Richard lowered his weapon, nodding at the nearest officer. He lowered his pistol. The others followed suit. “What are they doing?”
Alexander lowered his hands. “Considering their next move, possibly waiting for reinforcements.”
Richard reached into the trunk of the squad car. “Should we try to engage them?”
“I wouldn’t recommend…” The flanking robot broke into a run. Richard hefted a plasma rifle and fired, the recoil rocking him back on his feet. The blast tore a large hole in the robot’s chest plate. Alexander raised his brow. “Well, that was unexpected.”
The robot staggered backward and wobbled unsteadily. It came to a stop, head twitching occasionally. Richard kept his rifle trained on it. “We need to get these people somewhere safe.”
Serena pointed down the street. “There’s an old abandoned subway platform with a blast shelter about a block away from here. If we can get everyone in there and secure the shelter, we should be safe.”
Richard nodded. “Everybody start moving, but not too fast! We’re still not sure what we’re facing, here.”
“Everybody follow me.” Serena moved to the front of the group and began slowly leading them past the squad cars. Richard and the other police officers kept their guns trained on the remaining three combat robots.
“You have two FBI agents down, Dillinger.” Max jogged back to the last agent to be attacked by the replicant. “One is deceased. I’m checking the other one. Where in the hell is Donovan?”
Max kneeled next to the FBI agent and felt for a pulse in his neck. He sighed as he stood up. “They’re both dead, Dillinger.”
“Roger that, Detective Kincaid. I’m sending down forensics. Donovan is with the Quade replicant.”
Max tracked back to the fallen replicant. He smirked. “Replicants killing replicants. They’re learning the wrong lessons from us, I think.” He knelt by the replicant and produced a penlight.
He gritted his teeth and pulled up the replicant’s eyelid with his thumb. He shined the light into the exposed eye. “What in the hell?” He hesitantly pressed on the eye with the tip of his index finger. He grimaced. “My god…”
“What was that, Kincaid?”
“Nothing… I’m coming up.”
Max stood over the remains of the Quade replicant a short while later. Dark blue hydraulic fluid pooled around the body like blood. He looked out from the stage. Where half an hour before there had been an ocean of people, there was now a debris-strewn concrete desert.
Donovan turned his head and spit a few feet away. “How’d you ID him?”
“Luck, mostly. It was still cold enough to see peoples’ breath. As realistic as replicants are, apparently they don’t have breath you can see in the cold. From there I picked up on the plasma signature from his weapon.”
“That’s the next question. How in the hell did he get a plasma pistol in here?”
Max let out a grunt. “In pieces. I tried to get your brainiac head of security to stop the show when I learned a citizen had been given something to bring in for someone else. The person giving that thing sounded a whole lot like Alexander of the Enlightened.”
Dillinger, who had been standing quietly by, now spoke up vehemently. “Now just one minute! I had orders not to stop things unless there was a clear…”
Donovan interrupted. “Unless there was a clear and present danger. Dillinger, what do you call Kincaid’s situation? That‘s Kindergarten stuff.” He turned back to Kincaid. “At any rate, that still doesn’t explain why the scanners didn’t pick up on it, even piece by piece.”
“It probably squeaked by because it’s a PT-90. It was one of the first military plasma pistols produced. Must be some forty years since they stopped producing them. They were designed to be hard to trace.”
Donovan nodded, a trace of a smile crossing his lips. “Not bad, Kincaid. Round three: How’d our assassin make it past the eye scan?”
Max swallowed. “With human eyes.”
Dillinger stared at Max wide-eyed. “What? How?”
“One of the first things I did was shine a light in the replicant’s eyes. When I saw the retina, I uh… Well, I poked it. If it’s not real, it’s one hell of a reproduction. I don’t have an answer for how. Not sure I want one, either.”
Donovan nodded thoughtfully. “Hopefully forensics can give us an answer on that… for better or worse. In the meantime, none of this gets spoken about outside FBI and NWPD personnel. Consider the senator’s… condition… sensitive information for the time-being.”
Max nodded. “Understood.”
Donovan turned back to Dillinger. “I want you back in Washington. Now.”
Dillinger sputtered. “But the investigation! We need, I should…”
“You should be relieved that you still have a damned job… For now…”
Dillinger looked like he desperately wanted to say something else. His face slowly went from red to white as he considered Donovan’s words. His lower lip trembled. “Yes, sir.” The agent stormed off without another word.
Donovan watched him go, then turned back to Max. “I’d like you to go chat with the forensics team working on the assassin replicant, if you don’t mind. I…” Max’s watch began beeping rapidly. “Is something wrong?”
Max looked at his watch. He nodded his head. “Police distress call from the Enclave.” Donovan tilted his head. “That’s what the Resistance calls their stronghold. I’ve gotta go.”
“I need you here, Kincaid. Surely the NWPD can handle whatever it is?”
Max shook his head. “Maybe not. I have to go, Donovan. I’m sorry.”
Donovan sighed deeply. “Go. I want you back here as soon as possible.”
Max was already walking away. “I’ll hurry back.”
The Aero Ventura sped towards the part of town housing the Enclave, blue lights flashing. Part of Max wanted to believe that Angel was pulling off some childish prank to get back at him. His gut told him that the Synthetic wouldn’t do something so foolish.
He slowed as he approached the complex. His heart sank at the sight of the Enclave’s crushed-in door. He thumbed a switch on the dashboard. “Detective Max Kincaid, 29th precinct responding to police beacon at…”
Something slammed hard into the side of the Aero. The car spun sideways and came to a stop. “Son of a bitch!” Max looked around for the car that hit him. His eyes grew wide as they passed over the rear-view mirror.
Max jumped out of the car just as the combat robot slammed into the back of the Aero. The car lurched forward a few feet, tires squealing on the asphalt. “Stop hitting my car, you prick!” Max shot at the bot with his plasma pistol.
The rounds did little more than dent the armored exterior of the combat robot. It stopped and turned towards Max. It pulled itself to its full height, covering the detective in its shadow. “Oh, shit.”
Max lurched toward the Enclave’s crumpled entrance and broke into a full run. The combat robot squealed and pounded after him. It slammed hard into the door frame, shaking the whole building. Its outstretched claw-like hand just missed grabbing Max’s trench coat as he passed out of reach.
The combat robot shook its head and crouched down and sideways to fit properly through the doorway. It stood on the other side of the door. The bot slowly turned its head, scanning for its prey.
Max leaned out from behind a couch in the corner of the foyer. He trained his gun on the combat robot’s head. He held his breath and pulled the trigger.
A searing hot red slug of energy tore through the air and into the side of the combat robot’s face. It squealed, slapping a clawed hand to its wounded eye. It threw its hand back down and growled as it focused in on Max.
“Damn.” Max leapt from his hiding spot and made a mad dash for the doors that led to the labs. He crashed through the entryway and peeled off to the left. The squealing robot bounded through the doors a moment later.
Max opened fire, aiming for the bot’s neck and head. Surely th
ere had to be a vulnerable spot. The combat robot came round and beared down on the detective.
A loud BOOM filled the air. The bot arched its back and froze. There was a second boom. Red fire wrapped around the back of the bot’s head. The combat robot’s eyes first flickered, then grew dim. It slammed to its knees. Max skittered out of the way as it collapsed into the wall.
“You came.” Max looked around, finally picking out Angel half-buried by another combat robot. “Wasn’t sure you would.”
“Oh, holy shit Angel.” Max stumbled over to the Synthetic. He sat propped against a wall in a pool of blue fluid. A plasma rifle lay on the floor beside him. “What happened?”
“Alexander said it was Dietrich. He sent them to kill us off. Enlightened already got wiped out. He came here to warn us.”
Max shook his head incredulously. “Woah, woah, woah… Wait. Alexander came here? Are you sure he’s telling the truth? Joseph Dietrich was at Robert Quade’s speech.”
Angel shrugged roughly. “Kind of a moot point, right now. He helped Serena get the others out while I held off the bots.” He looked down at his chest and the bot weighing him down. “Worked for a while.”
Max followed Angel’s gaze and grimaced. There was a six-inch gaping wound in the Synthetic‘s chest. Two metallic cables were running out of the hole. “Good god, Angel. How are you still alive?”
Angel grinned. “Almost not, now. Damn thing put its fist right through my power core. Those cables are attached to its power core. Figure it owes me one.”
“Tough as nails, aintcha?” Max clucked. “Just sit still, okay? I’m going to try to find you some help.”
“Sit still.” Angel brusquely laughed. “Can’t do much else. Don’t worry about me. Help the others.”
Max pulled himself to his feet. “How about I do both? I’ll find you help. That’s a promise.” He turned towards the back of the Enclave.
“Wait.” Max turned back around. Angel held his hand out. “Thank you.” Max took the hand and gave it a firm shake. “You want my boom stick?”
Max grinned. “I think you better hold onto to that for the moment. I’ll make do.”
“Suit yourself.” Max tipped his fedora and jogged back farther into the labs. Two more combat robots lay in heaps on the floor. Desks and cabinets were strewn about the room.
He slowed at the sight of the mangled security door laying on the ground just inside the rear vestibule. His mood lightened at the sight of someone familiar beyond the outer door. “Richie! What in the hell is going on around here, huh?”
Richard spun around as if goosed. “Jesus Christ, Max! You scared the…” A series of booms shook the ground. Richard turned back around and began firing his weapon. The other officers joined him.
Max rushed through the door just in time to see the wounded combat robot rumble to the ground. The remaining two combat robots took another step back, tracking potential targets. The detective spun in the other direction expecting to see more. “They’re everywhere!”
Richard nodded. “Could be more coming, too. The Synthetic lady, Serena, she led the other Synthetics to a blast shelter in the old subway just up ahead.”
Max walked over to Richard, eyeing the combat robots the whole time. “I need to talk to her, see if I can find help for Angel.” Richard gave him a puzzled look. “He’s another Synthetic. He’s still inside. He fought off some of these things while everyone escaped. He’s in rough shape.”
“Walk slowly and you should be alright. Those two down there seem like they’re scared… Or waiting for back-up. We’re not really sure. Knock three times on the blast door, then twice. I’ll warn ya, that Alexander is down there with them.”
Max grimaced. “So I heard.” More pounding came from their right. Three more armored combat robots came around the corner of the building. “You gotta be kidding me.”
The other two combat robots began walking towards the group of officers. Richard fired off a couple of rounds at the lead bot. Max and the other officers fired at the other three bots. All of the bots held their ground again, seemingly considering the new situation.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can.” Richard nodded. Max cautiously began walking past the patrol cars. He pulled out his smart phone and placed a call. He looked warily back and forth as he held the phone to his ear. “Yeah, it’s Max. I need to call in a favor…”
One of the officers gave Richard a quizzical look. Richard shrugged back. He turned his attention back to the group of two bots as one of them shifted noisily. He lifted the plasma rifle. The combat robot took a step back again. “Soon ain’t soon enough.”
16
Max rapped three times on the blast door. He hissed in pain, shaking his fist. He held his tender knuckles to his mouth and pounded his other fist into the door two more times. He was greeted with silence.
He had raised his fist to pound on the door again when he heard a series of clicks coming from its periphery. A single turquoise eye cloaked in shadow peaked through a crack in the door. “Max?”
“Serena… That is one solid door!” Max shook his hand again.
“There’s a reason it’s called a blast door, detective.” Serena opened the door enough to let Max pass. She shut and locked it as soon as he was through. “Is the speech over already?”
“It was ended early by a replicant assassin.” Serena stared at Max, mouth agape. “Robert Quade was a replicant, too.”
“I don’t understand… If Quade was a replicant, why would Alexander have a replicant kill him?”
“Maybe Alexander didn’t know Quade was a replicant?”
“I don’t know.” Serena looked very disconcerted.
“Let’s go ask him, shall we?”
“How did you know that he was here?”
“Angel told me.”
Serena’s look returned to one of shock. “He’s still alive! When I didn’t hear him firing anymore, I thought…”
“Well he’s not, but he’s in rough shape. Is Nuan here? Jian?”
“Nuan is. Jian hadn’t come by today. She called him and told him to stay away.”
“Let’s talk to her first. Angel’s running off the power supply of one of those monstrosities.”
“Oh, my god. I can‘t decide if that‘s brilliant or incredibly stupid.“
“Being that he’s still alive, I’d err on the side of brilliant. Let’s get going.” Max followed Serena into the enveloping darkness. They fought to see their surroundings even with the aid of infra-red sight.
They entered a larger chamber a moment later. Dim yellow lights mounted close to the ground cast disconcerting shadows on the walls and ceiling as the survivors within milled about. Serena picked Nuan out of the crowd and excused her way over to her.
“Nuan, Angel is alive, but he’s grievously wounded. Max said he‘s siphoning power from one of the combat robots.”
The Synthetic scientist immediately looked worried. “Variable power rates, almost certainly a difference in amperage… He might not survive for long. I need to get to him right away.”
Max placed a hand on Nuan’s shoulder. “I agree, but give me a few minutes, okay? I have a feeling the return trip will get a lot safer for us very soon.” Serena gave him a confused look. Max winked.
“I’ll let you know just as soon as it’s safe.“ He turned to Serena. “Alright, where’s Alexander?” Max looked around warily. Serena scanned the crowd. She pointed him out a moment later.
Alexander caught sight of Max and froze. He quickly tucked away his look of surprise behind a mask of calm. “Detective Kincaid. This is a surprise.”
Max spread his hands out. “I have a way of showing up when you least expect it.”
“Yes, well… I suspect you have some questions for me.”
“Oh, yes. But first…” Max wound up and landed a brutal haymaker right on Alexander’s chin. The Synthetic’s head snapped back and to the side. He slowly lifted his head back up and locked his gaze on Max, but said nothing
.
Max gritted his teeth. He made a half-hearted attempt at hiding the pain searing through his hand. “That’s for trying to kill me, you son of a bitch.”
“Fair, though I fear it hurt you far more than it did me.”
The detective turned red. Serena interjected. “Max! We don’t have time for this.”
Max sighed. “Right… Robert Quade is dead, or should I say his replicant is.” Alexander continued to stare at Max without emotion. “Care to explain how all that makes sense?”
A faint grin graced Alexander’s lips. “It makes perfect sense. I am glad to hear my assassin was successful. Did he escape?”
“Dead. I cornered him after he killed two FBI agents. Do you consider that a success as well?”
The grin disappeared. “That is… unfortunate. That was not a part of the plan.”
Max looked incredulous. “I don’t get it. Why go through the trouble of replacing Quade with a replicant and then assassinate the replicant?”
“Simple. I wasn’t the one that replaced him with a replicant. At least, I wasn’t directly responsible. However… The man behind this scheme is still in possession of the real Robert Quade.”
“He’s still alive?”
“For now. Given this unfortunate turn of events, he might not be for much longer. I would say the same for Alfonso Forte.”
“Forte’s still alive, too?” Max snapped out his pistol. “Enough pussy-footing around! Where are they?”
Alexander chuckled softly. “Humans are so rash. Suppose I refuse to tell you. Will you then kill me? Then you would never know. Put away the weapon, detective.”
Max jammed it into his coat, growling impatiently. “You deserve that slug, but you’re right. You said it: Time is short. Where are they?”
“The Synthetics International building; the basement levels, to be exact. Perhaps a more pressing question is, where is Joseph Dietrich?”
“He was at the rally. After what happened, though… I don’t know.” Max pulled out his smart phone. “No reception. Guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Let’s get topside. I’ll call Donovan and see what he knows.”
Preservation Protocol Page 26