“Chernobyl introduced the world to what a nuclear meltdown looks like and the following fallout of the disaster.

Fukushima revealed that not only human failure can destroy a nuclear power plant but human intervention can help prevent the true fallout.

Detroit was the true modern nuclear disaster and that’s the one we all study and try to prevent.

That’s why screening for potential saboteurs is the number 1 priority of security at a nuclear reactor, technical skills are much much lower on the watch list.”

* Nota Spie, Chief Security Officer of Hedge-Power Inc. July 2053

***

As I reached the checkpoint I could see a group of the PMC soldiers in their red and black cameo enter the doorway that led to Purewater’s lobby.

“I’m heading out” I said to the sentries who turned back my way confused.

“Leaving?” The younger one asked, actually cocking their head to the side.

“Uhh, yeah. I have places to be.” I say, gesturing out into the floor.

“And why do you think we’d let you just leave?” The red head said, staring me down with some self assured importance and authority.

I glanced at the older of the two and saw no support from the bald soldier.

Sighing, I looked back at the defiant soldier. I didn’t really have the time to be held up by the PMC wanting to assert dominance over poor little civilians, or perhaps they are still annoyed that I was a civilian rather than a soldier.

Regardless of their intentions, maybe they want more money.

“Are you going to stop me?” I asked as I stared at the soldier, their weapon still slung across their tactical vest. Right next to the rest of their tactical gear and consumables.

The red head grinned, and as they moved closer to intimidate me I noticed the older one was moving up from behind.

Their hands were falling to their weapon, I was unsure how to proceed and that’s when I heard the klaxon.

I saw the younger one put a hand to their ear as they listened to instructions over the bedlam of noise and then they turned outward and raised their gun.

As I scanned across the far end of the warehouse I saw the doorway I exited, the one to Purewater’s lobby, filled with Antithesis Models before they sprung forth as a wave of ten Model Threes.

The machine gun nest behind us barked as I saw the tracers, the magnesium bullets burning holes through the air and across the wave of Antithesis.

After a second or two the machine gun stopped, and the two sentries next to me raised their weapons and fired.

The Stingray spit out a spray of bullets that…missed?

The machine gun hit three and the two sentries had each hit maybe one or two as there were only five of the dog like models still running toward us.

I glanced at the sentries and could see their nervous hands fumble to reload the SMG. I was actually surprised when I checked my feelings.

I was almost calm.

The Model Threes didn’t scare me. Not when I could dispatch them with two or three shots each.

But it seems that the Killalot soldiers hadn’t dealt with them before. I saw actual terror in their eyes.

As they finished fumbling around and readied their Stingrays the Model Threes had covered half the distance. This time the red head got two while the older soldier only got one.

When they clicked empty they looked terrified.

“Not going to reload?” I asked, curious about how a PMC worked. I had a sinking suspicion that I knew the answer to my question.

“W-We are only allowed two magazines each conflict per regulations.” The older one said as they pulled batons out.

Huh. That was very stupid and corporate of Killalot PMC.

I guess if it was as bad as it seems, all the competent people would find a nice job as security. Or maybe they send them on the dangerous mission instead of guarding a fortified position.

I stepped out in front of them and toward the incoming two Model Threes.

I didn’t stop walking as I drew and fired the Hammerhead.

Each Model Three took two bullets to fell as I continued forward. Aiming to take the elevators at the Purewater Lobby.

“What the fuck?” I heard the older one say as I reached the Antithesis corpses.

“Ah…civilian? We can’t guarantee your safety.” I heard the red head.

“I know. Just don’t shoot me with the machine gun and I’ll call it even.”

“Ah…okay. Then, just to be warned. That’s where the recon team went.” I heard her continue.

New information, and if they were as competent and controlled by rules and regulations as the sentries then they were in trouble.

I made it to the doorway out of the warehouse, only pausing to confirm a couple of the Antithesis that were shot from earlier were actually dead and not feigning it.

Reaching the lobby I kept one eye on my surroundings but it was still the bullet ridden room that I left maybe an hour ago. The other eye was on the tablet on my hip, but it remained blank.

I guess the Monitor didn’t notice me yet.

I was about to just head up to the fifteenth floor when I paused. I looked around the other elevators and saw one that stopped at the thirteenth floor.

Thinking back to the experience of the other Killalot soldiers, they might not be able to handle an ambush like I’ve dealt with.

I pondered over helping them. And as I pondered I looked down at my hip. Monitor helped me. Monitor said I would be a great Vanguard.

Fuck.

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

I stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the thirteenth floor. Amadeus will have to wait, I had people to save.

I pulled the ammo I had and started checking how much I had in each magazine.

I didn’t have a lot of ammo, probably just enough for one or two engagements.

Stretching for a second I heard the door open and I readied myself.

I entered the thirteenth floor. The overhead space was better than the tenth, but not by much. The same grime that covered the maintenance tunnels was present and covered the wall. The lights were flickering.

I stepped out gun first, penlight on, and scanned for the recon squad.

Nothing but the footprints in the grime.

Entering the lobby I continued down a hallway. They apparently didn’t set up any base behind them at their exit.

I wasn’t an expert in tactics but I did like to avoid being surprised from behind.

Still no sign from the monitor but there was a very distinctive smell in the air as I continued down the hallway. The smell of blood.

I round the corner to find a hellish scene.

Lying in pools of expanding blood was the recon team. This team wasn’t small, it looked to be twenty human bodies all spread along the hallway with dead Antithesis piled here and there. A very much living Model Three was ripping into the chest of a soldier when it paused. It’s ears twitched as I watched and it looked up at me. Its two eyes placed vertically found me.

I noticed a small reflection of something metallic caught on one of its teeth. A small ring with a pin connected-

BANG

I threw up my hand as the light blinded me, my ears ringing.

I stumbled back, and as I hit the wall I tried to follow it back and away from the Antithesis. I didn’t have a plan. The shock and pain was disorienting. My eyes were ringing and I fell to my knees, or at think it was my knees.

My vision slowly cleared.

As it came to I frantically tried to find the shape of the Antithesis.

I was behind the corner again and I peaked out to see the twitching form of the Model Three. It was in bad shape. The flashbang’s explosion ripped into the alien and apparently the creature’s keen hearing was a detriment in this situation.

I shot it once before closing in for the second shot. I wanted to be sure it was dead.

I glance around at the carnage. The mess and waste of life that surrounded me. It was worse than the ascension. More people than I expected. Twenty something bodies lay twisted and gored.

I felt sick.

But as I stood in the blood I heard movement. Swinging around I found a man propped against the wall, his left leg missing.

Moving to his side I could see his chest moving up and down with a weak breath.

It was clear that I couldn’t save him. If I was a true Samurai I could’ve summoned an alien medical unit to fix him up with nano machines or something but I was only human. Without Monitor I actually was just a concerned civilian who was getting surprisingly good at killing Antithesis.

But then the wounded man spoke, “You there soldier?”

“I am” I replied, kneeling to meet his gaze.

“Ah…I don’t recognize your outfit…no matter. I need a favor.”

“What can I do?”

“Private Magnella was dragged off by some of the…bastards. Save her…”

“I will.” I said easily, I doubted that Magnella was alive but if there was a chance then I’d take it.

“Good…I see you have a Hammerhead like mine. Take my ammo and my charm…Magnella will recognize it and listen to you.” He brought out his own heavy pistol and revealed a charm in the shape of an aquatic creature, I could tell by the fins but it had a t shaped head.

He pulled the charm off his pistol with bloody hands and handed it over. “I’ve done for I know that, don’t pity me. Just save the only one left in my unit, it was my poor decisions that led us here…” He whispered at the end and in a moment his head lolled.

I checked his chest and found his nameplate.

Sgt. Creff.

I placed the charm on my Hammerhead, at the bottom of the grip. Loading four fresh 10 mm Magazines in my pockets I paused to grab something else I recognized. Something I recently got very familiar with.

Moving to the far end of the massacre I found drag marks across the floor. Seeing as the other bodies were still here and not being dragged back to the bio-pool to be digested for the Antithesis hive, it was likely that this was for Magnella.

I proceeded carefully down a side passage and connecting hallway as I retraced the path the Aliens took with the soldier.

In time I reached a room with the lights out and what looked like a body in the middle of it. This was obviously a trap and I assumed there was at least a couple Model Fours hidden somewhere in the shadows.

As I panned my penlight around while outside the body stirred.

“Don’t move” I said, not wanting to provoke the ambush or the Antithesis to kill the hostage. “I have a plan. Keep your eyes closed.”

While the Alien plants had ears to hear dumb humans wondering about, they didn’t have the intelligence to comprehend human speech. Which is pretty unfortunate for them when I could warn the hostage in the room that I was throwing in a flashbang.

This time I was prepared for the light and noise, just by not being in the room and covering my ears for a moment I could enter the room without the disorientation I felt last time this type of grenade went off.

As I entered I found one Model Four on the ground, its legs stretched towards the ceiling where it was likely clinging to just moments before. Placing 10 mm into the head and heart areas I scanned for the others in the room.

Seeing more than I could easily dispatch, even in their weakened state, I grabbed the private with one hand and emptied my magazine in a crowd of Model Threes and Fours hidden in the back of the room.

Once we were out of the kill room, I dragged her behind me and reloaded. The Antithesis were recovering and they didn’t appreciate my interference. Only a couple Model Threes were left and each took a couple bullets to the three hinged face before dropping.

It was the three Model Fours that worried me. One shot its barbed tentacle straight at my face, it closed the distance while I was focused on the Model Threes.

I jumped back, conscious of the wounded soldier right behind me. All I needed to do was keep them from leaving the doorway. I shot most of my magazine into this persistent Model Four before it stopped moving. But that gave the other two time to advance and together they would push through.

In that split second I was debating whether to run with the soldier or leave her and hope they focused on me and not finish the wounded human.

I reached behind me for the soldier, ready to run as hard as I could with their weight when the automated door slid shut, blocking the plants from advancing any further.

Someone just saved our lives.

Sighing I selected the lock function on the door panel and then turned to the soldier. Magnella was covered in blood. Propping her back against the wall I started checking over.

No tears in her uniform, just blood, likely from the others in her squad.

“Where are you hurt?” I said grabbing her face I brought it to mine as I scanned for damage.

Her face was shockingly sharp. Her fierce eyes, one an augmented prosthetic the other green, met mine.

She sucked in a breath. “Thank you Samurai.” She said, her voice breathy and weak. Probably in shock.

“Any injuries? Report!” I was going through the steps they showed on the most popular shows, I wasn’t trained for this. Not by Sky or Monitor.

“R-Right, I am unharmed. My name is-” I cut in once I knew she was unharmed.

“Private Magnella, Sergeant Creff sent me,” I showed the charm on the pistol, “I’m afraid to report that it was his last request.”

I knew it was terrible news but that was life. Sometimes you are earning an upper middle class salary by yourself and then a couple angry hackers kill eight people and you are blamed for everything. Life sucks, better hear the truth now so you can make accurate plans.

I saw a tear in her human eye but she just nodded.

After a moment she glanced up and said. “Samurai…Your A.I. she’s beautiful.” as a small smile appeared on her lips. Her augmented eye was focused on something over my shoulder and for a split second, there was a faint light blue reflection in it.

In a blink, it was gone. Replaced by a familiar blue. A text box blue.

“This is Monitor,” I say, trying to introduce the A.I. that doesn’t introduce itself before hopping into your life. “They’ll guide you out of here.”

I could see Magnella’s human eye glaze as she focused on reading something I couldn’t see.

After a second she said, “I will, there’s no need for me to hold onto it and if it helps a Samurai then I’m sure Killalot PMC would love to assist.”

Seems like Monitor is giving different instructions that I was used to but I couldn’t complain about getting extra gear. If she needs something I’m sure Monitor will direct her to wherever it is found.

As Magnella removed her gear I could identify almost everything, some I really needed while others not so much. I would like a proper holster instead of a jacket pocket. The ammo and grenades would be useful too.

I averted my eyes when she took off her vest and stopped her from taking off any other clothing.

I understood the uses of everything she piled on the floor. All but one.

But what confused me was a long bundle of something…meaty?

“What’s that?” I asked, pointing to what could be Magnella’s lunch.

“Bait.” She said simply.

“Bait…for the Antithesis?” I wasn’t sure I heard her correctly. No one besides Samurai wanted the Antithesis anywhere close to them.

“Of course. Killalot recon squads are used to attract the Antithesis so we can dispatch them without wasting time clearing each floor.” I looked down at the bait between us.

No wonder they were swarmed. I hadn’t fought more than a dozen models at a time but they had to be hit by a wave of nearly fifty to account for all the bodies.

“What’s in it?” I didn’t think the plants cared for anything but gathering biofuel and murdering people. That’s all they did after all.

“A company secret. Not to hide anything from you Samurai but I don’t know. It's just made with calorie rich materials and sprayed with some sort of pheremone that attracts the plant bastards.”

I think I could use it but I didn’t want to attract every moving plant in the building as I climbed to fight Amadeus.

Glancing at the shape I realized it was made with a tape to be unwrapped to expose certain amounts of the material. Assuming it was for control of the bait I wrapped it in the remaining tape and pulled the electrical tape I had from my bag to secure it further.

It was at this moment I realized I wasn’t acting very Samurai like. Yes, I did kill the Aliens and save the girl. Very Samurai. But I didn’t have any crazy gadgets.

I glanced at Magnella but she seemed to be distracted by Monitor in her interface to notice my unsamurai-ness.

Shrugging, I placed everything else in my inside pocket and equipped the holster. It was snug, practical, and didn’t clash with my outfit. I don’t know what that matters right now. I had a rebreather for fuck’s sake. I wanted practicality…but I guess looking cool is fine.

Magnella then stood up, on shaky legs she turned my way and bowed. I didn’t know how to react. Do I bow too?

In a moment it was over and she headed back the way I came. All I could do was blink at the spot she once occupied.

After probably thirty seconds I noticed a flashing blue from my leg.

“Why are you back?”