“I AM NOT. ONE. OF YOU!”
Not even Tank could stop the roof from being torn clean off, releasing the hand. Its owner then ripped the roof in half and tossed the halves aside like they were
tissues. A muscular, older looking man, at least in his fifties, glared down at the team. The calm, sky-blue color of his eyes only emphasized the sheer hunger for revenge. His short, graying hair looked stiff even in the winds of a gas-guzzler blazing at 50 miles per hour. He manned a small gun and rapidly prepared to spray bugs all over the driver.
Fortunately, his “friends” were just as fast. Even Assassin, who was still upset over Gunner, poised herself to rid Sniper of the threat. The hunger for revenge died down in the enemy's eyes. Instead, frustration took its place. He bore down at his
target, whose face had its typical smug smirk. The older assassin eased up slightly and leaped off at a calm part of the sidewalk, but not without leaving reminders.
“GOOD THING YOU'RE DRIVING THAT BLOATED JUNKPILE,
YOU DIME-A-DOZEN COWARD! I'M NOT GIVING UP, JUSTYOU WAIT!”
The man's image grew smaller and smaller in the rear view mirror. Once he disappeared Sniper took one last look and smirked.
“He yeh heh, what a jerk.” He flatly commented.
Everyone else in the car faced him with very snarky looks.
“Hey! I'm not talking about me, I'm talking abou-”
“Him. We know.” Assault calmly interrupted. “Who was that guy?”
“General Error. Nerd hacked into SMNC's former site, causing it to display the same thing over and over.” Sniper's voice picked up a mocking tone as he
continued to ramble. “'General Error: SLQ Error.' 'General Error: SLQ Error.' I couldn't get the info I needed to make new plans and lost game after game after game! Headquarters found him and I 'took care of him.' Heh heh...”
The team lost him after the words “General Error” and were too busy picking firebugs off of themselves. Their resident rattler didn't notice and kept on talking.
“... and the higher-ups really thought he'd be a good Pro! So they just put him in there and that jerk's been after me ever since!”
The sight of a massive, white dome stopped his rant and slowed down the truck. It loomed higher and higher until it stood twice as high as the nearby buildings. Half of it was bathing peacefully in the ocean while the other baked on the beach. All of it gleamed like a pearl in the luminous sun.
Sniper wildly pulled over, knocking the two (well, three) back seat riders on top of each other.
“Woahhhh!”
“Get off of me.”
The larger man, with a bit of effort, forced him and his dead counterpart off and gazed at the sight in awe.
“Getta load of this...”
“Just shine it off... Why are we at your combat dome, Sniper? I thought you were going to the Outlands!”
Assault's scrawny teammate got out of the battered truck, slammed the door and answered “I am! But first I need to pack, figure out a plan.. Plus, I need to say 'see ya' to my fans!”
The former gaped at him in exasperation as the latter opened one of the back doors. The three of them (Assault excluded) walked Gunner over to a small entrance as if he was a wounded soldier (while shaking some firebugs off along the way). Tank took the left, the duo took the right. After the short march, Sniper leaned in and tapped a few buttons on the keypad right next to the door. His door opened in a blink, revealing several unwanted guests.
“HEY!”
Sniper shrieked.By simply being there the squad scared off the intruders, who left through the hole from which they entered. It looked like they weren't there for too long, as most of the place was pretty clean, but very bright.
In fact, it looked more like a training ground, (empty) audience seats included.
Much like the normal training grounds it had bot spawners, but that was about it.
Large, glaring lights lit everything up well. A concrete track wrapped around the short turf on which some dummies laid. Opposite of where they were was a normal door which led to a back room. A small window gave away that it was pitch black.
Assassin dragged Gunner over to the large bleachers, which sat in front of the seats.
“I thought you wanted to say 'see ya' to your fans!” Tank teased as he mildly punched Sniper in the arm.
“Those weren't my fans. Anyway, you guys can crash here until I get my act together. After that, we're leaving.”
“There's some problems, though.” Assault commented. “Gunner's dead and needs to be buried. Tank and I want to see our girlfriends. We'll make it, but not to where you want to be.”
“I'll work it out, just scram for a bit.” Sniper replied.
He turned away and headed to the back room. As their masked companion sat by her killed comrade, Tank eased over to the exhausted Assault.
“That guy... I wonder what kinda crazy doodle he's cooking up.”
“Beats me. Knowing him it'll probably take a while, too.”
“And before he finishes, I'm getting some shut-eye.”
Tank collapsed in one of the audience seats. This gave the star athlete a chance to look at Gunner and what GG did to him. Gingerly, he came over to him and his
“girlfriend,” who regained most of her composure. Expecting a lunge, he eyed the calming woman. Instead, she simply looked at him for a second, tilted her head slightly, and returned to... whatever she was thinking about.
The stunned star instantly saw that Gunner's face was torn apart. Glass was still in it to boot, abet not as much as before. The more he looked at it, the better he
imagined Mr. Stack frenziedly attack him, and the more he realized that even Sniper can't plan for a situation like this.
And even if they could plan, the best plan is to leave as soon as they can.
As he darted to the back room (which was still dark for whatever reason), Assassin followed, leaving the larger men behind. He forced the door open, exposing him to the sight of what was really Sniper's room. The normally neurotic man sat on his bed, patiently drawing a plan. The walls were coated by all sorts of plans while the small bed was completely messy. A single, unlit light bulb hung over the image.
Assault flipped a nearby switch, and it became as bright as the ones outside. In just more than a few seconds, he spoke.
“Sniper... Whatever you're planning won't cut it.”
Sniper kept drawing. Assassin took a few steps inside, as if she was at a museum's exhibit.
“Like I said before, if Gunner can die to GG, who knows what can happen!?”
Sniper paused and contemplated for a bit, then began drawing again. Assassin drew closer and examined the sheer quantity of the papers.
“Look, I saw his face.” He pointed to his face for emphasis. “This is no ordinary apocalypse. We have to leave. Now.”
Sniper just kept drawing, still seemingly unaware of what he said. His two guests faced each other as Assault's cool exterior crumbed.
“Okay, stop being crazy for just one second an-”
Assassin motioned him to stop and then to the wallpaper Sniper made for himself.
She delicately took a sheet and handed it to him. When Assault read its title, any trace of aggravation melted away. Reading it even gave him his trademark smile back.
“It's the one he'd always want us to do.” He reminisced. “'Blue 33 Southwest
Crazy Leg Sweep on the Weak Side Curl.'” He playfully did each gesture, even the one his girlfriend would definitely slap him for.
The amused enigma held up three fingers. Warm, fresh nostalgia gave way to a rare uncertainty as Assault asked “You think he can really come up with
something, huh?”
She nodded and mimicked the action of sleeping. If only she can break her vow of silence and talk...
“I'll leave him be but I'm not gonna sleep just yet. A little training won't hurt.”
With his faith and confidence restored, Assault backed out of the bright room and marched onto the brighter field. However, Assassin shortly lingered before leaving as she gently closed the door. Her constant thinking continued even after easing herself into one of the audience seats. Gradually, exhaustion let the nerve-racking thoughts fade away.
She fell asleep.
Chapter 5
“EVERYBODY UP, LET'S GO!”
Sniper's raspy voice shook Assassin awake. He stood impatiently in front of his sleepy guests, wearing a comically oversized camping bag.
Assault unceremoniously rose up and whispered “It's time?”
Tank sunk into his seat. “Right now?” He added.
“YES, it's time! The faster we leave, the better!” Sniper snapped as he roughly tried to yank Tank up.
Assassin gently picked herself up and started dragging Gunner. Assault swooped in under the dead man's shoulder and held it up, her doing the same with the other.
Sniper picked up the pace and walked alongside them as the remaining man
lumbered behind. When they reached the exit, Sniper stepped in front of everyone and explained his plan.
“First thing's first, we'll find a place to bury Gunner. The local cemetery's probably crawling with gangs and lugging Gunner around will slow us down. After that, we'll get out of the city and split so you two can go see your girlfriends. Then Assassin and I will drive our way into the Outlands, find the nearest village, and set up there. Got it!?”
“That was it!?” Tank quizzed. “You stayed up all night to come up with... just that?”
“There's too many variables to come up with something too complicated. Besides, I know that life isn't like SMNC.”
As Assault snorted, remembering the night before, Tank simply grumbled “Sure you do...”
One at a time, the team left the dome. Just when the door shut behind Tank, a wrecking ball came hurdling out of the city skyline... straight towards them.
“Oh man...” Assault interjected. “Move!”
“What the..!?” Sniper piped.
The undertakers scurried out of the way.
The real problem was was that they weren't the targets.
With a thundering
CRUNCH,
the wrecking ball smashed the truck. Pieces of it tore off and flew everywhere, peppering, but not injuring, the car's former owners. After the flurry stopped, Tank gave out an irritated growl.“Well that's just great! Now we're gonna have to find another car!”
“We don't.” Sniper calmly stated. His tone sharply became proud when he
announced “When we have THIS!” He rose both of his arms and gestured to his dome, as if he was displaying a prize.
“Right? Huh!?”
“I don't geddit.” Tank murmured. Both of Gunner's chauffeurs gawked at the larger man.
“Awgh! Let me start it!” Sniper snipped.
The new “leader” tapped at the keypad once more. He stormed inside, and just after a few minutes, the whole beach started vibrating and pulsing. Sand and shore rippled in sync, as if giant water droplets were hitting the shore where the fortress was. The team shielded their eyes from the bits of sand that escaped.
RRRRRROOOOOOOHHHHHMM...
Everyone could feel wind that came seemingly out of nowhere. The pulse of the ripples became faster and faster while the ripples themselves grew to waves. The group inched back and forth to avoid being pummeled until, gradually, the waves shriveled and all was still.
Well, all except for the fortress itself. Sniper's fort revealed two gargantuan fans, both working together to lift up what has essentially became a ship. The relatively small door spat out a long, metallic ramp, which unfolded rapidly. Sniper himself appeared in the opening and called to his already weary crew.
“COME ON IN!”
Sniper's passengers slowly treaded up the ramp and into the ship. They settled down easily, but slowly. Assassin and Assault mildly laid Gunner down on the same bench the former had set him on earlier. As Sniper clumsily shook his bag
off, Tank nestled into his seat and tried to go back to sleep.
However, the grumpy bear stayed awake for just long enough to hear Sniper disclose something crucial about his plan.
“Alright, this baby won't last long. Those noobs will see us and know I'm in here.
That and the tank's half empty. Still, it'll get us out of the city.”
“Fair enough.” Assault hummed as he kicked back and closed his eyes.
Assassin watched her “captain” hurry over to a quiet part of his dome and activate a rather intricate control center with just a few swipes. He irritably jabbed at one of its uniform buttons, which caused the two of them to hear a monotone, yet chipper and feminine voice.
“Autopilot activated. Please enter a destination.”
“Just take us out of the city!” Sniper demanded.
“Location unidentified. Please enter a destination.”
“Hmm... Saint Helena?”
“Town destroyed due to internal complications. Please enter a destination.”
“Bombay Beach.”
“Town destroyed due to invasion. Please enter a destination.”
“Town destroyed due to nuclear weapon employment.
Please enter a destination.”
“...”
“Bel Air?”
“Town conquered by mashed-potatoes obsessed warlord.
Please enter a destination.”
“GRRRRR..”
“Village location of 'Grrrrr, California' accepted.
Initiating flight.”
Sniper tucked away the control center with a swipe and stormed back to his room in a huff.
All the remaining team member can do was sit in shock.
The fact that this is only the start didn't discourage her one bit. There's chaos for now, sure, but in the end, it'll all be worth it. There will be no more being forced to keep quiet, no more of that processed nonsense they call a culture, no more slavery to the Overclass.
No more Monday Night Combat.
It was finally happening.
She was free.
Everyone was.
And without that much effort at all.
The one problem was that Gunner had to pay the ultimate price. He was spared the agony that was sure to come saving her and blind, obsessive, crazy Sniper. But he won't be around to enjoy the new, unshackled society. The koa (oh god she's starting to sound like him) won't be around to enjoy anything. Assassin was not a religious or even a slightly spiritual woman, but if there was a heaven, she hoped her hero would be there.
Their hero.
The grateful warrior softly gazed at said hero from under her mask, wondering when she can break free from her last prison and thank him herself.
Time wore on as the blimp floated through the air, acting as a tranquil and almost whimsical contrast to the turbulence on the ground. It was a contrast that was apparent to everyone.
Including whoever sent the wrecking ball.
Thinking about those past, hectic days forced Assassin to absentmindedly hum to herself. Remembering the violence she participated in, she hummed an energetic tune. As memories of seeing the always cocksure Sniper break down in front of her and Gunner's partially-shredded corpse entered her mind, she hummed a pained but thoughtful melody. When she thought about their new-found freedom, she picked up the pace and hummed a triumphant, joyous song. The sheer ecstasy of it, combined with the inevitability of no longer needing the mask, almost
encouraged her to sing.
The silent soldier was about to sing for the first time when the sound of alarms interrupted her.
The voice blared “Alert! Alert! Engine malfunction!”
The sleeping men jumped up immediately as horns and bells screamed for attention to the engine. Sniper dashed out of his room and hysterically swabbed the control center, which popped open to display a monitor saying “ENGINE DAMAGED” in red, glaring letters.
“Initiate landing!” He ordered furiously.
“Emergency landing engaged.”
The wrathful sharpshooter turned to his startled teammates and shrieked
“We're going down!”
“
We know that!
” They shouted in unison.As the crew picked themselves (and their weapons) up, they felt the dome tilt sideways and a weightlessness lift them up into the air. Fortunately, Assassin was close enough to attach herself to Gunner as Sniper was to his bag. They dragged themselves down to the door and Sniper opened it.
Assault noticed how close they were to the barren, dusty ground and ordered “On the count of three, we jump! One!”
The passengers got ready.
“Two!”
Their eyed narrowed, focusing on the dry soil.
“Three!”
Assault leaped out of the door and landed on his feet. Sniper landed on his less gracefully, but was alright. Tank soon followed with a tiny boom. Finally, Assassin nearly crashed due to Gunner's weight. However, Assault caught her, leaving the rest of Gunner's body to shatter as he forcefully smacked the ground. Tank shook his head.
“How the hell did the engine fail?”
“Lemme look.” Sniper practically growled. He marched to the engine (wherever that was) and screeched “A WRECKING BALL!?”
“What!?” The other men asked in shock.
“Something or somebody threw a fucking wrecking ball and broke my engine!”
The violently twitching twig frustratedly stomped on the ground and inhaled the dust that was created by it. He snapped out of his anger and looked around at the ship's port.
Miles of arid grassland surrounded the pilgrims, with the city looming about half a mile behind them. The closest thing to them besides the deflated dome and the tall, dry grass was a strong but dead tree. Its branches curled downward as if inviting someone to sit under it. The lone woman went up to it and placed a hand on its trunk. Although she was looking at the decaying bark, her ears picked up the sound of exasperation... and the sound of a smaller, louder engine.
“At least we're out of there.” Assault commented as he pointed his thumb at the city.
“Wait..” Sniper's voice trailed off. “Someone's coming... I think.”
“He is!” Tank exclaimed as he pointed in the sound's direction.
A white van that pedophiles would steer clear from appeared from the city's direction. It rushed towards them, as if its driver wanted their heads. The squad readied their weapons, took off anything unnecessary, and otherwise prepared themselves for a fight. The van charged at them until it was about ten or fifteen feet away. Then, with a screech, it sharply turned halfway, nearly tipping over, and stopped. All of its doors open, and familiar, shady faces poured out of it. They systematically formed a line and aimed their pistols at the squad.
“Not you bastards again!” Sniper hissed.
“Not you bastards again!” Sniper hissed.