The ventilation fan whirred softly in the small shaft that the Commander and ST AR-15 had taken shelter in, the muffled sounds of scrambling footsteps and garbled chatter sounding below. The intersection of the shafts had given them an opening just wide enough to allow them to sit upright while they got their bearings.
"Damn it, where the fuck did they go?!"
"They couldn't have gone far - lock down this sector and search every corner!"
"Sergeant, we found Allen. He was out cold and stripped of his uniform."
"Damn it! Well, at least he's alive. Put people on every exit, don't let anyone through without my permission."
"Rog, Sergeant."
As the chatter and footsteps gradually grew distant, the Commander finally spoke. "Well, haven't done this in a while..."
STAR nodded "Same. This kind of stuff is usually 404's job..."
"At least it's nice that Kalina cares whether or not her people get asphyxiated. After the last few hours, I don't really know what to expect from her anymore..."
"Secret underground bunkers...Mechs...Her own private army...And this was all funded by Shi Jun spending all his money on her side operation?"
"That about covers it." The Commander deadpanned.
"I...don't even have the words..." STAR sighed.
"Man, this makes the whole Type-95 incident look mundane..."
"Wait." STAR interjected. "What 'incident'?"
"Oh, right...you weren't there for that." The Commander shook his head as he recalled. "Alright, you remember that Chinese Commander that was coming onboard a nearby station? Not Shi Jun, the other guy...Can't even remember his name."
"Oh...yeah, yeah, I know who you're talking about."
"Yeah, so, apparently he and Type-95 had a thing going on behind closed doors."
"Oh, did they get caught?"
"Let me get to that. So, anyways, Type-95 goes to put on a performance in a Green Zone - some kind of charity event or something, and afterwards a fan of hers sends her a thank you letter as well as a gift, an instrument, I think. She wrote him a letter in response as a thank you, just thanking him for the gift and saying something about how she considers her fans friends and all that."
"And that got her in trouble?" STAR questioned.
"Well, that Commander finds out, and in his books, this is literally cheating. He flips his lid, starts pushing to try to have her recycled, starts harassing IOP and accusing them of deliberately programming dolls to be unfaithful harlots, left the company a one-star review for some reason..."
"Oh, shit, did he actually have her..."
The Commander shook his head. "He disappeared the next day. As far as Helian is concerned, the guy realized he fucked up and made himself scarce...Type 97 did stop by my office a couple days later though, and instead of the zongzis she'd bring me every now and again, she had a serving of some kind of stew. Apparently her group had found some extra meat rations, and she had enough to make stew for everyone..."
STAR's brows slowly raised.
"I passed on it..." The Commander added.
"...Can't blame you." STAR affirmed with a nod.
"So, yeah, we're not going to be seeing him at the company Christmas party."
"One less excuse for you to not get me something nice, at least. You owe me big for this, you know."
"It would help if you made a list, Star...And you actually waited until Christmas instead of just maxing out your credit card."
"Pff, whatever." STAR muttered dismissively.
STAR switched her eyes to sonar-vision, the waves pulsed through the shaft into the floor below them, highlighting the personnel below them in white.
"Alright...they're moving on. We should too." She said, before she grabbed the pistol in her Merc uniform's holster. "Here, before I forget." The Doll handed over the handgun, which the Commander accepted without hesitation.
Glock 20, Generation 10...Aimpoint ACRO optic...
The Commander released the magazine and let it drop into his palm. Holding the magazine up, the Commander's eyes went to the hollowed-out tip of the bullet resting between the feed-lips, turning the magazine forward, he scanned down the back and saw the primer glinting softly through the witness-hole marked "14". He slide the magazine back inside and gave it a light tap before he gripped the front serrations on the slide, pulling it back slightly until he caught sight of the brass case receding from the chamber. He released the slide, then gave it a light smack on the back to make sure it was in battery.
It was no rifle, but as far as handguns went, it was hard to complain.
Stranded behind enemy lines with nothing but a pistol...If God had a sense of humor, he sure loved running gags.
"Here, this too - you need it more than I do." STAR handed over the Merc's FAST helmet.
"Right, your skull's so thick it's IIIA rated." The Commander jeered.
"Being an Elite T-Doll has its- Hey, wait, fuck you." STAR hissed, prompting the Commander to let out a small laugh.
STAR grumbled. "You know my base layer and core orders were wiped, right? I could just leave you here..."
"But you won't."
"Tch, unfortunately..."
The Commander looked around at the junction of small shafts around them. "So, where to now?"
"I clocked the security room on my way to you, if we can get there silently, we can figure a way out from there, maybe lift some lockdowns or open some doors." STAR surmised.
The Commander exhaled and steeled himself for the clusterfuck that was sure to follow. "Just another day at the office, right?"
It was only a short while later that they reached their destination. Through the grate, one could easily make out the lone figure sitting at the monitoring station, silhouetted by the bright light of the assortment of screens
STAR's fingers slowly coiled around the bars lining the ventilation cover, she gently jarred it lose and slowly slid it aside, taking care not to make a sound in the process.
The doll slowly crept forward, silently unsheathing her blade as she intently encroached on the figure. The air grew still as she grew closer and closer, STAR held her breath as she finally came within arms' length of her target...
And then she struck - violently seizing the figure by the shoulder and wrenching it backwards, the chair toppled over as the figure in it was thrown to the floor. Her knife at the ready, STAR immediately plunged it down straight towards its neck, but suddenly - she hesitated...
A feeling of shame washed over her as she caught sight of the figure's face...or rather, the lack thereof, and realized quickly that she was kneeling over a mannequin, the same kind one would see at a department store...
STAR sighed angrily before turning her gaze back to the vent. "Not a fucking word, Commander..."
After crawling out of the vent, the Commander merely shook his head as he made his way to her side. "You're lucky Dandelion isn't here right now..."
Suddenly, the monitors flickered, changing from the feeds of the various cameras to a single feed - one of Kalina sitting cheerfully in what looked to be some kind of cockpit. "Gotcha now, Commander! Ehehe!"
"Damn it, Kalina! Enough of this! How are you going to explain this to Helian?! If she finds out what you've done, you'll be lucky if you only lose your job!" The Commander snapped.
"I don't need Griffin & Kryuger anymore, Commander! Now that you're here, I have everything I've ever wanted! I just need to make sure you don't go scurrying off again. I'll admit, it was quite the oversight to not account for your little friend coming to save you, but I'll see to it that we'll have no more of that!" Kalina beamed joyfully.
With that, the monitor went blank, and suddenly an ear-piercing pitch squealed from the Commander and STAR's communicators, causing them to wince in pain before the noise turned into a buzzing of static that slowly faded to nothing. The Commander tried to reactivate his communicator to no avail - the device was dead, along with it the idea of contacting anyone outside.
"Argh..." STAR grumbled as she recovered from the noise. "What the hell was that?"
The Commander continued to gaze at the dead communicator. "The video killed the radio, Star-"
THWACK
"Ow! Fuck!" The Commander cried out as STAR smacked him on the back of the head, nearly pushing his helmet up over his eyes.
"Don't even start, you asked for that one." STAR asserted.
The Commander grumbled as he readjusted his helmet. "So...Kalina knew we'd be here..."
"She's worked with you the longest out of all of us, Commander, didn't you think it likely that she'd know our S.O.P.?" STAR questioned.
Suddenly, the Commander began feeling very stupid. "Right...So why didn't you say anything on the way over here?"
"I...kind of forgot too..." STAR admitted reluctantly.
The Commander pressed his face into the palm of his hand and sighed weightily. "...We're bad at our job."
"...And that means we've walked into a trap." STAR deduced.
"...Yup." The Commander affirmed.
As if on cue, the door to the room burst open, a squad of Mercs rapidly filing into the room. "Freeze, asshole!"
"Shield your eyes, Commander." STAR ordered suddenly as a black cylindrical object whizzed from her hand.
"Wha-"
BANG
a blinding light seared the Commander's vision, and a deafening bang cranked his tinnitus up to the maximum setting.
"Argh! God damn it!" The Commander cried out before he felt a strong arm nearly sweep him from his feet and pull him away at lightning speeds.
The Mercs quickly recovered from being stunned, their gaze rapidly shifting around the room. "Damn it, where'd they-"
A loud thumping sound caught their attention, they quickly turned to the source to find the Commander's legs kicking and thrashing around as he was being pulled inside of a vent.
"Damn it, Star! Not so rough, you're about to rip my arm off!" The Commander cried out as the T-Doll pulled him in.
One of the Mercs sprung forward, dashing towards the Commander's legs. "Oh no you don't!"
The Merc dove forward, just in time for the pair of legs to rapidly recede into the shaft and disappear into the darkness.
CLANG
The Merc slammed head-first into the wall, sending him thudding to the floor. "Aaarrggghhh!" He cried out in pain as he clasped his head, writhing around on the floor. "Is my life a fucking cartoon?!"
"Did you mange to trace that transmission before she cut it off?" The Commander asked as he and STAR scrambled through the vents
"I tracked the source of it to the hangar, but you're not seriously thinking of going after her, are you? She's completely gone off her nut!"
"All the more reason why we need to talk some sense into her, Star! Who knows what kind of trouble she's going to get herself into if we don't get her to stand down?"
STAR quietly turned her gaze down, her eyes shifting indecisively.
"Star...Trust me. We'll find her, talk her down, and get her to make her people stand down and let us walk out of here without a fight. It's probably our best shot of getting out of here anyway..."
STAR let out a resigned sigh. "Alright...follow my lead."
Powering up...
Closing hatch...
Pilot secured...
WARNING: No augmentations detected on pilot. Switching to manual control mode...
Welcome, New User of AC-3874.
The AC-3874 Assault Artillery Mech is a first-class pride of the Blunderbuss Group. Visit our store for more exciting offerings!
"IIIIIIIt's showtime!" Kalina cackled.
The mech wrenched loose from its mountings, sheering beams of steel from the walls and sending them raining down to the floor below.
Battle Analysis Suggestion: Pilot should read manual before operating this unit.
"Ehehehe, you're mine now, Commander!"
After verifying it was clear, STAR kicked the vent cover off its mountings, sending it plummeting to the floor. She and the Commander discretely hopped out, hugging the shadows on the sides of the dark, spacious corridor.
"This hall should take us straight to the hangar bay...I know we've come all the way here, but are you sure you're up for this?" STAR asked.
The Commander nodded determinedly. "Even if she's lost her way, Kalina's still one of us. We can't just turn our back on our own, even if it seems like they've turned their back on us. I didn't with you, I didn't with M16, and I won't now. I'm not going to run from this."
STAR nodded slowly, the same determination manifesting in her eyes. "Right...Running isn't our style. We'll face this head on, and we'll get through it - just like we always do."
STAR extended her hand, the Commander slapped his palm into hers, their hands clasping together in a firm shake.
"Let's do this." The Commander resolved.
As they approached the hangar doors, however, a thunderous CLANG sounded from the other side.
BANG
The massive reinforced steel doors suddenly warped and deformed under the force of something massive and powerful repeatedly smashing against it. The Commander and STAR found themselves slowly stepping backwards as a large metal "hand" punched through the center, peeling the two doors apart like they were made of clay. The sound of grinding metal screeched through the hall as the towering mech wrenched the doors apart.
"I've found you, Commander! There's nowhere to escape to, now. It is time for an all new...Kalina Corner!"
Kalina's deranged laughter rang through the mech's PA speaker, sending chills surging through both the Commander and STAR.
"I changed my mind, RUN FOR IT!" The Commander cried out.
In a flash, STAR and the Commander turned heel and bolted off in the opposite direction.
"The hard way it is, then! So be it, it'll be much more exciting this way!" Kalina cackled gleefully as the mech stumbled forward, clumsily grinding against the walls as it struggled to keep straight.
Battle Analysis Suggestion: Do not walk into things.
The floor quaked beneath the duo as they ran as fast as their legs could carry them, each step of the towering mechanical beast sending tremors through the facility. Reaching the end of the corridor, they quickly turned the corner to be greeted by a squad of Mercs training their muzzles on them.
"Hey, stop right there!" One of them called out.
The Commander and STAR, however, paid no mind to them as they continued unabated.
"RUN!" The Commander shouted to the Merc as he passed by.
"What the hell?" The befuddled Merc uttered out as he watched them blitz right past him, only to be greeted by the sight of a massive AC lumbering straight towards them.
Battle Analysis Suggestion: Conserve ammunition by walking over low-threat organic targets.
The Mercs began slowly stepping back and they gazed up at the mech. "Oh, screw this!" One of them shouted out before they quickly turned and broke into a run.
"Damn it, which way?!" The Commander huffed out.
"Anywhere that takes us up!" STAR shouted back.
"There! Stairwell! Stairwell!" The Commander cried out.
The two frantically scrambled through the door, immediately charging up the staircase, panting frantically as they clambered their way up the steps.
"AAAHHH-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, JUST WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?!" A maniacal laugh sounded from the other side of the wall.
CRASH
The mech's hand smashed through the wall on the landing behind them, narrowly missing the Commander as it clambered for something to grab.
"JESUS, FUCK!" The Commander yelled out.
"Keep running, don't stop!" STAR commanded.
The sounds of smashing walls and twisting metal drowned out the Commander's frantic breathing as everything meshed together into a chaotic blur, all the Commander could focus on was pushing himself forward no matter what, not daring to look back.
The Commander wouldn't have been able to tell you how many flights of stairs they ascended or how long it had taken them, all he could say was that the next thing he knew, he was outside, heaving in exhaustion outside of a small outbuilding...And his T-Doll companion screaming in his ear.
"Commander! Commander! Come on! Don't give up on me now! Damn it, Commander, what?! Do you need me to princess carry you?! Yeah, why don't I do that? I'll tell everybody at the base all about it, I'll even record it on my zener and send it straight to MDR! Is that what you want?!"
"Ngh...Alright...I'm going!..." The Commander scraped together what could at least pass as a second-wind and kept running towards the road.
BOOM
A massive explosion from behind rocked the earth, a massive cloud of dust arose from the ground, chunks of rock sent flying in every direction...and then, a familiar AC shot straight out from it, rocketing to the sky before plummeting to the ground below, sending another shockwave through the ground as it slammed into the field below.
Battle Analysis Suggestion: Ensure the area is clear of obstructions before activating vertical thrusters
The Commander felt STAR smack him on the shoulder, he quickly turned to see her gesturing towards a red Ferrari F12 that had been parked nearby "Over there! Quick!"
Not wasting another moment, the two sprinted down the road towards the parked car with all their stamina. STAR swiftly hacked into the vehicle's systems as they barreled towards it, popping open the locks and rolling down the windows. STAR quickly threw open the driver's side door and jumped into the driver's seat, the Commander threw himself through the open passenger window and into the car.
"Go go go go go!" The Commander frantically ordered.
The V12 roared to life, the tires squealed as the Ferrari peeled out of the parking space and zoomed down the road.
As the Commander sat up in the passenger seat, he could see in the mirror a man who looked to be Chinese wearing a pair of dark-framed glasses sprinting after them.
"Hey, that's my car!" The man angrily cried out as the Ferrari sped off.
The man silently seethed with rage as he watched the taillights recede into the distance, he yanked a small phone out of his pocket and speed-dialed one of his contacts without so much as taking his eyes off the road. "Imoko...Cancel all of today's meetings..."
With STAR's foot pinned to the floor, the Ferrari powered through its early gears as it accelerated down the road. The Commander fumbled for his seatbelt as the car picked up more and more speed.
Unfortunately, as fast as the car was going, the Commander looked in the mirror, and realized to his horror that the AC was not only still visible, but gaining on them rapidly...
"Hello, everyone! Welcome to your weekly...KALIIINA CORNER!" Kalina gleefully chirped into the streaming camera in the cockpit. "Boy have I got the products for you this week! Are annoying nuisances driving you crazy? Are you tired of holding yourself back? Don't get frustrated, get Armored to the Core with the new AC Assault Artillery Mech! The fastest, easiest, safest way to remove any obstacle in your way, guaranteed! From your annoying ex, to rush hour traffic, nothing can withstand the overwhelming firepower you'll bring to the table with this baby! Let me show you how it works - watch this!"
The Commander watched in horror as the massive energy cannon on the mech's left shoulder aligned its muzzle with them, and began to charge.
"STAR!" The Commander cried out.
"I see it."
The Ferrari swerved just in time to dodge the blast of energy that shot straight towards them. The pulse whizzed past them and slammed into the road in front of them. The tires squealed as the car swerved again, narrowly avoiding the explosion as it blasted a hole in the earth, turning the point of impact into a large crater.
The Commander held on for dear life as STAR narrowly regained control from the slide. "Son of a bitch!"
Kalina grimaced internally as she saw the shot miss its mark.
Battle Analysis Suggestion: Use of a more skilled pilot is recommended to utilize this unit's full potential
"But I'm not done yet! The AC is also equipped with a collection of high-powered thrusters, to get you on your way no matter where you're going! Don't let traffic, red lights, or pedestrians stop you!"
With that, Kalina's hand went to the boost throttle...
Battle Analysis Suggestion: Avoid using afterburners in areas of high traffic to prevent unnecessary casualties.
...And slammed it forward.
Fire spewed from the back of the AC's torso and legs as the afterburner kicked in, its legs grinded against the pavement as it launched itself forward, gliding across the ground and rapidly picking up speed.
The Ferrari had to be pushing at least 120 by now, but the Commander could still see the AC gaining rapidly in the mirror, the machine gun in its left hand rising up and training its muzzle towards them.
A Y junction laid ahead, STAR veered to the right side, but at the last second, she juked to the left, sending the AC rocketing past them down the right side road. That wasn't enough, however. The Commander turned to see the AC matching their pace through the gaps in the buildings, the machine guns muzzle trained squarely on them.
Debris erupted from the road and buildings around them, a series of deafening rumbles reverberated from the adjacent street as the bullets impacted around them. Chunks of rubble and shards of broken glass rained down from the buildings, each shot kicked up a massive cloud of dust as it turned the pavement into gravel. STAR struggled to keep the vehicle under control as the swerved to avoid the relentless barrage of high caliber gunfire that seemed to go on forever.
"Damn it! I'm really missing my communicator right now, we need to call this in to the others!" The Commander lamented.
STAR continued to swerve frantically as more gunfire erupted from every alley and side-street they passed. "I don't think we need to, Commander, I'm pretty sure someone's noticed this by now..."
"Chief! A giant mech is rampaging through downtown, we need to scramble everybody we can for this!" An officer urgently cried over the phone.
The man at the end of the line however, was completely unfazed, and only let out a small sigh. "Is it colored white?"
"No, sir, it's not white like the others, this one is green, but why-"
"Green is acceptable too, leave it be." The Chief interjected.
"Sir, it's destroying everything in its path! We can't just sit by and-" The officer tried to protest before being cut off again.
"You can and you will. Don't call here again unless there are big bucks involved." The Chief sternly commanded before slamming the phone onto its hook. "...Shit, did I say the big bucks part out loud?"
The butler holding the silver-tray that the phone was resting on gave a small bow before excusing himself, leaving the Chief alone in the large hot-tub with the pair of supermodels. After adjusting his necklace adorned with large diamonds, he leaned back and let out a contented sigh, looking upon the large bags of money that lined the sides of the room stacked to the ceiling, as well as the bills of currency bulging from the various drawers and cabinets in his office.
"She stopped shooting..." The Commander uttered, the silence only serving to unease him even more. There was absolutely no telling what was going through Kalina's head at this point.
STAR remained quiet, gripping the steering wheel tensely as she concentrated on the road with laser focus. The Ferrari continued to pick up speed as she tried to gain as much of a gap as she could between them and their unseen assailant.
Suddenly, at the next intersection, the mech rocketed out in front of them, kicking up a massive cloud of debris as it skidded to a halt directly in their path.
"Shit!" STAR cried out as she floored the brake pedal, the tires squealed loudly as the Commander was jammed against the seatbelt, he could feel all the blood in his body being pulled forward as the car screeched to a halt.
As the Commander quickly regained his composure, his eyes went to the machine gun in the AC's left arm, and realized something. "The belt's empty...is she out of ammo?"
It was then that the ammunition box suddenly detached from the weapon and slammed to the floor with enough force to create a small tremor.
"But wait, there's more!" The AC's PA cheerfully chimed out as it pulled out another box, a loaded belt of ammunition dangling out of the top. "If you call right now, I'll double the offer!"
"Back up, Star, back up!"
STAR threw the Ferrari into reverse, the car lurched backwards as the engine spooled up.
The AC slammed the fresh ammo box into the gun's magazine catch. "For the same low price of just nineteen ninety-nine!"
The vehicle continued to race down the road in reverse as the Mech slung the ammunition belt into the weapon's action. After the car picked up some speed, STAR threw the wheel to the side, the car's front skidded as it rapidly spun to the opposite direction. Slamming the car into drive, she floored the accelerator.
"Star, the alley! The alley!" The Commander yelled urgently, the sight of the Mech training its freshly loaded machine gun on them in the mirror sending his adrenaline into overdrive.
The Ferrari veered sharply into the narrow alley, the rear tires pushing the brink of an oversteer. The alley barely had clearance for the width of the vehicle, but Star continued full speed ahead nonetheless, chicaning through the assortment of obstacles with millimeters to spear. Star might drive like a maniac, but a maniac was exactly what they needed right now. In another life, she could have possibly made it as a rally driver.
The Commander breathed a sigh of relief as the exit of the alley approached rapidly. His relief however, would soon be replaced with despair as he heard the rotors of a helicopter approaching rapidly. The sound only grew louder and louder until it was practically shaking the car.
When the Commander saw it, his stomach dropped. The chopper was massive, twin rotors on both sides as well as two arms, each adorned with gargantuan missile launcher tubes and chainguns. It was nothing like any attack helicopter he had ever seen, that thing was designed like it was meant to take on a battleship.
"There you are, you miserable scoundrels. You think you can take my car?! I will take your lives!" The Chopper's PA blared out.
"Jesus Christ, who the fuck did we just carjack?!" The Commander cried out.
The chopper quickly flew down the road in front of them, and the Commander caught sight of something dropping from the chopper and landing on the road.
The small object quickly expanded across the road - two bars lined with spikes had protruded from both sides of it.
"Spike strip! Spike strip!" The Commander shouted.
"I see it!" STAR affirmed before violently swerving around it.
The tires skidded once again as the Ferrari narrowly avoided the strip. Even if the strip didn't get them, this car was probably going to need new tires if it survived this chase...
The helicopter continued to hover a distance in front of them, a set of bay doors on its hull parted open, followed by a series of flaming barrels rolling out of them and clattering down to the road.
"Oh, what the fuck?!" The Commander exclaimed in bewilderment.
The barrels landed and littered the road ahead, turning it into a deadly obstacle course. STAR didn't back down from the challenge, she weaved through the barrels at high speed while the Commander tensed up in his seat. A series of bombastic rumbled sounded behind them as the barrels began to detonate one by one. It was only when he felt the car finally straighten out, that the Commander slowly let out a sigh of relief.
The pilot of the chopper grumbled after seeing the Ferrari emerge unscathed from the sea of smoke and fire that engulfed the road behind them. He ripped the control stick and spun the chopper wildly around to face them, and then moved his hand to a series of switches.
Launcher 1 - "Love": ARMED
Launcher 2 - "Hope": ARMED
Sparks and plumes of smoke erupted from every corner of the helicopter as more missile than the Commander could count launched from the helicopter in a sunburst pattern, soaring into the air and pivoting towards the car.
The Commander could only mouth a curse as the swarm of missiles clustered together and barreled towards them at mach speed. STAR's eyes followed the missiles, she jinked the car at the last moment. Successions of blasts impacted the road on both sides of the car as it swerved, shaking the car violently from the shockwaves.
"Jesus Christ! Is this guy from the fucking pentagon?!" The Commander cried out.
"How many eccentric billionaires with blank checks from the defense department does this city have?!" STAR followed up.
Suddenly, further ahead, a brick wall on the roadside was suddenly smashed outward, a massive armored vehicle emerged from the cloud of smoke and debris and rotated its autocannon towards them.
"Uhlan!" The Commander called out.
"What the fuck?! We killed William and his father, what the hell is Paradeus still-" STAR was cut off by the sight of Kalina's AC rocketed into the view of the rearview mirror.
"Ehehe, how do you like my new friends, Commander? All those poor Paradeus units were just wandering around the yellow zone, but now they've got a new home, and they're gonna make me a killing!" The AC's PA chirped out.
The Commander's eyes widened. "...My aid commissions! That's what happened to them?! That bitch!"
Veering out of the autocannon's line of fire, the Ferrari rocketed past the IFV, which quickly accelerated and gave chase.
It had gone from one on one, to two on one, to three on one. How long until they added one for fun?
RO635 couldn't say how much time had passed, only that more and more dolls had been gathered round, unwittingly sucked into the 'hostage situation' as the TV marathon continued. AK-15 continued to watch them like a hawk, her terrifying presence dissuading anybody and everybody from even trying to slip away.
"Pss...RO" One of the dolls quietly got RO's attention.
"Hm?" RO turned to see Type 64 sitting next to her. "Sixty-Four? What is it?"
64 hesitated before speaking again. "Its just...People saw you come back here without the Commander, and they're starting to talk...Are the rumors true? Did the Commander really leave the company and retire to a Green Zone?"
"Absolutely not!" RO snapped defensively. "Don't let rumors like that get the better of you, Sixty-Four. The Commander might not show it, but he loves his job! As long and treacherous as the last couple of years have been, the battles we fought together, the memories we've all made, the bonds we've formed fighting alongside one-another, none of us here would trade that for anything, even - no, especially the Commander!"
"FUCK THIS JOB!" The Commander cried out as the Ferrari continued racing ahead of the tank, helicopter, and AC that chased after them in hot pursuit. "WHY DIDN'T I TAKE THAT FUCKING GREEN ZONE CARD?! WHY DID I RENEW MY DAMNED CONTRACT?! NO, FUCK IT! WHY DID I EVEN COME HERE?!"
Another shot from the autocannon impacting near them only emboldened the Commander to rant further. "Yeah! Go private! Sign on with a PMC! Get sent to Eastern Europe to fight a bunch of Terminators dressed like strippers! Get caught up in a civil war and get dragged into a global conspiracy because some scientist stuffed some James Bond Villain's sister's brain into a robot and entrusted her under your command! What's not to love?!"
The Commander heaved loudly after his rant finished.
"Feel better?" STAR deadpanned.
"Much, thank you."
Another blast struck near them, STAR's head smacked into the steering wheel as she was violently jarred from the shockwave.
"Star!" The Commander yelled.
STAR groaned, clutching her head with one hand. "Nnnggh...W-Watashi wa daijōbudesu"
The Commander raised a brow. "What?!"
"Watashi wa daijōbuda to iimashita!" STAR yelled back.
"...Your language settings got scrambled, didn't they?" The Commander sighed.
STAR let out an exasperated grumble. "Kyō wa masumasu yoku natte kimashita..."
"Well, that's just swell..." The Commander grumbled.
The Commander's eyes turned to the rearview mirror, and to his horror, the profile of the IFV was slowly getting larger. "What the fuck?! Is that thing gaining on us?!"
"Paradeusu ni nani o kitai shite imashita ka?" STAR shot back.
The Commander nodded along. "Yeah, this is bullshit."
STAR groaned and shook her head.
Up ahead lay a series of tight S curves, but STAR continued blasting ahead at full speed.
"Star! You're going in too fast!"
"Kore motteru yo!"
The entry to the turn came closer and closer, the doll's eyes narrowed as she finalized her approach.
The Ferrari's taillights flared up as its driver slammed on the brake, the engine roared as it was shifted into a lower gear. The rear tires were thrown off their traction as the car's weight was violently shifted, and the car was thrown into a slide. The tires squealed and kicked up a trail of smoke as the car threw itself around the corner, the engine screamed and stuttered as the tachometer needle bounced on the border of the redline. After the car flew past the apex, it began to straighten out.
"Heh." STAR grinned contently.
Her relief, however, was short-lived. A shower of sparks in the mirror caught her attention.
"N-Nani?!"
The Uhlan came flying around the corner sideways, its treads grinding on the pavement, a sea of smoke and sparks in its trail. The Uhlan quickly veered itself straight and back under control almost effortly.
"K-Kansei Dorifuto?!" STAR shouted in disbelief.
"Yes, Star...'Dorifto' indeed..." The Commander matched the doll's awe as he watched the scene unfold in the mirror.
STAR grumbled angrily before suddenly slamming her head down onto the wheel.
The Commander watched as the doll repeatedly smacked her head against the wheel and the driver-side window. "What are you-?..."
"Grrr...Damn this little- Hey, that worked!" STAR exclaimed happily.
The Commander could only shake his head, he couldn't blame her for going with the tried and true universal repair method, but seeing what was technically a computer doing that to itself was something else. Forget the Turing test, if this wasn't a way to test an AI's ability to mimic human behavior, he didn't know what was.
Agent J's night had gone swimmingly so far. For their efforts in the dismantling of Paradeus, both he and Mona had been granted some leave, which they graciously took. They wasted no time on taking a night out together, both to celebrate their victory and Mona's release from the repair bay.
Their dinner had went as well as it could have, though admittedly the way Mona had dressed made him feel like a bum in comparison. Between the jeweled earrings, the flowered hair ornaments, and the elegant blue evening gown adorned with a gold and white floral pattern, the doll definitely knew how to draw the eye.
The pair had exited the restaurant, and J was walking her to his car, thinking that nothing could spoil this moment for them - when suddenly...
WHOOSH
A red streak shot past the road beside them, a massive splash of water rushed straight at Mona, the doll let out a shriek as her dress was soaked with muddy water.
A burning rage surged through J as he watched this transpire, his fists clenched, his teeth gnashed, his arms trembled as he watched the culprit shooting down the road.
He wasted no time dragging Mona along, rushing to his M5 Competition as quick as his legs would carry them. "Don't worry, Mona! I won't let him get away with this!"
"Kevin! W-what are you going to do?!" Mona cried out.
"I'm going to give him a little citation..."
J jumped into the drivers seat and tore the radio off its holder. "Thirty-One, Dispatch."
"I copy, Thirty-One."
"Turning on a speeder that just blew by me. Vehicle is a red Ferrari Berlinetta."
"Dispatch, local patrols, Thirty-One in high-speed pursuit. Vehicle is a red Ferrari Berlinetta."
STAR's attempts to elude the AC, the Helicopter, and the Uhlan had so far proved ineffective. They all remained hot on their tail, shots from each of them tearing up the road around the car. Even though they had so far avoided getting nailed directly, the Commander had to force himself not to think about when their luck was going to run out.
Suddenly however, sirens.
Had backup finally arrived? Had their salvation finally come to put an end to this madness?
A black M5 appeared in the rearview, the only thing visible through the tinted windshield was a red siren blaring oppressively. The UC, however, shot straight past the mech and the tank and positioned itself hot on the Ferrari's bumper. Soon, even more sirens sounded, a fleet of cop cars slid out of the side-streets surrounding them. A CLK-GTR adorned in a police livery shot ahead of the pack and encroached on the side of the car. The Commander was about to question why the police had a CLK GTR in their fleet when it suddenly clicked why the police never seemed to be around when William's private army was shooting up the streets in broad daylight.
"What the hell?! They're after us?!" STAR cried out.
STAR made a hard left at the intersection, just as the CLK closed into its left side at ramming speed. She quickly floored the brake, the CLK flew past the front end of the car, its tires squealing as it skidded to the car's outside. STAR downshifted and pinned the throttle, shooting off the apex while their pursuer struggled to recover.
"Everybody is trying to kill me..." The Commander uttered quietly. "It's not my imagination...everybody is trying to kill me!"
"What, even me?" STAR hissed defensively.
Another sudden turn sent the Commander clambering for the panic bar as he was once again nearly thrown from his seat. "...Not intentionally, at least..."
The number of sirens in the rearview only increased, the swarm of cop cars paying absolutely no mind to the giant robot, attack helicopter, and tank rampaging through the town after them.
STAR sighed. "This is getting out of control, Commander. We need to get out of town, they won't chase us into the yellow-zone."
"The cops know our car, Star. This thing isn't exactly the average person's daily driver, how are we going to get past the quarantine wall? The gate guards will see us coming a mile away."
"You know that construction being done on where Paradeus tried to attack it a couple weeks ago? They've got a nice wide ramp set up for moving cargo. Our ride's fast enough."
"You're gonna jump it?!" The Commander cried out.
STAR nodded determinedly.
The Commander leaned back in his seat and sucked in a deep breath. "I'd ask if you were crazy, but there's not much point in that, is there?"
"Crazy is the only way to go in a time like this. Who dares, wins."
The Commander took another deep breath. "Lord, give me strength..."
"Ninety-Four, the kot is very cute, but could you please cut me down from here already?!" AK-12 cried out as she dangled helplessly from the parachute string that had been snarled on a tree branch.
AN-94 had arrived with a ladder, but had gotten distracted when she caught sight of a small cat that was also stuck in the same tree. She sat on top of the ladder, gently petting the cat as it purred softly. "Just another minute, Twelve...He must be have been so scared up here, he needs a friend..."
"Ngh!" 12 grumbled as she looked down, her legs hanging freely above the considerable drop onto the grass below. "I need a friend too, Ninety-Four! Fifteen would just leave me here, and Ange would just laugh at me, you're the one person I could count on!"
94 appeared to not even hear her as she continued to gently scratch the cat behind its ears. "Good little kot...I need to think of a name for you..."
12 let out another groan. "Oh for the love of-"
Just then, a red streak shot past the tree, followed by a rapid procession of blaring sirens and roaring gunfire. The noise caused the cat to jump in the air with a startled 'MROOOWWW', its fur standing up straight as it shot itself off the branch and latched directly onto AK-12's face, clinging to her for dear life.
"Aaaaahhhhh!" 12 cried out as she thrashed around helplessly. "What did I do to deserve this?!"
Even though they had a plan, doubts quickly began to manifest as to whether or not they'd last long enough to carry it out. It felt as if the entire world was out to get them. STAR had fallen completely silent, focusing all her attention on dodging the endless barrage being volleyed at them, her hands gripping the wheel like a vice. Drifting around corners, juking into narrow side-streets, blazing down the straights at top speed, nothing could shake their pursuers for even a moment to give them but a second to breathe.
The final stretch to the quarantine wall lay before them, it was do or die and all or nothing.
"We're sitting ducks on this straight..." The Commander tensely remarked.
"Don't worry, I noticed a bit ago that there's more to this car than meets the eye." STAR suddenly proclaimed.
The doll's hand moved off the steering wheel and flicked a switch near the center console.
Nitrous - ARMED
The pit in the Commander's stomach grew even larger as he saw the light above the switch flick on. Images of the incident at the Griffin Unlimited Grand Prix flashed before his eyes. "Star..."
STAR placed her thumb over the red button on the shift-knob and took a deep breath. "Go baby, go..."
The world around him turned into a blur as the Commander felt the car lurch forward, the V12 roared into overdrive as the speedometer's needle shot past 320 Kilometers Per Hour and jammed itself against the wall of the gauge.
Kalina grunted angrily as she saw the Ferrari begin pulling away. "You're not getting away from me, Commander..."
The logistics officer's hand moved to the lever at her side and jammed it forward.
Battle Analysis Suggestion: Pilot should utilize overboost sparingly to avoid draining energy reserves.
The thrusters on the AC's back once again fired up at full force, propelling the mech forwards, its legs grinding against the pavement as it skidded along at high speed.
Following suit, the Uhlan trailing behind them pivoted its cannon behind itself, and began to fire repeatedly, propelling it forwards at incredible speed.
The Helicopter's pilot watched his target's speed rapidly increase to 320 KPH as he struggled to maintain visual, the targeting system struggled to find its mark.
340 Kilometers Per Hour...
He refused to let them get away that easy, he propelled the helicopter forward as fast as it would allow to keep up the chase.
350.
360...
The wall approached, the buildings and lampposts on either side of the car rushed past the windows at dizzying speed, the road in front was nothing but a dark blur, the air loudly rushed past, turbulently rocking the car as it sped towards the ramp. The Commander felt light-headed, the world went out of focus, the sounds of the car, the rushing of the air, all of it felt faint and distant.
STAR aligned the car with the ramp ahead, gripping the wheel tightly. "This is it! All or nothing, baby!"
The Commander could only close his eyes and grip the handle, feeling the pit in his stomach turn into a black-hole.
The construction barricades were smashed out of the way, the car's suspension bounced violently as it slammed onto the ramp and shot towards the peak.
With a load roar, the Ferrari launched off the ramp, soaring gracefully into the air and straight over the quarantine wall.
The swarm of police cars slammed on their brakes, spinning out of control and smashing into each other in a massive pileup near the foot of the ramp. This, however, did not dissuade the Uhlan. Firing its cannon rearward, it picked up even more speed, rushing onto the ramp. Before it had even reached the top of the ramp, however, the tank began to slowly lift off. With another shot from its autocannon, the tank lifted in the air and began to ascend, gaining altitude as if it had suddenly spurted wings...Just as the helicopter rushed over it in hot pursuit of the vehicle.
This, unfortunately, put the Uhlan on a collision course directly for the tail rotor. The tank slammed directly into the helicopter's tail, sheering it straight off and sending the chopper on a downward spiral towards the ground below.
"I WILL HAVE MY REVENGE!" The pilot shouted out over the PA as alarms blared through the cabin. The chopper disappeared below the top of the wall, replaced quickly by a blast of flames, smoke, and burning debris.
The Uhlan continued to soar into the air, even after clearing the wall, it continued to rise, flying higher and higher until it disappeared into the sky.
The AC was next, its boosters fired at full thrust as it launched itself onto the ramp.
Energy Reserves - DEPLETED
With a dejected whirr, the thrusters died down, sputtering and stammering until the fire inside was snuffed out. The AC flew off the ramp and careened helplessly towards the ground, Kalina let out a shocked shriek as the Mech faceplanted into the ground, an assortment of alarms and indicators blared scoldingly in the cockpit.
Battle Analysis Suggestion: Pilot should disable Battle Analysis Suggestions, as pilot does not seem to care at all for provided information.
After what felt like ages, the Commander slowly reopened his eyes. "Am...Am I dead?"
"No such luck." STAR's voice replied.
STAR had pulled it off, they had landed safely, the car raced freely down the open road with no pursuers in sight behind them.
The Commander sighed deeply in relief. "Shit...that's going to be a hell of a story..."
The doll quietly pulled her breathing mask off over her head and extended it over to the Commander. "Here, put it on just in case."
The Commander nodded and accepted the mask, fastening it over his face. "We're gonna have to disappear for a bit until we get this mess sorted out...I think we'll be saying goodbye to Germany for a minute."
STAR nodded with a sigh. "Didn't even get to see the Nürburgring, what a shame. So where to now?"
"I'm not very confident about showing my face around the NUSSR right now. How's Italy sound?"
"Could definitely do worse for an extended vacation." STAR shrugged.
"Italy is then, take us south."
A small smile formed on STAR's face. "We'll be there in no time, say what you will about yellow-zones, at least there's no speed limits."
"Just don't crash us in the middle of one..."
"Commander, I just saved your ass from a mech, a tank, an attack helicopter, and the entire Berlin Police Department's interceptor fleet, give me a little credit."
"Oh, alright...Thanks for coming back for me, Star..."
STAR's smile widened. "That's better."
The Ferrari sped down the open road, and off into the distance towards its new destination...
"Come on, Fifteen, pick up..." RO uttered tensely as her communicator once again returned no response.
"RO...Do you think they're in trouble?" SOP asked hesitantly.
After pacing around indecisively, RO finally grabbed her gun out of her bag and slung it over her, before taking out her magazines, feeling the weight of them in her hand before stuffing them back in her pouches. "We're moving, now."
Just then, however, Kalina shoved open the door into the Cafe, dusting herself off and walking with a slight limp as she trudged towards the center.
"Attention everyone, I have an announcement to make!" The logistics officer announced.
The sound of idle chatter quickly died down, and the crowd of dolls in the Café turned to give Kalina their attention.
"The Commander...The Commander..." Kalina's voice began to break as she began, the tension in the air grew palpable as the Dolls listened intently. "The Commander...has retired from Griffin & Kryuger!"
Loud gasps filled the air as the dolls recoiled.
"He...He ran off with AR-15 to get married, and none of us are invited to the wedding!" Kalina cried out, and another succession of shocked gasps rocked the cafe.
Sobs began breaking out amongst the dolls as RO stood frozen in silence...Something was definitely not right here, but most of the dolls seemed to believe what Kalina was saying. Dolls broke out into tears one by one. Springfield, who was standing at the counter behind RO, hid her face in her hands and began to sob. Even on the Sangvis side of the room, Alchemist sobbed loudly as she hugged her plushie of the Commander, Executioner and Hunter held each other and cried into the other's shoulder, and Destroyer hugged Dreamer tightly and cried into her chest, even Dreamer had her face betray an expression of sadness.
"T-that's not all!" Kalina continued. "He used the company funds to buy a Ferrari, too! We don't even have enough left to give out paychecks! All we're getting paid in is gift cards!"
Another loud gasp.
"A-are they at least gift cards to the Café?" Springfield sobbed out.
"No...They're gift cards to Applebee's!" Kalina cried out.
Silence filled the air for a brief moment, before all hell broke loose.
Dolls cried out angrily as the Café erupted into a mosh pit, tables were flipped over, cups and plates were thrown about wildly as the Dolls cried out in anger and rage.
"I HATE THIS PLACE! THIS IS THE WORST COMPANY EVERY!" Spas 12 cried out hurtfully.
MDR switched on her stream on her phone. "This is a public service announcement from Kuro-gaming! FUCK GRIFFIN AND KRYUGER! ALL MY HOMIES HATE GRIFFIN AND KRYUGER!"
Springfield jumped the counter and grabbed a chair before rushing into the fray.
RO, however, refused to believe any of this. Kalina was definitely up to something... She had to be...
Suddenly, the sound of a megaphone blared out. "Attention everyone! The Cafe is now serving $1 Bahama Mamas!"
RO turned to see Colt Walker standing behind the counter, ready to mix drinks.
"Maggie!" RO bellowed out angrily. "What are you doing?!"
Maggie's lips curled into her trademark smirk. "A good businesswoman knows how to strike while the iron is hot, darling~"
"That's the Commander's rum!...And that's my megaphone!" RO clambered over the counter for her megaphone, but Maggie held it back behind her and out of RO's reach.
"Sorry, hun, finder's keepers~"
Dolls quickly swarmed the counter, RO was pushed aside and shoved to the back of the line as clusters of Dolls eagerly filed in to get their drinks.
Overwhelmed by frustration, RO tugged the hair on the sides of her head and let out an angry shriek. "AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Taking a couple of deep breaths, RO jumped onto a nearby table. "Everyone, please calm down! This has to be a misunderstanding!" Unfortunately, RO's attempts at reasoning were drowned out by the ensuing brawl.
"Sixteen...is this really going to make things right? Our bail cost a lot more than a few pizzas." M4 asked as she and M16 approached the door to the Café.
"It definitely won't hurt, M4. Everything is better with pizza, just trust me." 16 replied.
M4 sighed. "Why do I feel like you got that snippet of wisdom from Spas-12?"
The duo opened the door to the Café, pizzas in hand. Their beaming smiles, however, instantly inverted to expressions of shock as they witnessed the pandemonium ensuing inside.
Trying to make sense of things, their eyes quickly fell upon RO desperately trying to get everyone's attention. Wading through the brawl, they quickly made their way towards their sister. "RO, what's going on?!"
Breathing a sigh of relief at seeing her sisters, RO quickly began. "The Commander and AR-15 are missing, Kalina's convinced everyone that he retired and everybody's gone mad!"
M4 gasped, holding her hand over her mouth. "No!...W-Would he really...do that?!"
"Absolutely not!" RO snapped. "Don't you dare fall into that thinking! Something has to have happened...they...they must be so scared and alone right now...We have to find them!"
"I ain't got many friends left to talk to,
Nowhere to run when I'm in trouble.
You know I'd do anything for you,
Stay the night but keep it undercover.
I just want to use your love, toniiight.
I don't want to lose your love, toniiiight."
STAR and the Commander sang along to the radio as they drove along the quiet road stretching adjacent to the Mediterranean coastline, palm trees lining the roadside, the sun rising over the water in the distance. The windows were down, and the cool wind blew softly across them as they drove along.
"Try to stop my hands from shakin'.
Something in my mind's not makin' sense.
It's been a while since we've been all alone.
I can't hide the way I'm feelin'."
Looking off at the horizon, the Commander let out a content sigh. "That was really good, Star. Why aren't you a singer?"
STAR grumbled, a faint blush forming on her face. "Shut it..."
"No, I'm serious...you're really good at this."
STAR shrugged. "Someone has to keep you out of trouble."
"You haven't been keeping me out of trouble as much as diving into it with me."
"Well, somebody's gotta do that as well."
"So, that's what you're content with? Being my guardian angel?"
"Call me crazy, but I think I am..."
The Commander let out a chuckle and shook his head. "Wacko."
"Pfff-"
The two broke out into a small chuckle as the Ferrari continued to speed ahead, the music on the radio and the wind blowing around them blending together as they drove off down the coastline, the rising sun sheening off the water beside them.
MCV Amos, several years later...
"...So...that's why the Commander and that lady were acting so odd when they saw each other?..." The small girl finally asked after a period of silence.
"That's right, it's all because of what happened when she and the Commander saw each other last." The pink-haired T-Doll affirmed with a nod.
"...She tried to kidnap him and chased him around with a giant robot?" The girl's head tilted curiously.
"Mhm, but luckily for him, I was there to save the day, and that's why they call me 'Berlinetta'!" The doll declared pridefully.
"Ahem." The sound of a man clearing his throat suddenly caught their attention.
Berlinetta's face flushed at the sight of the man standing behind her. "...Commander...How...How long have you been listening?..."
The small girl, Helena, turned her eyes to the Commander. "Is it true? That blonde woman chased you around with a robot with tanks and helicopters? And Miss Berlinetta was the one who saved you?"
After a short silence, the Commander spoke. "Berlinetta is a very reliable and trustworthy woman. I can vouch that she has always gotten me out of trouble whenever I needed her..."
Helena's face lit up. "Wow, that's...super cool!"
Berlinetta quickly scrambled her composure back together. "Right! So, no matter what happens, you can always count on me!" The doll smiled proudly.
The Commander cleared his throat again. "Miss Groza's back from her expedition now, why don't you go see if she needs any help in the kitchen, Helena?"
"Alright!" Helena cheerfully hopped off her chair and skipped down the hall.
After she had left, the Commander suppressed a grin as he turned back to Berlinetta.
"What?..." Berlinetta's flush returned.
"You really told her all of that?" The Commander asked.
"When I asked you what the hell I was supposed to do with a kid, your exact words were 'I don't know, tell her a story or something.' Don't tell me you're already going senile on me." STAR replied defensively.
"Okay, that was just cruel..."
The sound of footsteps suddenly caught their attention.
"Commander, there you are!" Mayling briskly stepped into the room.
"Mayling, did you get the buggy running again?"
"Mhm" Mayling affirmed with a nod, pointing out the viewing port to where the buggy sat in the middle of the sand. "You wouldn't believe what it took to get that engine running again! Those parts Groza found were a lifesaver!"
"At least that's one less thing to worry about, let's hope that thing doesn't die out agai-"
All of the sudden, a massive hunk of metal slammed down from the sky above directly into the buggy, scattering parts in every direction and embedding itself in the sand. As the dust cleared, the Commander could make out the shape of the object - an old Paradeus Uhlan...
"该死!" Mayling bellowed out, hurling her goggles to the floor before angrily pulling out a bottle of whiskey from her bag, tearing off the cork and downing a quarter of the bottle in a single gulp.
