“Sighting confirmed. Hostile is inside the factory,” Hanami says over the Comms. “I repeat, hostile is inside the factory.”
Kora curses.
“If we don’t get back to our Mechs, we’re dead,” Chase says. “Corpses with giant slash marks across our chests.”
“I agree with your assessment of the situation. Unfortunately, the target has bisected our escape route.”
Hanami’s fingers work deftly over her portable monitor, swinging her drone into action above the skylights of the atrium.
Chase checks the barrel of his 9mm to make sure it is cool, turns the safety on, and tucks it back in his cargo pocket.
That would be like shooting spitballs at a tank.
“Reo and Kora, you are on the western side of the factory. You need to relocate as fast as possible to the eastern side.”
“On it!” Reo answers. Bombardier and Templar engage their jets and fly over the top of the building.
“There may be another way out,” Hanami says. Her drone battery gives a warning beep.
Clutching her monitor, Hanami tentatively moves into the outside hallway. Chase follows, wheeling the heavy black box behind him.
“You should leave it. That will only slow us down.”
“I’m not leaving here empty handed!”
Hanami and Chase look up and down the hall, listening for the beast. Echoing thuds approach from the direction of the corridor they originally came past the maintenance area.
Hanami notices signage for a freight elevator down the hall in the opposite direction and runs to it, Chase wheeling the box as fast as he can after her. Hanami pounds the elevator button and waits for the doors to slowly open.
Another ear-piercing shriek as the beast rounds the corner, spots them as they duck into the elevator. Hanami hits the button to go up. The doors start to close—the black box is blocking the way!
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Foolish mistake, Hanami thinks.
The beast charges down the hall, red eyes blazing.
“No, no, no, no, no!” Chase shouts.
Chase strains with all his might to push the box upright, just enough to free up the doors. Hanami slaps the UP button again and again. The doors shut and the elevator jolts upwards just as the beast slams a clawed paw against the exterior doors, nearly imploding the metal.
“Going up?” Chase asks, breathless.
Hanami ignores him, eyes fixed on her monitor and giving orders to Reo and Kora.
“On the eastern wall you will find a series of large windows below the roofline. These overlook an assembly line area. Position yourselves by those windows and be ready for extraction.”
She exits the elevator into an upper floor hall and sprints away, making a right turn and hurrying down another long corridor. Chase hurries after her, wheeling the heavy box and dripping sweat, every muscle straining.
Hanami slaps a button and automatic double doors open. Before her lies one of the catwalks overlooking the assembly line. Now that the power is back on, mechanical arms and 3D printers the size of small bedrooms hum with potential.
Chase hurries after her onto the catwalk, eyeing the large drop to the ground floor.
BOOM! Below, the beast breaks through a doorframe too small for it and instantly locks eyes on the two fleeing humans above.
“Are you in position?” Hanami asks over the Comms.
She can’t hear the reply because the beast lets out another ear-piercing shriek. Chase releases the handle of his box and covers his ears with both hands. With great agility, the beast leaps onto the wall, digging in with its talon-like claws, then leaps again until it crashes onto the catwalk.
Hanami and Chase back away. The catwalk sways, threatening to buckle under the weight. It was not designed to hold something as big or as heavy as the murder cat stalking towards them.
Chase pulls his gun and fires his entire remaining clip directly at the face of the metal beast. He can barely hear the gunshots over the ringing in his ears.
No effect beyond a scratch or two on the metal plating of the devilish face.
The robot lion opens its mouth, sets of saw teeth whirling. It prepares to pounce.
CRASH! CRASH!
Bombardier’s hand breaks through the large window, enclosing Hanami and Chase with one mighty grasp. The pilots’ bodies are pressed roughly against each other as Reo pulls them to safety.
At the same time, Templar grabs the black box and pulls it out through the other window just as the catwalk gives way, sending the ferocious beast crashing back to the factory floor. It is on its feet again in seconds, eyes blazing.
[Ranger: Drone battery low. Recalling drone to Mech]
Templar and Bombardier fly the pilots back to the factory entrance and Reo deposits each into their Mech cockpits. Chase wipes blood from his forehead where he was cut by a shard of broken glass.
“Ready for Round Two?” Reo asks, warming up his Gatling Gun and ready to punch the QPS, eager for a rematch. Ronin and Templar prepare to stand their ground.
Hanami wearily looks through Ranger’s cockpit as the sun starts to peek over the horizon.
“No. Full withdraw…”