When I open my eyes, it's dark. Two sets of glowing eyes greet me, one set blood red and the other an acid green.
"Hey Sop, 416." I groan out.
"C-Commander? You're awake!"
"Yeah. Feel like shit though." I look around, but it's too dark to see and I don't have my NVGs. "Where are we?"
"In an armored train." HK 416 says. "You're still recovering, lie down."
"Where... did we get an armored train?"
"Well..."
"Come in." Commander Gentiane's voice comes through the door of her office.
I step in and close the door behind me.
Commander Gentiane looks up from a stack of paperwork. "Do you know why you're here?"
"I made a phone call and wasn't supposed to?"
"That, and I need a debrief from you, and we need to discuss about tomorrow." She nods. "For the future, we don't use cell phones aside for emergencies. Those are fairly easy to trace back to a physical location. Luckily, we have a fairly capable cyber warfare team who was eager to cover your tracks." She sighs. "404 really took a shine to you quickly."
"I'm sorry." I hang my head. "I didn't know."
"And that's why you're not in the brig right now." She says bluntly. "Your first day has been extremely unusual and nobody's had a chance to brief you on protocol past the bare basics. A lot of that's my fault and some of it's Paradeus' fault." She drums her fingers on her desk. "I think you get the point?"
"Don't send texts or phone calls, yeah."
"More, don't make contact outside of base without a secure line.'" She corrects. "Still, I'll work to get you a secure line to your parents so you can give them updates."
"Right... Uh, they're probably not going to be happy with me joining a PMC, so..."
"Unfortunately for them, you're an adult and signed a contract." She says. "They can't have you taken from us if you don't want to leave. On the other hand, I must remind you that I made you a contract with a clear and easy out since we were planning on releasing you as soon as we made sure Paradeus wouldn't be hunting you."
"Oh yeah. I forgot."
"Still, we'd be lucky to keep you on... and you may not have a choice about heading back soon." She frowns. "It looks like you're probably known to Paradeus now."
"What? I thought-"
She presses a few buttons on her laptop and turns it to face me. On the screen is HK 416 and I fighting the Nyto. "You're on camera. Before, we figured that maybe the Paradeus units might not have gotten a look at you, but now we know for a fact that they got pictures. We pulled this from the data you and Team 404 recovered, supposedly before they got to it, but they're pretty good at getting data they shouldn't have, so we have to assume they are after you now. Fortunately," She pulls the laptop closer to herself again. "You're not that unique looking, so it's unlikely they can figure out your family from your photo."
"Figure out... my family?" A shiver of dread runs down my spine.
"Well... as far as I know, they haven't targeted the families of any G&K members, but I'm not sure if they don't want to or just haven't needed to yet. I'm keeping it in mind as a matter of prudence. In any case, we have someone in the area monitoring for suspicious activity, just in case."
"Oh. Thank you."
She nods. "Next topic is your debrief." She hands me a small stack of papers. "I understand that you killed someone?"
My stomach drops. "Y-yeah."
"I want you to report to the person written on that top sheet of paper tomorrow afternoon... we'll assume you're still working for us for the moment. He's a psychiatrist we have on hand. Killing someone is rough on the brain if you're not prepared and I don't want you turning into a mess. Underneath his contact info, there's a few papers with psychs near where you used to live in case you decide to leave."
"Oh. Thank you." I repeat.
"G&K takes care of its employees." She sags into her chair. "All you have to do is devote your very soul to waking up at 0300 to a Sangvis attack and being ready to go head to head with the military."
"...Uh."
She smirks. "Don't worry, that doesn't happen often. At least not anymore." She grabs some more paperwork. "I have 404's account of this morning's mission. Are you willing to go through it with me to verify?"
"Yeah." I scratch my head. "Sure."
"Alright." Gentiane starts going through the report line by line, asking what happened to me during certain events, or asking 'what happened next?' and verifying what I say versus the text. The first sticking point was my backpack of stuff.
"Why did you take a set of NVG's from the armory?"
"Um... That was UMP 45. She said I needed equipment, and stuffed a bunch of stuff in a backpack."
"And you let her just take it from the armory?"
"I... Well... I guess I forgot that they're not actually G&K employees."
Commander Gentiane sighs. "That may be so, but why would you take all that with you?" She pulls out the backpack (I must have left it in the interrogation room) and starts pulling out things. "NVGs, flashlight, MREs, combat goggles, a grappling hook, water sanitizing tablets, a suppressor..." She shakes her head. "You could have gone rogue if you knew how to use this and we might not have found you for a week. This is a ton of gear."
"I can put it all back." I say. "I think I know where most of it was."
"On the contrary, you may want to grab more." She starts stuffing everything back into the back. "Unlike most Commanders, you're actually out there on the ground, so you're going to need this kind of equipment. However, make sure you know how to use all of it." She holds up the grappling hook. "Have you ever rappelled before?"
"No."
"Get one of the T-dolls to train you." She looks at her laptop screen and shakes her head. "Speaking of the dolls, what did you say to them?"
"W-What do you mean?"
"The Griffin forum is blowing up, and I think every single doll under my command wants to work with you." She narrows her eyes at the screen. "Aside from a few who don't like humans. And I think P90 sent four requests in through fake accounts."
"Really? I thought they wouldn't want to have anything to do with me, judging by their reactions." I rub my neck. "Well... I guess not being a pariah is good."
"Yes, but what did you say?" She asks again. "I've been trying to get M249 to apply for something voluntarily for a year."
"I told them that I'm not going to treat them like tools." I shrug.
"It has to be more than that." She drums her fingers on the desk again. "I like to think I don't treat them poorly, but maybe... It could be because you're going to be working out on the field with them."
"Maybe."
"Anyway, get SOPMOD and HK 416 to teach you about the gear you have. Team 404 seems to be preparing you for stealth missions, and that's good, but you need actual tools, not this wire shenanigans she had you using. Also, learn what a typical combat loadout is."
"Right. Learn to use equipment, and what equipment."
"And what to carry on each mission. Don't overload yourself with things, or you're going to be exhausted."
"Uh-huh..." She hands me back the backpack, which is admittedly heavy. And she told me to add more things too.
"So." She glances at her laptop once again. "Lastly, we have tomorrow's meeting. Since I might need to lock several T-dolls in a cell to stop them from coming with, looks like we're going to have an armed escort."
"They were discussing ways to keep me." I wince. "Maybe explain to them about the contract?"
"Won't stop 404, specifically 416, I'm afraid." She says. "Right now, I'm hoping to ask you about your parents, and see what I can do to convince them I'm not a terrorist."
"Eh... Just don't mention the T-dolls. Maybe mention the enemy is made up of robots."
"I take it they're supporters of the robot ban?"
"Yep." I scratch my head. "I was too, but... it's hard to hate the T-dolls."
"I understand, but please remember that Paradeus, Sangvis, and even the KCCO have robotic units that aren't as friendly. Sometimes the anti-robot factions have a point."
"...I don't know who Sangvis or KCCO are."
"More stuff I'll bring you up to speed on." She dumps the papers on her desk. "For now, I'll consider you debriefed. Have some dinner, get some rest, and be ready to go by 0600."
"Roger." I throw a salute and leave the room.
"What the FUCK-"
"Commander, calm down! You're not healed at all! If you thrash around, you'll aggravate your wounds!" UMP 9 pleads. "Sop did the best she could-"
"I..." I grab my chest. What should be my chest. My hand grabs cold metal. "Get SOPMOD back here."
"I don't think-"
"Do it now." I insist.
9 and 45 look at me. "Commander, she did it to save your life." 45 says quietly. "You agreed to it at the time."
"Yeah." I poke the metal again. "And I want to know what she did."
This has been a long day.
It's not even 3 in the afternoon, and I'm already tired like I took a double shift. I wanna go back to bed...
"Oh, there he is."
I look over to see UMP 45 smirking at me, leaning on a wall like she was expecting me to walk by.
...It is the main corridor that leads to my room, it's not a bad location to wait, I guess.
"Hello, UMP 45." I nod to her.
She props herself off the wall. "I hear you need some training?"
I stare at her for a second. Not a trace of guile on her face. How did...? "You have Commander Gentiane bugged?"
"Nein, no need for something that crude. I just broke into the security system and watched the meeting."
"...I'm really glad you're on our side."
"Only until KCCO or Paradeus pays me more."
I shudder.
"As I was saying, if you're going to be on missions with us, you need to be less of a walking liability. Though, there's only so much we can do in a month."
"A month?"
"Don't worry about it." She waves the question away. "Follow me."
"Er, but-"
"Just follow."
But, I wanted to take a nap...
UMP 45 leads up to our destination. It's one of the random rooms on this floor-
"This is my room." I glare at her, but it doesn't have any intensity about it. "If you just wanted to see inside-"
"Give me your backpack."
I hand it over. "What-"
"Where's your keycard?" She rummages around in the bag, before nodding and dumping something else in the bag.
I fish my wallet out of my pocket. "In here, where el-"
She snatches it out of my hand, and before I can react pulls the keycard out and stuffs it under the door. "Okay,"
"H-Hey! I need that!" I try to jam my fingers into the crack, but it hardly has enough of a crack to stick the card through in the first place. There's no way that my fingers would fit. "Aw, now I need to get a new one."
"Nope."
I look up at the still creepily grinning T-doll. "Huh?"
"No getting a new one or getting a different room. You need to gain access to that room with only what you have on you." 45 sets the backpack (I guess it's my backpack at this point) against the wall. "There's no time to head back and grab the perfect tool when out on a mission, so you have to use what's available."
"...But, I'm not on a mission. I want a nap."
She shakes her head, never losing that rapidly more infuriating look. "Well then, have fun getting the door open." She turns and leaves down the hall back towards the elevators.
I notice two T-dolls are standing in the hallway, having seen at least part of the exchange. "What?"
One of them, A tall girl with what looks like two blonde fox ears poking up like I've seen on costumes, scratches her face. "Well... I've never seen a T-doll ordering around a human like that."
"Yeah." Says another, dressed in a cowboy hat. "Are you sure you're the human and not the other way around?"
"UMP 45 is pushy." I stare at my closed and locked door. "And... I guess I can still go ahead and get a new keycard. It's not like she can actually stop me... I think."
The tall one smacks her hand into her palm. "Oooh! Maybe you can do the credit card thing!"
I look back at her. "Credit card thing?"
The girl in the cowboy hat rolls her eyes. "She's always forgetting her keycard."
"Ahaha..." the fox-eared one laughs nervously. "I have it today though!" She holds it out, and I note that it has something written on it in sharpie.
"'Property of M500'." I read aloud.
"You actually wrote your name on it?" The cowgirl asks incredulously. "How often do you lose it?"
M500 gets defensive. "Only a few times."
The cowgirl looks non-plused.
"A day." M500 turns to me. "S-so! I know how to get into my room with a few credit cards!"
"Okay. Can you tell me?" I pat my pockets. "Let me just get my..."
Wait.
UMP 45 has my wallet. She never gave it back after she stuck my keycard under the door.
"Son of a bitch." I curse.
"Leave your wallet in there too?" M500 says with sympathy.
"No! UMP 45 took it." I scratch my head. "Okay, can I borrow your cards?"
M500 laughs awkwardly once more. "See, here's the thing-"
I turn to the cowgirl, who's trying not to laugh and failing spectacularly. "Can I borrow some from you?"
She shakes her head, wiping the tears of mirth from her eyes. "Nahhh. I don't carry that plastic stuff. It's not trustworthy, not real money you get me?"
"...You sound like my grandmother."
"I'm probably older than her too!" The cowgirl (Who looks 14 at the oldest) stands up straight and puffs herself up. "I am an old soul!"
"SAA, You were initialized like three years ago." M500 comments.
"Shhh! I'm much older than that!"
"...rrrright." I sigh and turn back to the locked door, ignoring the squabbling duo. I need to get my wallet back from UMP 45, but how do I...? I can't force her to give it back, she's stronger, faster and not under my chain of command, so I can't complain to Commander Gentiane...
I have a bad feeling she'll refuse to give it back if I don't follow through on her dumb game.
I open my backpack up and start rummaging through it for real, pulling all of the items out and lining them up on the floor.
Once finished, I notice that the two T-dolls have stopped arguing and are now poking at the gear on the ground.
"How did you get all of this?" M500 asks.
"It's a long story." I grumble. "I don't even know what half of it is." I hold up a metal tube.
"That is a suppressor." SAA provides. "Muffles gunshots so you're harder to find." She scans the rest of the gear. "No cola..."
"'Suppressor' sounds like something UMP 45 would shove in my bag." I say. "Cola, not so much."
"You're pretty friendly with those illegal dolls." M500 says. "You going to go rogue on us too, Commander?
"One of them just locked me out of my room and took my wallet. If anything, I'm being bullied." I shake my head. "I just want to get into my room."
"Hmm." M500 looks over the arranged gear. "So... You have a suppressor, a grappling hook, some MREs, Night Vision Goggles, regular goggles, water tablets, a flashlight, a GPS, a laser range finder-" She frowns and holds up a small black box with a small screen on it. "What is this?"
One of the fox ears on her head twitches.
That throws me for a mental loop and I don't pay attention to the device in her hands, rather, I'm focusing on her ears. They twitch back and forth as she looks around.
I snap my fingers, and one of the ears rotates to track the sound, and M500 looks my way. "Yeah?"
"Oh. Uh, nothing. Sorry." I drag my attention away from her. Are those ears actually functional?
"Okay... As I was saying, I think this is a bomb." M500 hands the black box back to me.
"...Huh?" I freeze in place, bomb held at arm's length, all thoughts of fox ears gone in an instant.
"You really need to pay attention, Commander." SAA sighs. "It says that it's a 'RFID writer', not a bomb."
"...Oh." I look at the box. It does indeed say 'RFID writer' on the side. "So, what is this?"
"No clue."
"Nope."
I set the box back on the ground. "None of this looks useful."
"You could probably use this." SAA holds up a small black pouch and offers it to me.
I open the pouch to find a pocketknife. One of the one with like thirty attachments. There's a screwdriver, a cork remover... A bunch of other stuff that I don't immediately know the use of.
"Hey, if you just want to take a nap you can use my room." M500 offers. "I actually have access right now."
I pull out the screwdriver end and look back at the door. No obvious screws. The door's featureless aside from the handle and card scanner combo unit.
"I have some cola in my fridge, if you would rather use my room." SAA offers.
Seeing as the module's the only thing available, I start examining. It's almost completely smooth on the outside, but there's a seam between the two plastic pieces. Following the seam around, There's a notch in the plastic.
I push the flat blade of the screwdriver between the two pieces of plastic, and pry it backwards.
The front plate pops off with a bit of force.
"I... Huh?" M500 looks over my shoulder. "What're you doing?"
I point the multitool at the now-exposed circuitry. "Opening the door, hopefully."
"Do you understand circuitry?" SAA asks.
"No, but it shouldn't be too complicated to figure-"
There's a bright spark, and the door makes a thunk sound as the bolt retracts. I drop the multitool in surprise.
I push on the door to my room, and it swings open.
I look at the door handle. There's a big char mark on the circuitry, some of the wires have soot on them, but...
"Hey, it's open." I comment.
"Well, yeah, but I wouldn't say you did that with any skill. Could you do it again?" M500 asks. "My method isn't as... flashy."
SAA snickers at the pun. "He probably won't need to do it again, though."
I scoop up my keycard and stick it into my pocket. "Doesn't matter, I'm in." I press the plastic cover back on the handle and nod to myself. "Good as new."
"Aren't you gonna take a nap?" M500 asks.
"Soon, but first, I need to grab my wallet from an illegal doll."
I stride down the hallway, and find UMP 45 at the end, twiddling with a cube in her hands.
"You got it open?" UMP 45 gives me a look.
I nod curtly and extend my hand.. "Give me my wallet back."
"What method did you use?" She pulls my wallet from her jacket's pocket, but keeps a good grasp on it.
"I pried open the box." I state. "Gimme."
"Okay, you pried open the box... and then?"
"Does it matter?"
"...Did you fry your doorknob?"
"No."
She laughs. "Oh, you just keep getting better. How big was the spark?"
"...I don't remember." I huff. "But I got the door open."
"Did you make sure it still works?" Her evil grin returns. "You probably destroyed the door."
"...Look, just give me my wallet back."
"Sure." She places the wallet in my outstretched palm. "I hope you didn't close the door, you might've fried it entirely."
"I don't see how that's any of your concern."
"Well... I may have told P7 where your room is." Her grin gets wider. "Expect visitors."
"...I don't have the energy to care anymore." I shake my head. "I'm going to bed." I turn to head back, only noticing UMP 45 has fallen in behind me after a few seconds. "What are you doing?"
"Oh, I want to see the damage." She says. "And I want to tell you what I expected you to do, because your method is stupid."
"Enlighten me, oh master of infiltration." I say sarcastically.
"Did you look at the contents of your backpack?"
"Duh."
"Did you find the RFID writer?"
I nod.
"Why didn't you use that to open the door?"
"I don't know what an 'RFID' is." I say.
She glares at me. "It's how your keycard works. I put a blank card in the backpack so that you could write the code to the card, and use that."
"How was I supposed to know how to do that?!" I stop and face the shorter T-doll. "I've never broken into a hotel room before!"
"So, instead of giving up or finding an alternative, you attempted to electrocute yourself." She responds. "If you hadn't figured it out in a few more minutes, I was going to have UMP 9 come and offer you help."
I throw my hands in the air. "Ugh. Fine! You have a genius plan, but since I'm not in your head, I don't know what you're thinking!"
"Hadwin-"
"No!" I point back down the hallway. "I'm too tired for this bullshit. I'm taking a nap. Please go do something else, like... I dunno, kick a puppy or whatever it is you do when not harassing me."
She blinks. "Harassing you? I was trying to-"
"Get."
She stares at me for a few more seconds before shrugging, evil grin back in full force. "Your loss." She turns on her heel and leaves.
I can't help but feel I made a mistake, but it's been a long day. I make it back to my room to find SAA and M500 talking to HK 416.
When HK 416 notices me, she promptly starts ignoring M500 and walks up to me. "Commander-"
"Can it wait?" I ask, pleading. "I'm so tired."
"I'm going to watch over you as you sleep." She states.
"No? Why would I let you do that?" I shudder. "It's creepy."
She looks at SAA, who reluctantly pushes on the door. It swings open without resistance. "You fried the lock, and now it doesn't lock back up."
"I'm going to watch over you to make sure nobody is going to hurt you while you sleep." HK 416 asserts.
"...Sure, whatever." I walk into the room and flop on the bed without taking off my clothes.
Faintly, I can hear HK 416 coming in behind me, but I decide to ignore her completely.
Sleep comes quickly, my exhausted brain finally giving up.
Sop wrings her hands, stretching the artificial skin on her wrist. "-a lung and a pump for your heart." She holds her hands up. "You said it was okay!"
I sigh. One of my lungs, my heart, and my esophagus. A rib too, but that didn't need immediate replacement. "...Thank you, Sop."
She perks up. "You're not mad?"
I shake my head slowly. Eyes trace the myriad of cables plugged into my torso. Wires that can't exactly be removed, but need to be replaced with something more mobile. "It was an emergency. You did the best you could with what you had."
She hangs her head. "If I was faster..."
I place my hand on that bowed head. She looks up, and I scratch her scalp like she's an overgrown murder puppy. "You did good, Sop."
Tears form in the corners of her eyes. "I'm so glad you're okay, Commander!"
And then she starts bawling.
I'm back in the office building, hiding from the Paradeus men. They are searching around, and I have to keep running around to new places to hide, but the cubicles keep getting sparser and sparser, running out of places to hide.
Eventually, one of them spots me, and I have to shoot him.
I pull the trigger and it punctures through his skull, but he doesn't die. His arms reach out, and he grips my throat.
With a scratchy throat, he whispers "You fucking killed me. Time to return the fucking favor-"
I break free, but then there's another one. Also dead, a hole through the skull and arms outstretched.
As I run around, more and more corpses come after me. I run, and run and run, only stopping when I reach a dead end, a glass window. It looks over a city of some sort, and it looks like I'm thirty stories in the air.
I turn around and the zombies are slowly approaching, trying to grab my throat.
And then, one of them starts flying. Levitating.
And then another.
And another.
I turn back to the window, and brace as I crash through it. Glass shards catch the sunset as I fall towards the concrete. I have just enough time to scream before-
My eyes shoot open, and for a second I don't recognize my surroundings. This is the room I was assigned by G&K.
That was a dream. A dream. I try to calm my breathing down.
As I calm down, I notice that there are two bright points of blue light right in front of my face. As I watch, they blink.
"Um."
"Good Morning, Commander." Comes a very soft voice. "Did you sleep well?"
"I... HK 416?" Her eyes are green, right?
"Yes, Commander?" Her voice comes from behind me.
I leap out of bed and HK 416 quickly hits the lights.
In my bed lying next to where I was sleeping, is a girl in a red hat and what looks like a jacket, nightie and not much else. As she sits up, I can see her belly and black panties-
I look up at the ceiling. "What... what's going on?"
"You were alone, and I wanted to make you feel better, so I laid down next to you." The new arrival states.
I turn to HK 416.
She shrugs. "9A-91 isn't a threat. I've worked with her a few times."
9A-91 frowns. "I don't think so." She tugs on my sleeve. "Commander, please come back to bed."
"HK 416, what time is it?"
She blinks. "1804."
"...so, six pm?"
"Close enough." She confirms.
"That didn't feel like two hours of sleep."
"So..." The soft voice pleads. "Please come back to bed."
I look back down at the scantily dressed doll. This is probably the first or second T-doll that actually looked, y'know, doll-like. Most of the others just look like girls with guns. This one looks like she's made of porcelain, especially up close. Tokarev was also very pretty, but this one...
Dangerous.
"I..." I close my eyes, and the dream comes back, hands, grasping... "I'm gonna grab something to eat." Anything to keep my mind off... well, the nightmare or the not-very-dressed T-doll.
HK 416 stands up. "...I could use something to eat."
"I'd rather... well, no." 9A-91 stops her thought mid-voice. "Can I join, Commander?"
"Sure." I turn away from both of the dolls and head for the bathroom to wash my face and straighten my clothes. "I'm not cut out for this."
"Humans all have to start somewhere." HK 416's voice calls out.
I turn around to see HK 416 watching me intently from the door, 9A-91 peeking around her.
"I guess." I try to sound convinced, but it obviously didn't work.
"Well, You haven't started screaming." HK 416 says. "You pulled the trigger when you needed to and you kept your cool until the danger was over. More than I can say for most humans I've met."
"Yeah, but most people don't kill others." I look down at my hands, remembering the high school readings of Macbeth and imagining blood dripping from my not-yet-dried hands.
More soap. Yes.
"As dolls, we're not allowed to kill unless explicitly ordered to." HK 416 says, as if in a casual conversation. "Even then, it's not exactly easy. We have to make sure it's the right target and we can't fire on them if there's a chance of hitting anyone else. Nobody wants a rampaging robot."
9A-91 looks at HK 416. "But we've not really been following that, especially since the military and Paradeus started coming after use. We don't have the luxury. And you're illegal, you can do whatever you want."
HK 416 glares at the other doll, but doesn't refute her.
Well, that explains a bit.
"Thanks." I finish drying my hands, comb my hair and put my beret back on. I'm presentable, at least. Wouldn't pass any sort of inspection, but I'm just going to dinner.
HK 416 notices I'm done and turns to let me through the door. I yank open my still non-functional door and step into the darkened hallway.
It may only be six in the evening, but it's already dark out and the lights are on in the corridors. Nobody's around, but I guess that's to be expected. Probably at dinner.
As I walk, HK 416 and the other doll fall into step behind me. I can't help but notice that with the way they hold their weapons and scan the environment, it feels a lot like it did right before the fast food restaurant exploded.
Only this time, I'm the VIP.
"Erm, this building is structurally sound, right?"
"Not more than you'd expect of a building of this type." HK 416 responds. "Actually, since it's fairly old, maybe worse than expected."
"Ah."
"Don't worry! We've inspected most of it." 9A-91 says. "I'm sure it will be fine."
"Right."
We continue to walk along in silence until we descend the stairs.
At which point, I'm almost tackled off my feet by a white, black and red blur.
Sop's tackle slams me into the wall, and she looks up at me with great enthusiasm. "There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you, Commander!"
I cough, my lungs trying to draw air back into my body.
Sop continues regardless. "Come, come! S.A.T.8 made food!"
I vaguely recall the Italian T-doll saying she'd make something for me. That was only a few hours ago, but it feels like forever. "Oh, right." I let Sop grab my hand and start to drag me, but my other hand is held back. I glance back to see the 9A-91 has gripped my arm.
Then I stop paying attention as SOPMOD and 9A-91 try to tear my arms out of my sockets.
"STOP!" HK 416 roars, before yanking my arm out of Sop's grip, then releasing my arm herself.
"Ahhhh." I roll my free arm with a grimace. Man that hurts. In fact, I can't really roll it. Maybe I strained something?
9A-91 lets go of my other arm. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't mean to- I didn't want you to leave me... I- I'm sorry!"
"Yeah, I know." I sigh. It'll be fine... probably.
"Sop, are you trying to kill him?" HK 416 demands.
"No! I was trying to go get food, but 9A grabbed him." Sop yells back. "What was that for?"
I cover my face as the dolls squabble. It's been a little over a day since I've met them, and while I know they mean well...
'I made you a contract with a clear and easy out since we were planning on releasing you' Gentiane had said.
All I have to do is quit tomorrow and hope none of the killer robots takes exception to that.
Not worried about the G&K dolls, really, Gentiane can order them, but HK 416 seems less likely to take my resignation peacefully. Unless, maybe she'll accept since it's what I want?
"Can we just get food now?" I groan out. "And maybe stop by the pharmacy for some headache meds?"
Wet eyes that can tear up to get rid of contaminants, but aren't designed to really cry. Sop's sobbing didn't do anything to my sheets.
Wet eyes makes them look more like humans, or so Commander Gentiane says.
"-have one of our engineers looking into it." Gentiane shakes her head from where she sits by my bedside. "I wish I could get you up and ready for the next mission, but we're on a tight time frame."
"Heading right for that submarine base, right?" I grunt. "Well, I don't think I can afford to sit it out."
"Not possible." Gentiane's voice grows hard. "You're missing more organs than I'd like, and until we get you to someone who can rebuild your lungs, you're tied into the train's power systems."
I lie back. "So, I'm just a burden now?"
"Not exactly." Commander Gentiane says. "We'll get you back into shape as soon as we get back."
She gets up, nods to me, and leaves.
"So I get to sit here... while everyone else heads out to die."
I look down at my food.
I had expected some noodles in Alfredo with some chicken on top like what I get on my birthday. After all, fancy food is expensive.
This, I'm almost afraid to touch.
S.A.T.8 had almost artistically laid out the noodles, covered them in sauce, and placed some grilled chicken on top. There's bits of green plant, the decorative type, arrayed around the food, and salad to boot.
"Is it not good enough?" S.A.T.8 asks, holding the tray in front of her. "If you want something else-"
"I don't think I've ever had anything this fancy." I tilt my head. "How long did this take you?"
"Not very long. We had alfredo sauce, boiling noodles only takes a few minutes, and the chicken is pre-cooked." She says. "I just made it look pretty."
"Well, you did a good job of that." Hesitantly, I plunge my fork into the noodles and start twirling, suddenly very aware that I have about twenty pairs of eyes watching me and my lack of proper table manners. Popping a bite into my mouth, I give myself a few seconds to properly chew and swallow before turning back to the blonde. "It's very good. Better than I can remember having, actually..."
"Grazie!" She turns and heads back to the kitchen.
"Commander?" 9A-91 asks for my attention.
She's sitting on my right, Sop taking my left, and HK 416 across from me.
The UMP twins are sitting at the counter, turned around to watch me eat with unconcealed amusement. 45 still looks vaguely hostile, but what else is new?
There's a few other dolls scattered around, but most of them are paying attention to my table, as I've apparently become a novelty.
9A-91 tugs on my sleeve, gently. Ah, right. "Yes, 9A?"
She blushes as I turn to face her. "Say 'ahhhh'." She holds up a fork with pasta on it.
HK 416 snaps at her. "The Commander can feed himself."
"You're just jealous." Sop comments. "Oh, Commander, here."
I turn to see Sop also has a fork full of food, but this is from her own plate, what looks like a very rare steak... and not much else.
"Oh come on." HK 416 grumbles.
"I'm good SOPMO-mmph"
Sop jams her fork into my mouth.
I glare at the doll, but she just removes the fork from my mouth, leaving the meat.
...It is tasty, but still.
"Commander?"
I turn back to 9A-91 once again. "Wha-ghk"
She repeats Sop's actions. This time I almost choke, so I close my eyes and chew for a few seconds. When I open my eyes back up, HK 416's eye is twitching.
"What?"
"Nothing." She looks away.
"She's jealous." UMP 9 says from the bar. "Her precious Commander, being served by other people than her."
HK 416 shifts her glare to UMP 9.
I carefully guard my mouth as I speak next, warding away the dolls on either side. "Well, I want both of you to stop." I say. "I can eat by myself."
"Awww." Sop pouts.
I continue to eat, getting about halfway through my meal when all the lights go down.
A chill runs down my spine as the pinpoints of light from at least twenty doll's eyes turn to me.
Beside me, 9A-91 tugs my shirt. "Commander, orders?"
All of them stare at me. Waiting for orders.
"W-well, maybe we just lost power-"
"ALERT!" Comes an unknown voice over some loudspeaker. "Paradeus is launching an attack! All troops to defensive positions!"
I look up in the air waiting for more broadcasts, but instead an alarm starts blaring.
"Okay." I say to the assembled T-dolls. "I guess we should all head to the front of the building?"
"Hadwin." UMP 45 slips off her stool. "I'm inside G&K's main server. Looks like they're chasing someone." She turns to Sop. "Your precious sister appears to be in trouble."
Sop's eyes go wide. "M4 needs help?"
UMP 45 ignores the vibrating Sop and turns back to me. "I'm taking 416 and 9 to the side to see if we can evade them."
"For a flank?"
She narrows her eyes at me. "We're not actually paid to protect this place physically-"
"She means yes." HK 416 says. "Let's grab G11 and get out of here."
9 steps up to me as the other two members of team 404 glare at each other. "Don't worry, we'll contact you if we're in a position to help. Just promise to come running if we need help."
"Sure."
She holds out a fist and I bump it with my own on reflex. "Alright! We're off!"
Sop jumps in front of me. "Commander, we have to save M4!"
"Hold on, we don't know it's her-"
"Please?" She grabs my wrists and holds them, staring into my eyes with her red ones. Those, terrifying, red, points...
"...Alright, let's head out front."
Sop takes off before I can say anything else.
"Um, Commander?"
I point to the T-doll who has raised her hand. "I left my weapon in my room."
"...Then go get it and come back." I say. I can't tell who it is, since it's still dark in here.
"Then, me too."
"And me."
I sigh. "I'll be in the lobby. Please hurry."
The T-dolls that are unarmed race up the stairs, while the rest of them follow me downstairs into the lobby.
There, a good 50 or so T-dolls are standing in the lobby. Some are laying out metallic cases that look like they could contain a person.
Supervising everything are Commanders Gentiane and Kylie. Commander Kylie notices me first.
"Field Agent. Good thing you're here."
"What's going on?" I ask.
"You remember MP Panagos?" Commander Gentiane eyes the dolls following me.
"...Yes." I would think that day would be hard to forget, never mind it was only a day ago... ish. "I thought she was already back to wherever she belongs."
"Turns out the handoff was compromised." Kylie says. "M4A1 and AR-15 were escorting her as before and Paradeus launched a surprise attack."
I nod. "And I guess they're on their way back?"
"Yep." Gentiane wordlessly points at a crate as a T-doll approaches with a checklist. The doll seems satisfied with this. "M4 grabbed a car and they're on their way back. We just got a transmission from them that they'll be here in about 30 minutes."
I blink. That's not very close. "Okay. So, what do you want me to do?"
Commander Gentiane raises an eyebrow.
"What?"
"Well, you're still new." Commander Kylie says. "Don't worry about this one."
"Yeah, no need to risk your neck right now." Commander Gentiane turns back to the front of the building. Through the broken glass doors, the sun is starting to get low in the sky. "We really need to move from this location."
"No kidding." Commander Kylie responds. "They know where we are for sure now."
"Is our new temporary location set?"
"Yes it is." Commander Kylie affirms. "I was going to have some of the dolls start packing up the store rooms until this happened."
Commander Gentiane turns back to me. "Hadwin, for now-"
Sop comes bolting through the door, faster than I would've imagined possible. She looks around frantically for a second before running right up to me. "Commander! Where's M4?"
"She's on her way, Sop." I say. "About thirty minutes out."
Sop nods. "Um, Commander Gentiane?" She turns to the person in charge. "Can I ride out with Commander Hadwin and meet up with them?"
Commander Gentiane frowns. "We do have a spare buggy, but Hadwin is staying here for the time being."
Sop turns to me. "Why?"
"I... I dunno?" I scratch my head.
Sop gives me and the other humans an exasperated look. "Come on, I need to save M4! She could be dying out there!"
"I highly doubt that, Sop.." Gentiane states. "We're checking in with her at regular intervals. MP40's reliable, we'll know as soon as anything happens."
Sop pouts. "So, I'm just supposed to sit here until they arrive?"
The two commanders share a look with each other. "So, Hadwin." Gentiane begins. "Are you willing to drive a buggy?"
I look between the Commanders and the ever hopeful Sop. "I guess." I sigh in defeat.
"Great. pick out a small squad and have Sop lead you to the hangar. Make sure everyone's geared up. That includes you."
I turn to see most of the T-dolls in the room are looking in my direction.
"Uh..." I scan for familiar faces. "S.A.T.8, um, P90..."
S.A.T.8 steps up. "Yes, commander." She has her twin fidget spinner things on her waist again, and a shotgun in her hands, presumably her namesake.
"Woohoo!" P90 cheers.
I turn to Commander Kylie. "How many people can fit in a buggy?"
"You're seriously going?" She gives me a look. "You don't look the adventurous type."
"Yeah, well..." I gesture to the surroundings.
She nods. "Hard to say no, I get it. Buggy'll seat five and you, unless you're planning on bringing S.A.T. with her shields."
I look back at the Italian. She would take up extra room.
Sop raises a hand. "I'll ride on the outside!"
"...Right." I turn back to the crowd, and am once again struck by how many T-dolls there are. "Um... SV-98, and Tokarev."
Commander Gentiane turns to Kylie. "Next on his training agenda is team composition."
"Agreed."
I give them a look.
Gentiane shakes her head. "They may not work the best together, but if you're acting as an escort and extraction team, you should be fine. Just make sure to assign them to squad positions properly, have SV explain on the way." She blows air out her lips. "Oh. Make sure to grab a long range radio, we may need to contact you."
"That's... a great idea." I think back to the backpack I left in my room. I should probably grab that too... "Where would I find one?"
"Tokarev?" Kylie turns to the doll with a blue ribbon. "Please grab a long range radio for the Field Agent on your way down to the garage."
"Of course, Commander." Tokarev bows and walks calmly to the stairs.
"I- I need my backpack." I state. "I'll grab that and... uh, get to the buggy."
Sop grabs my shoulder hard, claws digging in on my arm that's already sore from earlier. "I'll head down and get the buggy ready."
S.A.T. nods gently. "I'll follow her."
"Do you even know where the buggies are?" SV-98 asks.
"No." I shake my head. "I'm assuming ground level."
"I'll come with you," She says, patting her pockets to check for things. "And guide you to the garage on the way back."
"Guess I'll head down too." P90 says casually. "Hey Sop! Road trip!"
"YEAH!"
"Sop, why am I plugged into this train?"
"Ah, well... I'm kinda not too good with humans." She says sheepishly. "I'm not good enough to put you back up to one hundred percent."
"No, I'm not asking that." I frown and tug on the cables gently. "What allows you to move around without being tied to an electrical grid?"
"Oh, that's easy! We have these generators that work off food and generate electricity to keep us running for a few hours. Same as you, I guess, but we make electricity and you make, um... human juice."
'Human juice.' Maybe I won't go for round two of SOPMOD surgery. "How big are these generators?"
"Not too big." She says. "I bet I could make room inside you for one." She frowns. "Might cause more problems though."
"Yeah, no thank you. Damn." I curse. "Scratch that idea."
Sop looks at me in surprise. "You want to become a T-doll?"
"No." I shake my head. "I just don't want to abandon you all to the mercies of this next mission."
"Hmm..." She sits down on the side of the bed and furrows her brow, more concentration than I've ever seen on her face before. "I guess an option would be-"
"FLOOR IT! FLOOOOOR IT!" Sop yells euphorically from her perch on top of the buggy's engine frame. I had to tell her to not block the driver's view, in other words, to sit on the passenger side of the engine bay.
"I AM!" I yell back.
"HOLY SHIT THIS IS FUN!" P90 whoops for joy in the passenger seat.
In the rearview mirror, S.A.T.8 and SV-98 exchange a look. Tokarev is sitting in S.A.T.'s lap and seems to be meditating.
The tires slide around as the loose gravel and debris is flung out from under the tires. I don't normally drive this fast on highways, let alone these beaten up, cracked and debris-filled streets.
Then again, this is a dune-buggy like vehicle, made of pipes and with massive shocks. I can roll over bricks without feeling them, which is an unusual feeling.
"Field Agent?" Commander Kylie's voice comes through the earpiece Tokarev had brought me.
"Yes, Commander?" I toggle the microphone back off with a tap to the side of my throat and glance up at Sop "SHUT UP FOR A SECOND, PLEASE!"
"You're approaching a part of the city with only one realistic path through it. There's taller buildings on either side of the road, that could provide a decent place for an ambush."
"Ambush?" Sop's disgusted voice comes over the comms. "That's so booooring." She doesn't move her lips, doing that radio thing again.
"Sop, you're the only one that thinks that." SV-98 comments, also over comms. Looks like everyone's switching over for now.
"Nah, I think it'd be fun too." P90 chimes in. I glance at the doll beside me in the car, and she gives me a peace sign.
"P90, aren't you better at ambushes than straight firefights?" Tokarev asks.
"Why don't they ever shut up…?" I grumble.
"Er, Field Agent?"
I turn the mic back on. "Yeah, I'm here. Ambush spot."
"You're going to be there in less than a minute. We scouted it on the way in, there's a burned out tank blocking one side of the road which is a good marker."
"Got it."
Sop turns around from her perch on the hood. "Commanderrrrr-"
"Got it." I repeat, looking the doll in her eyes.
"Well, it's up to you to figure out how to use the area. We don't have any good scans of the area."
I turn a street corner and see the aforementioned burned out tank. along with a collapsed section of building blocking the other side of the road, blocking all but the space needed for a single vehicle. It looks like someone had to clear some rubble to get it wide enough for that in the first place. "Okay, do you know when M4's supposed to get here?"
"Five minutes, more or less."
"Roger." I spot the entrance to an underground garage and pull the buggy up next to the ramp.
Everyone piles out of the buggy, checking weapons.
I can't help but notice how much the buggy's shocks extend as S.A.T.8 climbs out of the buggy. I would never say it out loud, but she must weigh a literal tonne. Doesn't look like it though.
She must have noticed me staring at her. "Commander?"
I shake my head. "SV, please head up... there." I point about four stories up at a broken window on one of the buildings. "Please provide, um, cover." As we had scrambled to prepare, SV had discussed a little bit about doll tactics with me, and she told me that sniper rifles are good for, no surprise, sniping from a distance.
"You can count on me." She touches a fist to her shoulder.
"Me as well?" Tokarev asks.
"Yes." I nod.
Now, it's not like Tokarev can do much up there with her dinky pistol, but from the hurried explanation I received from the assembled T-dolls on the way here, she can share her processing power with other T-dolls in close proximity. They can also act as spotters for snipers, being really good scouts. They were basically designed to work well with each other.
"P90, set up in that burned tank."
"Got it." She fades from sight.
I turn to Sop. "I want you hiding behind that tank."
"Yeah, yeah." She grumbles. "I'm gonna rain hellfire on these bastards." She raises her voice. "YOU HEAR THAT YOU WHITE ASSHOLES?!"
"...I hope they didn't." I shake my head. Apparently, there's six categories of T-dolls; handguns, assault rifles, submachine guns, machine guns, rifles and shotguns. Assault rifles and submachine guns compliment each other the same way handguns and rifles do, and apparently the same for shotguns and machine guns. "Well, S.A.T., I guess you're with me."
She nods, her fidget- er, shields moving into place. "Just give the word."
"Alright, I'm moving this car further into the garage. Don't want to tip Paradeus off." I say, mostly to myself.
I back it down the ramp until it's only visible once you're past the wreckage. That's good. So, what's next? I try to think like I'm back playing that one tactical shooter I was into three years ago.
I grab my backpack and the spare gun from the back of the vehicle before heading back up to the street level. Looking down at it... well, it's similar to SOPMOD's gun. Maybe it's a SOPMOD as well? Or, maybe it's an M4 like M4A1... the gun AR-15 uses is very similar as well. Hell, even HK 416. Well, at bare minimum it works how I expect it to.
"Field Agent, you should be seeing them any second now." Commander Kylie's voice comes through the radio. "They're in the lead vehicle. Don't blow that one up."
"Wasn't planning on it."
"Commander, I'm in position." SV-98 reports right after.
"Same." P90 says.
I check I have the weapon loaded. Two magazines strapped to my tactical vest... Okay.
"I see them." Tokarev reports.
"ETA?"
"Five seconds."
I tighten my grip on my rifle and edge closer to the gap, relying on a large chunk of concrete to keep me hidden.
My nerves tighten up, and it seems like those five seconds are lasting forever-
Less than a meter away, a black SUV rips past, way faster than I consider reasonable for that small gap. For a second, I track the vehicle and its melted rear paneling, missing rear window, and one bare rim on the passenger side of the car.
Then SV-98's voice comes through the comms. "Incoming in five."
"Take out the lead vehicle. If you can, plug the hole." I peek around my cover. "Maybe we can stop them here."
"Yes, Commander!"
With her acknowledgement comes the report from her rifle. The lead vehicle's tire disappears, and the troop truck jerks to the side, toppling excruciatingly slowly, finally coming crashing down on its side in the way of the rest of the vehicles.
Unfortunately, it doesn't block foot traffic, just vehicle traffic. There's plenty of space to walk around on either side of the fallen vehicle.
As I size that up, a white arm punches through the shattered windshield. "Alright! FIRE!"
Sop aims her rifle upwards and launches a grenade in a wide arc as P90 pops up and starts firing down at the emerging Paradeus robots.
And then another P90.
And a third.
I'm not gonna question it.
I take a breath to calm my nerves and pop around cover, gun raised, and prepare to pull the trigger.
Bullets spray down the alley between the rubble of the collapsed building and the fallen Paradeus vehicle, tearing past a few Paradeus units like the ones I fought in the restaurant. However, it's not me who does the firing. S.A.T.8 cleanly finishes them off before I have a chance to contribute.
Behind me, I hear a screech of tires. I turn back to see the SUV has pulled to a halt, and two familiar T-dolls get out.
I turn to S.A.T.8 "Make sure nobody gets past here." I tell her.
She nods, and a blue shimmer surrounds her. Not sure what that is, but I don't have time to care.
I run up to AR-15 and M4A1. M4 recognizes me first. "Hadwin? What are you doing out here?"
"Saving you two, I think." I point at where I parked the buggy. "There's more ammo for you guys in the back of the buggy over there."
I'll get it." AR-15 sprints that way.
M4 looks around. "Thank you for the assist. The SUV's not... intact, anymore."
"Good thing we got here then."
"M4? Have you met up with Hadwin?" Commander Kylie's voice comes through comms.
"Yes ma'am."
"Get MP Panagos back here, priority one. Use the buggy if you need to."
"Roger that, We'll-"
"M4!"
Sop tackles M4 with a bear hug and M4 swings her around to not get knocked off her feet. "Hi Sop. We're back."
"I was soooo worried!" Sop says. "And-"
"Uh, not that I mind, but... combat?" I turn back to see P90 flickering around like a cartoon ninja teleporting from place to place. S.A.T.8 is defending both of the alleys formed by the overturned vehicle, her shields constantly adjusting and her gun spewing fire. SV-98's shots come rhythmically, a steady staccato of death.
"Right." M4 looks up. "Sop, go rip."
Sop's eyes shine like someone just gave her a puppy. "I'll be right back!" She turns and runs pell-mell towards the breach.
"Now that she's back on topic-"
"One of us is going to need to drive back." M4 asserts. "I'm capable of driving, but none of the other dolls is likely able. I'm assuming you drove here?"
"Yes. I think you should get MP Panagos out of here." I state.
"Really? I was going to ask you to drive her back to HQ."
I point to her shoulder, which isn't looking like a shoulder, but instead a bundle of wires and a metal frame. Then I point to her abdomen, which has a nice chunk cut out of it. "You're already damaged. You need to get yourself repaired."
"...Roger that." She blinks. "You're a Field Agent?"
"Yeah... long-ish story." How did she know? Maybe the uniform?
"Make sure to tell me when you get back." She smiles. "Commander."
"Yeah, as long as we get back." I grouse. "Okay, get the VIP out of the car and let's get moving."
"Right."
AR-15 runs up, magazines packed into pockets of her jacket, with another few magazines cradled in her arms. "M4?"
"I'm taking Panagos in the buggy. Follow the Field Agent's orders."
AR-15 looks at me with a slack expression. "...Him?"
"Yes. I'll be back after I get her back to HQ." M4 opens one of the doors of the SUV, and the door falls out of its frame.
MP Panagos peeks her head out. "Oh, we meet again, young man."
I nod to her. "You're taking our vehicle out. M4's driving." I grip my weapon tighter. "I'll be here, holding them off."
"Well then." She smiles kindly. "Good luck." She turns to M4 who gestures for the MP to follow her.
AR-15 looks at me. "I hope you've figured out how to use that by now."
I hold my weapon up as if to examine it. "Eh, it works like Sop's gun, I think."
She sighs. "It's an M16A4. It's compatible with the entire M4 platform, so we can share ammo." She hands me three magazines which I tuck into my combat vest. "Now, I'd rather not hang around while Sop dies."
"Oh, yeah. Let's- Hey!"
15 runs up to where S.A.T.8 is positioned, me close on her heels.
"S.A.T., switch." AR-15 commands, and the Italian steps out of the way.
S.A.T. calmly loads more shells into her shotgun, and I notice that her shields now had heavy scratching in the paint. "There appears to be about fifty Paradeus units left. About ten of them are Rodeleros, and one Doppelsöldner."
"F-fifty?" I peek around the corner, but I can't see any more right now. 15 is keeping the alleys locked down. I'm still not sure what the difference between the different Paradeus units is, so S.A.T.'s tactical assessment means little to me aside from 'we're outnumbered'.
P90 is still doing her flash-step trick, and the energy beams or whatever the Paradeus units fire keep lancing past her as she ducks and dodges and taunts. I can't see Sop right now, but I can hear some creepy laughter...
"Yes, Commander, fifty." S.A.T. finishes reloading. "Might I suggest we reduce their number?"
"Do we even have enough ammo to take out fifty of them?"
"...Debatable." S.A.T. looks back at the breach, AR-15 raising her rifle and firing at unseen targets. "The Strelets are just people in power armor, and are relatively easy to take down. Rodelero's go down if you can get a shot past their shields, but that Doppelsöldner is going to be tough without HOC support."
"Hock?"
"Think RPG or a mortar." S.A.T. clarifies. "More things for later. For now, just realize the only reason we're still standing here is because it hasn't properly engaged us yet."
"Why?" I get chills down my spine. "What do you me-"
Suddenly, AR-15 turns and runs, with Sop and P90 on her heels.
I barely have time to register this before the sky is laced with missiles from the other side of the roadblock, and as a freakish hail begins to descend on the overturned vehicle.
With a thunderous roar, the missiles strike one after another, sending debris everywhere. One chunk heads right for me, but I'm unable to move in time, watching my life flash before my eyes.
The flying shard of metal stops dead a meter away, a blue halo surrounding the object where it's closest. As more debris and rock chips fly my direction, more of the air turns blue, forming a sphere around me.
I turn around to see S.A.T. smiling, also surrounded by her own bubble of safety. Well, that explains the blue shimmer I saw earlier.
Once the last missile detonates, relative quiet descends, only punctuated by the sound of debris falling back down to the ground.
AR-15 grabs my injured arm and yanks. I grimace, but she doesn't seem to notice. "Hadwin, we need to get out of here!"
THMP
THMP
I watch in awe as the 6 meter tall mech bristling with more rocket pods than I care to count steps out from behind the shattered blockade.
Rocket pods on the back, sides, and arms. Cannons where hands would be on a human. A large metal shield attached to one of its arms.
I stand, transfixed. Some debris falls from the sky, and pings off the top of the mech.
It turns to bear all its weapons at us.
I turn and run for my life, AR-15 still half dragging me.
The T-dolls run with me, all of us heading towards the underground parking deck of the building SV-98's sniping from.
I make it to the entrance right as the Doppelsöldner fires some of the cannons it possesses, hitting the ground behind me. The blast hits my back, launching me forwards and down the ramp slamming into the ground a few times before coming to a halt.
Sop grabs my collar and hauls me away from the entrance as more cannonfire slams into the ramp, crumbling the ancient concrete.
After a few seconds the cannons stop. I take a quick inventory from where Sop is dragging me, finding everyone present and accounted for. The parking garage has a few derelict vehicles around the edges, but for the most part it's empty save for a support column every six meters or so and a massive central support about twelve meters wide.
AR-15 steps up to me. "You okay?"
"Y-yeah." I pat Sop's head as she sets me on my feet. "Thank you for grabbing me." Man, I'm sore though. I'm going to have so many bruises tomorrow.
If I make it to tomorrow, that is.
"No problem!" She turns back to the entrance. "That thing can't get in here without collapsing the building on top of itself, so we should be safe for now."
"Hopefully." P90 looks pensive. "There's still a bunch of Rodeleros out there."
SV-98 comes in over the comms. "Current forces are around twenty Strelets, 6 Rodeleros, and the Doppelsöldner. They're regrouping at the entrance of the parking area, I can't get at them from this angle."
"Uh..." I fiddle with my still unfired rifle. "Maybe just come down here then?"
"Roger. Repositioning."
AR-15 gives me a look. "We probably don't have much time."
"Right, well... is there another way out?" I look around.
"I don't think so." S.A.T. says. "There's not a street behind this building, so it wouldn't make much sense.
"Just the door that leads upstairs." AR-15 confirms. "And- WATCH OUT!"
P90 splits into multiple copies of herself as the Paradeus troops start picking their way down the ruined ramp. The shorter Strelets, and some of the Rodeleros, walking on their long stilt legs.
AR-15 drags me with her behind the thick central pillar of the building right as the Rodelero's open up with a laser barrage.
I see one of the P90's wink out of existence as it gets pierced through by one of the beams. Another beam bounced away from S.A.T.'s energy shield.
Sop stops right at the corner, arcing her gun as if to launch another grenade-
"SOP! NO!" AR-15 yanks Sop's barrel down. "Are you trying to kill us?"
"No, I'm trying to blow up the Paradeus bastards!" Sop retorts.
"Then don't use the grenade launcher unless you want to bring this entire building down on our heads!"
I look upwards at the concrete ceiling and shudder. "I've been in enough collapsing buildings recently. No thank you."
"Fine." Sop lowers her rifle to aim at the Strelets currently fanning out and ducking around pillars. "We'll do this the old fashioned way." She reloads, and leans down, gun and claw extended.
"What's she doing?" I turn to AR-15.
"Getting ready to rip." She sighs. "Ready?"
"I gu-"
Sop dashes forwards, AR-15 blasting covering fire.
S.A.T. peeks out from behind her support pillar and sends more rounds downrange.
P90 continues to weave and pop about, the enemy laser fire stabbing through the air in near misses. I have to say, she's really good at wasting the enemies' time.
I aim my assault rifle, but no sooner do I acquire a target then one of the others takes it down.
Soon though, I notice that the Stelets are going down, but the Rodeleros are staying up. Force shields, once again. Man, those things suck.
"Commander, we can't get through those shields!" Sop yells.
"Shit!" I point to the ones in the corners. "Can you be careful enough with a grenade to not destroy the supports?"
"No- well, maybe!" She tilts her rifle upwards. "Only one way to find out!"
With a dull thwmp the grenade launches gracefully through the air, impacting behind two of the Rodeleros and launching them forwards into a pillar each, one of said pillars shattering from the impact.
"That's a no!" Sop reports.
S.A.T.'s shotgun reports, and one of the Rodeleros falls still.
The three remaining Rodeleros spread out, obviously attempting to avoid the fate of the others.
I level my rifle at the nearest Rodelero and watch as it turns to position its shield to block my bullets. Its cannon is also aiming in my direction and is starting to glow...
The glow of the cannon grows in intensity, and I hold off another fraction of a second before squeezing my trigger.
The enemy laser blasts through its own shield seemingly unimpeded and blasting apart the pillar I'm standing next to. As the pillar crumbles, so does a significant portion of the roof around the pillar; these are clearly structural.
My own bullets splatter against the shield, but I don't have the luxury of paying attention. The recoil from the gun slams into my arm, tweaking the injury and forcing me to drop it in pain. My arm's writhing is so intense I lose my sense of balance and topple over.
The Rodelero hops forwards and lands right next to me, its cannon already charging for another shot.
I decide that getting the rifle isn't that important and scramble back to my feet, bolting towards another pillar.
The Rodelero turns to track me, leaping towards me as soon as I almost make it out of firing range.
Its cannon begins to charge once more-
S.A.T.8's gun reports, and the Rodelero stops tracking me. Some of the buckshot from S.A.T.8's gun whips past me, but the Rodelero blocks all of the pellets that would have hit me.
I look back at the other two enemy units, noticing that one of them is collapsed in front of a grinning P90 and another one-
"Holy..." I breathe out.
SOPMOD is currently tearing the last Rodelero apart with her bare hands. Hand and claw. Laughing like a psychopath as she tears the circuitry out and throws it aside. Some sort of hydraulic fluid splashes onto her face like blood from a still beating heart. Suddenly, I understand why Commander Gentiane had emphasized that SOPMOD had written some of the questions on the hiring paperwork. What was that question? "Do you like taking trophies from your enemies?"
"Sop, snap out of it!" AR-15 yells at her.
SOPMOD looks up, blinks a few times, and then drops the Rodelero's bottom faceplate. "Fiiiiine."
Almost all of the remaining P90's fade out of existence, leaving one behind. She looks around at the carnage with satisfaction.
"Well, that's all five of them done." I say.
"Didn't SV say there were six?" S.A.T. asks thoughtfully.
I stare at the Italian T-doll. "She... did. Where's the sixth?"
BANG
I turn to find the last Rodelero with a hole straight through its center, and SV-98 in the entrance to the stairway upwards.
"And that's the last of them, Commander." SV says, sliding the bolt in her rifle to load another round.
Tokarev pokes her head out. "Are you okay, Commander?"
I nod. "Thanks for the save."
AR-15 scoops my dropped gun off the floor and grimaces. "Your arm's worse than I thought."
"Sorry." I mumble.
"No, just... don't worry about it. If you're injured, don't make yourself worse." She sighs. "Well, I guess I can use this." She glares at the weapon like it bit her.
"...Right." I sit down on the ground, taking deep breaths to calm myself. "Okay. Okay." My arm still hurts so much it's hard to think. "Okay."
Tokarev steps up to me and places a gentle hand on my weak arm. "May I...?"
"I... I guess?" What's she going to do?
She gently cups my elbow, carefully places her other hand on my shoulder, and then with surprising force for her small frame jerks my arm.
I almost scream, but the wave of relief I feel melts all of my thoughts to pudding.
"What was that?" SV-98 asks.
"I noticed his shoulder was dislocated." Tokarev reports. "Remember that human medical class Miss Perscia had us take?"
"Ah... I was only interested in the take down methods part." SV-98 says sheepishly.
"So, you can fix humans just by yanking on them?" Sop asks.
"Not usually, and with your claws you'd just shred his arm apart." AR-15 says to the slightly less crazed looking Sop. "Please don't do anything to a human without reading up on them first."
"Hmm." She looks thoughtful. "I wonder if I can get someone to open up to see how they work."
I decide to ignore the crazy one and turn towards S.A.T. "Also, thank you for saving me back there too."
"It's my duty." She says humbly.
"Well, still." I look around. "So, now we need to get out of here, right?"
"Not going to be easy with that Doppelsölnder outside." AR-15 comments. "So taking that out should be our top priority."
"I wish I knew what they were doing." I grumble to myself, idly tapping the radio at my throat. If only it could pick up their transmissions...
"Uh, do the Paradeus guys have radios?" I ask aloud.
"Probably." SV-98 responds. "Let me check."
Sop comes over to where I'm slouched on the floor and glares at my arm. "Are you better now?"
"I... I think so?"
She pokes my shoulder with a regular finger, first lightly and then harder. Satisfied I'm not screaming in pain, she nods and plops down next to me grabbing my right arm in hers and laying her head on my shoulder. "Good!" She chirps.
AR-15 gives me a look before shaking her head and scanning the entrance to the parking garage. "I think something's wrong."
"Yeah?"
She nods. "Not that I should be complaining, but that Doppelsöldner has enough firepower to bring this building down on our heads. Why hasn't it?"
"Uh... I don't know."
SV-98 hands me the helmet of one of the Strelets. I take it before realizing it has blood and... something pink I don't want to identify on it. Still, I can hear noises coming from it and move it close to listen.
"Unit 492 unresponsive."
"Unit 503 unresponsive."
"Battalion 3 rerouted."
"Unit 516 unresponsive."
"Unit D-237 on standby for reinforcements."
I listen to several of the small, robotic announcements before turning to the T-dolls. "None of this is useful."
"Let me hear." AR-15 takes the helmet from me and listens to it. Her eyes narrow after a few seconds. "Hmm."
"What?"
"Sounds like they have a backup unit heading this way. The Doppel is there to keep us pinned." She smirks. "Seems like they still think we have the MP with us, so they're not destroying the building on top of us."
"Well, that... it's not that comforting, but it'll have to do." I look up at the concrete ceiling, which has crumbled where several of the pillars have been broken. all in all, it's not looking healthy. "I just hope it doesn't come down on us."
AR-15 holds up a hand for a second before continuing her report. "Reinforcements are due in 5 minutes. We really should be gone by then."
All of the T-dolls, including AR-15, look at me. I pinch the bridge of my nose. They want a plan. I need to give them a plan, but all I can think about is the imminent crushing death from above-
I look up at the T-dolls. "Erm, SV, is there a way out of the building that's not on the front of the building?"
She hesitates. "Not that I saw. There's probably a loading dock for the kitchen though."
I point to her and Tokarev. "See if you can find an exit, and if you do, report back."
She snaps a salute and bolts off, Tokarev somehow managing to run a lot more gracefully.
I turn to Sop, who's still resting her head on my shoulder. "Do you have enough grenades to take out the structural support of this building?"
"Nooo..." She raises her head up. "I could probably rig up the Rodeleros to explode though. That should be enough. Probably."
I look at AR-15.
"She's really good at scavenging parts together." She says.
Sop grins, showing her sharp canines. "I made this arm myself!" And raises her obviously mechanical arm.
"Then, I'll trust you to do that." I swallow my saliva. "P90? S.A.T.8?"
"Yep!"
"Yes, Commander?"
"We have the stupid duty of playing the distraction."
"Oh!" P90 steps forward and grins. "What're we doing?"
"We have to go out there and distract the Doppelsöldner so it doesn't get out of the way of the falling building. Buildings take deceptively long to fall."
I had watched an apartment complex get demolished when I was younger, and from the initial blast to the building slamming into the ground was a few seconds. More than enough time for the Doppelsöldner to get out of the way.
"Ah..." S.A.T. looks at me guiltily. "I'm not exactly quick on my feet. I don't think I would be of much use out there."
"No matter. You go with SV-98 and Tokarev. AR-15-"
"We need someone listening to Paradeus comms." AR-15 interrupts. "I-"
"You can do that, sure." I look around. "Everyone else clear?"
"That's not what I was going to say-" AR-15's eye twitches.
S.A.T. Nods at my words. "I'll make sure everyone gets out safely."
"Okay." I take a deep breath. "Okay, we can do this."
"You sure about this, Commander?" P90 asks.
"Huh?"
"I mean, you don't have to go out there to play chicken with a Doppelsöldner." She elaborates. "I'll probably be able to handle that myself."
"Yeah, but if you're the only one out there... well, that thing's terrifying. I wouldn't want to be alone out there."
P90 looks like she's about to say something else, but AR-15 interrupts. "No time for debate, they're almost here."
"I found a rear passage!" SV-98's voice comes through the radio. "It leads out to the alley beside the building."
I tap my throat to activate the transmitter. "Can you poke your head out and see where the Doppelsöldner is?"
"Yes. Er, Tokarev, if you would..."
After a few seconds, Tokarev's voice comes through my headset. "It's waiting about twenty meters from the entrance of the building. It's probably on standby."
"Alright." I look around. "Anyone have anything to say?"
Sop gives my arm a squeeze before hopping to her feet.
"This is gonna be SO MUCH FUN!"
AR-15 hands me the M16 back. "You might need this."
I take the rifle, noting that it actually feels lighter now that my arm is back in its proper position. It doesn't hurt at all anymore. "Thank you."
"Just don't die." She says.
"Don't plan on it." I give her a halfhearted grin, and to my surprise a tiny smile crosses her lips.
"Reinforcements are in sight!" Tokarev reports.
"Aw, shit." I turn to the front ramp and start running, P90 on my heels. I pass Sop, already dragging one of the fallen Rodeleros to the main pillar in the center of the parking garage.
P90 pulls up beside me. "If I still remember this conversation when we get back to base, remind me to give you a present."
"Eh?"
She grins, and suddenly, there's three of her... and two more of me.
"What?"
"Holograms! Now it won't immediately know which of us is real." P90 says.
"I- Good thinking." I face forwards. We're almost at the ramp. "Let's hope it's enough."
"You must be joking." Commander Gentiane shakes her head. "That's crazy talk."
"It's the only way I can think for me to be of any use." I shake my head sadly. "I can't command anyone from the back lines, from in here I can't do anything either, and what happens if the train gets destroyed? The KCCO are still out there, following us."
Gentiane looks at me critically. "I can see the merit, but if you do this... there's no coming back."
I stare at my left hand, replaced with a mechanical one two weeks ago and also my chest, recently swapped out with a haphazard iron lung.
"If it means less burden for the dolls... I don't think I care."
P90 and I hit the ramp and leap out into the sunlight at the same time, the holographic clones leaping out in different directions.
The Doppelsöldner immediately starts moving, cannons moving to track different groups.
I sprint right past the giant mech, planning to run past its right leg and get behind it. P90, or at least one of the holograms, is repeating the action on the giant's left side.
As I get close enough that it's more likely to step on me than shoot me, I raise my own weapon up, and squeeze the trigger.
Bullets ping off of the armor and the unit turns to face me.
I curse and turn to bolt, running for the gap in the road, currently spacious enough for a Doppelsöldner to follow through.
One of the holograms of me is obliterated by one of the cannons on the mech with a deafening boom.
Those cannons are cheating.
I manage to make it through the gap and hide behind the burned out tank, which is slightly more warped than when we got here, no doubt from the Doppelsöldner's earlier barrage. "P90!"
Her and her holograms scramble over the wreckage, barely making it over the blockade without getting blasted into oblivion.
"AR-15, what's the status?"
"Sop's about halfway done rigging something to explode. Where do you want us to set it off?"
"Somewhere near the front so the building collapses into the street." I say.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see P90's holograms popping out of cover and taking potshots at the mech.
"Okay, I'm looking for a solution-"
"Commander, reinforcements behind you!" comes SV-98's voice.
I look back to see some more Paradeus units coming around the corner. Shit, I'm on the enemy side of the checkpoint. I spot SV-98, Tokarev and S.A.T.8 poking their heads out of the alley between our building on the next building over.
"You three, try to hold them off. If you need to back out, give me a heads up. Don't be heroes."
"You're one to talk!" Tokarev complains.
I barely have time to register them firing a barrage before P90 shouts at me. "INCOMING!"
I glance up to see missiles arcing through the air.
FUCK
I bolt, but the missile impacts behind me, blowing me forwards. I roll down the street until I collide with one of the Paradeus troops, dead.
"Owww..."
Also, I let go of my gun, again. I need a strap or something so I stop losing it. I manage to scoop it up and make sure it's still functional.
Still, there's a giant robot behind me, and a small army in front. No time to sit here. I scramble to my feet, barely getting up in time to avoid a cannon blast that completely obliterates the corpse that had stopped my roll. My vision is obscured briefly as P90 creates more holograms around me, splitting off in slightly different directions to provide a distraction.
AR-15's voice comes over the radio again. "Sop's done! We're hauling it into position now!"
"Great!" I shout. "Don't detonate it until the next missile barrage hits! Don't give it time to react!"
"You realize that means we have to wait for another barrage?" AR-15 snarls. "Are you suicidal?"
"No, but we can't afford to have it escape!" I yell back and dodge to the side as one of my clones is obliterated by a cannon shell, disappearing into particles of light. I'm so glad the Doppelsöldner can't tell between the real me and the holograms.
"You- Fine! Sop, how many grenades do you have left?"
"Only two." Sop says sadly.
"Alright, save one for detonating this mess. Let's go!"
"YEAH!"
I turn sharply to avoid another blast and notice I can see the two coming out of the parking garage, Sop already pointing her rifle at the exposed back of the Doppelsöldner.
As I duck back into cover, Sop's grenade launcher goes off and the Doppelsöldner is illuminated from behind by an explosion.
It staggers slightly, rotating to aim one of its cannons at the two T-dolls running back towards base.
P90 one again bolts past me. "MOVE!" and another cannon blast follows her, blowing a clone-
All of the holograms fade away as what must be the real P90 goes flying and slams into the wall of the opposing building.
"P90!" I shout.
No response.
I turn back to see the Doppelsöldner open its rocket pods once again.
"S-SOP! GET READY!" I raise my rifle and start firing uselessly against the mech, its attention divided between our two groups. As I fire, I edge closer to where P90 flew to. I have to make sure she's okay. I have to!
The missile barrage launches, and I barely register Sop launching her final grenade down into the parking garage.
The missile hail once again comes crashing down and once again I'm sent flying. This time, I land on my backpack, sending a spike of pain through my spine.
I can't even register my environment. Everything hurts, and I feel like my leg is on fire. When I finally drag my eyes open, there's a chunk of metal sticking out of my calf.
A shadow passes overhead and I look up to see the building is indeed toppling over, the Doppelsöldner itself rotating to watch its impending doom.
Looks like it's gonna come down on top of me, too. If I was a twenty meters further away-
Shit.
I look around, and I spot P90 about five meters away. I muster all of my strength and grit my teeth, dashing over and leaping over her as the building comes crashing down.
Through my radio, a few screams of "COMMANDER!" blare into my eardrum.
I cover P90 with my body, and close my eyes.
The build comes down around me with a thunderous roar, and I wait for the blinding pain.
And wait.
And wait.
The thunderous noise stops.
I crack open an eye.
Crouched next to me, blue shield surrounding all three of us, is S.A.T.8. She smiles at me, panting heavily. "M-made it."
I look up at the debris threatening to come down on top of us.
"COMMANDER!" Sop screams into her radio. "ARE YOU OKAY?!" The radio signal is crackly, likely from the layers of concrete and steel between us.
"I-I'm okay." I cough on the dust. "S.A.T. shielded us."
"I would appreciate being dug out though." S.A.T. says. "My shield won't hold forever."
"Coming!"
"Uh, Commander? The other Paradeus forces are still here." SV-98's voice comes through the radio. Her voice is sounding pretty panicky as well.
My heart sinks. "Can you hold them off?"
"Not for long. Not without reinforcements."
"Shit."
"Don't worry Commander, I'm gonna dig you out of there!" Sop declares.
I look at S.A.T.8. She's emitting a lot of heat, and her panting is getting faster. I have a feeling she can't hold her shield up for much longer. "No, Sop. Help SV-98 and Tokarev."
"But-!"
"You'll never get us out in time." I object. I pull myself to my feet and grab P90. She's surprisingly light. "S.A.T., see that alcove?" I jerk my chin at a hollow formed by the debris.
"Yes."
"You collapse your shield and we head for that."
"O-Okay." She nods. "Hurry."
"On three. One. Two. Three!"
I count down and then use the last of my strength to toss myself and P90 at the alcove.
S.A.T. also dives to the side, the shields attached to her hips repositioning even as the blue shield dissipates.
The rubble above us shifts, crumbling down now that its support is cut off.
S.A.T.'s physical shields are pulled into position to hold one of the I-beams from crashing down on us. The I-beam comes down hard, tearing one of the shields in half, but the second one holds.
I hold my breath for a few seconds, watching the dust settle.
Around us, the former building crumbles and groans ominously, but nothing comes down to crush us.
"Commander?"
I look down to see P90 grinning up at me.
"Oh... oh thank god." I collapse to the ground. "You're okay."
"For certain values of okay." P90 says jovially. "Neither of my arms are connected. My left leg is a bit shorter than usual too."
"But you're alive." I say. I glance over at S.A.T., who's currently trying to extract herself from her shields. "You keep saving me. Thank you."
"It's... what I'm good at." She says, still huffing and finally getting herself free, lying down beside the two of us. There's not much space to sit up. "Think nothing of it."
"I appreciate it."
"Is everyone okay!?" AR-15's voice comes through the comms.
"Yeah, more or less." I say. Right, not out of the woods yet. "What's the situation?"
"I don't think we're going to be able to hold off for long."
"Commander, what should we do?" Sop begs. "I can't get to you!"
"Just retreat for now." I sigh. "We're not going anywhere. Wait for backup and come dig us out once Paradeus is gone."
"But-"
"Sop, you can't dig them out if you get shot when digging." AR-15 admonishes Sop. "Commander, I'll rendezvous with SV and Tokarev and get out of here. I've marked where you are and I'll get reinforcements."
"Thanks. Good luck."
I close my eyes.
"Owww."
"Are you okay?" P90 rolls onto her stomach with her one good leg.
"Yeah, just... my leg." I slide my knee close so I can look at it. "Looks like I'm not completely unscathed.
"Do you have any medical supplies?" S.A.T. asks.
"No... never got a chance to load them up." I sigh once again, and realize I'm starting to shake again. "S-So, I may not have medical supplies, but does anyone want a snack?"