Chapter 11
The Phantom
The drives were cleared, all information and scout reports gone. Tracy and Dr. Light stared at the holo console's "Welcome" screen, feeling defeated. All of the prototype and used equipment had been destroyed, to ensure that Zero had no leverage over their androids.
Tracy sighed, "Well, now what, Doctor?" She asked.
"We begin again. The two of us. In time, we will be able to go back on the offense." He answered.
"Time is something we, unfortunately, don't have, Preston. It won't be long, before Directive Zero is complete." She said, rubbing her temples.
"That shouldn't be an issue." Megaman said, standing in the doorway.
They turned around, to see him in black sweatpants and no shirt. "Alex!" They both exclaimed, standing up.
"How long have I been down?" He asked.
"Three weeks." Light replied, "Zero corrupted our system, we had to wipe everything out."
"Dammit." Megaman muttered, "Was anything salvageable?"
"Not a bit." Tracy answered, "We're back to the beginning."
Megaman pulled a chip, from his pocket, "Maybe not all the way back." He replied.
"Holy shit!" She shouted, "Is that who I think it is?"
He nodded, inserting it into the port, beginning the upload. They stood in awe, at the sheer amount of classified files. The data continued to flow in, including a multitude of Wily's private intel. Code-names, locations, passwords, private messages. You name it, Guts had it.
Tracy tapped Light on the shoulder, "Call Scott up here. We need to get to work, immediately."
"Hey guys!" Megaman said, pointing to a holo-file labeled "Atlas Fail-safe". "It looks like we may have found an easier way of dealing with things."
Over the next week, Scott and Alex studied the layout of the Pentagon, and it's resident, while Tracy and Light worked, tirelessly, on their nanosuits and headgear.
"So, if the General had no trouble creating this 'shutdown protocol', why didn't Wily just do it to begin with?" Scott asked.
"My guess is, that Wily was too obsessed with trying to get back into the program, that he would rather his androids kill him, than to give up the Atlas completely." Alex explained.
"So, this won't actually kill Zero?" Scott asked, "Or anyone, for that matter?"
Alex shook his head, "No, it won't." He responded, "What it will do, is render all of Wily's officers powerless, including Zero."
Scott smirked, "All androids, created equal." He finished.
Tron came in, rolling a cart, "Alright boys, new gear is finished." She said, tossing them the black nanosuits. "Alex, your accessories have been configured, with the General's tech. Enjoy the art of full-body, retractable, armor, modified to actually allow you to move. You may have lost all of your acquired abilities, but you've got the one that matters the most."
"So, basically, I'm screwed." Scott commented.
She turned to him, "You're back on stealth and support, being that's your specialty. You won't be walking into the lion's den, anymore." She tossed him his hilt, "Plus, I reconstructed your hilt, using the same material that Gutsman's armor was made with."
"Awesome." He said, simply.
She shook her head, "Go suit up, the Pentagon isn't far from here."
The Pentagon
The once military structure, now served as a base, for security droids. The entire building was full of them, and they were all overseen and tended to by Hardman. The officer considered himself Guts' protege and confidant.
He wore the same heavy armor as his mentor, colored in black, with dark blue trim. He stood in what used to be the sector for the U.S. Navy, putting the final piece of silver chest armor on one of his minions.
Lord Zero and Gutsman had pledged for android supremacy, but lately, it seemed like things were moving in the opposite direction. For thirteen years, machines had ruled, without incident. And in a short few years, over twenty of his brothers had fallen. He wasn't one to question his leaders, but he knew bad math when he saw it.
The screech of alarms snapped him to attention. So I guess it's my turn. He thought, as he activated his, seemingly endless, ranks of alphas. The red eyes lit up, as he wondered who had come for him. The Megaman, or the Bonnes? He shuddered, at the thought of the latter, they were troublesome, to say the least. He had just finished repairing the damage they had done, during their thwarted attempt on an act of terrorism, toward him. But Megaman, he was a more serious cause for concern. He was an ice-cold assassin, no matter what he wanted to call himself, these days.
The security feed revealed his intruder, clad in a sleek, black nanosuit, with dark blue accessories, and a burning fury in his eyes.
Megaman didn't bother to hide his arrival. Time was a little scarce for planning, at this point. He would have to settle for a classic "snatch and grab".
He ripped open the door, to the north side entrance, tripping alarms. The security droids filled the open space, in no time. As they rained bolts upon him, the light blue armor materialized, covering his body. A face shield came around, from the sides of his helmet, leaving two, small openings, for his eyes.
The bolts bounced off of him, harmlessly, as he raised his left arm. His hand became a rotating machine-gun, mowing down all that stood before him, illuminating the corridors with their sparking fragments. The armor retracted, as he made his way to the Naval Hangar.
The doors opened, to a sea of droids, flooding over him. He covered up, springing his armor into place. Grabbing the bladed forearm, of one of his attackers, he ripped it free, slashing at the crowd. The sparks flew from the steel, as the bots tried, desperately, to break through his shell.
Through the melee, he saw his target, raising a huge fist, pointed toward him. From across the room, dozens of droids were thrown about, as the fist rocketed, from Hardman's arm. He was hit, hard, in the chest, being knocked to the ground he opened fire on the group, closing in on him.
The massive blue gloves grabbed him, around his head, picking him up. He wasted no time delivering three, stiff, forearm blows to the android's jaw, before landing back to the ground. He took three steps back, shoving armored forearm blows, to the skulls of the surrounding alphas, clearing room to move. Hardman's heavy armor protected him, but like Guts, made it difficult to maneuver. Megaman, however, had been lucky enough to be outfitted with a newer, more mobile version of the suit. It also helped that the officer's gear wasn't retractable.
Megaman shuffled around the Major, landing quick blows, to his face, before changing positions. Short bursts of fusion fire thinned out the security droids, while the officer made attempts to catch him, with large, swiping blows.
"Megaman, I've located the 'fail-safe' drive." Protoman said, over comms. "Keep them busy, for a minute, while I take care of Phase Two."
Megaman rolled back, shooting directly for Hardman's face, now. The left fist came flying for his chest, as he contorted to avoid it. The right hand had crossed his flank, gripping his throat, and pulling him back over to his foe. He was welcomed with a nasty headbutt, dropping him to the floor. Had his face armor not been there, his sensors would be dust.
"Alright!" Protoman said, "That's game. Wrap it up, Megaman."
Hardman bent down, to pick Megaman up, when he raised his legs, wrapping them around the officer's neck, and clutching his wrist. Megaman rolled him to the ground, twisting the elbow backwards. Hardman yelled out, as a boot came down, across his face.
Megaman rolled to his feet, looking down at his dizzied opponent. "You can die knowing, that you were a large contribution, to saving the New World from your Lord." He said, coldly.
Hardman chuckled, spitting blood down his face, "And who will contribute, to saving it from you, Machine?" He asked.
Megaman scowled, at the remark, before stomping the android's head in.
He boarded The Phantom, saying nothing. He took off his helmet and sat in the lounge, imagining all the ways that he could end Zero's existence. If all went according to plan, he could be the new android Lord, the most powerful being on Earth. Protoman could be his Knight, as Lord Megaman, ruler of the New World. He smiled at the thought.
Protoman and Rush walked in, plopping down beside him. "Hey, wanna see something cool?" Scott asked, as he always did before he blew something up. He switched the holo display, to an aerial view of the Pentagon, as he pressed the key, on his black device. The structure exploded into a mass of fire and dust. The shock-wave rocked The Phantom, from yards away.
The three looked on, grinning. One giant leap, for mankind. Protoman thought, as Megaman stared in awe. Before long, Lord Zero will kneel to me. He imagined.