by Jake Bible
***
“By the entrance? How the hell are we going to get him to the entrance?” Themopolous yelled.
“Leave it to me!” Bisby dashed from the compartment and out of the train. Slumped low as the battle waged about him, he scanned the area for the Special Ops team. Putting his fingers to his mouth he blew an ear splitting whistle.
Specialist Sol whipped about as Bisby waved at him, trying to get his attention. Sol, auto-carbine to his shoulder, firing short bursts, side stepped his way to Bisby.
“What?” Sol shouted.
“We need your team! We need to get inside!”
***
“Sol! Where the fuck are you going?” Lieutenant Murphy yelled into her com.
“Wounded mech pilot needs us to move their brain fried mechanic into the stronghold! I’m going to check it out and convo with their doctor!” the Specialist shouted back. “I’ll assess the situation and report in five!”
“Make that three! We need every gun we have out here!”
“Roger that, sir! I’ll be out quicker than Kafar cums!”
“Hey! What the fuck did I do?” Specialist Kafar protested.
“Nothing except be born!” Sol joked.
“Less smart ass and more kick ass!” Murphy yelled.
“Roger!” the Specialists responded.
***
“Rookie! Get your ass up here and take over my mech!” Jay shouted over his loudspeaker.
The Rookie turned from Stomper as Jay walked his mech up to the stronghold entrance. “What? You want me to pilot your mech? What the fuck are you going to do?”
Jay lowered his hand and the Rookie stepped on. “Something’s going on with Jethro and I have a feeling he’s gonna need my mechanic’s hands!”
The cockpit flipped open and Jay un-strapped as the Rookie scrambled inside.
Jay stuck his finger in the Rookie’s face. “Break my mech and I’ll fucking kill you!”
***
Rachel took a blow from a deader and then another, spinning her mech about. She steadied herself, blocked a jab from one mech, blocked a kick from another and brought up her 50mm. Nothing.
“Fuck! I’m out of ammo!” she yelled over the com.
“Just keep fighting!” Capreze shouted, shoving his 50mm into a deader’s cockpit, obliterating the zombie pilot instantly. The dead mech fell and Capreze kicked the lifeless battle machine towards two onrushing deaders, tripping them both up. “Use what you got Baby Girl!”
Rachel took a brutal kick to the leg, but stayed upright. “Okay Papa Bear!”
***
“Coming at the engine!” A Railer spotter shouted. Immediately three gun turrets turned and opened fire on the dead mech. The monstrous machine shuddered under the onslaught, its knee joints giving out as hot lead shredded the hydraulics and struts.
Once down, the guns focused on the cockpit, tearing the zombie pilot apart.
“Outstanding! Oh, shit!” Timson hollered, whipping his turret about and focusing his fire on two deaders rushing Rachel as she struggled to fend off three others at once. His shots went wide and he lost the window of opportunity as the deaders got too close to Rachel.
***
“Rachel is struggling,” Shiner said as the mech ripped the arms off a dead mech and shoved one of the limbs into the cockpit, crushing the zombie pilot. “Shall we assist?”
“You fucking bet we shall!” Mathew yelled.
Shiner/Mathew spun past an oncoming deader, jumped another as its legs were taken out by Railer fire and full on tackled a third as it stepped into Shiner/Mathew’s path. The mech pinned the deader’s arms down with its knees and put three plasma blasts squarely into the cockpit.
Mathew gasped as he lost sight of Rachel’s mech under an onslaught of deaders.
***
“You the Doc?” Specialist Sol asked, slinging his carbine as he entered the train compartment.
“Yeah. He’s had major brain trauma and I need to get him inside the stronghold. Our Chief Mechanic is waiting for us there. Can your team help?”
Sol eyed Jethro as the mechanic chanted his mantra over and over. “Your mechanic is waiting? But aren’t you the Doctor? Am I missing something here?”
“He came around and said he needed to get to the mainframe,” Bisby responded. “Somewhere in that mush brain of his is a plan. Our chief mechanic can get to that plan.”
***
“Hey Lieutenant?” Sol called over the com.
Murphy hit the deck as a stray plasma bolt shot past her. “Whatcha got for me Specialist?”
“The doctor and the mech pilot think this wounded mechanic of theirs can help us shut down the mainframe and the self-destruct if we get him in the stronghold, sir.”
“What do you think?” the Lieutenant asked, her hands moving quickly as she directed her team. “It’s a long way from the train to the stronghold entrance with all these fucking mechs slamming about!”
“I think it’s worth a fucking shot! Otherwise we’re all crispy critters!”
***
Shiner/Mathew unloaded their 50mms on anything that moved as the mech sprinted towards Rachel. “Rachel! Can you hear me?”
“Yeah, my ears are fine, I’m just trapped here!” she responded over the com.
“Good, stay that way! Do not fucking move!”
“What? Don’t move?!? I’m about to be ripped apart here!”
Shiner/Mathew dove at the deaders piled onto Rachel’s mech, shouldered two off while grabbing a third and using its momentum to flip about and toss the deader out into the battlefield.
Instantly the other dead mechs shifted their focus onto Shiner/Mathew.
“Bring it on you dead fucks!” Mathew roared.
***
Jay stepped into the stronghold, his side arm drawn. The entry way was a massive staging area, making the mech base’s hangar look like a guest room.
“Holy shit. I could build a fucking planet in here,” he whispered, still unsure who or what occupied the UDC base. He scanned the walls until he found what he was looking for. Holstering his pistol, Jay ran to the control panel and began to hack the security system.
“T MINUS TWENTY MINUTES UNTIL NUCLEAR DETONATION!”
“Yeah, yeah, I know,” Jay muttered, struggling against the stronghold’s code. “No need to fucking shout it.”
***
Bisby stood outside the door as Specialists Kafar and Sol, using a blanket as a stretcher, carried the raving Jethro out of the small train compartment.
“This is going to fucking kill my back,” Kafar complained.
“Grendetti is setting up a real stretcher outside, we just have to get him off this train,” Sol replied. “So stop being such a fucking whiner.”
“You need to get off my ass,” Kafar said. “You’ve been riding it all day!”
“You need to show some fucking respect, Specialist,” Sol barked. “Everything may have gone to shit, but I’m still 2nd in command here.”
***
The RPG sped towards the Railer car giving the occupants no time to evacuate.
Timson shielded his eyes from the blast and was instantly on the com with Jenny. “Fuck! Some of the deaders still have armaments. Scan the fuckers so we know which ones to target! And get that fire out before it spreads to the other cars!”
“We’re on it!” Jenny responded. “Fire suppression team is already deployed! Scanning deaders now!”
“Give me a fucking target!” Timson yelled.
“Keep your goddamn britches on!” Marin shouted back. “It’s hard to get a lock, they’re all moving around so much!”
***
“Son of a bitch!” Jay yelled, slamming his fist against the stronghold control panel, frustrated as he was yet again shut out of the mainframe. “Maybe I can at least get some light in here.”
The chief mechanic easily bypassed two sub-systems and the halogens in the ceiling of the stronghold staging area began to glow. “Now we’re talk
ing… Oh my God…”
Jay turned about, his eyes fixed on the huge walls. “What the fuck?”
All about him the concrete walls were painted with murals, sketches, portraits, some as high as the staging area’s ceiling itself. Jay could only stare.
***
Masters stepped into the staging area, his head down, eyes on the floor.
“Masters!” Jay cried. “You’re alive! Holy shit, can you believe this place?”
Masters didn’t answer, he just pushed past as the mechanic ran to greet him.
“Mitch? Man, come on, you okay?” Jay said, blocking the pilot’s path.
“Move Jay,” Masters said quietly. “Don’t make me hurt you.”
Jay looked at the pistol in Masters’ hand and frowned. “Seriously? What the fuck? You wouldn’t…”
Jay crumpled immediately as the butt of the pistol connected with his forehead.
“Sorry about that, but I warned you,” Masters said weakly.
***
Shiner/Mathew kicked out, blocking the deader’s attack. The mech lowered its right shoulder, coming in with a powerful uppercut, shearing the front of the dead mech’s cockpit right off. Shiner/Mathew moved in for the killing blow, but was tackled about the waste by another deader and slammed hard into the earth, creating a twenty yard divot as the two machines slid.
Shiner/Mathew hooked its left elbow up under the dead mech’s mid-section for leverage and shoved, dislodging the abomination enough to give its right arm, and plasma cannon, a clear shot.
“Bye bye you fucking waste of metal!” Mathew screamed.
***
“Fuck! Incoming!” Specialist Grendetti yelled as he fired ineffectual shot after ineffectual shot at the charging dead mech, trying to buy the Special Ops team some time as they struggled to get Jethro’s prone form to the stronghold.
“Hold it off!” Murphy shouted, her attention diverted by another encroaching deader that had seen the easy meals making their way across the battlefield.
“I’m trying, but the thing won’t stop!” Grendetti shouted back. “It’s gonna be right on us!”
The ground shook as a broken, smoking deader husk slammed into the attacker. “I gotcha covered!” the Rookie called from Jay’s mech.
***
Masters stepped from the stronghold’s entrance, his eyes never looking up at the battle that raged before him.
“Come on,” Masters said to Stomper. “We’re leaving.”
“Shall we not help the others?” Stomper asked.
“No,” Masters answered flatly.
“Should I lift you to the cockpit?”
“No, I’m walking,” Masters responded, his gait never slowing.
Stomper processed a moment. “Is this because of the Harlow’s death? Do you want to die also?”
“I want to leave.”
Stomper took a giant step and another, keeping Masters positioned securely between his colossal feet, shielding the pilot from the shrapnel and ordinance flying about.
***
Capreze watched the Hill Stomper progress through the middle of the fray.
“Pilot Masters! Do you read me?” Capreze called. “You need to get into your cockpit and engage the hostiles immediately! That is a direct order!”
Capreze waited but was answered by only silence.
“Pilot, do you read me?”
Still silence.
“Goddammit Mitch! What is your fucking malfunction?!?”
“Leave me alone Commander. It’s all lost anyway. If you were smart you’d cut your losses and go,” Masters answered finally.
“That is not an option, Pilot! Get in your fucking mech and do your fucking job!”
Masters refused to respond.
***
“Rachel! Oh, Jeezus Christ! Rachel!” Mathew screamed, blasting the last mech off of her. “Shiner! Is she alive?”
“Sensors show her vital signs are weak, Mathew. I am sorry, but I do not know if she will live much longer,” Shiner answered somberly.
“Fuck! No!”
The ground shook and Shiner/Mathew turned, ready to continue fighting, but stopped short at the sight of Stomper rumbling past. “Mitch! Thank God! Help, I need to get Rachel out of her mech and into the stronghold!”
“Pilot Masters is not in his mech, he is walking below,” Shiner observed.
“Masters! Where are you going?”
***
“Where the fuck is he going?!?” the Rookie shouted, grabbing a dead mech’s arm, twisting it and slamming the monster to the ground as it reached for the Special Ops team.
“I don’t know,” Themopolous answered over the com. “Masters? Masters, can you read me?”
“He’s snapped, Doc,” Bisby said, his eyes focused on the retreating pilot and the mech towering above him. “He’s giving up.”
“What? Can he do that? Isn’t there some type of honor code or something about leaving your fellow pilots to die?”
“Yeah, there is, but I don’t think he gives a shit,” Bisby answered.
***
The world exploded about Masters, but he didn’t flinch. The cacophony of the Railers’ large caliber guns didn’t faze him. The roars of the dead mechs, those with working loudspeakers, echoed through the air, but Masters thought nothing of them.
In fact, thinking nothing was his only goal. Mitch Masters didn’t want to think or feel or remember or even be. He wanted to die, but no longer had the willpower to pull the trigger. To take his own life would be too much effort, would require he bring his awareness back to the pain, back to what he lost.
***
“The fucking Hill Stomper is blocking my shots!” one of the Railer gunners yelled. “I can’t see shit around that thing!”
“Just keep shooting! If you hit the fucking giant then you hit it! Don’t let a crazy mech and its nut job pilot keep you from doing your fucking job!” Timson shouted back. “Just keep fucking shooting!”
Another train car exploded and the concussion nearly knocked Timson from his seat. The world flashed and spun, his ears ringing, the once deafening battle now reduced to muffled sounds like his ears were filled with foam.
“Status report!” he cried shakily.
***
Jay forced himself to his feet and stumbled to the Special Ops team as they entered the stronghold.
“Jay!” Themopolous cried, rushing from Jethro’s side to the chief mechanic’s. “Jeezus, you’re pouring blood! What happened?”
“Fucking Masters cold-cocked me! That’s what fucking happened!” Jay growled. “I’m gonna kick his fucking ass the next time I see him!”
“Good luck,” Bisby snorted. “The crazy asshole is walking up the middle of Hell right now. You’ll be lucky if he has an ass left to kick.”
Jay turned his attention to Jethro. “Let’s get him to the mainframe.”
“Follow me,” Murphy said.
***
“Capreze! We can’t take much more of this!” Timson yelled as he fired point blank into a dead mech’s cockpit as the thing hungrily reached for him. The machine stopped, lurched and fell, its outstretched arm missing Timson by feet, but crushing part of the train car he was positioned on. “My people and my train are getting cut apart! We can’t last much longer!”
Capreze swept the legs of an attacking dead mech then leapt, bringing the full weight of his mech down on the deader’s cockpit, crushing the zombie inside. “We have no choice! I’m losing people too!’
***
“We’ve got to get her out of here!” Mathew cried, grabbing onto Rachel’s mech’s legs, trying to pull the machine out of the middle of the fray.
“There is no where to go,” Shiner responded. “The stronghold has T minus eleven minutes until detonation. We can attempt to run, but not while burdened with the weight of another mech.”
“Rachel is not a fucking burden!” Mathew screamed. “We have to do something!”
Shiner took control, sending
four plasma blasts towards an oncoming dead mech, knocking the thing to the ground. “All we can do is fight. Fight until we die.”
***
“What the fuck are these wall paintings?” Bisby asked as the Special Ops team made its way down the long concrete tunnel towards the mainframe control room.
Murphy chuckled lightly then seeing Bisby’s scowl stopped. “Sorry. I forget that only UDC descendents, Special Ops and Intelligence personnel are allowed in the stronghold.”
“UDC descendents? What the hell are you talking about?” Jay asked.
“Who do you think maintained this facility during all the years the wasteland was completely uninhabitable?” Specialist Sol said. “People have lived here, families have lived here for hundreds of years.”
“Or they did,” Murphy said solemnly.
***
The Rookie stood at the entrance to the stronghold trying to figure out his next move.
“T MINUS TEN MINUTES UNTIL NUCLEAR DETONATION” the voice boomed behind him.
“Get your fucking ass in gear Rookie!” Capreze’s voice boomed equally as loud over the com. “Jay didn’t give you that mech so you can stand around with your dick in your hand! Someone told me you know how to kick ass! Now fucking do it, pilot!”
The Rookie smiled at the word ‘pilot’. “Yes, sir!”
He cracked his neck, flexed his mech’s fists then charged headlong into the middle of Hell.
***
Timson watched in horror as three dead mechs attacked his train at once, ripping one of the cars, screaming gunner and all, right off the tracks, sending a shudder through the entire train.
“Goddammit! Somebody shoot those mother fucking things!” Timson yelled whipping his turret about. A massive mech hand reached out and grabbed his gun barrels, instantly twisting the metal. “Oh, Shit!” Timson dove from his seat, rolling off the top of the train car and landing hard on the ground feet below.
“Jenny! Immediate evac now!” he grunted.
“Where to?” Jenny shouted back.
“I don’t know, just run!”
***
The mainframe control room door slid open and the Special Ops team hurried inside, setting Jethro carefully down on the floor.
“Frame like a house, frame like a house, tiny little body, small as a mouse!” Jethro repeated over and over.
“Does he ever fucking shut up?” Kafar complained. Jay and Bisby each moved towards the Specialist, but Themopolous held up her hand. “Cool it boys! We need to figure out what he wants.”
