. The noise was like ten thousand fire crackers exploding in a blinding sea of sparks.
When the fire and smoke and noise cleared, the hillside was covered with pieces of robots. Ultraviolet hydraulic fluid and glowing green electro-coolant were splattered everywhere. It flowed from the felled drones, and ran downhill over the ground.
“You’re all clear, Viper,” radioed Egg Roll. He saluted from inside his jet.
Danny returned the salute. “Tim, have the girls send the eye in the sky up ahead. Hopefully we can reach the house without any more surprises. Alright, let’s move out. Senator, if you’ll do the honors.”
Tim relayed the order to the girls while everyone gathered their weapons and ammunition. Senator Stein issued the advance order to the Pagaz units. Everyone moved up the hill at a trot.
When they reached the house, it was much larger than it had looked from the airfield.
“This place is huge,” said Delilah.
“Yeah, man,” said Zammy. “Your woman could be anywhere in there.”
“Then we’ll just have to check every room,” said Danny.
“Right,” said Rory. “There’s the door. Let’s get ready to move.”
“Dad, wait,” radioed Turing. “Gali says the sensors indicate explosives on the doors, called Anfo. What’s Anfo?”
“Anfo is a type of explosive used for its powerful shockwave,” said Rukara. “With the amount of Anfo on that door, if it goes off, it’ll blow us all from here to San Diego.”
“That won’t do at all,” said Helen.
“So how are we going to disable it?” asked Whitey.
Rukara gathered his coat about him. “Leave that to me.” He extracted a hood from inside the collar and pulled it over his head and face. He tapped a small control panel on the coat. A moment later, he vanished.
“Cool,” said Blackie.
“Totally,” added VanCat.
“Let’s not start jerkin’ ourselves off just yet,” said Floyd. “Mister Invisible still has to disarm the charges.”
“Right,” said Rukara.
“Can you see through that thing?” Rony asked.
“Sort of,” said Rukara. “I should’ve made the eye holes bigger. Too late now.” Judging by the sound of his voice, he was already moving toward the door. “If I don’t come back, somebody better at least name
their first kid after me.”
Danny held his breath while Rukara worked. No one spoke.
“Okay, that should do it,” Rukara called at last. “Who wants to walk over here and see if they get blown up?”
“I’ll go,” said Danny.
“You can’t go,” said Rory. “You have to make it inside so you can kick the shit out of Les Grossman and rescue your lady-fair.”
“I quite agree,” said Tikva. “Moshe and I will go.”
“No, I will go,” said Bernard.
“I need you to help me fly home,” said Howard. “We shall go together.”
“No, I will go,” said Sparky.
“Oh, Sparky, how romantic,” Helen cooed.
Poo laughed. “Goddamn robots arguing over who gets to save the humans. We really are a pathetic race.”
“Not at all, Master Poo,” said Howard. “For it was yourselves who created us.”
“Exactly,” said Poo. “If I make it through this, I really am going to kick my shoes off in a fit of joy.” Poo ran for the door.
After a handful of strides, he arrived.
Rukara smiled. “See? Told you there was nothing to worry about.”
A powerful explosion knocked everyone flat. The wide double doors disintegrated in the blast.
Through the smoke and dust Bella called out, “What the fuck, Rukara?”
Rukara picked himself up off the ground and threw himself flat against the wall. “It wasn’t me! Something’s coming.” He grabbed Poo and pulled him to his feet, then hurriedly confirmed his weapon was chambered.
A loud, sequential pounding filled the air and vibrated the ground.
“Anybody have eyes on target?” Danny called. Dust and debris from the explosion hung in the air and obscured what was left of the doorway.
“Negative,” called Rukara.
Even the live feed from the quadrocopter hovering overhead provided little assistance, showing only smoke as thick as fog.
Danny crouched low and ran to the doorway. Poo stood beside Rukara on the opposite side of the door.
“You guys hear footsteps?” Danny asked.
“Hear and feel,” said Poo.
Gali switched the quadrocopter to infrared thermograph, enabling a look through the smoke and dust. “Dad, something’s coming. Something big.”
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