"KRAKRAACCCKKK! BOOM! BOOM!" The lightning illuminates the hallway, revealing Caesar standing at one end of the narrow hallway, while the four savage machines approach from the other. Caesar stands firmly as they stand just ahead of him, quickly noticing the human children behind them. His glossy titanium parts shake as he trembles slightly from the intimidating force approaching him.
Caesar: "There are 4 of them... Can I really take them all on?"
The savage machines arm themselves with deadly weapons as they come closer to Caesar, slowly approaching him through the very long and narrow hallway. One unsheaths a katana, ignited in flames. Another with a spiked mace, dripping of oil, and another wielding two dual hammers, engulfed in steam from the extreme heat radiating off of them. And the last one without a weapon walks in front of them all with a terrifyingly ominous look.
Caesar: "I have to stop them... To save the children, and I can't risk calling Axel for help and putting him in danger. I have to stop them here and now..."
Caesar then stops his body from shaking nervously, as he walks towards them with his fists in the air ready for combat. As he reaches for the large sword he took up earlier, the unarmed machine in front rushes towards him at an alarming speed. Closing the distance between them within seconds.
The machine slides up just in front of Caesar striking him with an uppercut. Knocking Caesar up into the air, the machine then continues with a barrage of blows to Caesar's body, with its fists slowly turning a bright orange from the immense heat radiating inside of it. Steam begins to burst out from each strike to his body and then it finishes the onslaught with a massive punch, sending Caesar flying into the wall behind him.
"BAM!" The smoke and dust slowly clears as Caesar steps out, with darkened spots on his steel. He looks in front of him to see the machine standing before him with glowing fists, now ignited with a soft gentle fire. The machine begins to walk towards him, with its arms lowers as if it is not threatened by Caesar at all. Caesar looks behind the machine as he notices the three other machines just standing by watching.
Caesar: "This is my chance..."
Caesar draws the large sword, heating the sharp metal of the blade as little streams of steam flow from his hands.
Caesar: "Now it's my turn"
The machine dashes towards Caesar once again, but Caesar blocks its attack and counters it with a brutal strike of the heated blade. Carving into the machine's shoulder like butter, as the other machines notice they begin to rush towards Caesar as well. "BLAM!" Caesar fires the gun with the other hand towards the oncoming machines. Blowing a massive hole in the lower torso of the machine carrying the mace.
Caesar then continues to carve his blade down into the machine's shoulder about to dismember its arm. The machine explodes in a frenzy of punches, pushing Caesar back. Entering a berserk rage, the machine begins to spew fire from its mouth and eyes... "BLAM!" Caesar blast away half of the machine's face with the gun and follows it up with a quick slash from his sword. The machine staggeringly drops to its knees from the sudden blast.
Burning coal and oil drip heavily from its brutally destroyed face as it looks up to Caesar standing in front of it. "BLAM! BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!" Caesar mercilessly unloads his gun into the machine's rotten skull, violently shattering its body into pieces. The machine with the mace halts its movements as it stands back beside the children by the command given by the katana wielder.
The other two machines converge on Caesar, bombarding him with attacks. The machine with the flaming katana first clashes with Caesar as their blades collide, while the duel wielding machine barbarically slams its heated hammers into Caesar's head. Struggling with the overbearing onslaught, Caesar tactically drops to the floor and swings his heated blade as he rolls away from under their continuous attacks, easily dismembering the dual wielding machine's feet.
"BLAM! BLAM!" He fires his gun into the skull of the machine as it drops to the floor, obliterating its head entirely but it continues to crawl towards him.
The machine with the katana furiously strikes Caesar with the flaming blade, unable to cut into his titanium exterior with its strikes. Noticing its ineffective efforts, the machine jabs its katana into Caesar's joints, piercing his impenetrable body. Caesar swiftly swings his heated blade up into the air, severing the machine's arm. "CLINK!" As the machine's arm hits the floor, the Mace wielding machine suddenly dashes towards Caesar joining the assault.
Swinging its oil-drenched spiked mace towards Caesar. As he attempts to dodge, the now headless machine crawling across the floor, pins him in place with its hammers pressed against his feet. "BONK!" Unable to move, the spiked mace slams into Caesar's back, dousing him in oil and with the flaming katana still lodged into his shoulder's joint, the flames instantly ignite the oil, setting his entire body on fire.
The now one-armed machine yanks its katana out of Caesar's shoulder and proceeds to immediately attack him while his entire body burns of raging fire. The machine with the mace prepares another attack with its weapon but as it raises its oil-drenched mace into the air, "BLAM!".
Caesar shoots the oil-soaked mace in mid-air, igniting all the oil dripping from it, setting the machine wielding the mace on fire as the oil splatters all over it. "BLAM!" Caesar blows the entire top half of the katana-wielding machine's head to pieces with a point-blank shot, halting its attacks.
"BLAM! BLAM! Click! Click! Click!" He then aims the gun down at the machine pinning him in place and empties the gun into its core, destroying it.
"BONK!" A sudden unsuspecting blow from the now burning spiked mace knocks Caesar onto his knees. The machine with the katana raises its blade to the air over Caesar's neck, preparing a devastating strike.
"Grrrrrrrrr! KRAKRACCCKKKK! BOOM!" A deep growl accompanies the thunder and lightning as it reveals a large beast-like shadow looming over the machine. "Snap!" Scrappy chomps down on the remaining half of the machine's head, lifting it into the air and slamming it into the ground beside Caesar as she rips apart its body with her titanium claws.
Axel: "Caesar are you alright?!"
The last remaining machine still covered in flames spins its spiked mace towards Axel and just then Caesar quickly strikes the machine with a brutally destructive uppercut. Bursting his fist through the hole he made earlier with from his gun, lifting the machine into the air as he uses his other hand to rip the machine in half from its torso crushing the core in his hands. Burning coal and oil rain down over Caesar's heated metal as he stands before the scattered remains of the savage machines.
Axel: "Wow, I can't believe you did all this alone. That's amazing Dad, but you're on fire... How do I put it out?"
Caesar: "Don't worry, I can put out the flames by supercooling my body's temperature"
"Pssshhhhhhhh!" Steam heavily shoots out from his joints, extinguishing the burning fire covering his body.
Caesar: "See? Now go calm the children, I'm sure they won't react calmly to the machine who was just on fire"
Axel: "Already on it"
Axel walks towards the terrified children as their bodies shake nonsensically from the fear, as they huddled up at the end of the hallway. As Axel comes closer to them, a few of the children begin to scatter in different directions as they run away frantically.
Axel: "Wait! I am here to help you! Look I'm just like you!"
Axel shouts as he removes the burnt cloth, mask and goggles from his face. Displaying his human features to the children. They all halt their retreat after seeing his face and begin to whisper among themselves.
Axel: "It's ok, just come with us. We're going to get you all out of here"
Still untrusting of Axel's words they slowly step back as he gets closer to them.
Axel thinks to himself
They still don't trust me enough... Wait a minute I know what will get them to trust me...
Axel: "The old droids... I too was saved by them. They protected me too, and that's how I am here today, thanks to the machine over there I call Dad and another back home I call Mom... I already saved Rosie, now let me save you"
All of the children gasp, frozen in place by Axel's words. "The old droids..." "Rosie?!" "Our protectors?!" "Saved Rosie?" whispering to themselves, they stand still as they watch Axel approach them.
Axel: "So come on, we don't have much time"
One of the female children walks out in front of the others towards Axel.
Little girl: "...ok, thank you for helping us"
The rest slowly follow behind her as their nerves are settled. Axel leads them back towards Caesar and Scrappy where the children eyes are drawn to the little boy resting on top of Scrappy.
The children: "Luca!!!!"
They all scream as they run towards him, jumping up and down in excitement beside Scrappy.
Luca: “Raine... Levi... Aren, Viktor... Everyone!”
Luca drops down from on top of Scrappy, embracing each of the children in a hug.
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Levi: “it has been very long since we all last seen each other, I'm glad you're ok Luca”
Raine: “Where is Rosie? He said he saved Rosie as well...”
Axel: “She is back safe with our getaway vehicle. Now I know you all haven't seen each other in a long time but we don't have time to sit around and talk. Let's save the other two of you and get out of here fast!”
Axel climbs onto the back of Scrappy and helps two of the children, too injured to walk, up onto the back of Scrappy with him.
Axel: “Now we just need to find the other two children...”
Caesar: “I believe they are this way since that is where those savage machines were leading the rest of them”
Axel: “True, I also saw them from the security room so I'll know when we're close based on the nearby surroundings”
“KRAKRACCCKKKK! BOOM!” They travel along the dark and dreary hallways, approaching a staircase leading deeper into the underground base. The entrance of the staircase slowly dips into complete darkness, not even the flash of the lightning illuminates the gloomy path.
Axel: “Are they down there? it's so dark though... Doesn't seem to be a single light source down there... But I saw them on the cameras, it wasn't dark”
Caesar: “We have searched this entire floor though, you from one side and I from the other, the only places left unchecked is down below... Also, the camera may have impressive night vision capabilities”
Axel: “Well let's go, can you do a scan to map out our surroundings so we have an idea of where to go”
Caesar: “Already scanned the floors down below, there is a movement of metal down there... Two groups, one very large gathering on the 3rd floor and a small gathering of small metallic figures on the floor right beneath us. It may be threats... Are you prepared Axel?”
Axel: “Of course I am, If we get into trouble again we shouldn't put the children at risk, should we leave them up here with Scrappy?”
Caesar: “No, Scrappy is our best bet at taking on that large gathering, if we thread any further into the 3rd floor. Or if they are alerted and ascend up to us”
Axel: “Let's hope the kids aren't on the 3rd floor. They must be guarded by the smaller group on the floor beneath us. We just have to take them out quickly, get the kids and run out of here”
Caesar: “I have a plan, you stay here with the children and Scrap and I will descend down to the 2nd floor and retrieve the remaining captives”
Axel: “But...”
Caesar: “No Axel, this is the best course of action. Unlike Scrap and I, you can not see in the dark. So in order to assist you, I would need to turn on my flashlight, but that will give away our location to any threats below as well as put us at a disadvantage. So it is best you stay up here and we take on the threats in the dark. Also, I did a full diagnostic scan of your body earlier and it appears you have damaged rotary parts of your wrist as well as your leg”
Axel: “...Alright, radio me if you need help”
Caesar and Scrappy descend into the pitch-black staircase, entering the 2nd floor. Swallowed by complete silence with only the sound of thunder reaching them from up above. They both walk along the hallway, stepping extremely lightly with barely audible footsteps until Scrappy eventually picks up a scent leading Caesar down into an enclosed space.
Caesar: “Scrap wait, this is where I scanned the...”
As Scrappy continues following the trail of the scent, she halts her steps as she slowly holds her head up, with a deep growl.
Caesar: “Well I guess Axel was right, they were guarding the children... But these machines are...”
Feral metallic figures barge out from the shadows, climbing the walls and ceiling as they furiously leap towards Scrappy and Caesar. Snapping their pointy rusted teeth viciously at them as burning oil drips from their mouths.
Caesar: “They're like TiK9s...”
Scrappy wildly brawls with the metallic beasts as she is swarmed by them. Caesar takes out his heated sword deflecting one of the oncoming machines, snapping its jaws down on his blade with its rusted teeth, drooling of hot oil. Caesar takes out the katana setting it aflame with the running oil and the burning fire within the feral machine as he stabs it through the chest. He then gets up and begins cleaving into the swarm of machines as he assists Scrappy with the horde attacking her.
Scrappy easily crushes the small feral bots with her sharp jaws but they outnumber her and attacking her tail, neck and back, as they climb all over her, biting all exposed areas unshielded from her titanium exoskeleton. Caesar precisely carves them off of her with his duel wielding swordmanship. As they struggle with the never-ending horde of feral machines, slaughtering countless numbers of them, Caesar notices the Cages they were guarding just in the distance.
Caesar: “Let's make our way over there Scrap! We are going to grab them and run out of here. There are too many of them”
Caesar carves a path towards the cages in front of Scrappy, rapidly shredding through the machines as he holds them at bay.
Caesar: “Get the children out of the cages Scrap! I will defend you while you do”
The feral machines swarm Caesar, dropping from the ceiling and running on the walls. Scrappy bites away at the bars of one of the cages, barging into it as she alerts the terrified child inside.
Caesar: “Don't be afraid, we are getting you out of here. Climb onto the back of the animal in front of you”
The terrified child hesitantly reaches out their hands in the dark as they feel for Scrappy laying in front of them. As the child feels the cold titanium exoskeleton mixed with the feel of Scrappy's soft and warm furry body, they climb onto her back. Scrappy quickly trots overs to the other cage, ripping away the bars of the cage. The little child inside cradled in the corner, covered entirely by their lengthy hair like a thick fluffy blanket, doesn't move an inch from the commotion. Scrappy crawls up next to them, nudging them with her snout.
Caesar still battling with the cluster of feral machines looks back for a moment to see if Scrappy had left yet, in that brief moment due to the distraction. One of the machine's dashes past him and heads straight inside the cage biting at the child. Scrappy ruthlessly drags the machine away from the child and destroys it in the blink of an eye. The child slowly raises its head as it looks at Scrappy in the dark, illuminated only by the brief light from the extinguishing fire from the crushed machine in her mouth.
Scrappy gently picks up the child by its baggy dingy clothes with her mouth and begins to walk out of the cage and heads for the staircase leading back to the first floor with Axel and the others. Caesar notices as Scrappy walks out of the cage with the two children, one of the feral machines also witnesses Scrap with the children and darts away down the hallway in the opposite direction.
Caesar: “Good, Scrappy has them... Now I just have to find a way to hold these machines back long enough for me to escape too... Wait where is that one going... that's the only one running away... Oh no...”
Caesar immediately leaps into the air, striking the ceiling with an explosive blow, causing it to cave in onto the horde of machines, making a complete blockade of the hallway. Caesar then frantically puts away the two blades and sprints towards the staircase through the pitch-black corridors.
Caesar: “It can only be running away for one purpose... Informing the others down below... The massive gathering of machines on the 3rd floor!”
Sprinting with immense speed he catches up to Scrappy slowly climbing the stairs with the two children. He swoops down and grabs the child Scrappy was carefully carrying by their clothes and leaps past her up the stairs.
Caesar: “We gotta go Scrap! Now! Run!”
Scrappy immediately hastens her steps leaping up the stairs as the child on top of her holds on tightly.
Axel unknowing of the situation sits at the top of the staircase conversating with the children.
Axel: “Yeah Rosie told me everything about your travels, what happened to the old droids... Your pods, I too was found in a pod, just like she described”
Luca: “So... We... Are not machines? Like the old droids?”
Raine: “Don't be stupid Luca...Of course we are, if not machines then what are we?”
Levi: “Raine... Don't be like that, we are... Different”
Viktor: “Yes... We are different... and so is he, he's even different from us...”
Aren: “What are we?... What are you?”
Axel: “What am I?”
Axel exhales heavily as he stares up at the ceiling, and just as he takes a breath to respond. He suddenly hears the loud stomping of Caesar and Scrappy Sprinting up the stairs. He jumps to his feet to look down the dark staircase, as Caesar and Scrappy burst out from the blanket of darkness with the two children. A little girl in Caesar's arms with lengthy black hair covering her entire body and a little boy on top of Scrappy with matted hair and a large scar across his face.
Caesar: “Axel! We gotta run...NOW!”
Axel: “Why what's the matter?”
Just then the entire building begins to shake as if an earthquake was rioting just beside them knocking at their door. “KRAKRACCCKKKK! BOOM!” A blinding flash of lightning laminates the entire area. Causing the little girl and boy in Caesar's and Scrappy's care to squeal in pain as they covered their eyes.
Levi: “Is that... Lily and...Leo?!”
Axel: “What's wrong with them?”
Caesar: “I believe their visual sensors are sensitive to light after being confined in darkness for so long. But there isn't any time for this... We must go now!”
Caesar grabs Axel's arm and pulls him along, lifting him up onto Scrappy's back with Leo.
Axel: “Ouch! Ok...Alright everyone let's go, follow us to the exit!”
They all run to the exit, Axel along with two of the children on the back of Scrappy, two in Caesar's arms and two over his shoulders and the other three running beside them. As they reach the exit, “BOOOOOOOM!” A deafening strike of thunder rips out from the sky, followed by the sound of stampeding machines galloping towards them. Axel looks back to see hordes of feral beast-like machines and massive brawlers carrying even bigger weapons than the last, all comings towards them like a doomsday nightmare.
Axel: “Back to the car! Quickly Scrap! You three! jump up on here as well we gotta gooooo!”
Caesar: “Axel! The rain! Shield yourselves!”
Axel looks at himself to see that he is completely exposed with all of his clothes burnt and riddled with holes and with no time to get a piece of junk metal from the ground.
Axel: “There's no time!”
The other three children climb up onto Scrappy hurriedly.
Axel: “Cover your skin with your clothes everyone, Go Scrap Go!”
They dash off into the acid rain, Axel looks back as he rides on the back of Scrappy to see. The army of deadly machines encloses on them reaching the exit of the building and coming to a halt...
Axel: “They stopped... why? The acid rain? It burns a little on contact sure but...”
Just then a single machine walks out from the massive group, stepping into the open. As the wet mud soaked the feet of the machine, it raising its arm into the air pointing at Axel and the others as they run away. The countless beast-like feral machines at its feet all sprint towards them like dogs hunting prey.
Axel: “We can't outrun them... We have to do something or they will get us before we even reach the car...”
Just then Axel looks forward to Caesar climbing the descent, swiftly leaping his way up carrying the four children. And as he stares upward, he gets an idea.
Axel: “Dad! We gotta do something or they will catch us! I've got a plan! Wait for me at the top”
Caesar: “What?! Are you crazy? We have to run!”
Axel: “Just trust me! It's the only way”
As Caesar reaches the top, he waits for Scrappy to finish climbing up to him. As he looks down at her, he sees the hundreds of feral machines climbing behind them like ants gathering to a grain of sugar.
Caesar: “Oh no... What have we got ourselves into”
As Scrappy finally reaches the top, Axel jumps off of her back. Holding an oddly shaped device in his hand as he takes one more out of his backpack.
Caesar: “What is that?”
Questions Caesar as he scans the device in Axel's hands.
Caesar: “Where did you get this?!”
Axel: “Judy's room... We need to send that giant vat of oil above this massive hole crashing down onto that army. That will stop them, if not for good, long enough for us to get away”
Caesar: “Axel, these are cores of old Ti9000s... They are extremely explosive”
Axel: “I know, Judy told me a story about how big of an explosion it made when I was younger. But enough talking, we need to do this quickly! They're coming! Throw them at whatever is keeping this thing suspended in the air”
Caesar scans the massive vat of oil and takes the two devices throwing them vigorously into the air, flying high above the huge vat.
Axel: “What are you doing Dad? You threw them too high...”
Caesar: “No... Just run, get back onto Scrap and let's go. Do you have a detonator for them as well?”
Axel: “Is that this thing”
Caesar: “Yes, detonate on my count to 1... 5”
While Caesar snatched the children off their feet, Axel hops back up onto Scrappy's back and they dash away from the area. Meanwhile, the horde of machines finally reaches the surface, crawling out of the hole like hellhounds.
Caesar: “4... 3... 2...”
The devices begin to fall as gravity takes effect from the loss of momentum. Descending through the air just above the pipelines of the vat.
Caesar: “1... Now!”
“BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!”