by M. R. Forbes
The thing that was coming at them looked pretty useful for the other side. It was a rudimentary shape, boxy rather than angled and sleek, but it had large hands, and it was loaded with weapons across its chest and shoulders. As it cleared the trees, it started to use them.
High caliber bullets tore into the face of the cabin, ripping into the wood and shattering it into splinters. Michael fell onto his stomach as debris rained down on him, and he held the rifle to his chest and tried not to start sobbing. He turned his head, searching for the Core and Kathy. Amazingly, the machine's attack was completely circumventing the Core, and Kathy had managed to get to safety behind it.
The shooting stopped, only seconds after it started. Michael rolled to his knees, raising the rifle again. The mech was still incoming, but it was holding back, giving the human soldiers another chance to break their meager fortifications. Michael started shooting when he saw a shape through the window. The soldier ducked back and then threw a canister into the room.
"Don't breathe it in," Kathy yelled at him, then more gently to the Core, "Get rid of it."
The Core walked over to it calmly, picking it up and throwing it back out the window. Then it looked back at Michael before moving through the now decimated door of the cabin.
"Where is it going?" he asked.
"To deal with the mech," she replied. "We're getting out of here."
"How?"
He heard a smaller engine approaching and looked up. A small military ATV was headed toward the cabin. He had forgotten about the vehicles.
"What about the Core?" he asked as Kathy came to kneel next to him.
It was running now, straight toward the mech. Watson didn't dare fire back and risk damaging it, and it was using that fact to great result. As it came within twenty meters of the machine it leaped, dense tendrils pushing it off the ground and toward the mech's head. The mech tried to grab it, and then tried to swat it away, but it maneuvered around both attempts, moving as gracefully as any human dancer, or maybe a fighter jet.
It hit the head full-force, outstretched arms slamming into the head. The mech tipped back for a moment, and Michael thought it would fall, but then the bolts and wires connecting the top of the machine gave out under the force, and a wrenching groan was followed by the head tearing away from the body. The Core landed cleanly on the other side.
The body of the machine stopped responding immediately, all of the communication systems torn from the network. Michael guessed that Watson hadn't been expecting the Core to have taken a humanoid form of its own. The mech would have made short work of two people.
"Let's go," Kathy said, grabbing Michael's arm and easily pulling him to his feet. She grabbed the weapon-laden duffel as she moved ahead of him toward the ATV.
He trailed behind her, suddenly remembering to breathe and taking in a huge gulp of air. Then he noticed a dead soldier on the ground to his left, his body torn apart by the mech's attack, and he nearly stopped to vomit at the sight of it.
"Keep going," Kathy shouted back at him as she began shooting around the corner of the cabin.
The soldiers had taken refuge there, and they fired back, bullets pinging off the armored ATV.
Then the Core was standing between the soldiers and them. Most of the men stopped shooting immediately. One didn't, his rounds striking the Tetron Primitive and digging into the dense bundle of tendrils. The Core didn't react to it, but an older soldier who looked like the commander did, putting a bullet in his subordinate's head.
The din of the B-66 had returned, and Michael raised his head to watch it drop three more of the large shapes from its cargo bay. They tumbled from the rear and to the ground even as he finished climbing into the ATV. The Core boarded behind him, making for a tight fit.
Then Kathy hit the throttle, pushing the ATV forward. It didn't accelerate too rapidly, not with the weight it was carrying, but it was good enough to get them away from the cabin. Michael looked out the window, noticing the aircraft had dropped more soldiers as well. Only here, or along their entire escape route?
"They won't shoot at us with the Core inside, right?" Michael said.
Kathy glanced over at him. Then she jerked the ATV to the right and increased repulsor power, hitting a bump and skipping the vehicle away as something exploded behind them.
"He has deduced that my state is not fragile," the Core said, as it ejected the two slugs that had hit it onto the floor next to him.
"Oh, great," Michael said. "Wonderful. Because you know, we're pretty fragile."
The ATV shifted again as a stream of bullets tore into the area where it had been a moment earlier. The vehicle had a roof-mounted gun, and Kathy pointed at the controls in front of the passenger seat.
"You could help out," she suggested.
He overcame his near panic and leaned forward, tapping the screen and then hitting the command to activate the system. A camera feed went on from the sight of the gun, and Michael put his hands to the control stick that telescoped out from the dashboard. He had used a similar setup as part of his gaming rig before.
Two mechs were running up behind them, their chunky legs carrying them only a little faster than the ATV was moving. It didn't prevent them from shooting, but it did seem to be affecting their aim. The ground was being chewed up everywhere around them, and occasionally he could hear the loud clang of a shot hitting their armor. He lined one of the mechs up in his reticle and fired, sending a stream of armor-piercing rounds back at the enemy. They scored direct hits but didn't seem to have the punch to do much damage.
"It isn't hurting them," he said as Kathy reached the dirt path that led down the mountainside to what he hoped would be safety.
"Forget them, hit the forward targets," she replied.
"Forward targets?" Michael looked up. There were muzzle flashes from the trees ahead of them, and bullets were scoring the clear carbonate windshield. "Shit."
He rotated the cannon to face front and began shooting wildly, forcing the soldiers under cover as the rounds blasted through their defenses. He didn't see if he hit anyone, and he didn't want to see. He had killed plenty of fake people playing vids, but these were real people, real flesh, and blood. He didn't want to do it, and he certainly didn't like it.
The ATV made it past the position, and Michael reversed the cannon back to the rear. The mechs were still coming, and he watched as one of them exploded upward on a jet of thrust from its back.
Bullets rained down through the trees, first chewing up the ground ahead of them and then crossing the rooftop. Two rounds made it through the armor, piercing the cabin of the vehicle in the center and nearly striking Michael. The cannon was shredded above them, destroyed by the attack, and there was a deafening crack as fifty tons of metal came crashing down through the wood and landed directly in front of them.
"Crap," Michael whispered, not sure if he was wetting himself or not.
22
"Hold on," Kathy said, turning the wheel and hitting the repulsor control. It allowed the ATV to turn more sharply than usual, tipping the right side up off the ground in a skid that kicked dirt onto the mech's feet.
"I am greatly diminishing the maneuverability of the vehicle with my mass," the Core said. "It is logical that I should evacuate."
"I'm not stopping to let you out now," Kathy said.
Bullets peppered the ground around them, Watson's machines continuing to give chase. Kathy steered the ATV expertly, using just the right mix of traction and repulsor power to narrowly avoid the brunt of the destruction.
"Gun's offline," Michael said, releasing the controls for it. "It must have gotten blown up. You know, like we're about to be."
A huge gout of dirt exploded in front of them, as a missile slammed into the earth and detonated. Shrapnel hit the side of the ATV as they passed, part of it ripping through the armored wheels. The vehicle tilted to the left, a grinding noise joining the din.
"Damn it," Kathy said, hitting the brakes and throwing open her
door. She looked back at the Core. "Get out and do something useful, but don't get caught or destroyed."
"Affirmative," the Core replied. It dove from the car face-first, rolling over itself like an acrobat and coming upright.
Kathy hit the controls for the repulsor, setting it to full power. Then she hit the accelerator again, darting forward through the trees with renewed fury.
"Aren't we supposed to be protecting the Core?" Michael asked.
"I'm not leaving it. I'm trying to distract those mechs."
Gunfire crossed the top of the ATV, a few of the rounds finding weak spots and making it into the cabin.
"It looks like it's working," Michael said.
He turned to look out the rear window, catching a glimpse of the Core hiding behind a tree, one of the mechs headed past it. The Tetron Primitive stepped out as the mech reached it. This time, instead of forcefully removing the robots head, it simply placed a hand against the metal frame. A flash of energy along the machine was followed by a shower of sparks, as the Core overloaded it with power.
"One down," Michael shouted excitedly.
Kathy didn't respond. She turned the ATV again, nearly throwing him over into her as they made another sharp turn to avoid a tree.
Michael scanned the area for the Core but didn't see it. He returned his eyes to the front as the ATV circled, heading back south toward the cabin and where they had left it. The last mech was facing away from them, chasing after something. It had to be the Core.
"Grab a 200 from the duffel," Kathy said.
Michael did as he was told. "This thing won't be able to hurt that thing."
"No, but it will hurt them." She pointed to his right. He saw movement in the brush. The second platoon the B-66 had dropped was catching up on the action.
"Crap," he said, hitting the control to retract the window.
He stuck the barrel out and squeezed the trigger, watching the rounds throw chips from the trees near the soldiers. They dropped low, taking cover, finding the source and shooting back.
"I thought we were trying to escape," Michael said.
"Escape to where?" Kathy replied.
"I don't know. Isn't that what the ATV is for?"
"Yes, when you have time to meander down one of the back trails. We don't."
"So what the heck are we doing?"
"Buying time."
"For what?"
"Our comm system is offline, but based on my rough estimates," she leaned forward and looked up. "That."
Michael followed Kathy's gaze, just in time to see half a dozen missiles streak between the branches of the trees and bury themselves deep into the back of the remaining mech. A massive explosion followed, rocking the ATV and sending pieces of the machine spreading out among the greenery. The intact remains thudded to the ground, a trail of thick smoke rising from them.
The Rigger's VTOL streaked overhead a moment later, the rear cargo door already open. The three remaining soldiers did a low altitude jump, using jetpacks to control their quick descent. They landed amidst the trees in full combat gear; Damon and Max were carrying NX-600s, while Lyle held an SN-12 Sniper Rifle. They took positions under cover, and Michael watched as Lyle quickly targeted one of the soldiers and fired. The gun shifted ever so slightly, and he fired again.
The Core appeared from behind the smoke of the grounded mech, fully intact and emotionless. It walked the center of the battlefield without concern, the bullets of both sides streaking around it but not striking it. It reached the ATV, crouching down beside Michael's open window.
"There are three more mechanized armors moving on an intercept course from the northern plateau," it said.
"There's no way Verma doesn't see it," Michael replied.
"He can't get close to them," Kathy said."They'll chew him apart."
"What do we do?"
"Head back toward the cabin for evac." She pushed open her door again. "It's safer on foot with the rest of the team at this point."
The Core moved aside, and Michael exited the ATV. He marveled at the damage it had sustained as he did. The entire thing was pitted and scarred from head to toe.
"I can't believe we survived that," he said.
"We aren't out of the woods yet," Kathy said.
"Was that supposed to be funny?" Michael asked.
"Remember what I said before?"
He let himself smile before checking his pants again. Still dry.
Then Max sidled up to them, imposing in his full gear. It wasn't as impressive as powered armor, but it covered him top to bottom in ballistic plating and the tactical helmet provided networked intel from Lyle, Damon, and Verma.
"Looks like we were right on time," he said, his voice robotic through the helmet. "Hang on."
He raised the NX-600 to fire on a soldier he spotted peeking out from a nearby tree. The soldier's head snapped back an instant later, caught in the open by Lyle.
"Never mind," Max said. "As I was saying, we got here just in time. Mazerat's telling me there's another trio of those ugly things heading our way."
"We need to rendezvous back at the cabin," Kathy said. "Tell Verma to set down there and wait for us."
"Affirmative," Max said. He was silent for a moment while he relayed the directions through his internal comm. "You two I know." He pointed at the Core. "You, I don't know."
"I am the Core," it said.
Max's helmet turned toward Kathy. "The last time I saw the Core, it looked like a soccer ball."
"It's a long story," Kathy said. "I'll tell you on the Schism."
"Roger. Lyle says the area is clear. Shall we?"
They moved through the woods at a run, headed back to the clearing beyond the cabin. They could hear the mechs moving in the distance, crashing through trees and shaking the ground beneath their large metal feet. The area around them was littered with splintered wood, fallen leaves and branches, and the bodies of dead mercenaries.
"Blackrock," Max said as they passed them. "Badass mothers, I'll tell you that. It looks like you nailed them good."
Michael felt his throat constrict at the sight of them. He knew they had been killed by the ATV's cannon. He knew he had pulled the trigger. He felt sick.
"Michael," Kathy said, seeming to sense his discomfort. "It was them or us, and they knew what they were getting into when they took the job."
"They probably have wives. Families."
"Don't be such a baby, dude," Max said. "Those assholes survive, you're the one who's dead instead. Would that make you feel better?"
Michael swallowed the lump in his throat. It was simple logic, but he couldn't really argue it.
"What happened to the B-66?" Kathy asked.
"Bugged out as soon as it saw us incoming," Max replied. "I think it was done spilling its cargo anyway."
"Any word from Mitchell?"
"No. I'm sure he'll be fine. He's damn near indestructible."
They reached the cabin, giving Michael a full view of the mess that warfare created. Bodies were strewn across the area in front of the cabin, some of them pulped by the mech's guns. The mech itself was stationary in the field and used shell casings littered the ground. There was a smell of smoke and blood and death in the air. It was a smell he knew he would never forget. How did Mitchell manage to thrive in a world like this? Would he ever be able to do the same? Would he want to?
He looked out to the clearing beyond the trees. He could see the dark shape of the VTOL resting there, and just barely make out the hand-sprayed 'Riggers' painted onto the side of the craft in blood red.
"Better hurry," Lyle said, catching up to them. He pointed back the way they had come. Michael turned his head and saw the trees moving half a kilometer away. "Mechs are catching up."
"I don't get how he made those things without anyone in the NEA noticing," Damon said.
"He owns Nova Taurus," Kathy replied. "He can make whatever the hell he wants, and nobody will know it or question it. All in the name of research and deve
lopment."
"Frigging lovely," Damon replied.
The ramp was already down when they reached the VTOL, which Mitchell had started calling the Schism, in memory of his Rigger's original ship. Michael scrambled into the ship, with Kathy and the Core close behind.
"Get that ramp up and get us the hell out of here," Lyle shouted, even though the pilot could hear him through the comm, and didn't need prompting.
The hatch started to close, the turbofans and repulsors gaining power and causing the ship to jump into the sky. There was a series of soft thuds from the rear of the ship, and a moment later the sound of detonations as missiles launched from the mechs found the chaff set out to intercept them. The rear of the VTOL rocked slightly before leveling out, and then they were moving away from the site.
Michael stumbled to one of the jump seats and fell into it. His body was tired and sore, and he could feel the adrenaline leaving his system. He was only sitting there for a few seconds when his stomach rebelled against the experience. He leaned over, closing his eyes as he threw up onto the floor of the Schism.
"Don't worry about it, rookie," Max said from across the aisle. "Happens to the best of us our first time."
"I bet it's happened to you more than that," Damon said.
"Hell no."
Michael ignored them, keeping his head down to hide the mixture of shock and embarrassment he was feeling.
Kathy came and sat beside him, putting a comforting hand on his back as he heaved a second time.
"I was created to be part of this war," she said softly. "And these brutes are all soldiers. You aren't, but you've handled yourself with courage and strength, and you saved us and helped us escape. You are my superhero, Michael."
Michael wiped his mouth with a sleeve and looked up at her. "Really?"
She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Really."
"Aww, that's sweet," Max said.
"Can you shut up just one time?" Lyle barked.
"No, sir."
