Chapter 57 - Desperation
"Crystal Tower anyone with an idea right now, I'm ready to listen." Howard said desperately.
Leonard took a breath, this was a big risk and Leonard wasn't the kind of guy who took big risks, especially when he had time to think about them, and especially when it involved someone else's life. Every risk Leonard taken since this all began had been spur of the moment, the thoughts of the possible outcomes purposely put aside, this was a calculated risk and it made him very uncomfortable, because if he was wrong, it would not kill him this time, it would kill Howard, and he didn't know if he could live with that. Leonard's plan was actually simple, there was no bomb for them to drop, so that Howard survived and the enemy did not, but Howard did have a bomb on his back. Leonard took one more look at the screen in front of him, the situation looking that Howard would be captured soon, and forced himself to go on, "Tin Man you need to draw them to you, then initiate a system discharge…..then overload."
Howard's eyes went wide again, "HUH!" then as he got over his surprise, "Please repeat Crystal Tower."
Leonard could already feel the confidence he had in his plan slipping away, so he pulled all the inner strength he had left, because he didn't see any other way for Howard, except capture, "Howard, I told you, you had to trust me. I think the suit can take it."
"Leonard, I saw you after that, this is more energy, I don't think I can take it."
"That is because I was blown through a wall and the explosion happened in a enclosed building intensifying it. You won't be in the same situation. The material will compress in place because you won't be able to move, it will become stronger than armor Howard, that is what the tests showed in the lab. That rock hill behind you, they say it is solid rock, you need to find a flat spot, face it and lay against it, pointing the backpack at the enemy when it goes off."
Howard watched the vehicles get closer, "I don't know Leonard." Howard suddenly then realized he didn't have a choice. There were no other options and if it failed, at least he wouldn't be captured, being captured terrified him more that death.
"Okay, Leonard I'll do it, but only if you do something for me."
"Anything Howard."
"Promise you will watch over Bernadette and my child."
Leonard swallowed, Howard knew the risk, "Howard, you'll do that yourself when you return."
"Promise me Leonard."
Leonard nodded, then knowing Howard couldn't see him, spoke on the radio, "I promise you Howard, I will protect them with my life."
"Okay." Howard then started moving a little around the hill finding a place where a smooth rock wall was exposed, then went to it. He took a big breathe and slowly put himself against the smooth rock and waited. He then began the set up the suit for the overload. "Computer command authority." Command authority would allow him to bypass all the safeguards he put into the suit, it would allow him to kill himself if he so desired, like he felt he was doing right now.
COMNAND AUTHORITY PASSWORD REQUIRED
Howard smiled in spite of the situation he was in and said the password, "BERNADETTE"
PASSWORD APPROVED COMMAND AUTHORITY GRANTED
First Howard had to disable the secondary discharge system, it was the backup system and safety valve, he put in the suit after Leonard's accident. "Computer, shut down external discharge system"
SAFETY WARNING CONFIRM EXTERNAL DISCHARGE SYSTEM SHUTDOWN
"Confirm"
EXTERNAL DISCHARGE SYSTEM SHUTDOWN ABORT
EXTERNAL DISCHARGE SYSTEM SHUTDOWN COMPLETE
WARNING EXTERNAL DISCHARGE SYSTEM OFF LINE
Howard now took his arm and swung back to hit the backpack where the electrical radiator was located, hitting it hard, but nothing happened. Howard tried again, then again, getting more and more frustrated until with one big blow, he got the results he wanted.
WARNING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, SYSTEM DISCHARGE UNIT MALFUNCTION
Followed by:
WARNING EXTERNAL DISCHARGE SYSTEM OFF LINE
The emergency discharge systems were now not working, if he had an aborted laser charge, there would not be a place for the energy to go but in the chemical packs and that would make them explode. It sent a shiver through Howard, he was now committed and all there was left to do was wait. The command mode, he was now in, would allow him to initiate a laser firing power up, while system safeties were off line, so now he just needed his pursuers to get close.
-TIN MAN-TIN MAN-TIN MAN-TIN MAN-TIN MAN-TIN MAN-
The commander's vehicles soon caught up to the thing and they found it trapped against a rock wall, it had no where else to escape. The commander had seen nothing like it before, as he looked through binoculars, it looked like a robot and he suddenly wondered if he had just captured some new Top Secret American technology, that thought made him smile. His vehicle and a second escort vehicle stayed back while the commander ordered the rest of his unit to capture the thing. The eight vehicles then moved and approached within 50 yards, to begin to disgorge their troops, the soldiers, now all in the open, cautiously beginning to approach the thing.
-TIN MAN-TIN MAN-TIN MAN-TIN MAN-TIN MAN-TIN MAN-
Howard watched the vehicles come to a stop, so very close, and took a deep breath, "Laser Energize".
COUNTDOWN
WARNING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, SYSTEM DISCHARGE UNIT MALFUNCTION
WARNING EXTERNAL DISCHARGE SYSTEM OFF LINE
TEN ABORT
WARNING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, SYSTEM DISCHARGE UNIT MALFUNCTION
WARNING EXTERNAL DISCHARGE SYSTEM OFF LINE
NINE ABORT
WARNING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, SYSTEM DISCHARGE UNIT MALFUNCTION
WARNING EXTERNAL DISCHARGE SYSTEM OFF LINE
Howard laid the helmet flush against the rock slightly turned, just barely seeing the enemy soldiers moving up to him, from only 50 yards away, closely followed by the barrels of the guns in the armored vehicles the solders had come from. He was spread flat against the rock wall and they probably thought he was surrendering, as they cautiously moved closer.
EIGHT ABORT
WARNING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, SYSTEM DISCHARGE UNIT MALFUNCTION
WARNING EXTERNAL DISCHARGE SYSTEM OFF LINE
SEVEN ABORT
"Leonard?"
WARNING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, SYSTEM DISCHARGE UNIT MALFUNCTION
WARNING EXTERNAL DISCHARGE SYSTEM OFF LINE
"What buddy?"
SIX ABORT
WARNING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, SYSTEM DISCHARGE UNIT MALFUNCTION
WARNING EXTERNAL DISCHARGE SYSTEM OFF LINE
"Tell Bernadette I'm sorry I didn't keep my promise."
FIVE ABORT
WARNING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, SYSTEM DISCHARGE UNIT MALFUNCTION
WARNING EXTERNAL DISCHARGE SYSTEM OFF LINE
"And tell her she was the best thing to ever happen to me and I loved her so much."
FOUR ABORT
WARNING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, SYSTEM DISCHARGE UNIT MALFUNCTION
WARNING EXTERNAL DISCHARGE SYSTEM OFF LINE
"I will Howard, I promise."
THREE ABORT
WARNING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, SYSTEM DISCHARGE UNIT MALFUNCTION
WARNING EXTERNAL DISCHARGE SYSTEM OFF LINE
"Thank you."
TWO ABORT
WARNING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, SYSTEM DISCHARGE UNIT MALFUNCTION
WARNING EXTERNAL DISCHARGE SYSTEM OFF LINE
Howard lifted his arm and grabbed the laser turret, ripping it off the shoulder of the suit. The sudden movement making all the approaching soldiers stop and stare.
ONE ABORT
WARNING LASER OFF LINE
WARNING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, SYSTEM DISCHARGE UNIT MALFUNCTION
WARNING EXTERNAL DISCHARGE SYSTEM OFF LINE
READY
Howard just thought, 'This is it.'
WARNING LASER OFF LINE
WARNING SYSTEM MALFUNCTION, SYSTEM DISCHARGE UNIT MALFUNCTION
WARNING EXTERNAL DISCHARGE SYSTEM OFF LINE
LASER ABORT. SYSTEM DISCHARGE
Howard now had two seconds before the system completely discharged, it was amazing how two seconds could go on for so long. He tried to hold a picture of Bernadette in his head and imagine how she would look holding their child, he so wished he would have had a chance to see them together. A tear fell down his cheek as he thought he would never see them again and he really hoped she wouldn't hate him too much for doing this to her.
-TIN MAN-TIN MAN-TIN MAN-TIN MAN-TIN MAN-TIN MAN-
The people in the command post and Leonard, at Offutt Air Force Base, watched the display from the thermal imagining satellite, as it suddenly changed, Where before there were people and machines, moving towards Howard, there was now one huge thermal plume in their place, completely obliterating the whole image. The plume seemed reach out and grab everything in their field of view and the operator zoomed out so his screen was not saturated by it. Everyone in both the control room and the command post just silently stared at the screens, until the Major in the control room mumbled the words that everyone one was thinking, "Oh My God!"