10 Years Later

Present Day

July 1, 2075

2000 CDT

Outskirts of Alejandro, Mexico, A Small Town Located Near Scorpia/Mexico City

Ho Vắn Duy’s Point of View

“Duy!” Billy yells out.

“AH!” I yell.

“AHHH!” Billy screams in shock.

“STOP FUCKING SCREAMING!” Sonya roars.

God damn it.

“What the hell, Billy?!” I ask.

“Y-you were s-shakin’ in your sleep again, captain,” Billy says in a soft tone.

“Oh,” I say.

God, what a week. I still can’t believe that this new week is beginning exactly like the last one. In the back of a cargo truck.

“Do you wanna talk ‘bout it?” Rachel asks with a look of innocence in her eyes.

“Wha? Talk about what?!” I ask.

“Are you ok, Duy?” Freaking Luke asks.

“I said, I’m fine!” I say.

“No, you didn’t,” Billy points out.

“Whatever. What’s our E.T.A?” I ask.

“We’re almost there,” Sonya answers in irritation.

“Heh. We look so damn cool with the way we’ve dressed,” Ruby says with a smile. “So clean, and yet so, so mean. Being able to bless this world with my beauty brings me so, so much joy.”

She’s right. Teresa brought our favorite clothes with her before she and a few soldiers snuck out of Olympus to help us. Ruby is in her signature black “Evil on Tour” shirt with the stomach part cut out and has on a beanie, black short shorts, along with many pouches wrapped around her waist where she’s most likely hiding her volatile “babies.” Rachel is in a black “Evil on Tour” tank top, black baseball cap, blue shorts, and is wearing her signature black colored headband. Billy is wearing an “Evil on Tour” beanie as well, along with sunglasses, a white t-shirt, and blue shorts. Freaking Luke is wearing a purple Hawaiian button-up shirt with puppies on it, white shorts, and a black “Evil on Tour” snapback. Drew is wearing a black evil on tour collared shirt and brown shorts. Sonya is wearing a black and white “Evil on Tour” tank top, olive green combat shorts, and a silver baseball cap. And Teresa brought my favorite “Evil on Tour” V-neck, black sunglasses and blue jean shorts. But poor Anna. Her parents didn’t even show up and is acting like she’s fine but looks terrible. I never welcomed her to the squad now that I think about it. Luckily, Red Riding Hood lent her a spare dress, so now she’s wearing a worn-out light blue summer dress that looks to be her size, but I don’t know shit about dresses.

“Captain, please stop analyzing me,” Anna says as she pouts and looks outside the entrance. “I am fine.”

Tough girl.

“Sonya Grey!” Ruby shouts. “The Black Scorpions dress up like stereotypical biker gangs, correct?”

“They don’t dress up like them. They are them, Ruby,” Sonya explains in frustration.

“But their colors are red and black, which just so happens to be the color of my hair and shirt. Do ya think I could blend in as one of them based on my hypothesis?” Ruby asks in optimism.

“Hmm. That depends. Are you ready to slit someone’s throat open on command?” Sonya answers as she stands up. “Stop fucking around, Ruby. They will kill you without hesitation if you so much as breathe the wrong way.”

“Sonya,” Ruby chuckles. “I was just joking, ok? For the laughs.”

“And yet, I’m not laughing,” Sonya says with a glare. “Speaking of cold-blooded murder,” Sonya says as she brings the room’s attention to her. “Up to now, none of you have had to kill another human being, so consider yourselves blessed. But that blessing turned into a liability the moment we left Mount Olympus. Being cutthroat is the only way to survive out here. I don’t give a flying fuck if it’s a fucking kid. It doesn’t take much to pull a trigger, so if a kid pointed a gun at me or any one of you, then I would put them down without hesitation, and I expect all of you to do the same. If you have a fucking problem with it, then you can get the fuck out of the truck, march your ass back the way we came, and surrender to Angela and the Death Angels.”

“The truck stopped!” Rachel and Billy announce in unison.

*

5 Minutes Later

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

2005 CDT

On the peak of Alejandro, Inside a Wooden Cabin

*

“Aren’t you guys happy that we made it before sundown?” Our Athenian escort Ethan asks.

Ethan, Caucasian, appears to be in his early thirties, with bushy brown hair, a grey baseball cap, grey cloak and was personally handpicked by Admiral Silva for this mission for his navigational and survival skills.

“Let’s make a new rule of not asking dumbass questions for the rest of the trip,” Sonya says as she peers out the front window that overlooks the entire village and dessert.

The fact that we not only avoided getting shot but managed to secure the best cabin in the village for the night is a miracle! Ethan sure knows how to hassle without causing trouble. Having a safe place to sleep for the night is worth the trade of our truck keys, along with half our gas.

“You seem tense, Sonya” Aayushi says in a nervous tone as she checks on Sonya.

Aayushi, Asian, mid twenties’s, mid-length black hair, bangs that cover her right eye, skinny, wearing a grey cloak, and was handpicked for her superb medical skills.

“I don’t like it here,” Sonya announces as she continues to glare outside. “I’m getting goosebumps.”

“It’s too risky to be here, but we’re not robots, Sonya,” I say. “As the group leaders, we have to make the best decisions for the group, and this is the correct thing to do right now.”

“I know, Captain,” Sonya says as she plops down on the couch.

“She barely sleeps,” Luke reveals as he puts a blanket on her. “If anyone’s a robot, it’s her.”

*

Meanwhile

Outside Alejandro’s Walls

Angela Blackwood’s Point of View

Heh heh, this is too easy, but I must admit, Alejandro has phantasmagorical architecture. It’s an Aztec village that’s been altered to fit the needs of this New World. Built atop a hill, roughly the size of a football field and four fifteen-meter-high stone walls with patrolling guards atop it surrounds the entire settlement.

“Are the Death Angels prepared, Li?” I ask.

“We’re awaiting your signal, ma’am,” Li says.

“Excellent,” I say.

Nevertheless, this brief game of cat and mouse shall soon end with the help of our two Mammoths, tanks that contain our fuel, Tridents, ammunition, water, and other necessities. Not only that, but my Death Angels have quietly surrounded the perimeter of this foul settlement. These peasants have such feeble security. I can’t even imagine how they avoid Behemoths and other mutated. Maybe they just scurry about and hide like the pests they are, waiting for the monsters to leave. Notwithstanding, the show is about to begin.

“Death Angels, activate the P.A. system!” I order.

“Yes, ma’am!” My soldiers quickly comply.

“Hola (Hello), weak-minded peasants!” I shout into my microphone.

The front gate. I predict that my target shall rush out the front door like a fool, so I shall stand a safe six meters away.

“¿Quién diablos (Who the hell)?” A Black Scorpion yells out from above.

“Mi nombre es (My name is) Angela “The Lioness” Blackwood, the Royal’s elite enforcer, and my subordinados (subordinates) are the Ángeles de la Muerte (Death Angels)! Do not fret (Two above)! I wish to be your friend and am only here for one simple reason! We are tracking a dangerous fugitive who appears to be hiding inside one of your cabins (One on my nine and another on my three)! I am asking you to surrender your weapons and let us search the village so we can bring this beast to justice (Two at the front door)!”

“And why the fuck would we do that?” The Black Scorpion near the front gate responds.

“For two simple reasons, fool,” I answer. “Our guns are not only better than yours, but they’re bigger!”

Heh heh. Men have such fragile egos.

“And should you continue to oppose us, we shall be forced to deliver a swift execution upon all Black Scorpions residing inside Alejandro,” I say. “Like I said, I wish to be your friend, so make sure you think very hard about your response.”

“No!” The fools respond in anger.

“The Black Scorpions are the doltish of all kingdoms, but they make up for it in pride and loyalty! Last chance! Do you really want tonight to be your last night on Earth?”

“That’s it! Kill her!” The Black Scorpion near the front gate orders.

Such impudent behavior.

The two above me have been eliminated by me.

“What?!” The fools to my twelve shout in confusion as I quickly drop their allies one by one.

Not even a challenge.

Eliminating the ones who had the most unobstructed shot at me was the most strategic choice, which is why the two above me had to go first. The two in front of me had to be the next choice due to their high chances of landing a fatal shot on me, and the two that covered my sides posed the lowest threat, due to the fact that they were the farthest away. But, heh heh. None of that matters. The real challenge has yet to come.

“You fools have underestimated my quickdraw capabilities,” I say as I reload my weapon. “To all remaining Black Scorpions, as well as my target. I did not wish to do that, but I’ll do it again in a heartbeat until I get what I want. This is simply an appetizer to me. My main course is out of sight, but very far from out of mind. Now, I grow weary of chasing men, which is why I shall not move from this spot until Luke Miller decides to grow a pair and properly introduce himself to a lady. And for being such rude guests, I shall deliver the second entrée to all the peasants inside Alejandro. Death Angels! Raid the village. Deliver suppressing fire! Force everyone inside until Luke Miller decides to man up and face me.”

*

Inside Squad Zeus’s Stone Cabin

Luke Miller’s Point of View

No!

“She’s gonna kill them!” I say.

“That’s obvious,” Sonya says in a nonchalant tone.

“Sonya! I know you don’t like them, but some of them are innocent people,” I say. “I don’t know how they tracked us, but we led them here. This is our fucking fault!”

“How? We’re not the ones indiscriminately shooting at people. Shit happens,” Sonya shrugs.

“Damn it! I… I have to stop her. This is our fault. This is… my fault.”

“Luke, wait!” Duy yells out as he grabs me.

“Let go!” I say.

“We don’t know the full extent of your powers yet, man!” Duy exclaims in worry.

“Well, we’re about to find out!” I say.

“Be careful, Luke!” Everyone yells out as I barge out the door.

*

Front gate of Alejandro

*

Speed. When I concentrate, I can make quick bursts of inhuman speeds, equivalent to the lunge of a Behemoth or Headhunter. She won’t even see it coming! I don’t want to hit a woman, but she’s a fucking psychopath who’ll kill innocents to get what she wants. I have to stop her! I’m the only one who can.

There she is! A helmet? Damn! That armor she has on looks very hi-tech and assumingly built to withstand hard body shots from the neck down. I’ll have to knock off her helmet first before I can knock her out.

“Agh!” I yell.

Damn it! Harpoons?! From above?! Two Death Angels in armor similar to hers from above?! Shit! They went straight through my kneecaps from behind my knees. I can’t… stand up!

“Heh heh. Well well well,” Angela says as she approaches while slowly taking off her helmet. “If it isn’t Luke Miller,” she says with her helmet fully removed, revealing an evil smirk on her face.