Judgment
The sound of the chain-link fence being smashed open was lost beneath the roar of the M113's engine and the *THUMP THUMP THUMP* of the grenade machine gun as AJ opened up on the robots guarding North Peak, the flash of the explosions illuminating the night sky. Red lasers and green plasma bolts flashed at them, contributing to the explosive lightshow.
Cassandra turned as they neared the front doors and AJ brought the grenade MG around, checking for any robots that may have survived the storm. The yellow searchlight attached to the turret swept across the scorched sand that formed the base's front lawn, catching sight of heaps of smoldering robotic wreckage. If any had survived, they were too damaged to be a threat.
"Let's get inside," AJ said, and hopped down from the gunner's seat. Cassandra dropped the ramp and joined him and Penny as they eased out of the APC and towards the front door. With the trench gun at his shoulder he pulled the door open and looked inside, surprised to see the coast was clear. He nodded for the girls to follow him and moved into the main hall, keeping low. The lights were off, forcing them to equip their flashlights. "Guess the bots don't need the light."
"Ain't that just great," Cassandra said. The three of them hadn't made it ten feet when two Protectrons emerged from adjacent halls, the glow of their diodes visible through their glass domes. The robots turned and the trio opened up, quickly ventilating the machines.
"Where to, Penny?" AJ quickly asked. His daughter set her gun down and pulled out her PipBoy, staring at the screen as she called up the map for the building. AJ took the moment to top up the trench gun, watching the doors and adjacent halls for any sign of robots.
"This building's big, but there's only three floors. There's a whole basement below us, though, and it's huge!" Penny said. "I think we should go to the commander's office first. That way we can grab any keys or passwords that might be there."
AJ nodded. "Good girl," he said. Penny smiled, put the PipBoy away, and gestured down the hall. The three of them got moving again, keeping close to the walls as they headed for the stairs. As they went AJ was left wondering just where they'd go after this, now that the Acolytes had been destroyed. There were other settlements in the area, AJ knew, but he was tired of drifting.
We could stay here, he thought as they ascended the steps. The place was certainly safe enough, besides all the killer robots and resident evil pre-war military officer. Once they were out of the picture then there'd be no reason to leave. The place was secluded, easily defended, and safe. AJ couldn't ask for a better home.
They reached the second floor, checked to make sure it was clear, and continued up. The third floor was also clear, leaving them free to approach the commander's office. It was unlocked and, after a quick check, clear of any threats. The three of them entered the room and AJ made a beeline straight for the terminal, disappointed to find it'd been shot. A single bullet hole, square in the center of the screen. There was no body and no gun; just a dull brass case on the floor. He frowned and started pulling open the desk's drawers, even more disappointed to find they were all empty.
"Well, General DeWitt's not here, that's for sure. She must be in the basement," AJ said. "Princess, can you find an elevator or stairs?"
Penny pulled out the PipBoy and looked at it. "There's an elevator back on the first floor... But I think there's a secret room in this office!"
"Really?" AJ asked, and walked over to his daughter's side. She showed him the PipBoy and, sure enough, there was a room connected to the office. There was only the one set of doors, though, so Penny's hunch was correct. "Interesting... Let's take a look, see if we can find a hidden button or switch."
The three of them started poking through the room, turning globes and tugging on books. AJ walked back over to the desk and looked it over again, even checking underneath it for a taped key or hidden switch. The girls were coming up empty, as far as he could tell, and he began to think the hidden room's door was controlled by the broken terminal.
Would explain why someone shot it.
AJ stared at the broken screen, his reflection staring back at him. He thought about what Startender Brooke had said to him and frowned, wishing he could've dragged her death out a little longer. There just hadn't been the time, and besides, he wouldn't have done it with Penny around. She didn't need to see what he would've done to Brooke.
He looked down at the terminal's keyboard, gaze idly traveling back and forth across the dusty keys. If they were going to end up staying at the facility then he'd have to find a way to shut down all the robots without killing them. Or, better yet, hack them all so that they'd fight for him. He figured that General DeWitt would have the necessary codes on her terminal, wherever she actually was hiding.
As AJ thought about DeWitt's terminal an idea occurred to him. He stood up and grabbed the RobCo computer and turned it in place, looking at the back. There was nothing of interest on the back, but as he turned it he saw a dark spot under it become visible. He put the terminal back and lifted it up, pleased to see there was a little cubby underneath it containing a single non-descript switch. He flicked it and a bookcase on the left side of the office opened on hinges, making Penny jump back in surprise and raise her laser rifle. "Daddy!"
"Did you find it, princess?" AJ asked with a grin, and she looked at him.
"I didn't touch anything but it just opened on its own," she said, excitement in her voice. She peered inside the room behind the secret door, leaning in place. "So cool..."
"Guess them Silver Shroud comics are teaching her somethin' after all," Cassandra said, and AJ nodded. He stepped into the hidden room, lit by a single bare bulb. To the right was a small armory, locked up tight with a keycard reader. No chance of getting into there, not that they needed a resupply. To the left, to his delight, was a small personal elevator.
"Excellent," AJ said. "Looks like it's only big enough for one person, though. We'll have to go one at a time. Cassandra, could you check it out?"
Cassandra nodded. "Guess you've earned some father-daughter bondin' time after what happened back there. Leave it to me." She stepped into the elevator, punched the button, and slowly descended out of sight. AJ waited until she was completely gone before holstering the trench gun and leaning against the wall, arms folded over his chest. Penny pulled out the PipBoy and put on her Silver Shroud radio drama, keeping the volume low. AJ stared at her as she stared at the screen, completely lost to the rest of the world as she escaped to her comic fantasy.
I hope she doesn't end up spending too much time listening to those tapes, AJ thought. It was important to him that they pay attention to each other's needs. I don't think I need to worry too much, though. She's a good girl. She won't neglect me, and I certainly won't neglect her.
A few minutes later the elevator came back up empty, and AJ raised a brow. "Guess that means it's safe," he said, and Penny looked up. She pocketed the PipBoy and glanced at the elevator. "Want to ride it together?"
"There's something else I'd rather ride," she said with childish smugness, and unslung her laser rifle. "But I guess this'll do, if we can both fit." AJ picked her up and she yelped in surprise, looking at him. "Daddy?"
"I don't want to leave you here, and I don't want to send you down alone, so let's try this," he said, and stepped into the elevator. He was carrying her piggyback-style, her laser rifle on his right shoulder. He reached back and supported her by holding her butt, greedily squeezing it and taking great joy in the way her body tensed in response. "Ready?"
Penny hummed and AJ hit the button with his knee, and the elevator began to descend into the darkness.
At the bottom AJ quickly stepped out of the elevator and went left, eager to get out of the tiny killzone. His fears were unfounded though when he saw Cassandra standing by the wall, watching the well-lit hallway that stretched on before them, ending in a T-junction.
"There ya are," Cassandra said, Calico in hand. "Was beginning to think you were gonna make me clear out this place by m'self."
"Well I was going to, but Penny's only got a few Silver Shroud holotapes for her PipBoy, so we would've been stuck listening to reruns," AJ said, and Cassandra rolled her eyes. "Speaking of the PipBoy: where to, Princess?"
Penny pulled the device out and looked at the screen. "This basement only has one floor... There's a really big room close by. We take a left at the intersection ahead, and then a right at the next intersection."
"Good job," AJ said, and hefted the trench gun. He took the lead and the girls followed him to the end of the hall, cautiously easing up to the junction with AJ on the left and Cassandra on the right. They checked their respective angles and nodded to each other, and then AJ slid around the corner. There was a door at each end of the long hall, an offshoot halfway down the left side, going right, just like Penny said. The three of them started approaching it when a Mister Gutsy drifted into view, plasma gun arcing and flamethrower sparking.
"Die, you commie son of a bitch."
"BACK!" AJ shouted, and they retreated back the way they'd come. The Gutsy opened fire, its plasma gun screaming. The scorching green orbs flashed down the hall, hitting the walls and floor and sizzling the paint away. AJ checked the trench gun and licked his lips, hoping he had enough.
Penny bumped his leg and AJ looked down, surprised to see her crouching by him. She leaned out and returned fire on the robot, the laser bolts scoring its frame and making it glow. She pulled back as it returned fire, aiming low, and AJ took the opportunity to return fire himself. His pulse slug hit the machine in its body, making it stop for a moment. It lowered itself a bit, pitched forward, and then, to AJ's horrified awe, it rocketed forward, its thruster roaring violently. It abruptly stopped next to them, swiftly bringing its screaming circular sawblade around.
"JESUS!" AJ shouted and fired, hitting the machine in one of its sensor arms. It whirled in place, the smashed sensor arm dangling from its mount. Cassandra opened up with the Calico, hammering it with dozens of 9mm slugs. Shards of lead and copper were flung through the air, the bullets shattering on impact. AJ crouched and fired at the robot's thruster, shorting it out. It dropped to the ground, the thruster silent. In the second it took him to jump over the machine the thruster was already glowing again, roaring back to life. The robot brought its flamethrower around and turned on him, sparking the inferno. He dropped to his stomach as the blaze shot down the hall, lighting in a fearsome orange glow. AJ remained prone as the Gutsy brought its plasma gun back around, the energy arcing violently inside its containment chamber.
"Melt in Hell, you pinko trash."
AJ fired the trench gun again, hitting the arm bearing the plasma gun. He saw Penny and Cassandra lean out behind the Gutsy and rolled to the right to give them a clear shot on the machine. Bullets and bolts hit it in its thin back, punching through the armor there. AJ watched with horror in his eyes as the machine's eye sensors turned red and it slowly turned around to face the girls.
"Die."
AJ jumped to his feet and shot the machine in the thruster again, making it drop to the floor. "MOVE!" he screamed at the girls, and they ran past the robot to join him. He stomped his foot down on the thruster and shot it again, smashing it into pieces. Immobilized, the Gutsy began its self-destruct sequence. Its arms and sensors went limp and dropped to the floor, its hull beginning to glow orange. AJ dropped the trench gun and grabbed the glowing and humming machine, struggling to lift it. With a roar of defiance and every ounce of strength he could muster he threw the Gutsy down the hall leading to the elevator and then dove back. A second later the Gutsy detonated with a bone-rattling *BOOOM!*, making dust and plaster rain from the ceiling.
When he was sure the last of the debris had fallen AJ lifted his head and crawled to his feet. "Jesus..." he said, and picked up the shotgun. "Everyone OK?" he asked, and turned around. The girls had already risen to their feet and nodded at him, reloading their weapons. "Damn robots."
"That was so cool the way you picked it up!" Penny shouted, and AJ smiled at her.
"Thank you, Princess. Let's keep going," he said, and took the lead again. The door at the end of the hall remained closed, which was a good sign. He stopped by the corner of the offshoot and topped up the trench gun with the last of his pulse slugs, wishing he'd brought more. He peeked around the corner and nearly had his head taken off by a storm of red lasers, beaming out of a turret mounted to the ceiling.
"Daddy!" Penny screamed, but AJ had already pulled back. He looked over his shoulder at her and showed her he was OK, his heart breaking at the look of terror on her face. He reminded himself that it was almost over, and when it was they'd be home free.
"Guess we're not going that way just yet," AJ said.
"Lemme try," Cassandra said, and took his place by the corner. She held her Calico tightly and peeked around the corner, jumping back when the laser turret opened up on her, hitting the wall right by her face. "OK, YUP! Not going that way," she said. "Got any ideas?"
AJ rubbed his chin and thought about it a moment. He'd used all the pulse grenades at White Sands, so that wasn't an option. He was about to suggest that Cassandra make a break across the gap to the door at the end of the hall when he heard a metallic pop behind him. He turned around and saw Penny on her hands and knees next to an open vent, near the floor. "Penny?"
"I think I can fit in here," she said. "I could crawl into the other rooms and maybe find a switch or terminal for the turret."
"Huh... Worth a shot. Just be careful, Princess," AJ said. Penny grinned up at him and started climbing into the vent, her denim-clad butt sticking up in the air. AJ leered at it until it and the rest of his daughter disappeared into the vent. He crouched down and looked inside, watching her crawl through the dusty duct. She turned a corner and then she was gone, the only sign of her presence the sound of bumping and scraping as she made her way through the duct. AJ stood and turned back to face the junction, Cassandra's back to him. "I hope she'll be OK."
"She'll be fine. She's a resourceful young lady, let me tell ya. You're raising her right, AJ," Cassandra said. "We shut off that turret, find General DeWitt, and then we're done. I bet she's got a main terminal around here, one that controls all the robots. We could shut them all down and make this place safe for us all."
"'For us all'? What do you mean?"
"I mean everyone in Sunshine. Linda, Kyle, all of us. We could all move in here. It's quiet, secluded, easily defended. Bet they've got crop facilities, too. If not we could just plant some banana yucca plants and cactuses out front. Ya ever had cactus juice? Nectar from God, I swear it."
AJ frowned. He hadn't expected this. If a whole bunch of people moved into the facility with him then he was screwed. There'd be no way to be with Penny with all those prying eyes around. They'd find out the truth and take Penny from him. Or kill him, more likely. He couldn't let that happen. Wouldn't. Not after what had happened with the Acolytes. All it had taken was one person, one mistake, one second, and it had almost cost him his daughter. Eleven years of careful planning, careful teaching, and in an instant it had nearly been taken from him. Even now there was no way to know if the seed of doubt had been planted in Penny's mind. He trusted her, and trusted himself, but if she had even one iota of suspicion about the true nature of their relationship then it would be over.
It can't happen. I won't let it.
AJ looked at Cassandra, who still had her back to him. She was leaning forward a little, body tensed up. She checked her Calico and shifted on her feet. AJ holstered the trench gun and pulled out the AMP. He checked it over, wondering how it would've fared against the Gutsy. And if it would fare against whatever else was lurking down here. "AJ?" Cassandra asked, and looked over her shoulder.
AJ gave her a grin. "Sure. I think that's a great idea," he said, and put his hand on her back. She nodded and peeked the corner again, swearing as the laser turret opened fire. AJ grabbed her shirt collar and yanked her back, out of the line of fire. She looked back and was about to thank him when he pressed the muzzle of the AMP to her back and pulled the trigger.
*BOOM!*
The solid copper .44 slug punched straight through Cassandra's back and out her chest. Before she could say even one word AJ pushed her forward into the junction. The laser turret immediately fired, crimson bolts of searing death flashing into her. One hit her side, where her kidney was, and triggered some kind of reaction. Her body glowed from within and then burst apart into a cloud of ash that quickly drifted to the floor, her gun clattering across the tile. "Jesus!" AJ yelled and put up his hand to shield his eyes from the bright flash of red. He lowered the hand and looked down at the pile of simmering ashes, little motes of red glowing within. "Sure hope there's a shovel around here someplace..."
A moment later he heard a deep mechanical whine from down the hall and dared to take a peek. The laser turret remained silent, its diodes dimming, and he grinned. The door at the end of the hall opened and Penny stood in the threshold, holding her laser rifle. "Hurry daddy and Cassandra!" she shouted, and AJ immediately beat feet down the hall. He rushed into the room and hugged his daughter, who eagerly returned the embrace. "Where's Cassandra?"
AJ broke the hug and looked his daughter in the eye. "I'm sorry," he said, and shook his head. "Cassandra tried to cross the junction, to get to that other door, and the turret caught her. She...didn't make it. It's not your fault, Princess."
Tears welled up in Penny's eyes but she didn't cry. Instead she swallowed the lump in her throat, nodded, and hugged him again. "I... I went as fast as I could. Why did she do that?"
"I don't know," AJ said. "She was desperate, I think. The important thing is that you're safe. Once we're done with General DeWitt, we'll both be safe." He kissed her on the lips and stood, his hands on his daughter's shoulders. "Ready to put an end to all this, Princess?"
Penny nodded, and stepped away from him with her laser rifle at the ready. He pulled the AMP, eager to finally be done with it all.