Chapter 13

“I can finally do some good, rather than get in people’s way.” Sam said.

“Scream!” Roars, and screams of a huge lot began to get so loud that even people in the mechanics could hear them. Clive’s eyes while he was with Joseph were now open wide. It was a look of absolute shock. He looked around but since he, and Joseph were in the urban area surrounded by walls, and concrete they couldn’t spot what was making the noises. Wayne stood in anger, and though he couldn’t see it he knew what he was in for.

“That bastard! Why him!?” Wayne said as Dexter stood behind him confused. Dexter then cocked his machinegun.

“Let’s go get him then!” Dexter said which angrily prompted Wayne to disagree.

“No! We have to get to the DB first. We cannot fight it as is.” Wayne, and Dexter ran toward the DBs location as far as they could remember.

The stomping, and yelling from the unknown assailant continued while Sam, and Wayne with Dexter from where they were separately rushed back to the DB. July back in the DB was checking to make sure everything was loaded. “What is that!?” July then asked as her heart sank into her chest. Miles away in plain view were three furry, gigantic beastlike irons that were far larger than others from what she saw.

And these irons were in fact the same as the one that killed both Dean, and Romeo before. Mason, and Sylvia then found themselves rushing back to the group. Mason was extremely angry, but also anxious. He, and Sylvia when the other one appeared were completely useless. But now they have a chance to fight it head on, and cut their own little slice of vengeance.

“I will be the one to kill it!” Sam screamed while knowing there was no satisfaction of the irons or the others hearing him but instead yelled it out of pure rage.

But he didn’t care about appearances. He didn’t care if everyone else was slaughtered in that moment as long as he killed those giant irons, and avenged Dean, and Romeo. A skewed perspective because those irons wouldn’t nearly suffice as vengeance. Basically after all is said and done the deaths of his comrades wouldn’t have equaled the death of the three irons in the end.

“Where are the others?!” July frantically said as she mounted the driver’s seat.

She started the vehicle while looking through the monitors. She drove through the streets looking for them. While Wayne, and Dexter were running back they were still seeing dozens of guerillas around each corner who were still fighting off irons. The two factions were now officially ignoring each other. Clive, and Joseph who were still confused finally rounded a corner to see the three giant monstrosities tearing up guerilla vehicles, and other things of the sort.

“What the hell sir!?” Joseph said while freaking out.

Clive too was in disbelief to the terror he was seeing. The beasts were absolute monstrosities. They were a superior breed of iron, and obviously held similarities to creatures not included in the original iron genetic design. Gorilla, frog, and so on. Clive gritted his teeth with an angry scowl on his face, and clenched his fist.

“Humanity is too weak for this. I shed my fear to become something else.” He whispered to himself.

“Sir?” Joseph said.

“Are you okay sir!?” Joseph then said as he shook Clive.

“I am fine Joseph. We have to go.” The two of them then kept running.

With Clive’s only focus right in front of him an iron darted out from the side as Joseph pushed him out of the way. This allowed both of them to get out of the way. They were then slid across the concrete by the force of the iron falling next to them. Joseph, and Clive just glanced at each other and what needed to be done was known.

Joseph then pulled out his MP5 then pointed it into direct view of the creature’s face, aiming and pulling the trigger which then forced the creature to hide his face. Clive setting his sights on the iron then began cooking a grenade as he ran, and slid it under the beast with his sub-machinegun in one hand shooting at its stomach as he dropped the grenade, and rolled out of the way as the explosion set off at the underbelly. Killing the beast, and splashing partially charred guts to the ground below of the creature after gravity took hold after the upwards explosion.

“Thanks.” Clive said with a low, quiet pitch. Nodding, Joseph then began to follow as they trudged forward. Wayne, and Dexter spotted their DB but July’s DB was missing. July was rushing herself through the streets looking for somebody to take her place at the wheel. Trembling fear was setting in, and she was beginning to shake at the wheel, and it was affecting her driving forcing her to swerve. Wayne was starting up the DB, and checking its ammo making sure the Rail-gun was loaded.

“Alright, and we are ready. Aim carefully Dex.” Wayne then says.

“What do I look like, a rookie?”

Sylvia, and Mason were starting to gain more footing, and were getting close to the big irons while avoiding the little ones. And Sam wasn’t too far ahead of them though he was the closest to the beasts. The one perk of having a maniac on the team who was stained with the idea of vengeance. Reeked of hate, and the want to kill. To kill the beasts… and these beasts especially.

“If there is one advantage I have this time it is the urban area! I will avenge them!” Sam says as he continues to gradually pick up speed.

“Huh!?” Mason says.

“You see it too? Why is it here?” Sylvia said as they both stare up into the sky.

A great pale blue, and white orb was developing in the sky. The shine was radiant, and blinding but not due to the brightness. It was almost blinding due to its radiance. And eyes that were focused on it would likely remain focused. It was intrigue incarnate to Mason. To him, staring at it was like a kid in a candy store. But he hated his lack of understanding towards it.

In the orbs awe, even a few irons had their sights fixated on the glow. Like simple minded insects whose simple minds were having a hard time comprehending light. July, Sam, Joseph, and others as well as the guerillas were staring at it. Some having seen it before while others like July have not. But it did not matter because it would soon disappear. The light started bubbling as if it were an ocean with waves before exploding into falling lights that were reminiscent of a meteor shower. The littler orbs were falling in very direct locations as they made a faint whistling sound only resonating inches around them.

And determining the last second movements of people would change slightly the course of the falling balls of light. Before you knew dozens of irons alongside dozens upon dozens of men were struck by the orbs as if hit by a bolt of lightning. And some guerillas who were indoors were still struck as the light phased right through the tile, and concrete. Clive kept running until he heard a thud behind him. “Ah!” Clive said as he looked over his shoulder to see Joseph laying on the ground with a small cloud of dust raising from where he fell. Clive made a recourse as he ran over to Joseph shaking him to wake him up.

“Come on soldier! Get on your feet! Joseph. Joseph!” Clive’s worry was quickly turning to rage.

“Get up! Get up! Get up!” Clive kept yelling as he began slapping Joseph’s face senselessly.

Joseph raised his hand from the ground then grabbed Clive’s wrist. Clive was met with a sense of relief. “Thank god! Let’s go Joseph… Huh?”

Joseph then started squeezing Clive’s wrist as to not let him get away. Clive was confused until he heard screaming, and shooting. Looking over, through alleys, and into buildings Clive saw pale faced people snapping their jaws at other guerillas who proceeded to shoot them.

He slowly turned his head back toward Joseph who was already staring at him with a pale black face, and eyes that were white as paint. In the split second following the grounded, and flopped over Joseph thrust forward after Clive as Clive pulled his sidearm out then stuck it into Joseph’s mouth. The corpse-like Joseph kept clawing as Clive was hesitating to fire. He did not want to have to kill Joseph but Joseph was not making that decision plausible.

“Calm down Joseph, this isn’t you! You have to be in there somewhere!” Clive kept ushering.

“I kill people yes but I shouldn’t you! I kill bad people!” Clive says slightly frightened.

“You’re a good person with a family that needs you! I may be sneaky, and have unorthodox end results in mind but if things were my way then nobody would lose good family like you!” Clive tells the pale faced zombie that used to be Joseph.

Clive who was still struggling with Joseph then could hear the grinding tires, and roaring engine of an automobile that sounded like the DB. His heart sank inside before saying “Damn it, I’m sorry Joseph.” Clive said as he pulled the trigger releasing the bullet that would spill Joseph’s lungs all over his back as he now lay dead in a bloody puddle. Clive guiltily, and slowly stood with his fist clenched in anger before he bolted through an alleyway after the sound of a DB motor could be heard nearby.

He ran through one more alley then through the back of a shop as he then blew out the brains of a zombified person in his way as he jumped over a counter then jumped and shattered the store window as the DB he heard stomped on the brakes stopping only feet away from hitting him. July stretched to look out the window as if she was a child driving a truck.

“I found him!” July said through the communicator.

“Good! We were able to contact Mason, and Sylvia but Sam hasn’t picked up! They say they aren’t too far behind him. Now hand the wheel to Clive, and go!”

Clive jumps into the vehicle as July scoots over. “Which way!?” Clive yells. Though slightly confused since she didn’t see Joseph, July points out the way first.

“Wayne is North-West!” July quickly informs him. In a hurry Clive slams the pedal to go as fast as possible.

“Do you know what those things are?!” Clive asks July.

“Nuh-uh sir. But Wayne told me they are what killed two of his squadron.” July tells Clive as Clive tenses up.

“I see.” Clive softly says as July stares at the speck of blood on Clive’s face.

The blood wasn’t his, and July could tell.

“Um. Where is Joseph sir?” July asked as Clive continued to drive without saying a word.

The silence was bothering July as she then tugged at Clive’s sleeve.

“He is dead. I killed him.” Clive said while trying not to keep a visual of it in his mind while passing on the information. Shocked, July gasped then throwing her hands over her mouth.

A small static noise was sounding. The communicator turned on as Wayne came on requesting Clive. Clive picked up, and instantly knew something was up. He could tell from the sound of Wayne’s voice alone.

“I don’t know what to say.” Wayne said. Everyone who had a visual of the creatures had their jaws dropped to the floors.

“I don’t understand!” Mason whispered to himself.

“Or do I understand?” Mason thought as his mind flashed back to the light in the sky penetrating the bodies of other creatures.

Clive persisted in asking Wayne what was wrong but Wayne had fallen completely silent.

“Wayne what is it! Uh!” Clive then choked up before falling silent as he turned the corner.

Two of the giant irons were fighting each other. On had large pale eyes. Sam looked at the sight furiously.

“You can’t kill each other! I haven’t gotten there yet!” He yelled as he started angrily punching the windshield while driving.

He felt furious that he couldn’t get there in time. Last time when there was only one it ran straight for the group. But now, in Sam’s eyes it seemed that Sam was no longer even worth the time, and that pissed him off further. The two monstrosities grappled but it seemed like one wasn’t all there. It didn’t know to eject the large spike from its wrist like the others. Not utilizing all of its abilities. Much like the zombified corpses of man wouldn’t use their guns.

It fought hard, and dealt several scratches, and bites but then the extended horns from the hand of the other stabbed into its back. The other giant then got in on the action as the two ganged up on the one. Ripping arms off, and thrusting horns into its belly forcing it to bleed out. All of the mortal men on the ground could do is watch as their possibly best chance for survival got torn apart.

“It was weaker, and less intelligent. Just like the humans who have become possessed!” Mason told Sylvia through the communicator.

Sylvia watched, and could only think of her poor niece she had to gun down in a restroom in Cage District. The zombified, giant iron fell to the ground crushing a few buildings once it fell. One of the giant irons then took their massive humanoid like hands the placed its palm over the spiky, skull shaped forehead of the dead one, and out of sheer brutality crushed, and squeezed until the head exploded with large skull fragments, and an eyeball flew into a DB windshield. “Oh Jesus!” Wayne says. The DBs were closing in on Sam who was desperately close to the creatures. Clive, and July pulled up next to Wayne who was latching, and gaining on Mason, and Sylvia as Sam remained the arrowhead.

The roars of the beasts intensified. The group knew that Sam had likely been spotted by the creatures. They began running, and Sam could not have been more overjoyed.

“Finally, my chance to redeem myself! I’ll kill you both! You scum!” Sam angrily screamed voice cracking.

Sam jumped up into walk mode then aimed his Gatling gun, and began spinning up the chamber while laughing rather maniacally. The bullets finally starting spitting out as they hit, and didn’t damage the giants who were only mere seconds away from him. One of the giant irons snatched him up then ripped at him, and took his mechanics leg right off as if it were a toy. Throwing the leg over to the side the irons keep attacking as Sam feels a small bout of fear but is also still full of rage.

“No!” Sam yelled as he swung his mechanics right arm back, and flung it forward, and at the right time with all the momentum he disengaged the Gatling gun allowing to fly into, and crush one of the irons face with its speed, and weight. The beast screamed, and recoiled. It dropped the pride destroyed Sam. When the iron hit the ground Sam banged the back of his head on his seat. Sam was disoriented.

“I was such a fool. I knew in me somewhere that I wouldn’t have been able to kill even one like the one that killed Dean. Two should have put me back in my place.” Sam said softly.

The screaming irons noticed the others driving up on them then ditched the immobile Sam to go after them.

“What’s the plan!?” Clive asks Wayne.

“Why are you asking me!?” Wayne said freaking out.

“Because you guys have previously fought, and killed one of these things. So what is it?” Clive asked.

Mason informed that while they continued to plan, he and Sylvia would distract them 2v2.

“Okay! You two be careful. I don’t want more deaths on my shoulders.” Wayne said.

“Now first thing is first. Be ready to duck, and dodge because in one swoop these irons can shatter your thick windshield, and kill you! That is how Romeo bit the dust, and second we will need to get up high!” Wayne said.

“So the pressurized jumping maneuver is in order?” Clive asked as Wayne agreed.

“Yeah… we will need to jump, and what we’ll have to do needs to be in midair. These things can jump out of the way of rockets on the ground, but maybe not in the air! They jump with us and they’re dead! Unless they sprout wings… that’s doubtful and mostly a joke but now I’m seriously concerned.” Wayne explained.

The dingy, and beaten up DBs had gone through several scrapes that last month or so. It has been a long mission, and somehow Wayne knew this was going to happen, and he would see one of these again. Mason, and Sylvia didn’t engage directly, and kept their distance. Mason looked off into the distance. He saw a few straggling groups of irons that had been possessed by the ever so intriguing light in the sky. It was then that it hit Mason. Mason then reached for the communicator.

“Guys I have it!” Wayne, and Clive then ask what it is. “We can use these other possessed irons to our advantage! We only have to lure the bigger ones to them, and we slay the little ones who aren’t deranged as the deranged ones weaken the big ones!” Mason then proclaimed.

“So crazy, but we need all the plans we can think of to help us out if you ask me! Wayne?” Clive then asked.

“Yeah I am on board, but its uncomfortable knowing our backs will be turned toward such a great threat.”

The four of them turned away at full speed but the giants were far too fast until Dexter, and July who were manning the guns on the Armored DB were now firing to slow the big beasts down. Each time they started to slow the one in front down they would switch to the other one in an attempt to slow their progress as well while the squad made it closer to their targets. Sylvia, and Mason then began to attack the other regular irons, and gave the zombified ones the upper hand. The other ones then started eating, and ripping at the ones that had been downed. It was a gratuitous sight to behold but the team beheld it nonetheless.

“Here they go!”

Mason yelled that as a little more than a dozen zombified irons started climbing from the bottom to top of the largely scaled beastlike irons that had chased them. The plan was seemingly working. It was much like creatures who have been exposed to a rabies virus attacking the bigger ones Mason thought. The only difference being if there wasn’t a creature to cannibalistically feed on, then it wouldn’t work. Mason didn’t tell the rest of the team but he considered the possibility that the possessed irons would never in a million years attack the larger ones.

In Mason’s mind it was really quite simple. If whatever the bright blue light in the sky was, if it was something that turned individual members of a species into cannibals then that wouldn’t mean they’d attack species that was only similar to themselves they would attack only other members of their own kind. So why did they attack the bigger ones despite having such clear differences between the two Mason thought? It must only be because they were made to target all threats to humanity. They are wired to do the opposite that nature and or science originally intended.

“In an attempt to shake the little ones up, and get away the bigger ones will more than likely jump. That is when you guys jump, and kill them!” Mason informed the team.

Clive, and Wayne started prepping for Jump as the others shot at every open piece of bare, furry skin on the bigger irons as they could. The creatures were becoming so distressed. They were stuck in one spot being shot at while the other irons clawed, crawled, and bit like fleas. They started scratching, and clawing at the little ones till they finally jumped with such velocity that the others just fell right off. They jumped just as Mason said they would, and Wayne, Clive, and Mason then all smiled around the same time. They’d won.

“They can’t get out of the way in midair! Let’s go!” Wayne ordered.

Then Wayne, and Clive thrust the lever forward as steam arose, and the massive machine flew itself into the air. The pair of gunners shot as the pair of drivers, being Wayne, and Clive smiled with a sense of victory as they both pulled the Rail-gun trigger. The missiles sped out toward the two creatures.

“Two birds, and two stones!” Wayne shouted.

But in that instance one of the irons pulled itself out of the way by grabbing onto its partner, and tugging itself out of the way. The team all could only watch as the creature performed such a genius betrayal. One missile plowed into the one that had been left for dead, and blew it to smithereens as the other missile blew up from the explosion of the first. All as the other iron, along with the team and their DBs fell back to the earth.

“I can’t believe it!” Wayne shouted as the others looked in fear, and Clive suddenly felt bitter.

“Now what!?” Clive demands. July then looks at him.

“There is only one option, and that is to fight it the same way we fight the rest.” Upon hearing her say that everyone else knew she was right. They can’t use the Jump system or Rail-Gun because ones cooling down as the Rail-guns need to reload.

“Spinning blades from each side!” Wayne shouts.

“Sylvia, Mason! You two get in front, and behind it as a distraction, than I, and Clive will bring the blades from the side!”

Mason, and Sylvia agreed as Sylvia now charged at its front as Mason charged from behind. Those two with the possessed irons made the perfect distraction. The creature was then being smothered by zombified irons of the regular variety. Driving on each side of the creature now, Wayne, and Clive requested their co-pilots not to fire, and draw attention as the spinning, and chopping blades were moving almost blender levels of fast. They then rammed into, and sliced through like butter the creature’s legs, and passed each other while driving under the creature.

They then stopped once gaining some distance, and looked back at the giant. What they saw would strangely be one of the most horrific yet beautiful sites they gaze upon. The little ones were devouring the big, and the big one was almost dead. Still alive, all it could do was lay there, and twitch. Mason looked at it wide eyed as Sylvia drove to his side. They even got out of the vehicles to stare as they then noticed something really strange looking.

“Wow… just wow.” Wayne said. The zombified irons were just dying off. Even ones that had no injuries would fall to the ground.

“Their lifespans must not be too great if that’s happening.” Mason concluded.

After of which hearing that Sylvia clenched her gun.

“You mean we could have just locked Emily away, and not had to shoot her!?” Sylvia said as her voice started to crack, and a sense of regret stuck with her. She only whispered that to Mason, and Mason put his arm around her to comfort her.

“Wait a minute. Where’s Sam?!” Wayne then asked.

Everybody dove back into their vehicles as Sylvia wiped away the one stray tear that she had as they drove off toward Sam. They looked around at all the destroyed buildings, and dead corpses both human, and not. They could now say for certain that they have witnessed a massacre. They drove up on Sam only to see people prying at his windshield. The group was about to open fire until Clive stopped them.

“Don’t Sam is down there, and I want one alive!”

The guerillas spotted the group than began running toward parked trucks that were soon destroyed by fire from Clive’s DB. They then started picking off specific ones that Clive saw fit until they were down to one. The group drove in circles around this one man that was left until they stopped, and got out. Every member came out with weapons fixed on this one man telling him to put his weapon down if he valued his life. The moment he did Clive rushed in.

“You bastard!” Clive yelled as he rifle butted the man’s stomach which forced him to the ground choking.

“If you hadn’t attacked us then both you, and my team wouldn’t have suffered!” Clive yelled as he bashed at the guerilla.

“We suffered?” Wayne then whispered to himself. Wayne then looked around, and didn’t see Joseph anywhere.

“Wait a minute! Where’s Joseph?” Wayne frantically asked as Clive stopped his savage beating for a second in trade for silence.

“Dead.” Clive then calmly said as he was giving the man the devils stare.

Wayne stared slightly shocked as he stopped looking around.

“I see. I am going to go get Sam now.” Wayne said as he stuck one hand in his pocket over his brother’s finger.

“Sam he had… he had a little brother!” Wayne quietly whispered to himself in pain.

The others who knew not of Joseph’s death had gotten angrier, and were now too beating up on the guerrilla.

“Alright everyone stop!” Clive said as he stood tall over the gasping, and bloody man.

“Why did you guys ambush us like that? You were ready for us!” Clive asked, and said as the man ignored him. Clive then got pissed, and kicked his stomach.

“Answer my question!” Clive screamed.

“Okay, okay, okay!” the man said as he took a few more seconds to ketch his own breath.

“We were scared of what you might do to us! And the man from paradise told us to beware the metal devils he called them, and we saw your gear, and figured that was you!” Clive looked at the man with interest.

Everyone else was confused at what the man was saying but the whole man in paradise who knew about their gear was intriguing.

“Where is this man in paradise?” The man freaking out pointed further North-West.

“That way! He has a giant fan, and you can’t miss it!” Mason’s pupils dilated.

“A giant fan?” Mason thought. “It must be an electrical wind turbine. For electricity.” Mason thought.

“You guys killed us! Just like he said you would!” the guerilla fighter screamed.

This angered Clive. He pulled out his sidearm, and aimed it at the man. “Remember who attacked who here okay? It was you! Now here is the deal. I am very tired, and I am going to rest here for a while. You are going to keep running until I can’t see you anymore. Understand!? Preferably till your feet bleed!”

The man shook his head and starting running as Clive stared out North-West.

Clive… was most unsettled yet… happy.