With the bazooka banned from play, more knives flashed at the sisters, clones driving their blades at the slayers like vampire hunters seeking to deliver a stake to the heart. The girls battled on. Raegan managed to grab an associate’s long blade and whipped the weapon around her body, slashing one, two, and then a third associate to electronic ruins. Mahira disarmed another gunman and fired rounds of her own, effectively killing even more with her new weapon.
However, with their movement hampered by bleeding wounds and the weird spider-snakes still biting deeper into the women’s legs, the tide would not turn easily. Envy drove her fist into one of the creatures. Zaey smashed her foot into another. A few creatures took to the women's upper extremities and the slayers' arms suddenly came under attack. Raegan ripped one from her shoulder and smashed it into an associate's metallic vampire face. He flailed to the ground as the spider-snake bit into him in madness.
Raegan, still dressed in her gown, fought like a banshee. Her dress had been ripped in several places, but she couldn't care less. Associates rushed at her and she drove knees, fists, and elbows into them. Mahira managed to disarm most of them; her skill was what had really kept this fight on an even keel. All the women battled their asses off trying to win this fight.
The Y-Wood president yelled out again, "Those who seek answers that they are not welcome to know shall pay!" New associates joining the fray launched nets into the air from medal rods, which fell to the ground and engulfed the Q-Jin foursome. The women had been caught.
And then the walls of the hallway exploded around them.
A huge hummer-like spacecraft had torn a gigantic hole into the Y-Wood estate. Blu had arrived with Chaya by her side. They had created their own helipad! The explosion had blasted away most of the remaining clones. A few were still able to climb back to their feet and attempted to attack the flying craft’s riders. Others were smashed to pieces and were now strewn about the hallway.
The surviving associates climbed up to attack the pilots immediately. Blu kicked one square in the face, sending him flying backwards. Another machine man jumped up into the craft's opening window. Chaya was ready for him and drove two long knives deep into his eyeballs. He released his grip and he too slid away. The blue-haired pilot lifted her hands up to the sisters, "Well, what are you waiting for? Get your asses in, bitches! Or were you waiting for a better ride?"
Blu then noticed the barbed wire net entangled around her fellow Mystical Slayers. All four had been tossed back to the floor in a big bundle and were struggling to get back to their feet. Miraculously, none of the sisters were injured further by the big ship blasting into the corridor.
"I’ll hold the remaining freaks back," shouted Chaya, dropping from the space hummer with a large battleaxe in hand. In a fury of strikes, she whirled her tool like a woman possessed to back the last couple of associates down the hall. This gave Blu time to grab her cutting machine, jump down from the flying hummer, and do some serious chopping of the nets around her buddies. The machine grinded its blades into the wire and mesh, and soon she had set the four women free. The spider-snakes clung on for one last attempted attack, but Blu stabbed at them then drew her pistol and shot several of the suckers squarely in their chomping maws. Chaya, having successfully vacated the hallway, ran back to help Blu and axed the remaining creatures. The sisters were now all on board. Blu looked at Raegan, her once elegant gown now ripped to shreds, " Nice dress!" she teased.
Hopefully, the spacecraft Blu had put so much time into, would start up again after such a destructive landing. She cranked it, and varooooooooooom, the engine revved into life.
Blu reversed just enough to dislodge the craft from the archway's upper window. Through the huge hole in the wall, Y-Wood's President Marcou glared up with a cocky grin spread across his face. "It’s alright, my men, let them go. I’m sure the day will come when we meet again." He ushered what was left of his associates to go back to the grand party at hand. He was shaken, yet still composed. He pointed menacingly to a few associates, "You lot, clean that mess up why don’t you?"
The flying hummer took off like a bat out of hell, and no one looked back. Zaey looked at her bleeding ankles and grimaced, "Those little buggers bit me." Envy was worst of them all. Her shoulder injury would put her on the shelf, probably for a long time.
Raegan said reassuringly, "Tough times don’t last, my sisters, but tough people do. We’re those people!"
***
Back at the grand Y-Wood ball, the Corporation’s CEO had some serious cleaning up to do. The guests were all reassured of their safety and he offered his apologies for the disruption and loud noises. He made sure all his guests were treated to more food and drink. Once his guests were settled back into the party, he made his way back to the door. He had already sent many of his guards to the area in case of any other attempted intrusions. Coming face-to-face with the door, he uttered something which the nearby associates could not hear. He then touched the door softly, leaning his cheek ever so slightly into its surface. "It’s okay. Everything is okay."
Chapter 8
On the rusty planet of Mars, a gigantic mountain hides warehouses of robots building robots. The largest structure is the V-Net prison. The cold air caused by the long distance from the sun is welcoming to Martians inside such havens. Paka being one of them.
Paka, an Afro-American woman, was a prison guard. Today, a dust storm made working inside this hell-hole of mad people, slightly more bearable. It is remarkable how hundreds of years ago Mars had finally become livable for humans, conveniently just before Earth’s changing wars. In the night sky this evening, Phobos and Deimos, the two moons of the planet, watched over the mountain like glowing beacon lights.
The prisoners watched over by Paka came from many walks of life. Most were criminals from Earth. They were kept alive to serve one purpose; to work on this uncomfortable, air-depleted cold planet. Some were the worst of the worst. Evil, vile beings incarcerated for murder, rape, terrorism, and other despicable acts. Many were crusaders, caught for speaking or acting out against the Corporation’s movements. Paka knew who was who, and always treated them accordingly when situations permitted.
Even the planet of Mars was no longer a place of one skin color. Multi-raced people were the norm. Old-school still existed. White prisoners, clinging to visions of long before supremacy, would holler out cat calls directed at Paka. She had become accustomed to the abuse. Words like cunt, black bitch, and nigger would not even trigger a response. She was a prison guard most of the time, but she knew what her true mission was.
The concrete cave systems which allow for the prison are solid and safe. Mars is now fully inhabited by human beings. Paka was a thin woman, not all that muscular, but she was as agile as a person could be. She would often climb or jump to places on her watch. Today, however, was not a typical watch route. It was pick up day. Supplies arriving from Earth were a constant occurrence, and a much-needed friend would soon be arriving.
It had taken hundreds of years to figure out how to extract water from the underground regions of Mars; water which would be used to generate breathable air and rocket fuel. The risk of suffocation or dying of dehydration was soon dealt with. Food supplies would be brought in by outside delivery care packages shipped up from Earth. The process of ships going to and from Earth had been made so much quicker and more effective since the discovery of the space wormhole. A journey which would have previously taken several weeks, could now be done in just a few hours. These deliveries had been the norm for some time, before the realization that Martian soil could be used to grow plants, once it had been supplemented and some of the harsher chemicals had been removed. This procedure had improved over time, but the special deliveries from Earth would continue.
Paka, with her Q-Jin sixth sense, could feel Kanya’s presence approaching. The dark-skinned Mystical Slayer was in charge of the receiving end of today’s delivery, which Kanya would be dropping off to V-Net. Kanya herse
lf was a Martian who worked mostly in the computer and robotic stations on the red planet. She also moonlighted as a prison worker on deliveries. These times gave her a chance to meet with her friend, Paka. Her delivery ship was on route and she continued to make her way through the prison system corridors to the loading station.
She stopped at a nearby office area and watched as a Corporation advert came onto the computer screen. R-Bel News Commercial Interruption Broadcast: Bringing action as it happens. Unlike days of old, Y-Wood Corporation now has working bots far below the ocean, in fiery volcanoes, high in space, down in sewers, and doing everything possible to make the world a better and safer place. For your next investment or portfolio upgrade, come to Y-Wood, and achieve your dreams of a better future for you and your family. The other screens inside displayed various prison areas and all seemed as normal.
She left the office area and continued her route down the hall. A set of stairs greeted her to take her further below ground, and the corridor became rougher as she walked on. Without any warning, a gigantic, burrowing snake-like creature with thousands of razor-sharp teeth reached out for a human meal. Paka spun with her sword drawn and sliced furiously at the Martian worm, who was now sticking out from the cavernous prison wall. The worm raged about, flailing and biting and trying to avoid Paka's sword. Several prisoners from nearby cells screamed in delight as they realized a guard was possibly about to be injured or even killed. However, Paka was not an average guard. She was one of the legendary Q-Jin, a Mystical Slayer with feline speed and martial arts training. She dodged a facial bite to the left and another from the right as the creature launched to attack her right shoulder. A diagonal, upward swipe of her blade bit deeply into the creature's flesh. She followed with a side attack, driving her sharp sword tip directly into the worm beast’s brain. It wiggled about, shook, and snapped its jaws again, but it was fading fast. With another downward slashing motion, Paka beheaded the beast.
Wiping her blade of the worm’s blood and gray guts, she walked on. She reached an area of outside cells filled with people. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and focused on finding her one-spot. She found peace, and she could finally take a short rest.
Paka waited for the ship to pull in at the landing dock. She more often than not brandished two long swords, one on each hip, during her guard duty. Normal firearms from days long before were now banned. Even if they were still secretly harbored by some people, the bullets did little damage these days due to the advanced healing capabilities of today's body through the use of advanced technology and highly potent drug-related protection. Paka’s swords would remove an appendage before any such healing could take place. As like any true Mystical Slayer, she knew how to use them through her years of training.
The sound of a space craft arriving prompted Paka to open the large receiving door. She slid a large panel open and her eyes scanned the surroundings, just to make sure it was what she was expecting. This entire scene could never have been envisioned in centuries past. Mars itself was now a working planet through the process of terraforming. Scientists had released megatons of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere to warm the planet, unleashing its frozen water reserves. Mars was colonized, it was beyond expensive, and may have taken close to a thousand years to develop into its now decent, livable form, but it had been done. Oh, and yes, it was owned by the Y-Wood Corporation!
Paka gracefully leaped up and swung a protective canvas net ten feet over the door, which opened up like a parachute to cover the delivery entrance. The average person would never been able to do such a task. The ship extended a walkway from its base, and with the protective barrier stopping any sand from disrupting their delivery, the occupants began to bring boxes inside the prison.
Once inside, the dirty-blond haired Kanya greeted her friend. Kanya was a fit, attractive young woman, her most distinct marking being that of a black kanji written upon her forehead. The writing translated as death! She was also a prison worker to a small extent, but her real occupation on Mars was with that of the resistance team. The team who were set on taking the planet from Y-Wood and making a safe haven for all those who were sick of Y-Wood's devastating corruption. The two spoke briefly in the shadows of the hallway. Kanya carried a top-notch laser rifle by her side. These weapons were only allowed for those working on the Corporation deliveries, and for anyone protecting their special interests. "Good to see you, my friend," spoke Kanya. She was wearing a snakeskin body suit today. "Another day in paradise, huh?"
Paka grinned as she started to unload the crates, "Yeah, another sandy day!"
***
Blu moved like the wind, and the chase was on. Corporation flyers took off after the Slayers with one purpose; to seek and destroy!
Darting between skyscrapers would hopefully free the group from the pursuing Y-Wood chasers. A few shots were fired as tracker ships tried to surround the hummer ship. Blu shot one of the ships down before two others closed in. Her spacecraft drew them closer and with a drop and roll maneuver, both chasers thought they had her, but only ended up flying head-on into each other and crashing into the ocean in a ball of smoke and flames.
The evasive tactics lead the team out of sight as they flew to New York. The flying machine, now entering home turf, would duck below radar and make its way along hidden routes to finally reach its special destination. Hidden in secrecy, the Q-Jin had found sanctuary in lower New York. With Corporation flyers in pursuit, the girls made sure to head to the New York locale, at least for a short while. They wanted to avoid the Boston base, which was where the regular, non-Slayer family people lived.
Once grouped together, Raegan could not stop pacing. "Something went wrong. They had a heads up. Not only that, someone might have spotted me with Lomax. This could be a serious problem. If they are onto him, he could be followed back to the city. The entire underground could be in danger!"
"I just want to know what was behind that door," Zaey questioned in an attempt to distract Raegan from her worry. "That voice could be the answer we seek in finding the head of Y-Wood, their elite, top person. We were so close."
The other Q- Jin all looked to Raegan who was still pacing. "Gather up all the Slayers you can in the next twenty-four hours. Lomax would not go to the underground city right away, he’s too smart for that. He must have found out about the hit on us, or even seen it himself. He will hesitate to at least give us a day or two."
Gathering extra weapons, Mahira took to the center, "And what if he went back right away? We hardly have time to wait for more backup, let alone prepare for a Boston underground attack." Realizing she was fighting a losing battle, Mahira continued, "We will send as many as we can."
Raegan took a deep breath, "Lomax will do the right thing, and we must have faith in him. Send out the call, and have a training session in the hall for those little robotic spider-snake showerhead creatures. Prepare all for a possible battle in the underground."
Blu and Chaya were headed in the direction of getting supplies. Envy would need to recover from her wounds and was now restricted to computer messaging and planning online. At least that’s what the others believed. Zaey and Raegan sat down and wondered where to begin. They were working on the assumption that the door in Y-Wood’s Old Fenway Boston headquarters might just hold the key to the logistics of the Corporation’s goals and leadership status worldwide. So close, but still so far.
Blu and Chaya walked to a nearby exit, and disappeared out of sight. They entered the streets of New York, leaving behind the secret home base for the Q-Jin in New York. They would need to gather enough supplies for their upcoming trip back to Boston to defend the underground city. Three blocks down the street they arrived at the building which was home to a local contact and seller of many goods. Scooting up the ally, the pair made for the entrance. Before they reached the entrance, a street press gang moved out from the shadows of the alleyway. Chaya moaned under her breath, "Oh, come on, this is just what we don’t need right
now!"
The leader of the gang smiled with his three front teeth glimmering in gold, "Well, well, what do we have here? Two pretty baby dolls on their way to the market?" The Q-Jin were already prepared for conflict. They turned back to back as the press gang moved in. There were six gang members, and each was confident these two small women would be easy prey.
***
Back in the slayer stronghold, Mahira was already teaching several Q-Jin rookies. Envy, still in pain and bandaged up, was acting as her assistant. Each combatant had to master several aspects of martial arts as a Q-Jin. Weaponry was also required. Implanted chips were used for basic applications, but new slayer techniques were often developed before the new software came out. Many a time, these were the very techniques which made the Q-Jin successful when encountering the enemy. In particular, associates from Y-Wood, or any robotic type adversary. The half-clones were by far the most deadly. But, today was all about those snake-like spiders.
Q-Jin swordplay was simple and fast. "Strike hard and strike first, avoid blocking, and stay on the ball of the back foot," screamed a teaching Mahira. Gathered around her were close to fifteen newer slayers, some young, some old, but all with the will to succeed. The Corporation’s spider-snakes were also a new weapon. "As a last resort, rip the bloodsuckers head off. You might get a few good hand cuts," she showed her hands to the students, "but it’s better than the deeper wounds you'll get if you let them fester on you."
LAND of the FREE (A Dystopian Society in a Post-Apocalyptic America) (Mystical Slayers Book 1) Page 7
