The storm

Chapter 27

The Storm

“Why are they attacking us!”

“I repeat, I repeat the Mechs have started firing on human units.”

“Onyx, come in do you read me, it’s a massacre down here, the mechs they’ve started firing on our units.”

Screaming and shouting coming from the new Aurora soldiers pierced through the consistent sound of guns firing off in the distance. Left and right the soldiers around Obsidian fell to the ground. He dove behind the cover of a tree as bullets tore large chunks of bark out of it. He peeked his rifle out and returned fire to the mechs and the rebels now joining the fight.

“God dammit, the coms are jammed.”

“Were outnumbered fall back.”

“Stand your ground! Dammit Onyx do you read me.”

Obsidian continued to try and reach outside communication, but it was pointless. Whatever was affecting the mechs and drones had to be interfering with the communication network. While the other men fell back Obsidian pushed forward. Cutting down any mech or rebel that got in his path. He knew the meet up point as just beyond the pond, so he moved around it being smart and using the benches and light polls that dotted the pond as cover.

***

“You guys stick with me; we are getting out of here.”

“What about Locke? he just ran off once the madness started.”

“Locke will be alright don’t worry about him, just keep it moving.”

Ki shouted from the back with Haiden taking the lead, raced toward the nearest exit with Autumn, Atif and Ki right behind her. She reached down toward the ground, scooping up the rifle of a fallen soldier and took cover behind a tree. She motioned for the other to take cover as patches of bodies ran across the walking path in a mad dash for safety as a group of Mechs followed close behind.

“Remember Mechs are friendlies”

Haiden reinforced, stepping out for her cover she continued to lead the group out of harms way.

“So, Haiden what is the plan here?”

Atif ducked a haymaker from a random soldier that jumped out at her. Thrusting her knee into his midsection. Autumn connected a punch to the chin of another soldier as it attempted to sneak up behind Atif. Even Ki got his hands dirty, grabbing a handful of hair he easily smashed a man’s face into the hard bark of a nearby tree. Haiden pushed Ki out of the way and raised her rifle, firing small bursts of bullets into the grouping of man as the scrambled in the party’s direction.

“We just need to get out of here and find Kezonto and Locke. My job here is done, Rexlacon got Lazard’s message.”

Haiden explained laying down cover fire for Ki and the others to advance further ahead. Within moments, one after another they leaped the granite wall surrounding the reserve. Beyond the wall it was no different, pure and utter chaos as New Aurora forces battled their own mechs and the rebels that came in to provide support. Snipers that were once safe in the perches now fell victim to the very machines; they trusted their back too. Soon the screams of women and children could be heard echoing through the streets of Busaya as innocent citizens started pouring into Busaya’s once restricted southside.

“We don’t need to find Locke, he knows the meet up point, he will meet us there.”

“The meet up point, Ki that’s on the other side of the city.”

“I know Atif, that is why we need to move fast and catch the next train to northern garden. Before they shut the trainlines down to trap the rebels.”

The group ran in unison through the battle that was slowly starting to spill out into the blocks occupied by the founder’s festival. To Ki it seemed like the mech corruption wasn’t an isolated incident as all around them from the mechs patrolling the streets to the ones posted in high end restaurants and entertainment venues all started to gun down anything New Aurora. From high-ranking officers in the armed forces down to newly enlisted grunts, no uniform was spared. The once small five-man cells now had momentum in abundance as they assisted their newfound allies finally taking it to New Aurora. Not only did the rebel assist with assault but they also shield citizens, reunited mothers with their children. They looked like normal people, to the brainwashed citizens of Busaya. No markings, just normal looking people attacking soldiers and saving children.

As the party scrambled and fought their way through the mass confusion. They ran into a unit of riot guards closing in on them. Beating down citizen, rebel and mech alike without discrimination.

“They don’t look armed.”

Haiden didn’t hesitate and tossed her rifle to the ground and raised her hands. They may have been a riot unit, but she didn’t want to take the chance of them popping off shots and hitting one of her friends.

“Stay where you are! Don’t move!”

The riot leader shouted as he and his unit slowly closed in on Haiden and the others.

“What is the move here.”

Atif looked around at Ki, Autumn and Haiden shifting her stance and preparing to fight. Just then the soldiers watching the rear of the unit started shouting and running. The party looked just beyond the riot unit at the military transport barreling down the road. Mechs hung from the driver and passenger side doors, clawing and grabbing at the men frantically trying to escape. Rebels tried to save as many lives as they could, pulling citizens out of the way of transport. Even going as far as giving their own lives in the process.

The riot squad saw the transport vehicle and started to make a run for safety. At the rate the truck was traveling the party had no choice but to spilt up to avoid the runaway truck. With Autumn and Atif going in one direction and Ki and Haiden going in another. Now separated the two groups attempted to reconnect with each other, only for the gunfire from rebels and New Aurora forces alike forcing them apart.

“Meet up at the Applegrove station, we can hop the train there!”

Ki shouted amongst the chaos to Autumn and Atif, who didn’t waste time standing around and made their way toward the Applegrove station.

“Follow me Atif, there is a park around here we can cut through to get to Applegrove.”

“Good, because I don’t know where the hell we are or, what is going on. All I know is people are dying out here Auttie”

“You wanted adventure Atif, well you got it.”

***

Obsidian aimed his rifle from the cover of the darkness; it was silent as the scene inside the reserve had died to complete stillness. All he heard was the brushing of grass against his blood-stained boots as he advanced closer toward the extraction point.

He crotched close to the ground, looking over the pavilion encircled by flowers. The uneasy silence was broken when Rexlacon as well as two rebels stood over the bodies of Roland and Seth chatting. Chatting as if nothing in the world was wrong and the city around them wasn’t falling into chaos.

“How did you know, it was him?”

A rebel questioned

“I didn’t till he entered the park, I’m ashamed we didn’t manage to get them all.”

Rexlacon looked up at the assortment of unconscious rebels Locke and Shima had dispatched in their escape.

“The other one, Keyon he entered the park, but I didn’t see him with them.”

“That’s fine, same with the female they weren’t the ones leaking information to New Aurora, they are just as much as a target as you and me, they won’t get far.”

Rexlacon folded his hand behind his back, taking in a deep breath of air. Before he could say another word two shots rang out piercing the skulls of the two soldiers with Rexlacon painting the beautiful arrangement of flowers with a fresh coat of blood. Rexlacon didn’t flinch and slowly turned around to Obsidian slowly advancing on his position, rifle at the ready.

“So, it IS you, after all these years my brother, we, we thought you were dead.”

“Obsidian, it’s been a long time.”

“Stop the bullshit, Sebastien what is this all about? Why have you turned on New Aurora? How are you still alive?”

“Hot headed as ever I see. How is my good old friend Onyx.”

“Good, making sure your plan to kill your father doesn’t succeed.”

“Kill my father? Obsidian, my father has been dead a long time, this is not what all this is about.”

He raised his arms wide into the air arrogantly, mocking Obsidian slowly lowering them as he smiled at this person from his past.

“Then what Sebastien, what is this all about? Faking your death, leading the rebellion against your home, your people.”

The grip on his rifle tightens as he inched closer toward Sebastien. Sebastien didn’t move and smiled as his best friend’s little brother attempted to play touch guy.

“It is good to see you recovered from that incident.”

“Recovered isn’t the word I would use.”

“I mean your prosthetics; you should really be thanking me, not pointing a gun at me.”

He threw his hands behind his back slowly walking, circling Obsidian as he spoke.

“Yeah, and why is that?”

Sebastien arrogantly chuckled, pushing up his glasses.

“Well, I did redevelop the tech they used to create your mechanical leg and forearm.”

Obsidian’s leg went limp from underneath him, and his hand lost control of the grip on his rifle as he crumbled toward the bed of flowers. Sebastien knelt over Obsidian smirking at the soldier’s predicament.

“Now sit tight right here for a little while I only need a little more time and I don’t need you running to big bro.”

He stood up and casually walked away as Obsidian crawled after him.

“It was good seeing you again Obsidian, glad you’re doing good kid.”

With his frustrations reaching a boiling point Obsidian threw the past aside and with his good hand drew his sidearm and fired a single shot into the back of Sebastien’s head and watched as the rebel leader fell face first into the field of flowers. For a moment, everything was still, Obsidian still holding his pistol in the air pointed in Sebastien’s direction. He dropped his aim, using his good arm and what remained of his other Obsidian crawled his way over toward the body of Sebastien. He took a good look at the body and watched as sparks fired out of the opening in its head. He lay on his back looking up into the night sky overhead. Watching as the fireworks from the festival were still firing off.

“Of course it was a synthetic human, why wouldn’t have been a synthetic human, this is Sebastien we are talking about.”

He didn’t move a inch as flashlights started to beam in his direction and the chatter of soldiers approaching caught his attention.

“Like I said hot headed as ever, even with one arm and one leg.”

Sebastien proclaimed to himself as he casually sipped his beer and typed furiously upon his keyboard. While the war was being fought on the streets, he was fighting a one-man war against Busaya’s AI infostructure all to free the enslaved minds of the processed humans.

***

“Obsidian, come in, Obsidian answer me!”

“Looks likes comms are down, as well.”

Duval fired his rifle into the squad of mechs that was closing in on the kitchen area of the presidential banquet hall. Throughout the dining area his pack of wolves shredded humans and mechs alike. Daphane with the assistance of her Husband dropped mech after mech with accurate head shots, not missing a single shot between the two of them. Onyx was safeguarding the founder, staying right on his hip and keeping him out of the line of fire. He radioed his little brother frantically hoping for even the smallest chance he could hear him. He had to think quickly as the situation just outside the kitchen was getting unmanageable with the corruption of the mechs. It was to the point the Duval had to call off his wolves and Daphane and Gabe were running out of ammo. That is when Onyx made the call to abandon the banquet hall and evacuate the founder to the aerostation.

“Mr. Solomon follow me, were going to get you out of this.”

Onyx Grabbed hold of the founder and ushered him through the kitchen toward the back door. His team retreated behind him securing his escape route. In the alley that ran alongside the banquet hall, Onyx and his team found a moment to breathe. Duval had his wolves guarding both ends of the alley, while Daphane and Gabe pushed a dumpster, blocking the door they came from.

“Daphane, Gabe I want you to use this tracking data to track down any members of Deathwatch. Duval, I need you to check on my brother and Seth, I’ll take care of the founder’s transport to the Aerostation”

“Roger!”

They had their orders, and now there was nothing else to do but execute. Daphane and Gabe took to the main street, each fiddling with their PCDs. Weaponry and battle armor manifested itself and the couple broke into a sprint, following Deathwatch’s tracking data. Duval took to the alleyways, his pack following his lead.

“This way Mr. Solomon, Its important you do what I say when I say it.”

“Of course, Onyx, this is the reason I wanted you.”

“You have nothing to worry about sir; I know your importance to New Aurora’s future.”

Onyx reached into his jacket pocket and removed the contact case Obsidian had given him. The ghost tech, that could fool Busaya’s facial recognition software. He gave them to the founder to put them on, hoping to camouflage him from the mechs. Allowing him to concentrate on any rebels they may come across in their mad dash toward the aerostation. He had to switch up the escape plan now with the mech corrupted, He knew where patrols were the weakest, the number of mechs stationed in those areas. Down to the number of drones and their patrol routes, he knew it all.

For a while they had to push and shove through the masses of people screaming and shouting. They stepped over the bodies of Soldiers and disabled mechs, ducking in and out of alleyways. Together they navigated the heart of the festival precession, toward the less hectic streets of Northern Garden. He swung the door open to an apartment complex, with his weapon drawn he checked his corners. Onyx ushered the Founder into the building and closed the door behind him. The founder took a seat in the lobby as Onyx bolted the front door and secured the area.

“Sir, please use this time to rest up after this we will be moving non-stop to the aerostation.”

He turned his back to the Founder and tried to reach Central Command using his communicator. The only answer that he got from the other end was deathly silence.

***

“That’s her, the Deathwatch chick, do not allow her to escape.”

The rebel cell charged down the train platform, armed with bats, machetes or any type of weapon they could get their hands on. She looked over her shoulder at the group of four rebels hot on her heels and right behind them a man in a floral shirt and cowboy hat. As she looked ahead, descending from the upper platform, another group of rebels casually stepped down its staircase blocking Shima’s escape. That didn’t stop her, Shima moved faster and started gathering her essence into her upper body. She grabbed a trash receptacle, ripping it right from the bolts securing it to the frame and launched it at the rebels. Two of them couldn’t move in time and got knocked back, creating a bottleneck at the staircase. This bought Shima the time she needed to turn around and dodge the blade of another rebel’s attack, stepping back as bits of ceramic tiles scattered everywhere once the machete hit a pillar. A quick right, a quick left, Shima struck the rebel. Before he could react, she was able to disarm him and throw him in a headlock.

Grabbing the man by his pants Shima powerlifted the man and tossed the man over her shoulder into some more rebels. She couldn’t stop, they kept coming and she kept fighting back, dropping one after another. One of the rebels was about to tackle Shima from behind when Locke intervened. Grabbing hold of a handful of fabric, Locke yanked the rebel, tossing her to the ground behind him. He kicked another rebel in the back of his knee, wrapping his arm around his neck and held him straight up. After dropping another rebel with a right hook Shima turned around, thrusting heavy body blows to the man Locke was holding up.

She stopped for a moment, punching the female rebel coming from behind Locke to assist her friend. Stripping the rebel of her bat, Shima stuck her in the mid-section full force with it and watched her crumble to the ground. Locke tightened his grip around the rebel’s neck, putting him to sleep. He didn’t take care with the man, releasing his hold and letting his body drop to the ground.

“The next train to Northern Garden arrives in five minutes.”

The intercoms in the station echoed through the now still train station with Shima and Locke the only two left standing on the train platform.

“Salamance wasn’t lying when he said you two have been training. If you’re like this, I can only Imagine Kezonto.”

Locke looked at Shima, she tossed the wooden bat to the ground, giving Locke a concerning look.

“If who I think Rexlacon was talking about being the rat, Then Kezonto could be walking into a trap.”