Summary: Fierce fighting, a blazing fire, and one transgenic to stop it all.
The Siege
by
Brin
If someone else showed you the way
Would you take the wheel and steer?
It hurts me that you're not ashamed
Of what you're doing here
If they jumped off a bridge
Would you meet them on the ground?
Or would you try and claim
That it never made a sound?
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Death. Destruction. Fire. Hell. I don't know what's going to happen now. Will I die tonight? Will I ever live to see morning again?
Chapter 9: EndgameJondy, Zack, and their unit slowly crept through Terminal City, Sector 3A. The road seemed clear ahead, but the air was deathly still. Nothing moved. Some of the transgenics were even afraid to breathe. This was like crawling right into the belly of the beast. They crept right into the heart of Sector 3A, and there they found what they were looking for—Eddie and Pick's unit.
"Oh shit," whispered Jondy, suddenly feeling a bit nauseous. She removed her helmet and let it drop to the ground. "Shit."
Strewn about were the bodies. Bloody, unidentifiable bodies. Some of them were displayed in contorted positions. And some of them…
"Get them down! Get them all down!" ordered Zack, his face green.
Jondy looked up at the bodies hanging by their hands from the building fire escapes like twisted crucifixions. She ran her fingers through her disheveled hair, holding back the sobs of despair. After taking a moment to compose herself, she walked over to cut down a body. Before she did this, however, she followed the rope with her eyes. The rope was first tied to the fire escape, then it went all the way up and disappeared over the top of the building. That was strange…
"Wait," she said as Zack prepared to cut a body down. She paused a moment, then their situation hit her. "This is a trap! Grab your weapons and—"
"Everyone FREEZE! We've got you surrounded!" shouted another voice over Jondy's.
Jondy's face fell as the fire escapes suddenly collapsed in chosen locations, creating a cage around the transgenics. Ten figures dropped from inside the buildings and landed on top of the metal heaps, guns trained on the transgenics.
"Put down your weapons! Drop them, NOW!" yelled one of the Centurions. "No sudden movements!"
The transgenics were looking at Zack for instructions, and he nodded. "Do as he says." Their weapons clattered to the ground.
"On your knees! Hands on your heads!"
Slowly, carefully, the transgenics lowered themselves and did as they were told. Two of the Centurions jumped down and gathered up their weapons. When they were sure the transgenics posed no threat, they nodded to their leader.
"Tie them up, then put them with the others," ordered the Centurion Alpha. "Keep an eye on them. If they try anything funny…" He jumped down and tipped Jondy's face up so that she was looking at him. "Shoot them." Jondy glared at him, but said nothing. He laughed and patted her on the cheek, then walked away.
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Max and Alec ran through a dark alley, guns ready. They ducked behind piles of debris at the end of the alley, checking both ways for any sign of the enemy. When they were sure there were no surprises in store, Max turned and held out her arm horizontally, palm up, then motioned towards herself. Come forward. She and Alec kept watch as their unit hurried over. As they were coming, Alec raised his arm at a and then, palm down, lowered his arm back down to his side. Take cover. The other transgenics quickly split up, hiding behind debris like shadows. One of the X5s got Max's attention and tapped the back of his head with his open palm. Max nodded and repeated the gesture. Head count. Briefly, everyone poked their heads up, and Max quickly counted them. Once she was sure everyone was there, she told them to get down again.
They watched the street for a few more minutes before Max and Alec decided to cross it. By doing this, they would be going out of their sector and moving into enemy-taken territory. Max held up three fingers, then put one down, then another, and when she finally put the last one down they ran out into the open street. They were right in the middle when one of the others jumped out and yelled "RPG!"
Instinctively, Max and Alec hit the dirt. The rocket-powered grenade flew right through the spot they had been standing in, hitting a building and causing a huge explosion that skimmed their backs. Fiery debris rained down on the two transgenics as their unit jumped out and began shooting in the direction the grenade had come from.
"Help them!" urged an X6, running over to Max and Alec. The transgenics quickly removed the flaming debris from their leaders, whose uniforms were scorched, but not on fire.
Max coughed as the smoke and ash from the building filled her lungs. She and Alec were dragged back into the ally, presumably out of harm's way. As soon as they had caught their breaths, they took the command once again.
"Well, I'd say we're in enemy sights now," deadpanned Alec, throwing off his scorched helmet.
"If the shooter isn't there anymore, the leader knows we're here… and that's even worse," added Max. She looked around at their unit. "Okay, we're gonna have to split up into groups of five. Alec and I will be by ourselves. Everyone understand?"
"Yes, ma'am," they replied dutifully.
At this point, Max went back to using hand signals—just in case. First, she cut her fingers across her neck. Danger area. Then, she held up a hand—five fingers—and pointed to the transgenics, breaking them up into groups of five. She then raised her arm vertically overhead, then brought her arm back down to a horizontal position and gave each group a direction to go. Disperse. The groups quickly exited, leaving Max and Alec by themselves.
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Eddie, Pick, Jondy, Zack, Brin, and Zane were all brought into a dimly-lit room blindfolded. They were then chained to the wall and their blindfolds were removed. They looked at each other in confusion, then their eyes turned upon the young man sitting before them. He was tall, with sandy blonde hair and eerie blue eyes.
"Welcome!" he said, his voice loud and clear. "I am the Centurion Alpha, alias Brock… but I'd rather you not call me that." The chained transgenics didn't appreciate his obvious amusement at the situation. "The six of you have been identified as transgenic leaders… and that would be why you're here. 452 obviously wouldn't leave her officers in the hands of the enemy, no matter how… expendable you seem to me," continued the Centurion with a smile. He studied each of them closely, then stopped when he reached Eddie. She had been beaten within an inch of her life and had a nasty bullet wound in her side. Her face was so bloody, bruised, and so swollen that she was barely recognizable. "X6-301… how nice to see you again. How have you been?"
Eddie, unable to lift her head for the pain shooting through her entire body, did nothing.
"Answer me when I speak to you, soldier!" yelled the Centurion, grabbing Eddie by the hair and lifting her head for her.
"Leave her alone!" shouted Pick, jerking against his chains.
Centurion Alpha straightened up and turned to Pick. "Always a feisty one, 901. I remember you, too." He looked at the X5s, who seemed utterly confused. "Of course, they never knew I was a Centurion. My facility needed to conduct an experiment regarding Centurion reproductive systems and I was the only one not taking birth control meds. The Manticore facility would offer us no one but 301." Here he stopped and looked at Pick pointedly. "We slept together for two nights at the Seattle facility, then I was forced to return to my base for a special field operation."
Pick cast Eddie a sidelong glance, but she was staring at the Centurion with fiery eyes.
"Of course, 301 failed to conceive and spent two or three months in psy-ops because of her blatant hatred for me. Isn't that right?" asked the Centurion, touching Eddie's face.
She glared at him and managed to jerk her head aside, but the action caused intense pain that nearly made her black out.
Centurion Alpha stood to his full height. "I have strict orders to keep you all in here. It's only a matter of time before 452 is comes to rescue you. This situation is utterly hopeless. Chimeras are no match for Centurions. You didn't seriously think you could win?"
"Is that the shit they feed you?" asked Zack irritably.
The Centurion turned to look at him, smiling. "Aaah, I read about you in mission logs. X5-599, the cream of the crop." At the surprised look on Zack's face, Centurion Alpha laughed. "You'd be surprised how much I know."
"Why are you doing this? Can't you see what we're doing?" said Pick. "We're making a stand for our kind. You think that just because you still work for Manticore you're some kind of war hero? People hate you. They don't care you've helped capture us. You're still one of us, and they hate you for it."
"I don't care what 'the people' think," said Centurion Alpha. "I am a soldier. I serve our country. Something the lot of you need a good lesson in."
"A country that hates you!" spat Jondy with a roll of her eyes. "What do you think Manticore is going to do when you get old and wrinkled? You think they're going to treat and comfort you for all the good work you've done for them? Let me tell you what they'll do." She leaned forward. "First, they put you in a windowless room and cut off your air supply until you suffocate… just to see your maximum lung capabilities. Then, they cut you open and perform an autopsy just for kicks. And when they're done with that, they toss you into the incinerator with last week's mystery meat special."
Centurion Alpha narrowed his eyes at her, disbelieving. "That'll never happen."
"You think it won't?" growled Pick, narrowing his eyes. "I saw it happen to one of my sisters. She was cut open; studied. Right before my eyes."
"It doesn't matter if one soldier falls. There will always be ten more behind him," reasoned the Centurion, building up his resolve. "And your words won't phase me."
"Really?" asked Zane, pinning the Alpha with a intense gaze. "Look at what you've done to your fellow transgenics—look at how many you've killed. That's not a mission, that's a war, and there's no winner in war. Your people will die, too. How do you feel about that?"
"I told you already. It doesn't matter."
Zack laughed at the Centurion. "You really think so? Don't you feel anything for your fellow soldiers? The one's you've grown up with; your only comfort in life? Your brothers and sisters?"
"I don't have brothers and sisters. I have superiors and inferiors," yelled the young Centurion angrily. "Besides, you would be the one killing them, so why preach to me?"
"I don't care what you say… you care!" exclaimed Pick. "Think about them… out there, dying on the streets. Cold. Alone. In pain. Doesn't that hurt inside? Doesn't it make you the least bit angry?"
The Centurion said nothing.
"That's what I thought," concluded the X6. He glanced over at his girlfriend. "You see that? Do you see what they did to her? How do you explain how doing that to someone will benefit your country? Your cause?"
"I was ordered to do so. I have no emotional attachment to the anomaly," said Centurion Alpha, lacing his hand behind his back.
"I believe you do," snapped Pick. "I believe you have emotional attachments to all the Centurions in your unit, and Eddie. In fact, I bet you imagine a father-son relationship with your commander. Isn't that right?"
"Shut up."
"Why aren't you answering me?"
"I said SHUT UP."
"It's true, isn't it?"
"SHUT UP!" Centurion Alpha ran forward and kicked Pick across the face, busting his lip. "You are in no position to be so bold!"
Pick coughed as blood filled his mouth. An emotionless smirk appeared on his face. "See?"
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Max and Alec found the remnants of the attack on Eddie and Pick's unit of X6s, but the two teens were nowhere to be found. They had the distinct idea that they were being watched, and more than once they had heard far-off explosions that made their stomachs churn with fear for their comrades. They first removed the bodies from underneath the collapsed fire escapes. When they were done, Max's face was tearstained and she felt her last meal quickly rising north.
Alec put his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. "It's okay, Maxie," he whispered.
"We should get going," replied Max, moving out of his embrace. She studied their choice of directions and decided the best way to go was… up. "Every attack thus far has come from the rooftops... So I'm guessing they've established a base up there."
Alec nodded in agreement. "Let's check it out."
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Eddie could feel her hold on consciousness slipping. Every intake of breath stung her chest. The slightest movement sent searing pain across her body. So when a pair of thick arms grasped her around the middle and lifted her onto a table, she couldn't help but whimper in agony. Her eyes slipped open and she caught sight of her lover sitting on the ground, his uniform drenched with blood at the shoulder. The light, dim though it was, caused her head to spin, so she closed her eyes again.
"X6-301 has a broken femur, broken ribs, a shattered clavicle, and she may have a concussion. Other than that, it's a whole lot of bumps and bruises," explained the Centurion medical unit unemotionally as he poked and prodded the broken anomaly. "Nothing especially threatening besides this bullet wound to the side. There seems to be no serious internal bleeding… but we won't know for sure until a more thorough exam can be made."
Pick angrily thumped a hand against the ground.
"A friend of yours?" asked the medical unit with a smirk. "If she stays out for very long, I'm afraid there's nothing we will be able to do. Going unconscious with a potential concussion, even a minor one, could prove to be lethal. Too bad."
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"RPG!"
Max and Alec dropped to the ground as two grenades flew towards them. The RPGs hit each other mid-flight and exploded right above the X5s' heads. If Max and Alec hadn't been wearing their uniforms, they surely would've been burnt to a crisp. As it was, the only exposed skin—the backs of their necks—turned red and blistering from the heat. Their barcodes burnt off.
"That was too close!" yelled Max angrily as they got to their feet again.
Alec looked up towards where the grenades had come from and his eyes widened. "Here they come again! Jump!"
The two jumped high into the air like only X5s could as the RPGs exploded into the ground they had just been standing in. The blast knocked them higher into the air and a little bit to the side, causing them to crash into the wall of a nearby building.
"Hey, you said you wanted to go up, right?" joked Alec despite their situation. "Look at is as a convenient shortcut!"
"Alec, you better shut up and climb before they decide to blow us up into a million little pieces," urged Max as she began to climb towards the roof, which was only ten or so feet above them.
"Good idea," he replied, hurrying to catch up with her.
They were about two feet below the roof when they were aware of two things: 1) there were two Familiars standing at the top of the roof and 2) an RPG was headed right for them.
Max looked at Alec, who nodded. As if able to read each other's mind, they simultaneously pulled themselves upward with all their might, causing their bodies to fly into the air as the grenade crashed into the building and set it aflame. The Familiars started shooting at them while they were in the air, but somehow the two X5s evaded getting shot even as they came crashing down on top of their enemies.
"Howdya like that one?" asked Alec, putting his foot on the face of the unconscious Familiar he had landed on.
"And now it's time to play dress up," announced Max as she pulled the pants off one of the Familiars. "Just make believe you're a whacked out snake goddess worshiper."
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"You're just going to let her die?" yelled Pick, gesturing to Eddie.
The Alpha frowned disapprovingly at the medical unit, then said to Pick, "I have orders."
"Fuck the orders!"
"Calm down. You're more worth to Eddie with a clear mind," reasoned Jondy gently.
Pick clenched his fists as he seethed, "If she dies, I swear I'll kill you all. You know I'll do it, or die trying."
"That can be arranged," the Alpha replied shortly, moving forward. "I'm your captor. I have the authority here, and if you continue to push me then I will have you terminated," barked the Centurion.
"You won't kill us. We're worth too much. Isn't that right?" reasoned Zack with narrowed eyes. "Each one of us is worth millions, and you know it."
"Dead or alive!" responded the Alpha.
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Max and Alec bound and gagged the two Familiars before leaping to the next building. They moved about two blocks when four Familiars suddenly jumped up from between the buildings, cutting them off.
"Well, well, well… imagine seeing you here, 452," greeted an achingly recognizable voice. Ames White stepped into the light, his face graven and eerie in the flickering flames of Last Hope. "I'm afraid I can't allow you to go any farther."
"And I'm afraid I'm gonna have to kick your tight ass and be on my merry way," snapped Max.
White shook his head. "I don't have time to trade insults with you, 452. Get her." He snapped his fingers. On cue, his three companions sped forward and knocked the guns from Alec and Max's hands. Alec leapt into the air and did a roundhouse kick, knocking their assailants backwards.
"I'll take care of these guys. You get White," the X5 yelled over his shoulder.
"Got it," replied Max, facing White. "So, looks like it's just you and me."
"Right. I've missed our nice little conversations so much," sneered White, drawing a gun. "How's about a dance?"
"Bite me." She dropped to her knees, narrowly avoiding being shot, and rolled forward. With a swift kick across the knees, she brought White to the ground. In the second he was preoccupied, the X5 got to her feet.
"You really think you can beat me without your pet bulldog?" taunted White as he, too, rose into a fighting position. "You really should've let him kill me."
"No argument there," she replied as they circled each other. "But now I get the honor."
White took a swing at her, but she ducked and kicked him in the stomach. He caught her foot and twisted her leg, forcing her to jump in the air and spin along with it. He pushed her to the ground and kicked her in the side. "How do you like that, 452?"
"Shut up," replied Max, pushing herself upward with her arms and kicking White in the face with both feet. As White stumbled back, Max elbowed him across the face, but it barely fazed him. After the third hit, his hand shot out and caught her arm.
"Didn't your CO ever tell you," sneered White, "that to give an enemy a limb is to lose it?" Then, without flinching, he snapped her arm backwards so that it broke and slipped out of its socket. Max screamed in pain and her leg shot out, catching him in the knee. He stumbled back with a curse, then raised his head and smiled. "You're getting soft, 452. Is there something wrong? Can't handle a little pain?" He pulled a handgun and aimed it at her. "Here… this will take your mind off your arm…"
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For the past few minutes, Zack had been silent. His captors thought nothing of it – all training logs reported Zack as quieter than the others in his unit, but a strong leader. The log hadn't, however, outlined the incredible mastermind that X5-599 was. So while everyone else was talking, Zack was escaping. He first slipped his thumbs from their sockets, an X5 trick of contortionism, and pulled his hands out. Then, freed, he sat watching how things played out… biding his time, waiting for the opportune moment.
Currently, the Centurion Alpha was ignoring them. Pick sat brooding in the corner, his eyes never leaving the still form of his lover. She hadn't moved for some time now, but Zack could just barely hear her shallow breathing. He glanced at Jondy. She was staring at him questioningly, but he made no intimation of his plans. The only one who knew was him, and it was safest to keep it that way.
"Sir!"
A Centurion burst into the room, catching Zack's attention. His heart jumped. Here was his opportunity… He tensed.
"What?" snapped the Centurion Alpha.
"452 and 494 have engaged in battle with Special Agent in Charge White," reported the lower Centurion, saluting. "Backup requested."
Zack set his handcuffs on the ground, his face blank. The three guards didn't even look at him. Their attention was on the Centurion Alpha as they waited for his decision. For once in his life, he thanked Manticore for drilling so much training into their heads. Always listen to the CO – that was the rule, no matter who trained you. He shifted, resting his back against the wall. This time one of the guards looked at him, but he remained the visage of innocence.
"Take three. 452 and 494 can't be much of a challenge. Look at these poor excuses for soldiers," said the Alpha with a shake of his head. "Get going."
"Yes, sir," responded the lower Centurion. He nodded toward two of the guards, and they followed him from the room.
As the Centurion Alpha was watching them go, Zack made his move. The door shut and he was on his feet. The Centurion Alpha turned his head, and Zack twisted the remaining guard's head, snapping his neck and killing him instantly. By the time the Alpha was able to react, Zack blurred forward and grabbed the gun from his hands. For the first time, the Alpha showed a look of total panic as Zack pressed the barrel of the gun to his forehead.
"Move and you die," warned the X5, pinning the Centurion with a stormy glare. With his free hand, he took the keys from the Alpha's utility belt and tossed them toward Zane. "Get out."
Zane shifted his body to pick up the keys. Jondy scooted over so that they were back to back, and he unlocked her handcuffs. In a matter of moments, all the transgenics were free. Pick ran over to Eddie and gingerly slung her over his shoulder. Zane did the same with Brin, whose injuries weren't fatal, but definitely debilitating.
Gun still firmly planted on the Centurion's forehead, Zack instructed, "Everyone get out. Now."
Jondy shook her head. "But Zack—"
"That's an order!" roared the huge X5. The stillness of his body was disconcerting to say the least – like a snake ready to strike…
"Come on, Jondy. Max and Alec need our help," reasoned Zane, grabbing her arm. "We gotta go."
With a strangled sigh and a reluctant expression shot her lover's way, Jondy nodded and followed the procession out the door, leaving Zack and the Centurion Alpha alone. Or, more like, leaving the Alpha at the mercy of an enraged X5. As soon as the door clicked shut, Zack lowered the gun and shot twice, taking out both of the Alpha's kneecaps. The Alpha crumpled to the ground with a shout of surprise. Zack glared down at him for a few seconds before shooting twice more. The Alpha made a piteous sound as he felt the bullets penetrate his shoulders, blood spurting everywhere.
"And that, you little prick, is what happens when you piss me off," growled Zack as he removed the Centurion's helmet and headpiece. "Stay awhile. If you're lucky, you'll still be alive by the time someone comes to check on you." And with that, Zack turned and left, but not before delivering a final bullet to the Centurion's hip.
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In the hall, the bootless, nearly unarmed transgenics ran with all their might toward the end of the building. They very seriously expected Centurions to jump out of nowhere and kill them all, but that was a chance they had to take in order to escape.
"How are we supposed to get to the helicopters?" yelled Zane. "They're in the middle of the city! We don't even know where we are!"
Jondy opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted by—
"RPG!" yelled Pick, falling against the wall.
Jondy barely had enough time to throw herself out of the way as a grenade propelled itself through the window to explode at the end of the hallway. A fireball swept from the explosion across the tile floor towards the five transgenics, ready to incinerate them. With lightning-fast reflexes, Jondy shoved Pick and Zane out the window. With a deep breath, she turned, ducked, and jumped, flying out the window just as the fireball exploded behind her, the flames licking at her feet. Her momentum carried her all the way across the street to the next building. She grabbed onto the fire escape and dropped to the ground, then ran over to her companions.
Zane shifted Brin in his arms, wincing as he heard the whimper of pain from her. "Alright, we've got bogies on the roof one o'clock," he announced.
"I got it," replied Jondy, looking through the scope of her gun. She was about to shoot the Centurion standing on the roof with a grenade launcher when Zane suddenly let out a thunderous roar that made her skin crawl. Whirling around, and saw three Centurions standing behind her, a bit confused about the lion's roar they just heard. "Hello," she said before jamming the butt of her gun into one of their faces.
The other two immediately jumped into action, but Pick, who had laid Eddie on the ground intervened. He punched one across the face, but it barely fazed him. The two smirked at the X6 and one picked him up by the seat of his pants and tossed him aside like a rag doll. While they were distracted, Zane shot the first Centurion through the forehead. He fell like a sack of potatoes. The remaining Centurions faced him with confident smirks.
"Hey!" shouted a voice from above.
One of the Centurions looked up while the other kept an eye on Jondy and Zane. Zack jumped from the window of the building and landed on top of her, cracking the cement underneath her body.
"Run and we'll let you live," he propositioned to the last Centurion, poking a gun into his back. "Give us your gun."
"Go to hell," was the response.
"So be it." Zack shook his head and fired. The bullet ripped through the Centurion's body, but he didn't go down, so the X5 lifted the gun and shot him in the back of the head. Blood and brains splattered, and the Centurion finally slid to the ground. The X5 took a step back to allow the body to fall at his feet. "For some reason, they seem easier to kill nowadays."
"What happened with Alpha Ass?" asked Jondy, trying hard not to look into the face of the dead Centurions as she took their guns.
"Let's just say he's down and he can't get up," responded her lover coolly. "Get Eddie and Brin. We're going after Max."
"But we don't know where she is," interrupted Zane. "She could be anywhere."
"Trust me," replied Zack sternly. "She won't mind."
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Max wasn't sure what hurt more… her arm or her head, which was currently getting smashed against the ground continuously. He was sitting on her stomach, knees pinning her arms, while a Familiar that had just arrived held her legs down. She didn't know why he didn't just shoot her.
WHACK!
Her eyes crossed. Max started planning how she was gonna get herself out of his. She estimated that her brain could take this kind of beating for two more minutes before it went dead. In that time, stupid good-for-nothing-Alec should get done with his job. Wait… where was Alec? She hadn't heard him scuffling with the other Familiars for awhile now… Under pressure and growing alarmed over the safety of her lover, Max quickly came up with an idea, but it was risky.
"You know… this is a lot more enjoyable than I first thought… but I don't have time for this," said White, suddenly halting his assault. He grabbed his gun and pointed it in between her eyes. "Any last words, four fifty-two?"
"Hey, White… Remember what you told me about enemies and limbs? Well, I think you need a taste of your own medicine." At the risk of snapping her elbow, Max twisted her arm around to grab Ames' ankle and pushed his leg back, breaking it. "And don't call me 'four fifty-two!'"
"FUCKING SHIT!" Ames shouted at the top of his lungs as pain exploded through his body. He fired.
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"That RPG man never came back, even when we were distracted," commented Jondy as she and Zack made a quick stop at the supply room in hopes they would find something useful.
"Probably ran off to tell his bozo boss we mashed his thoroughbreds' faces in," Zack deadpanned, pulling open the supply room door.
"Halleluiah!" Jondy yelled as she spotted the pile of grenades at the back of the room. "Now this is my kind of fighting." She picked up one of the grenades and started stuffing them in her pack like a child in a candy store.
Zack leaned against the doorframe, using his long arms to grab some rounds and a fully-loaded automatic. "Down, Fido," he said. "You're going to blow yourself to bits."
Jondy ignored him as she inspected a rocket-launcher sitting in a dusty corner. "How about this baby? I'll show you blowing up things!"
"If you want, but I'm not carrying it," replied Zack, rolling his eyes.
With another noise of delight, Jondy slung the launcher over her shoulder and walked out, grenades dropping out of her overstuffed pack as she did so. Zack sighed and picked up the gray spheres as they fell.
"She should be somewhere around where we found Eddie and Pick's unit," declared Jondy, referring to Max.
"That's my guess," Zack replied. He put Jondy's dropped grenades in his pack. "But it'll take us awhile to find her… What if we're…"
"Too late? Not possible," called a voice.
Jondy and Zack looked up. "Alec?!" exclaimed Jondy. "How come you aren't with Max?"
"Damn Familiars shoved me off the roof of a five story building. I took them with me... Apparently, feline DNA has its benefits… such as not going SPLAT on the pavement like they did. I've been looking for you guys. Let's go!"
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Max shoved White off and jerked her leg, striking the Familiar sitting on her legs in the crotch. He gasped and fell to the side. She sat up and looked at the bullet hole in the cement. Reaching up, she touched her ear and felt warm, coppery blood there. "Holy shit," she whispered in shock, realizing how close she had come to dying.
"I'm not gonna miss next time," White roared as he struggled to stand on his good leg.
The X5 jumped to her feet and blurred, shoving him with all her might. He fell back a bit, but somehow managed to right himself before he went toppling over. "This fight is as good as won, White," barked Max, moving forward to shove him again.
"You're right. For me," replied White cockily.
"Don't move! Don't move, or you're dead!" shouted a voice.
Max froze in her tracks as a little red light appeared on the middle of her chest. She looked up to see four new Familiars glaring at her. Alec… where are you?! her mind screamed.
"You see, four fifty-two? This is a lose-lose situation. Give up," sneered Ames, crossing his arms. "Tell me where my son is."
"Your son is happy. He's living with a normal family, having a normal life. His dad isn't a fucked up asshole with a stick halfway up his butt anymore," spat Max hatefully.
Ames cocked the trigger of his gun, his hand shaking uncontrollably. "Bitch! Give me my son!"
"You gonna shoot me, Ames?" Max narrowed her eyes at him. "It doesn't really matter. I'll never tell you where Ray is. Besides, if any of us got away, they're going to knock you off before you ever find him. And you're gonna die alone… without your son."
"Don't push me, four fifty-two," growled White. Took a gun from a Familiar and cocked the trigger.
"Shoot her!" urged the Familiars. "Just shoot her! She'll get away!"
"Stay out of this," Ames barked over his shoulder. "Last chance, four fifty-two."
Max's heart was racing in her chest. Adrenaline was pumping through her veins. Sweat beads rolled down her face from the heat of the fires of Terminal City. Where was Alec?
Voicing her thoughts, White asked, "Where's 494? We need to watch out for him, because he'll get help."
"494 wasn't here when we arrived, Sir," said one of the Familiars.
"He was fighting three Brothers… did you see them?"
"No, Sir."
Ames cursed under his breath and suddenly didn't look so sure of himself. "Find 494."
"That won't be necessary."
The Familiars whirled around to see Alec standing behind them, along with Jondy, Zane, Zack, Brin, Pick, and Eddie.
"I found a few friends to get the party started," said Alec with a smirk.
"Take care of them," ordered White. "I've got four fifty-two."
"I don't think so," said Alec, running forward with speed exceeding a normal X5's. He took the gun from White and shoved him over.
Meanwhile, Zack and Jondy jumped the other four Familiars. Guns went off, but none hit their marks. Zane and Pick put down Brin and Eddie to leap into the disarray. Zack pulled a gun from his pack as he wrestled with one of the Familiars. He pulled the trigger four times, striking her in the chest, and she went down. She wasn't dead, however, and as Zack stood she kicked him in the back of the knees, causing him to topple over once again.
Alec and Max faced down White, who was now barely bothered by his broken leg. He seemed to be getting energy from the sheer hatred he felt. Alec emptied the clip of the gun and tossed it aside pointedly.
"Fool," growled Ames. "Your sentimentality is going to get you killed… tonight."
"Don't be so sure," Alec replied. He jumped forward and kicked Ames across the face with both feet, but Ames caught his foot and threw him into the ground with staggering force.
"This is endgame," announced White in an eerie voice, looking up at Max.
"Bite me." She punched him across the face and jumped onto his back, slamming her fists into his face with all her might.
Ames thrust his upper body downward, sending Max flying over his head. As soon as he straightened up, however, he found himself face-to-face with a very, very angry Alec.
"This is for me." He kicked him in the temple. "This is for Max." He punched him across the face. "This is for Logan." He punched him again. "And this is for Joshua." He grabbed the back of White's neck, ready to snap it.
"I don't think so."
Alec froze as he felt cold steel pressing into his neck. He peeked through the corner of his eyes to see a Centurion standing there with an automatic.
"You shoot Agent White and I'll be forced to terminate," declared the Centurion.
"Let's play dominos," interrupted Max, grabbing the Centurion's neck in a hold identical to Alec's. They found themselves in a very, very complicated situation. Alec was set to kill White, the Centurion was set to kill Alec, and Max was set to kill the Centurion.
Meanwhile, Jondy managed to get on top of her Familiar adversary. "Give up?" she asked, placing a gun to his forehead.
"Go to hell."
Jondy closed her eyes and pulled the trigger, wincing as blood splattered all over her. Another shot rang out and she whirled around to see Zack's opponent crumple to the ground, blood spurting from the hole in her neck. Zane had ripped off his shirt and had wrapped it around his enemy's face, suffocating her to death. Pick had already taken care of his Familiar, who was lying lifeless on the ground with a broken neck. Simultaneously, they turned to look at Max and Alec's dilemma.
"Don't move or they're dead!" shouted the Centurion at the other X5s. Another Centurion pulled himself up the side of the building and ran over behind Max, putting a gun to her back as well.
"Well isn't this just dandy," mumbled Jondy, holding out a hand. "Calm down, guys. Let Max and Alec go and we won't kill you."
"The United States Government has ordered the death of all transgenics," replied one of the Centurions. "We're not moving until they let go of Agent White."
Zack and the others slowly came up behind Jondy, who was inching forward. "Come on, just put the guns down."
"Our orders are to take out all transgenics," repeated the Centurion. "Our mission is to kill 452."
"Whoa, whoa… Let's not get too caught up in Manticore games," said Jondy with narrowed eyes.
"Stop moving!" shouted a Centurion. "Not another step. Take the bullets out of your gun."
Jondy immediately let the clip drop to the ground but, unseen by the Centurion, left one bullet in the barrel. She licked her lips and sighed. "We're gonna be stuck here for a long, long time."
"That's right," said Alec. "So let's end it." He looked at Jondy and suddenly she heard his voice… not inside her head, no… she heard his voice. His neck was moving as if he were talking, but his mouth remained still.
[The Centurions can't hear this, but you can. I have the same extra vocal chords that you do, so we can communicate through ultrasound] he said solemnly. [I know you can hear me. I want you to get Max out of the way as soon as I move. Got it? Touch your ear if you can understand.]
Jondy reached up and scratched her ear.
Alec smiled. [Good. On three… one… two… three!] He hit the Centurion behind him with his elbow, knocking the Centurion back into Max. They both toppled to the floor. The second Centurion fired, but instead of striking Alec or Max he hit White in the shoulder. Alec grabbed the gun from the Centurion, whipped White around so that he had him in a death grip with one arm, and placed the gun to his head. While he was doing this, Jondy had swooped in and pulled Max away from the dog pile. Zack shot and killed the two Centurions, leaving just Alec and White. The end was in sight.
"Alright, White, give up and I won't kill you," negotiated Alec. "Give in. It's over."
"Haven't you learned anything?" White slammed his head against Alec, grabbed his gun, and shot him.
"NO!" screamed Max as Alec fell to the ground, blood pooling underneath him. She took the gun from her sister and pointed it at White.
"Here we are again… this cycle is getting boring," barked Ames. "And you don't have any bullets left."
Max cocked the trigger.
"She has one," said Jondy. "The hand is quicker than the eye."
White's eyes widened and he ducked.
A single shot rang out.
White yelled in surprise and everyone froze, but Ames remained unhurt. Max still had the gun trained on him.
"One final shot to end it all… and you missed," said White with a smirk. "Now it's my turn." He raised his gun and—
BANG!
Blood and brains splattered everywhere as the bullet hit White in the forehead. He fell over, dead… at long last.
Max dropped the gun and ran over to Alec, who was sheet white and had his eyes closed. She gingerly touched his face and his eyes shot open. "Alec!"
"Damn… damn, damn, damn," grumbled the male X5, looking at the hole in the shoulder. "I won't be able to have sex for like a month with this."
"Alec… where did he hit you?" asked Max, tears running down her face.
"I'm not gonna die, Maxie… Remember what Lydecker told us? About the safe spot to get shot?" He wiped a tear from her face with his thumb. "I'm okay."
Max suddenly narrowed her eyes at him. "You ASS! I thought you were dead!"
Alec laughed.
"Phew. That was close," said Jondy. She looked at Brin, who was grinning through her pain. "You are a brilliant, brilliant sista."
"What are you talking about?" asked Pick.
"Do you think Max had two bullets? That first 'bullet' was Brin. She made that sound and threw Ames off enough to let Max kill him."
"Hey, can we stop talking and get these guys outta here? Looks like we need to get them some medical attention now," asked Max, waving a hand toward Brin and Eddie as well as her lover.
"Alright. One of the choppers isn't too far. We'll head over there… but I think Zane and I'll stay behind to collect bodies," said Zack solemnly. "I'll start with this one." He picked Ames' corpse up and, with a lion's roar of triumph, tossed it over the side of the building and into the fiery inferno below.
And so the war for Terminal City ended. Max, Alec, Brin, Jondy, Pick, and Eddie all looked out the window as they flew away, Jondy piloting the bird. The war had been won, but the home front was lost. Flames engulfed nearly every building in the city, sending waves of heat against the helicopter. Just outside the perimeter, Ordinaries had gathered in the thousands, lining all sides of the city. They were dead silent. It was as if they were in some kind of trance. Nothing moved except the flames. No one knew what to do. Even the police and National Guard seemed at a loss for what was happening. Zane and Zack had been left behind to gather up what bodies they could find and take off in the last helicopter. It was risky since there could still be Centurions left in the city, but they weren't going to leave their comrades to die in a fiery hellhole. A risk worth taking.
"Where are we going?" asked Max after a long silence.
"Washington," replied Jondy.