Q&A Time!
Well, there's nothing here because this is a double update! More in the author's note below.
.: Chapter 1.2 :.
It stopped, X thought. He forced his eyes back open and saw he was still pinned below the Mecholiath's claw, with Zero hunched over him.
Zero looked up and saw a shot had gone through the Mecholiath's head. It wavered for a moment before toppling over limply onto its back without another fight.
"X, Zero!" A familiar voice was heard, and the running footsteps accompanying it got closer.
"Axl!" They both called back, watching as their friend ran towards them from the treeline. "Help us out, will ya?"
"Not even a "thanks" or "welcome back"? I just saved your butts!" Axl teased, stopping next to the claw and gripping it wherever he could to lift it. Zero joined him, gripping on to the other side.
"One, two, three!" Zero counted, and both him and Axl lifted the claw off the ground. X quickly shuffled out from underneath it, and once he was clear the two dropped the claw again.
"Heh, you two can't do anything without me, can you?" Axl laughed, earning him a smack on the back of the head from Zero.
"Says the guy who's been out of work for the past couple of weeks!" Zero responded. "Guess who had to pick up your slack?"
X laughed. "Thanks, Axl. You showed up at just the right time and saved us both. Welcome back."
"Not to spoil the moment," Alia's voice came over their comms, "but Axl, you destroyed the control chip. We were supposed to retrieve it."
"Whoops…"
"He had no choice, Alia," X countered. "The mechaniloid would've destroyed itself anyways, and taken us with it. We weren't getting the chip either way."
She sighed. "True enough. The mecholiath is no longer a threat. We'll call a clean-up crew to deal with its remains. Right now-"
An explosion rang out, drowning out Alia's transmission. Looking up towards the sound, the trio saw a billow of smoke and flames rising near the elevator.
"What the hell?" Zero yelled.
"Come on, let's go!" X yelled, running ahead of the other two towards the treeline. They followed after him.
On the other side, the three were greeted by a reploid security guard who collapse at the sight of them and began coughing.
X quickly rushed to his side. "Sir, are you okay?"
"The control tower," he coughed out. "Someone blew up the elevator's control tower!"
"Alia, did you catch that?" Zero asked.
"Loud and clear." She replied. "I'm scanning the area now, but I can't see anyone else."
"Dammit," X muttered under his breath. "Alia, send a medic crew to my location - the guard is suffering from smoke damage. I'll stay here with him. Axl, Zero, you need to secure the area. whoever did this can't be far."
"Got it!" Alia, Axl, and Zero nodded in unison. Axl and Zero ran off, leaving X behind with the guard.
When they arrived at the tower, the entire structure was engulfed in flames and spewing thick smoke.
Axl immediately turned to scanning the area. Luckily the area surrounding the tower was barren so there was no risk to the nature and wildlife if it continued to burn. Looking upwards towards the tower, a silhouette standing on the roof caught his attention. They remained unmoving even though the flames were engulfing them.
"Zero, on the roof!" Axl called out, pointing towards the figure.
Zero turned around and focused on where Axl pointed out, squinting and also seeing the figure standing there. "Alia, are you seeing this on your end?"
"No, nothing at all," she replied.
"Hey, you!" Axl called out to them.
The figure shifted a bit, as if they had turned to look at them. A second later they disappeared.
"Wait, I just got something, but for just a split second," Alia quickly blurted out. "It was… A New Gen? Yes, I'm sure about it. I can't seem to identify it beyond that, though."
"Whoever it was, they're gone now," Zero shook his head. "They're probably the one behind the Mecholiath being stolen and the control tower's destruction."
"I can't say for sure, although it's far too much of a coincidence to just be chance." Alia sighed. "The other teams have arrived. Return to HQ and we'll try to piece this all together from here."
"Roger," Axl and Zero replied in unison. The teleportation signal locked on to their location and brought them back to base.
Author's Notes: Double update. Let's see if I can make it a triple tonight.