War Dogs

He was no longer spinning but was instead surrounded by enemies. Pressing his belt, Cody shot out all the tow cables he had requested during installation. A small victory passed through his mind as he remembered asking for such attachments. If the enemies weren’t using boosters, they were dragged toward him; if they were, both he and the others were pulled together. Either way, it became a chaotic jumble of metal in seconds. Cody gripped two laser swords in his hands, twisting his body so the remaining blades on his back could slash through opponents. He screamed to drown out their cries and pleas of surrender.

The speech he’d given earlier came back to him, mentioning a rainbow as God’s promise. Rane Sam. Middle name Boe, like a bow tie. Rane Bow Samone… rainbow. It was God’s promise to him that night—the night of peace. When they ran away together to finally be alone.

“Whatchya gonna be when you’re all grown up, Cody?” she had asked, her voice soft and angelic.

“I’m gonna make an-may and… um… maine-ga better than the Japans! I’m gonna make it big!” he boasted.

She laughed, her sweet, beautiful laugh, and slapped him lightly on the shoulder, more a pat than anything.

“What’s so funny?” he asked, unable to hide his annoyance.

*“You!” she teased. “Yer dreamin’ impossible dreams, Cody Fin. Impossible! Go fer bein’ the best in Mer-ca, settle here in War-shing-ton… or you’re gonna be let down.”

“I am gonna be big, poop head! You’re just jealous ‘cause I’m the best artist around!”

“You’ll wake the fish with all that racket,” she teased.

“You’ll wake the fish,” he muttered back, trying to mimic her tone, but he was caught off guard when she hugged him, nestling her cheek against his shoulder.

“Why not settle for what ya have now? Then ya can work for somethin’ more after,” she whispered.

Both fell silent. Then they came…

Cody felt the weight of the dead M.U.s dragging him down. Cutting the cords, he realized his boosters were fully charged. Thrusting forward, he launched himself back toward his allies and into the fray of unsuspecting enemies. They assumed him to be a fallen M.U., but it was too late.

Suddenly, several lasers struck his back and legs, immobilizing him mid-flight. He stabbed his blade into the back of an enemy M.U., holding on as they began to fall under the weight. Cody leaped from the falling machine, slashing another. His blades lost their power, forcing him to eject the burnt lens and snap in his last spare.

From a distance, he saw a barrage of mayhem—a battlefield the size of a baseball field in chaos. Bone-chilling laughter echoed. A two-sworded warrior surged into the enemy mass, carving a path toward him.

“I see the crazy bastard! Long-rangers, cover him! Typhoid maneuver! Stephanie, cover below! Panzerfaust upward!” Tod’s voice crackled over the comms.

“I’m doin’ mah best, doncha know! Despite no boosters, he refuses ta fall!” Stephanie shouted.

“Wright Brothers, show them the sky belongs to us! Dive, tower formation, pincer his location!” Tod commanded.

“I’m seeing multiple mids deployed to separate us,” Tiffany interjected. “My lasers are ineffective. Even Heather is hard-pressed.”

“When we retrieve him, I’m turning him to OFFAL!” Ashley snapped.

Cody’s eyes darted to the formation of his allies—a triangular wedge like migrating ducks. Above, swift M.U.s lit the sky with laser fire cannons. Below, flashes of light danced in the trees, broken trunks and drag marks scarring the earth from fallen debris.

The carnage centered around him. I did this, Cody thought bitterly. His reckless sacrifice had endangered his comrades in their desperate attempt to retrieve him.

A sharp blow came from behind, disabling his arms. Cody fell toward the forest below. As he looked up, the culprit hovered above—a Vatican M.U. Unlike the others, it bore a gold-etched purple cape and the unmistakable air of authority. The pilot’s voice was calm and weary, like a man in his fifties.

“Vocasti, adveni,” he said, his tone clear and cold. (“You summoned, I arrived.”)

Pinned under the shields of four enemy M.U.s, Cody recognized the laughter of the two-sworded ally approaching—Heather Yamir.

“Heather! He’s right there! Get him!” Tod shouted.

The caped pilot enhanced his blade to maximum output, speaking loudly and clearly as he blocked Heather’s attack.

“Paladinus Dei ante te stat. Nunc flecte genu ante Creatorem tuum.” (“A paladin of God stands before you. Now kneel before thy Creator.”)

With precision, the Vatican M.U. slashed a leg off Heather’s machine, bashed it with his shield, and drove his blade into its core. Heather’s M.U. powered down and crashed into the trees below.

“Heather’s down!” Tod yelled.

“Don’t worry ’bout her, aye! Just save our war dog, you betcha!” Stephanie replied, leaping from the trees to retrieve Heather.

Above, two allied M.U.s fired at the caped pilot, forcing him to raise his shield. The enemies pinning Cody began dragging him further behind Vatican lines.

Cody’s allies moved in. A laser struck the caped pilot’s chest, but he anticipated it, sacrificing his leg instead.

“Target acquired. Move in,” Tiffany commanded.

Four more lasers struck, severing the pilot’s leg entirely. Before falling, a Vatican grunt shielded the caped pilot with their body, taking the full barrage of lasers before plunging into the trees below.