Chapter 4: Rüdiger the Mad
"Kamerads (Comrades)," Gerald said to the Engineers once they were out of Granary. "During my brief absence, I ran into an old friend that I would like you to meet."
The company then entered an old barn that was several feet from the Base, and it was there that they found a Medic who looked very similar to Gerald except that one half of his face was gray and corpse-like while the other looked completely normal with several stitches separating the two halves. While the Engineers and Bobbie stood in the doorway cautiously, Gerald stepped forward and stood next to the odd-looking Medic.
"Rüdiger," Gerald said and waved his hand toward Bobbie and the Engineers. "These are the travel companions I was telling you about."
"Ah," the odd-looking Medic nodded. Then he said in a suddenly menacing voice. "Kill zhem all. No, not yet!"
Nervously, the Engineers took wrenches out of their trousers. Seeing them, Gerald stepped between them and the Medic called Rüdiger.
"Do not worry," Gerald said calmly. "Rüdiger may be mad, but he's here to help us."
"How?" Bobbie asked.
"There is a group of Robots heading in this direction," Rüdiger said. "Do not tell zhem that. Be quiet! I vill not! They are looking for someone named Theron Olander. Forget I said anything. Shut up!"
"What did these Robots look like?" Theron said stepping forward.
"Well, they — Don't tell zhem. You're making this more difficult than it has to be. That's my job! Whatever, they're a small band of Robot Scouts led by a Robot Soldier who's face is cracked just like mine!"
"Cracked? Like he had been hit with a wrench or something?"
"Precisely!" a menacing chuckle escaped Rüdiger's mouth which he then covered up.
Meanwhile, Theron looked both surprised and angered.
Brian gave Theron a concerned frown. "You don't think it's—
"It can't be him!" Theron snapped.
"Who is he talking about?" Bobbie wondered.
"Alclad the Destroyer," Daran said bluntly.
"You'd better not be lyin' to me, Doc!" Theron said storming up to Rüdiger. "Did any of the Robots refer to the Soldier Robot by name?"
"Well, not really," Rüdiger said. "You lie! I do not! They said, 'Alclad' over and over again! That is not true! Yes, it is!"
"Tell me the truth!" Theron reached for his wrench but Gerald stopped him.
"You will not harm Rüdiger in my presence," Gerald said gripping Theron's shoulder firmly.
"Then he'd better start making sense," Theron responded bitterly.
Gerald was about to say something when they heard metal clanking noises that sounded far away but were gradually getting closer.
"It's them!" Rüdiger said anxiously. "We do not want to die!"
"Then we must leave at once," Gerald said. "We'll go one way and you the other."
Rüdiger looked confused. "Why?"
"To lead them astray, of course."
###
So reluctantly, Rüdiger left the barn first and moved around to the back. In the distance, there were several Robots that resembled Scouts approaching the field. Once they were close enough to see him, Rüdiger ran toward Granary at an incredibly fast speed. The Robot Scouts immediately followed him, while Gerald and the others left the barn in the opposite direction. Then just as they were getting close to the end of the field, a single Robot Scout stood in their path. It carried a bat with metal spikes in its hand and stared at the company with electric blue lights for eyes.
"Take one more step and I'll bash your brains in, punk!" the Robot Scout said, waving its metal bat threateningly.
"Oh, yeah, well take this!" Neylan said taking a Pistol out of an overalls pocket.
He fired it at the Robot Scout's arm which caused it to let go of its bat. Angered, the Robot Scout charged at Neylan forcing him to shoot the Pistol again. This time, the bullet lodged in the Robot Scout's head which made it fall at Neylan's feet.
"Nice shootin', Tex!" Finley said slapping Neylan on the back.
Several bullets suddenly flew past as several more Robot Scouts came running with Scatterguns in their hands.
"There's too many of them!" Dylan shouted. "We'll have to make a run for the hills!"
"Follow my lead!" Gerald said and ran toward the end of the field.
With the Robot Scouts on their tails, the company ran off the field and into a wide open plain that stretched as far as the mountains. Here, there was very little cover so the Engineers kept running despite the constant gunfire. Unfortunately, the Robot Scouts were faster and they soon had Gerald and the others surrounded. Undeterred, Neylan fired his Pistol at the Robot Scouts who all went down after being shot in the head once. Then from there, the company made their way to Frontier and followed the old Payload rails up into the mountains. Near the top, they came onto a relatively flat area surrounded by various buildings with a mining conveyor belt hanging high overhead.
"We made it," Gerald said firmly. "Is everyone accounted for?"
The Engineers raised their hands reluctantly while Bobbie was transfixed by the place.
"Is this Mountain Lab?" Bobbie said as he looked around.
"It is, mates."
Surprised, the company turned around and saw a Sniper sitting on a tree branch pointing a Sniper Rifle at them.
"Ah, Hallo," Gerald said while the Engineers and Bobbie stood frozen in place. "We're here to see Saxton Hale."
"What business do you have with him?" the Sniper asked not putting the Sniper Rifle down.
"I am Gerald the Red, and this is Theron Olander," Gerald said waving his hand toward Theron who glared up at the Sniper. "He has come to seek Saxton Hale's aid in reclaiming Thunder Mountain for his people who are all the Engineers that stand before you."
"Including the Scout?" the Sniper said looking down at Bobbie.
"I'm working for Theron's company under contract," Bobbie answered stiffly.
At first, the Sniper lowered his rifle but then he pointed it at Gerald. "Why are you interfering in the affairs of Engineers, Medic?"
"That's enough, Sniper, he's an old friend of mine."
Surprised, the Sniper stood on the tree branch with his rifle poised beside him. Gerald and the others turned around and saw a large muscular man with no shirt standing there. He did wear a cowboy hat, a pair of jean shorts, and brown boots. His brown eyes were fierce and he sported a bushy mustache that covered the upper half of his mouth.
"Saxton Hale," Gerald said gladly. "So good to see you."
"Same here," the man called Saxton replied. "I heard there were Robots spotted near Granary and they were apparently pursuing Rüdiger the Mad."
"Did they catch him?" Gerald asked.
"No, they have not," said a looming figure who suddenly appeared behind Saxton. He wore a long black robe and a scarf that covered half of his face. In his hands he carried a staff with a ram skull on top that matched his similarly shaped helmet. "Rüdiger transported straight to my home at Hightower and said I had to come here to meet you."
"Merasmus the Black," Gerald said bowing low. "Your presence is certainly welcoming in this time of growing darkness."
"I beg to differ," the looming figure responded. "Now come with me and Saxton. The Administrator does not like to be kept waiting."
Gerald's eyes widened and then he straightened his glasses. "Very well."
As Gerald left, Saxton signaled to the Sniper to come down. Then he looked down at Theron and said, "Flynn will escort you to your quarters with food and drink provided."
While the other Engineers looked relieved, Theron glared at the Sniper called Flynn the whole time as he led the thirteen of them including Bobbie down the dirt path that ran through Mountain Lab.
To be continued…