Chapter 11
The Pentagon
It was six A.M. in Washington when Tracy was dragged, unceremoniously, from her cell. The guards took no care with her various transfers. They were all on edge that an army of androids would descend upon them, in an attempt to rescue her. Which, knowing her family, was completely plausible.
The system had dissolved. With the country in almost full-on anarchy and her previous history, they had approved an immediate execution, scheduled for six thirty. The new cell was neatly cleaned and smelled like chemicals, she knew this would be her last stop in the transfers. Tracy winced as she lightly touched the bruise on her face. She chuckled at the irony; she had begun the war taking an ass beating, why not go out the same way. She thought. She closed her eyes, inhaling deeply, while praying her kids wouldn't make the mistake of coming for her. Like a perfectly timed slap from the universe, the alarms began to blare. "Shit." She whispered to herself, shaking her head.
The four intruders closed in on the outer wall of the holding wing. "Anything new, Trev?" Cammy asked, sprinting across the pavement.
Trevor, obviously shaken, activated his comms. "The news coverage keeps saying she assassinated Frank." His voice mirrored his anxiety, "They announced a private execution in thirty minutes, Cam."
"Calm down. We're almost to her." She assured him.
"Alright." He replied, exhaling methodically. "Megaman and his androids just arrived at the tower, so I'm going to have to coordinate communications for a bit. Keep me updated."
Tron lowered her visor, "If they plan to execute, they'll be moving her...um, me, frequently. Given the time frame, we should head to the lower chamber in Sector D."
"Bass," Marcus called to Gerard, "the wall."
"On it." He replied, extending his left arm. The heat of the massive green flame melted through the steel and concrete in seconds, setting off the loudest alarm he thought he would ever hear.
Before rushing in, Marcus spoke up. "Alright, non-lethal force guys."
"Like Hell!" Cammy replied, befuddled.
"Cameron," he responded in an eerie "dad" voice she hadn't heard in years. "These people are only doing their job. This is what Alex wants to happen. For us to do the dirty work for him."
Cammy closed her eyes, irritatedly, flipping the toggle-switch to "high voltage" on her assault rifle. "If it becomes necessary," she replied quietly, "I will turn this place into a blood bath to save our asses."
Without any objection, they entered the opening, to meet the swarm of security guards. Tron turned to their rear, drawing the hilt from her belt and deploying a silver and red shield. Deflecting the bolts, she extended her free hand, firing back on the small group. The few who weren't on the floor convulsing advanced quickly, as the shield retracted, converting into a steel staff. Wasting no time, Tron lashed out like a viper, striking the skulls of the men with unfathomable speed and precision. She spun on her heel, launching the staff over Bass' shoulder, directly into the face of a guard approaching from his right.
Bass, tussling with another foe, snapped him into a headlock, flipping him to the floor. After driving a forearm into the guards temple, he looked up at Tron. "I was getting to him." He said, grinning.
"Uh huh." She responded, calling the hilt back to her palm. "Left corridor, down the ramp and to the right." She added, leading the group over the crowd of sleeping bodies.
A gathering of five heavily armored guards, complete with riot shields, blocked the door of their destination. Marcus could tell their confidence was shrinking by the second. "I'll say this once!" He shouted to them. "Lay down your weapons, and walk away."
The men were panicking. "Kill them!" One shouted, ensuing a volley of fusion fire. Marcus raised his left forearm, transmuting dozens of small force-fields, absorbing the bolts. Cammy and Bass flanked from behind him, charging the men. Hopping off one foot, Bass planted a hard forward kick, using the guard's shield as a weapon, smashing it against it's owner. With her father quickly absorbing their shots, Cammy vaulted off the wall, swinging her rifle around as she soared over their defenses. She held the trigger until every last man was shaking on the floor, "Simple enough." She shrugged as Tron moved to hack the terminal.
The scene on the other side of the door sent a wave of anger and disdain through the team. The three men in suits seemed to be just as shocked. Tracy lay strapped to a table, unresponsive, in a white gown. Shakily, Cammy raised her weapon on the men, "Unstrap her, now!" She ordered.
The others stood silent. "Cam." Marcus said softly, touching her arm, lowering it.
She looked him in his eyes, trembling. "No." She whispered, shaking her head frantically. "No, no, no, no!" Tron walked up behind her, putting her arm around her shoulder, as Cammy dropped her head, in tears.
Amidst the tragedy, Marcus recognized the faint click of the toggle switch. He should have been fast enough to intercept the fusion rounds, but maybe part of him didn't really want to. In those brief seconds, Cammy had let out a ferocious roar of pure hatred, and opened fire, almost reducing the mens' bodies to sludge. Nobody dared to try and stop her.
The air was thick with tension, and no one had words to utter. That's when they heard it. The sound of an army of heavy troopers, filling the hallway outside. "How many?" Cammy asked, without emotion.
Head slightly dropped, listening intently, Bass responded. "A hundred, maybe more." He answered.
"Looks like Megaman wins again." Tron said, removing her helmet and ruffling her pink hair. "We all played it exactly how he planned."
Marcus had walked over to Tracy's body, kneeling down and gripping her hand. "We have to fight. This may be the end of our road, but we never gave up." He stood back up, activating his comms. "Trevor. I'm sure you're up to speed, but I want you to know that this is the time for you to be your strongest." He could hear his son breathing heavily on the other end. "All hope may seem lost, but as long as you, Zero and X can trudge on, there's still hope for the future."
"I'm picking up another garrison above us." Bass chimed in.
"Dad..." Trevor said, "Cam..."
"Give 'em hell, Trev." Cammy said, shouldering her rifle, before the doors blew open, and the room flooded with elite soldiers, opening fire.
Seattle, Washington
His androids were ready to strike at a moments notice, Alex admired their zealot. He, himself, had still not dared to turn and face the voices. He didn't want to make it a reality. "Serges, get the shutters open." He said, turning around as his ally ran past him. There they were, Zero, exactly the way he looked thirty years ago when Megaman decapitated him. And a twenty-seven year old Preston Light, wearing the same "Megaman" uniform as he had once donned. He scoffed, "Look at the two of you. Wily and Light, reunited!" He shouted. "Still hellbent on eradicating the human race?" He asked Zero, sarcastically.
"Tracy altered my programming. No complaints so far." Zero replied.
"Enough stalling, Alex." X said. "I obviously made mistakes in your programming, but I can't let you slaughter masses."
"Well," Megaman began, transmuting his katana, as Zero did the same, "let's be on with it."
As the sounds of colliding blades filled the room, Agile and Violen charged X, for a full-scale assault. Agile slid to the floor, avoiding a stream of clear, steaming acid, sweeping the android. His foe wouldn't be had so easy, he discovered. Preston rolled mid-fall, landing on the opposite foot and bringing the heel of his boot down for Agile's skull. The android slid away suddenly, as Violen snatched him by the foot, while driving a shoulder under X's jaw, knocking him off balance.
Megaman's sword was beginning to chip away, as Zero weaved at him from almost every possible angle. He intercepted the blade, guiding it downward while he sprung into back flip, kicking his foe backward. Firing off a rain of bladed discs, Megaman kept Zero deflecting, rather than advancing. Rolling to his right, he took a cheap swipe at Preston, who was laying heavy blows to Violen's guarded face.
Seeing X jump back to avoid Megaman's blade, Zero quickly sheathed his katana, drawing his twin pistols in the same motion. Holding the triggers, he peppered Megaman, who had ejected his heavy armor, and landed several bolts across the chest and arms of Violen. The primate-like android was suddenly on top of him, literally, clawing desperately at his eyes and face from behind. Zero hooked his foes legs, throwing himself hard to his back. Keeping him pinned, he fired his sidearm over his shoulder, trying to separate Agile from his brain.
Seeing Agile frantically avoid having his head disintegrated, Megaman ran over, sword in hand, and drove it down for Zero's chest. The strike landed true, pinning Agile to the floor, through his stomach. Before he could turn his head, Zero had gotten to his feet and swiped his graphene-bladed sword, severing his right arm at the shoulder. Megaman yelled out in pain, as he unleashed a geyser of flames toward his enemy. He pressed the glowing barrel to the wound to seal the tubes, as the shutters opened to the night sky.
"Don't let them escape!" X yelled, ducking the massive spiked flail aimed for his head. Violen met this defense with a knee to greet his jaw, putting him on his back. The brute planted a foot on his chest, drawing the morning star behind his head. X hastily transmuted two short machetes, and swiped them repeatedly at Violen's shin, causing him to scream, dropping his weapon.
Serges stood by the window, using his arm interface to summon their stolen aircraft. "We need to go!" He shouted, immediately regretting the decision. His former android lord, Zero, heard him, looking over his shoulder into his eyes. "Oh shit. Guys. Guys!" He shouted, as Megaman began to stand, slowly.
"Hel...help...m..." Agile was grunting, pulling desperately at the sword in his gut. Megaman staggered over, melting the blade in the center, before pulling his comrade off as he yelped.
"Sorry, friend." He said weakly, glancing to Zero weaving his weapon at a frantic Serges. He got a rush of rage, running full speed at his nemesis. The good shoulder caught Zero off-guard, sending both men through the window.
The open sky whipped violently at them as they plummeted toward the ground. Seeing the bunker's aircraft coming up, Megaman closed his eyes, reaching out magnetically. The impact was harsh. Though it made his mind jumble he survived, latching onto the ship. Zero, disoriented guided his body toward the tower as the ground grew bigger. Drawing his sword, he buried it deep into the steel, trying desperately to slow his fall. The bottom came fast, plunging him into darkness momentarily. He rolled to his back to watch the androids, hundreds of feet above, retreat like wounded dogs. "Next time, Megaman." He said weakly. "Next time."