Chapter XXI:
—Vengeance—
章では、21：復讐は私のものです
Under the cover of darkness, Ambient elusively stalked about the isolated pockets of darkened corridors. He'd successfully eluded the watchful eyes of the humans, gingerly making his to the facility's power sector. He sensed the vibrant energy source through his sensors, using them to guide him. It wouldn't be much farther now. The energy source was growing stronger and stronger after every step. Ambient withdrew into the darkness, just as a pair of tardy Backdraft soldiers hurried to the search party.
The organoid snorted, 'What imbeciles.'
What made them think they could defeat him? Since escaping near death from within the Deathsaurer's core millennia ago, Ambient had perfected himself in body and skill. Yes, he retained his physical appearance, but the organoid had grown increasingly stronger. Like the evolution of Zoids, organoids too improved themselves, and Ambient had done just that. His speed, his strength, his special abilities—all had been amplified to their maximum limits. And Ambient would continue to learn, to develop into the ultimate organoid.
Though it had taken over a thousand years of solace, it was well worth it. Nor human or Zoid could defeat him. The organoid, though, was by no means invincible, and Ambient knew this. That human, the one was bold enough to even approach him, nearly overwhelmed him; but then again, any human was powerless without some form of weapon. With that Ambient pushed himself onward, following the growing sensation that radiated from the obtuse power source somewhere within the base.
The red plated organoid stealthily made his way into the belly of the facility, eventually reaching a split hall. He raised his emerald eyes to the ceiling, making out the human words written on the sign that was bolted to the spine of the hall's separate ways. Ambient knew and understood the human language, but his comprehension wasn't perfect. From what he could make out, the sector containing the facilities power was off to the left. A caution sign, along with a "authorized personnel only" warning, allowed the organoid to sum up his own theory.
So he went left, walking a couple of meters before spotting the entrance. The doorway was nothing but a pair of automated titanium doors with square Plexiglas at their tops. Gaining entry, however, wasn't an issue. The issue, though, was the human blockade. Troops—over thirty in number—guarded the entry way religiously. Every troop, even the lowest of the lowest concerning rank, wielded the likewise weapon Ambient had faced before. That single weapon had almost single handily defeated the proud organoid, but from what Ambient would study from the body language of the humans, they were hardly as skilled as the human he faced before.
Some of the soldiers paced about frequently, while others checked their surroundings from paranoia. Ambient was flattered. He had no idea he'd struck this much fear into their hearts. This caused the organoid to form a devilish grin; but Ambient was no fool. Those humans might've been scared, but they were still armed; and even the most "wizz in their pants" soldier could muster up confidence with a solid weapon in their hands. The organoid weighed his options, pondering deeply on his attack strategy.
Taking them by surprise, though, was the best option. There was nothing sweeter than surprising as scared foe, for fearful enemies would make mistakes, misfire, flinch, or flee. Ambient pulled back from his vantage point, taking a few paces back before setting his boosters ablaze. He rocketed from his stance, increased his speed, then banked left around the corner where he once stood. The soldiers shrieked in shock, having no time to react. Ambient forced his body through the bulk of them, mowing them down with brute force. Troops that weren't affected, on the other hand, raised their weapons to fire. Explosive shells the size of D-sized batteries detonated against the sleek, well-manicured wall.
Ambient zipped right, then left to avoid the damaging rounds. He landed briefly, swinging his tail to take the soldiers' legs from under them. The organoid ascended once again, maneuvering too quickly for the soldiers to aim properly. Stray shells bounced against the shield-covered windows, exploding at the feet of unwary troops. From a human standpoint, it was mass chaos. The target motioned swiftly, pausing briefly to physically overpower them. And if the organoid didn't kill you, poorly fired grenade shells did.
By the time Ambient had concluded his aerial tactic, just a single soldier remained among a sea of dead and unconscious comrades. The organoid landed before the lowly soldier, towering over him with an intimidating stare. Paralyzed by his fear, the soldier didn't have the courage to even raise his weapon. Ambient gingerly plucked the weapon from the soldier's quivering hands, dealt a death blow with his tail, and dropped the weapon from his maw.
Cleared of obstacles, Ambient scrutinized the access panel beside the doorway. The panel required a human fingertip scan, and since the facility to under siege by the lone organoid, Ambient doubted the security clearance would be high. He backed away from the door, scanning the rank insignia stitched onto the soldiers' shoulders. Ambient ignored the Private and Corporal markings, searching intently for high-ranking officers. At that moment, one of the soldiers began coming to. The organoid centered his vision on the human, watching him struggle to lift his upper torso. Ambient squinted his eyes, analyzing the 1st Lieutenant insignia on his shoulder.
The soldier rolled over onto his hands and knees, coughing up a mouthful of blood. His waist gushed blood from a piece of shrapnel embedded within his flesh. He grimaced, just as the organoid stood over him. The soldier looked up, his vision obscured from the blood running down his scalp. Ambient closed his claws around his arm, dragging him toward the door. The troopers moaned lazily, his larynx injured from taking a blow from the organoid's tail. Once tearing the blood soaked glove from the human's hand, Ambient forced the soldier's hand over the panel.
The screen flashed green, authorizing the doors to be opened. Satisfied, Ambient dropped the soldier on the floor, freely advancing into the power sector. The trooper snatched an earpiece from one of the dead soldiers, stuck it in his ear, then fingered the rubber activation key. He broadcast on ever available channel, spamming every soldier in range.
"Can… can anyone hear me…?" He cringed, gripping his wound. "…The organoid…, he's breached the power grid. Repeat…, the organoid's breached the power grid. Send… everyone!"
The soldier collapsed, dead.
Ambient admired the spacious room, glaring up at the four individual generators. The generators reached a staggering height, each of which reached 150 feet even. They were coated in a dark metal with rib-like vents running along their sides. The room in itself was kept at a constant negative 80 degrees, for the generators themselves burned at high temperatures. Ambient could feel the heat radiating from the silo-sized machines. It would foolish, from Ambient's standpoint, to try to physically destroy the generators, so he began searching for a control panel. He walked along the fringes of the machines, assuming any module would be kept a distance from the burning giants.
It was then that the organoid sighted the control module. A single console was located within a bright, octagon-shaped office in the rear of the grid. The organoid casually approached the office's door, kicked it down, and eyed the series of consoles, switches, and keyboards. 'This would be simple,' Ambient thought. He would just need to locate the emergency breaker, destroy it, then it would smooth sailing. Then again, however, humans weren't idiots. Any base of this magnitude would protect itself against threatening sources—a failsafe.
Timidly, Ambient gazed at the numerous keys and switches, subtracting the lesser ones. There, placed harmlessly on the wall, was a junction box. He came up to the metallic box, ripping the front casing off. Four, brightly colored keys laid inside, all controlling the four generators outside the office. Ambient smirked, preparing to extend his snout to shut them down.
"I wouldn't do that," a familiar voice spoke.
Ambient paused, turning promptly to match the voice with the face. 'My, my,' the organoid growled. 'A familiar face… one that I remember.'
Raven and Shadow stood in the doorway of the office, blocking the crimson organoid's escape. "You've had fun, haven't you?" Raven said, easing his way around the edges of the office.
"Let me be the one to tell you that the fun ends here. My superiors want you alive, but to tell you the truth, I don't care either way."
Ambient snorted, unfazed. Seeing Raven again was bitter-sweet. He should have known his last opponent would be the most difficult. Shadow, for one, wasn't a pushover. The two organoid had never engaged before, but Ambient didn't need a personal altercation with Shadow to know his strength. Out of all the organoids, Shadow had the most strength, the most durability. However, Ambient had not been cryogenically frozen for a thousand years like Shadow. The onyx organoid retained his skill level from long ago, while Ambient had improved himself. Ambient was the strong one now, and he doubted that Shadow would prove to be the victor. Raven halted his advancements, staring into the organoid's eyes now.
"Your reign of terror is over, Ambient, and today…, vengeance is mine!"
Shadow launched himself into the air, diving over Ambient. He wrapped the end of this tail around the red plated organoid's neck, pulling him down to the floor with great force. The dark clad organoid wrapped his jaws around the back of Ambient's neck, embedding his teeth deep. Ambient growled, baring his teeth in rage. He threw back his body, slamming Shadow against the wall. The impact of the hit forced Shadow to let go, allowing Ambient the strike back. He slugged his head underneath Shadows', causing the dark organoid to stumble, dazed but not incapacitated. Before Ambient to deal his next blow, Shadow evaded the attack, hooked his claws into red organoid's waist, extended his wings, and then catapulted him and Ambient threw the glass window of the office.
While the organoids scuffled, Raven drew his sidearm, going over to rendezvous with the coming Backdraft troops. The troops, armed and prepped for combat, began spreading out under the direction of Raven. They took up specific positions around the power station, preventing Ambient from escaping. Lastly, Raven stood at the doorway, ready to be the first to foil the organoid's attempt to flee. Oblivious to the actions around him, Ambient charged for Shadow, swinging his spike to tail to gore him. Shadow spun underneath the tail, stepped around to Ambient's blindside, then shoved him into one of the generators.
The generator shocked Ambient's body, paralyzing him for a moment. Shadow sprinted headfirst into his enemy, ramming the crown of his head into Ambient's metallic gut. Ambient made a gagging sound, coughing up a mouthful of clear, slimy fluid. Shadow promptly followed up with a vicious tail whip, sending the enemy organoid soaring. Ambient landed hard against another generator, bruising the resilient armor that encased the colossal machine.
'Formidable,' Ambient admitted.
Shadow was a strong, experienced opponent, knowing his way around a fight. He was fighting hard and fast, a technique that would better suffice on a weaker challenger, though. At this rate, Shadow would tire himself out fighting this way, but Ambient wouldn't wait until then. He was impatient as his fury mounted. Freedom was at his midst, so the organoid relinquished his cavalier mindset. Shadow was a real opponent, one that should be respected, not toyed with. For Ambient, the gloves were now off.
The scarlet organoid pushed off his hind legs, simultaneously actuating his boosters. He threw himself into Shadow with enough force to breach through a Zoid's body through and through. Shadow let out an agonizing cry, just before his body was flung headfirst into the concrete. The soldiers nearby, however, came into action. They unloaded their weaponry on Ambient's position, pelting him with heated led and explosive shells. The organoid took flight, circling around the power station. Troopers fired wildly, having no sense of coordination or aim.
"Cease fire…" Raven ordered. "…You'll damage the generators!"
The soldiers silenced their weapons, dumping empty clips for fresh ones. There, Shadow had yanked his head from the concrete. He circled the station with his icy glare in search for Ambient. The infuriated organoid, however, was perched above him.
"Shadow!" Raven called out the warning.
Ambient landed feet first onto Shadow's head, slamming his head into the floor underneath his full weight. He sunk his teeth into the charcoal organoid, snatching up off the floor. As Shadow's limp body floated skyward, Ambient drove his spiked tail into his chest. Shadow cried out, his eyes fading into a dull tent. Ambient hung him in the air for a moment, marveling at his own strength.
Without a second thought, the scarlet beast released Shadow's limp body, snorting arrogantly. Raven's hand clinched around his firearm. This organoid had been a thorn in his flesh for far too long. Any notion about capturing Ambient alive fled rapidly from his mind. He wanted his organoid deader than a squashed insect set on fire before being detonated by a nuclear ordinance.
"Fall back!" Raven commanded to the troops. "Clear out!"
The soldiers heeded the order, filing out of the station with their weapons to the organoid. A single Backdraft trooper came up behind Raven.
"What are your orders, sir?"
Raven turned around, staring briefly into the soldier's reflective visor. "Take a couple steps back."
Puzzled by the order, the soldier obediently took two steps back before fixing his mouth to speak. Before he could, however, Raven spoke first.
"I'm taking him alone," he said, preparing to seal the station door.
The trooper's face dropped as his eyes widened. "All due respect, sir, but you're out your da—" The door sealed.
Raven ejected the full clip from his pistol, exchanging it for high-caliber, armor-piercing rounds. He shoved the clip within the empty slot, clicked it back, and starting walking toward Ambient.
"This is going to end in two ways, Ambient—either you kill me or I kill you…" The dark clad warrior gripped the gun with both hands. "…And I'm bettin' the latter."
Ambient grinned in anticipation, flicking his tail. The warrior and the organoid stalked around one another, sizing each other up. Raven held his pistol tightly, his finger grazing the trigger. Never before had Raven faced an organoid, at least not like this. In retrospect, a human-organoid engagement would be easily one-sided with the organoid being the most powerful party. Raven, though, was committed. Ambient outweighed him in skill, speed, and power; but the warrior didn't care.
The organoid would pay for his actions against Raven's parents. Yes, killing Ambient would revive his parents, but avenging them would have to suffice. At that moment, Raven struck first. He raised his gun to fire, but Ambient analyzed his movements before Raven could pull the trigger. The organoid went right, swiping his tail toward the human's ankles. Raven hurdled over Ambient's tail, just as he fired the first shot.
The single round sparked against Ambient's shoulder, leaving a deep indentation. Ambient roared, swiftly knocking Raven to the floor. He swiped the gun from the human's hand with his claws, rendering his victim weaponless. Raven kicked the organoid's underside, but the kicks felt like pelts from stones to Ambient. The scarlet beast opened his maw, baring his bloodstained teeth. Warm fluid mixed with the abundance of human blood dripped onto Raven's face, smelling of iron.
Nearby, Shadow began to stir, lazily raising his bruised and dented head. His vision was crippled, for Ambient's assault had damaged his optical lenses. It was if looking through a pair of glasses with a series of spider web-like fractures. He pictured multiple forms of Ambient's body, including his human companion underneath him. Shadow tried raised his mangled body but collapsed. His right leg had been injured. Sparks from exposed circuitry fluttered as lubrication fluid slid down like blood. Shadow watched as Ambient tortured Raven, inching toward his face with teeth grazing his cheeks.
The dark organoid forced himself upright, using the last of his fading energy. Shadow pushed off his functional leg, lowered his shoulder, and collided with Ambient. The sudden attack ran Ambient's teeth across Raven's face, leaving a bloodied laceration from the right side of his cheek to the bridge of his nose. Ignoring the searing pain, Raven rolled over, fetching his gun. Once Ambient had pushed Shadow away, Raven unloaded the entire clip into the organoid. Ambient protected his face, taking the brunt of rounds to his tail as his barreled toward the human.
Raven doubled back, reloading quickly at the same time. Shadow leaped onto Ambient's back, giving Raven a chance to escape. The warrior made a mad dash between the four generators, eluding the crimson organoid. Ambient hissed, flipping the weak Shadow over his head, slamming the organoid onto his back. Raven motioned around one of the generators, firing a single round into Ambient to get him away from Shadow. The organoid released an aggressive roar, livid beyond comprehension. He kicked aside Shadow's body, advancing toward Raven's position like a seasoned predator.
Raven pulled back behind the generator, his clothing soaked in sweat from the heat around him.
'Something has to give,' Raven thought.
His little pistol wasn't doing anything against that monster, and he wouldn't stand a chance against Ambient without a weapon. This organoid had truly tested him, even more than Van or that arrogant punk Bit. He needed a better weapon or at least something… Raven raised his eyes, staring at the solution before him—the generators. They were the perfect weapon, although he'd hear a mouthful from the Count about destroying one.
'Screw it,' Raven mentally exclaimed.
It was either use the generator to down this organoid or die. So Raven went to work, searching desperately for something he could use as an explosive. Ambient's shadow danced against the nearby wall. He was close. Raven had to buy some time. He fired aimless rounds into the floor, causing Ambient to rethink his strategy. It was then that Raven sighted a fire extinguisher mounted on the far wall. Yes, it would be perfect. He fired a couple of stray rounds, just before he sprinted for the extinguisher.
Raven yanked it from the wall, hurried back to one of the generators, and lodged it underneath a gap within the armor. Before Raven could prepare his plan, however, Ambient lurched from behind the same generator. He swung his tail, striking the side of the generator. Raven rolled away from the rampaging organoid, aiming his gun for the extinguisher, firing. His four shots missed, and the pistol clicked. Ambient came toward him, crouching low with an almost demonic growl.
Raven's heart raced, having hadn't been this afraid of Ambient since his first encounter with the beast. Suddenly, before Ambient strike, Shadow intervened one last time, throwing a vicious tail slap. The red organoid stumbled back, just before Shadow tackled him to the floor. Raven promptly reloaded as the furious Ambient catapulted Shadow into the air. He tossed the black armored organoid clear across the power station, ensuring he wouldn't interrupt again. Like a savage beast, Ambient charged for Raven, mouth agape. Raven emptied his entire clip into the extinguisher, hitting it.
The tank over pressurized, exploding. A mist of white coolant splattered about, while bits of the tanks shrapnel sparked within the sensitive network inside the generator. Bluish-white flames rolled up from underneath the generator as sparks showered like heavy rain. At that moment, a series of explosions occurred, traveling up the single generator until reaching its peak. Raven saw a bright light as he and Ambient were blown back from the powerful shockwave.
Ambient, being the closest to the generator, took a heavy hit, launching him into the concrete so hard it fractured had collapsed over him. Raven, though, slid across the linoleum tiles, just before Shadow caught him before he slammed fatally into the wall. The entire facility shook and the lights flickered, died, then came back to life. Raven forced his eyes open, his entire body aching. He and Shadow laid motionless for a moment, both of them pushed to their very limits. Shadow rested his head on Raven's shoulder, growling softly.
Raven returned the gesture, leaning his head upon Shadows'. The door to the station slid open as troops scurried inside. Their eyes were instantly drawn to the smoking generator tower. Flames remained around its exterior, so soldiers hurried to douse them. Others went in search for Ambient, eventually sighting a sliver of his armor underneath slabs of concrete. They hefted the blocks of building material from off the organoid, checking to see if it was dead or alive. Raven stood up, limping toward the soldiers. He stared at the organoid, relieved to see him still. Ambient had been greatly injured from the explosion and the concrete slabs, satisfyingly dead from the Raven's standpoint.
A soldier turned to face Raven, patting him on the shoulder. "You rock hard, man," he praised.
At this point, Raven didn't care. He and Shadow had done it. They had put an end to Ambient's rampage, and whatever Dr. Laon had in store for this organoid, Raven could only hope it ended with Ambient being dissected or something of that nature. A medic then approached Raven, taking him to the opposite end of the station to tend to his wounds. While the medic taped a gauze bandage across Raven's facial laceration, Reese jogged into the station, shocked by the amount of damage caused.
She scanned the surroundings, searching for Raven. She found him sitting upon a stretcher the medic had brought with him, while Shadow rested nearby to heal himself. The Zoidian sighed, proceeding toward him. Raven caught sight of her, instantly sitting up. He grimaced, his spine feeling as if it had been snapped.
"Take it easy, boy," the medic instructed. "Lucky you ain't on a slab in the morgue."
"Give us a minute?" Reese asked the medic.
The medic finished securing Raven's IV, pumping in a measure of morphine and a mile sedative. "Make it fast," he said. "He'll be out soon."
Reese have the medic a half smile as he departed. She then met Raven's eyes, shaking her eyes with perched lips. "What am I going to do with you? It wasn't surprising when I was told you locked yourself in here with that crazed organoid."
"I didn't think you'd care," Raven supposed, reliving what he had said to Reese earlier.
Reese shrugged, waving her hand. "I'm a big girl. What about Ambient… is he…"
"Deader than we should be, right?" Raven replied, his speech starting to slur from the medication.
Reese smiled with sealed lips, clutching Raven's hand. "I'll be there when you wake up."
Before Raven could reply, the sedative took over, easing him asleep. The medic promptly returned, wheeling him away to the infirmary. Reese watched him leave her sight, covering her heart with her hand. She exhaled in relief. Though idiotic, Raven was alive and breathing. The Zoidian calmed her nerves, going over to witness the body of Ambient herself. Troopers had since removed his body from the rubble and placed it upon a trolley for transport. Reese analyzed his lifeless body, but an eerie aura emitted from the so-called deceased organoid.
The blue-haired Zoidian stared into Ambient's dull emerald eyes, fearing that this was far from the end.