Chapter 11

Mason almost now as it seems has taken to this idea like a mad scientist as July, Wayne, and Joseph who were in on the conversation between the two DBs were enthralled by his vision.

“Hand to hand combat can be improved by structuring the arms more like the human limb counterpart. This could also allow for creating weapons to be carried by the mechanic rather than ditching precious metal in the middle of a battle to switch, the mechanic could simply switch like any foot soldier!” Wayne then starts stopping, and calming Mason down.

“Mason these are genuinely good ideas! You need to write those down, and make a prototype build to improve funding possibilities.”

Wayne really encouraged Mason to do so, and to write the idea down somewhere as not to forget. Though Mason himself was sure he wasn’t to forget. He could hear it relaying in his own mind like a broken tape recorder. All the innovations. He was starting to crave, and thirst that want, and need he has to create, and experience the natural flow of science through his body. Mason was almost starting to feel sick. He had never been so sure, and yet unsure of what he must do all at the same time. He knew he must fulfill some greater purpose through Clive but he also knew he must create, and innovate.

When Mason stuck to Miles, his friend it was seemingly satisfying both cylinders but with Clive there was still the missing half. He was through and through a creator. The idea of God until recently has always been a conflict in his mind because both were creators. But now he envies God as the ultimate creator. That doesn’t mean that Mason himself all of a sudden doesn’t want to create.

Those thoughts as Mason was driving began to be poisons on his mind. He then realized he needed to resurface focus to his current objective, Clive’s mission. To do so he kept absolute focus on the road. He then felt a vibrating sensation through his seat, and the controls, so Clive ordered an absolute cease of movement. Everyone halted at that moment with Mason halting a second later. Mason noticed Wayne tint his windows so Mason activated the switch to do the same.

The numbing vibration persisted for a moment before a large crowded herd of irons began running past the group from the front in droves. They tinted the windows in order to keep the irons from spotting them from sitting in the cockpit. The herd kept trampling over vehicles, and around posts until there was no more irons to be seen. It was like a cattle crossing for creepy creatures. Though it was gone the vibration persisted as each soldier was holding their breath as sweat dripped down their foreheads. The group sat another minute for safety precautions in order to ensure they could continue without problems or delay.

“Okay soldiers!” Clive spoke. “We keep moving!” he then ordered.

The group sped forward as to beat any stragglers that may be on the way. They may have been able to take on an enormous group like that but it was better to lay low. The group trudged forward farther, and farther as their vehicle chopped up debris lying about the roads. Joseph sat at the co-pilots seat in the Armored DB with Wayne as Joseph started breathing heavily.

“Can we contact Clive sir?” Joseph asked Wayne.

“What? Yeah, why?” said Wayne. Joseph breathing a little more heavily now continues

“I ne… need to ask him something.” He says softly but nervously.

“I only want to ask Clive something!” he then tells Wayne.

Wayne clicks the button linked to Clive’s mechanic. “Hey Clive!” Wayne says as it takes a second for Clive’s response.

“What is it?” Clive then asked.

“My recruit would like permission to speak freely sir.”

And after a second of silence Clive grants the permission but then Joseph falls hesitant. He is scared of much, and most of all what is to become of himself. But he is determined, and that almost leads him to say never mind, and continue forward. But nevertheless he asked Clive what everyone must have been wondering.

“What exactly are we doing sir!?” On the other end Clive sits silently in place.

“We are changing the world Joseph.” Clive says to him. That is an unsatisfying answer in Joseph’s mind, too vague.

“No, no, and no! What the hell does that even mean?!” Joseph asks again as Wayne puts his hand on Joseph’s shoulder to calm him down.

“I already told you before. We are going to find the city out west, parallel, vertical to Requiem on the map, and find possibly what it is that should be there to change the world. I’m finished with this conversation.”

Clive then signed off leaving Joseph dissatisfied. As Joseph repeatedly pressed the button to relink with no avail. Wayne finally had to rip his hand away saying “What the hell is wrong with you?!” as Joseph tried calming down with now even deeper breathing exercises.

“I can’t take this sir! How can you handle that man with his little secrets? He is hiding something! We have to travel across the entire country! Why!?”

Wayne holds his attention to the road as he continues to speak.

“Joseph, I know he is shady. But I have known him for years, and have collaborated with him on mission’s dozens of times. Most of those mission were fronted by him. And I will tell you now that it has never led to something bad. Just try, and calm down okay? You may just have to deal with it.”

Wayne said that to him as Joseph stopped talking, and continued doing deep breathing again but now at a much slower pace. His hand was shaking and you could feel the tension building. He was very clearly afraid.

Wayne then sighed “Look I know it is hard but you are going to have quite the paycheck once you get back, you know for your brother, and mother.”

Joseph then sat, and smiled. “Yeah, my mother, and brother.” He said.

Wayne then asked him to imagine himself with his family in the nicest place he could think of. Joseph sat back with his eyes closed now breathing slowly. He imagined himself in a grassy pasture outside the walled city of Requiem. The wind was blowing with not one iron in sight, and green grass that perfectly reflected the sun. A picnic with cute little sandwiches nestled in plastic baggies.

In Joseph’s mind it was a sight to behold. He was experiencing a level of peace that doesn’t exist by simply closing his eyes, and imagining it. Serenity interrupted. Before you knew it Wayne was shaking the crap out of Joseph. Mason leaned forward in determination. As the mechanics checked to make sure they were locked and loaded.

“Let us try to push right through them! No problems!” Clive ordered through the radio.

They were confronted with a herd. Spotted before they had time to stop. July started blasting away, and as Joseph collected his senses from being thrown out of peace, and into immediate terror he then clamped down on the trigger now blowing away irons on the DB’s front. The herd ahead of them stretched on down the road as if it were just a train made of assailants. Mason clutches the controls then radioed Wayne.

“Wayne! Rail gun before it’s too late!” Mason tells him before he, Wayne, and the mechanics would be in the middle of a mass explosion.

Wayne flips the switch same as Mason, and simultaneously two rockets propel into the crowd starting the fight with a bang. Quick thinking not only killed many irons but left the remaining confused as they ran through the smoke, and raining blood of their pals. Both Mason, and Wayne had the frontward spinning blades moving at incredible pace. The first few were split apart in a matter of seconds as blood splashed the windshield. Mason frantically looked for the windshield wipers.

“What! No windshield wipers!” he said then ordering July to focus fire in front down the center so that the blades don’t get clogged.

He then urged Wayne to have Joseph do the same as he then smashed into cars due to not being able to see forward. Before you knew it Mason had both Armored DBs front and center taking care of the problem but there would still be stragglers that got through. Coming at the side of an iron Clive in a mechanic pulsated the machine gun at it from bottom to top then splatted right through the middle of it.

Sylvia saw an iron right side, or also known as the side Mason was driving on. She then notices it leap for the vehicle as she neglects her front she blasts grenade rounds at it blowing it to pieces in midair. Before she knew it down front she was tackled by several irons in front as her mechanic smashed backwards on its back. She was then stuck. Mason saw this in his rear camera.

“Sylvia!”

Mason made a massive U-turn forcing Clive to dodge the DB, and then keep firing up front. As Mason had July shooting around the mechanic as not to injure Sylvia as the irons relentlessly ripped at her mechanic. Mason withdrew the spinning blades, and used a small opening to see as he sped up to ram the irons. He knew if he rammed head on he would injure Sylvia. He prepped the pressurized jumping systems. He measured it just right as July held on, and checked her seatbelt.

He put his hand on the lever while in the mechanic all that Sylvia could see was a swarm of skulled shaped, devilish looking faces staring at her. She then closed her eyes to embrace death. Mason screaming at the top of his lungs is now being followed by Sam, and Clive’s mechanics as Wayne, and Dexter keep the many irons still oncoming preoccupied. Mason pushes the lever forward igniting the jumping sequence. He jumped just mere feet before ramming the pile of irons, and Sylvia’s mechanic.

Sylvia hears the ignition then opens her eyes to see the irons get completely ripped away as they were plowed into by Mason, and now off flying with him, mechanic unharmed. Clive then ran to her right side as Sam to her left as they both grab one arm of the mechanic Sylvia is in then drives forward pulling her up. Mason, and the DB smash to the ground crushing a few of the irons as some are just left scattered. In the DB July starts shooting up the surrounding irons.

The ones that got dragged along with them were being split apart by the main gun under controlled by July. Sylvia looks back before continuing to make sure Mason is coming up on them alright. She sees him then beginning to move forward upon seeing him okay. With all vehicles back on the ground, and ready to move Clive radios the team.

“Let’s move!” Clive angrily orders.

Mason quickly assumes frontward position then they quickly begin to cut through almost down with the flock of enemies. Wayne, and Mason now running the show as they split through the flock, and quickly accelerate to leave the remaining behind them. They all smile, and cheer as they move forward. Joseph sitting no longer in suspense starts to cry tears of joy as he tries to rekindle the dreamlike happy place he created in his mind prior to the fight. Wayne was taking breaths as he rubbed his fingers against the lighter of his brother’s finger.

Mason sat back with a feeling of heroism burned into his mind. As July punched him in the arm for doing that crazy stunt involving the pressurized jump, but soon forgiving him since it was for his love. While the sensation of killing irons just left Sam, and Dexter with a smirk on their faces. Clive was sitting on the side with relief. He looked forward, and he couldn’t believe he made it out of that. He was in particular very proud of Mason, and very disappointed.

“Mason.” Clive said.

“Yeah sir?” Mason said as Clive tells him.

“Mason that was incredible. You took charge setting up a formation along with Wayne that let us safely, and effectively push through for most of it. And when Sylvia was in danger you devised a clever strategy to get the irons off of her, and allow her to get up.” Mason started to feel a strange since of happiness, and accomplishment. Clive’s voice then soured.

“However! You expended unnecessary rocket usage at the beginning when we could have saved those for a more important time. And you risked everybody’s life to save one person!” Mason’s face then went from happy to saddened, and shocked.

Wayne then intervened

“But Clive! Sylvia is a valuable member of the team. We all wanted her to be safe. I know you felt like that too!”

Clive then disregarded that statement by saying “That is true but that was not Mason’s reasoning when he made the decision to save her.”

“It was all for the sake of someone Mason thought he loved, and let me not forget the vice-versa! I saw it with my own eyes! Sylvia disregarded her front in favor of stopping one miserable iron from grappling to the DB! That is what got her in trouble in the first place! And then he made the same mistake to save her!”

Clive yelled the truth furious with both of them at this point. And from a military standpoint both Sylvia, and Mason’s actions were incorrect. That being toppled with the importance of this mission to Clive led to his anger, and disappointment. Following on, then Clive had banned Mason from the piloting of the DB, and forcing him to the machine gun mantled mechanic in Clive’s team. Mason felt mass shame, and disappointment in himself as also did Sylvia. Sylvia knew that Mason would be fine but couldn’t help but stop the iron from trying at him in the first place.

At least Mason would be fighting alongside Sylvia he thought. Clive found the Armored DB to be too important for Mason to be in charge of. He would keep it under his control. Clive was also safest in the DB. He decided to keep himself safe. He did this not out of fear but in the thought that he was much more important than the others. He couldn’t help but feel that way due to being in charge, and being the only one who knows exactly what they are looking for. Mason wished to be an important piece of this operation but the truth was that Clive preferred Manny to Mason. Clive was out of luck though since Manny died, and Mason was convenient. Plus for other reasons he wanted Mason safe.

But Mason wasn’t completely discouraged, and was still ready for the future. And as long as Mason was ready then Sylvia was ready. At this point Sylvia had no family waiting for her at home much like Mason, and this mission was perfect for Mason, and her to keep their minds off of Emily, and Jack. This was the balance of things. Making it even more confusing for Mason, and Sylvia is they don’t know who to blame. Do they accuse the irons or the government for trapping them in Cage District? Or do they blame the blue forceful light in the sky? It is believed that that light changed Emily into what killed Jack.

The group then stopped to rest near a gas station. Wayne was prepping his shot-gun the Arkada for battle. He, Clive, and Joseph got out to siphon some gasoline for the future ride as Mason sat in the mechanic staring off into the distance. Trapped in that box what else would he do.

“I can! I will! I can! I will!” Mason kept whispering to assure himself that he can still be an important part of this mission.

Sam noticed an iron off some ways and sat there with a twitch in his eye. He felt an urge surging through him to chase it down. To hunt and kill it. He wanted an excuse to kill it. He wasn’t stupid enough to just randomly attack it he thought. That’s why it needed to come after him.

“Come this way you bastard! There is some juicy meat this way you little shit!” Sam said quietly yet angrily to himself.

“Come to uncle Sam.” He said as he started edging forward slightly, then forward a little more.

On Clive’s part he was almost done with the siphoning for some extra fuel, and then they could hit the road. Sam kept getting this nudging feeling in his gut to just charge forward. He couldn’t get the iron out of sight so Sam closed his eyes. When he closed them he could only see Dean, and Romeo, and he felt his self-control fleeting so he opened his eyes as sweat then fell streaming from his forehead, and as the salty burn from his sweat reached his eye as his sights were locked on the irons, he snapped!

He gritted his teeth then sped forward leading his teammates into mass confusion as he hunted a small group of irons almost a mile off. He drove screaming in rage but the worst part was he started prematurely shooting before being able to even ketch up which lured other irons from multiple sides to the gas station. Clive in the confusion dropped the siphoning hose spilling some of their collected gas, and delaying their finish.

Mason, Sylvia, and Dexter started shooting around the station as July in the DB booted up the gun then was blasting, and protecting the siphoning team’s left flank. Irons that would break through, and get close were quickly dispatched of from the Arkada shot-gun. The weapon was as powerful, and as useful on an iron as speculated. Wayne kept dishing out pain as Mason was toppling irons one at a time with the Gatling-gun.

Sylvia was blowing through the skin with the grenade launcher arm on her mechanic which made short work of the irons. She couldn’t help but eyeball over to see how well Mason was handling his current situation. He was dispatching of irons just fine as Dexter with his launcher was on the left side of his team but protecting the right flank of the siphoning team.

Sam was speeding closer toward the group he sought as he noticed the team receding behind him was overrun he sped back around to gladly kill those irons instead. He had the devil’s eyes as he was trying to overcome the anger through plowing through, and killing the creatures he now mightily despised them with his everything. He had felt hate’s own true power.

The gun was spinning up on Sam’s mechanic. He then aimed carefully for the faces of the irons before popping off a few rounds a piece which left each face completely decimated. The skull-like faces were completely split apart. One’s head went flying off into the dirt with its left eye sticking from the dust, and half of its jaw sticking out. The wind began blowing with the dust brushing over it with dust, and dirt finding their ways into each crevice as if it were taking shelter from the fight.

Sam had been swerving back, and forth blasting apart the limbs of irons as the bits, and pieces of those creatures flew in many separate directions as Sam smirked. It was getting fairly intense as Sam started running into the rate of his comrade’s fire. Clive was too focused on siphoning to order Sam to follow a more soldierly conduct.

Sylvia, and Mason found themselves slowing their rate of fire so they didn’t hurt Sam or damage his mechanic but Dexter couldn’t have cared any less as he found himself pumping his grenade rounds out at the same pace regardless of if it injured Sam or not. Bullets frayed Sam’s mechanic as bullets sped out hitting him as Dexter’s grenade rounds exploded around him, and shots were tackling the beasts around Sam. Mason then noticed a small blind spot in the defense of the siphoning team due to Sam’s absence from the formation.

“Everyone spread out! We need to cover a few of these gaps leading to the siphoning!” as that was ordered the gap was filled, and the team was finishing up the siphon.

Clive got his last few drops out, and he spun the cap back on his gasoline containers in favor of leaving he rushed back to the DB. July was popping off rounds from the DB. Wayne, and Joseph made it to their Armored DB. But as Joseph was starting it up Wayne was using the Arkada to blast away the closest irons. They were coming from many directions but Wayne was persistent. Unfortunately for Wayne so were the irons. One was speeding from the rear right side of their DB as Wayne was on the front left side. The massive creature crawled its way over, and from behind it lunged toward Wayne in turn shocking, and lodging Wayne toughly to the ground. It straightened up its hands, and began stabbing at the ground to kill Wayne.

Wayne while reloading rolled further toward the receding area to the center of the creature as he then upon finishing up his reload was able to pop off a few rounds into the creature’s gut. It splattered, and splashed in Wayne’s face. As the creature was dying, and his legs were giving way, Wayne rolled his way out as the creature collapsed then died almost having crushed him. He then hopped into the driver’s side forcing Joseph to scoot over as the team was then ready to drive off. They sped up with yet another narrow escape due to the result of wit, and skill on the team’s part.

The group was so frantic to get out, and they ended up splitting up in several directions. The irons kept up their assault as they split to cover the teams who had also been split up between rubble infested, splintered buildings. Dexter was able to keep up with Wayne’s DB as they darted to the left. Straight down the middle were Mason, Sylvia, and Sam. Lastly both July, and Clive were on their own on the right. Clive then ordered the team to lose their irons chasing them then to meet up in the middle.

On the left Wayne found himself pushing through broken down vehicles as he was speeding toward a dead end, which was a dark highway tunnel with broken down buses in the front blocking the entrance. Wayne prepped the Rail gun with a missile then releasing said missile to clear a path through to the tunnel. Even though it was mostly clear there were still vehicles, and other debris in the way.

“Hold onto your butts!” yelled Wayne.

The DB then rammed through the blockage which forced Wayne, and Joseph forward while slowing the vehicle. As the DB was slowed Dexter did a 180 degree turn then while moving in reverse he blew a few rounds off to defend the crew. Dexter then did a 180 again to move forward as Wayne was picking his speed back up. The tunnel was incredibly dark. Wayne was focusing his eyes in all directions frantically he looked through his camera screens in the DB that were now optimized for night vision to reveal the horde of irons on all sides were clawing their way at Wayne as Joseph screamed now opening fire splitting the creatures fluids, and bones to shreds as Dexter focused on his own safety. The darkness had then shrouded around them flipping a switch turning lights on all the way around the armored DB blinding the creatures.

On the front of Mason, Sylvia, and Sam Mason was leading the two of them over the hill tops in order to keep it a straight shot as Mason believed the moment he would regroup with the DBs then he, and the others would be fully strengthened.

“What the hell Sam!” Mason screamed at Sam as he followed Mason with an absent mind to what Mason was saying.

“Don’t you realize who was on the siphoning team? Had Clive who need I remind you has stated to be the only one of us to be able to apprehend whatever it is we are looking for at the west city were to have died then this would have all been pointless!”

That statement momentarily brought Sam out of the murderous bliss of having killed so many irons into an angry, and pissed state over the mission as a whole.

“Now Mason don’t you realize the stupidity in what you just said!? If Clive would just tell us exactly what it is we are looking for instead of playing savior to the human race then that problem would be solved!” Sam said as Mason angrily reacted with logic, and common sense.

“Fine then! How about the fact that your mental stability almost killed all of us! You couldn’t sit in safety! You had to go fight!”

“Well newsflash Mason, you happen to be lucky I don’t kill you to avenge my friends who died at your expense! It’d be easier than killing irons!” Said Sam.

Romeo, and Dean’s faces flashed through Mason’s mind.

“I didn’t have a thing to do wi…” Mason yelled back before being interrupted by Sylvia.

“We can argue about this later with the commander present! Right now we have dozens of problems, and counting following up behind us!”

Mason who was in the middle then requested Sylvia to his left to trade places with her in the middle as Sam is on the right side.

“Okay guys this is the plan! Sylvia you have the grenade launcher so you turn around, and move in reverse. Meanwhile me, and Sam will ram into you from each side to keep you on the same track as us as we continue forward, and you will use the launcher to slow down the pursuers! Any problems?!” Mason said as they both replied with the answer no.

“Good! Let’s do this!” Mason said as Sylvia turned facing the adversaries.

Sam, and Mason rammed up against her to keep her in place as she blew up vehicles, and other flammables to slow the iron effort from the back as Mason, and Sam slaughtered the irons in their peripherals to defend their tri-pod like formation in place. Sylvia was also creating debris for the creatures to climb around, and climb over it slowing their advance. Mason had it all planned perfectly. He knew that Wayne would more than likely given the area that he was familiar with go through the highway tunnel. He was also sure that since Clive didn’t have a mechanic following then he would likely be faster, and in turn would take the scenic route.

So Mason would go uphill having a little bit of resistance in front as Wayne had more resistance, but a straight shot out as Clive would be faster, and go around as so all of them could reunite by converging on one center location in which Mason was heading straight for. Mason was correct. Clive was going around having almost the exact same idea of how this would turn out without them even having the time to consult each other. Clive, and July were driving on a path that was much longer, and out of the way, however they were also going at a much faster speed as the irons were trying their hardest to ketch up to them. The wheels of the DB were grinding the dirt as they were picking up speed.

“We will collide with them. We just have to pick up some speed!” Clive said to July as she nodded back to him.

Clive pushed on the gas a little harder. The tire sped up as it flew dirt in the opposite direction that they were moving in. they were off in the countryside with irons leaping from the sides, and out of shrubbery, and old farmhouse debris. “July!” with her already understanding what Clive wanted.

“It’s obvious!” she said as she checked the machine guns ammunition.

She then started blasting off bullets killing the closest iron each time. The shooting persisted, dominating the creatures by splattering their limbs, and internal bits all over dirt road, and plant life. The shooting was halted by a click sound that confused July.

“The gun jammed up! That’s what that sound was!” Clive yells while avoiding a crash.

“Sir! On the rear camera they appear to be picking up speed.” July said.

Clive then orders her to take the driver’s side as he opened the door then climbed up on by hoisting himself up with a backflip like motion to get up. He stuck his foot, and hands into some crevices to keep his balance as he edged his way toward the gun. He used his left hand to hold onto the Rail gun as he tugged at the cocking stud with great force until the bullet flew out of the gun.

“We are heading for a barn!” July screamed.

As a result Clive ducked in-between the massive machine gun, and Rail gun. The machine gun in order to swing all the way around the Armored DB freely is required to stand taller than the Rail gun which makes both quite large. While Clive is cuddled between that the DB smashes through the front of the barn then out the back while Clive pops off handgun rounds at an iron while doing so. While on a long stretch of land July scoots back over to allow for Clive’s entrance.

July then continues shooting again as Clive takes the reins. Back in the highway tunnel was Wayne who was starting to squeeze his way out of it as he was starting to see light. The light for as fast as he was going darted itself in front of him as he was in mere seconds of seeing it, out of the tunnel. Mason could then see his group on his left, and right side as the team slowly but successfully converged to each other. As they were falling together Mason, and the others fell out of their tri formation in favor of returning to their specific squad. The groups then floored it forward a team once more.

Clive was relieved yet tense all at once. He almost died throughout that little ordeal. Whenever death comes knocking Clive isn’t usually on the receiving end, even when it comes to the irons. Moments like that remind Clive that he isn’t entirely invincible yet, which only stands to strengthen his drive to make this mission a success.

“Aren’t you going to discipline Sam?” Wayne said through radio chatter with Clive.

“What’s the point?!” Clive said as his hands were shaking.

“This whole thing is so fucked up! I have a rent-a-soldier/scientist, and his former soldier turned groupie, and two newcomers, and you who hate my guts, and the biggest ass on earth. And to top it off a bloodthirsty avenger living in the past. I was screwed before the mission even started. Let’s just keep a steady pace until we get there. If I am correct then the journey back won’t be nearly as rough as the ride there!” Clive said.

“And how could you possibly know that!? Listen Clive, if you haven’t been doing all this secretive, and shady bullshit then maybe you would deserve a reliable team to work with. I would say that you are pretty lucky to have what you have!” Wayne screamed over radio.

July, and Joseph who were spectating were both just sitting by irritated.

“I have heard enough!” Clive said as he disconnected contact with Wayne. He just kept driving as Wayne eyed him from his Armored DB.

“I know that me, and Joseph may not be very reliable sir but with all due respect sir I think our team is very capable.” July said to Clive.

“So try not to be too worried for the future.” She then told him, trying to assure him that things will turn out right in the end.

“How could you possibly think that? I run a group of has-beens, and have-not-beens. Our little team was a force to be reckoned but is now a joke.” Clive says as July stares intently at Clive while he stares intently at the road ahead.

“Well sir, I have to say that I see qualities in our team that it seems you cannot.” July says as Clive has a half sarcastic laugh in the process.

“Why don’t you enlighten the situation for me then rookie?” He says.

Upon hearing that July sits back, and grunts then swallows. After hearing that process, Clive was left with a feeling of it possibly taking a long while until the end of this mission. The end of the road as it seems.

“Well sir I firmly believe that we are an A-Team made up of the B-team.” This then made Clive laugh even further.

“How does a collective of B’s become an A?” Clive says to her.

July then smiles, and looks at him again with a firm confidence.

“Well sir you see, that’s why we’re A’s. We have newbies with oldies as the oldies have learned from their own personal mistakes while they then teach the newbies how not to repeat them. The human race, as well as our little team will only get better, and we will prevail. It is really simplistic at its core.”

“You say that July, and there is some truth there but when you get down to it the human race is flawed. They will teach the younger generations how to avoid their mistakes but not teach them the mistakes they were taught to avoid, thus forgetting. That will allow the new gen to make those mistakes then to forget some of what was taught. In the end… we will never officially run out of things to learn. We are flawed that way.” Clive said while being even more focused on the road. July then giggled right on back.

“Well that is a little more long term than I was saying. Besides that is just what makes us human beings!” she said to him while giggling as though he missed the point.

But in Clive’s mind he got the point. Humans were flawed creatures. He almost wanted to cry at the fact that that’s what they were. He was longing to change that about humanity, and to ultimately save them from more than monsters in the end but also save humanity from itself, humanity. Later the group stopped to rest, and to sleep. Mason lay tossing and turning on the cold metal floor of the DB.

“Miles… Miles!” Mason then flung himself forward from the floor of the DB. He looked around, and saw the others were still sleeping. He had been recently having dreams of his friend Miles. He couldn’t get the late night drinking, and early morning coffee sessions out of his head. Clive however was up, and noticed Mason’s little spasm.

“So is moaning in your sleep a medical condition or do you do it for fun?” Clive said to him.

Mason was sweating, and did not feel compelled to answer Clive right away due to the shock of his dreams that he has been having lately. He was breathing heavily. This wasn’t like the usual talks he has been having with Miles lately. These were just nightmares as the other times have felt more realistic yet still nostalgic. Almost as if he had been talking to Miles presently while in a setting of the past.

“I get it. It is for sympathy sex. You do that in the hopes that Sylvia will feel bad or something, and you get some.”

Though Clive was joking Mason showed little interest in his sense of humor at the moment. It was almost as if Mason didn’t care what Clive had to say just then. Ironically Mason’s mind was somewhat scattered and sort of forgot Clive was there, and then noticed Clive, then forgot again rinse and repeat.

“I will take one more guess then.” Clive then sat up, and leaned closer to Mason.

“It is about friendship. Am I right?”

“The dreams are all things I did to hang out with him on a regular basis. It is almost a good, no, a great dream until I remember what the world has become, and what may have become of him.” Mason said while panting.

Clive then got up, and sat closer to Mason.

“Believe it or not I used to have friends before the military. Once you are in the military you lose touch with most all your friends but I had them nonetheless.” Clive said holding his dog tags.

“Her name was Kathy. And we were from Cage District, and we both had a lot of spunk. We even had our own gang. We called ourselves “The Cage Rats” with an abundance of graffiti drenched pride.”

Mason then smiled at the widely apparent smile on Clive’s face. A smile was a gesture that Mason noticed Clive rarely expressed while not drinking. This doesn’t mean that Clive is an alcoholic but it simply means that alcohol allows him to let loose, and be a little less perfect.

“We were delinquents if ever there were any, and we really only had each other. Both of our parents were brooding people who had been too used to how the old world worked, while me, and Kathy knew not of its working.” Clive then curled up a little bit.

“I guess I don’t have dreams like you, and my friendship wasn’t destroyed by an apocalypse like you but I still have moments when I flash back to that friendship, and soon later realize that we are no longer friends. I am saying sorry that that happened to you but you have to let it go anyways Mason.” Mason grunted.

“If it is okay sir I would like to continue this conversation with you in the front if that is alright?”

Clive then shook his head yes as they headed toward the front. They then shut the door to the back. They both were staring out at the stars. All the different solar systems in one field of vision was a spectacular thing to think about.

“So Clive… err um, um what happened to your friend?” Mason said as Clive sat with a blank face.

“What do you mean what happened? We went our separate ways Mason.” Mason then choked and continued.

“No I mean specifics.”

“Why do you need specifics?” Clive asked while curious.

“I am wondering if this may have effected who you’ve become is all.” That answer seemed reasonable enough to Clive for him to give an answer in return.

“Listen. It really wasn’t anything all that big. I joined the military academy, and she became a medical student. We lost touch, and contact afterwards leading to the end of a friendship.” Mason looked at him with a little bit of sorrow in his eyes.

“I don’t believe that is it.” Mason thought to himself.

“The way you were smiling earlier doesn’t allow me to believe that that was it. It just doesn’t.” Mason continued thinking.

“I hate not understanding. That is part of what makes me a scientist. I didn’t understand religion. I mean how could somebody believe in something that doesn’t warrant proof?” Mason questioned aloud as Clive was following what he was saying.

“But it all makes sense to me now. It all comes down to faith. It’s a test, I mean would you rather be atheist, and be correct then die, and rot in a whole in the ground? Or would you rather believe in a god, and it turn out to be true as you now live in heaven? I mean think about it. If you are atheist then right or wrong you always lose. If you are Christian or something else then if you are right then you win but have nothing to lose. I guess what I am saying is that I now understand religion as a whole. Even if I don’t personally believe, at least I understand.”

Mason then points out at the stars.

“I have heard of something not too long ago that appeared before us in the sky. I have heard of it twice, and I don’t understand it. At first I wrote it off as an anomaly but now it has happened twice. Hell, it has probably happened more than twice. I think it is what killed Emily, and it frightens me that I don’t know what it is.” Mason said.

Clive put his hand on Mason’s back not to comfort him but to get his attention.

“Be very scared.” Said Clive.

“Man will often go without understanding the nature of things, and nature in general, and it should scare them. Remember Mason, you may be a brilliant scientific mind but that doesn’t mean everything should or will be possible to explain, and no matter what there will be something that you fear. If you are fearless then you can’t be human.” Mason then looks at Clive.

“Are you fearless Clive?” to which Clive replies “No. But I am desperately trying to become fearless.” Clive concluded.

Clive stood up, and proceeded to the back. Mason than begun to whisper to himself.

“You are trying to become fearless. Does that mean you are trying to become inhuman?” Mason wondered to himself. Mason continued to look out to the stars above.

“I really hope this mission bears fruit.” Mason said but quickly started thinking of what he might do after the mission is officially over.

Would he simply move on or fall out. He was unsure but he decided he would worry about later when later comes. The sun rose hours after Mason’s little cold sweat, and he hadn’t slept a wink. There was too much coursing through his mind such as old family, and friends. Mason started thinking about his mother. Mostly her final moments, the last days of her life.

“I think they are wonderful honey!” said a woman to a boy who sit bedside in a room whiter than an angel’s cloth.

A teenage boy with tears flowing down his face as the older, frailer, and usually more distant woman lay shriveled in her bed. The woman put her hand on the boy’s cheek. Then using her thumb to wipe away his tears. The boy’s face was red, and he clenched a notebook in his hands. She just lay there trying to comfort him.

“Oh honey. Don’t you cry, mommy will always be with you in spirit… go out in the world, and you just enjoy yourself. You forget about me.” The boy kept crying.

“I could nev… never forget you mommy! Wahhh! Ahh!” the boy screamed in pain. A pain that no amount of Band-Aids would help. The mom then wiped young Mason’s tears yet again.

“Now it is okay to cry, and don’t you forget that. Now you take your research, and go help some other little boy’s mommy. Sound good?”

The boy sniffled, and shook his head. “Go do it little champ.” His mother said.

The woman disappeared from the young boy’s sight. Mason felt himself in a world of saddening nostalgia. Mason then snapped back to reality. The door slides open to the front, and Sylvia steps in. She shakes Mason to get him up then she told him they were leaving.

“We are moving out! Remember we are only allowed to pilot the mechanics now. Let’s go! Uh um are you okay?” Sylvia then finished with a much gentler voice.

“You have a tear going down your face.” Sylvia put her hand on Mason’s cheek then proceeded to wipe his tear away with her thumb.

“What’s troubling you?”

Mason noticed she was very worrisome, and he began to feel very warm. It was the very first time that Mason had ever really wanted to tell someone what was wrong. “Irony.” Mason said. Mason then just looked at her with a faint smile.

“What of it? It is happening even though it’s happening was unlikely.”

Mason then giggled “I know. You didn’t have to tell me that.” He told her since she told him the definition of the word irony.

“Then what is it Mason?” Sylvia then asked him.

“It awkwardly rubs me the wrong way that my friend cured cancer, and I didn’t. I was supposed to see that smiling face but never did. I bet he saw them all the time, and I shouldn’t be unhappy because cancer was cured but I can’t help it. Those were supposed to be my smiling faces, not his.”

Sylvia then slowly leaned in with the seat crinkling as she moved and kissed Mason with a light peck on the cheek. She had no words to comfort him with, and decided that that was the best way to do so. Mason had been looking for a logical reasoning as to why he should get over it but the kiss would suffice. And it did so by giving something much more tender, and enjoyable to think about.

The door to the left where Mason was, was then opened by Clive with his business face on ordering the two of them to get out. The two got out of the DB as they walked together hand-and-hand to their mechanics as they climbed into each of their own individual mechanic as their hands were forced into separation. They sat down, and then flipped all the switches as the windshield slowly lowered in front of them signaling that their systems were a go.

Dexter was driving this time around as Wayne manned the gun, and July, and Clive had their same setup. This left Sam, Joseph, Sylvia, and Mason driving the mechanics this time around. The squadron seemed fit enough. Though with all the action from yesterday Clive was hoping that this time around they wouldn’t run into any complications as he told everyone over the communicator to run rather than riot. He meant it most especially concerning Sampson’s case.

“Don’t worry Clive, I gave Sammy boy a good earful about yesterday, and things should go without a hitch today.” Clive was told by Wayne. Clive could hear the assuredness in Wayne’s voice.

That of course made Clive more at ease that Sam would likely keep himself in check, and keep another fiasco like the one from yesterday from happening. Clive has never felt more stressed in his life than this mission. This was the be all end all in his eyes, and he didn’t want the end all to be his death. Because to him if he died it would be the end all.

“Thank you Wayne, and sorry for the secrets. They are necessary secrets I assure you.” Wayne then responded with “Well I believe you. This isn’t the first time you have kept things from me, and my team, and I aren’t dead yet! Over.” Wayne said.

“Over.” Said Clive.

Clive then dropped communications with Wayne as they both continued driving. Though they aren’t on the best of terms, it seems as though the mission has brought them together. Even though they usually cooperate on missions anyway this time was the most time they had ever spent with each other in a mission. They were now unofficial, official frenemies, or friendly enemies. They were starting to understand each other more than they thought they would have ever.

The group set out westward in the search of the lost, nameless city of the west. The country roads had stretched for miles upon miles. With outstretched fields, and country roads the group always saw irons but never seemed to run into them head on. The irons are smart enough to either realize that they won’t ketch up or will be killed before they ketch up to the group. The path stretches on without an end in sight, and it often lowers the morale of the entire group with the exception of Clive. Clive who in his mind views this as the most important mission he has headed.

“The roads up ahead are incredibly bumpy as it appears. Everyone just brace for impact just in case.”

Clive said that as each person clenched their controls with no intention of slowing down as the group plowed through mounds of dirt, and over lopsided concrete. Clive has been very careful to inform his team of future obstructions in the way so they can breeze through the day without any more problems.

“Oh my God!” Mason said to himself without contacting the rest of the group.

He then grabbed his chest as if he were waiting for a heart attack that wouldn’t happen. He clenched his chest harder while simultaneously wrinkling his shirt. He looked back out of the windshield, and then he was quickly confronted by his own reflection which was quickly started jetting between different people like Miles, his mother, and even Emily, and Jack. All of a sudden he felt responsible for all their death’s, and individual mistakes that each were akin to.

He blamed himself for Miles’ little insect problem he has created, and for his mother’s death as he saw himself as the reason she wasn’t the most loving mother for the most of her life, and her switch around of personality near the end wasn’t necessary. He then kept thinking that maybe if he hadn’t sent Emily or Jack to the bathroom then they would be alright. He started swerving back, and forth forcing other mechanics to move, and having the team contact him to snap him back to reality.

“Are you okay! Mason, Mason! Respond!” Clive yelled over the communicator.

“Cough, cough” “Yeah I’m okay.” Mason said while coughing.

“Well you better be careful from here on out.” Clive said.

“Be careful Mason. And if you need help then just tell me okay?” Sylvia told him.

“Mm. Okay.” Mason said. Mason however didn’t understand fully what was wrong with him. He is usually so reserved even when shit hits the fan.

“I will be okay. I will be okay. I will be okay.” Mason kept repeating to himself as he continued to drive as straight, and as focused as possible.

“Maybe that’s it!? I need to strive to be fearless like Clive is trying to be. I need to become better than humanity.” Mason said with confidence. He then grew wide eyed, and started shaking his head no.

“No, no, no! I cannot strive to be like him, I need to strive to work for him. I am just latching myself to the most recent resolution I could think of, and I need to just calm down! I need to calm down, and drive. Just calm down, and drive Mason.” He ordered himself.

The vehicles treaded over busted roads, and past rocky landmarks. They drove past wrecked buildings, and stations further cementing the fact of an apocalypse. Mason looked out even recognizing buildings he has visited on business. They were slightly different structural designs from what he remembered apart from the obvious fact that they are destroyed now. Sitting in the middle of oblivion.

“The buildings are decimated, and you can see where erosion has occurred.” Mason felt that it was sad that only destruction was able to distract him from his current mental instability.

Of course the destruction could only occupy his attention span for so long. Soon the destruction would be a contributing factor. All in which he would begin to blame himself for everything. Mason unexplainably began crying. He then looked off to the far right as he saw a broken down school structure, and a dirty young girl in a white dress. He rubbed his eyes to get the water out, and then upon looking again saw the feet patter into the building. “Emily!” he yelled. Soon before you knew it Mason had lodged himself toward that building at full speed.