Chapter 37: Where Titans Fall
June 12, 3239, 0400 hours
New York City
The Government Building
The walker wouldn't be too hard to take down. This was at least what Sonic thought as he sped towards it. The pilot was oblivious for the time being, but as soon as the hedgehog closed in on it, the cockpit started to turn.
"Motion trackers have a bead on you! Break off!" Cortana advised. Sonic heeded this and turned, running instead for the cover of nearby hedges. By the time the Nachtjager saw where he was the moment before, the hedgehog was hidden. However, the pilot was clearly spooked by this event and began to pace around. The lights increased in intensity, and he began to stomp around the courtyard. There was no noise. The chirping of nearby crickets stopped. Even the heavy traffic seemed to fade away. All Sonic could hear as he lay underneath a large bush was the thumping of metallic feet on the cobblestone. He breathed slowly, minimizing his fear.
"Any help?"
"I'm looking over schematics. Give me a moment."
"Maybe John should have done this."
"He would have lit up like a Christmas tree. Electronic sniffing is what this walker does best."
"OK, so no tagging out. Any luck?"
"I've got it! The WK-150 has a ten degree blind spot directly behind it. If you approach it from that angle, the sensors won't be able to find you. But..."
"Yeah?" Sonic asked, suddenly growing concerned.
"There's a reason. That's the main heat output for the walker. Sensors would be fried by the core's waste heat. That exhaust will cook you if you don't move fast."
He smiled. "Good thing that's what I'm best at. Alright, so approach from behind, move quickly, and don't turn into a roasthog."
"That's the plan."
"I like it." He rolled from under the bush back into the hedgerows. Despite the imminent danger of this encounter, Sonic's demeanor wasn't in the least affected. This was where he was at his best. Moving quickly to avoid detection wasn't in the slightest difficult for him. What would be difficult was the timing and precision of the event. The walker's blind spot was in a dangerous place, meaning that he either had two options. The first would be to think happy thoughts and stay in the spot long enough to give Cortana a crack at the walker's systems, or he would have to make himself visible in the 350 degrees where he would be visible on the radar. He chose both. Going toe to toe with this thing was not an option, and those machine guns wouldn't leave much left of him after the fact, and the missiles would be just as fun, but provided he could be stealthy, then he could go insane to make the pilot dizzy. Cortana would have a plan. He was sure of it.
But for right now he needed to wait. He had to will himself to do so, but it was still something he had to do. The Nachtjager's pilot scanned the area. Cortana whispered in his ear.
"Count yourself lucky. The pilot's looking for you himself. He could have called for reinforcements at any time."
"Easier to deal with one anyway." Sonic said. "I think now's good."
"Do it."
He rolled out of cover and made his way across the pathway into the next set of bushes. The pilot's sensors must have lit up because the mech turned again. That wasn't good. If the pilot was on edge, he would constantly be checking his radar. The goal was to wait until the pilot was comfortable, but that opportunity may have been lost. Sonic stay still for about five minutes, a miracle for him, until the Nachtjager moved again, this time showing his back to him. Sonic moved, this time slower. He crouched to lower his profile. Cortana told him that if he continued that way, he may disappear from the sensors. It wasn't that he believed the AI, but it made the most sense. Despite what he thought at times, sometimes it was more beneficial to slow down and think about the next step.
It seemed to be working. The pilot was oblivious and kept on moving. The walker thumped down the cobblestone with its cockpit twirling from side to side. The powerful searchlight cut through the air, and even though the artificial daylight gave the false impression of comfort, very real danger still loomed. He could see the vibrating air in front of him. That had to be the exhaust from the vehicle's nuclear fusion reactor. The heat would be outstanding, thousands of degrees that would cook him if he got too close, but that was the blind spot. That was the target, and it was absolutely deadly.
"I'm trying to find you another way to do this."
"It's fine." he said.
"Don't do anything stupid."
"I'm going to do something incredibly stupid."
"Sonic..."
"Can't hear you! Stupid time!" He bolted. Within seconds he became a living bullet, running without thinking – only moving. There was a way around the burning heat, but it would make him seen. It was just as the walker was raising its left foot to walk. Sonic side-stepped the warping air, aiming for the slowly moving leg. The air flow created by his speeding body blew with enough force to drag loose leaves and part of the fusion heat waste with him. The leaves scorched in seconds. Sonic's fur scorched too. He felt the pain of the heat biting on the right side of his body, but only for a moment. A second later, the pain was gone, and Sonic's right foot landed on the mech's lower leg. With his inertia pushing him forward, he fought to change his course, feeling the g-forces in the process as he fought his forward motion. He succeeded and pushed to the upper right, reaching for a set of likely-looking handholds on the mech's pelvic region. His fingers found purchase, and he held on. He didn't notice half of his fur was gone on the right side of his arm, and the skin was bright red.
The cockpit jerked. The pilot had noticed something for sure, and the Nachtjager's motion suddenly became erratic.
"Good! Stay there! I'm tapping into the walker's systems! Keep still!"
"Easy for you to say." Sonic said, now being swung like a wrecking ball from the mech's side motion. It was sickening, but he had to hold on. The pain in his right arm was now becoming much more noticeable. He was losing his grip. If he fell, then the pilot would be able to crush him, if not use the vehicle's exhaust as an improvised weapon. Sonic snarled at the thought that the pilot was already calling for reinforcements.
"I've got it! I'm in the system! Sonic, drop!"
He heeded Cortana's advice. He let go and fell between the legs of the walker. There was a bang, and the canopy blew off. When he looked up, a growing column of smoke shot up and away from the government building. A single pinprick of light said it all. Cortana had forced the pilot to eject from his walker. An empty bipedal shell basically remained. It tumbled forwards, leaving Sonic unharmed, but rather stunned.
He groaned and brought himself to his feet. "Well, that did it." He brought his arm up to check. Part of his sleeve was gone, and so was the fur. He was more than lucky to get only first degree burns. It hurt, but it would fade. He'd suffered worse before, but this was up there.
He saw the others running over. John and Konstantinos were close together. Both were still unarmed though. Even though he didn't have his helmet, John was easily the most intimidating Human that Sonic had ever met. His brows were focused but his eyes were constantly moving, scanning for threats. He was a man with the mind of a bird of prey, seeing things miles away and plotting in advance. In a sense, he was the exact opposite of Sonic: heavy built, analytical, and by Sonic's own mental admission, a bit smarter than he was, but not smarter than Tails.
John did a once-around of the mech and made sure the pilot was gone. Konstantinos said, "So now what do we do?"
"We proceed inside." John said. "Provide a distraction."
"I just got an idea." Cortana said. "A very good idea."
"What?" The Spartan asked.
"The mech's empty. I want you to insert my data chip into it."
"You want to drive it?" Sonic asked.
"It'd make things interesting."
Sonic and Alex looked at John for a response. They were treated with the rare sight of a smile crossing his face and even a small laugh.
"Do it." the Spartan leaned into the empty cockpit and looked for a data chip slot. He found one nestled right in the middle of the dashboard. He popped Cortana's chip out of the slot in the back of his own helmet where Cortana interfaced with his own mind and looked it over. A blue data crystal held a Slipsace/Riemann lattice where Cortana could exist without threat of rampancy. It also allowed her the ability to 'forget' things if she chose to. Minor calculations that would not place stress on her run-time. Her life-span was lengthened considerably through this, but it was unsure on how long she would live.
John slid this chip into the Nachtjager's own port. Seconds later, the control console glowed blue. Cortana's hologram appeared on the central dashboard, slightly distorted and on an angle thanks to the tumbled cockpit, but she spoke clearly.
"Hmm. There's a rather simple set of parameters for me to work with. These really weren't designed to work autonomously. Looks like the computer is throwing out an error. It's not letting me start the reactor since it's discovered there's no pilot."
"We can try something else." John said, reaching in to pull her out.
"No, that won't be necessary. I'm trying to trick the computer into thinking that there is a pilot. There's a code I want you to input. It's the factory reset. Hit zero three times, and then the unit's serial number."
John vaulted into the cockpit and found the keypad. Sonic and Alex stood outside looking in, curious as to what would be happening next. The Spartan hit the zero key thrice and then asked for the number.
"This unit's serial number is... zero-five-one-nine-nine-four-seven-one-zero-nine-nine-one-zero-one. There are two letters, J and T. Tap the corresponding key on the number pad."
John repeated the number without asking her to say it again. It had lodged itself firmly in his memory. Two solid beeps came from the command console.
"That did it!" Cortana beamed. "The system's resetting itself. It's as if it rolled right off the assembly line. Just have to key the ignition now, and we'll see if we're rolling..."
The lights flashed, and a whining was heard. It increased in pitch, and then stabilized at a soft purr.
"That did it! Fusion reactor has fired up. Just running one more mechanical diagnostic. Stand by." She placed a hand to her forehead. Whirs and groans of all sorts sounded. Outside, the legs budged, the toes flexed, and the gun arms rotated, creating scratching noises as the actuators dug into the paths.
"Arm gimbals... check. Joint hydraulics... check. Gyroscopic stabilization..." the vehicle lurched. John vaulted out and stood back. The vehicle picked itself up and steadied itself. Even without a cockpit, it was still intimidating. In fact, with no pilot in the seat and with the vehicle controlling itself, it became very frightening very quickly. Automated death machines had that effect on people.
"...check." Cortana said. "Autocannon cycle test..."
There were two sharp clacks in stereo. Both bolts on the Twinning cannons shot back, ejecting a live round from both chambers in both directions. They tumbled to the ground with a much more solid clinging than an empty cartridge would make. Alex ran to both shells and grabbed them. They were close to twenty centimeters long from rim to tip. A red tip on the bullet indicated it was a high-explosive round. Dangerous in addition to the sheer mass behind it.
"Souvenirs." Alex grinned. "This is gonna make an awesome paperweight one day."
"Or a hammer." Sonic shrugged. "You know statistically, bullets the size of your head a perfectly suited for that purpose."
"Well, what part would I hit with? The tip?"
"No, the end. The safer part."
John didn't comment on the lightheartedness of it all. He simply watched as the mech – controlled by Cortana – stomped about. "Alright, it looks good." she said. "We're ready to get moving into the building."
"What's the plan, chief?" Sonic asked.
John turned. He hadn't been called that in some time. "Rules of engagement are fire if fired upon. Take a non-lethal approach if you desire."
"Gladly." he nodded.
"Konstantinos, grab a weapon."
Alex dropped the bag on the ground and got to work putting together his rifle. Despite the eccentric nature of the young Marine, he was competent enough to construct the gun in about thirty seconds. Konstantinos took the upper reciever of his gun, slid the bolt inside, slammed it down on his lower, snapped two pins in place, and cycled the action. The gun made a satisfying click-clack noise.
"The sound of angels." he said dreamily as he toggled the safety and inserted a mag. "On you, sir."
John took a handgun out of the bag and placed it on a magnetic thigh holster. He could grab it whenever he needed to. "Cortana takes point in the walker. We stay out of her way."
The instant after saying this, a doorway opened along the building's edge. A squad of men filed out in black armor with only their eyes visible through a transparent visor.
"Freeze!" One of them called, raising a rifle. "Put the weapons down!"
"They don't know I'm in the system yet." Cortana whispered in their ears. "I have my back to them. Don't drop them."
"That wasn't going to happen." John said under his breath.
The security personnel got closer. "I said drop the guns!" the leader ordered. "Drop or I will shoot!"
"Watch this." Cortana said. At that moment, she turned the Nachtjager to face the security team. With Cortana at the wheel, the machine had a grace that the Human pilot couldn't give. It moved fluidly and brought its weapons to bear. The security team stopped at once and locked their eyes on the walker. They froze, not saying anything. Then she began to move towards them.
The security team broke down quickly. They backed up still facing the mech, but realized that it was moving faster than they were. The leader barked to open fire, and lances of fire crossed the distance, but their anti-personnel rounds ricocheted off the armor, whining as the bullets glanced off angled plates. Cortana decided to press the issue by firing a few warning shots into the ground near them. She triggered the left cannon. It thumped like an artillery piece, sending a sabot round screaming across a short distance so quickly it punched through the stone masonry and dug a foot deep crater into underlying gypsum concrete. Stone and dust flew in all directions. Larger chunks of material arced in the air, crumbling to the ground. A half second later, the large empty shell thumped on the ground like a small church bell. The security team panicked, dropping their weapons and running into the building again. The mech closed the distance quickly before the door could be closed.
"Move now!" Cortana said. "This is our chance to get in!"
Sonic grabbed Konstantinos' wrist. "Usually I do this to my girlfriend, but you'll do."
"Wha...?"
Sonic sprinted across the courtyard, pulling Konstantinos with him. Alex yelped in surprise and in sudden fear. Before he knew it, he and Sonic were safe inside the tunnel. John met them in seconds, moving quickly for a man his size.
"I'm closing the doors! Changing the locks too. That should slow them down."
The outer courtyard disappeared behind the door as it slid down from the ceiling and whirred, locking tightly. Ahead, the passageway was clean, sterile even. It stretched into the distance and the security team was still visible as they were fleeing. The hallway was wide enough to let large trucks through. There was one parked on the right side of the hallway to show this. The ceiling was close to thirty feet high, which was more than tall enough to let the Nachtjager through.
"They're going to be ready for us, you know." Konstantinos said to nobody in particular.
"Then we'll be ready for them." John took the handgun off his thigh and chambered it. "Cortana, scan for a walker hangar. If we're heading deeper into the facility, we're going to need some extra firepower."
"Got one. It's not too far from here. If we move now, we can grab some before they can scramble."
"Then we move now." John commanded. They advanced forward slowly with weapons raised, ready to fire if fired upon.
Chris' head lulled on the side of the car door interior. His crown was propped against the glass of the window. His eyes were barely focused as he stared ahead. They were pinpricks, taking in only the most necessary of light. A vignette had formed around his vision. His eyes hurt, and he saw flashes of light in his vision like small radiation bursts. He knew though it was not the case. He was losing grip on reality. He was able to come to this conclusion for only a moment, before the realization was lost to him. He had no idea why he was seeing the bright lights.
All the while, as he drew himself off the side of the car and back into the seat, and as he wiped the small stream of saliva from his mouth, he heard voices from the past. Some he recognized, some he didn't, and there were some he should have recognized, but didn't. They were like a faded shadow. A woman, not quite Human, with flowing red hair. Who was she? He remembered for a second, but then forgot. A man, tall, with glasses, looking much like him. Another man with pencil thin mustache, wiry long hair, and a scar on his left eye and cheek. He wasn't even scared. His emotions were out of whack.
However, he did recognize Bowman for the time being. The Colonel had the wheel gripped tightly as his eyes scanned the roadway. The radio was tuned to one of the district news stations, WNYC, one of the most popular on the island. Bowman's expression was impassable. "How are you, son?"
"I feel like shit."
"You talk in your sleep. If you call that sleeping."
"What did I say?"
"Half of it was in Talahase, and half of it was in some bullshit language. That or you were babbling."
Chris was willing to bet the other half may have been some Forerunner words that have been spoken enough to be implanted into his brain. He didn't actually understand the words, he just repeated them like a parrot. He tried to struggle and see if any new information came from the experience, but nothing did.
"Where are we?" he asked.
"Washington Skyway."
"Morning rush soon." Chris looked at the holographic clock on the dashboard. It was half after five. The sky was starting to lighten over the ocean. "This place is going to get congested beyond all belief."
The Washington Skyway was a raised roadway that was nestled between skyscrapers almost five hundred feet above the ground. The roadways were planned so that skyscrapers would hold weight. In fact, the city planners ensured that new buildings would be built either around, or to support the roadway. There was virtually no danger of collapse as very little of the weight was not held up. It was also considered a major thoroughfare which went around the city. Five years ago, it was also the site of Sonic the Hedgehog's unorthodox tour though the city which stirred up the Mayor's office, and the UEG's Security Council. Today, it was just another ride to work.
Chris was correct of course. Not soon after he said this, cars began to appear on the roadway from the on-ramps. A chain of tail-lights stretched for miles.
"You should have taken the backroads." Chris said stretching out. "We're too exposed here."
"You're in no shape to be giving tactical advice." Bowman said.
"This is my city. I know it better than you."
Bowman hit the steering wheel. "Why didn't you tell me that earlier?"
"Why didn't you wake me up?" Chris shrugged. "We should have gotten coffee."
"Just shut up." Bowman said. "Oh for the love of Christ. Someone just got in an accident!"
"Guess he needed some coffee too."
Bowman tapped the wheel in the center. The car switched over to manual control.
"I'm getting off at the next exit. We're taking ground level to get the rest of the way to the government building." Bowman switched lanes to get to the right-most lane, but before they could get there, a police vehicle pulled onto the main Skyway.
"Oh great." He said. "Now the cops are here."
Chris bit his lip. "That's not good. They could be scanning the cars."
"Kid, relax." Bowman said. "It's just a traffic accident. Besides, this is your city. This stuff must happen often. Calm down. Bowman pulled out a pack of cigarettes and slid one into his mouth. "Oh Jesus H. Christ, that's what I'm talking about." He tapped the end of the cigarette, which lit it quickly. "You know how long it's been since I've had a real smoke? Years. In prison, they trade cheap shit for sexual favors. They're not even that good either. The Talahase aren't any better. No good tobacco on that planet. This shit? This is the real deal."
"I don't smoke."
"Evidently. Let me enjoy the smoke." He took a deep drag on the stick, closing his eyes and exhaling twin geysers of gray from his nostrils. "Alright, they're probably going to talk to me. I mean, we're witnesses after all. Just sit down and shut up. In fact, you're wearing glasses, catch some rest. You look like you need the sleep."
"I don't want to sleep. I don't have good dreams anymore."
Bowman took a glance at him. "What did that Forerunner code do to you?"
"Nothing good." Chris said, and spoke nothing more on the topic. He did lean back though. "I'm 'sleeping', alright?"
"No problem."
As it turned out, a civilian sedan had hit a police cruiser that had been in front of it. An entire section of the right side of the road was cordoned off. The sedan was a wreck. The entire front of the vehicle was crumpled, and the engine block was exposed. The hood was tossed aside. The engine itself was covered with a fire-retardant spray. The cruiser was in little better shape with its trunk annihilated. A uniformed officer was talking to an angry-looking woman. She was of course being accused of ramming a police vehicle.
Chris decided to look around, scanning the environment. In the distance near the government building, outlined against the daybreak, were two silhouettes slowly descending from the clouds. A pair of frigates in formation. A pair of searchlights winked on and they slowly made their way to the government building. There was still enough darkness to conceal all but the brightest lights on its hull kilometers away.
"Colonel."
Bowman looked out at the frigates. "Well, Marshall's clearly not fucking around. He really wants you bad it seems."
"Admiral Andsworth's already been taken care of. Maybe dead. Who knows. Marshall's making sure he can get rid of any loose ends that might drop him."
"And you're the linchpin in his desire for power."
"No, my brain is."
The lineup barely moved forward, but another vehicle had appeared, this time from below. A police Pelican swooped over the roadway, searchlight fixed on the crashed cars.
"For an accident?" Bowman wondered. "With nobody hurt? You don't need the bird for that."
The Pelican hovered over the roadway, first focusing on the car accident, and then moving its light across the lanes.
"Something's wrong." Chris declared.
"I agree." Bowman pulled his gun out of a pack and chambered it. "We may be in trouble. Just relax though. Let me do the talking."
The new police cars' doors rose, and more cops leaned out. They began talking to the people in the cars, supposedly taking testimony. Chris realized that some of the cops were far too large; too muscular; too frightening.
"Oh shit." he said. "Hunters."
The cops got closer. Some were smiling. Even the Hunters were putting on friendly looking expressions that were the exact opposite of subtle. They looked more like sneers pretending to be smiles. Over the next fifteen minutes, they reached the car Bowman was driving. The Hunter tapped on the window, and Bowman retracted it.
"Good morning, officer."
The Hunter's smile dropped. "Good morning." He repeated. The voice was baritone, and insincere. "We're looking into this accident up ahead, and we were wondering if you would be willing to give witness testimony."
Bowman nodded, shrugging. "Sure. Don't know how much I can help you though. I mean, we didn't see much."
"Could you step out of the vehicle sir?"
Bowman complied. He opened the door and stepped onto the Skyway. He glanced up the way they came. "What about traffic?"
"It will be re-routed." the Hunter replied. Now, I have some questions to ask in the subject of the accident."
"Ask whatever you'd like, sir."
"Of course, but before that, I wish to ask you whether or not you served in the UNSC Defense Force."
Bowman was slightly taken aback. "Uh, yeah. Yeah, I suppose I did."
"What is your name?"
"Bowman. Corey Bowman."
The Hunter was silent. "You are Colonel Corey Bowman, of the 75th ODST Battalion?"
Bowman nodded. "Yes. Yes I was."
"You are also not a resident of Gavin's World, and not Earth?"
"I am." he was impassive. What was the big son of a bitch getting at?
"I feel I must ask you what your business is on this road, at this time, when as a soldier, who is currently on active duty, you would know this area is under lockdown?"
Chris winced. Uh oh. He made the mistake of twitching in an unconvincing manner. The other officer, a smaller man, likely an actual cop, looked at him all of a sudden. His glasses flashed. He was being scanned.
"Sir, who is this man?" the actual officer asked.
"What?" Bowman asked, whipping around.
"Who is this guy?" the officer repeated, now agitated. "Who is he, and where are you taking him?"
"He's my cousin. His name is William York Bowman. I was in town, he needed my help, and I'm taking him home. He only lived a few exits away from here."
Chris' pulse quickened. Things were falling apart. The lies were only stalling the officers. Sooner or later, they were going to ask a question where the charade would dissolve, and then he would have to start moving. Whether or not he would have to start killing was another matter entirely. He knew the MKV-7 was in a pack near the footrests, but he dare not move. If the officer saw him making a reach for it, he would smash the window and shoot the Captain dead. His addled mind started to think of options.
"You know, you could always make a run for it." Kapplain said. He lay, fully embodied in a white T-shirt and pants, reclined in the back seat. Chris could only see him out of the corners of vision. "I mean, you could use the cars for cover."
"Or." A second voice said. Charles Madison. Legs gone, but he was no less uncaring as blood dripped onto the interior carpets. "Maybe you can grab the gun and shoot your way out. He's just a cop. You've fought worse. You think some rinky-dink doughnut eater's going to stop you?"
"Better yet", the not-quite Human woman with red hair said. She was reclining in the driver's seat, which was odd because Bowman wouldn't be able to get in once he was done with the officer. He considered telling her to move, but what point would that serve? It would expose him.
He was also confused as to why the officer outside wasn't reacting to all of this inside. Three people just appeared out of nowhere, for Christ's sake! Surely that rated some attention!
"Better yet..." she said again when she realized he wasn't paying attention. "Look at me, love. Bowman can sacrifice himself for you. He cares about your safety and will give his life if need be. You just need to wait."
He didn't say anything, but she blinked her brilliantly blue eyes. "You know that's the best way."
"Who is this man?!" The cop yelled to Bowman. The officer banged on the window. "Open up! Open up now!"
Chris didn't respond. Not yet.
"Sir, take off your glasses or I will shoot!"
Now.
Chris' unseen hand gripped the door release. He summoned all of his strength and pushed outwards towards the officer. The door flew in a quick motion, striking the man who was just going for his gun. He was off-balance already. The door knocked him down. Chris didn't wait for him to hit the ground before quickly pulling out the gun in his bag and clicking the safety off. Time swept over him and his training kicked in. The Hunter was focused on Bowman. He aimed the handgun and fired half of the magazine into the chest of the supersoldier. The gun's crack was barely audible in his intense concentration, but the effects were clearly visible. Huge bursts of blood shot out of the entry wounds as the mean bullets tore into tissue. The safety wall behind the Hunter was sprayed with blood. Despite the damage, this only seemed to annoy the man, who pulled out a heavy pistol and aimed it at Chris. He had time to duck before a large round tore a hole in the car's roof.
Bowman decided to give the second punch. He pulled out the gun and fired all of the shots he had into the Hunter's head. With each crack of the weapon, more of the Hunter's skull came apart. Bowman spat on it. "Creepy sons of bitches."
Chris made his way to the downed cop. He was missing a front incisor, and was clearly dazed by it all. Chris held the handgun in a center-axis relock position. The gun was at center of mass, supported by both arms, and pointed at the chest of the downed cop. The officer was just regaining his senses when he saw what was happening. He made a go for his gun, but Chris stomped on his hand. The officer cried out in pain, then raised his left hand as a futile shield.
"Don't shoot me man! Don't shoot me! Please!"
Chris considered it.
"Okay," he said when he came to his decision. With his left foot still on the cop's hand, he raised his right foot and brought it down on the man's face, knocking him out and breaking his nose. "At least I didn't shoot you." he said. Chris grabbed the cop's gun and the ammunition it carried. He saw Bowman standing near the Hunter's corpse with the dead man's heavy pistol raised.
"Plan?" he asked the colonel.
"We're switching cars." he declared. "It's too dangerous to go on foot, because... you know..."
The floodlight from the Pelican covered them. The aircraft wasn't armed, but it would certainly call some craft that were. It wasn't going with the formality of a loudspeaker and simply just watching them.
"Do we go for the cop car?" Chris asked.
"They can track it."
"Then what can we do?"
"I don't know! Give me a second to think!"
Bullets pinged off the car they were using for cover. Scared civilians were only now starting to retreat. A couple of them had some courage and wanted to play hero. A heavyset, mustachioed man wearing a dark blue tracksuit roared and ran towards them, fist raised. Chris stepped forward and decked the man with a right hook. A couple of other would be vigilantes saw how easily the guy was taken down and reconsidered rushing in, choosing instead to make for the offramp and get out of dodge. This was a blessing as the traffic could make for good cover, yet the Hunters could do the same.
What was left of Chris' conscience advised him against shooting cops. That wouldn't look good for him, but Hunters were completely acceptable targets, never mind that they had fired upon him first. Bowman popped up and let the heavy pistol loose. Twin dull thumps sent rounds downrange, missing, yet suppressing the cops behind their cruiser.
"Why the hell didn't Jeff say anything about this?"
"What? Jeff?!"
"The guy who was with you!"
Bowman gave a look of awe and confusion. "There... aw fuck it. Just keep your head down! Got another bird coming in. Oh fuck me, this one looks armed!"
It was armed, but when the new Pelican opened up, the shots weren't aimed at the parked cars on the road or the men using them for cover, but at the police Pelican. Rounds pinged off armor, and smoke started to expel from the engines. The pilots panicked and bugged out. They were evidently not trained for actual air combat. The new Pelican did not pursue though. It wasn't here to shoot down another craft. It did turn towards the police and Hunters and fired off warning shots and suppressing fire, all the while lowering altitude so that the rear was facing Bowman and Chris. The hatch opened, and two men jumped out. They hit the roadway and beelined for the trapped Marines. Chris grinned. He recognized those two men which he was happy with. It was Ryan and Johnson!
"Good morning, sir!" Johnson said. He had a cigar slammed into the right corner of his lips. Thick smoke rose from it. Ryan was right next to him with an outrageous looking machine gun with an even more outrageously-sized magazine. He braced on top of a car and sent hot lead towards the police vehicles.
"Looks like you need our help!" Johnson said. "Lucky we found you when we did. You're all over the military radios. Got here just in time before those frigates head over here! Come on! Got the STARs in the back of the Pelican! We're making a run for the government building!"
"You know?"
"Oh yeah. This shit ends today. If Marshall wants to start a war, he's going to have to run it by us first!"
"Oorah, Sarge!" Ryan said over the constant hum of his machine gun.
"Come on! Double time! Into the dropship!"
Bowman nodded and headed first, helped aboard by a Mobian crew chief. Chris recognized this young woman. Her name was Zalmada. She was a bit rough around the edges, but she never made a big mistake twice. She, and several others aboard recognized him, and hands shot out to pull him aboard. Several smiles from STARs showed he was still well-received by somebody in this universe. These boys and girls still looked up to him, and it brought an amazing feeling of joy to his heart.
Johnson didn't need any help coming aboard the Pelican. He got a running leap, used the suspension of a car to give him some bounce, and jumped on his own into the Pelican. Ryan threw the gun up on the deck first and then made his own way there.
"Lock it up! Get us out of here!" he said to the pilot. They were Human, though they were sympathetic with Chris, or better yet, against Marshall.
"You're fucking beautiful, Sarge." Chris said sitting up against the wall. "Best thing I've seen in months!"
"You look like hell, boy." Johnson said, laughing at first, but then he was serious. "How are you feeling, kid?"
"Not good." Chris was honest. I can't remember things now. "I'm surprised I remembered you..."
"Explain later. First, we're getting the hell out of here. Punch it gentlemen!"
The pilots obliged, and the Pelican shot away from the Skyway and into the packed metropolitan center.
"Well, I admit. This is better than my plan." Bowman said.
"What was your plan?" Chris asked.
"High speed police chase, gun battle, and crashing through the main atrium like in the movies."
Chris chuckled. "Maybe not quite as interesting as that."
Bowman shrugged. "I can live with mundane."