Chapter 20

(Note: The narration has returned to its regular third person omniscient narration)

Mason stands up front facing a ledge with a wide round drop off in front of him as he stares down he sees a large body of saltwater. He then starts to slowly look up revealing a large scaling, and glistening wall before him. The wall only glistening due to the nonstick material to keep the irons off the wall. He had returned after more than a month of walking, and even for a large length of time he was on mission with Clive.

Mason glared at the wall for several minutes. Spanning at different mile intervals behind him were several dead irons with considerable space behind him. He luckily had several more extra signal flares that he used against the irons. “I’m back.” Mason said as he threw his backpack over his shoulder to get out the flare gun, and he felt in that moment how much lighter the backpack had become compared to when he held it as he left Zex. He clicks the hammer of the flare gun back, and then aims it towards the sky.

“Here we go!” Mason said as he pulled the trigger.

The gun popped, and smoke erupted from the gun as in front of the smoke was the flare that streamed out at a high speed, and popped in the air. Mason stood waiting until the bridge started to lower. Mason waited until the bridge finally lowered to the point where he could actually walk on it. Mason felt the quick difference between walking on the natural soil, and the metal bridge he now stepped on. He even felt the shift in temperature through the souls of his ruined shoes. Mason sees a small jeep driving toward him on the bridge. He veers to the side as he puts his thumb out jokingly as the jeep stops for him. A uniformed Requiem soldier invites him in.

“Very funny. Get in, we don’t want any irons running across the bridge now do we?” he says as Mason climbs in with a smile on his face from his own joke. Of course for the past weeks the only jokes for Mason to laugh at were his own (disregarding Logan since it was short lived).

“I feel honored, I cannot believe they sent me my own personal driver.” Mason said as the soldier laughed.

“Yeah well you’ve been summoned. General Miller has requested your presence as soon as you are finished seeing Sylvia, and Sam.” The soldier told him that as Mason’s face started to glow from the idea.

“You know, you are the first actually friendly face I have seen in a while.” Mason said to the soldier as he was promptly ignored due to the soldier having no ready response to what Mason had said.

“It does feel good to back here, even if it isn’t really my home.” Mason said to the soldier.

“Well it is my home, and it is a good one. I am sure after everything is all over you will consider this place your home too.” The soldier said which surprised Mason. Mason lost his shocked face, and smiled.

“I bet you are right.” Mason told him. Mason then wondered what the man meant by “All over.”

“Hey what do you mean by “All over”?” Mason asked as the guy went on to explain how everyone knows of Clive but Miller was waiting to hear from Mason first before doing anything considering Sam, and Sylvia’s possible mental state.

“What about my mental state? I mean I braved the outside when I didn’t need to just to prove something to my own self.” Mason said.

“Well he has faith in you. Maybe because you went to learn about yourself, and Miller may see that as the sanest thing.”

It was said that Sam’s latest actions had been revenge centric. To top it off whether the Clive situation was true or not Sam had still lost his entire team, and may leave room to believe that he isn’t all there. On top of that as a new vice that can be linked to his mental state is a newfound chewing tobacco addiction. This would all lead to believe that he isn’t a very reliable source.

Sort of the same for Sylvia, but her case spans a little farther back. First she changes her name, which in of itself is no big deal but is still an odd thing. But later she loses her immediate family… her only family. Then Mason is her last person to cling to. Then she gets betrayed (Possibly) by a former commander, and her team dies with Mason having disappeared on top of it. And to add to that she lost her right arm, and left leg. The possibility of insanity in those two leaves that they had to wait for Mason.

Mason arrives in the town, and is brought to the train station in Cage District. It is the same train that he took to leave Cage District when he first arrived in Requiem. He was limping his way out of the jeep, and to the waiting platform. As he walked up the steps to get on the platform. He sees a train pull up as the soldier who accompanied him looked at his watch, and told Mason that this should be the right train.

Mason wondered what he meant by the right train but didn’t question it until the train doors slid open, and out was pushed a wheel chair. Mason was immediately hit with a fast, and powerful shimmer of joy as his stomach was then infested with unexpected butterflies. He dropped his bag of survival gear, and rifle. Mason just kept running to the beautiful woman in the chair. He hugs her, and she who thought she was going to mad had become completely overjoyed instead.

“What if I were somebody else?” Sylvia said smiling as she was now referencing how her hair was very long now, and was long enough to reach down her back.

“It’d be one awkward hug! Honestly though! I wouldn’t mistake you, even though your hair is long now doesn’t mean I wouldn’t recognize you!” Mason says excitedly as he gives her a kiss on her forehead. Mason’s smile lessens as he touches the nub of her left leg.

“Besides there are a few reasons I could pick you out of a crowd.” Mason told her stoicly and quietly as she then smiled at him.

“Yeah, I guess I am pretty easy to pick out. I wouldn’t be good for one of those search & find picture books that is for sure.” She said, and Mason laughed while asking where Waldo is.

“What compelled you not to cut your hair?” Sylvia smiled, and then pointed out that she no longer was a soldier.

“I don’t need to have super short hair because I don’t need to give male soldiers a reason to take me seriously anymore. Besides you can never have it too long in the military or it can get in your eyes, and get caught in zippers, and gears so that is also why.” Sylvia said.

Mason took a quick glance up at Sam who was pushing her while she was in her chair. “Sam!” Mason said as he felt excitement to see him as well. Then a puzzling question popped up in Mason’s head.

“What are you guys doing here already?” he asked.

“The moment Sylvia got the call that they thought you were walking your way across the bridge that you could be expected at train station three, and here we are. We left immediately to meet you here.”

“It is great to see you guys.” Mason told them as they smiled back at him. Sylvia was even tearing up.

“I am so sorry Mason!” she said as she then started crying more out loud. “I honestly didn’t think you were going to survive!” She said as Mason crouched down to comfort her.

“I didn’t actually think I was going to make it either.” Mason told her. Another bullet train replaced the space of the one Sylvia arrived in. Sam then leaned in to talk to Mason.

“This must be Miller now. He wants to talk to you personally so you tell him what he needs to here. We Will Kill Clive!” Sam told him as Mason shook his head in confidence.

The train car opened up as Miller stepped forward from it. He had an immensely serious face placed which shocked Mason. Usually Miller would be smiling or have a soft, and gentle feeling to his eyes but not now. “Mason!” Miller roughly called as Mason stood straight at attention not as a soldier but because Miller is one of the few people he respects who hasn’t betrayed him yet.

“I wish to speak to you alone! As for you Sam, and Sylvia I ask you occupy another car on the train, and get off to go to your homes in District two!” Miller asked, and ordered. He then bent down to Sylvia aware of how she would like Mason to come home too.

“Don’t worry it won’t be too long. I will order Mason to go home tonight following our talk.” Sylvia half smiled, and shook her head.

Mason looked back at his supplies he dropped, and asked Miller to wait one second while he grabbed them. He got to his supplies as he picked up his bag, and the soldier who had driven him there picked up his rifle.

“Be more careful, and don’t drop this next time.” He whispered to Mason as Mason gave him a nod, and got in the train with General Miller. In no time the train closed its doors, and was off.

“I suppose the soldier I sent for you may have already asked what was going on, and I just need you to confirm that what Sylvia, and Sam said was true. Especially with their current possible mental state, I couldn’t simply let them decide such an outrageous story to simply be true.” Miller said to Mason as he sat on the train, and digested it all. Mason then looked at Miller with a calm, and truthful look.

“I am sorry, but it is true.” Mason told Miller, and followed with Miller immediately putting his face in his hands.

“No, no, no!” Miller said. Miller then gained his senses, and leaned forward to talk to Mason.

“Do you have any idea how much trouble we are in if Clive really does have that much power now, and is gunning for us?!” Miller said as Mason appointed that he had a small idea of how bad it might be.

“Let me just tell you Mason that Clive is a man I felt could have done great damage to this city as a human. But now that he is a god then we may just be fucked!” Miller screams at Mason.

“Calm down sir! First off you should have started preparing for this earlier!” Mason demanded as Miller interrupts him.

“But I have! Even though I didn’t believe it I made sure to have mechanics, and Armored DBs placed on twenty-four/seven watches in case Clive were to attack. Not to mention we don’t even know just how strong, and how much endurance Clive has!” Miller screamed as Mason once again tried to calm him down.

“Listen sir!” Mason screamed to grab his attention, and to lock it in.

“In this bag I have what we need to be one step closer to being able to defeat Clive.” Mason pulls out the notebook he had been writing in his entire trip. He had in his hands the blueprints he was talking to Logan about with him still. Mason handed the notebook to Miller as Miller then flipped through it.

“I had a chance, no I had a lot of chances while I had the lab, and was observing the captured iron to write notes on how the mechanics were built, as well as the Armored DBs.” Mason told Miller as Miller flipped through the pages.

Miller’s eyes had widened, and it wasn’t a look of worry on Miller’s face but he did have a hint of shock. “Incredible!” Miller said as he flipped through the pages a few more times.

“You have one-hundred percent functional blueprints here, and almost all you have to do is get to work! Combat Engineer you are calling it.” Miller said.

“Yeah, I am kind of looking to put the Armored DB, and mechanic out of commission. Even though this is more like a mechanic it is much more than that!” Mason said enthused.

“This thing has lounging chairs inside as well as sufficient storage space. Its weapons are armed to it as if it were a person carrying its weapons which means you don’t need built in ammo chambers anymore, and it cuts the time it takes to dismantle a limb, and add a new one in half. The flexibility is much higher than the original mechanic. And that is only the tip of the iceberg. And to top it all off, me, Sam, and Sylvia are going to hunt down, and kill Clive!” Mason said with confidence.

“Sylvia huh? I am guessing these mechanical limb replacements are for her?” Miller said as Mason embarrassingly shook his head.

“I am not embarrassed because I think I can’t make it work sir just to let you know. I guess I am embarrassed because it seems a bit silly.” Mason told him. Miller looked at Mason then looked out the window out toward the District Two area as they were almost to the station now.

“It isn’t silly Mason. You and Sylvia love each other. Even though it is kind of a dependent love because you both are currently lacking family, you are just looking out for her future.” Miller then looks back at Mason, and slides a paper over to him. Mason then goes to pick up that very piece of paper.

“What’s this?” Mason asks as he looks at it in shock.

“It is a blank check Mason. I signed it in advance because I knew that Sylvia was probably telling the truth about Clive, and I was putting all the chips on you having a plan of your own.” Miller said.

“It looks like I made the right choice.” Miller finished with. Mason looked down at the paper with astonishment as he was speechless. At a loss for words he was.

“Sir this is incredible, and I assure you that the construction will be a success! I don’t really know how to thank you sir!” Mason said as there was then a voice at the back of the room.

“You say thank you Mason, isn’t it obvious.” The voice then started doing an unsettling laugh as Miller in front of Mason looked past Mason with a blank face as Mason slowly, and nervously twitched his head around to spot the laughter as he saw Clive standing, and laughing at the back of the car they were riding in.

“What’s wrong? It seems like this party ran out of life!” Clive yelled with laughter. Mason jumped out of his seat, and aimed the “Lady Killer” at Clive immediately as Miller also pulled out a 1911 pistol, and aimed it at Clive as Clive laughed again.

“Because that’s going to kill me! Oh, I am so afraid! Haha.”

Clive yelled that jokingly as he threw his hand over the doors to the car behind theirs, and ripped the door off revealing Miller’s room full of armed troops with suppressed MP5s protecting his car with Mason in it, and keeping the weapons silenced as not to stir up the regular passengers on the other cars. All of those troops had been slaughtered silently. Ironic giving their weaponry. Mason, and Miller lowered their guns.

“I am glad to see that there is something written in paper because I thought killing Mason might have been boring.” Clive said as he slowly walked toward the pair.

“Listen Mason. I have been watching you the past couple weeks, and have been noticing some pretty interesting details. Like when you started killing irons, setting things on fire, and killing people without warning on the outside. You started going so crazy that as you finally arrive at Requiem again today the look you had on your face had completely changed. Like the person you were, you convinced yourself you never became.” Clive said. As Clive then arrived next to the table they were sitting at in their private room. Clive then ripped Miller out of the seat.

“Get on the radio, and order this train to stop until further notice.” Clive requested as Miller did just that.

After Miller ordered that over the radio to the driver of the train the driver came over the intercom, and relayed it as an order from General Miller. Sylvia who was looking out the window started making a confused face along with everyone else. Wondering what the hell was going on that the train had to stop.

“But we are so close to our station, why here?” Sam asked her as she shrugged.

“Why did you have me do that?” Miller asked harshly as Clive then ripped the radio from Miller’s hands, and crushed it, and dropped it.

“I have plans you see.” Clive said as he then pointed out the window towards a wide section of District Two.

“What a beautiful view! Now watch as I lay waste to this part of the city! Ha ha ha! But before I do that we have to talk business! So sit down, and listen!” Clive said as he stabbed his hand into Millers chest than sat him down.

“Now I know about your little plans Mason, and I am intrigued quite frankly! You think you have something that can kill me! A god! Knowing that it isn’t possible I still can’t help but want to have a proper challenge. Before I get caught up with you I decided to wipe out the bulk of the guerilla fighters that attacked us in the west. It seemed only fitting considering they had a place on the throne, and I couldn’t have that!” Clive said.

“So Mason! Now that you have your blank check, how much time do you need!?” Clive asked as Miller sat by, and began to bleed out. Mason in a panic from Miller being basically stabbed to no repair gave his answer as he stared into the orange, and demon-like eyes of the now massive in scale Clive.

“Si… six months!” Mason called out as Clive then laughed.

“Five months it is then. Sorry Mason but I am not that patient when it comes to killing you.”

“Now if you will excuse me I have a city to wreck!” Clive then ripped out a large chunk of the trains’ wall.

Clive then leaned in as his massive glowing, orange eyes dilated as he found the perfect drop off point. “There!” he said as he leaped from the train causing it to shake. A lot of people freaked out in surprise as they saw an enormous hulking body erupt, and fly from the train while falling to the ground causing a tremor. People’s coffee shook, and wiggled as disabled people felt their wheelchairs, and crutches vibrate. Sylvia was shocked in particular as she couldn’t even find the strength after seeing him to explain to Sam that that was Clive they were seeing from the train. She did eventually though.

As Clive felt the wind break against his skin while soaring through air he was scoping his landing point hoping that it would just sit still. Clive slammed into an Armored DB with the impact immediately killing all inside. The breaking apart inside sparked as the engine of the vehicle was set on fire. As the vehicle was flaming Clive climbed out, and walked away as the vehicle exploded behind him.

People were running away from, and screaming at Clive as they ran, and Clive just stood there smiling. He was waiting for the smoke from the fires as well as the crowd of screaming people to attract soldiers, mechanics, and Armored DBs to show up. He cried out maniacal laughter as he watched the flocks of people run like ants under a magnifying glass. Clive only killing a few to ease momentary boredom.

“You don’t know it yet but soon you will be my people! Mine to control. Just like I did to the irons!” Clive screamed as they ran.

Clive probably wasn’t standing at the helm of the destroyed Armored DB for even an entire minute until the military presence in the area decided to show itself. Four DBs, and nine mechanics shown themselves with more on the way. Several squadrons of infantry showed as well as infantry emerging from the back of the four DBs that responded to his violence. The soldiers confronted the monstrosity that was now Clive as they didn’t seem to recognize that it was even Clive. In fact Clive recognized some of them though. Also the bulk of the troops weren’t even told that the possible threat was speculated to be Clive in order to keep morale just a speck higher than it was. Clive looked at them as they looked at him in fear pointing their guns, and telling him to submit. Clive then started pointing, and picking soldiers out of the crowd. He began listing off soldiers names.

“James, Damon, Harold, Sonya, Mei.” Clive said, and the list just grew as the troops looked at him in fear, and could see Clive’s face in the monsters now.

What freaked the soldiers out even more was when Clive started picking soldiers out behind the tinted windows of their vehicles. The soldiers looked at him shocked until they gained their senses as the sergeant then screamed “Fire!” then the soldiers immediately squeezed their triggers as bullets went flying toward Clive, and creating as mass cloud of smoke that would have concealed Clive, if he were still there.

Clive had jumped far into the air, and had a fixed target on the ground, being one of the mechanics on the left side. Ironically enough it was almost as if Clive knew that the mechanic he chose was the only one that noticed Clive emerge from the smoke, and that was because Clive did know. Even through his tinted window, during that split second it took Clive to jump from the smoke Clive saw the soldier see him emerge.

As the other troops kept firing into the smoke, the one who spotted Clive started to aim at Clive as he fell only to be killed instantly Clive ripping right into the top of the mechanic, and landing inside. In their peripheral vision several soldiers had spotted the mechanic next to them as its glass started crackling up as several streams of blood floated out like a sprinkler as the mechanic then fell over. A few screams of acknowledgement led the soldiers to start ripping into the mechanic as Clive busted out.

Clive nestled himself within the infantry as he picked soldiers up, and ripped them apart as they screamed, and other soldiers shot him as he dodged, and soon his relentless dodging led to friendly fire amongst the group as Clive jumped around, and maneuvered his way through as he grappled to the front of DBs, and blasted his arm through the windshield breaking soldiers necks, and exploding their heads.

And Clive like the sick bastard he has become, no who he always was had been laughing the whole way through as he even put the effort into quickly torturing, and killing soldiers he had known all this time before killing them. He even being a commander most of them looked up to. His relentless power was too much for their clunky technology to handle. Clive slowed his assault till he could hear more vehicles coming his way.

Radio transmissions were being made between soldiers traveling through Requiem to pinpoint Clive’s location. Clive wasn’t even hiding though, he was just moving so fast. An Armored DB swung around as the back opened, and as the soldiers were making their way out Clive rammed the back crushing the back of the vehicle, and crushing four soldiers. He ripped his way out of the now devastated vehicles. “How fun.” Clive said as he ripped through soldiers, and mechanics. Back in the train Mason was next to Miller, and was trying to keep him conscious.

“I need to get you help sir, let me carry you!” Mason demanded as he lightly shook him to keep him awake.

“Just leave me alone! There is no point.” Miller said. Miller’s sight, and hearing was fading as he then grabbed Mason’s arm.

“Is Clive gone?” Miller asked Mason. Mason looked out to the city as he could still see Clive reeking destruction.

Mason shook his head, and said “He put on quite a show but we chased him off!” Mason said lying to Miller as Miller grew a faint smile.

“Good.” He said as he started choking. He let go of Mason’s arm, and grabbed his hand.

“Do you still have that blank check?” Miller asked as he looked over at the slip of paper.

“Yes sir I do.” Mason said as Miller shook his head. “That is good, now all you have to do is end this. Don’t let him get away with this.” Miller said as he shut his eyes.

Mason gritted his teeth. “Clive!” Mason screamed with a long, and stretched out pitch. Clive heard his cry of anger but ignored it as he continued to pounce Requiem soldiers. Mason ran through toward the front of the train a few cars as he entered the car Sylvia was in as she noticed him jetting forward, and tried to grab his arm but couldn’t reach until Sam grabbed it for her.

“Mason what’s going on!?” Mason was asked as he looked them in the eye fiercely.

“I am getting this train moving! Clive killed Miller!” Mason told them with a harsh expression.

“Uncle Miller’s dead?” Sam said softly as Mason kept running. Mason got the train moving again. And below Clive was starting to get bored. He killed the nearest soldier as he started looking around, and scoping out the city.

“I have probably done enough damage for now. After all I need this place to be sufficient enough to produce whatever it is Mason is planning. All I need to do now is to set the place & time.” Clive said as he darted off quickly.

The Train arrived at the station, and opened its doors as people started rushing out quickly. Mason was still inside as he was checking on Sylvia who was sitting helplessly in her wheelchair. Once he found her ran to her. Leaning down towards her to let her know he was here now.

“Do not worry Sylvia, I am working on it. Clive isn’t going to get away with this.” He told her as he brushed her cheek.

“Wheel her out of here Sam!” Mason ordered as Sam also stood there in shock.

Mason slapped him to snap Sam out of it, and Sam shook his head. Mason started to walk his way out of the train as he bumped into a large, rough object. As he fell down he opened his eyes, and immediately started pushing himself back to get away. Clive had been standing there waiting for him.

“I almost forgot to set a time. Exactly five months from today at 3:00 A.M when the evil spirits are most active you are going to show me what it is you were planning for me at the old Requiem air force base further north. I do not want you to bring more people than Sam, and you, and hell even Sylvia if it will even make a difference. I will be bringing an army of irons. Funnily enough their DNA was a part of the serum so they could control, and kill them but to me they will be enforcers.” Clive said as he ran off into the distance, and jumped immeasurably high.

Mason lifted himself off the ground as he looked back into the train as Sylvia, and Sam stood behind him. Sam stared at him, and Mason remembered that that would be Sam’s first time having ever seen Clive’s new form.

“That was what killed Wayne?” Sam asked as he fell to the ground.

“Sam!” Sylvia yelled as Mason ran over to scoop him off the ground.

“I will be fine.” Sam said.

“You take Sylvia home, and then you get to work.” Sam told him.

“What do you mean get to work?” Mason asked.

Sam looked at Mason. “He said that we were to meet him at the old Requiem air force base right? You have an admiral to talk to. On the other hand you have an admiral to beg to I mean.” Sam told him.

“Why?” Mason asked.

“Because the old base is next to the Ocean. Admiral Stacey could bomb the place from miles out at sea. Be careful though. You haven’t met that woman, and she is a she-devil.” Sam told him.

Mason taking Sam’s advice grabbed Sylvia, and strolled away as he looked for some military personnel left to give him a ride. After he got Sylvia back home he got her into bed, and drove off again asking the soldier to take him to Admiral Stacey, and the soldier insisted that he didn’t but Mason said it was urgent. He was able to get the soldier to take him to the docks where she might be. When Clive came she was out at sea but she was here now, and she was angry, and confused.

“That doesn’t make any sense! What has been destroying the city!?” the Admiral was speaking angrily into the phone as on the other side of her office was one of her navy men, and Mason as the man knocked on her door.

“What!?” she screamed as the soldier explained that Mason Wright had come to talk to her. She recognized the name, and without speaking another word to the person on the phone she hung up.

“Bring him in! Finally somebody to talk to that isn’t a waste of my time.”

Mason approached her. “You are Admiral Stacey?” Mason asks as she shakes her head.

“Mason isn’t it? Why don’t you take a seat?” she asked politely as Mason said he was fine.

“Sit!” Stacey demanded. Mason jumped a bit, and then sat down. Stacey went back to smiling.

“Sorry, I don’t like men looking down on me. Whether it is literally or not.” She told him. Mason stared at her with a slight bit of resentment. Her smile disappeared again.

“Yeah Mason, no need to apologize or anything.” She said.

“With all due respect miss I have something seriously important to ask.” Mason asked quickly as she started waving her hand. Mason was unsettled, and confused. He didn’t know what she wanted while she was making that hand motion.

“Well get on with it! That is what this means.” Stacey said while putting more emphasis on her hand movements. Mason caught himself as he remembered his train of thought but was again interrupted by the Admiral.

“Never mind what you want Mason, first what I need to know is what was going on outside. And then I will listen to whatever it is you want.”

Mason was getting frustrated with her. He knew after hearing that Requiem was next to the water that he would more than definitely need her help. The problem was talking to her face to face, and Mason was worried that he wouldn’t be able to reason with her. Mason sucked it up, and explained Clive’s involvement in the attack, and what he did to the city, and to Miller.

“Are you ready to listen to my request!?” Mason demanded as she looked at him with a scowl almost prompting Mason to back down.

“I will listen, so you better be grateful.” She said as she leaned in to listen.

“Okay, I need your help! Five months from now we are to meet Clive in battle at the old Requiem air force base. But it is only supposed to be three of us. What we need from you since he will be bringing a barrage of irons with him is we need you to be out at sea, and deal artillery. I have a feeling if we bring an army trailing behind us he won’t think twice about escaping. Since he said come alone and all. But with intense support from the sea he will be pinned down.”

“That is why we need your help.” Mason explained.

Stacey looked at him like he was stupid. “He did all that to the city, and the three of you are going to fight him… with what?” Stacey asked.

Mason then smiled, and looked at her. “To be honest with you I wasn’t planning on brining an army to the fight anyway. With all those men there on the battlefield with us they would get in the way.” Mason said with one big grin.

“I am going to start development on three prototype weapons that combine the strengths of the Armored DB, and the mechanics with almost none of the weaknesses. Those are what I will defeat Clive with, and help from you of course.” Mason said as he sat back with a prideful smile.

“Wipe that look off your face in front of me because it is making me sick.” Stacey said as Mason stopped smiling.

“Well I guess you better get started Mason, and don’t worry about having our support because you do. From what Miller told me it would seem that Clive would interested in ruling us. Though I wouldn’t mind continuing to have his sexy self around a little longer I have to say that nobody is going to rule me.” Admiral Stacey said.

She then started twiddling her thumbs, and licked her lips. “I can’t say that I wouldn’t have gotten rid of him eventually.” Stacey said.

Mason was suddenly stricken with fear. “She isn’t someone to mess with.” Mason thought to himself.

“So where are you planning on creating these ultimate vehicles that you told me about?” Stacey asked Mason as Mason put his finger over his five o’clock shadow, and started stroking it. It was almost as if a light bulb went off over his head as he remembered.

“I have a lab that needs dusting off.”

The next day there was a massive garage door opening up in District Three. It was the garage door to the lab of Mason’s used to house the iron they had captured alive. On the outside in front of the door was Mason who also had Sylvia with him being pushed in the wheelchair.

“This is kind of the boring part Sylvia. Are you sure you want to stick around with me?” Mason asked as she shook her head yes, and smiled at him. He smiled back, and then pushed her inside the building. Mason looked around the dusty room.

“It is the perfect size to start building.” Mason said.

He then made a phone call to the military HQ to have certain equipment, and supplies delivered as he started copying his blueprints from his notes to actual blueprint paper, and enlarged it. Sylvia sat back, and watched, and supported him. As the welding gear, and cutting gear were brought along with all the metal, among other supplies Mason requested support from the people who construct the mechanics on a daily basis. He worked relentlessly, and even requested Sylvia that she go home, and rest.

“I am going to be a part of this battle too. If you are going to stay then I am going to stay as well.” She told him.

He was relieved that there was at least one person who wasn’t going to betray him. He looked at Sylvia. He leaned in as her serious face changed to a surprised one as he began to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and returned the favor.

As he slowly pulled away he said “I have to get back to work.” Mason said as he returned to cutting, and welding. Sylvia fell asleep in her chair. When she woke up there were still people working on the pieces to the new weapon. She looked around but couldn’t see Mason anywhere.

“Um excuse me! Where’d Mason go?” she asked one of the workers.

“I think he went home to rest.” one person said, and Sylvia was shocked to hear it.

“That isn’t what happened he went upstairs to work on something special he said.” Another worker told her.

“Thank you!” She said as the worker waved, and smiled before going back to work. Sylvia started using her one hand to wheel herself outside, and next to the staircase to go to the upstairs portion of the lab. She opened the door revealing the staircase, and she immediately hesitated. She swallowed, and crawled out of her chair, and started climbing the steps. After she was three or so steps up she was kicked lightly in the can by somebody as she got frustrated, and turned around flipping off who was behind her as she saw Sam. Mason had already been working two weeks, and they hadn’t quite gotten much done, and in that time Sam hadn’t shown himself once but they were giving him his space.

“Would you like some help?” he said to her as she lay on the staircase.

“That would be nice, thank you.” She said almost speechlessly from actually seeing Sam. He folded up her wheelchair, and then picked her up, and carried both up the steps.

“It is good to see you again Sam.” Sylvia said.

“Are you sure you should say things like that to a man whose carrying you princess style? Mason might get the wrong idea.” Sam said jokingly.

“Shut up!” Sylvia said. “But at least you have your since of humor back. Ever since Dean died you had become a rough, and tough badass. It didn’t suit you.” Sylvia told him.

Sam opened the door to the upstairs, and Mason was standing, and leaning over the table fiddling with some copper wire. Sylvia glanced over at a set of blueprints on the table, and saw the inners, and workings of what looked like a robotic hand.

“Is that a hand!?” Sylvia asked as Mason looked over his shoulder. “Sylvia!” he said as he quickly tried to cover the document but knew it was too late.

“I guess the cats out of the bag. There was going to be a leg too but you didn’t need that for the fight with Clive. I just didn’t want you to get your hopes up is all, you know because it may not work.” Mason said.

“That’s right, I was going to fix you up Edward Elric style.”

“What?”

“It was a Fullmetal Alchemist reference, I am sorry if you didn’t get…”

“No not that! Are you seriously going to give me an arm, and a leg?” Sylvia asked as she looked at the arm, and leg she had. Mason smiled at her.

“I would even if it cost me an arm, and a leg.” He said.

Sam looked in amazement at what Mason was trying to make. “This is something you think you can actually do?” Mason looked at him.

“Well yeah this should be easy enough. What I wouldn’t be able to do is make a nuclear bomb. If I could then I would just bomb him at the specific time but this is the next best thing. Well this, and those armored suits we’re developing down stairs.” Sam walked over to the window to look at the crew downstairs working on the armored weapon of Mason’s.

“I thought it was weird that you wanted me to join in the battle even though I didn’t have two arms, and two legs.” Sylvia said. Mason looked at her.

“Well we are going to defeat Clive, together.” Mason then swept up Sylvia, and started taking her downstairs as he had Sam grab the wheelchair. She wasn’t as heavy to him as when he picked her up back in Columbus when he put her in bed but she was missing a few limbs now.

“I am going back down to help with the suits. Hopefully soon you will be able to walk down these stairs on your own.” Mason said as he carried her.

Sylvia looked up at him as he carried her down the stairs. She looked at him, and saw a different man than the one she rescued from the pits of apocalyptic America. When she was known as Rust. Now he has purpose, and determination she thought. After the span of two, and a half months they had a fully created, and functional prototype of Mason’s very own Combat Engineer Mark 1. It had every ability, and strength of the Armored DB, and mechanic with little to none of the weaknesses. It had built in flame thrower that has a reach of twenty feet, and it can match Clive in speed once it gets going. And unlike the flimsy metal, and work done on the mechanics, and Armored DBs since they are mass assembly line produced but the Combat Engineer is a custom, and handmade model. It will not bend to Clive’s strength easily.

“With this weapon, and our resolve. Along with the element of surprise against Clive there is no way that we will lose.” Mason said as the other workers cheered at what they have accomplished.

“Are we going to take this thing to the training ground for mechanics Mason?” Sam asked as Mason shook his head.

“Yeah you go ahead, and get acquainted with it. I have a surgery to perform as Mason looked over at Sylvia.

“They’re finished aren’t they?” Sylvia asked as Mason shook his head.

Sam sat in the spacious cockpit to get a feeling for the controls as he started reading the directions, and trying to get a feel for the vehicle. “I see.” Sam said as he started gripping the controls, and had a hand on each of the two levers. The levers were surrounded with buttons in certain places, and all right next to each other, and a lot of them placed on the handles themselves while there were also several driving pedals, and mechanisms at the bottom as he learned how to walk with the Combat Engineer.

He noticed a pushing mechanism that looked like a slightly different, and much smaller version of the lever that propels the Armored DB to jump into the air. “No way.” Sam said as he jumped through the manual again. He found what he was looking for, and it was the same jumping mechanism. And in the combat engineer it would recharge much faster. The Combat Engineer could also jump regularly as if it were a human but that didn’t bolster nearly as much power or height.

Sam began practicing all the movements, and maneuvers as he learned how to reload the giant sized assault rifle packed with it, and as he switched between the rifle, and the grenade launcher, and the knife. The Combat Engineer had a holster for every single weapon that goes with it. Sam got out, and started speaking with some of the commanders trying to test this things speed to a DB. The commander agreed since he heard that the weapon that Sam was using would be used against Clive.

Soldiers gathered in awe. They saw the unknown machine paired up with the DBs, the fastest vehicle in Requiem. “Here we go.” Sam said as the commander shot off a gun to signal that the race has started. At first the DBs had the Combat Engineer beat but once it got a running start then it was able to beat out the Armored DB at top speed while the Combat Engineer was still picking up speed. “Woo!” Sam said as he started to slow down. Sam got back to start to thank the commander. And ironically Bellmore was the one who let this race take place. He understood the importance of testing this machine and was a little less uptight after taking on a little of Miller’s responsibility. He was sad, after all Miller was his friend. He wanted Clive dead as much as others.

It had been five hours that Sam had been learning how to move around, shoot, and control the Combat Engineer, and Mason then walked up to the Combat Engineer to scope it out. Sam looked out the windshield. He saw Mason standing, and standing next to him was Sylvia. He looked at her shocked. She was actually standing. He jumped out of the vehicle, and he ran to meet them.

“Sylvia! Mason!” Sam said as he ran over to them. He got up to them, and grabbed Mason by the shoulders.

“You actually did it! And not Just with Sylvia, this Combat Engineer is phenomenal as well!” Sam told Mason with excitement.

“I figured it would be. We need the best to stop Clive. Clive is cocky, and thinks he can stop humanities best.” Mason said happily. Mason then grew more serious.

“But he is cocky for a reason too, and we can’t forget that. We are going to have to be vigilant, and we are going to have to work hard to learn the ins and outs of these machines.” Mason said as Sylvia then hopped to it, and started making her way to the Combat Engineer.

“Getting to work already?” Mason said as she walked, and she then turned to face him, and flexed her robotic arm.

“I have to start breaking these in, and I figure I would start learning now.” She said. Mason smiled, and said okay as he then turned to face Sam.

“Well how does it pilot?” Mason asked.

“You get pretty used to it after a while, and it is even faster than a DB when it starts to get going.” Sam told him as Mason shook his head, and smiled.

“It will be even better after the other two prototypes are made. We will improve upon them until judgment day, and when that day comes, we will end Clive.” Mason said as Sam put his hand out to shake Mason’s. “We cool?” Sam asks as Mason looks at him.

“If this is about the whole you blaming me for Dean, and Romeo thing then we have been cool for a while. And when this is all over I think I will return his gun to him. To the bottom of the ocean.” Mason said.