Chapter 21

Solaris City, Solaris VII,
Freedom Theater, Lyran Alliance,
July 30, 3069

The grocery store hadn't had a restock for months, evident from the shelves that were mostly empty. The food section still had the freezer working, but half of the products on the stands were already expired. Fresh vegetables were far from fresh, and the breads started to wrinkle. Lucky that they did not have bugs in the building, although keeping the store bugs-free started to look superfluous.

"All these money and nothing to buy," Jeremy moaned. "Anything new in here?"

"Supplies haven't come in weeks," the store manager tried to explain, but his body language told Jeremy that he had lost all hopes. "The supply convoys have been looted. These are all we've got."

"It's inconceivable that the Word of Blake would rob grocery supplies," Amber scoffed in disgust. "But I guess Jerome Blake didn't leave anything untouched…."

"You think the Blakists did this?" the store manager sneered. "We did this to ourselves. Blue-collared laborers and unemployed mechjocks from the slums of Solaris loot the convoy because they don't have money to buy food. And the fact that the Word of Blake let it happen makes everything worse."

"They don't have money because the Word of Blake restricts them from doing what they do best," Amber replied. "In a sense, Word of Blake did this."

"Whatever," the store manager grunted. "Help yourself. Everything's half off."

"Well that rules out food," Jeremy looked at Amber. "I'm not buying these things."

"There are always Brit's Dinner and Thor's Shieldhall," Amber drew a piece of paper and crossed out all food products listed on it. "As long as you can stand the grease."

"Grease's fine," Jeremy snorted halfheartedly. "Let's check the bedroom section. Those things don't go stale."

Amber flashed a small smile and followed Jeremy through the aisles. Her last winning was a major boost in Ground Control's funding. Winning big bucks – and giving them all for the stable - actually made Amber felt proud of herself, something she hadn't feel for a long, long time. She finally felt she was part of the stable. But Major Tom decided to increase the living standard in the stable, so he left a large amount of money in Amber's account with a note that Amber needed to spend it 'wisely'.

Now Amber had known Major Tom for quite sometime, and she knew what Major Tom implied. So she decided to buy things for her stable mates and asked Jeremy to come with her. Being in charge of the team skyrocketed Amber's self-esteem to the place she didn't even know existed. She was no longer the outcast, the anti-heroine that people gave respect just because she was needed. She was, indeed, needed, and people started giving her respect because they did, indeed, respect her.

Just like Jeremy said.

The pillows, throws, sheet, and blankets were old and stuffy but they were in superior condition compared to what they had in the stable. Amber took one pillow and sunk her face into its fluffiness. Her mind drifted away to the time when she used to stay at Mac Storm's place.

"I hadn't had one of these in months," she chimed longingly as she grazed the pillow with her cheek.

"I hadn't had any of these in years," Jeremy replied while tossing some of the pillows into the shopping cart. "Thanks, Amber, for letting us have them. Oh, throw in more pillows and blankets for Mickey and Hyolee."

"You love those kids, don't you?" Amber smirked as she put more pillows and blankets in to the shopping cart. "I see you take Mickey under your wing."

"They're good kids," Jeremy sighed. "And all those noises they make at nights? Imagine doing it in a bed that has no cushion at all. They've been adorably undemanding for their basic needs, so I think it's time for them to get what they deserve."

Amber couldn't agree more. She, too, heard their passionate laughters and moans and cries through the nights, and she was happy for them. She was even envious. Great sex couldn't live up to making love, and the two kids had outdone Amber in that department. Amber couldn't recall how many times she wished she could trade places with the two kids.

"We still have funds left," Amber said as they finished piling up pillows. "Since food is out, how about getting something for dinner? Catering from Brit's Diner?"

"Sure, live like kings and queens for a day," Jeremy smiled. "Then we'd better get out of here."

The two mechwarriors pushed the cart through the aisles, but just as they entered the last aisle before the register, somebody blocked them. They couldn't see the face of the man because he was wearing a black cape with a hoodie that covered his entire body, leaving only his mouth explosed. But Amber's heart stopped beating upon seeing his soul patch and a glint of long sideburns on the side of his face.

"Hello, Amber," the man croaked. "Long time no see."

"Mac?" Amber choked. Her face turned white like a ghost.

"Mac? Mac Storm?" Jeremy grunted. He recognized the voice, but it was not the same voice he heard months ago. There was something in Mac's voice, something mechanical, something… demented. His thumb involuntary grazed the hilt of his katana.

"Jeremy Stewart, the new poster boy of Ground Control Stable," Mac chortled. "How's life as a bottom feeder? Not quite like the lavish life you used to be, is it?"

"What do you want, Mac?" Jeremy regained his composure.

"Just visiting an old friend," Mac replied with a cold, dark expression. "You know that Amber and I had a long history of sexual perfection. I can still remember how she was always giddy and happy in the morning."

"We don't have all day," Jeremy spat with venom in his voice. "So state your intention and leave!"

"Do I smell jealousy, Jeremy?" Mac replied in a sinister mirth. "Are you sleeping with Amber yet? If you haven't, you should. Her orgasms will intoxicate you like drugs. You won't be disappointed."

"You sonofabitch!" Amber burst into flames. "You never had my heart!"

"Oh, I don't want your heart. I want my own sexual satisfaction, and you were just there to help me out."

Amber always knew she never meant anything to Mac, but that comment hurt her like a dagger through her heart. Her eyes started to well up with tears, and she bit her lips to combat the whimper that threatened to slip between her lips.

"Amber is my friend," Jeremy drew his katana. "You don't insult my friend in front of me. I give you one chance to apologize to her. Ignore me, and I will kill you right here, right now!"

"Kill me? Kill me, you said?" Mac hurled a derogatory chuckle. "You cannot kill me. I am not what I used to, Jeremy. I am a resurrection man. I am immortal. I am… my master's right hand!"

With that, Mac pulled his hoodie off his head, and for the first time exposed his face. The left part of his face was masked in shiny metal. His left eye was replaced with a telescopic snorkel with a red light at the end. Cables snaked from the base of his jaw to the back of his neck. And part of his voice came from a transmitter at the end of his jaw line under the ear, giving him that eerie mechanical sound.

"Oh my God!" Amber cried out. "Oh my God, what happened to you?"

"Die, you android freak!" Jeremy yelled and lunged forward with his hatana pointed straight at Mac's neck. But just before the blade hit the living tissue, Mac flashed his right hand. It was also made of metal. Jeremy's katana broke into 3 pieces and the hilt – with half of the blade still attached – clattered to the ground. Jeremy's eyes bugged out with total shock, but he quickly regained composure and fired his punch. Mac turned his face sideways and let Jeremy's fist club his metal-covered face. A loud crack echoed through the grocery and Jeremy cried in pain. His knuckles felt like in a million pieces sprawling on the floor. With his mechanical arm Mac grabbed Jeremy by the shoulder, heaved him up like a rag doll, and tossed him to the shelves. The entire shelves came down with him, burying the lanky mechwarrior in a mountain of boxes.

Amber just froze.

"I know our past relationship is not always smooth," Mac walked slowly toward Amber, "but you need to trust me on this. Join me and the Word of Blake's crusade to make a better world of Solaris. Look at what they made me. I am stronger, faster, better than my old self. And you have yet to see me behind the cockpit of a battlemech. I am indestructible, unbeatable, impervious to pain. Imagine yourself as me, Amber. You can be anything you want, just like me. All you need to do is to pledge your allegiance to the Word of Blake…"

"I will never join the Word of Blake," Amber hissed. She drew her dadao but Mac grabbed her hand with his mechanical arm. The cold metal blended with the blistering pain of her crushed knuckles, so much that Amber started to whimper.

"You don't know what's coming," Mac growled right in front of Amber's face. "I am just the first, and many more like me will come. The holy fire will rain down on Solaris until none of you are left. You will perish, Amber, as dust. If you want to live forever, if you want to survive this holy fire, join the Word of Blake. The Blake is the future of Solaris."

"Never!" Amber gritted her teeth. "I would rather die!"

"Then die you shall!" Mac raised his arm to bludgeon Amber, but suddenly a broken blade busted through his chest. Blood sprayed on Amber's face. Mac groaned before toppling backward.

"Indestructible my ass," Jeremy snorted between his pantings. "You're still flesh and bone, Mac! Just rot in hell!"

Jeremy was about to turn around when Mac slowly rose to his knees, still staggering, but seemed like he was regaining strength by the minutes. He grabbed Jeremy's broken katana with his mechanical hand and tried to pull it out of his chest. Blood poured out from his nose and mouth, but he kept on going as if his mortal injuries didn't bother him a bit.

"What in the name of Kerensky are you?" Jeremy muttered in complete terror.

"I am the one who's going to kill you, maggot!" Mac ground his teeth as he pulled Jeremy's blade free.

"No!" Amber swung her leg and roundhouse-kicked Mac in the midsection. Mac fell backward again, this time he crashed into the other shelves of the aisle. Boxes of expired products fell down on him, burying him in a pile of stale food.

"Get out!" Amber grabbed Jeremy's hand and tugged it. Jeremy was still dazed, but he managed to follow Amber and ran out of the building. He turned to see if Mac was on his tail, and he didn't see him, but he had a bad feeling that it was not the last time he saw Mac.