by ROUNAK PURI
Loop pulled me back to him.
"She wants to sleep with you right? That is what this is all about" said Loop.
"What can I say I'm a cyborg magnet" I said shrugging "I'm as shocked by this as you are, blondes aren't my type"1
I went back to the parapet.
"Look I'm tired. Can we have a few hours to rest and think it over" I said.
"I'd do anything for you." the slave said doing Zola's words " You have four hours, you get some rest, I'm sure you'll look and feel a lot better in the morning."2
There was a shot above the slaves head hitting another zombie which had broken away from the pack towards the slave. I looked round it was Rudi using Joe's rifle.
"Thanks Sweetie - I'm sure the slave is very grateful for that. Look they are getting close see you later" said the slave putting her helmet back on shooting, a sheep zombie and then driving her bike towards the gap in the zombie wall she had just made.
I stood back from the wall. Well this make everything just wonderful, I was in a love quadrangle. I could see if my broken love for Rockwood could be rebuilt. Going back to him would mean wearing a collar no matter how lovingly locked around my neck. How ever since I had now had a taste for living in the wild there was my marine. Loop had betrayed me never mentioning his wife, that couldn't wipe out the months we had together. Finally I could give them both up and go to Zola. Not normally my first place option but it would mean Liberty City and the people I loved would live. Why is love like San Fransisco busses - you wait for ages for one to turn up and when they do three turn up at once? Cursing love's time management skills I walked back to the barracks to crash and think.4
I was just taking my it's off (shoe removal such luxury|) when Rockwood came in.
"There is a fair amount I wanted to tell you about but last time I tried you ran away" said Rockwood.
"I wanted to say I was sorry. I had to lie, because I felt at the time if it was the choice between lying and losing you, I would die rather than loose you. I don't think you are able to understand the anguish I have felt these months with out you."1
"Was it like having a elephant skateboarding over your heart" I asked.1
"On a good day, I could feel that one day it might be only that light, when my memory had faded, and I had shed all the tears of friendless regret" said Rockwood.
"What about feeling like you had been being crushed by a whole mountain until your little more than a thin layer of human, spread like butter between rocks?" I suggested.
"Everyone told me that I could one day look forward to only feeling that bad about it. In the far future while I watched the sun finally use up all it's energy and grow dim on this world. When every monument crumbled to dust on the wind" said Rockwood.
He sat down beside me " I have squandered what fortune I have to find you. I have not stinted in time, energy, money and effort to find you again. You have not be out of my mind for a millisecond and if you want I have the log files to prove it. I did it because as soon as you have left I was certain I would never be whole again until we were once more reunited."
I liked the fact that when cyborgs are in love they still monolog.3
"I thought the fact you didn't come back when you escaped meant it was all over. That kind of crushed me, but I wanted to give you a chance to say so. I wanted to tell you I love you. I love you enough that I can set you free, if that is what you need. I just wanted to say that if in some crazy crazy way you still had some tiny quantum of love for me then some how I would make it work. I can't offer a perfect life, but I can offer my unlimited love totally and with out reservation" Rockwood finished.
I kind of sat dumb founded. The idiot loved me.
"You know our love was never meant to be. You're a cyborg I'm a girl" I said.
"Believe me when I say if it wasn't for the high mountains blocking our path together. I would have confessed all, the instant I had computed out a viable plan. All I can say it our troubles are NP-complete. I can't offer you a trouble free life, but I can offer you one which I will not cease fighting for you, down to my last breath and last compute cycle."1
I sat down on the bed. I wanted to melt. I had to be certain this time.
"It's all a bit to much at the moment. 24 hours ago you had still betrayed me. I'm kind of suffering from emotion fatigue now...." I said sitting back.
"I'll take my leave of you then" said Rockwood.2
I was woken up three hours later by the click click click of Kayla's high heels, walking on the bare wooden floor. Rockwood had gone.+
"Their coming" said Kayla 1
****
Chapter 92/Resistance/The weather channel never answers my calls
This chapter is unsuitable for vegetarians. 12
We rushed to the battlements to look down. The zombies who had been sitting down were getting up. They seemed to be massing and moving towards us. They started saying something. I listened closely.
"Ack, Ack, Ack" I think they kept repeating.2
"Are they saying 'Ack'" I asked Loop.
Loop nodded.
"I'ts better than gurrrrrr, I guess" I said
I took the megaphone again.
"This would be a great time to get the world record for the largest flash mob performance of Michael Jackson's Thriller" I shouted to the cyber Zombies over the megaphone.
They continued to move forward "Ack, Ack, Ack".
"Wow you are a hard audience you know that?" I shouted.
"Ten seconds to range" Loop shouted. He came up and half hugged me in reassurance. Everyone with a gun or bow got ready.
"Private Wellington Wolf give that girl a weapon," said Rodi to the werewolf marine next to me.3
Private Wellington Wolf handed me a compound bow. It was the only spare weapon left. I found an open space between Rodi and Loop1
I went to the wall "Ack, Ack, Ack" the cyber Zombies kept saying.
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry." I shouted to the Zombies then turned to Rodi. "Parc - light them up."4
"Take aim" shouted Rodi to everyone on the wall.
I looked out at the ocean of cyber animals beyond. they I felt like a huge weird cyber-Noah.
"Look there is even an cyber elephant" said Kayla.3
"Guess they couldn't fit a cyber whale on an Ospray" I said.
"Waaaaaaaaait" said Rodi looking at the range. They were getting really close.
"Wait" said Rodi. We could feel the ground tremor under the feet of all the cyber zombies.
1
The chorus of "Ack, Ack, Ack" got louder.
"If your going to say wait until you can see the whites of there eyes I'm going to point out most animals don't have whites in their eyes" said Joe.4
"If only one of those get's through we have lost the wall. Make it count Ready" shouted Rodi. I felt sick.
The zombies hit the range marker.
"Fire" shouted Rodi.
We opened with a volley. I sent an arrow from my compound bow. The Zombies were at my maximum range so I wasn't sure I could hit anything I aimed at. I watched my arrow arc into the sky like a missile. I think it hit something, a sheep I think. Joe and Kayla were using their guns to rapidly hit a hideous number at quite a range. It wasn't good enough. Even when someone hit a land mine and it detonated the spacing was such that the mines didn't go critical. My next arrow hit a cyber bull, but they just kept walking.
"Hey that's nice of him. He's bringing the arrow back" I said.6
Then I spotted an RV moving across the field. It looked like who ever brewed the Oblivion had survived and was now making a break for it during the mess of battle. It was being followed by some Oblivion zoned out slaves.
"I've got to talk to you," said Loop while shooting.
"Little busy now" I said releasing another arrow. The RV was moving.
"I know, but if I die, I probably won't get the chance" said Loop. I ignored him, wrong time wrong place. 1
"Hey" I shouted to Rockwood. He was throwing rocks as far
as I could use a bow, but hitting the detonator of the land mine every time.3
"See the RV can you make a hole in that tank on the top?" I said.
"Sure, One tank top coming up" said Rockwood turning to Mr Jones in the compound behind us "Mr Jones, Mr Jones calling Mr Jones, come on now! Let me vector you in"9
Mr Jones was in the compound behind us, lying on his back holding a massive metal bow with is feet pulling back with his arms. He was throwing about 5 or 6 spikes a time. He changed to one large metal rod. Rockwood held his fingers to his face as if he was going to zap the RV with his mind. He waved his hand and Mr Jones fired. I guessed they were talking over some local wifi connection. The arrow arced over the wall and sailed towards the RV. It was going to miss but then the RV turned to avoid a Zombie in it's path and then turned into the arrow. The arrow hit and let a purple cloud out.
"I want you to know, I didn't know Nina was alive" said Loop shooting.
"What! now?" I said.
I had discovered the mine acted like armour blocking the arrows. If you hit the pressure switch in the middle it would detonate but my robin hood impressions didn't get that far. Hitting one side made them turn I noticed.
"I just.... Incoming" Loop started.1
There was a large zombie explosion, one had stood on the landmine of a fallen one. I ducked down to avoid the fragments. It was raining cyber zombie bits yuk. I popped my head up - the space beyond the wall was filling full of smoke.
Rudi started to collect bits of mutton 'for later'.4
"Seven O'Clock On the wall" shouted Rockwood. Throwing a rock. There was a zombie a car length from the base of the wall. Loop and Joe started shooting hitting it but then a second one got up and then hit the wall. There was a large explosion I saw a ring around it expand like a grim halo. Smoke and fire shot out both sides of the gate.2
Loop got up "I just want you to know I still love you."26
"Breach" shouted Mr Jones from the ground. He sent an arrow straight from his side and it shot out hitting a zombie on the other side.1
"I got it" shouted Joe he slid down a rope to the ground then I saw him grab something and run to the gate. For a wonderful second I was impressed with his speed in stilettos.
"Rodi!! B troop with me. Loop keep up the fire and prepare to pull back" I said before slinging my bow and going down the line. Sliding down looks easy in the movies but it plays havoc with your hands.
On the ground I saw the metal wall with a huge hole enough for two people to come through. Loop ran towards the hole trying to get there before the zombies did.
"I love that girl" shouted Rodi. Looking at Joe's ass. Rudi was in for such a disappointment when Joe told him he was a boy in a machine data base entery mixup..2
Just then Joe tripped fell forwards and threw what he was carrying to the hole in the fence. It landed did nothing then suddenly exploded into a huge bag. Joe or someone had rigged the landing bag thing he had landed in to reinflate blocking the gap. Realising what he had done I rushed up the stairs back to the platform.
"Don't shoot at the bag! Do not shoot the bag" I shouted.
We got up and another couple of Zombies were reaching the bag. When the Zombies reached the bag they crowd up to it and nothing happened. The bag was stretching around them so they could not put enough pressure on the mine to trigger it. The bag was better at keeping the Zombies back than the metal wall. Just then I saw another wave of Zombies coming towards us. We were low on ammunition. I had six arrows left.
Just then I smelt something like vanilla. In the distance the Oblivion wrecked slaves had been sitting around waiting for instructions. They got up and started to move to the RV as I planned. They were a large group so they started to push the zombies towards the RV as well.
The zombies started to slow down and stop. Then many turned around and started to walk off. The oblivion from the van was pulling them away.
I took the megaphone again.
"Thank you Seattle, You've been a great audience, you really have. Elvis has left the building. Have a safe trip home" I shouted at the remaining zombies.
"What's that smell - it smells like like teen spirit" said Kayla.3
"That's oblivion" I said meaning the perfume.
"If that's a metaphor I don't' get it" said Kayla.
"I think she means the film with Tom Cruise" said Joe.
"No I'm still not getting it" said Kayla. "Jenny this running around in the woods has made you go all metaphysical. Keep it real girl"
Rockwood jumped down as the Oblivion burn out slaves and cyber Zombies now all walked off towards the leaking RV in the distance. This caused others to turn after it. The shooting stopped. Everyone stopped and simultaneously burst into cheering and applause.
"How did you know the slaves would turn for the oblivion?" asked Rockwood.
"I wasn't sure but it's what I would do" I said. I was getting a real oblivion flash back, I craved not being responsible and just being told what to do. It was a real strain not to follow my instinct and ask Rockwood to take over.
Rockwood looked out. "Zola is stopping. She's regrouping the zombies out of our sight. It's getting dark and it will be impossible for her to get them moving. Her best option is to give them water, rest.. Start again in the morning. I bet she's not happy tonight"
It was late afternoon. I guess we could all do with soem recovery time. My hands were shaking. It was weird I felt OK mentally I was alright but my body was doing it's own thing.
***
We had a council meeting over food. The general conclusion was that we were dead meat. The mines didn't lead any where. Rockwood told us with her and Bitmarck's secret found out her best option was to destroy the evidence this included the zombies and us. The ever creative Mr Jones came up with some nice ideas such as hiding behind a wall in the mine. Leaving something which she thought were were hiding in behind and hoping she would destroy it not realising we were not in it. Loop wanted to create a counter strike. Rockwood said she would be ready for it. We stopped for a hour to see if Rockwood and Joe could figure out a way to hack into the cyber network Zola was using to control the zombies. It looked good on paper.
I walked off and looked for coffee. I walked into the mess - military for dinning room - and found Kayla pigging out.
"Pizza and Ice cream" said Kayla mouth full.
"Simultaneously? It's reconstituted freeze dried Pizza, straight from Greenland supply base" I said.
"It's great, want some ? It's freezdied-ilisous " said Kayla. She was enjoying eating crap without having her collar limiting how much she could eat while she could.
"You OK" I said.
"Well the rumour is we are all about to die. So I'm a little bit pi$$ed as I have only go up to number 9 from the book '50 visitors centres to see before you die' my brother gave me for my 21th birthday" she said.
"Sorry" I said. "I guess this was all my fault - if I hadn't followed Nina the Alpha yo her little perfume Zombie and slave hoard secret."
"And you would be tied to Zola's bed by now. Rockwood would have lost you for good. I'm going to score that as a draw what about you?" said Kayla. It was good to have Kayla back as a friend.
"The people of they Liberty City and Loop would be fine"
"Well from what I've been told Liberty City just thought they were working for the resistance in reality it was all Zola. the resistance was working for the new mechanical order. This way the rest of the resistance, back in Greenland have a true chance of changing things." said Kayla.
"How did you know about Greenland?"
"Rockwood put me in harem with Joe, that was my price. He was desperate not to loose you " said Kayla.
"How is that?" I said.
"Its OK" said Kayla smiling. "I've learnt a lot."
"Perhaps Rockwood could get you and Joe out."
"Rockwood is not leaving without you, neither am I. I made my choice when I sold my self to be with you and Joe. OK, Let's be truthful Joe and You. I knew would die a
slave, but I would die with friends. I would rather spend one hour with pizza for you than live a thousand years a slave. "1
We both held up a Pizza slice up as a toast.
"To die with friends"
I looked at her.
"Your wrong. If being a slave has taught me anything it is that there is always hope and if you have hope you always had the light to get out of something" I said. Well it sounded good.1
I looked at the ice cream and saw Loop's face as he came in.
"It's no good on the hack front. Not only is the cyborg control encrypted it's signed. Impossible to fake. Plus there are multiple signal sources. So taking out the control system won't stop the system" Joe said.
"So the current choice of action is?" I started.
"She' can't feed that many Zombies. They will start to starve to death over the next week. The longer we hold on the fewer they are. If we can slow them down retreat to the mines. We have about a one in 5 chance of surviving. So the plan is to hold on and hope we can improvise like we did to day" Rockwood said.
"That's terrific news. With presenting skills like that you should present the hurricane warnings in Florida." I said.
"I've been practising, but the weather channel never answers my calls" said Rockwood.
***
Loop found me and we walked back to the council meeting.
"You've got to tell him" said Loop seriously as we walked across the compound.
It was full of holes where everyone had put traps. Rodi and some of the other marines had even sneaked out grabbed some mines from dead bodies and put them underground. The sweet part was they could put little notices up like 'mine here' because the zombies wouldn't be able to read them.
"You've got tell him what?" I said.
"You have to let Rockwood know, you love me" said Loop.23
"It's all been a bit sudden. I don't know how I love any more" I said honestly.2
"You must have some idea between us" said Loop.