The airship is back.

Who fucked up now?

R.I.P. New Pittsburgh

Seriously though, why are you assuming this is bad?

DID YOU MISS THE AIRSHIP BOMBING CORPOS THE LAST TIME?!

No, I don't think anyone missed that. Who would be stupid enough to piss off SSS and Woodland Wraith at this point?

*****

MELLISSA LOCKHART

I had Maria take the girls into a store, and continued past it to see who they were after. Unfortunately, the Stalkers split up as well. I deactivated all limits on Haley's armor. Reckoner and Mara had created an AI named Sarah to train and help Haley to fight, if she needed to, but it needed Liza, Billy, or myself to unlock the armor's functions. Billy was the first to call me back, but he wasn't the first to act, as he had gone hunting.

"Lissa, I'll be there as quickly as I can. Call it thirty-three minutes and twenty-seven seconds, you can set a timer." Billy said then hung up. While the amount of time was not great it made me chuckle. It was an inside joke between us, and a reassuring one as he had never been late when he was that specific about how much time it would take him to get somewhere, down to the second. Time Remaining 00:33:25.50

While Liza hadn't called yet, her airship dropped out of stealth and started moving toward the market we were in. It came under fire within a minute. The men following me drew their guns within a couple of seconds of the airship appearing. I checked the cameras and the ones following Maria and the girls had done the same. At that moment all of the billboards and smaller ad screens in the area changed to a view of Liza in full Steampunk Shotgun Sally mode.

"To the fools attempting to either harm or abduct our friends and family: Know that if you do not stop now there will be NO MERCY. To the governments of the Commonwealth and the city of New Pittsburgh: This is the third, NO, FOURTH time you have either set yourselves against us or shielded our enemies. We consider this an act of war. Woodland Sasquatch Wraith, is there anything you wish to say as well?"

While she was speaking; the view switched to the inside of the store with the Stalkers pointing guns at Maria and the girls, then to me in a standoff with more men in the same uniforms. The view finally changed to a forested area with the Wraith fighting a 13 in the center of frame, surrounded by dead antithesis, the eyes of his helmet glowing red. Instead of shooting it or using the chainsaw blades on his arms he was kickboxing it. Once it was sufficiently worn down, he ripped it in half with his hands.

"It seems some people haven't learned shit from the fucking small lessons I've taught so far. So, now I'm going to give you the largest most expensive god damned lesson I can. This war has only just begun, Governor-General, you will fall, just as the companies you are currently using as shields have and will."

The billboards and smaller ad screens returned to displaying what they had before Sally and Wraith made their pronouncement of war. Silence reigned until it was shattered by gunfire from within the store. I checked the cameras to find Maria and the girls safe. The men who had been pointing weapons at them were on the ground, other shoppers had drawn guns of their own and taken them out. Time Remaining 00:28:27.25

I fired on the ones in front of me and they fired back, but they started to take fire from the sides and behind as well. Further down the street more gunfire erupted as another squad of BS attempted to close in. Security guards, gang members, and normal citizens opened fire on them. The guns that had been shooting at the airship hadn't fallen silent. Liza was on her way, but she had to fight her way here. I had a new problem, two APC covered in the BS's colors and logo, were coming down the street several blocks behind me.

Sarah Informed me that one of the shops nearby had offered to hide Maria and the girls in its incursion shelter. I approved and moved to draw the APCs attention. I did this by running up one block and standing at the intersection and firing at them, destroying the turrets on top of the vehicles. They were moving north to south; I ran down the street heading east. I succeeded in getting their attention as they turned to follow me east, away from Maria and the girls. Time Remaining 00:20:27.97

I entered a building that looked abandoned and ran to the elevator, which had power. I hit a button to send it to the sixteenth floor, which had a bridge leading to another building to the east. Then I ran to the stairs intending to go to the eighth floor which also had a bridge to a different building to the north. I used the cyberwarfare and intrusion suites to make it look like I hadn't left the elevator according to the cameras. I had made it to the second floor when the BS squads cautiously entered the building. Once I got to the third floor it was clear the building wasn't abandoned, there just hadn't been any businesses on the first two floors. I watched the cameras and one of the squads went to the elevator, the other to the stairs. I had made it to the fifth floor, but I was running out of steam. I was not in shape after nine months of imprisonment. I could hear the clattering of the boots of the squad behind me getting closer. I made it to the seventh-floor landing and decided I had to turn and fight.

Unlike Liza I hadn't gotten stealth in my dress, I went with more armor. While I wasn't well trained with melee weapons, I had taken some self-defense classes, so my boots had weaponized 4" heels instead of silent footsteps. I took the googles off my hat and placed them over my eyes. I saw the first of the Stalkers a moment before he saw me and blew his torso apart when I shot him, I was able to shoot the second as well. Then they threw a gas grenade, with the goggles on, my vision wasn't obscured. The scarf which covered the lower half of my face, like Liza's, acted like a rebreather. The rest of the squad rushed up the stairs after a minute, expecting me to be unconscious. I fired into the lead Stalker and two behind him died as well.

I ran up to the eighth floor and ran for the bridge, trying to run away from what I had just done. Then Liza called me, almost crying.

"I'm sorry Lissa. I'm so sorry. I'm trying to get to you but there's all these suicidal idiots in the way."

Time Remaining 00:5:00.10

WRAITH

"Mara, is there a vehicle that I can get that is faster than I can fly in this power armor?" I asked, after I had killed a couple of stragglers after ending the broadcast.

There are multiple vehicles available the only question is how many points you wish to spend. With all the Antithesis your traps and you have killed over the last five hours, your point total has reached 6,500.

If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

"Spend all but 500 points, I might need to buy meds before this new situation is fucking done."

May I suggest that you put a little more faith in Elizabeth, she is a Vanguard as well, and kill the hive you found?

"I have faith in Liza, but she can't be in three damn places at once."

There is one that comes with stealth, two retractable gatling gun turrets, two guided missile launchers, heavy armor, and can carry up to five including the pilot. It has a top speed of four hundred twenty miles per hour.

"Get it."

A black hover SUV appeared in front of me I got in and activated the stealth and headed for the god damned city.

Time Remaining 00:25:30.45

SALLY

GOD DAMNED POLITICAL BASTARDS. First, they made my father and I, stop fighting Lurkeroff in court almost four years ago. Second, they told us there was no reason to investigate what had happened to Mellissa nine months ago. Third, they had Red Lancaster try to reprimand me for Lurkeroff's men attacking me only days ago. Fourth, and happening currently, their army and police were shooting at me while a corporation tried to abduct or kill my family and friends.

Speak of the devil. I looked out over the cityscape after a shot actually shook the airship to see Red Lancaster aiming a rather large gun at me. I aimed half of the guns at him while the other half continued firing at the gun emplacements that were shooting at me. Red Lancaster called me, I answered. I had Reckoner take over any and all billboards and communication channels as he possibly could. I didn't let Red Lancaster have the first word.

"Red Lanscaster, are you here to demand that I give up on my selfish vendetta when your side fired on me first?"

"I am here to ask you to stop fighting. This is just a big misunderstanding. I-"

"A MISUNDERSTANDING, A FUCKING MISUNDERSTANDING?! A PMC owed by a company that had previously ordered a different PMC to kill me was following my family and friends. The Commonwealth army opened fire on my airship the moment I had it come out of stealth, and they are still firing at me! You yourself have fired at me! WHAT THE HELL AM I MISUNDERSTANDING?! IF THIS IS NOT AN ACT OF WAR THAN WHAT THE HELL IS?!" I took a few deep breaths to calm myself. "I have ONLY fired on that which has shot at me first this entire time, so if you want me to stop, I suggest you get YOUR FUCKING MASTERS TO STOP SHOOTING AT ME FIRST, YOU GOD DAMNED SPINELESS BOOTLICKING COWARD!"

"Please calm down I assure you I have no masters. Please sto-"

I disconnected from the call but kept the broadcast running, and then I pushed a button on my chair, and the fifty-two guns that I had trained on Red Lancaster fired.

"To all the Samurai in New Pittsburgh: Either help or stay out of the way. If you choose not to help pray that I can end this BEFORE Woodland returns from hunting a hive over in what he calls Boyce Park."

I ended the broadcast. The Commonwealth's troops were still shooting at me. I started firing faster. Sarah informed me that Haley, Rossetta, and Maria were being sheltered in an incursion shelter and that the Bertarelli PMC had men in route.

VORETEXIA

What the ACTUAL HELL?! Woodland Wraith had been her hero when he had taken on the corps, now he was threatening the Governor-General. Woodland Wraith had been hunting a hive alone, the Govenor-General of the Commonwealth and the Mayor had opened fire on Steampunk Shotgun Sally, and Red Lancaster had swallowed the party line again. Steampunk Shotgun Sally was prioritizing the welfare of a few over the whole again. However, now that she is taking her own advice, to look at more than the information the government was giving out, she couldn't blame her this time. It would seem that Comrade Governer-General was in bed with the filthy Capitalist Corporations. While most Samurai didn't like or trust corps, the fact that they distrusted the Commonwealth's current administration less should have made her look more carefully before now as well. It would seem many unfortunate things that had happened to the families of Samurai who spoke in opposition to the party, could be traced back to the some of the same companies causing trouble now and a few others. If she helped the Party, other Samurai would call her a traitor and refuse to work with her or help her like many did to Red Lancaster already. If she helped her fellow Samurai, the Party would label her and her parents who lived a comfortable life in New Harrisburg traitors and with the information now in her hands she knew her parents would likely meet with "accidents".

MATCHBOOK

He had wondered why everything had gone insane. Now looking at the information provided by several Samurai AIs, he knew Sasquatch and Steampunk Shotgun Sally knew too much. Everything had been an effort to silence them before they got too powerful. Sasquatch had destroyed the company that had driven his father's company to ruin. He knew which side of this fight he was going to be on. Hopefully, by getting involved he could spare his home from most of the wrath of the Sasquatch. Everyone knew what had happened at LFC because he had broadcasted it. Though what he did there could turn one's stomach, he had been in a hurry and others had aided in the destruction of the company, everyone, including Voretexia, will be surprised if they saw the true wrath of THE Sasquatch. Samurai from all over the city were calling asking what could be done. He told them to arrest Mayor Casdale, stop the army, (Sally had already demolished 30 gun emplacements), to find and protect the girls that Steampunk Shotgun Sally had called family and friends. It was going to be a long day.

WRAITH

Time remaining 00:10:27

I entered into the city the army and police were still shooting at Sally. Maria and the girls were holed up in an incursion shelter guarded by Bertarelli's PMC and gangs. I noticed other Samurai helping Sally fight the army. I saw that the damned Mayor Casdale had made it to a shuttle and was trying to leave the fucking city. Other Samurai tried to follow her, but found themselves under fire from the police and army like Sally. My missiles locked on; I fired one and Mayor Casdale was no more.

I started making my way to where Lissa was. She was using my mother's program and that made it damned easy for me to find her. I eliminated army and police positions along the way that were slowing Samurai down. Some of the fucking buildings the army and police were holed up in didn't survive.

Time Remaining 00:2:40.6485

I found the building that Lissa was hiding in. I landed in the parking area on the tenth floor of the building next to the one she was in. I headed down to the eighth floor to cross the bridge. Then I just followed the god damned impressive trail of bodies. Mara told me that Lissa had eliminated two fucking whole squads but two more had arrived. One had entered from the other damned side of the building to block her from getting out that way, forcing her to go up and try to get to the fucking twenty first floor to use a bridge on that floor. According to the footage, she barricaded herself in a room and collapsed. Mara stated that according to the readouts from the armor she had collapsed due to exhaustion and stress.

I picked up my pace and came across the fucking group that had been following her. They never knew what the hell hit them as I took them down with my silent SMG. I jogged along and passed the room Lissa had barricaded herself in and found the blocking group. They fell to my blades this time. I returned to the door and called Lissa.

Time Remaining 00:00:10.50420736

"If I'm not fucking mistaken, I'm five seconds early." I said when she answered.

She opened the door and gave me a hug, which was surprising. "Thank you."

"I believe you once told me, friends' lookout for each other's safety, no need for thanks." That brought a small smile to her face as she no doubt remembered the event that caused her to say it. I bought and gave her the meds she needed, to stay moving until we got back to the airship.

"Speaking of that, we should collect Maria and the girls, and get home soon so Liza doesn't have a conniption."

"You're right, but there is some work for me to do on the way."

We picked up the others and thanked everyone who was guarding the shelter. The PMC members got commendations from a Samurai in their files, while I transferred money to the gang members. On the way to the airship, while invisible, I knocked out a couple of the few remaining gun emplacements still firing on it. Sally finished off the rest.

The look of relief on Liza's face when everyone came into the airship unharmed was something I won't soon forget.