Chapter Thirty-Six - The Survivalists Who Probably Won''t


    Chapter Thirty-Six - The Survivalists Who Probably Won''t


    Life in a mega-city isnt for everyone. Theres a constant hustle and bustle, millions of people crowding in around you, and you never know which one of them might want to harm you.


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    ***


    I swore, or at least screamed something that might have been a swear. I wasnt entirely coherent for a moment as I heard the rattle of gunfire and saw the asphalt around Gomorrah spark and crack with missed shots.


    She stumbled, and I froze, expecting her to fall.


    Then Gomorrah raised her flamethrower up above and ahead of her and pulled the trigger.


    A massive burst of fire, spread wide like a flaming umbrella, burned the air above her and created a barrier between her and whomever was shooting down at her.


    She ran faster, and I jumped to open the door. The fire stopped, but not before licking at the roof of the entrance.


    Shit, shit, are you okay? I asked. Myalis, I need shit for bullet wounds. Fuck, okay, sit down, sit down here, and itll be okay, we can fix this. I pulled her to the side and started fretting over her, looking for the blood, for the wounds. I could fix this, just shove the wound full of magic healing goop. Shed be fine.


    Cat.


    Oh, fuck, fuck. Okay, which one hurts more? Shit, we need to--


    Gomorrah poked me in the belly, then looked up to me with her expressionless mask. Catherine.


    I paused, breathing still a bit ragged. Yeah?


    My equipments bulletproof. All of it. I wouldnt go out to fight without decent armour on. Not like some people.


    Oh, I said. That explained the lack of holes in her gear. Though I did notice a few wrinkles in her habit, and some bronze smears on the metal bits of her pauldrons. Was that where she was struck? Okay.


    I appreciate the concern though, she said. But you can let go of me now.


    I let go of her, then grabbed my gun from where Id dropped it next to the entrance. I couldnt remember letting it go, but everything had happened so quickly that I wasnt too surprised that Id dropped it.


    So, that wasnt an alien, I said.


    Not unless theyve started carrying fully automatic guns, no, Gomorrah said. That came from the right side of the factory, on the second floor, I think. I just saw a flash before I started to burn the air.


    That was clever, I said. The fire, I mean.


    Gomorrah chuckled darkly. I thought of the move as something of a deterrent against model ones. I suppose it works well enough against people shooting at me.


    You mean a bunch of hippies hid in here?


    Something like that. Could be a cult too. Stuck far away from the city, cut off from the rest of the world. They might not even be aware that theres a mass incursion occurring.


    Fuck, I muttered. I glanced around, but other than a few posters for some bands and brands in one of the partitions that had a little living space, I couldnt see anything overtly religious around. One partition had a cross, but the one next to it had a star of David. I didnt think we were dealing with a cult of that sort.


    I reached the catwalks first, then hesitated. Above or below? I asked.


    We could split up, Gomorrah said.


    Id rather not, I replied. Alright, Im going to summon up a mecha cat. We might need one later anyway if well be hitting a hive. It can keep an eye on the lower floor while we go above.


    Gomorrah nodded, then slipped to the side where she could stand behind a cement pillar that was chipped away on the edges.


    Just the usual sort of mechanised cat drone?


    I nodded. Something quiet and fast-firing, yeah.


    Noted.


    New Purchase: Stealth and Reconnaissance M.E.O.W


    New Point total:


    19,674


    You really worked hard on that acronym, didnt you? I asked.


    It stands for Mechanised Environmental Obliteration Weapon.


    A box appeared next to me with the barest click as it touched down. The top slid to the side, and an all-black panther-like mecha cat jumped out of it. It was a bit smaller than the usual cat drone, with proportionally bigger paws, and with some slits on its back where I imagined its guns were tucked away for the moment.


    Right, let it scan around, Im heading up. I took the catwalk two steps at a time. My boots didnt make any noise on hitting the steps, but the entire thing shifted with my weight, and there was no hiding the creak of rusty metal and the occasional clink.


    On racing to the top, I shuffled closer to the only doorway up there and pressed myself close to it. Now that I was closer, my bullshit alien-tech ears could pick out sounds from within. People breathing, a kid trying hard not to be heard while crying, metal things shifting around.


    There had to be a dozen people in that room.


    W-we know youre there, someone said. Come on out, and we wont blast you!


    Well, so much for stealth.


    ***