Ch 28

Sentry robots were designed for monitoring situations, like guarding safes or hostage negotiations. But this one was different. Its normally black exoskeleton was reinforced with gray combat armor. Its normally blank face now sported a menacing metal facemask, making its green eyes radiate outward more prominently. The machine thumped forward as Jake backtracked. He was in position to take this thing on. "Mack!" he screamed. "Get over here! We have a problem!" The machine saw it's opening and struck nailing Jake with a swift gut punch. "Huuuh" Jake wheezed. Ouch! He inwardly groaned. Mack suddenly appeared beside him helping him stand. "How far away is backup?" "Ten minutes tops." Jake looked at the robot in front of him. "Can we even stall this thing for ten mins?" "We will have to try." The robot lunged towards them. Jake rolled aside while Mack simply vaulted over the thing. The robot turned as if studying its new opponent. Clomping in Mack's direction the bot executed several frontal attacks, all which Mack blocked. Raising the Stryver Jake fired at the robot's back. The plasma bolt simply pinged off and ricochet backwards. The robot stopped its attack turning again to address its new threat. Pulling out the flashlight Jake swung it towards the robot's head. It blocked the blow, wrenching the object from Jake's grasp before slamming it back into it's owner's face. Jake's head whipped sideways recoiling from the strike. Striating up he thrust kicked the machine in the chest sending it thumping back a few steps. Mack followed that up with a haymaker to the robot's head. THUNK! "Ow" said the android. Pressing onward Jake tried a few kicks and punches, but they either were dodged or left him with a sore hand. Jake dodged a roundhouse kick but was unable to dodge the tornado kick which followed. Standing up again he decided to change tactics. Charging the robot, he latched onto it, locking its head in a choke hold. The machine simply tossed him off like he weighed nothing. Trying again he grabbed one of its legs and tried to get it off balance. This seemed to work as Mack got in a few good shots. But the robot eventually fought back. It flipped Mack from itself and hit Jake in the head with its foot. Rubbing his head Jake came up with an idea. Trying a knee lift he sent the robot reeling backwards. Following it up with multiple strikes and finishing with an uppercut. Seeing his opening, Jake put both hands on the chest plate and began to pull it in separate directions. He was making headway, even when Mack pinned the bot's arms behind it's back. He saw what he was trying to get at: the robot's core. He heard a few snaps and a groan as several springs and other bits fell out of the chest cavity. This seemed to anger their foe as the robot found its second wind and violently struggled against the android holding him. Finally, getting one arm free it nailed Jake in the ribs, and elbowed Mack. It spun around, landing massive punches to the android. The face Mack normally used to interact with his cohorts was losing more of it's features by the second. Latching onto the robot from behind Jake tried to stop its assault, but to no avail. A swift back elbow stumbled Jake backwards. "Ahh!" he yelled. The machine turned towards its new prey. Jake readied himself squaring up to the machine. It attacked and Jake barely managed to dodge some of its strikes. A kick here a punch there and soon it was clear who would be winning this fight. Breathing heavily, Jake thought of one last ditch move. Feigning injury he sat down, "Ok ok, you win alright?" the robot stopped and tilted its's head. Then picking up a rock Jake stuck it in one of the robot's eyes. The machine stumbled around, and Jake used this to land a few good shots in. But just when Jake was about to throw a right hook, the robot recovered and caught his fist just as a streak of lightning struck and a clap of thunder sounded overhead. Jake stared into the robot's remaining eye as it slowly began to turn his arm. He felt it in his elbow first, the sharp tug of ligaments pushed to their limit. His shoulder ruptured, his rotator cuff tearing and other ligaments ripping. "Gaaaahhh!" he screamed crumpling to the ground, fist still inside the robot's claw. He stared at the ground for what seemed like hours. He noticed two very distinct puddles forming on the ground: one was clear and mixed in with the concrete the other was red, a stark contrast to the cool grey color. The robot seemingly deciding on a course of action, grasped Jake by the throat and lifted him up off the ground. He tried to save his breath, but it wasn't working. The robot then thumped over to the railing and with one toss, chucked the human over it.


Jake hit the water hard trying in vain to surface for air. When he finally did, he just let the current take him downward towards the outflow. Coughing and sputtering, he eventually made it out of the basin. His arm dangling awkwardly at his side, he trudged in to the city.