Listen to me kid. That rifle might protect you from a Model Three, Four or Five, but if you really want to protect your family what you want is a M88 Antitank rifle. One of those babies will easily deal with something bigger, like a Model Six, and give you a chance against the Model Twelves. If you’re feeling extravagant, you could even pick up a second hand stinger missile launcher. The antithesis bastards might be tough, but even the big ones go down if you apply enough good old fashion human ingenuity.
- Mac Hunter, Seattle monthly gun show
—
I managed to wedge one foot in between a wide gap between two armor plates and the other against the hatch. It was enough to keep me fairly stable when the vehicle swerved and went over bumps, at least the small ones. I did my best to keep calm and not jump every time the cannon fired, pulled my bow, and waited.
The instant we crossed into the intersection, I let my arrow fly. I wasn’t used to firing from a crouched position, on a moving platform, but I still managed to lay down a fairly even line of monowire across the road.
Just as I finished, the APC made a hard turn, dislodging me from my perch. I let go of my bow and flailed around as I slid towards the edge, my fingers finally finding purchase just as my feet slid off the top, leaving me hanging half off the vehicle. I managed to claw my way back on to the APC as it slid to a stop, blocking the antithesis from advancing down the opposite side of the intersection.
I could hear Emily barking orders as the rear ramp slammed open. “Ratchet, go check on our friends, and get them moving as quickly as possible. Terrier, Bulldog, we’re going to set up a defensive firing line here next to the APC. We delay the antithesis as long as possible, but if it looks like we’re going to get overrun, we retreat back to the APC.”
I slipped off the vehicle, landing awkwardly, just before the team appeared around the sides. “I see you’re still with us,” Emily remarked.
“Still kicking,” I muttered. “Although I lost my bow during that turn. Seems like it was worth it though.” While the team took up firing positions, I slipped behind and took a look back towards the other team. They were about a couple blocks back, and even though I couldn’t make out much, I knew they weren’t doing great. There were only three of them, including the samurai, and they had to stop every few feet to fire into the buildings around them. Thankfully the samurai seemed to have a big fuck-off hover drone helping them out, lobbing explosives into groups of antithesis.
Across the intersection, the antithesis mob was just throwing themselves against the barrier that I’d set up. A few found gaps in the wire and were swiftly cut down by the APC, but most barreled head first into the wire and swiftly eviscerated themselves,spraying their innards across the road. It was a gruesome sight.
Despite the nearly impenetrable barrier of monowire and gunfire, the antithesis kept pushing in, causing a massive pile of mangled bodies and gore swiftly built up in the intersection. The situation was a little surreal, but something bugged me.
Emily must have seen my frown. “What’s with you?”
“You said the other team was harassed and ambushed, but this lot doesn’t seem to even have enough brain cells between them to avoid a static defense. They’re literally ripping themselves apart,” I said, gesturing towards the carnage.
“That’s what the lower models are like when they’re not managed by a command model. They act upon instinct,” Emily replied while she fired into the enemy line.
“Then where’s the thing that planned the ambushes?” I asked. She paused, just for a moment, and that was enough to give me my answer. “I’m going back to support the other team, you can hold here, right?”
“Don’t do anything stupid! Just get the others back here ASAP,” Emily yelled as I booked it back down the street.
[Artymis, what should I be looking for? This… Model Seventeen thing, how smart is it?]
The Seventeen is the first model capable of true tactical planning. It embeds a worm in the lower models to control them, then sends commands through neuroconnecting wire, no thicker than a strand of spider silk.
If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.
[Can I use that to find it?]
You could, but I suggest just keeping it at bay. If you did manage to follow one of the threads, it’s probably because the Seventeen let you, and you’d probably barrel straight into a group of Fours or Fives waiting for you.
[Right. Don’t follow the threads, got it.]
As I barreled down the street, one of the buildings between me and the second team exploded outward. A pair of sixes emerged from the ruined brick wall, followed by a wave of smaller models.
“Arty, needle grenades,” I barked. I managed to snatch the materializing device out of the air and threw it into the midst of the emerging mob. A moment later, the Threes were dying in droves.
I reached down and started to draw my sword, ready to dive in and finish the fight, when I heard someone scream. “Incoming!” I slid to a stop just as I saw the massive hover bot turn towards the breach, tilt forwards, and unleash six mortar rounds directly into the breach. The detonation not only blew apart the two Model Sixes but also caused the breach and room beyond to collapse. There was no way the antithesis were going to get out that way.
“Keep moving!” Ratchet yelled, yanking one of the other PMC members to their feet and running towards the APC. All around us, Model Sixes were bursting out of walls and storefronts, discorging scores of smaller antithesis onto the street.
“Shit,” I hissed as I sprinted forward. The team wasn’t moving fast enough. When I got within a few feet of the team, the other samurai turned, their face obscured by a mask, and stared. “Keep moving!” I yelled as I slid under their massive drone to slice the Model Three that had already made it dangerously close. “I wish I still had my bow,” I muttered.
You could purchase another one. It is well within your means.
“It’s too dangerous. I might get one or two arrows off, but not enough to make a difference before I have to switch back,” I replied.
“Then maybe I can help,” a familiar voice said from somewhere behind me. “Just keep them from reaching Howie, and I’ll thin them out for you.” I risked a quick glance back at the other samurai, as the massive drone slowly turned around. “Don’t fall behind!”
I knew that voice.
A moment later, the mortars opened up. Apparently they were independently targeting because each one hit a different group. The largest clusters, still trying to squeeze past the massive Sixes, were hit first, followed by the most dangerous models like the fives. That still left small pockets of Threes and Fours which sprinted forward, eager to press the attack. I cut these down as I backpedaled, slicing through the lunging monsters as they came. Unfortunately, fighting while retreating was a skill I wasn’t quite used to, and during one of the lulls in combat I turned to catch up to the group, only to catch a tentacle in the back from a Four I’d missed. The impact sent me sprawling. I couldn’t tell if it penetrated my armor or not, but the pain was enough to cause my arm to spasm and send my sword spinning away.
As I rolled over, one arm practically useless, the four advanced, looming over me. I scrambled to find my sword—or anything that I could use to defend myself with—when the creature’s face exploded. It teetered on its feet for a second before slumping over. I just stared at it in surprise.
“On your feet, princess. No way I’m going to leave you behind,” the other samurai said as they appeared by my side, pulling me to my feet.
“My sword!” I insisted as I was dragged towards the APC a few feet away.
“I’ve got it, don’t worry about it. We just need to get out of here,” the figure said as they half carried me into the APC. Space was a lot more limited with the massive drone sitting in the middle, but everyone managed to slip in and get the door closed.
“Jockey, punch it!” Emily yelled. The APC jerked, sharply accelerating away from the area and back towards our original position.
“Here’s your sword. Don’t lose it next time,” the other samurai said quietly as they handed me the blade. “I’m going to check your wound. Try not to move.”
I nodded. I wanted to ask a question, but the pain in my arm was intense. I could feel them, her if my theory was correct, inspecting my wound and poking it gently.
“It looks like your armor took the brunt of the impact. According to my AI, you’ll be fine after taking some medical nanites, just pop this in your mouth and inhale.” A box appeared in her hand, and she opened it, revealing something similar to an asthma inhaler, and stuck it in my mouth. “Inhale. Deep breaths.”
I did. Inhaling the mist was uncomfortable. It tasted metallic and coated every part of my mouth before miraculously disappearing. After a few moments, my arm started feeling better.
The two of us sat there for a moment, staring at each other before I finally asked the question, “Skyler, I know it’s you. Is this why you were too busy to pick up the phone earlier?”
The other woman swiftly pulled off her headgear, revealing a very familiar heart shaped face, and stylish short blond hair. She smiled. “Hi Honey!”