Disclaimer: See Chapter 1

Clockwork

Piston 1

RED ALERT! RED ALERT! RED ALERT!

That was the message that Taylor was woken up to. She stared in horror at her room's computer screen as it flashed it repeatedly.

Her door slammed open as Heavy barged his way in, his cameras filled with fear. "There are intruders in the Yard."

Taylor leapt out of bed and ran out of her room, pulling on her costume as she went. "Call everyone together in the lab, get the Cogs out in full force. I want them IDed now."

They ran through several corridors before finally they entered the lab. The metal lab table had been replaced by a different table. This one was wider, with a holographic projector displaying a map of the Yard. Several points on it were flashing.

Four of the Cogs and all of the Corps save for Deadeye were present. Streak was working furiously, surrounded by holographic panels that were all flashing information at him.

"What's the situation?" Clockwork- Taylor was long gone- demanded.

Streak tapped several buttons, causing images to appear over the flashing points. "Four groups of trespassers. Bakuda and Oni Lee, Squealer and Skidmark in one of their rides, Uber and Leet, and last but oh so far from least, Shadow Stalker. None of them are aware that we know they're here."

Hammer crossed his arms, glaring at the image of Shadow Stalker skulking through their home. "Why is she here? Did the Protectorate send her?"

"No."

Clockwork jumped slightly in surprise as Deadeye's voice came in over her mask.

"She's here for me."

"How do you know that?" She asked as she went to work on the hologram. She began tapping several platforms, activating their support pillars so that they would submerge themselves. Powerful the completed components might be, she wasn't willing to risk them. She also relocated the already submerged Vault as far as possible from the intruders. "And where are you?"

"I know. And I'm at the crow's nest."

Clockwork clenched her eye shut. "Dare I ask why?"

"We've got more incoming."

Clockwork cursed. "Who?"

The map on the table zoomed out to show the whole of Brockton Bay and beyond. About two miles out and closing fast was a cluster of dots.

"Dragonslayers. Seven of them, prepped for war."

The Corps members not working froze. Save for Smiler

"You have got to be SHITTING ME!" Sarge roared.

"That sounds like fun! " Smiler cried, jumping up and down.

"Looks like we've got a fight on our hands." Hammer said, pounding his fists together.

"Any chance they're here for something else?" Heavy asked tiredly.

"Do you really think we're that lucky?" Streak shot back.

"Enough!" Clockwork shouted. All conversation halted. "We have a situation. We're lucky they haven't actually ran into one of us yet." She sighed heavily. "Once the fighting starts, this will turn into a clusterfuck. As confident as I am in the Yard, I want to have all the advantages we can get. Let's break it down." She tapped on Uber and Leet's image, causing it to zoom in and show the duo walking through the metal walkways of their base, clad in heavy armor and carrying futuristic guns. "What's the game they're playing?"

Streak scanned it quickly before pointing at Uber's chest. "That logo. N7. Mass Effect, a sci-fi/shooter trilogy from Earth Aleph." He sent a synopsis of the games to each member.

Sarge's jaw dropped. "GETH?! THOSE RACIST SONS OF-"

Heavy growled. "I'm going to gut those two."

Hammer mimed cracking his knuckles.

The Cogs were revving their tools in fury. "Smash them!" "Burn them!" "Pierce them!" "Slice them!"

"Wait."

They all froze and looked at Clockwork.

"Boss?" Hammer asked.

Clockwork smirked as she read a part of the summary. "We can play this to our advantage."

"But Boss!" Heavy protested, "This is a clear act of-"

"I know, I know," Clockwork said. "But I have a plan."

The Clockwork Corps all stared at her for a second before those that could grinned. Victory was assured.

"What's the plan, Boss?"

"Alright, first..."

Uber peeked around the corner. "Clear." He swung around the wall, sweeping back and forth with his gun as he kept an eye out for hostiles.

Leet followed behind, pistol clenched tightly in his hands. Unlike his partner, his eyes were wandering all over, both up and down. "Holy crap, Uber! This place!" He all but drooled as he observed the intricate maze of metal. "It's amazing!"

Uber grunted back, his attention drawn forwards. "I guess."

"No, you don't get it, you're not a Tinker!" Leet said as he marveled at the structures around him. "This place is an architectural masterpiece! Our views are going to go up from airing this alone!"

"Maybe," Uber replied, "But it's a tactical nightmare. It's a maze, and I don't doubt it's creators know every inch of it by heart."

"Damn straight!"

Uber and Leet whipped their weapons towards the voice above them. Uber had his finger on the Revenant's trigger and Leet had one hand off his pistol, becoming surrounded by a wavering blue aura.

They were met with a tiny metal robot waving it's hands frantically. "Woahwoahwoah! Hold it, hold it! Truce! Peace! Cease fire!"

Uber and Leet froze in surprise for an instant before snapping into character.

"Why should we listen to a geth drone like you?" Uber demanded gruffly.

"B-but we're not geth, believe me!" The small robot protested. Under it, a panel of the ship flipped around, displaying a computer screen. Words began to run across it. "OOC Speech."

Leet blinked. "What the hell-"

"We're an independent colony of AI," The robot continued. "Completely separate from the geth. We just want to exist in peace, be left alone! We don't want war! But people keep mistaking us for geth or for dangerous AI and attacking us! Like you, and the others!"

"There are other people in the Yard. All of them have hostile intentions. You, on the other hand, are doing this for fun and profit. But we can spin that to both our advantages."

"Please, we're asking you for your help! We can fight them off, but any aid will be greatly appreciated!"

"You have a choice: Paragon, you help us fight off the others and we let you leave unmolested, maybe even come up with some form of extended alliance in the future, as well as keeping in line with this episodes theme."

"However..." The bot's tone became hostile. "If you decide to attack us as well, you'll become our enemies too."

"Renegade, we kick your asses and deliver you gift-wrapped to the PRT. And we'll do it so fast, you won't have enough money from the episode for bail."

"So!" The screen split down the middle, the left glowing blue with a wing displayed, the right red with a star. "What's your choice?"

Uber and Leet exchanged looks.

"I do prefer playing Paragon anyways." Leet said quietly.

Uber nodded at him. The two relaxed their positions. "We'll help."

"Good."

The two whipped around, looking up a bit to meet the gaze of the robot that had guns pointed at both their backs.

"That means I won't have to waste my ammo on you." He continued. "The name's Heavy. For the time being, welcome to the Clockwork Corps."

Uber and Leet stared at him for a second before Uber glared at Leet. "Next time, we integrate a mini-map. I don't care what the hell it runs on or how shitty it eventually becomes over time. A mini-map."

Leet nodded weakly.

Uber sighed and looked back at Heavy. "So, who else is attacking you guys?"

"Bakuda, Oni Lee, Squealer, Skidmark, and Shadow Stalker. And we've got a whole squad of Dragonslayers coming to visit."

The two gaped openly at him. Leet snapped his jaw shut. "Wait, Shadow Stalker?! The crazy bitch in the Wards?!"

Heavy nodded and pointed behind them. Turning around, the two saw that the screen that had been talking to them was instead displaying Shadow Stalker creeping around in the dark.

Leet blinked before snapping his head around. "How much of this place do you have under surveillance?"

Heavy lifted a camera cover. "All of it. Why?"

Uber grinned. "Are you suggesting what I think you are?"

Leet snapped his fingers, exposing his camera. "This is how we tracked you, sorry about that, and right now, it's transmitting our show." He tapped a piece of it's plating, causing it to flip up and show a USB port. "What would you guys say about us making this viral?"

Heavy and the small robot stared for a second before simultaneously grinning. "That can be arranged." Heavy stated. He wheeled around and slapped the side of the nearest ship, causing it to open and reveal a hidden passage. He grinned over his shoulder. "Come with me. Let us begin a most... fortuitous partnership."

Uber and Leet glanced at each other again.

"Well..." Leet said.

Uber shrugged and walked in. "Down the rabbit hole."

Leet followed behind, glancing back as the door slid shut behind them.

Shadow Stalker glanced around as she moved forwards. Nothing in sight.

"Damn I seriously hate this place," She muttered to herself. Ever since she had reached the renovated sections of the Graveyard, she hadn't been able to liberally phase through the walls and catwalks due to the power wires running through them. When she'd first tried, it hadn't been pleasant.

"How the hell am I supposed to find him in this shit hole!?" She whispered.

"Looking for someone?"

Shadow Stalker whipped around, her crossbow leveled at the voice. Her eyes narrowed when she saw who it was.

"You."

"Me." Deadeye replied in his neutral voice. "Why are you here, Shadow Stalker?"

Shadow Stalker did her best to keep her excitement down and maintain a stable voice. "The PRT. They sent me here. Wanted me to keep an eye on you guys."

"Bull." Deadeye stated. "You're lying."

Shadow Stalker started. "Wha- I-!"

"Come now, Shadow Stalker," Deadeye continued. "Do you honestly think I believe that? Tell the truth. After all..."

Unseen in the shadows, a hidden Cog smirked as his cameras zoomed in on the conversation.

"It's just you and me."

Leet roared with laughter as he typed furiously at the board in front of him. "This. Is. Priceless! Scandal in the Wards, on our show! Our ratings are going through the roof!"

Streak chuckled in return. "You should see the official channels! The PRT is furious! Oh, what's this?" He gasped in mock-horror at the data in front of him. "A virus, to silence us? Well, if the venerable Directors of the PRT think it's for our own good- DENIED!" Streak cackled maniacally as he typed several streams of code. "First Amendment, bitches! Our voices shall be heard!" He turned an eye back to Shadow Stalker. "And so shall hers."

Shadow Stalker shook with fury at the condescension, the superiority she could feel in his voice. "You."

Deadeye tilted his head. "Hm?"

"I said I'm here for you!"

"..." Deadeye was silent for a second. "...do you want to rephrase that?"

Shadow Stalker growled in anger. "I'm here to fucking kill you!"

The command room had fallen silent.

"Jackpot." Streak whispered reverently.

"..." Deadeye stared at her. Finally, he spoke.

"Little over a week since I pinned you," He said. "And you still haven't let it go..." His stare evolved into a glare. "You're pathetic."

Shadow Stalker scoffed. "That's just a piece of it, you freak."

"Then why?"

"I just said it! You're a freak!" Shadow Stalker roared. "You act like a fucking predator but you're nothing but a fake!"

Deadeye stared at her in silence for a full minute. He barely kept his cameras from twitching. "...what."

Shadow Stalker continued ranting "You walk like a predator, you act like a predator, that look in your eye! You're a predator but you're a fucking fake! A knock-off, a hoax! You're just a worthless piece of trash that doesn't deserve that eye! And I'm going to rip it out of you."

Deadeye's camera really did twitch this time. "You want to kill me because I'm a fake predator. And that would make you... what? A real predator?"

"Yes!"

It took all of Deadeye's discipline to keep from facepalming at the sheer insanity that was being stated in front of him. "I take it back, you're not pathetic, you're insane."

This set her off on a new tirade. Had Deadeye had a weaker will, he would have actually laughed as she essentially threw a temper tantrum.

Others did not contain such force of will.

The control room shook with laughter. "HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Streak guffawed as he pounded helplessly on the table.

"She-she said that!" Leet gasped, shaking with mirth. "She said that, in front of the world! And she has no idea!" Leet nearly collapsed as his laughter shook him.

Streak gained enough control to tap a hologram, then collapsed into a fit of giggles again as he saw what was displayed. "The forums are eating it up! 'Ward gone wild!', 'Shadow Stalker takes a stroll on the wild side!', oh, this is the best! 'Shadow Stalker: Crazy or Craziest?'! HAHAHAHAHA!"

Leet calmed down as well and checked a screen. His already grinning face turned into a smirk. "Check this out!" He swiped his hand, sending it over to Streak.

Streak looked at it. His cameras widened in awe. "No. Fucking. Way." He immediately scrambled and pressed a few buttons. "Deadeye, you read me?"

"I read you, what is it?" Deadeye replied silently, his gaze fixed on the enraged Parahuman before him.

"The PRT is talking about her! Far as I can tell, they're pretty much planning on canning her!"

Deadeye's cameras widened marginally. "...you're serious."

"As an EMP. Violated probation, voiding her contract, prior felonies, they're bringing it all up! To put things simply-"

"Her ass is mine." Deadeye leaned forwards. "I think you're forgetting something, Shadow Stalker."

The ex-Ward was breathing heavily as she glared up at the object of her hatred. "What?!"

"The way you've been speaking, you seem to think that predators are at the top of the food chain."

"We are! We're above the worthless prey, we're stronger-!"

"You're wrong."

Shadow Stalker stared at him incredulously. "What!?"

"You see," Deadeye said as he slowly stood up from his perch. "There is something that surpasses the predator. Something that goes well beyond it, that hunts it down and skins it's long-dead corpse."

Shadow Stalker shook with fury at the blasphemy being stated before her. "What the fuck would that be?"

Deadeye whipped his rifle up to bear. "A hunter." He blasted off three shots at her.

Shadow Stalker jerked back, jumping back to avoid the shots as they slammed into the floor where she'd been standing. She tried to swing around and fire at him, but was forced to keep moving by more shots.

"Run, little predator..." Deadeye said as he kept firing at her.

Shadow Stalker finally had enough and darted down a nearby opening in the ships.

Deadeye fired several more rounds after her. "RUN!" He roared. He stood up and jumped to another piece of metal, chasing after her.

Leet whistled as he watched the pursuit. "Wow. The hunt is on, huh?"

Streak nodded. "You know, he could have easily hit her by now."

Leet blinked in surprise. "Then why hasn't he yet?"

Streak shrugged. "We all get our kicks somehow. I surf the web for useful info, Hammer likes to punch things, Deadeye just so happens to have a bit of a sadistic streak."

"Isn't that a bit..." Leet searched for the word.

"Dark?" Streak shrugged. "It happens. We can't all be saints, you know. Besides, he won't hurt her, just scare the shit out of her. Anyways!" Streak tapped on the keyboard. "What's Uber, Heavy and Hammer's status?"

Leet scanned the data and grinned. "In position. They're ambushing Skidmark and Squealer now."

"COME ON OUT YOU LITTLE BITCH!" Skidmark shouted. "COME OUT AND FIGHT ME!"

The two druggies were ripping through the Boat Graveyard on Squealer's literal monster-truck, crashing through walls and walkways. The varying weapons on it were firing randomly, hitting and missing the surrounding ships.

"COME ON! BRING IT YOU FUCKING COW-GAH!" Skidmark was thrown forwards when the truck was brought to a sudden halt. "What- the fuck!?" He exclaimed as he saw what was stopping them.

Hammer was holding the truck back, fists gripping the fender, his feet digging into the platform beneath him. The truck's tires squealed pointlessly against the metal surface.

Squealer tried to fire the vehicles weapons at him, but due to his close proximity, they all ended up over-shooting him.

Skidmark swore profusely in anger.

Now, an intelligent person would have set the vehicle in reverse, moved back so as to blast Hammer into scrap.

Skidmark was not an intelligent person.

"EAT THIS YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" He roared as he swung his arm in a wide arc, materializing one of his trademark patterns along the ground.

Hammer slid back a few feet before he engaged a mechanism within himself. Clamps folded out of his legs and dug into the metal around his feet, anchoring him in place. He let out an involuntary groan at the weight of the vehicle pressing into him.

Skidmark cackled at the small victory. "HOW DO YOU LIKE THAT YOU METAL BASTARD!?"

Hammer slowly raised his head and met Skidmark's gaze through the windshield. His cameras were full of determination. "Actually..." He ground out. ""I like it a whole fucking lot! NOW!"

Uber and Heavy popped up from out of hiding on both sides of the truck. Heavy had his missile launcher prepped and Uber was toting a M-560 Hydra.

Simultaneously, they lined up their shots and unloaded their weapons into the vehicle's undercarriage. The roughly built structure was unable to support the barrage of ordinance and the carriage was separated from the wheels.

Skidmark and Squealer gripped at the dashboard. "WHAT THE-!?"

Hammer's camera's flashed. "Bye!"

Hammer let go of the carriage and ducked down. Squealer and Skidmark screamed as Skidmark's powers took effect and launched them into the wall ahead of them, which they impacted into with a resounding crash. Seconds later, Skidmark's power shut off.

Uber gasped from exhaustion. "Are...Are they-?"

"Dead?" Heavy asked. He glanced towards the wreck. One of the Cogs popped out and gave him a thumbs up. "Nah, they'll live."

Uber sighed in relief.

Hammer grunted as he stood back up. "Come on, let's get moving. We've got more guests to greet."

Heavy and Uber groaned in response.

Leet whooped in joy. "Sweet! Our show is going through the roof!"

"And we are getting hailed as heroes! This is great publicity!" Streak added. "Moving on! Let's see how Bakuda and Oni Lee are holding up!"

"Fuck, Fuck, Fuck, Fuck, FUCK!" Bakuda cursed as she ran.

Bakuda was no fool. She'd expected traps upon entering the Graveyard. She'd expected trickery. She'd expected just about everything.

But a fucking bronze boulder!?

"FUCK!" Bakuda roared. She dug through her suit for a bomb, any bomb that could save her from the fate of resembling a pancake. Finally, she gripped one, loaded it into her grenade launcher, and fired it over her shoulder.

The next second, she tripped and fell flat on her face. She tensed and screamed when she felt...

...a wave of liquid that had once been the metal orb wash over her.

Bakuda gasped desperately. This was not how she had envisioned things.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Bakuda's fists clenched as she heard that infuriating laugh erupt from the walls.

"What's wrong Bakuda? You okay? YOU LOOK A LITTLE WASHED UP! HAHAHAHA!"

The cheap knock-off she'd come to kill had been laughing and taunting her from out of sight the second that things had gone sour.

The entire place was insane. The floor shifted, walls moved, and the walls were packed with a hundred and one ways of making her life hell.

"FUCK!" Bakuda shouted as she fired a bomb at the wall. "YOU!"

A hatch on the wall opened and a disk was tossed out. The disk exploded, tossing Bakuda's bomb into the air, where it detonated harmlessly. That was another infuriating thing, her target kept countering every bomb she threw with a bomb of his own, making piercing the walls an impossibility.

As for the person she'd entered with...

Oni Lee teleported into sight ahead of her. The next second, he faded ash-grey as he was replaced by a clone. It made to activate the jacket she'd given him, but before it could, there was a flash and the clone was disemboweled and beheaded.

The manic Clockwork teleported again,her laughter echoing throughout the surroundings. "WHEE! THIS IS FUN!"

Bakuda growled. This could not be happening to her!

"Who said you could stop running!?"

A pair of noises above her caused her to look up. Her eyes widened behind her mask as the twin mini-gun barrels began to spin. "Oh you have got to be kidding me."

"RUN, SHITBISCUIT!"

Bakuda ran, energy-bolts nipping at her heels.

"Damn..." Leet said. "Out of curiosity, how much do you guys have stocked in here?"

"Leet," Streak said slowly. "You've gotten to know a good deal about us during the time you've been in here. Be honest: Do you really want to know?"

Leet was silent for a moment he swallowed heavily. "No. No I do not."

Streak nodded. "Anyways, as for the Boss..." He pointed at a blinking dot standing on top of one of the ship decks. "She's greeting the last guests."

Saint stared ahead from within his suit. They would be on the Boat Graveyard in minutes.

Suddenly, a notice appeared on his visor's HUD.

-Incoming Transmission-

Saint blinked in confusion and let it through.

"Hello."

Saint frowned. That was a teenager's voice. "Who are you, how are you on this frequency?"

"My name is Clockwork. I presume that you are Saint. Am I correct?"

Saint immediately tensed. "What do you want?"

"I'll make it short. You're heading right for us. I don't know why, but I want you gone. Now."

Saint grit his teeth. "And why should we do that?"

"I'll make you."

Saint snorted at the declaration. "Not happening." He replied coldly. "We're coming to you, we're not leaving until we get what we want, and there's nothing you can do about it. End of discussion."

The voice on the line was silent for a moment before finally, "...so be it."

-Transmission Terminated-

"If she thinks that we're going to let her get away with what she's doing..." Saint muttered under his breath. Suddenly, another notice flashed on his visor, this one flashing urgently.

-ALERT! TARGET LOCK DETECTED!-

Saint's eyes shot wide. 'The hell!?' He noted with mounting panic that the warning had come up on the other suits accompanying him.

"What's..." He trailed off.

A portion of their destination had been illuminated in brown light and something had shot out, headed right towards them.

Saint paled as he recognized what that something was.

Missiles.

A lot of missiles.

"Aw fuck me."