Countdown to Apocalypse, page 22
No one had been willing to challenge Ogre about it when he claimed it as part of his kit for the mission.
Not that any of his friends blamed the Army officers. They sure as hell wouldn’t have, and they all knew that Ogre liked them.
“No, it’s not,” Tee said, “Remember, our job isn’t to secure either group. We’re going to keep the thugs focused on us, let the police and the military worry about getting the civilians clear. Once that’s done, we all team up and teach these fuckers how to die.”
The other two nodded, and the SEAL waited a couple more heartbeats for an opening as he checked around the corner. When it appeared, he moved without a word, knowing that his partners would be right behind.
*****
High above the streets, the Dragon screamed as it lunged and snapped at the air that Alex had occupied just moments later. He slung the Milcor, unhappily out of rounds after the last few made minutes he’d experienced, but it had accomplished most of what he’d wanted from it.
It would have been nice if the weapon had actually taken the Dragon out of play, of course, but getting it pissed off enough to refocus entirely on him took a major force out of the path of the civilian and military groups below. That was close enough to a win for the moment.
Now I just need to figure out how to handle this thing on my own.
Alex darted to the side as the beast again tried to swallow him whole, which… as he considered it, was a truly odd attack. I wonder, does it even have a digestive tract?
It was hardly important, he supposed as he dodged in the other direction, eyes focusing on the man at the center of the flames. He certainly wasn’t going to let the damn thing eat him, after all, so whether it could digest him… well it didn’t really make the slightest bit of difference.
Alex twisted away as another burst of flame roared past and lunged in to try and connect with the man at the center, but a coil of fire blocked him almost instantly. Fist met fire and the contact exploded in a flash of light and power. He could feel the searing flames on his skin, but it had little effect on him and, this time, he was wearing fire retardant fatigues, so he hoped not to wind up half naked before the fight was over.
Exchanging blows at high speed, and avoiding the directed flames as best he could, Alex kept the fight moving well above the city where no one would be at risk to the collateral energies they were unleashing.
He didn’t notice the news helicopters, nor the tens of thousands of cameras tracking his actions from below.
He wouldn’t have cared much at the time if he had, but would later almost certainly come to regret that particular lapse.
*****
“Find the spoiled billionaire,” Yan chuckled as he slipped on a new shirt, brought to him by his runner, and buttoned it up with casual comfort and ease now that the military had withdrawn.
He knew they wouldn’t be gone for long, of course. The Mainland’s pride wouldn’t allow them to give up so easily, but for the moment he was pleased. His small group had managed to rout both the Hong Kong PD and the PLA.
It was a great day.
He watched as his men started corralling the sheep flooding out of the burning buildings, killing a few to send messages to the rest. There was a freedom to working out in the open like this, he realized, and he liked it. He’d spent too long hiding in the dark shadows of society, it was time to show the world just who was in charge.
The one with real power would always rule the masses, no matter what they wanted to delude themselves with.
He walked over toward the group, waving a few of his men in close, sneering at the pitiful and worthless examples of humanity that quailed away as he approached.
“Where is Trenton!?” He yelled over the whining and moaning. “Turn him over, or we’ll start killing you until someone gets smart.”
No one spoke up for a time, the hushed whimpers growing louder. Finally, impatiently, he rolled his eyes and growled.
“Fine! Start with those shits over there,” He gestured randomly.
“Wait!”
Yan glanced over to see a white man in a nice, thought tattered and burned, suit stepping slowly out of the crowd with his hands visible.,
“I’m Wesley Trenton,” The man said firmly.
“How very pleasant to meet you, Mr Trenton,” Yan said mockingly, “Now if you would be so kind as to identify your board members for us, we can resolve this peaceably.”
Trenton looked around skeptically at the disaster zone that they were standing in, but said nothing about it. Instead he took a breath before going on, “That won’t be necessary. If it’s ransom you want, I’ll authorize it personally. There’s no need to get anyone else involved.”
Yan laughed openly, “Oh, Mr Trenton, that just isn’t how these things are done. There are so many steps you just want to skip, the ransom letters, the drop… the inevitable betrayal, and those wonderful moments where we can make examples to show just how serious we are! Why ever would I give all that up?”
Trenton looked taken aback, “I’ll get you your money, there’s no need for all of that…”
Yan grinned widely, his eyes wild as he cackled, “Look around you, Mr Trenton! Do you really think I did all this for money? I’ll have your money, no worries about that, but I’ll have my fun first.”
Trenton swallowed, taking half a step back.
“You’re insane,” He stammered out, shock and wonder in his tone.
“Really? What is sanity, Mr Trenton?” Yan asked, mockingly. “I am the supreme power in this city! Even the Military has fled before me! I call you insane, Mr Trenton, for not seeing the truth… This world belongs to the strong, and your strength is nothing but paper and numbers on computers. I have real power, and I’m going to make certain no one every forgets that!”
Yan smiled unnervingly as Trenton swallowed, but said nothing in response.
“Kill everyone around him,” Yan said simply, gesturing to his men.
A half dozen of the thugs stepped forward, some with guns and others without. Weapons leveled on the crowd, fists and other body parts suddenly glowing with power unknown, as people screamed.
When the shots rang out, however, it took everyone several moments to realize that it wasn’t the crowd that was the target.
*****
NRO Headquarters, Chantilly VA
Kane grimaced as he examined the data they were once again getting from the active keyhole satellite over Hong Kong.
The target had returned to the city, without question. The bizarre localized jamming was proof enough of that but if he needed more evidence, what he was seeing would certainly do it. The odd outline that showed on the full spectrum analysis was conclusive, but no one he contacted could explain just what was causing it.
There were some theories concerning meta-materials that might explain it, but no one could make sufficient meta-material shields to cove the sheer volume they were calculating. The most anyone had made so far were a few square centimeters that were primarily tuned to microwave frequencies.
This was something else entirely, a nearly full spectrum meta-material that covered several thousand cubic feet of space. It made no goddamn sense, no matter how he cut it.
“Director, we’re getting activity out of the Airbase just North of the city.”
Kane glanced over, “I expect that the PLA will be calling in air support from the helicopter division they moved into the area.”
“No, Sir, Director,” The tech said, “They just scrambled several squadrons of fighter interceptors.”
“What?” Kane blurted, “Are they thinking they can engage the Dragon in the air? Heat seekers won’t know what part to hit and I can’t imagine they’ll be able to get a RADAR lock on the damn thing.”
“I don’t know, Sir.”
Kane examined the icons on the screens that depicted the Chinese advanced fighter interceptors as the squadrons turned and wheeled on the city, clearly accelerating to attack speeds. Whatever else they were up to, they clearly expected to be heading into a fight.
*****
Chapter 20
Residential Area, Hong Kong
“This is the address,” The PLA Officer said stiffly as they came up to the door.
“Well let’s find out if she’s home,” Lana stepped forward and rapped sharply on it, then paused to listen.
She heard someone moving around inside, one of her changes being enhanced senses that were something of a pain in all honesty though occasionally useful. Unlike most of her friends, her changes were more subtle and not particularly combat orientated.
That was fine by her, she had never been much of a front line sort by preference. She signed up to get her way through medical school paid, and that was about as much as she thought about it at the time. When the men she served with were getting shot up, however, her thinking on the matter changed.
She didn’t enjoy the front line, not like a lot of the men she knew did. There was something about the elite forces that craved the action, probably the adrenaline rush she supposed. Whatever it was, you didn’t tough it out through years of training unless you wanted to push yourself to that extreme.
For her, it was simpler.
They were blood. Theirs and hers had spilled in the same sand, if they were going to off and do something stupid like get themselves shot up, she was going to go and make sure they had someone to patch the holes and get them home. End of story.
Or beginning of another, Lana supposed as she heard someone approach the door.
“Yes?” She heard from the other side, and motioned for the PLA officer to step forward.
“Miss Shau,” He said in Chinese, “I am Lieutenant Jin with the People’s Liberation Army, may we have a word?”
There was a moment of quiet, Lana listened to the girl’s breathing quicken and her heartrate jumped, but she didn’t move otherwise. Then, slowly, the door unlocked and the girl glanced out.
“Yes?” She asked softly, looking them over before addressing the Lieutenant, “Can I help you with something?”
“Do you know a Mr Li Shen?” Jin asked seriously.
Her face blanched white, such that Lana almost moved to check on her vitals, but the color returned almost as quickly.
“Do you know what happened to Shen?” She asked, desperation in her tone. “I was with him at the hospital, but no one knew anything at the police!”
Jin looked over at Lana and nodded slightly before looking back to her, “We need to speak.”
Lana interrupted, having followed just enough to know where they were in the conversation, “We need to move. We can talk on the way, let’s get to the roof.”
Jin hesitated, but nodded and turned back to the girl, “Please come with us. We will explain while we go, but there is little time.”
Qi grabbed a jacket from a hanger by the door and tugged it on, stepping out of the apartment, “Take me to Shen.”
The men exchanged glances, most wincing at the idea of taking anyone let alone a slip of a girl like her anywhere near the Dragon, but there was little in the way of options and orders were orders.
“This way,” Jin said, gesturing, “We will go to the roof.”
Qi looked confused, “The roof?”
*****
The Beowulf rifles wielded by Tee and Verte had been intended primarily for taking down light material targets at close range. Able to crack engine blocks with their fifty calibre slugs, the heavy slugs spat by the rifles packed stopping power aplenty, which was why the pair had selected them as their primary kit for dealing with others like themselves.
Healing, no matter how quickly you could do so, would tend to stop once the subject was dead after all, and not much survived a hit by something the size of a Beowulf .50 round.
The picked off their targets one the move, advancing in lock step as the Triad targets were caught flatfooted by the rapid density firepower raining down on their position. Several went down instantly, not even twitching on the ground, with holes twice the size of a fist blown through the bodies.
Others, however, made it clear that rifles alone, no matter how powerful, wouldn’t be enough to clinch the fight as they took direct strikes and barely flinched.
That was where Ogre came in.
His big .50 BMG was less accurate, at least when held and fired from the shoulder, but it struck with even great firepower and cut down a few more in the opening salvo.
Above the roar of their own weapons, in the distance and echoing off the buildings, the trio could hear the sharp report of other heavy rifles entering the fray as Sarge and the Chinese PLA snipers joined in with gusto to clinch the opening rounds of the ambush.
Men died in the instants following the strike, throwing the Triad group into turmoil and near panic, but not all of the ones so targeted would stay down.
*****
The shot felt like someone had taken a sledge to his skull, spinning him around and through Yan to the pavement as he was in the middle of enjoying the quaking fear in the eyes of his victims. He didn’t have a clue what hit him, but he scrambled at the ground and forced himself back to his feet even as another several hammer blows struck true to his body.
Compared to the tank cannon, however, the bullets hitting him now were as nothing once he prepared himself for them.
The stung, but with footing set they were less than an insect bite and he glared around to see several of his Triads dead on the ground.
Fury welled up in Yan, his voice raging over the sound of gun fire.
“Find them!” He screamed, “Find the bastards who did this! Kill them all!”
His surviving Triads, mostly those who had been changed of course, jumped into action. His orders galvanized them from their shock and moment of panic, and they quickly looked around, seeking the enemy.
It didn’t take them long to spot the trio advancing on their position, guns blazing. The three men stood out like hawks among the pigeons scattering for cover all around them. Powers charging, the Triads charged into the fight as Yan scowled about himself in all directions as he realized that he had lost sight of Trenton.
Damn that British fool. Now I’ll have to hunt him down and kill him slowly for making me go to all that work.
It was such a pain, and he sighed as he walked through the bloodbath erupting around him, calmly backhanding any of the foolish sheep that made the mistake of coming too close to him in his anger.
His men blasted away at the advancing men, but somehow seemed to be startling ineffective considering they’d been taking on armored vehicles earlier. Yan scowled, noting that the men were covering better and more quickly than their previous prey, and decided to get involved himself.
It was both tiresome and exhilarating, the need to get involved… and the ability.
He tightened his hands into fists and blurred into action as he charged into the fight.
*****
“Look out, Verte! Incoming!”
Verte glanced up just in time, eyes widening as the Chinese man appeared right in his face almost faster than he could follow. He threw up his rifle to block the fist coming at his face and was highly disturbed to see the frame of the weapon crunch and bend under the force that caused him to skid back a foot or so.
“You’re a strong one, mon amis,” Verte grinned as he stepped back and examined his now worthless rifle.
“You are changed, like me,” The man growled, “Why would you waste time with that rifle? Are you changes so weak?”
Verte laughed in his face, tossing the rifle aside and drawing his fighting blade, “I suppose we’ll see.”
The Chinese man examined the weapon in his hand curiously, sneering, “Another weak weapon…”
“Humans are tool users, mon amis,” Verte said, getting ready. “That’s what makes us dangerous.”
“Bah. Weak,” The man growled, charging in like a lightning bolt.
Verte faded left, avoiding the strike and slashed the man’s ribs as he exposed himself. The man flinched and drew back, startled as he clutched at the wound. His hand came back bloodied, much to the man’s apparent shock.
“I told you, mon amis,” Verte said with a cold smile, “power is not everything.”
“That is what the weak always say!” The man snarled, turning on him and swinging with powerful blows intended to pulverize what they hit.
They found only smoke and mist for all the good they did, as Verte seemed to simply be elsewhere before any blow could fall. In return he slashed out, turning the man’s fancy shirt to shreds and opening his flesh to the city’s air. Blood flowed freely down the man’s torso, but in a few moments Verte saw that for all the damage he was managing to inflict… none of it was remaining for longer than a few seconds.
Verte licked at his lips, considering the situation as he weighed the odds and didn’t like what he was coming up with.
Something must have showed on his face, because the other man laughed and sneered, “Do you see? You have no chance. Nothing you do to me will last!”
“I can do one thing,” Verte said after a moment, straightening and seemingly relaxing.
“Oh? And what would that be?”
“I can introduce you to a friend of mine,” Verte grinned wide, “Hey Ogre! Tag!”
“What…?”
A fist caught him from the side, lifting the man clear off the ground and throwing him away like a shot from a cannon as the Ogre of the Fifteenth entered the fight. The man carved a path through the air that intersected the second floor corner of the closest building, and he smashed through the glass into the building, then out the other side of the corner office a moment later and down into a fire hydrant that snapped off and began hosing water dozens of feet into the sky.
Verte watched Ogre break into a run in his direction and shook his head slowly as the big man quickly reached a speed nothing his size should manage.
“Ow, that is going to leave a mark,” He muttered when Ogre left the ground in a long leap and crashed down with both feet on the target, pounding him into the sidewalk.
*****
