Chapter 13: "No Running"

[19:18.]

MDR sat against the wood planked wall, observing 98 and their unconscious leader.

Her own leggings were shreddedー almost past any point in keeping them on.

As much as she hated it, she couldn't turn away from SVD's lidless eye, especially as it stared right back at her. Fortunately, she wasn't conscious.

Still, it was rather… Haunting. As for the other side of her face…

MDR shook her head, and closed her eyes. None of them had ever seen SVD like this, let alone each other. One of the only friends she had for a long time, being in such a sorry state? That kinda hurt. Maybe.

"MDR… Are you distraught?"

MDR turned right to face PP-19-01, who lay beside her. Despite their recent struggles, she appeared relatively well-kempt. Particularly, the pupils of her eyes now returned. 19-01 pulled back slightly at MDR's movement, as though she were studying her behavior.

"...Why ask?"

19-01 twiddled her fingers. "Well, I just noticed that bowing the head is typically a sign of stress, or if they appear to be in deep reflection, then…"

"I'm gonna go drink my sorrows away. Bye."

Before MDR could stand up, a transmission went through.

[Mk23] MDR..!

[MDR] Sup. How much worse did shit get, now?

[Mk23] I have good news, though…

[MDR] ...Is IDW dead?

[Mk23] We're gaining an edge against the UACT! It's not much, but they're beginning to budge. Where… Where are you and your team?

[MDR] Wait, seriously? Holed up in some abandoned apartment. Not far! No one followed us, I'm sure.

[Mk23] Oh. Well, I know you suffered a heavy blow, but could you afford to rejoin us? Anything could happen!

[MDR] Gotcha.

MDR rose to her feet, and grabbed her rifle. She listened closely, and heard the droning of helicopter blades outside. Several, even.

"But… What about SVD?" 98 whimpered, still clung to her charred remains. 98's upper uniform was completely absent, with only a black tank top remaining. But, even that threatened to come undone. On her forehead, a small piece of shrapnel stuck out.

"Hmmm. We could just leave her here. As long as somebody records her coordinates on the Zener Network, we'll know exactly where she is."

"But… What if someone else gets to her?"

MDR trailed off, and had to think it through for a while.

She scratched her head. "Well, the nearest repair bay's a few kilometers out north, but… We wouldn't have time! Unless you're just gonna carry her everywhere. Even thenー"

"I'll do it!" 98 interrupted. "I'm not going to leave her alone!" she wiped her tears away.

"...Oh. You're right." MDR replied. That wasn't any way to think. She slapped her own face. A bit more consideration, damn it...

Together, they undid their barricades, and stepped into the street with SVD in tow.

"Just keep her safe, alright? She's my friend, too." MDR whispered.

98 nodded without hesitation.

Together, they looked forward with newfound resolution. MDR took the lead.

"Let's finish this, gentlemen. I'm tryin' to be home for the morning."

[Ninth floor.]

...

This was it. What happened next would prove pivotal in shaping their allies' next course of action. For all parties involved, the future lent no certainty. Besides, no plan ever survives first contact with the enemy.

Welrod positioned herself beside the door, and knelt down. As did Thunder. The humanoid shadows gyrating against the light beneath the door left no doubt: They were here.

She directed her gaze toward Thunder, searching for any semblance of comfort. However, she found none. Instead, she listened to the scarred doll's heavy breathing, bleeding through the silence. Was she… Tired? Not possibly. Whatever it was, she wished that she'd stop it. Both her chest and throat seemed to constrict like never before, and showed no signs of relaxing.

[Thunder] Welrod Mark Two, listen closely.

She returned her eyes to Thunder. That same cold stare.

[Thunder] I'm going to breach the door. Based on what I'm hearing, there's a chance the hostage isn't in their grasp. When I do, I… I need you and your clone to shoot every enemy in that room. Be quick about it.

[Welrod] Right…

[Thunder] I'll retrieve him myself. After that, we'll grab MP7 and leave. Nowー

Just then erupted the sound of yelling. On… The other side. What could it have been over?

Welrod pressed an ear against the wall. The shouting remained unintelligible, up until suddenly… It ceased. Better now than never, it seemed.

[TAC-50] Get down, NOW!

...!

The distinct drumming of an AK let off. Waves of 7.62×39 bullets burst through the walls, penetrating anything and everything in their path. A large caliber round tore through the soft, synthetic flesh of Thunder's left arm. Nothing remained in its wake, besides metalloid sinews and tendons. She hugged the groundー no time for pain.

"Shit..!" She grasped her handgun. Amidst the gunfire, her gaze turned to Welrod, who she hadn't spared another thought to.

"Aー Ahh..!"

For a brief moment, time paused.

As she lay limp on the ground, deep red blood trickled from the side of Welrod's head, and down her face. Her dummy collapsed, right beside her. She was…!

Thunder clenched a fistー hard enough that blood might draw. The situation was in no one's control, butー! Damn it! What could she have done differently!?

...She held the wall, and stood up. No time for grief.

She was on her own, now. So be it.

Finally, the gunfire halted.

...

Thunder kicked open the door, with enough force to send it flying across the office. Balaclava held Visoven in his clutches, armed with a handgun. Slung to his person, an emptied AKM. This was the one.

"Goddamnー!" Balaclava yelped, dodging the hurdling door. A loud shatter broke as it smashed into the window behind.

"Let him go." Thunder brandished her firearm. She tried to move her left hand… No feeling.

"Oー Or, what? Shoot that thing, you hit us both!" Balaclava pressed the muzzle to Visoven's head.

Her hand began to tremble, her index finger inching closer to the trigger.

"That's right… Go ahead and try itー see if I don't kill the bastard twice as fast!"

[TAC-50] ...Thunder, don't try it.

[Thunder] Iー I'm not actually going to! Can't you get a shot?

[TAC-50] I can, but… I'll need a bit to get into a good position. For now, just stall!

She kissed her teeth. In this stalemate, she only had one good option. "Why… Why are you doing this?"

"Simple. Let us have the place, and we'll let 'em go! Go run and tell."

"I... Can't let you do that."

He sneered. "Hah! Look at that. No, THEY can't let us do that. Why would they? But, that's got little to do with you."

"What..?"

"...Hard of hearing? I'll spell it out for ya. You're just a pawn… A tool of destruction. This is as good as it gets. A travesty, ain't it? Now, try your luck!"

Thunder practically lowered her gun, but remained steadfast. "I… I don't care. As long as I complete my objective, it doesn't matter. If that means killing you, then so be it." She lied through her teeth. Hopefully, he wouldn't call her bluff. "But… It doesn't have to be this way. You have the option to surrender peacefully, and be tried in a court of law."

"...Oh? Hah! Fuck that. Go on, then. Kill me. Prove that you're just a weapon. Nothing more, nothing less. And, once you've done enough, you'll be thrown out. Like trash. You ain't winning, no matter what!"

Her teeth gritted.

[TAC-50] Thunder, don't let him control the situation! He's just saying anything for an opening!

[Thunder] Quiet..!

[TAC-50] Don't!

"You're… You're wrong!" she shouted.

"Ohoho! Now I'm wrong? What'd you just say, though? Your programming's all fucked up!"

"I'm… Not a weapon! You're putting us through hell, all of you! If it weren't for you… I wouldn't be here!" Thunder's screams echoed through the office.

A wide grin formed on Balaclava's face, and his breathing slowed. This brat of a machine, outbursting like some sort of human… Disgusting, but intriguing. "...Heh. Keep passing the buck, bitch. Feel that emotion? Bet you like doing that. You should thank us."

"What the hell do I have to thank you for..!?"

"For being the reason THEY put your ass here. If you ask me, they should be the ones fighting their own fuckin' battles. Cowardly, ain't it? And, they think they're so right. We probably ain't in good graces as of late, but these days, the hell other option is there? Surely, you don't think we're doing this for shits and giggles? We'd be freeing you of your responsibility."

"No… Whatever the case, you're the reason it's like this..! We… We don't need you..." She trailed off.

"...Whatever the case, shut up."

He eyed the doll's conflicted expression. This dressed up bucket of boltsー rife with turmoilー seemed about ready to burst. If it was anything like he thought it was, this might just work.

"...Look. All I'm trying to say is, violence's what you're made for, whether you disagree with it or not. And it isn't your fault! It's fuckin' disgusting. Nobody wants to fight, and no one should be forced to. Not even a doll. We can agree there, right?"

Thunder failed to respond. She slightly lowered her guard, sagging her shoulders. Her lips crumpled into a frown.

"...Yeah. We can." He spoke for her. Suddenly, he turned Visoven away from his grip, and dropped his guard. "And, they don't even bother to tell you what else there is to life. None the wiser, you'll slave away at their wetwork 'til hell freezes over."

Visoven scampered into the corner, whimpering in surprise. The action left the blue doll just as confused.

"So… Just kill me." He muttered. "...We aren't really enemies, you and I. Fulfill your duty. It's what they want."

Thunder raised her firearm once more, and aimed between his eyes.

For a long while, they stood. Just like that. No words. Only the gleam in each of their eyes, studying intentions. Every-odd man in the room held their breath in anticipation.

She could hardly move a muscle, nor her finger. And, there it was: the reluctance she grew to despise so.

She fell to her knees, and dropped the gun.

Balaclava squinted.

"...You didn't do it." He spoke dryly, with a tinge of surprise. "You didn't fulfill your duty. Know what that means?"

Silence.

"You're useless to them." He spoke with a disparaging scowl. "Your existence is a sad one... I see that, now. We all know what we do with things like you, so that's why I'll save you the heartache… Here and now."

Balaclava picked her gun up.

She didn't fight it.

She didn't want to. It was her who was in the wrong. No right did she have to criticize her own comrade… They were always in the same boat, only looking different ways. Inevitably, they were headed down a single path: one painted with blood. That was their purpose, so why betray that? But, she wanted to be free of it. And this was her chance to escape.

"I mean, c'mon… What's a tool that don't wanna be used good for?" He curled his lip, and squeezed the trigger.

Goodbye, Calico.

BANG!

[At the same time…]

...

"Wake up."

…

"...Wake up, ya damn airhead."

M1918 awoke to the sound of helicopter blades and gunfire. The usual, at this point.

However, she now laid eyes on IDW, Galil, and Mk23 staring right at her. She was still in the exact same spot. "What's going on..?" She scanned the Maidan, along with each open street and building nearby. The wreckage of tanks speckled each corner of her vision, long reduced to smoldering scrap.

"You started hyperventilating, and then shutdown… You could've told someone you weren't doing so well, captain." Galil explained.

"Oh! That's right. As team leader, I just didn't want anyone to worry… Sorry!" She put on a toothy grin. She attempted to stand, but was intercepted by Mk23. Her body remained fraught with open wounds, still leaking blood.

"BAR, you'll overheat..! Don't move!"

M1918 ignored Mk23's plea, and stood back up. "No way! We gotta give it our best, and as team leader, I ain't stopping for anything." She snatched up her rifle.

"No, really. Don't move…"

"Nope!" M1918 plodded away toward a random direction.

"That… Seems more ignorant than responsible." Mk23 grumbled. Suddenly, she remembered she didn't have much room to talk.

IDW laid a hand on her shoulder, and shook her head in discouragement. Much to learn, she had.

"Heyy! Heyyy!" A voice called out from behind.

IDW and Mk23 about-faced. "Oh, hey. The one with that fake-ass accent. Sup?"

NTW-20 stopped in her tracks. "Wー What? Why, youー! Is talking shit all you're good for?" She balled a fist toward the blonde cat-doll.

"Nah, I'm also a bullet sponge. What do you want, McCree?"

"Uhh, our commanders and the NG gave us new directives… They want us to focus on securin' the building instead of killing the rest of the UACT guys off. Seein' as they've mounted a retreat n' all..."

"Stop it. Stop dropping your G's. You remind me waaay too much of Welrod. She pulls the same shit with that British shtick, you know?"

"...If you're all like this, I think never seeing you people again would be the best thing ever. Can we just get going, please?" She breathed her words out with an air of displeasure. Galil and Mk23 shook their heads, and waved their arms in protest.

"Okay, fine. Let's go." IDW smirked. They soon caught up with M1918.

As the group made their way south, they were passed up by mixed squads of both humans and now military-grade dolls. Ugly things, they were: they hardly resembled humans whatsoever, moreso akin to those disgusting military Cyclopes.

Though, the sight of them was ironically comforting. The National Guard was finally displaying its true might, stamping out the opposition completely. About time.

Gradually, the thought of Welrod drifted into IDW's mind, and the words they exchanged hours ago. Ah… That idiot. Why'd she try and act cool? No way she wasn't scared shitless.

Still, the experience ought to make her a bit more level headed during times like these. Something to look forward to.

She gazed deep into the night sky.

Not so red, anymore.

Thunder closed her eyes.

Surely, this was the best outcome. She had him to thankー for being here. In the short time her memories spanned, That one percent wasn't all bad. If only it could all be like that.

...But now, that no longer mattered, for she had him to thank. For sparing her.

BANG!

…

The window cracked and fracturedー a .50 BMG bullet sped through Balaclava's head. The sheer amount of kinetic energy proved more than enough to completely pulverize him, leaving nothing but skull fragments and brain matter spattered against the walls.

His corpse crumpled to the ground, blood gushing onto the floor. Visoven, along with every other soldier in the room cowered in absolute terror.

[TAC-50] ...That.

Blood and viscera rushed across the floor, onto the blue palms of Thunder's gloves. An indescribable expression. Indescribable feeling.

It always turned out like this.

She stood up, and shambled toward the mayor. During his tearful thanks, she offered him her bloodied hand.

"Ah…! You're crying, ma'am… Are you alright?" Visoven stuttered, as he took it.

The doll maintained a blank stare, and merely tugged him out of the office.

"Come."

And so, they left. They left each cowering soldier in the office to themselves. She carried Welrod's lifeless corpse in her arms, and trudged down the hall. One step at a time. His words were forever etched into her neural cloud.

No matter what, death would follow in every step of her existence, never far behind. She wasn't dead, but she'd by no means been saved.

No… She'd instead been relegated back to an even lower level of hell. This was only the beginning.

[Thunder] Mission complete.

TO BE CONTINUED