Chapter 20
Dawn is fast approaching as Axel and Max lie on their stomachs, hidden by the grass off one of the cliffs overlooking Wood Oak beach. From their binoculars, they can see the factory about half a mile away from the beach front.
Axel: "I'll meet you there in the next twenty minutes, I have to face Shiva alone. Go with Jax straight to the bombs while the others fight any obstacles in the way and try to find Mr X. Once those things are activated, we only have minutes to disarm them."
Max: "Good luck man, see you soon".
They part ways where Max follows the others into the woodland on the other side of the coast leading to the derelict factory. It's exterior above the ground only makes up 10% of the building with the rest buried deep underneath. In the meantime, Axel walks down to the beachfront and waits on the pier for Shiva to emerge. In less than a minute, Shiva walks towards him from the other side.
Shiva: "So where is she then?"
Axel: "If you want power for your weapons come and get it".
Shiva laughs "If you won't turn her in, I have no choice but to kill you for disobeying Yamato Akihiro's orders and breaking our code".
Axel: "You did that a long time ago".
Shiva: "Then perhaps saving me is the biggest mistake you've ever made. See that's your problem Axel, you feel it's necessary to save someone else and when you fail it eats you up inside. I know you weren't there to save your parents and I know exactly why you burnt down those who tried to arrest you in your regiment. You couldn't save them could you?"
With one burst of fire, Axel projects his chi towards Shiva who blocks out his energy with his own chi. Shiva counterattacks with a rising kick that catches Axel off guard before he wins one up on Shiva with a roundhouse kick to the face.
Every punch Axel throws towards Shiva is full capacity with fire from his fists while every kick Shiva executes back flairs with electrical current from his body. If anyone could see this fight they would see a luminous display of energy surrounding both fighters on the pier.
Shiva manages to grab Axel and slam him down onto the ground, breaking part of the floor on the pier. He then grabs Axel by the neck, forcing his head through the gap in the floor where all he can see is the choppy ocean below. As Shiva lights up another burst of energy to finish his opponent, Axel shields himself with fire radiating from his body that ends up throwing Shiva off of him and setting the pier alight.
The two men continue to fight one another, using their chi with every move.
Shiva: "Why do you think I watched every fight?"
Axel: "That's your downfall, I always held back so you've underestimated me".
Shiva regains his stance and spits out blood from his mouth after Axel punches him in the face.
Shiva: "Whatever happens to me after this fight will happen, but you still won't be able to save them".
He takes the time to build up his energy before dashing forward to execute his signature move "final crash". Shiva uses this move to charge into his enemy with a summersault of lighting from his body that uses all of his power.
Fortunately Axel has judged his timing well so that as Shiva summersaults forward, he crashes with Axel's uppercut where the flames from his fist counteract Shiva's own chi. This sends Shiva crashing into the ground, breaking more of the wood that forms the pier.
He is now badly injured with parts of his body bleeding and burning. Shiva also has no more energy left to give and he holds onto his chest, wounded on the ground. Axel forces him over the edge of the pier which is a 10m drop into the ocean below.
Axel: "Last chance or I will kill you this time. I want answers now!"
Shiva responds out of breath, coughing and laughing. "Your friends Zan and Chief Clark, they're in the old factory up there. Whatever men you've sent to find them, you're team are walking into a trap. Just by opening the door to where they are being held captive will set off the timer for five Rakushin bombs, that's if our defences in there don't kill them first".
Axel: "We already know about the robots you have built in there and we will disarm all of those bombs so you lose. I'm giving you one more chance to live if you agree to leave the syndicate and fight with me against them. Neither of us are free until they're all dead. I'm willing to let you walk away free if you fight with us."
Shiva: "I can't and I won't turn against Mr X and our teachers. Within six months we will have our own temple here at Wood Oak where more men like ourselves will train under the Yamato to develop their chi. This isn't the end of their legacy".
Axel: "Then you are more stupid than Mr X if you believe that".
Shiva laughs: "Your men in there and you won't be able to disarm the bombs".
Axel tightens his grip on Shiva's next "of course they will, I did it myself at the hospital".
Shiva laughs even more, coughing out more blood. "Do you really think we would store five Rakushin bombs at a plant costing the syndicate over $30 million with over a thousand new robots in development?"
Axel: "Where the fuck are the bombs then?"
Shiva: "I'm sure you will find out in the next half an hour or so, that's if they haven't already detonated over Wood Oak Central skyline".
Shiva quickly kicks and pushes Axel off him, loosening his grip before he jumps over the edge of the pier into the ocean.
Axel looks over the burning pier into the murky water but there is no sign of Shiva. If hyperthermia from the water doesn't kill him, then the smell of his blood will attract sharks if he hasn't drowned yet.
Max and the team of soldiers and officers break into the dark factory and take their time to slowly and quietly inspect the building with their firearms at the ready as they walk through each level. There are four sub levels under the ground where they are expecting to find the bombs.
Max: "Look out!"
Four men wearing jet packs fly over them on the level above, shooting down a couple of officers. The team do their best to take cover as the men repeatedly pass over them just metres above, shooting anyone they can. One of them flies down to the same level and faces Max from the other end of the narrow, grey, bare hallway. The man flies forward with his fist extended in front directly towards Max.
Max quickly slides underneath his fist on the floor and grabs the man with both hands around his neck. Luckily Max has enough strength to stop the jet pack which is forcing the man to fly off. Max continues to strangle him and repeatedly knees him in the face before slamming him down on the floor, leaving his face in a pool of blood.
Another man on a jet pack immediately flies in, grabbing one of the soldiers and picking him up, flying him up to two levels visible above them. He then drops the soldier onto the ground from high above which kills him and breaks his neck instantly on impact. It is a long five minute battle until the team manage to shoot down or kill the other three men on jet packs.
Once they get through this level of the building, they run down to the sub level to look for the bombs. Again they face more obstacles this time a group of Yakuza fighters who are guarding the lower level.
Max: "I hate these guys!"
He and the others immediately end up in one large crowd as they fight these men with their fists but their ammo starts to deplete.
After countless punches, bruises and blood, the last men standing are 10 officers plus Max and Jax.
Max: "Is everyone ok?" The others nod, realising they have lost almost half of their team who are either dead or injured.
Max: "We have to carry on and find those bombs". They reach a sealed door on the lowest level.
Jax: "They must be stored in here, this is the last floor". The men try everything they can to force the door open but it is no use. Jax pulls out a grenade from his pocket.
Max: "No! You risk setting off the bombs if you do that".
Jax: "How are we supposed to open the door then?"
To their surprise, Axel runs in and uses his chi to break the steel door open.
Jax: "Woah that was something!"
As soon as they enter the room they see a whole floor of at least a thousand robots standing line by line but not moving.
Max: "Holy shit!" One of the soldiers moves over to one of the metal robots and looks at it in the face. Each one wears a blue jacket with the words 'Wood Oak Central Police Department'.
"It looks dormant!" he comments.
Just as the soldier turns around, the robot springs up towards him and electrocutes him in the back.
Axel turns to Jax: "Quickly, set them alight with any of the grenades you have!"
He runs through each row by row, setting each line of robots on fire with his chi.
Max shouts over to him "what about the bombs?"
Axel: "They're not here! Let's find Mr X first before we get out of here, that son of a bitch is hiding in here somewhere". The rest of the team set off through the other parts of the floor to scan the building for anyone else present.
Max and Axel reach another door while the others finish off destroying the robots with fire and bullets. It takes them a few moments to force the door open, this has to be the last place in the building where Mr X is hiding so they pull out their guns straight away to scan the room. The smoke on the same level starts to thicken as more and more robots are destroyed.
As they scan the room they find Zan and Chief Clark, unconscious and tied to the chairs they are sitting in. Jax examines their pulses and notices blood on their faces "they're alive and breathing. We have to get them out of here before the whole site explodes."
Axel: "You and your men should take them, Max and I will search for Mr X. We need the location of the bombs fast! Plus there's another room through there".
He notices Zan slightly opening his swollen eye as he struggles to speak. "No, don't let him…"
"Not so fast!" A voice with a German accent from the shadows calls out as Zamza emerges.
Max: "Who the fuck is this?"
Zamza pushes a button on a circuit board that counts down from thirty minutes. He then summersaults forward in an attempt to claw both men, catching Max off guard and cutting his chest.
Axel: "Where are the bombs you've activated?"
Zamza laughs: "With Mr X ready to launch of course!"
Max kicks him down "quit fucking around! Where are they?"
Zamza smiles "finder's keepers!"
They continue to fight Zamza and more Yakuza members that appear whilst the other soldiers inspect the rest of the building and the connecting room for Mr X before the flames start to intensify and spread.
Eros region is full of abandoned warehouses that overlook the river, a familiar place for Sammy. He and the rest of the team have stormed through two warehouses so far without any trouble but what they are about to find at the next one speaks volumes.
Adam radios to his brother from the other side "It has to be this one, there are guards outside. Go with Blaze to find Zan and the Chief, we will take on the rest of the syndicate in the building". After shooting two guards from a distance, Adam's entrance is distracting and has impact where he lights fireworks and throws one grenade and one gas bomb through two of the windows and the side door of the warehouse, injuring or killing anyone on the ground floor.
Within seconds, Adam and the other officers are met by several syndicate members including Galsia and Big Ben who jump straight towards him. The police officers shoot from their cars as many fighters as they can that walk out of the building, clearing way for Sammy and Blaze to run in from the other side.
Galsia: "We meet again pussy. This time I have a sharper knife to use on you".
Adam: "Come on then give it your all!"
At the same time Galsia charges forward with a Swiss army knife while Big Ben takes a sip of whiskey, lights a stick that fire eaters often use before he charges forward towards the two police cars, blowing vast amounts of fire.
Adam is fast enough to roll out of the way but Galsia does not give up. Again he runs towards Adam this time with two knives. With one swift jump kick, Adam knocks Galsia down, forcing him to drop his weapons before kicking and punching the crap out of him. Adam lifts him up off the ground and pins him to the wall whilst Galsia struggles to reach for another blade that is embedded in his wrist band. He forces his arm forward with the knife to try and stab Adam and it is a struggle of strength between the two men as Adam grabs Galsia's wrist to turn the knife away from his body until the small sharp blade finally wins and attacks deeply through flesh. Galsia suddenly realises that Adam has forced the knife into his stomach as he struggles to breathe.
Adam: "Shouldn't have played with sharp toys in the first place Galsia".
It is a slow death for Galsia as he pulls out the knife from his stomach with blood now pouring out of his mouth. Eventually he collapses on the ground, dead with his eyes open.
Adam turns around and sees the other officers fighting Big Ben and several other men. "Once you take them, enter the building and help us in our search. The gas should have cleared by now!"
Adam runs into the dark warehouse, full of smoke and broken glass to try and find Dr Zan and Chief Clark. His radio signals as he speaks to Blaze "any luck yet finding the hostages?"
Blaze: "You need to get up here now on the roof right now!"
Adam runs as fast as he can past more syndicate fighters, shooting them down as he goes up each stairwell of the building. He storms through the fire escape doors that lead onto the roof. He rapidly halts next to Blaze and Sammy who are standing motionless in front of five warheads that point to the sky towards the city in the distance.
Blaze turns to him, panicking and shaking in her voice "what do we do?"
Adam thinks for a moment "we have to separate and transport these off of the launchers and back into the building on the floor below so that if they detonate, they will not be projected over the city. Come on, help me lift each one. Sammy go and get the other officers to help us".
One by one, the team carefully carry each armed warhead down to the next level until all of them are in one room safely (for now) resting on the ground. All of a sudden the warheads light up on each side panel at the same time then they start to beep.
Sammy: "Shit! Do you think we activated them by bringing them down here?"
Adam: "No they need a code to be activated. Quickly search of the rest of the building we need Zan right now to disarm these. The hostages have to be on one of the lower levels or the basement!"
"Thirty minutes to be exact and all of Eros region will be obliterated" a female voice speaks from the distance as Electra walks through the door with two other women holding whips.
Adam: "Where the fuck are the hostages?"
She smiles then cracks her whip on the ground.
Electra: "Kill them!" The three women run forward with their whips.
Adam turns to Blaze and Sammy: "Go! Find Zan now". Electra narrowly misses his arm with her whip as he finishes his sentence.
Adam: "Fucking hoe!"
Adam does everything he can to hold them off and fight without touching the activated bombs in the room until more officers join him after they finish shooting from the roof any backup syndicate members who try to storm the building from nearby.
Blaze and Sammy run and scan the rest of the building in search for the hostages but there is no sign of them. Eventually they reach the guarded basement. They hide outside the door where they hear voices and people walking around inside the next room. The environment is an old bare space, reminiscing of a cold war storage plant.
Blaze signals to Sammy to stay quiet as they take cover behind the door. They wait for one of the men to open the door before grabbing him and entering the room to shoot anyone standing in the way. Three of the scientists in the room are unarmed and are instantly killed in the cross fire. Two more men guarding Mr X are also shot down but before Blaze and Sammy can do anymore damage, she shouts "take cover!" Immediately, Mr X reaches for his tommy gun which even kills his own men in a moment of madness where at least thirty bullets are fired in the space of ten seconds.
Blaze and Sammy are each hiding under two desks on both sides of the room under the smoke where they can see one another. After a short pause, they hear Mr X's footsteps drawing in closer.
Mr X: "Come on, you can't hide forever!" His usual smart suited demeanour is now flustered and imperfect with his loose tie and messy hair.
Blaze signals to Sammy to stay where he is and to get his phone out to start recording Mr X's voice as evidence. She then decides to get up from under the desk with her hands up, knowing that she is no good to him dead.
Mr X: "Where is Adam Hunter?"
Blaze opens her palm, displaying a grenade which she holds up in clear view from him.
Mr X: "Whoever you are, from where I'm standing you're a dead woman unless you call Adam Hunter down here right now!"
Blaze takes a good luck at him in the eye knowing that he has no idea who she is.
Blaze: "From where I'm standing, I'm more valuable to you alive than dead. You have two options and five seconds to decide. Either kill me now, which will be the biggest mistake of your life, I fire this baby and all of your bombs upstairs kill us all. Or, you put your gun down and tell us where the hostages are. If you're lucky, you'll walk away with 20 years behind bars, maybe less for good behaviour".
Mr X laughs out loud, still pointing the gun at Blaze "you sure have more balls than your superior".
Blaze: "Adam is not my superior".
Mr X: "Red District Captain, or should I say former Captain, finally a pleasure to meet you. Feed us to the fire, all of us including your friends if you wish. But my men on the other side of the city will still complete our mission in replacing your police officers and having full control over the city. We will build more bombs, we have access to the Rakushin so any family you have will be the first to die".
Blaze takes the cap of the grenade "five, four, three…."
Mr X places the gun carefully on the floor and kicks it away. She immediately closes the cap on the grenade and pulls her gun out as the most dangerous criminal in the city stands in the middle of the room will all of his men down and his hands in the air.
Within moments, Adam and the other officers run down to the basement with their guns pointing towards Mr X.
Adam: "Arrest him now!"
The officers cuff Mr X and take away his gun.
Another officer runs in "we've arrested Electra and the others but we have a major problem, Zan and Clark are nowhere in the building and we only have fourteen minutes until the bombs detonate".
Blaze turns to the officer. "Leave the building with Sammy and get yourself and the rest of the officers as quickly away from here as possible".
Mr X laughs and comments: "You think you have this all figured out don't you? If anything happens to me, Zan and Clark die".
Adam turns to the two officers who cuffed Mr X "sit him down on that chair and tie him to it".
Adam then approaches Blaze: "take this gun, stay here and guard this motherfucker. If Zan is not here then he is being held on the other side of the city with Shiva. There's a mine about a quarter of a mile away from here where we can transport the bombs using the cars".
Blaze looks at him as if he is crazy: "What are you doing? Let's just go!"
Adam: "Six hundred civilians live within a mile of this building. If all five bombs go off above ground level, innocent people are more at risk not just from the radiation but even from the impact of the explosion. This way the worst case is the river will flood and contaminate when the bombs explode but it buys more time to evacuate any civilians nearby and contain the explosion."
Blaze: "Ok, twelve minutes. Be careful!"