Wasteland Rules: Born to Fight (The World After Book 2) (30 page)

   “Wait. What faction does the Society belong to?”
Derek asked the Voice.

   The Voice laughed. “The Society considers
themselves the anti-faction. They stand in opposition to the game itself and
interfere in any actions or plans undertaken by another faction. Historically,
they have been nothing more than a nuisance. But now they seemed to have gained
more power and influence. Ironically that will only lead to them becoming an
established faction and unwittingly joining the game.”

   “Enough show and tell.” Rora griped. “Let’s go!”

   Almost on cue, the computer screen began flashing
with a red Intruder Alert warning. A video feed popped up showing armored
figures entering the station from an airlock at another docking rig. Helmets
covered their faces but the distinct shape of their rifles told Derek who it
was. Somehow the Red Beret team had followed them to the station. With their
numbers and weaponry it wouldn’t be long before they fought their way in.

   “Okay, time to go.” Derek announced. “The special
forces operators ought to create a nice diversion by drawing the remaining
drones.”

   “I will stay here and monitor your situation.”
The Voice informed them.

   “No way.” Derek told him. “You are coming with
us. I’m not taking a chance you try to flush us out another airlock.”

   Compelled at gunpoint, the Voice reluctantly led
them through the space station’s corridors. No drones or other hostiles
confronted them on the short trip. Using his built in access, the Humek led
them to one of the spokes that connected the ring to the center of the station.
He paused and seemed unwilling to continue.

   “What’s the hold up?” Derek asked him.

   “At the other end of this corridor is the main
control room. Doors is housed there with the main servers for the station. I’ve
never been allowed inside and I don’t know for sure what we will find in
there.” The Voice said after a slight hesitation.

   “You’re scared of a computer?” Derek asked in
disbelief.

   “He is more than that.” The Voice told him. “You
couldn’t possibly understand. He is almost always with us. He comforts us,
teaches us, he is our father. Working on the side didn’t seem like a betrayal,
but this feels somehow wrong.”

   “Sounds like you drank the Kool-Aid.” Derek said
rolling his eyes. “If it makes you feel better, tell yourself you did it at
gunpoint and on pain of death…Because I will kill you if you don’t take us in.
We’ve come too far to quit now.”

  “Right.” The Voice sighed and moved forward.

June 25, 2029

Olympus Station, Near Earth Orbit

   The door to the main control room was sealed, but
it slid open at their approach.  They went inside and found themselves in a
round room that took up the entirety of the center of the spindle. Video
monitors took up all the wall space around the entire room. Work stations were
arranged in a ring facing outward a short distance into the room. Several
Humeks worked at the stations, seemingly unaware of the presence of the
intruders. The room itself was dimly lit and very cold.

   Towering over the ring of workstations was a
column that rose from the center of the room. It had eight video screens that
had a 3D representation of Doors’ face floating on them looking out over his
empire. Other devices were clustered under and above the video screens, but
Derek couldn’t begin to identify them. Various devices hung from the ceiling at
different points and looked like projectors and video cameras. Other doors led
into the room and he assumed they were from the other spokes.

   Derek spotted a port on the column and started to
go there to plug in the device, but stopped when Doors suddenly appeared in
front of him. It wasn’t Doors exactly; it was a perfect holographic image of
him. He appeared young and healthy and was well dressed in a futuristic suit.
The image was amazingly lifelike and detailed, and Derek had never seen
anything like it. Rora gasped at its appearance and he felt the Voice shrink
back as if it had a physical presence.

   “Stop right there Major Storm.” Doors thundered,
his voice echoing from a dozen speakers.

   “Uh oh.” Derek muttered.

   “That’s right. I can see you.” Doors informed him
triumphantly. “Did you think I would just let an insignificant ant like you
walk in and wipe me out?”

   “That was kind of the plan.” Derek agreed
smartly.

   “Ignorant fool.” Doors berated him. “I am so much
more than the LINC. That device holds no power over me.”

   “It got us this far didn’t it?” Derek argued.
“And your servant seemed so eager to get it from me. I’m pretty sure you fear
it.”

  
“You will pay for killing the First.”
Doors snapped angrily. “He had so much potential. Unlike you.”

   “I think I proved to be better.” Derek retorted.
“Nothing you have done has stopped me.”

   “I let you get this far Major.” Doors informed
him coldly. “It served my purposes to have everyone scrambling for the device
and then have you deliver it to me personally. I also needed to uncover the
traitor in our midst. I never thought it would be you Bob.”

   The Voice sobbed softly in terror. “They forced
me to help them Father.”

   “We both know that’s not true.” Doors said
paternally. “It was very clever of you to create a virtual persona on the LINC.
It was so simple I overlooked it until I knew you were the traitor. I will
decide your punishment after we are finished with this matter. I’m going to
deal with Major Storm first. You killed my Firstborn. You need to pay for that
sin.”

   “What is to stop me from walking through this
hologram and plugging the device in?” Derek asked Doors.

   “It won’t do any good Major.” Doors informed him.
“I am greater than a simple device, so it will have no effect. But I don’t
think my guardians will allow you to get close enough anyway.”

   At that, the other Humeks in the room suddenly
came to life and moved to block Derek’s path. There were four of them, all with
numerous cybernetic modifications. The closest to him was a completely hairless
woman in a white jumpsuit whose forearms and hands had been replaced with
cybernetics. Instead of fingers she had four articulated claws similar in
position and appearance to a grabber machine claw, but sharper and more
dexterous. The claws opened and closed almost reflexively.

   She was flanked by two hairless men, both wearing
identical white jumpsuits. One had his arms replaced with whip-like metal
tentacles that trailed to the floor. He flicked them repeatedly, causing them
to ripple up and down. The other looked like his entire left side had been
replaced including his neck and face. Instead of a hand he had what looked like
a pulse weapon attached. Both smiled at Derek and he knew they could see him.

   The fourth Humek was the least human of the
group. Her entire lower half had been replaced by a metallic snake-like
appendage that she rested upon. Instead of hair she had dozens of feelers
waving about wildly. The cybernetics gave her the appearance of Medusa from the
Greek myths. The pulse rifle she cradled was anything but mythic and she looked
ready to use it.

   “He’s bluffing.” Rora whispered in Derek’s ear.
“The device will work; we just need to plug it in.”

   “Since you have done so well, I will reward you.
Leave the device here and I will let you and your friend leave.” Doors continued.
“Stay out of my territory and we won’t bother you anymore.”

   “We can take them. I’ve got your back.” Rora said
quietly. “Wouldn’t you rather die free than live a slave?”

   “Well Major? What will it be?” Doors asked.

   Derek’s answer was to raise the sawed off shotgun
and blast the Humek with half his body replaced, in the face. The human half of
his face disappeared as both barrels struck him at close range. There was a
brief moment of stunned silence as the Humeks and Doors were caught off guard.
They finally reacted as the dead Humek toppled to the ground. The hologram disappeared
with a howl of rage as the other Humeks attacked.

   Rora had anticipated Derek’s response and was
already moving when he fired the shotgun. She fired her carbine as she dashed
for cover behind a work station. The Humek with tentacles for arms evaded her
fire as though expecting it and leapt over the work station to attack her. A
rapid whip crack of one arm and he sent her weapon flying. She barely dodged
the other tentacle as it crashed down. No match for the tentacle cyborg, she
ran with the cyborg in hot pursuit. Rora dodged in and out of work stations as
the Humek struck after her with tentacle whip after tentacle whip. Each strike
just missed her, but tearing apart a work station and sending fragments flying.
Sooner or later, one would strike home and she was running out of work stations
to hide behind.

   Derek was too busy at the moment to help at the
moment. The cyborg with her hands replaced had rushed him as soon as he dropped
the shotgun to reach for his pistol. He had caught her around the wrists as she
attacked but her momentum had knocked them to the floor. She was currently straddling
him and trying to close her claws on his face. He had his legs around her torso
and was holding her back but they were slowly moving closer and closer to gouging
him. He couldn’t let go of her arms, but they weren’t going to break since they
seemed to be made of titanium.

   So he did the only thing he could think of. He
used his superior weight and size to flip them over. They landed with her on
her back and her legs fell open as they crashed over. Derek postured up to a
kneeling position but he still didn’t let go of her wrists. He placed his knee
between her legs to gain leverage and pulled. She screamed and was pulled to a
sitting position but his knee kept her from moving any further. Derek kept
pulling and raised his hands above his head. There was a series of loud popping
noises followed by a wet sucking sound as both cybernetic limbs ripped free
from her arms.

   Blood and other fluid poured out of both arms and
she wailed for a few seconds before passing out. As she collapsed backwards,
Derek rolled to his feet. Pulse bolts blasted the space he had occupied seconds
prior and killed the bleeding cyborg on the floor. He drew his pistol and took
cover behind a work station. Pulse bolts blasted the station and he exchanged
fire with the Medusa-like cyborg. The station exploded and he was forced to
move as it sparked and melted.

   To his right, Derek could see Rora frantically
avoiding the slashing tentacles of the Humek. She was bleeding from numerous
cuts caused by flying debris. There wasn’t anything he could do to help her
until he could clear the other cyborg. But he could see that she wasn’t going
to have anywhere else to run very soon. He ducked behind another work station
and considered his options. He had to kill the Medusa cyborg or create a
diversion so he could shoot the tentacle cyborg.

   The diversion presented itself from a most
unexpected source. The Voice suddenly crashed into the Medusa Humek from the
side knocking her sprawling. Ignored as a threat, he had gathered his courage
and intervened at a critical moment. She quickly knocked him aside with a swipe
of her tail sending him flying, but it took her a precious minute to get back
upright. Derek took full advantage and fired two carefully aimed rounds into
the head of the tentacle wielding cyborg. It collapsed to the ground missing
half of its head. Rora slumped to the ground exhausted and relieved.

   She was safe, but Derek still had one more
guardian to eliminate. He saw Rora’s dropped carbine and scrambled for it, but
he was driven back by well-placed pulse rifle fire. Pulse fire continued to
blast away the work station he was hiding behind and he was running out of
options. Looking for a weapon his eyes settled on one of the ripped off claws.
Switching his pistol to his left hand Derek snatched it up and weighed it
carefully in his right hand.

   Firing his pistol blindly over the remains of the
work station he caused the cyborg to take cover. Derek popped up as the cyborg
slithered out from the work station she had taken cover behind. He hurled the
claw like a dart at the surprised Humek. She managed to dodge at the last
second and avoid any damage, but she wasn’t able to avoid the charging Derek as
he followed the claw. He struck her at full speed with a beautiful tackle
straight to her face with his head down; he put every ounce of energy into the
strike. The crown of his head mashed her nose, spraying blood everywhere, sending
her flying and knocking her out cold. He put a bullet into her head to make
sure she stayed down.

   Derek took a second to shake his head and recover
his wits after the terrible collision. He looked around at the carnage. The
control room was completely wrecked. Video screens were shattered and some had
fallen. Most of the work stations were demolished and sparked or smoked. The
Humek bodies lay scattered where they had fallen in pools of blood and gore.
The Voice lay unconscious where he had been thrown by the wicked tail slap.
Rora sat stunned along the opposite wall but she was starting to regain her
strength.

    He walked slowly to the port on the center
column and she managed to join him. He carefully took the device from his
pocket. Unbelievably, it didn’t even have a scratch on it. They shared a brief
look and Rora nodded. Derek plugged the device into the port and a small
keyboard extended from the column below the port. The screen of the device lit
up but nothing else happened. That was anti-climactic, Derek thought to
himself.

   “Move over.” Rora instructed.

   She took his place in front of the device and
started typing on the keyboard. String of numbers and letters appeared on the
tiny screen as she worked. She continued typing furiously and the alphanumeric
characters sped by too fast for even Derek to read. He assumed she knew what
she was doing. Whatever she was doing must have had some effect because the
hologram of Doors suddenly snapped to life next to Derek.

   “You don’t have to do this.” The hologram
pleaded. “I can make you a god if you want. I can upgrade you even further and
make you invincible. The position of my right hand is available; you are more
deserving since you killed him. You will be my avatar on Earth.”

   “I think I’ll hang on to whatever humanity I have
left, but thanks for the offer.” Derek replied sarcastically.

   “Don’t let her do this.” Doors continued to beg.
“The ripple effects will be catastrophic. It will plunge the remnants of
humanity into a war torn Dark Age.”

   “That might be a slight exaggeration, don’t you
think?” Derek asked him.

   “You have no idea what you are doing, do you
Major?” Doors asked, slightly bemused. “I am the last hope this dying world
has. Without me everything will come to an end. Join me in ushering in a new
age of enlightenment. I will make you king among men.”

   “I’m getting tired of his arrogant blather. How
much longer?” Derek asked Rora.

   “I’m almost there. One more minute.” She replied,
still focused intently on the device and the keyboard.

   “I can give you a life of luxury, waited on hand
and foot by beautiful women…”Doors tried one last time.

   “Okay I got it. All I have to do is hit enter.”
Rora looked up and said. “Are you ready to do this?”

   “Not so fast!” A male voice boomed across the
room.