AMP Rebellion (22 page)

I replied, "Good luck with that York. Those battle suits can take a bazooka dead on without showing a dent."

York replied, "One thing Gy showed me just before I left Sir. These Helgron suits are only like that for high impacts. You hit them hard and fast and they do some type of rapid crystallization that makes them extremely tough."

York, using her other arm, clumsily flipped open a panel on the forearm of the arm that gripped the Durian’s neck, a sequence of buttons were pressed and the panel closed.

York smiled as she looked at the Durian, "You should fear me now!"

In an instant it was apparent that York’s prosthetic arm was hydraulically tightening its hand around the Durian’s throat. The Durian began to struggle with what little movement he had available. York’s hand continued to close and the Durian’s head soon went limp. York released her grip and once again opened the panel to restore her arm to its normal function.

York replied, "See how that suit popped back out to its original size. What you can’t see is the bloody mess inside. I just left this clown with a pencil neck Sir. He won’t be blasting anyone else."

Frost put her hand on York’s shoulder. "Welcome back to the action Yorkie!"

Frost peered around the corner using her mirror.

Frost spoke, "Sir, the Durian we first hit remains in the same place. The rest of his squad is gone. You can hear the thuds from their blasters so they are still nearby. And the Durian has a helper that appears to be analyzing the suit problem. If Morgan can hit his friend I think we can have two of them to pick on Sir."

I gave a nod and 15 seconds later Morgan was being pushed out beyond the corner of the hallway.

Boop… splat!

The second Helgron was now held in a crouched position. Repeated blaster bolts came down the hallway, impacting the wall just across from us.

I spoke, "Here’s what I want. We are going to roll a TIG down there and the instant it goes off I want Morgan out there to immobilize their arms. We should have a few seconds from the time that TIG detonates until they are able to switch their weapons to negative field. That should buy us time for Morgan to pop off another glue round."

Frost replied, "The standing Helgron should be done first. He is in the better firing position. Freeze him up and we may be able to walk that hall Sir."

I replied, "Do it!"

Several second later a TIG detonated.

Pop!

Morgan followed with a quick shot and the blaster threat from the Durian Helgrons came to an end. York immediately pushed her way past the others and turned the corner towards the frozen enemy.

I yelled, "York! What are you doing! It’s not safe out there."

York replied, "Safe enough Sir! That clown can’t shoot at anything in this direction. I’m going to give each of them a squeeze so we can continue on."

York continued her wonky walk down the hallway. Each Durian used the body parts they could in an attempt to defend themselves. During York’s final steps she recoded her right arm to once again enable the slow hydraulics.

York spoke as she clasped her prosthetic hand around the kneeling Durian’s throat, "Say goodbye sucker."

With a sure, quiet squeeze, the kneeling Helgron shook violently for a moment and then went silent. In less than a minute the second Helgron met with the same fate. Two shiny black battle suits now held the remains of the dead Durian soldiers, frozen in position as if statues in memorial to others who had perished. York stepped back and looked at the standing Durian for several seconds before pushing it over. There would be no honor or respect bestowed upon the fallen Durians by York. To her, they were little more than common trash that sullied the halls of the Grid.

I spoke to Frost as we approached York, "You were right Frost. She is crazy."

Frost replied, "Funny thing is Sir. You take York out of all this and she becomes the kindest, gentlest soul you will ever know. She has control of an On/Off switch in there somewhere Sir. It’s kind of scary."

We moved down the hallway towards the sound of blaster fire. After two additional turns we were again just around the corner from the Helgron fighters as they pushed against some unknown defenders.

I spoke, "Whoever it is they are fighting, they have done a good job of keeping those Helgrons just far enough away."

Aaron replied, "We still don’t have a clue as to who they are Sir? It’s got to either be civilians, whom I can’t even imagine, or an individual who has lost their comm. Still, even that one is a stretch Sir."

Frost peered around the corner and reported back. "I only see four Helgrons Sir. It looks like the remainder of that same squad. How would you like to handle this?"

I replied, "I think we follow the same plan."

Morgan spoke, "I have an option Sir. If I can catch them at just the right angle I should be able to hit either the front of the shoulder that is closest to us or the back, depending on the angle. If I can do that there is a good chance that glue will cover shoulder to shoulder. It would really cut down on their ability to fire those blasters."

Aaron replied, "If you want I can take a shot first to see if I can spin them slightly in one direction."

I shook my head, "I don't like having two people out on that floor. Let's just let Morgan take his best shot. How fast can we reload between shots if needed?"

Morgan replied, "My best guess right now is eight seconds. Jeb didn't have time to automate or improve this weapon for us. It's basically a shotgun, but it has a few tweaks that make is slow to load."

I spoke, "Well, let's get this show on the road. The longer we wait the more difficult our future is going to be."

Frost and Aaron prepared to push Morgan out into the hallway.

Rodriguez spoke, "Sir, I think we should employ a TIG just after Morgan's shot like last time. If we time it right he can reload and pop a second one before they have a chance to fire at him. I would like the honor Sir."

I replied, "Maria, you have been quiet for a while, glad to see you stepping up. I know I can count on a quality job from you when you participate. When Morgan fires, count five seconds, pull your pin and release. Morgan, be ready to reload for a second shot."

Morgan was again thrust part way into the hallway. His aim was perfect, striking the nearest Helgron on the left shoulder and traveling across his upper torso to the right. The highly viscous bonding agent immediately settled into the Helgrons joints and stiffened. He was left with his weapon aiming slightly up towards the ceiling. An added benefit to the high strike was that the liquid spilled downward quickly, also locking his hips in place. The Helgron's only options for movement were his head, knees and ankles."

Two ion bolts came sizzling down the hallway followed five seconds later by a TIG thrown by Maria Rodriguez.

Pop!

Again Morgan was thrust into the line of fire and again a Helgron took a critical strike.

Frost waited and then slowly peered around the corner with her tiny mirror. "Ooh! Nice one Morgan. You caught him looking away. Scratch two Helgrons Sir... oh crap! They are coming our way! We got two heading in our direction! Aaron! Take that ankle while he reloads! Move out people!"

Again my squads turned and scrambled down the hall. York had remained at an initial distance from us and now slowly turned and waddled towards the first available corner. I shook my head as we ran past her position.

As we turned the corner Morgan kicked his legs free from Frost and Aaron and lined up in the middle of the hall, waiting for the first Helgron to round the corner and to take aim at York.

I stopped on the corner and aimed my AK down the hall.

The first Helgron came into view.

Boop... splat!

Morgan's shot hit the mark. The liquid splattered from just under the Helgron's chin and first his shoulders and then his hips locked solid. He fell hard into the hall wall as York rounded the corner.

York spoke, "Sorry Sir. Now get your ass down that hallway to safety! I'll take care of myself!"

I again shook my head as I lowered it into her gut, picking her up onto my shoulder. "We aren't leaving you here to fry York. Just try to hang on as I run this hall!"

Morgan rolled out in the other direction and sprinted off down the hall away from us.

Frost and Rodriguez yelled from the next corner, "Come on! Twenty meters! Move it!"

At ten I knew my luck was running out as the Helgron rounded the corner behind me. York released her grip, causing me to lose balance and fall as the first ion bolt sizzled down the hallway. As I slid forward I turned and fired.

Ak-ak-ak-ak-ak-ak-ak!

The Helgron jerked slighlty as each bullet impacted his battle suit. As he raised his weapon and took aim at a struggling York a red energy bolt struck him from the side. The Helgron was rocked and knocked off balance. It was the extra moment Morgan needed for a reload.

Boop... splat!

The Helgron was frozen in position as the glue capsule shattered on the back of his helmet and ran down his suit. A second red energy bolt then knocked him from his feet. His blaster, now aiming at the wall beside him, was useless.

Without hesitation, York picked herself up to her feet and began to waddle down towards the fallen Helgron. Frost stood over me to offer a hand up as the squad watched on.

York spoke as she wrapped her fabricated hand around the Helgron's neck, "I hope you called your momma before coming out here today. The prosthetic hand began to slowly close as York's nerves sent dead-end muscle activation pulses to the prosthetic interface that governed her arms movements. Seconds later the Durian's life was extinguished."

With the immediate threat gone my attention was now turned to the corner in front of me. Who was it that had fired the red energy bolt that had saved my life? Who was the mystery person or persons fighting for the same cause?

As I turned the corner a voice spoke, "Don Grange! You sure do make it hard for a girl to get a hold of you!"

It was Ashley Elizabeth and four of her SCore colleagues.

I replied, "Wow! I was not expecting you. Uh, thanks for the save back there. I was about to get splatte..."

Ashley stepped up and laid a kiss on me that I would never forget. My mind was suddenly in another place where the daily struggles of fighting a war did not exist. For only a moment I was in heaven. My dream was brought back to reality as a clumsy York bumped us as she wobbled by.

York spoke, "Sorry about that Sir, but we got a station to take back. You can finish your little love fest later!"

York looked over her shoulder and spoke with only her lip motion as she moved away, "She's gorgeous Sir! Way to go!"

Ashley released her hug and turned back towards the frozen Helgrons.

Ashley spoke, "You are the ones that saved us Don. I only have one energy pack for this neutron blaster left. Another ten minutes and we would have been overrun."

I replied, "What are you doing out in this section? I thought the SCore agents were all rounded up early on?"

Ashley replied, "After it became apparent that McKinzey was going to turn, 40 of us split off into small groups and went underground."

I replied, "Why haven't we heard you on the comm? We've monitored all the Grid frequencies."

Ashley smiled and replied, "We are SCore Don. We have our own comm system. One of our team made a few mods before we went under that kept us off the normal frequencies."

I spoke, "I have an app for you to downlink to that arm pad. It will get you connected to our system. How many of you are out here?"

Ashley replied, "We had ten teams of four. Eight of those teams have been captured or killed. We need your help Don. That gravity drive control room they destroyed... there are two smaller ones. We and the other team are trying to get to them."

I replied, "We can still jump? This is big! Where are these rooms? I need to get that info to the Colonel so we can secure them!"

Ashley replied, "Uh, no. Sorry Don. We aren’t broadcasting that info. If the Durians have figured out how to monitor your airwaves they would be all over those rooms before we could make use of them, but we could use your help in getting there."

I replied, "Just point the way and we will make it happen. Can you at least tell me what level it is on?"

Ashley replied, "We are heading to Gamma first. We have to retrieve something from there beforehand."

I connected to Frig on the comm. "Frig, I need a scan of Gamma and a path of least resistance to get us there. This is urgent. Can you manage that?"

Frig replied, "I can Sir. May I ask where on Gamma?"

I replied, "No you may not."

I turned to Ashley. "This item we need to retrieve, how big is it?"

Ashley replied, "It’s a control box about a half meter cubed."

I responded, "Is it heavy? Can I carry it?"

Ashley replied, "You can. What are you planning? I will not let that box out of my sight. I am the only one here trained to use it."

A call came over Ashley’s comm. "This is Alvarez, we aren’t going to make it. We almost made it to B23X, but they have us cornered. I’m destroying the console. It’s all up to you Ash. Make it happen!"

The comm went silent. I immediately began to check hallway doors for an open room.

Ak-ak-ak!

I dropped to my knees as I swung my weapon around in the direction of the shots.

I spoke, "Who is firing! What is going on?"

Frost spoke as York came wobbling around the corner, "Its York Sir. It looks like she is wearing a partial Helgron battle suit."

As York got closer she replied, "That’s right. Since those suits would squeeze when gripped slowly I decided to try my knife on them. The material cuts like hard synthetic rubber Sir. I took the liberty of firing a few shots at it after I got it off of him, it still functions Sir, stops bullets and I would image it will still do the same for a blaster. I skinned this one off that dead Durian. I plan on wearing it like a protective vest."

I looked at Frost. "She really is an abomination isn’t she, but I like the idea. See what we can salvage from those other Helgrons, maybe put one of those on Morgan so he can reload and fire as much as he wants."

I turned back to Ashley, "What if I can get you to that control box and back to here without us having to fight anyone off?"

Ashley replied with a puzzled look, "I’m not sure what you are talking about, but the faster we can do this the better chance we have of moving the Grid to a new sector. As long as these invaders can resupply themselves we are set to lose."

I replied, "You will have to trust me with the location of that room."

Ashley thought for a moment and sighed, "It’s on Gamma-12. Room G1219a."

I replied to Frig, "When I find us a room here I will need a full size portal opened. After that we will need to jump to Gamma-12 G1219a. Do us a favor while I’m looking here and get a scan of the area around that Gamma room."

Frig replied, "I am preparing for it now Sir. Let me know the precise location you need for the first portal."

Ashley spoke, "Portal? What portal?"

I twisted the handle on a room and it opened. It was an apartment that was not occupied. The family room up front had adequate space for the creation of a portal. I forwarded the location to Frig.