by Riker Kane
Osiris chuckled with a smug grin on his lips. “It’s a shame you’re too blinded by your arrogance to make the right decision.”
“What am I at, Proxy?”
“HP’s at 72. Energy’s at 65. He’s still got full HP, a whopping 200-percent. Energy is at 175. Max…”
“It’s all right. I got him right where I want him.”
“There’s no advice your Operator can give you,” Osiris interrupted. “This is the fate you chose. Accept it.”
Max quickly raised his ACE up and fired another Rocket Barrage. He raced forward behind the missiles zooming toward Osiris.
The man in the white suit quickly raised his ACE up and absorbed the attacks with another white barrier. But before he could fire, Max activated his Plasma Cutter and swung. Max’s attack forced Osiris to back away and activate an Energy Barrier to block the attack.
Max continued swinging relentlessly. Hard swipes from his blade made Osiris move left and right to avoid getting hit. But Max’s furious assault got through, cutting through Osiris’s right sleeve.
Osiris stopped and looked down at the streak of blood beginning to stain the fabric of his shirt.
“You call yourself a GOD,” Max said. “But you bleed like everybody else.”
Osiris gritted his teeth and furrowed his brow in anger. He charged forward and activated a golden energy blade. Their swords clashed in a dazzling display of purple and gold sparks.
The crowd moved to the edge of their seats as the sudden duel unfolded before them. Max continued to attack but Osiris parried each blow. Max’s endless assault yielded no damage on his opponent.
“He’s not attacking, Max. He’s just defending. You have to do something else.”
“Right…”
Max faked an attack and Osiris brought his sword up to block it. But instead of following through with his swing, Max lowered his ACE down and fired a Colossal Blast that caught Osiris hard in the chest.
The crowd gasped in unison at the sight of Osiris stumbling back. Max rushed up to finish him off but a sudden barrage of missiles forced him to raise his Energy Barrier up. Max clenched his jaw and braced himself from the brunt of the attack. He gasped a deep breath and waited until it finished bombarding him.
“Not bad,” Osiris said. “But you don’t have the energy, the skills or the strength keep up with me.”
“Shit… I’m running out of time…”
Max looked around and saw the androids and drones on the other side of the arena.
“Thinking of using them against me?” Osiris said. “I watched your battle in the War Zone. I won’t fall to the same foolish tricks Slug did.”
Max continued searching but nothing came to him.
“He’s countering all my abilities… Don’t have much energy left…”
“It’s over. There’s nothing you can do.”
Osiris raised his ACE up.
“Unless…”
Max quickly began running toward the southern end of the arena, away from Osiris. Osiris fired and Max quickly rolled away to avoid the explosion of missiles.
“Now this is pathetic,” Osiris said as he slowly walked forward. “Are you really going to run away from me? I suppose expecting you to fight me like a man was too much to ask.”
Max moved near the eastern tower he had control of.
“Do you expect me to walk underneath the tower you have control of?”
“No,” Max said. “That’s why I’m gonna bring you to it.”
Osiris lowered his ACE as he closed the distance between them. “I might as well have some fun with this.” He continued moving until he was right in front of Max. “All right. We’ll fight like men.”
He raised his hand up and swung a right hook. Max ducked out of the way and cracked Osiris in the stomach, making him stumble down to a knee. He tried to follow up but Osiris bounced back up to his feet. An uppercut caught Max in the chin and snapped his head back.
Max took a few steps back but dug his heels into the grid to stay standing.
“That’s what I like,” Osiris said. “Settle things with our hands like they did a long time ago.”
Max reared back and swung but Osiris effortlessly caught his fist and responded with a vicious headbutt into Max’s forehead. Max immediately went into a daze and his vision blurred from the force of the blow.
Osiris slicked his hair back over his head with his hand then straightened up.
“Three more minutes…” The desperation in Proxy’s voice was growing.
Max steadied himself and ignored the blood trickling down his cheek. Again he moved forward and swung. But his telegraphed blow was easy for Osiris to step away from and counter with another right hand to the mouth.
Max fell to his knees. He blinked his eyes to see the warm blood trickling into a small pool on the ground beneath him.
“It’s remarkable really,” Osiris said. “I beat your friend the same way. You put up a better fight but the result is the same.”
“Hudson…”
Max closed his eyes, his breaths deep. But any focus he could try to gather was interrupted by a hard kick to his midsection. He rolled over onto his back. The bright lights shining above the arena were blinding. The electronic synths and audience shouting were deafening. But Max was numb to it all, only focused on the man standing above him.
“HP’s down to 33-percent… Two minutes left…”
Osiris reached down and grabbed Max by the collar. He forced him back up to his feet and looked him in the eye.
“I should thank you,” Osiris said. “Everybody in Santa Fe is watching. Now they’ll all know the true might of the Gears of Destruction. Nobody will ever dare challenge us again.”
He slammed a fist into Max’s stomach and made him keel over. A hard knee across Max’s cheek sent him back to the ground.
Max pushed himself up on all fours, crawling forward while blood continued to leak from his face.
“One minute, Max…” Proxy’s voice was shakier than it had ever been.
“Some people would say it’s admirable for you to continue to put up a fight. And it’s remarkable in a way, considering you defeated the other three. But I wonder if they’ll remember what you did when the last image they’ll have of you is on your knees, crawling away… just like your friend.”
He picked Max back up by the collar and looked him in the eye.
“It’s time to end this, Rebel. Any last words?”
Max gathered himself the best he could and smiled. “I got a few,” he sighed.
“Really? This should be interesting…”
“You could never beat me one-on-one in an ACE battle. And you could never beat me one-on-one in a fist fight either.”
Osiris raised an eyebrow. “I’m quite sure I just did both.”
“No…” Max swallowed his blood, his grin growing even wider as he shook his head. “I would never lose to a punk like you. Not unless I let you!”
He spit his blood in Osiris’s face. Osiris shut his eyes, unable to see the hard right hand cracking him in the jaw. He dropped Max from his grip and opened his eyes just in time to see the left hook that caught him on his cheek.
“Max! Time’s up!” Proxy yelled in his ear.
“Zigzag!” Max shouted.
As soon as he said it, the android came racing from the other side of the arena. Osiris regained his senses and spun around just as the android shoved her blade into his midsection. The cold steel pushed against his vest, slicing through the fabric. Zigzag used all of her strength to move her sword through the reinforcements behind his suit. But when the armor underneath his white shirt gave, his flesh offered no resistance. The messy sound of sharp metal piercing through flesh was like nothing else.
The crowd gasped at the sight of Zigzag impaling Osiris completely, pushing her blade out through his back.
“No—” Osiris raised his ACE up but Max quickly activated his Plasma Cutter and separated Osiris’s limb from the rest of his bo
dy, ACE and all.
The blood gushed from his open wound as Max dug his blade into Osiris’s chest right next to Zigzag.
“Go!”
The two of them worked together, lifting Osiris from the ground and carrying him into the proximity of their tower. They both pulled away just as the turrets locked on and fired.
Osiris fell to his knees before the explosion sent him tumbling forward. He fell onto his stomach, blood leaking from his wounds as the smoke rose from his singed suit.
“Max… The stimulants…”
Just as Proxy said it, Max felt his insides tighten up. He looked down at the display on his ACE and watched both his HP and energy beginning to drain.
“Zigzag…”
The android nodded calmly in understanding.
Max walked over to Osiris and flipped him over. Blood spilled from his chest and his severed arm, staining his once-pristine white outfit.
Osiris coughed up more of the blood, spattering it across his face.
“It doesn’t matter,” Osiris said. “So what if the junkie doesn’t have to pay up? Leave, Rebel. Go back to where you came from. The GODs still run Santa Fe. We’ll always run Santa Fe.”
Max shook his head. “This was never about business. When you put your hands on Hudson and Sammy, you made it personal. You sealed your fate when you did that.”
Max raised his leg up and stomped on Osiris’s chest. Hard kicks made Osiris whimper in pain as he struggled to crawl away.
“You’re gonna feel what he felt.”
Max slammed his boot against Osiris’s jaw, shattering his teeth.
“Every kick…”
He stomped his heel down onto his temple and fracturing his skull.
“Every stomp…”
“Execute! Execute! Execute!” The crowd cheered as Max used his last bit of strength to soften Osiris up.
Max kept kicking until Osiris’s face was completely red except for his eyes.
Teeth shattered. Nose broken. Osiris was still conscious through it all.
“You’re both losing HP,” Proxy said. “But his is draining faster. As long as you’re the last one standing and Zigzag is still up, you’ll win…”
Max fell to his knees next to Osiris. Through it all, Osiris managed to smile.
“You can’t kill a GOD,” Osiris said.
“Maybe not… But I can make him feel pain.” Max raised his ACE up and pointed it right at Osiris’s face.
He stared hard into Osiris’s eyes. He held on for as long as he could until he saw it. The confidence that was always there was finally gone, replaced by a fear that made Max smile.
With his last percentage of energy, Max fired a Colossal Blast that ripped through Osiris’s face and splattered bone and flesh all the same. The blast was too strong for Max to resist as he was sent flying onto his back.
Zigzag fell to her knees next to him. “It’s over.” She cradled his body in her lap as she caressed his cheek.
“Re-bel! Re-bel! Re-bel! Re-bel!”
“You won…”
Proxy’s soft voice was as clear as anything else in his ear. Max stared up at Zigzag, the bright lights above her beginning to dim. As the crowd’s chant filled his ears, he smiled knowing he did it.
Chapter 34
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
Max lay peacefully in the darkness. His mind was empty. His body had no feeling.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
There was nothing except for a soft beeping in the distance. The rhythm of the electronic pulses didn’t stop.
Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.
Slowly, Max realized he wasn’t floating in a pool of darkness or even dreaming. He was alive. The realization made him slowly open his eyes.
The sterile surroundings of the hospital room were barely visible underneath the low blue lights. The electronic devices monitoring his vital signs glowed softly off to the side. He tilted his head and watched the numbers on the digital display.
He breathed softly through his nose then closed his eyes in relief. A few seconds later, the door opened up. He turned his head and saw Hudson, Sabrina, Proxy and Zigzag all step into the room. Proxy had some worry in her eyes but she was smiling the same as the others.
“How are you feeling?” the blond asked.
“I don’t know,” Max said. “I’m alive. Usually that’s good enough for me.”
“I made sure they rushed you and your harness back into a regenerator as fast as they could.”
“That’s what I expected. Doesn’t explain what I’m doing in a hospital though.”
“The stimulants.” Sabrina walked next to his bedside. “It altered your genetic chemistry. After you were regenerated, they had to flush out the remnants from your system. Most of the boosts you had are gone.”
“That’s all right. Won’t have much need for them anymore. Unless I didn’t win…”
“You were victorious,” Zigzag said. “As the only one left standing in the Sanctum, I secured the victory. There is no dispute.”
“Looks like everything went as planned…”
“It was close,” Proxy sighed. “It makes me shudder thinking about how things could’ve gone wrong. For a second, I thought Osiris was in control.”
“Osiris isn’t a fighter. I realized that when he didn’t engage with the others. But I knew I had a better chance if I could get him to take me on one-on-one with just our hands.” Max looked at Hudson. His friend has been silent the entire time but his eyes said more than he ever could. “That’s how business was started,” Max said. “It only makes sense we finished it that way.”
“It’s over,” Proxy said. “It’s really over. Now all we have to do is celebrate our last night in Santa Fe. For real this time. I made a lotta credits betting on you.”
“I’m looking forward to it…” Max kept his eyes on Hudson. Even though he was quiet, it was obvious Hudson had a lot on his mind. “Why don’t you guys gimme a second? I gotta tell Hudson something…”
“We all made some credits,” Sabrina said. “I say we pick up something to eat. A lot of delicacies in Santa Fe you should try.”
“Can’t wait.” Proxy rubbed her hands together as she left with Sabrina and Zigzag.
Hudson pulled up a chair and propped himself right next to Max. The hospital room fell silent again, the dim blue lights providing a peaceful ambiance Max could relax to.
“How’s Sammy?” Max asked.
Hudson chuckled, his chip-toothed grin on full display. “I put a lot of creds on you. Gave a few to Sammy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him as happy as he is now. I got his system flushed clean. No more loot addiction. No more dealing with the Disciples. He’s got a clean slate.”
“He still heading back to New Austin with us?”
Hudson nodded. “I think it’d be best for him to get away from this place. He’s got some creds but the influence still lingers. Never hurts to be around… friends…”
Hudson swallowed hard. He clenched his jaw but his eyes glazed over. He looked away in embarrassment though there was nothing he could do to hide it.
“You did it,” Hudson said. “You… You came to Santa Fe. You paid ‘em back for what they did to Sammy. You paid ‘em back for what they did to me. It’s been like that ever since we met. I fall down and you’re there to pick me up.”
A tear leaked from the corner of Hudson’s eye and he quickly wiped it away. Max nodded slowly, not saying anything and instead letting his friend get everything off his chest.
“I know why you did it. Because you’re my friend. That’s all the reason you needed. I wanna let you know, my man… Any time. Any place. I got your back. No matter what.”
He held his hand out. Max smirked as he reached out and gripped it.
“That was our deal,” Max said. “Fifty-fifty.”
Hudson showed off his chipped-tooth grin and squeezed his hand even tighter. “Fifty-fifty…”
A sudden knock at the door made them both turn their he
ads. Hudson got up from his seat and wiped his cheek as the door opened up.
Detective Pitt stepped inside, his suit and coat looking as immaculate as they always did. The bald man put his hands in his pockets as he looked down at Max.
“Shaw,” he said. “If I could have a word with you… in private.”
“…I’ll go check on the others to make sure they get you something good to eat,” Hudson said to Max. “Hospital food isn’t any good around here. Maybe a roast beef sandwich. Extra peppers.”
“Sounds good,” Max said with a laugh.
Hudson and Pitt nodded to one another before Hudson stepped outside.
The detective looked around the room. Judging from the seriousness on Pitt’s face, Max wasn’t sure if he was in a good mood or not. But nothing he could say would ruin his moment.
“What are you doing here?” Max said. “It’s obvious you’re not here to congratulate me. Battles in the Vicious Sanctum aren’t something you seem interested in.”
“I’m not a fan of the battles. Even though they’re regulated and nobody actually dies, they’re still brutal and violent. I suppose everybody needs their outlets in a world like this. But that doesn’t mean I have to enjoy it.”
“That’s a shame. You missed a hell of a battle.”
“I don’t normally partake but I was there this time. I had a vested interest in this one. Sometimes a man needs to seek justice his own way, for his own personal well-being. But… It was the other man I was more interested.”
Pitt pulled out his AllDevice and scrolled through it with his index finger. “Charles Oliver AKA Osiris. Member of the Gears of Destruction. Leader of the Disciples. He was never on our radar because he was never in Santa Fe. Everything he did was operated remotely. He used Vick, Banks and Cole as his liaisons in the Cobalt District. It was you who brought him out here.”
Max shrugged. “You know who he is now. I got my payback but he was right. The Gears are still running things. It’s up to you to make sure the loot stops flowing.”
“I know. What do you think I’ve been doing ever since Oliver first arrived?”
A subtle smirk curled onto the corner of the detective’s lips. Max arched an eyebrow, unsure if he wanted to hear what was on Pitt’s mind. “Are you telling me you have something on Osiris?”