Reverence

by Joshua Landeros

  Luis joined him in grabbing several of them.

  “Think you’ll be using your sword today?” Luis asked.

  “I wouldn’t give these scum the honor,” Will said.

  “I was thinking the same thing.”

  At that moment, they heard footsteps. It was Bia, loading rounds into her M11. She waved at them both, but as she drew nearer, she hugged Luis tightly. Will took sharp notice of that.

  “You should really hurry up,” she insisted.

  Luis scoffed, picking up another star, “You can't rush art, now can you?”

  “Shut up. Don't keep us waiting,” she said playfully.

  As Bia began to walk away, Will saw Luis’ face grow tense, and before he knew it he was walking after her. The sounds of his footsteps resonated loudly in the small room. Bia turned around, seemingly as surprised as Will was, but she did not shy from a kiss.

  After a few seconds, both pulled their lips away slowly. She shot him a glare, and Will could see her eyes were also focused on his reaction. As his face didn't change, she smiled and lovingly planted a kiss on Luis’ cheek. She left the room and it was just the two cyborgs again.

  “What the hell was that?” Will demanded, as he heard the door shut.

  “What? That was nothing.”

  Will shook his head.

  “Getting involved with her like that is pushing it, Luis. How long can you hide that? Everyone else won’t remain blind forever.”

  “Hide it?” Luis said, no longer smiling, “I have nothing to hide. Since when is being with someone against regulation?”

  Will was dissuaded by that remark.

  “It's not, but don’t bullshit me. That terrorist attack has everyone concerned about your dedication. To go through with this now of all times–”

  “Don’t tell me how to do my fucking job!”

  There was a brief moment of silence as the two stood there. To Will’s relief, Luis backed down.

  “I know the press conference was bad. And I am going to make up for it today with every bastard I take down. I know you’re looking out for me, but I can handle this.”

  He held out his gloved hand, and Will didn’t hesitate a second to take it. This was his friend and partner. He believed in him. Luis had always been headstrong, but he’d never let Will down.

  “Trust me, busting your balls is Kane’s job, not mine. I don’t want it to be on my to-do-list every damn day.”

  “I shook your hand, sir, but don’t expect me to salute you. At least not when it’s just the two of us.”

  Luis was finally prepared, and was getting ready to leave. Will sensed he was about to say something. From the smile on his friend’s face, he naturally assumed it would be a topic he wouldn’t like.

  “I’d recommend Magnolias. Seems like she’d like them,” Luis said passively.

  Will was legitimately confused, “What?”

  Luis’ smile deepened.

  “I’m not blind, either. I see what’s happening between you and Val, the way you look at her and her at you. Rumors of course are circling about you two walking down the stairwell side by side after dusk. I never took you for a romantic, but hey, a gesture like that would even make me blush a little.”

  “Nothing happened up there between us.”

  “Hey, that’s your business. Maybe you guys went crazy, or maybe you were both too frightened. My point hasn’t changed, though, Will. There’s more to you two than you are willing to admit. You just don't want to believe it.”

  Chapter 12 - The Ghost Town

  April 9, 2065 - Conference Chamber, UNR Headquarters

  The Conference Chamber was a small auditorium, complete with a stage, podium, and stadium seating. Kane stood patiently as the men and women filed in and took their spots. He noticed the two cyborgs arrived dead last. Them, late? For the moment, he wouldn't let that distract him.

  “Your initiative is rather simple, boys and girls,” he said, pacing from one side of the podium to the other, “with special thanks to the intel we recently acquired, we can now take the steps necessary to avoid prolonged internal conflict in this country. Today we save lives, simple as that. There is a factory complex in Dickenson County that’s going to house a weapons cache, and we’re hoping to catch them with their pants down. Because of that, you’ll be approaching the destination on foot under the cover of Jefferson National Forest.”

  Hans’ brow furrowed at that.

  “What about civilians? Are they a factor?” she asked. Bia’s mind lingered on more than dealing with insects.

  “Surrounding the old relic is a neighborhood of old houses, but they should be empty. Other than that, there might be a few homeless, who should either be brought back here or terminated.”

  Val raised her hand.

  “Go ahead, Unit 23.”

  “What are the rules of engagement?”

  Kane didn’t pause for a second.

  “The Chancellor has specified that there are to be no prisoners on this mission. Leave not a single one of them alive. Remember what Venloran taught you: Even a single battle must be fought with unwavering brutality. A rational opponent will submit much faster if they realize initially there’s no chance for victory. Make us proud, soldiers, and stack those bastards high. Dismissed.”

  The large battalion stood up and saluted in unison, Kane returning the admiration. With that, the soldiers began to file out. Kane caught Will's eye and nodded him over subtly. Letting a few walk past, the cyborg made his approach.

  “Sir?”

  Kane could see how anxious Will was to join the others, and how poorly his attempt to hide it as he waited for whatever his commander would request of him. So anxious to get the extermination started, Kane joked in his head. He then realized that he had called Unit 21 over to him without knowing what exactly to say. There was so much he wanted to tell him but he digressed. Perhaps he was too close to the being before him. He’d been working with thier kind since the beginning but none as long Will and Luis. Perhaps that was why he found himself fumbling for words.

  “Are you ready for this assignment?” he asked, feeling it a stupid question. Of course, he’s ready!

  “Born ready, sir! These past few days have been the longest of my life. Now it comes crashing down for them. I won’t let the Chancellor down.”

  Kane noted the machine-like quest for that constant perfection. That trait was why Venloran favored the cyborgs so above all others. Along with their power to actually accomplish that perfection. He had almost forgotten he was in the presence of The Wolf himself.

  “Hell, with three of you on this one you'd think the phrase ‘overdoing it’ might come to mind,” was the first thing that left Kane's mouth.

  “Certainly not, Commander. It means more power, so this mission will be completed three times as fast. The Chancellor and the Major are only applying the forces that will be the most productive.”

  Productive. Kane clung to that word. Now he understood completely. William Marconi’s productivity had served its time. Served it well, yes, but nonetheless, his era was drawing nearer to its climax. The dynasty he’d aided in establishing was on the verge of continuing without him, caused only by the effect of time. Like artificial selection. Maybe this is just another step toward ultimate victory.

  “Will,” he said, placing a hand on his shoulder, “I want you to do something for me.”

  “Anything, sir.”

  “I want you to enjoy it all. Savor this mission well. When a man's life slows down, and there’s nothing he can do, he uses the moment to look back. Even for you, there will be such a time.”

  Will looked at him, taking in the somber tone of Kane’s voice. The cyborg's CPU configured that, just as Kane removed his arm. The stoic expression told him it was time to send Will on his way.

  “Go on now. You’ve got work to do.”

  ***

  Target Zone: Jefferson National Forest

  The Bison was a powerful, lengthy machine. Not so much in
offensive capabilities, but it was heavily armored, ensuring the transported soldiers inside were safe and sound. It looked quite like a SWAT Armored Rescue Vehicle, but much larger. There were few things they couldn’t crush under their six tires. Two of them took a detour off the main road as they came to a barricade of cement blockers.

  The ride had taken about two hours to reach this checkpoint, as the large vehicles rolled over the woodland trail with smoothness. The early morning sun was just barely emerging, which the soldiers noted as they finally came to a stop in a bald spot in the forest.

  As everyone strolled out in formation, the smell of pinewood filled the air. A low fog had settled, but was losing its thickness as the sun rose higher. For now, it was rather cold, all seeing their exhaled breath turn into mist.

  Will stood before the troops, seizing the opportunity at long last to exert his power.

  “All right people, stand at attention,” he said, and they snapped-to. Even Luis found himself subjected to Will’s command.

  “As stated earlier, we'll be leaving the Bison. The complex is just over this hill and is a twenty to twenty-five minute trek. I want us to keep quiet. When we get to the town use the houses as cover.”

  “Yes, sir!!” The company saluted Will as he gave the order.

  “Okay, let's move out. Stay in formation till we get to the destination point.”

  Coming upon the houses was like stumbling into a ghost town. There it is, Will regarded, the town of Clinchco. The number of homes was few, and each one looked the same. The paint had faded considerably, and the yards were either overgrown with weeds, or barren. The team dispersed, with Will and Luis moving the fastest, as expected. This crude little town had once been a cluster of low-income government housing, having roots long before the UNR era. By order of Venloran, the citizens of Clinchco had been relocated to large cities to fill jobs in the more populated areas, or in military training facilities.

  With a population that never even reached a thousand, this ghost town was to be sold to private businesses to be flattened. The super soldier surmised this was one of the many towns that sat on the market for long periods of time, and it was only logical that under the radar, filth had returned to the place. However, filth of a different variety. Creeping alongside left behind cars, Luis could see the kill zone: a fairly large warehouse. They were close now, within two hundred feet.

  Meanwhile, Hans and Cisco were perched atop a two-story house, snipers at the ready. This time they had a few extra men guarding their rear. Protected from any possible counter-threat, they scoped out the area.

  “This time, boy,” Hans assured, “we’ll blow some fuckers away, guaranteed.”

  Cisco smiled before gazing into his scope, “I believe you, sir. I’ll try to keep up with you.”

  Hans glanced at the kid while he should have been busy. Strange, most new recruits were preoccupied with being obnoxious showboats and yet this one was cooling rapidly. How opposite to the regular this kid was: most just grew more self-obsessed as time marched on, but this one was much more composed and compliant. He appreciated that.

  “Hans, what’s it look like up there?” Will questioned.

  “The warehouse is fenced, not a real problem. Parking lot is clear of any hostiles, but we do have several vagrants outside the perimeter. More importantly, we do have visual confirmation that several vehicles are parked outside the entrance, definitely not like the rust buckets we’ve seen so far.”

  “What kind?”

  “We got three jeeps, and two diesel trucks. Trucks have padded, heavy duty locks on the doors. I'm guessing that’s our package.”

  “Seems so, Unit 21, out.”

  “Roger that, Hans out.”

  Bia walked with Mitch and a small contingent of the group. They were nearing the fence of the factory, a fifteen-foot tall enclosure topped with precarious barbed wire. Before the fence was a long dead park. Among it were several tents, the smell of age-old clothes, and worn down shoes. They both watched in disgust as the homeless wandered here and there, a few with dogs and small kids. They smirked as they walked among the left-behinds of society. Mitch marked the spot on his map. They came to the fence when he saw a small bird in a clump of weeds, fried-looking. It was then he noticed the slight hum in the air.

  “Ay, we have a hiccup. The fence is electrified.”

  “Duly noted,” said Will. This was a minor bump in the road. Most importantly, the condition of the fence confirmed that, despite appearances, there were definitely inhabitants here.

  Hans’ voice came over the channel again, for all to hear:

  “That fence is not the only problem. Negative on that last report,” he said, “I have two hostiles exiting one of the trucks, both armed. Taking 'em out will be a cinch though.”

  “Hold on,” said Valerie over the com channel, “I’d like a little warm-up, if I may, sir.”

  Hans shared a scowling glance with Cisco.

  “Go ahead, 23. I want to see you in the field.”

  Val had just entered the park. Her crimson jacket had been questionable for this mission, but she found herself unable to leave it behind. Mitch and Bia watched as she stepped into view, twenty feet short of the gate.

  From Val’s vantage point, she could see the two men conversing next to the jeep. Under the cover of a tree and a few bushes, she was sure they weren’t aware of her presence. Val slung her rifle and drew the twin swords she'd requested. They were very much like the ones Luis carried.

  Normally she had preferred a single sword, but the art of Niten Ichi-Ryu had always fascinated her, and for the first time she would finally get to test her skills. Taking a final five seconds to formulate her attack plan, Val ran at the fence. All it took was a single leap to bound over the so-called barrier. In order to make less noise when she hit the ground, she landed in a forward roll. Instantly, she was back on her feet. Now there were only ten feet between her and the two men. One of their heads turned ever so slowly.

  Unit 23 leaped again raising both her swords simultaneously slitting the throats of the two soldiers. There was no click of a round going off, no alarm, no screams. The only sound was the bodies hitting the ground. Val sheathed her swords, the blood gleaming under the sunlight, the two blades making an ‘X’ formation on her back.

  She walked calmly over to the truck, finding a crude lead-acid battery hidden underneath. Valerie shut it off and within a few minutes, all the soldiers were inside the parking lot. When they were in position, the fence was re-activated. Will met up with Val and only nodded. With those two minor snags out of the way, the real objective was right back on schedule.

  ***

  Will and the other cyborgs entered first, finding revolving doors as the factory's entrance. Once inside, they could truly see the enormity of the place. The complex was dimly lit upon entering, and Will saw immediately where this was going. He put up his fist for the others to stop, then gave his orders.

  “Mitch,” he said, awaiting a response. There was a slow pause.

  “Yes?”

  “I want you to take a few men with you. Try to get those trucks open. Hans and the others will be watching your asses and we’ll keep you posted on what goes on inside.”

  “And when we get ‘em open?”

  “Report to Kane what you find. Then head back here.”

  Mitch departed with his quota of soldiers and the rest pressed on. Will had done that only to keep them busy for a little while. The others would hold back while the three cyborgs took the lead.

  Finally, they entered a large chamber, the main floor of what they assumed was once a distribution center for a hardware store. Defective products ranging from portable air compressors to flux welders had been left behind. The metal beams above looked unstable, and somewhat hazardous. Not one item in the place had escaped the layer of dust that coated everything. The only machinery active were the flickering lights far above, which activated upon their entry. A few forklifts, as well as stairs and catwalk
s lead to the upper levels. The place seemed like no one had paid it a visit in quite some time. There had to be something else to this. Will hid any ambiguity from the others. How to handle it, was the question.

  “Hold,” he ordered.

  This was definitely not right. There was not a soul here, aside from the occasional rodents. At least that’s what he thought, until he heard an empty box fall into a row of others, coming from somewhere above. Will looked up to see a silhouette running along the catwalk. Unit 21 took his chance.

  He leaped up a good twelve feet, landing nimbly in front of him. The man dropped to his knees in fear, and Will was disappointed to find it was just another bum. Dirty and rugged, the man's grimy face expressed sheer terror.

  “Please, I-I don't want to leave my home,” he begged, “I’m all Danny has.”

  Will continued to stare at the man until he heard the vicious growl of a canine. He turned around, anxious to see this new threat. The dog was a large German shepherd, but it was obviously in poor health. For all of Danny’s gusto, he did not come at Will, but remained on his wool blanket among the cardboard boxes. The cyborg quickly surmised his back legs were not functional. Still, the dog was poised up on his two front legs, staring angrily, while snarling at the intruder.

  “Danny!! Quiet!! Quiet!!”

  Will walked closer and smiled as the dog continued its warning. His gums appeared sickly as well, but in spite of all his ailments, he tried to sit up as best he could. The man watched intently as the cyborg knelt down face-to-face with Danny. The dog's jaws snapped but Will was just barely out of reach. Still, he was close enough to feel his hot breath. The dog lunged at him again, but this time Will grabbed his jaws tightly, the canine unable to pry free.

  “You are quite the trooper, Danny.”

  Will rubbed the dog’s throat with one hand. Danny bared his teeth, but Will grabbed his neck tightly in the other hand. After a little extra force, he placed the dog quietly on his blanket. The man stared blankly as Will rose to his feet, pleased with himself. The man suddenly rushed the cyborg, and Will assumed he would immediately halt upon meeting his stoic gaze. To his surprise, however, the man ignored him, walking right past him to cradle the corpse.