by J. G. Martin
Derek was too busy at the moment to help at the moment. The cyborg with her hands replaced had rushed him as soon as he dropped the shotgun to reach for his pistol. He had caught her around the wrists as she attacked but her momentum had knocked them to the floor. She was currently straddling him and trying to close her claws on his face. He had his legs around her torso and was holding her back but they were slowly moving closer and closer to gouging him. He couldn’t let go of her arms, but they weren’t going to break since they seemed to be made of titanium.
So he did the only thing he could think of. He used his superior weight and size to flip them over. They landed with her on her back and her legs fell open as they crashed over. Derek postured up to a kneeling position but he still didn’t let go of her wrists. He placed his knee between her legs to gain leverage and pulled. She screamed and was pulled to a sitting position but his knee kept her from moving any further. Derek kept pulling and raised his hands above his head. There was a series of loud popping noises followed by a wet sucking sound as both cybernetic limbs ripped free from her arms.
Blood and other fluid poured out of both arms and she wailed for a few seconds before passing out. As she collapsed backwards, Derek rolled to his feet. Pulse bolts blasted the space he had occupied seconds prior and killed the bleeding cyborg on the floor. He drew his pistol and took cover behind a work station. Pulse bolts blasted the station and he exchanged fire with the Medusa-like cyborg. The station exploded and he was forced to move as it sparked and melted.
To his right, Derek could see Rora frantically avoiding the slashing tentacles of the Humek. She was bleeding from numerous cuts caused by flying debris. There wasn’t anything he could do to help her until he could clear the other cyborg. But he could see that she wasn’t going to have anywhere else to run very soon. He ducked behind another work station and considered his options. He had to kill the Medusa cyborg or create a diversion so he could shoot the tentacle cyborg.
The diversion presented itself from a most unexpected source. The Voice suddenly crashed into the Medusa Humek from the side knocking her sprawling. Ignored as a threat, he had gathered his courage and intervened at a critical moment. She quickly knocked him aside with a swipe of her tail sending him flying, but it took her a precious minute to get back upright. Derek took full advantage and fired two carefully aimed rounds into the head of the tentacle wielding cyborg. It collapsed to the ground missing half of its head. Rora slumped to the ground exhausted and relieved.
She was safe, but Derek still had one more guardian to eliminate. He saw Rora’s dropped carbine and scrambled for it, but he was driven back by well-placed pulse rifle fire. Pulse fire continued to blast away the work station he was hiding behind and he was running out of options. Looking for a weapon his eyes settled on one of the ripped off claws. Switching his pistol to his left hand Derek snatched it up and weighed it carefully in his right hand.
Firing his pistol blindly over the remains of the work station he caused the cyborg to take cover. Derek popped up as the cyborg slithered out from the work station she had taken cover behind. He hurled the claw like a dart at the surprised Humek. She managed to dodge at the last second and avoid any damage, but she wasn’t able to avoid the charging Derek as he followed the claw. He struck her at full speed with a beautiful tackle straight to her face with his head down; he put every ounce of energy into the strike. The crown of his head mashed her nose, spraying blood everywhere, sending her flying and knocking her out cold. He put a bullet into her head to make sure she stayed down.
Derek took a second to shake his head and recover his wits after the terrible collision. He looked around at the carnage. The control room was completely wrecked. Video screens were shattered and some had fallen. Most of the work stations were demolished and sparked or smoked. The Humek bodies lay scattered where they had fallen in pools of blood and gore. The Voice lay unconscious where he had been thrown by the wicked tail slap. Rora sat stunned along the opposite wall but she was starting to regain her strength.
He walked slowly to the port on the center column and she managed to join him. He carefully took the device from his pocket. Unbelievably, it didn’t even have a scratch on it. They shared a brief look and Rora nodded. Derek plugged the device into the port and a small keyboard extended from the column below the port. The screen of the device lit up but nothing else happened. That was anti-climactic, Derek thought to himself.
“Move over.” Rora instructed.
She took his place in front of the device and started typing on the keyboard. String of numbers and letters appeared on the tiny screen as she worked. She continued typing furiously and the alphanumeric characters sped by too fast for even Derek to read. He assumed she knew what she was doing. Whatever she was doing must have had some effect because the hologram of Doors suddenly snapped to life next to Derek.
“You don’t have to do this.” The hologram pleaded. “I can make you a god if you want. I can upgrade you even further and make you invincible. The position of my right hand is available; you are more deserving since you killed him. You will be my avatar on Earth.”
“I think I’ll hang on to whatever humanity I have left, but thanks for the offer.” Derek replied sarcastically.
“Don’t let her do this.” Doors continued to beg. “The ripple effects will be catastrophic. It will plunge the remnants of humanity into a war torn Dark Age.”
“That might be a slight exaggeration, don’t you think?” Derek asked him.
“You have no idea what you are doing, do you Major?” Doors asked, slightly bemused. “I am the last hope this dying world has. Without me everything will come to an end. Join me in ushering in a new age of enlightenment. I will make you king among men.”
“I’m getting tired of his arrogant blather. How much longer?” Derek asked Rora.
“I’m almost there. One more minute.” She replied, still focused intently on the device and the keyboard.
“I can give you a life of luxury, waited on hand and foot by beautiful women…”Doors tried one last time.
“Okay I got it. All I have to do is hit enter.” Rora looked up and said. “Are you ready to do this?”
“Not so fast!” A male voice boomed across the room.
Chapter 38
June 25, 2029
Olympus Station Control Room
Derek turned to see armored men and women spilling out of one of the access doors. The Red Beret team had finally arrived. They looked tired and several were wounded, it looked like the drones put up a good fight. There were eight of them, all carrying the futuristic looking rifles, although he could see slight differences among them that indicated a higher caliber or additional capabilities. All of the weapons were pointed directly at him and Rora and the soldiers looked eager to use them.
The leader swaggered a few steps forward. He had removed his faceplate and it was the first close look Derek had gotten of him. The man was tall and well-built with a prominent chin. He had piercing blue eyes that stared with hatred at Derek. The man looked like a prototypical football jock. He couldn’t be underestimated though; if he was in command of a team of elite Red Berets he must be capable.
“So we finally meet face to face Major Storm.” The man spat. “Nowhere to run this time.”
“You have me at a disadvantage…” Derek replied calmly.
“I do.” The man said arrogantly. “Captain Tom Zabrowski, commander of the Zeta Force.”
“What can I do for you Captain? Would you like a tour?” Derek asked with a smile.
“Full of smart comments, aren’t you Storm?” The captain asked disrespectfully. “I will take great pleasure in wiping that smile off your face and standing over your dead body.”
“Let me shoot him Captain.” The large man to the Captain’s left insisted angrily. Derek remembered the man; he was the one whose lover Derek had killed in Florida.
“You and your girlfriend step away from the device Storm.” The captain ordered.
“I don’t think so.” Derek informed him. “I’m pretty sure you won’t just shoot us because you don’t want to risk damaging the device you came all this way to get.”
“That might be true, but I can’t risk you using it. And if you do, you become expendable.” Captain Zabrowski agreed.
“So we have something of a standoff then.” Derek stated calmly.
“Let’s just shoot them and be done with it.” A different soldier insisted, this one a wiry Hispanic man that Derek remembered being on the docks in the Everglades. “We can tell command they shot first and we fired in self-defense.”
“Be quiet.” The captain ordered his troops angrily. “I want him dead as much as you do, but we have our orders. We have to do this right.”
“Trouble in the ranks Captain?” Derek asked, needling him.
“You know. I’m getting tired of you already.” The captain stated angrily. “Maybe the men are right and we should just shoot you.”
The soldiers smiled and tightened their grips on their weapons. They were all armored and heavily armed with automatic weapons and very ready to throw down. On the other hand, he and Rora were not armored and were down to their knives. Even with his superior skills and genetic advantages, they would ultimately lose in a fight. He might kill most of them, but one of them would get him. There was really only one option.
“Push the button Rora.” He instructed her quietly.
“Are you sure?” She asked in a whisper.
“Push…the…button.” He insisted.
As the captain watched helplessly with a look of fury and horror, Rora pushed the button; and all hell broke loose.
To Be Continued in Book 3 Wasteland Rules: A New Dawn
Coming in Summer 2014
Author’s Note
I hope you enjoyed reading Wasteland Rules: Born to Fight. As a new and independent author, the hardest thing to get, but perhaps the most valuable, is feedback. So please take the time and review the book. Obviously I would prefer five star reviews, but be honest even if it is negative. I know the book is not for everyone. If you have feedback you would like to share with me directly, please feel free to email me at [email protected]. I would really appreciate any constructive criticism or even that I missed a word or misspelled something. Thank you in advance for your time.
The Rules
1. Kill or Be Killed
2. There are only Friends or Enemies
3. Don’t leave an Enemy at your back
4. A gun is the great equalizer
5. Don’t Waste Ammo
6. Mind your Own business
7. Always Pay Attention
8. Water is Life
9. Take everything you can carry, you never know what you might need
10. Always watch your back
11. If you can’t fight, run; if you can’t run, hide; if you can’t hide, fight
12. The safest looking place is always a trap
13. The weak serve the strong
14. Never sleep in the open
15. Always be prepared
16. Don’t rely on technology
17. Bullets don’t discriminate
18. You can never have enough ammo
19. Don’t draw any attention to yourself
20. Always carry a blade, it never runs out of ammo
Wasteland Rules Glossary
The Aftermath – The chain of events following the Collapse that led to the virtual destruction of the planet as we know it. It started with an exchange of nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons; and ended with violent storms and climate change.
Bikers – Gangs of traditional one-percenters (outlaw bikers) that ride the highways looking for victims.
Burners – Small gangs of young men on performance bikes. They are multicultural in make-up.
C.C.A. – Confederated Cities of America – Sometimes referred to as the Second Confederacy. It is a loosely affiliated group of southern cities. They share economic and military ties. It was formed after the U.S.T.G. conquest of Cincinnati. They are loosely allied with the New Republic of Texas.
The Cartel – The world’s largest drug cartel. They control much of the Carribbean, Miami, and part of Mexico. They have a Spanish feudal system of rulership.
The Collapse – The collapse of society and civilization brought on by a crop virus that wiped out most of the world’s food supplies. Wars and rioting resulting from the famine caused the collapse of all the world’s governments. It was followed the Aftermath.
The Collective – They are an insular group of technologists that control part of the West Coast. They make heavy use of cloning and cybernetics. They are very advanced technologically and not altogether human. They are connected into a semi-hive mind by the LINC. It is controlled by former software billionaire Stefan Doors.
Cult of the Machine - Also known as Machineheads, they are wannabe Humeks who have made mechanical alterations and additions to themselves.
Drinker – Large mutants that appeared in the Aftermath. They get their name from the fact that they drink human blood for sustenance and their mouths are often stained red.
Drone – A human being implanted with a computer chip in their brain that makes them little more than a robot. Often they are clones. They were created by the Collective. Used for labor and as soldiers.
Express Station – A fortified gas station and convenience store. One chain is run by Texas.
FedPol – Federal Police – The national police force of the U.S.T.G. They are the only law enforcement in the U.S.T.G. and are a combination of the FBI and local law enforcement.
Freehold – A free town located in the wasteland.
Hauler’s Guild – Formed from the remnants of the Teamsters Union, almost all long haul truckers belong. They provide protection for their armored trucks and are a powerful political force. The threat of cutting off shipping to any faction usually wins concessions for the Guild. Based in Indianapolis under the “protection” of the U.S.T.G., they are still generally politically neutral.
Humek – A human being who underwent radical surgery to have cybernetics implanted in them. They are the most loyal followers of the Collective. They do have some free will.
Illuminati – Secret societies rumored to be controlling the world and the course of history from behind the scenes.
LINC – Layered Integrated Neural Connection – A wireless network that connects the members of the Collective into a semi-hive mind. Users with total access can see anything any connected member sees or access any connected members sensory memories.
Merks – A generic term for mercenaries. They are general considered unreliable but willing to do anything for money. They have no overall organization.
Patrician – The elite and wealthy leaders of the C.C.A. They are the male heads of wealthy and powerful families that control most of the businesses in the C.C.A. They live privileged lives.
NBC – Shorthand for Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical.
New Republic of Texas – N.R.T. – Often just referred to as Texas or the New Republic. New Republic dollar or NRD is their currency.
Night Children – Also called Children of the Night – They are families of cannibals that existed underground before the Collapse. They now operate more openly, trapping and eating travelers in their booby-trapped lairs.
The Order – A well organized group of Neo-Nazis that have taken control of large parts of Louisiana and Mississippi.
The Outfit – A large and well organized group of merks. They have their origins in the private military companies that were prevalent before the Collapse. They are well equipped and only take on large well-paying jobs. Their biggest customer is rumored to be the U.S.T.G.
Raiders – They are gangs of criminals that attack travelers and settlements. They are organized into a clan structure and mark themselves with tattoos on their foreheads.
Reapers – The remains of a European Union invasion force. Infamous for their cannibali
sm, they ravaged the remains of the East Coast.
Red Berets – Elite Special Forces of the U.S.T.G. Also known as the Bloody Berets. Only two hundred or so out of thousands successfully pass the training.
Regulators – A slang term for the Brotherhood of Justice – It was formed by former law enforcement officers to protect their communities. Later multiple smaller groups merged into the larger organization that is spread across the wasteland. It is headquartered in Texas and receives some financial assistance from them. They pay bounties for criminals and often perform basic law enforcement duties in unaligned towns.
Roadhouse – A fortified compound housing at least a hotel and restaurant. They are usually built up around hotels at key road junctions like interstate exchanges. They are well fortified and well-guarded.
Technical – A pickup or SUV armored and armed with a heavy weapon like a machine gun.
U.S.T.G. – United States Territorial Government – The remnants of the old United States of America It is a single party state run by the former Vice President Rickard Channing and the Neo-Conservative Party. It is a very structured and controlled economy and culture. Very expansionist, they lay claim to the entire continent of North America. It is a repressive police state. The U.S.T.G. dollar is their form of currency.
Wrecker’s Guild – This is a loose organization of tow truck drivers and wreckers. They retrieve broken down vehicles and scavenge damaged or abandoned ones. They drive armored tow trucks and are generally unmolested.
Zeta Force – The best of the best Red Berets. A platoon sized elite force given the toughest and most sensitive missions.