"There's an army of about three hundred -"
"And ten." Aaron added.
"Three hundred and ten Familiars marching this way." Max told them all. "That makes us practically even. We've got to mobilize now if we want to take them out. Stay in your groups and make sure your gun is loaded, they don't go down easy."
She turned to Mole and told him quietly, "We need everyone. Go inside and get any stragglers."
He nodded and rushed off, and she turned her attention back to the crowd. "This is war, people. This is what we were made for. Let's win this thing!"
The transgenics all cheered and Max raised her hands to silence them again. "Everyone, fall into an ambush position and wait until the moment is right for you. We don't want transgenic casualties. Go in strong and don't let up."
Mole came back out of the building, fifty or so transgenics, and Logan, following him. They joined the group and Max gave them the signal, causing the six hundred and fifty or so transgenics to move out.
"What're we doing?" Alec asked.
Max turned to her 'inner circle' and said, "Fighting for our lives."
* * *
West signaled for the Familiar army to stop and they all froze in place.
"They're going to fight back." He told them. "But don't let up."
"Brother!" All the Familiars barked at once.
"They're going to be more disorganized than we are, and they're weaker." West continued. "Use all of that to your advantage, and don't forget what the conclave has taught you."
"Brother!" They exclaimed again.
West looked at Hunt, obviously wondering if he had anything to add.
"Leave 452 and Cale for me." Hunt sneered.
"Right." West said. "Now, split up!"
The Familiars began breaking up into pairs and rushing off into Terminal City.
* * *
"Max! What's going on in there?"
Max turned to the fence, where Clemente was standing and talking through a bullhorn. She shook her head and yelled back to him, "We're taking care of our own!"
"Let me help you!"
"You can't!" She yelled back, then she and the others rushed off.
* * *
One pair of Familiars kicked down the door of a house and found a group of unarmed transgenics. They dropped into a fighting stance, as did the transgenics. The first bent down and the second rolled over his back and kicked the first transgenic down. The second then moved forward and took care of the second. They quickly snapped their necks and moved on to the last, an X7. The first grabbed the boy's neck and jerked wildly, killing him. He dropped the body and they both jumped out the window and landed on the street, where another group of transgenics was waiting.
The transgenics didn't wait, they all rushed at the Familiars together and began attacking them. After a few minutes, the Familiars managed to shake them off and the first grabbed the only female transgenic and lifted her into the air by the neck. He felt a sharp kick to his kidneys and turned around quickly, not dropping the girl. He came face to face with the barrel of a gun and that was the last thing he remembered. His body dropped to the ground and the girl got to her feet, then she and the other male rushed at the second Familiar.
They jumped onto him, taking him to the ground and the second transgenic boy quickly put a gun to the Familiar's temple and shot. The two transgenics climbed off the Familiar and they all looked at each other and smiled, then ran off.
* * *
Alec jumped into the air and kicked a Familiar in the chest, causing him to fall backward into Mole, who quickly raised his gun and shot the Familiar in the back of the head. He let the man drop then moved onto another.
Alec felt two muscular arms wrap around his neck and knew it wouldn't be good. He kicked back, but the Familiar didn't let go. The Familiar kept his hold and flipped Alec over his head and into a pile of garbage cans. Alec got up and picked up a garbage can, then ran at the Familiar and slammed him in the face with it twice before the Familiar ripped it out of his hands and tossed it aside. Wasting no time, Alec pulled out his gun and shot the Familiar in the forehead, then moved as the Familiar dropped to the ground where he had been standing.
He moved down the street where another Familiar was easily beating a small X7. He kicked the Familiar away and told the boy to run. He then shook his head and kicked the Familiar again, saying, "Why don't you pick on somebody your own size? I mean, how small is your equipment that you have to pick on little kids?"
The Familiar punched Alec, causing him to fly two feet backward. Alec got up, rubbing his jaw. "That small, huh?"
The Familiar moved to punch Alec again, but Alec ducked and drove a fist into the man's gut. He did it again, then dropped to the ground and kicked the Familiar's feet from underneath him. He pulled out his gun again and quickly shot before the Familiar could get up.
* * *
Aaron flattened himself against the wall of a building and waited. He counted to ten, then jumped out and punched the Familiar that stood before him. He did it again, then kicked the Familiar in the stomach. The Familiar grabbed him by the arms and tossed him into the front door of a nearby building. He crashed right through and skidded to a stop all the way across the room.
The Familiar then leaped into the room and punched Aaron. He stopped, as if recognizing Aaron, then turned him onto his back and looked at his neck. He straightened up. "You're not a kill. You're a capture."
"But I'm a kill."
Before the Familiar could turn to see who the voice belonged to, a shot rang out and he slumped to the floor. Aaron heard someone walk toward him, then he felt the weight of the Familiar pulled off him. He sat up, ready to thank whoever that was, but all he saw was a blur rush out the door. He shook his head and went back to the street, where he quickly found another Familiar ready to take him on.
Aaron jumped into the air and locked his legs around the Familiar's neck and spun, causing the Familiar to lift up off the ground, then slam back down. Aaron fell to the ground as well, but quickly pulled out his gun. He aimed and was about to pull the trigger when another Familiar kicked the gun from his hand.
The second Familiar grabbed Aaron's wrist and flung him like a rag doll into the stairs of a nearby building, then helped the first Familiar up and they both approached him. Quickly Aaron punched the rail of the stairs as hard as he could in just the right spot, causing a piece of the metal to fall off. He quickly grabbed the metal and lunged at the Familiars, striking out madly.
He managed to push past them and grab his gun, then rushed at the first Familiar and jumped on his back. He quickly pressed the gun to the back of the man's head and shot, then jumped off and did the same to the other. He looked at them, then wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand and ran off.
* * *
Max saw the Familiar diving at her and quickly reached for a large shard of glass that was nearby. The Familiar jumped down on top of her and she quickly plunged the shard of glass into his stomach and twisted it. The Familiar wheezed as Max did it again, then again. His eyes rolled into the back of his head and Max pushed the literal dead weight off herself.
She pulled herself to her feet and turned just in time to see another Familiar rushing at her. Feeling the glass in her hand, she waited until the Familiar was close enough, then stuck out her hand. The glass embedded itself deep in the Familiar's neck and he staggered backward, wildly reaching for the glass. He managed to pull it from his neck, a spring of blood spurting from his neck. But he did not stop. He took a few more staggering paces toward Max before finally falling to the ground, the blood from his neck still spraying.
Max shook her head and moved along the street, looking for any Familiars. She did not find any, but one found her. He jumped out from an alley, causing both of them to tumble to the ground and roll a few feet. She kicked out, causing the Familiar to fly over her head and land a foot away. She quickly got to her feet, as did the Familiar. They both ran forward at the same time, but Max managed to dodge his attacks and clothesline him. She heard a gunshot and saw a trickle of blood ooze from the Familiar's head. She looked to where the shot had come from and saw Logan. He nodded at her then ran off down the street.
She turned and was about to continue on when another Familiar came at her, brandishing a pipe. He struck her across the face, causing her to fly back onto the body of the dead Familiar. She felt her face gently and brought her hand down so she could see: there was blood on it.
"Okay, now I'm pissed." She said and quickly got up. She rushed at the Familiar and kicked the pipe from his hands. She punched him then when he swung the pipe at her again, she grabbed his hand and twisted it, causing it to break and the pipe to fall. She dodged his good fist and bent down to pick up the pipe. She swung it hard against his knee and he fell over, though he did not make a sound.
He looked up at her and she just reached down and snapped his neck. She kept a tight grip on the pipe that had spots of her own blood on it and moved down the street, where another Familiar was waiting for her.
"452." The Familiar nodded.
"Please." Max said and rolled her eyes. She rushed at him and swung the pipe, but he quickly disarmed her and grabbed her arm, bringing it around her back. With his free hand he grabbed her other arm and held it tightly.
He grinned and turned to another Familiar who was hiding in an alleyway. "Get Hunt down here."