by Jake Bible
“So?” Styles asked. “You gonna take those out or talk about it all day long?”
“I was thinking about taking a break,” Alex grinned. “Maybe some nice wine and cheese?”
“Cheese is all gone,” Styles said. “Sorry, got the munchies last night. I’ll take some wine though.”
Alex focused the eight large caliber guns onto eight individual targets. “No time for wine. As soon as I pull this trigger we won’t be hidden anymore. They’ll track the trajectory and start firing up.”
“Surprised they haven’t already,” Styles grinned. “But I guess there hasn’t been an air attack in warfare in nearly four hundred years. Fire away, chief!”
Alex squeezed the trigger and 50 caliber bullets flew from the BTT, hell bent on ripping some holes in everything in their path.
***
“Sir! They’re Ghosts!” a trooper shouted over the com. “We’re being ripped apart!”
“Of course they’re Ghosts! Who the fuck did you think they would send?” Mr. Stone yelled back. “There’s only about twenty of them! Fucking kill ‘em!”
“Sir!” the driver yelled. “Large caliber rounds are coming from above!”
Mr. Stone checked the readings, but it was hardly needed as he could see out the windshield the effects of the slugs. “Scan the sky now! They’ve still got something up there and I want it brought down!”
“Yes, sir!” the driver responded, switching his main sensors to vertical. “What am I looking for, sir?”
“How the fuck should I know? Just start firing up!” Mr. Stone could hear more shouts and calls for help. He activated an open com channel. “Attention all troopers! Stop fighting like you want to live! YOU CAN”T FUCKING DIE! Stop those mother fucking Jacks right the fuck now!”
Mr. Stone slammed his fist against the dash of the HAV, wishing for just one Reginald on the outside, instead of the thousands of idiots he was dealing with. “FUCK!”
***
Billems linked one end of a BC line to an overturned HAV then dashed thirty yards to another, dodging bullets as he ran. Several of the Three’s Shock troops tried to stop him, but with a flick of his wrist the BC line whipped across their necks, severing their heads instantly.
Although Billems kept moving, he tried to keep an eye on the decapitated troopers, waiting to see if they would be able to put themselves back together. He attached one more line to a third crushed HAV and sighed.
“That should give me enough mass,” he muttered as he closed his eyes. The HAVs began to shake and shudder, their BC mass liquefying and changing, flowing towards him. He continued to fight off Shock troops as he gathered the BC, but it was proving more and more difficult to do both tasks at one time.
Finally, Billems made a choice and let the troops attack him, hoping he could race the damage they were doing to his body. Just as he thought he would lose consciousness, Billems was able to fully gather the BC to him, knocking Shock troops out of the way with the mass of metal.
As the flowing metal began to form, the attacking Shock troops started to fall back, unsure of what they were seeing.
“Billems? What are you doing over there?” Heather called over the com. “What the fuck is that thing?”
“Mechanized battle armor!” Billems called out as a small cockpit formed about him and he was lifted high into the air. The cockpit stood on two long, multi-jointed legs, bringing Billems to a height of easily eight meters. From each side of the cockpit an arm sprouted, but instead of hands, the arms ended in an array of weapons. From mini-guns to rocket launchers, the new machine was ready to destroy.
“What the hell is that thing?” a Ghost asked over the com as Billems opened fire.
“I come from a long line of engineers!” Billems shouted over the blasts and concussions. “My grandfather had schematics that he said came from the ‘old country’. He said they were original prototypes of ‘mechs’. I’ve always wanted to build one and figured today is my last chance!”
“Just don’t step on any of us!” another Ghost cried.
An RPG exploded close to Billems’ cockpit and he struggled to maintain the mech’s balance. “I got this!” he shouted as he kept himself upright. He mentally adjusted his height, giving himself a lower center of gravity and a little more stability. Instantly he noticed his weapons accuracy greatly increased.
Four HAVs converged on Billems from every side at once and he leapt into the air, letting two of the vehicles collide with each other. The other two HAVs pulled up short and opened fire with more RPGs. The rocket concussions sent Billems sprawling, but he didn’t let that slow him down as he rolled to the side, launching several RPGs of his own at the HAVs. All four exploded, showering the immediate battlefield with hot metal and burning bodies.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Hours went by and Mr. Stone slowly pushed his HAV and ground forces through the Ghost attack. No matter what he threw at them, the Jacks wouldn’t stop and what should have been a slaughter in his favor was turning into an embarrassment.
“Reinforcements have arrived, sir!” Mr. Stone’s driver announced. “They are cresting the hill right now!”
“It’s about fucking time!” Mr. Stone grinned as he checked the holo. Even with their enhanced abilities the Ghosts wouldn’t stand a chance against what was coming.
***
“SPIDERS!” Styles shouted.
“What? Where?” Alex asked, watching the readings on the holo scan. Bright orange spots began to cover the screen. “Holy god…”
***
“Heather?!?” Alex called over the com. “You have serious incoming! Spiders and lots of them!”
“What direction?” Heather asked as she impaled ten Shock troops in a row, a BC spike extending from her hand. She yanked the spike back and hot, steaming guts emptied from each trooper, spilling onto the battlefield. A nearby Ghost rolled several incendiary grenades her way and she kicked each right at the gutted troopers. Their bodies went up in white flame, the BC and flesh melting off them in large, hot drops.
“Every direction!” Alex shouted. “They have you surrounded!”
“How many?” Heather screamed, taking several bullets in her midsection. She gasped for breath while she waited for Alex’s answer. “Alex? How many?”
“Two hundred…” Alex barely managed to say. “Heather…you have two hundred Spiders coming at you…”
***
Heather knew Alex was talking, but her mind tuned him out. She focused on the Shock troops and the HAVs; the sea of zombies and the other Ghosts trying to fight and survive. She felt the shockwave of a nearby RPG explosion and struggled to keep her footing. Only the blinding pain in her abdomen brought her back to reality.
She looked down to see a large chunk of HAV armor sticking from her midsection. Collapsing to her knees, she tried to pull the shrapnel out, but some of it was warped and twisted, lodging the metal between two of her lower ribs.
“Get up,” she told herself. “Pull that shit out and fight. You aren’t going down this way.”
Heather concentrated and reformed the BC scrap, yanking it free and tossing it aside. Several Shock troops converged on her and she went down under a flurry of driving fists and brutal kicks.
“Spiders!” she yelled over an open com channel. “We have incoming Spiders, people! I need a head count now! Sound off so I know who’s with us!” Twelve of the twenty Ghosts responded. “Well, that’s better than I had hoped!”
She burst from the pile, her hands ripping right through bodies, gripping the spines of two Shock troopers. The others fell quickly after.
***
“Have all HAVs move out!” Mr. Stone ordered. “We’re pushing on while the Ghosts are dealing with the Spiders. No need to stick around, we’ll just get in the way.”
“What if the Ghosts pursue?” the driver asked.
“Two hundred Spiders are about to pounce on them,” Mr. Stone grinned. “And as much as I want to witness this, we need to get to
Lhasa as soon as possible.”
The driver gave the order and Mr. Stone watched on the holo as the remaining eighteen HAVs pulled into formation, continuing on towards Tibet.
***
“They’re moving out!” T.L. yelled.
“Spiders aren’t known for their restraint,” Heather replied. “The HAVs probably want to keep out of the way of friendly fire.”
Heather spun in the air, her legs outlined with ever-changing blades, and the zombies the Three’s forces had enlisted fell. Most reformed and came at her again, but she kept twisting, ducking, hacking and cutting until she had a wide berth about her. She felt bad for some of the creatures, knowing they had probably been shopkeepers, farmers, simple rural folk that were killed and recruited along the way.
For the Shock troops she had no sympathy at all and attacked without restraint, until there were no more troops left willing to engage her. Most followed after the HAVs, but many stayed behind to fight, finding other Ghosts that didn’t have as much carnage lying about them.
Heather had begun to pursue a group of troopers when the screams started. She looked to the horizon and watched in horror as zombie bodies flew about in the wake of the onrushing Spiders. She turned about her and everywhere she looked, Spiders were coming.
Her confidence tested, Heather spoke out. “I need ideas, people! We can’t let the HAVs move on, but there is no way to get to them through all the troops, the zombies and the Spiders now!”
“We’ll come get you folks,” Styles shouted over the com.
“We will?” Alex asked. “How are we going to do that?”
“You’re going to shoot the shit out of those things, while I fly right into the middle of it all!” Styles announced. “That means all you Ghosties will need get to the center of the shit!”
“Everyone on me!” Heather shouted. “What’s the plan, Styles? You can’t pull us all up in the cage!”
“No, I can’t,” Styles agreed. “But, I can land right on top of you.”
“Did he say land on top of us?” a Ghost asked.
“Yep, that’s what I said. Y’all need to get in as tight a group as possible. I’ll open the bottom cargo bays and plop right on ya. We won’t have much time though, since I’ll have to disengage the stealth system so you can see me. As soon as I do that the Spiders will target the BTT and head straight for us. You’ll have about thirty seconds to all get on board. How’s that sound?”
“Sounds like suck,” Billems answered. “But I think I can give you folks some extra time.”
Screams erupted over the com and Heather knew some Ghosts had met the first wave of Spiders.
“Listen!” Heather shouted. “The Spiders will tear us into as many pieces as possible to keep us from coming back! Do not try to fight them!”
“Can’t we manipulate their BC?” a Ghost asked.
“No!” another responded. “I’m trying, but something is blocking the connecti—” The woman’s voice was cut short.
“On me, NOW!” Heather ordered. “Our objective is to take out the HAVs! We’ll have to figure out the Spiders later!”
Heather could hear panicked Ghost voices, several more cut short as the Spiders fell on them.
***
“You know what you’re doing?” Alex asked Styles.
“Fuck no!” Styles laughed. “I’m making this up as I go!”
“That’s why I pay you the big credits.”
“You don’t have enough credits in the world to pay for the past couple days.”
“Well, if we live through this I’ll give you a sweet bonus…if we live through this.”
“That’s depressing.”
“Yes, yes it is.”
***
The remaining Ghosts grouped around Heather.
“Billems!” she shouted. “Get out of that thing and get your ass over here!”
“No can do!” Billems responded. “I told you I would buy you some time and that’s what I plan on doing!”
“It’s suicide!” Lister called.
“It always was! I was planning on dying, so die I will! Just get your asses on that fucking aircraft!” Billems turned his mech back towards the stream of Spiders coming at them. He opened fire with everything he had, obliterating the front row of Spiders, their long BC legs flying everywhere and screeches coming from all.
He spun in a circle, trying to give the group as much room as possible.
“Billems!” Styles shouted over the com. “Get out of the way! Your machine is too tall! I can’t get close enough!”
Billems stepped away from the group and two Spiders pounced. He ducked one, but the second caught him square in the cockpit. Billems slammed at it again and again, finally dislodging the thing. He tried to fire, but three more attacked and he barely dodged them in time.
“This ain’t working,” he muttered to himself and the weapons at the end of his arms changed form, becoming massive hands. “Let’s go at it, motherfuckers!”
He punched with fists and blocked with forearms, sending many Spiders back into the others, tangling them up and slowing their attack.
The group could feel the air above them shift and suddenly the BTT was there. They all stood stock still as it hovered inches above the ground, swallowing them up in the cargo hold. They scrambled inside, grabbing onto anything they could as the BTT’s cargo bay shut and the aircraft accelerated away.
Heather sprinted up out of the cargo hold and burst into the cockpit. “Show me the holo! Now!”
“Good to see you too, sweetheart,” Alex grinned, but obliged Heather, zooming the holo in on Billems.
The man/machine fought on. For every Spider he crushed or tossed five more replaced it. His massive metal limbs flew in all directions, fighting desperately to keep the Spiders from leaping up at the BTT. Ten Spiders attacked at once, taking out Billem’s legs.
The Ghosts, now all gathered at the cockpit door, gasped and some turned away as bits of BC were shredded from Billem’s mechanized armor.
The com crackled to life and Alex put it through the speaker. “I’ve…got something…else…up my…sleeve,” he gasped. “Tell…my son...I love…him.”
They all turned away as a blinding bright light erupted below and Alex cut the holo. “Fucking punch it, Styles! He just detonated something big!”
Styles accelerated as quickly as he could and the Ghosts flew back from the cockpit door, their bodies tumbling over seats and against the walls. The BTT hit mach 2 and was away from the blast area before the shockwave could knock them from the sky.
“Okay! Okay!” Heather screamed, her body wedged into the doorframe of the cockpit. “We’re gone!”
Styles slowed down and Alex brought up the holo scans.
“Now, let’s find those fucking HAVs,” Alex growled as he searched for the Three’s forces.
***
General Millman sighed and rubbed at his tired eyes. He saw the holo scan of the battlefield detonation and knew that it was all over. “What do the other scans say?” he asked a tech seated behind him.
“Eighteen HAVs disengaged and are already nearing our base, sir,” the tech responded.
“Excellent. Once they are in range then detonate,” General Millman ordered. “Let’s make sure they can’t pursue.”
“Yes, sir.”
The General turned to his driver. “How’s our progress?”
“Moving along fine, sir,” the driver responded. “All drivers are being relieved every eight hours. At our steady pace we will reach the coastal rendezvous in thirty-six hours.”
“As long as we don’t run into trouble,” the General added.
“God willing, sir.”
Leaning back in his seat, General Millman said a silent prayer for the good souls that were lost in battle and for the souls under his watch that were still alive and trying to get to safety. He hoped they could get to the coast without incident, but he knew better.
***
“So, what’s the plan?
” Alex asked Heather. “Gonna drop again?” Heather stared out the windshield. Alex waved his hand in front of her face. “Hey, gorgeous? You in there?”
Heather slowly focused on Alex’s face. “Yes, we’re dropping in again. We have to stop the HAVs. Even if they can’t catch up to our folks, we have to stop them from infecting more people. This could spread to epidemic proportions in just days.”
Sounds of retching and wet splashes echoed from the cabin. Plus a couple low moans.
“Um, what’s going on in there?” Alex asked, leaning around to see past Heather.
“Sludge puking,” Heather answered. “And we have two Ghosts that just turned and are, well…hungry.”
“Keep them the fuck away from me!” Styles shouted in alarm. “I ain’t no tasty treat!”
“That’s why I’m standing in the doorway, dumbass,” Heather growled.
“We’re here,” Alex said. “They are at the base of the mountain and…”
“And, what?” Heather asked when Alex didn’t continue.
“And they are going around. Looks like they aren’t heading to the base after all.”
“Shit!” Styles cried. “They know we have it set to blow. They’re going right for our convoy.”
“Pretty sure I know why,” Heather said. “They want Beth. She’s been their target from the very beginning.”
“An actual working Vessel would be pretty handy. You could transport nearly limitless information without detection. Or risk of the info being deleted or erased.”
“She could still be killed,” Styles said.
“They’ve been trying,” Heather responded. “But, they haven’t even come close. That makes her even more valuable. Imagine what they could do with working Vessels and their nanotech…”
“Not to mention the knowledge gained from Dr. Lisbon’s experience. I’ll get the General on the com,” Alex said. “Styles, you get us ahead. We’re dropping the Ghosts on the ground instead of an air attack. Heather, you get everyone ready. We need skills sharp. Hopefully we can take them by surprise.” Warnings blared in the cockpit. “Styles? What’s going on?”