A transport truck was driving under the dead gazes of Tokyo’s buildings, the windows once filled with workers and abundant life inside, now a hollow and soulless darkness behind it. There were some unfortunate buildings that either collapsed or were cut in half. It was clear a missile had done the damage, but who? And why would anyone attack a country so advanced and protected by NATO. This answer would even shock the world, and would lead to an unprecedented human extinction.
There were five cloaked figures inside the truck, and another two at the front and driver's seat. The driver was having trouble with the road as bumps would occur every seconds as they were going too fast, naturally, this angered the passengers.
“Can’t you fucking slow down?!” One of the passengers demanded.
“Sorry, Ma’am. But we were ordered to get back to HQ as soon as possible. Can’t take the long pretty roads” The driver responded.
“Ughhh!” Knowing orders were orders, she slumped back on her seat and another bump happened, it pissed her off even more. “Why were we even called to return? We were happy and satisfied at the outskirts of Tokyo.”
“It's the machines. The machines are launching an all-out attack on our base, as the rest of the bases around the world have been defeated. Last stand, Ma’am, gotta fight for humanity’s survival” The last words saddened the driver, and shock and sadness for the rest who heard it.
The rest of the bases were destroyed, that means no one is left but them. Maybe some few survivors here and there that escaped? No, she knew those heartless and cold walking metals would never let any humans live, and they were completely thorough annihilating bases and possible escaped survivors. She once had a friend, a boyfriend, in the west. Their base was big, it was enough to house 10 million people, but after hanging up from talking to them to avoid a possible AI pointing their location, which the internet exists but strictly modified only for comms, 2 weeks passed and they heard the news that the entire populace have been killed. This was confirmed by the 43rd-scout platoon, they returned nothing but dog tags found on the ground with dried blood. His boyfriend’s included. She never got to see his face personally but only pictures sent by him through military mail delivery.
She felt sad, but right now, she has to remain focused and clear headed. Humanity’s life is at stake.
“Do you think we’ll survive this?” one of the passengers inside asked, she sounded low-tone. Scared maybe.
“Don’t know, but if I die, at least I can finally take a rest.” one of them didn’t sound least bit concerned. But that didn't stop the girl's anxiety and concern. She wanted to survive.
“Hey, we’ll get through this alright?” The commander spoke. “We’ve been on the outskirts surviving for seven years, not even those so-called special ops robots could get any of us.”
She nodded. The commander looked for a laminated card in her pockets. When she pulled it out for a look, the truck immediately stopped as she and the rest of her members went flying out of their seats and bumping into each other. One of them yelled in agony as an elbow was struck on their stomach.
“WHAT THE HE-” The commander’s words were cut off immediately.
“SHIT! THE RECONNAISSANCE MACHINES ARE HERE!”
When the 54th-platoon heard that, the painful expression they had earlier suddenly vanished. They hurried to grab their rifles and the riot shields laying on the floor.
“Ma’am! We’ll give you cover! Head into the buildings and return back to the base!” The driver and his partner who was quiet earlier, grabbed their guns too and jumped out of the truck.
“Surrender or I will shoot!” The driver shouted, both of them pointing their guns at the ten figures. He knew these figures would never surrender, but he had to stall time.
However, these reconnaissance robots knew. They waited. They wore armor like designs, it looked futuristic enough and what stood out was the glowing red lights on their visor and some on their ear(not a literal ear but circular red glow) that reached to their neck and exposed a little on their shoulders to their feet.
One of the robots spoke in a metallic rough and glitchy voice.
“Drop your weapons. And we can take this matter peacefully.”
“And shoot us? Hell no” The driver responded in an infuriated tone.
“...” Seeing the humans weren’t complying, the officer of the reconnaissance squad pulled out his pistol in a swift manner and shot his foot. This shocked the driver as he screamed and blood soaked his boots. However, his gun was still pointed at the other robot, and then pointed at the reconnaissance officer. He grinned.
“I would not advise that, private. Last warning, either surrender or be a cold dead body on the ground.”
The driver pulled the trigger, and a loud gunshot was heard in a second. He expected the bullet to go through the officer's head, but the next second the officer leaned left as the bullet passed through the air. He smiled. He knew how advanced these machines programming had become, and that they probably would die here.
“I pity you. Shoot him.” The officer ordered.
‘Heh, they still don’t know about the 54-scout platoon, but by now they must have escaped and told the general of the situation. The general must know the reconnaissance robots are here. Their memory data is too valuable!’
After that, shots began. The enemy had pulled the trigger with no hesitation, the way they aimed and lifted their weapons was too much for the private to catch up to. He closed his eyes. Alas, he can finally rest.
BOOM!
Smoke suddenly exploded under the private’s feet. The robots became wary and circled their officer. One of the robots didn't, it disappeared in the shadows.
The next second, the smoke dissipated as cloaked figures appeared. They were holding riot shields but now utterly looking ugly as it had dents and holes in the edges. The private opened his eyes and to his shock. The scout platoon had not left! What the hell were they still doing here?
“Ma’am! Why didn't you run?! You could've told the general and gotten a promotion from even possibly capturing these machines!” Although he felt grateful to be saved, he still felt bitter that they would all possibly die here in vain.
“Remember our motto?” She said, smiling back as she craned to look at him.
“No man left behind…” Then it snapped to him.
She chuckled. “That’s right. I’m not leaving you or anyone. We fight to the death!”
One of her subordinates coughed. “You mean fight to win, right?”
“Y-yes.. That's what I meant.”
The private, smiled. He felt happy,
“How touching. But now, you die!” The enemy was still there, they fired their weapons as the platoon used their shields to block the bullets, they were being barraged heavily. It was getting destroyed and sooner it would be pierced. The bullets used by the machines were stronger. And the shield wasn't.
“At this point we’re gonna be dead!”
“Move back and hide behind the truck, we cannot exhaust our shield!” The commander yelled.
They followed, and slowly moved back.
“Don’t let them take cover! B1 and B4, rush them with your heat blade!” The enemy officer ordered, fearing they might take cover and use the grenade launcher to bomb them. The privates may not have seen it, but earlier he caught a glimpse of the grenade launcher’s barrel in one of the cloaked figures hands when the smoke dissipated. That was the cause of the smoke screen that saved the two soldiers.
The two robots immediately dashed forward with insane speed, there was a distance between them about 10 meters and the truck between the scout platoon was 2 two. If they could not kill them they would be killed.
“Shit! Those two are on to us!”
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“No shit! Aerial and Amy, use your holo shields![1]” The commander shouted, the gunshots were too loud. And if they aren’t careful, they're as good as dead.
The two girls nodded as they closed their eyes to focus. Their mind became calm, their surroundings slowed in a time, everything was different now. They suddenly opened their eyes, before it was just brown or black, now their pupils have become blue.
The soldier who never talked earlier, looked at them in awe. Their skin was slowly becoming black. Veins were aggressively being shown on their arms, legs, and face. Then their entire body was black, except for their hair as it was already black. The quiet soldier turned to look at the driver and made silly hand gestures. It was sign language.
The private noticed him and spoke while covering behind the commander. “ Yes, those women are using nanobots. It makes their skin invulnerable to any physical attacks.” He turned to look at the women who were about to charge at the robots then back at him. “It only lasts for 3 minutes, and if they overdue it- SHIT!” A bullet managed to pierced the shield and got the private’s ear shot. He cupped it with his hands while holding the urge to scream. Blood was pouring between his fingers. It was painful.
“Hang on there, private!” She encouraged.
The quiet soldier looked back at the two women. He was fascinated. If he could have that he, too, could probably become strong. But that thought was interrupted in the moment as a cold and hard grasp stung on his shoulder. He checked over his shoulder and it was a black robotic hand. He was agasp. His gaze then followed the owner's hand and saw a crimson bright color glowing on its visor. It was one of the machines.
He was about to aim and shoot his rifle at him but then felt a stinging pain from his stomach.
The robot spoke in a more clearer and human voice, but sounded angry.
“When you were looking at those humans, I had already arrived behind you. Now you die for your incompetence!"
The robot's hand punched a hole through his guts, the human could only exhale a painful breath as he looked to see a dark metallic fist protruding from his stomach. He tried to take a breath, in and out, but the pain was too much. It only worsened as the robot's fist started to rotate, grinding his innards. He couldn’t scream no more as the robot immediately cut his neck off with a slice of his free hand.
The head dropped to the ground as it rolled over to the private. Blood followed along. The private felt something bumping his boots. He looked down, and what he saw forever will stay with him.
“L-Leon…?” He was confused, then horrified. He followed the blood trail and sure enough saw the robot. He saw it pulling his fist away from his stomach as the headless body of Leon fell flat on the ground. The old stale concrete was painted in red. He never considered him a friend, but he still cared for him.
“One of them flanked, Commander!” He yelled. Looking horrified as the robot looked at him then at the commander.
“Crap! When did he get behind us! Clara, take care of him!”
Clara was the one she comforted earlier, and she was having big trouble holding out the bullets. Her shield was also starting to look more hellish and uglier than before.
“I can’t! If I let go for a second-” She felt something behind her.
“TOO LATE!” The robot yelled, as it was already behind her. The hostile and glowing red visor was staring deep behind her. It was the end.
She wanted to turn back in a panic, flight or fight kicked in. She chose the latter. Alas, it was too late.
“CLARA WATCH OUT!” The commander's eyes widened, shock, then disbelief.
The robot gave a hard blow of fist to her left head as splatters of flesh, skull bone, and then her brain chunks flew to the other side. She dropped dead on the ground with half of her head gone. Her eyes showed fear even at the last moments.
“You’re next, commanding officer karlene, of the 54th-scout platoon.” The robot points his finger, still red of blood combined with Leon’s and Clara’s. It dripped to the ground.
“CLARA, NO! YOU PIECE OF SHIT! DIE!” The two women finally finished their nano transformation as they dropped the broken riot shields and leaped towards him.
"Never turn your back behind, what a bunch of idiots.”
When they were in mid air, close to grabbing and ripping the robot into pieces, they felt a sudden sharp pain in their waist, then up to their shoulder.
Their vision went upwards into the sky, as they lost control of their speed. They were cut in half.
Commander Karlene, witnessed all this. She was left speechless. Her own comrades dying in front of her was too fantastical, weren’t they much better and stronger than them? There was a reason why they were scout platoons, because they were one of the best. Yet, bested by these damn lifeless machines. She started to grow hatred, one that will consume her, and the private noticed this.
“Ayay.” B1 spoke. B2 was by his side, their hands were glowing orange as the air around it distorted. B1 made a clicking tongue noises from his speaker multiple times, as if to say they were a disappointment.
“I would doubt these amateurs are scout platoons, but seeing their nanobots just confirmed it. Oh well, flesh will always be flesh."
B2 intentionally insulted the dead women and the commander, the more they irritate her the better they can deal with her as she would only go wild while they tactically kill her.
“Private, RUN now! I’ll hold them off” She said.
“B-but commander, you’ll be left-”
“Your only going to burden me, so get the fuck out!”
He lowered his head, he felt sad. But it was the truth, so he immediately dashed forward to the back of the truck as the bullet direction of the enemy changed to him. Karlene covered him as he goes.
“When you get there, call back up quick!” She turned back to shout.
“Little girl, you're the only one. And one of us is going to run after him. Why don’t you just surrender. It will be better that way.”
B2 spoke in a provokable tone.
“Shut the fuck up you walking pile of junk. Who says one of you are going to get him alive? See this…” She slowly looked in her pockets, scrambling then found it.
“What the hell are you-” All of them froze, the firing stopped. The officer was dead staring into what the commander was holding in her palms.
“DON’T LET HER DETONATE THAT BOMB!” The officer this time, sounded with a loud glitchy voice, it was piercing the ears of the commander.
All of the robots rushed forward, including the one who flanked the platoon. There was no way they could escape its range, and if they got caught by it, they were going to put the entire robotic army in danger. This reconnaissance team of robots was one of the high ranking military in the robotic army. And it just so happens they were out scouting the human base and stumbled upon the truck in the middle of the road. The memory of the officer stores all the technology and prototypes that they have. It would be very bad if it fell into the human hands.
Its soldiers in its team only knew of the army’s location, as they were just freshly out of the factory.
“See you in hell, oh wait. You don’t have a soul. Heh, that makes it better for me.” Karlene was hiding behind her shield as the barrage of bullets got aggressive, two have already shot his legs, and in a second the riot shield is going to be broken.
A second was what all she needed to pull the pin on the modified grenade EMP. It won’t burn the memory drive of the enemy officer they were hard and protected well.
“Goodbye.” With those last words, she pulled the pin on the grenade.
“NOOO!-” The officers scream was loud, but when it exploded, it canceled out and was replaced with a much bigger and frightening sound of a blast.
….
“Yes, right here general… huh?”
The private who had ran earlier finally returned. But when he finally got back, all he saw was a big crater on the ground. He was left looking dumb as he stared at the damage. Small electric currents were being produced as some robotic arms, legs, heads, and torso were present outside the crater or some electricity connecting to each other. Some robots were fully intact, but they looked much darker and charred than before. The red visor they had earlier was now dead, no longer the hostile red. But a soulless symbol of its death.
A hand dropped to his shoulder. It was the general.
“You did well, if you had not run we would not have found out about this in 4 days. And 4 days is the arrival of the first army.”
He didn’t speak, he isn’t allowed by guilty conscience. He somehow felt guilty deep inside.
“Well, It’s time to fix this up faster, we’ll hold a funeral for these heroes tonight. They deserve it, lets go”
“Y-yes, general.” The private walked forward, examining the surroundings as soldiers of higher ranks moved past him and checked the scattered robot parts on the ground. He didn’t see any organic features, the bodies of the commander and her crew. Modified EMP nades does evaporate the human flesh and bones.
“General! This officer's memory data is still intact!” One of the soldiers shouted as joy could be seen in his face. He was only wearing a black cloak and a green camo helmet like the rest.
The General's expression became bright. “Hurry! Grab the hard drive and get ready to move out. Sorry, private, but EMP nades evaporates humans, we won’t find any of their remains. But I will hold a funeral for them. Let’s move!” The general gestured as the rest of them prepared to get out of the city. They had to get as much intel as possible from the drive.
The private wanted to stay longer to at least give a prayer, but it looks like it would not even last 5 minutes. He could only thoughtfully pray and thank the commander. He also knew that the commander would probably also do the same.
When a soldier removed the drive from the officers body, a loud gunshot rang. He fell to the ground as the General and the soldiers looked at the origins of the gunshot.
It was one of the robots who had killed the man who couldn’t talk and the poor girl Clara. The private’s eyes widened.
In a sudden, they all saw the robot suddenly leaped from the ground and intending to drop at the dead soldier's body. He was going to grab and destroy the hard drive.
“Don’t just stand there, shoot him quick! Quick!” The general yelled.
All the soldiers raised their rifles, it was fast and shot the robot in the air. It’s flight was reduced and dropped to the ground with its left hand 10 inches from the soldier's hand where the hard drive is. It crawled suddenly and firing began again.
The robot had finally died. It’s red light visor flickered to blackness as it dropped with his left hand reaching for the drive.
The General and his soldiers cheered, it was close to destroying it. The private also heaved a sigh of relief, thank goodness fate is still with them in this piece of a shit world.
….
*tweet tweet*
Sounds of two birds in a nest were having intimate moments, rubbing their necks together, and trees swaying ever green as ever. Bushes were also dancing by the wind. And the grass was hugging a heavy a strange figure on its soil.
It woke up.