Chapter 95: Inspiration
Everybody was crowded around. Crimson Hydra. Star Boy, Hackworth, officers, operators, Fabricators.
Gawping. Gaping. Unable to process what had just happened.
James understood where they were coming from, but impatience was building up within him.
It was time to roll out.
Colonel Hackworth. How does this change Crimson Hydras deployment? His voice boomed out through the parking garage, reverbed and thunderous.
Hackworth blinked. Your team is no longer on overwatch. Im going to place you in the thick of it. Well have you cross the Manhattan Bridge, cross through Manhattan, and make your way through the Hudson Tunnel into Jersey to clean out the demons there.
Understood. James swiveled toward the massively reinforced ramp that led up to the first floor and the garage exit. Im going to get started. I want to be in position when the Fourth Wave hits.
Good. Hackworth looked around at the crowd. Everyone else, back to your posts. Move, people! Weve two hours till the Fourth Wave hits. Shows over!
Man, said Star Boy as James took his first step, his four-toed foot causing the ground to shudder. Fuckin titan online. Now I can die a happy man.
James. Serenity moved alongside him. What the fuck, man?
Grab your Wing. Double up with Olaf. Im going to be making my way to the Manhattan Bridge. Fine me en route.
Despite the Hounds massive tonnage and size, it moved surprisingly smoothly; each step carried it three or four yards, progress slow and steady. But James wanted to see how fast it could go. What it could do.
He had to get outside.
You heard the man - the war machine, barked Serenity to the rest of the crew. Lets get on our Wings. Move!
It felt surreal. There was no James inside the Hound, nobody inside the machine. He was the machine. He kept thinking he should be in there, seated, strapped in, holding joysticks, perhaps, feeling the shake of the Hound in his body, moving from side to side.
But no.
There was a purity to the experience. A singular identification with the mass and bulk of the Hound. He was sixteen feet tall now, weighed 9 tons. And he was starting to feel it.
He marched up the ramp, causing the Fabricator-created sheets of green steel to vibrate, then crossed the first floor to the main car ramp up to the street. Despite Hackworths commands people still just stood there, watching, eyes wide.
The ramp cleared before him, and too eager to just walk, James moved into a jog. He powered up the incline, his huge limbs pounding into the cement, his ascent smooth, and emerged a moment later into the avenue.
There he slowed, stopped, and looked around. Swiveled his chassis 360-degrees, growing accustomed to his field of vision, his area of focus. Not bad. How fast could he turn? He swiveled again, as quickly as he could, and the world spun. He stopped, spun some more, stopped again facing his original forward direction.
All right. Time to try running.
He began at a march, each footstep crunching the asphalt, then quickly moved into the same jog with which hed tackled the ramp. The jog was ungainly; he rocked from side to side as he went, but this disappeared when he moved into a run. At that higher speed his upper body remained poised between the two pumping legs, shifting minutely from side to side as he went.
Speed-wise he had to be going some twenty-miles an hour. He felt ponderous, massive, unstoppable. Strength 155. He could run right through buildings.
Time to try the hard-burn. He tapped a point of Aeviternum and felt his engine thrum to life. If before it had thrummed silently, now it roared; he felt burnt Aeviternum vent out the back and suddenly he was moving; it felt as if a huge hand had descended to push his back, urging him forward, faster and faster.
The War Hound powered down the avenue, doubling in speed, perhaps more. Forty miles an hour? Fifty?
Time to test that Power 90. With a flex of his will, he urged the Hound - himself - to leap. Without breaking stride he crouched and surged upwards.
The War Hound burst into the air as if catapulted. His huge mass flew at least as high as the third story windows, and when he came down, he caused craters to form under each massive foot.
Damn! James let out a whoop. How fard I fly?
Id estimate twenty yards, James. A very nice jump.
Twenty yards. Awesome. All right. Now to find a ruined building.
A ruined building?
Im not done testing.
James resumed jogging north toward the bridge. Pedestrians fell back with cries and shouts, only to step forward once more and marvel. He was clearly no demon. They didnt know what the fuck he was, but on some level he guessed they intuited he was on their side.
Gonna kick some demon ass, he boomed, voice echoing off the building walls, and the sparse crowd let out a cheer.
There. A burnt-out hulk of a building. The facade was crumpled in as if a garbage truck had rammed it, glass glinting across the sidewalk. James paused at a distance of some fifteen yards away, considering.
James?
Lets see what the Vault Cannon can do.
His left arm rose, and while he didnt see a targeting display appear, he could sense, could feel what it was aimed at. He panned the gun over the facade, testing how minutely he could aim it, then took a spiritual deep breath.
Here we go. Lets start with limited.
James paused then retracted his foot. Considered. He could shove his way along the pavement, but that was absolutely packed with people and hed still have to shove cars aside.
Instead, he crouched and leaped.
He soared up and landed on the BMWs hood. The engine block crunched beneath his huge weight, the car bucking up behind him, but without waiting James leaped again. There was no sense of effort to it; he simply jumped forward, pistons and magic doing the work, to land on the hood of the next car, a station wagon.
Fuck, said Serenity. That thing can get air.
Out of the cars, boomed James. If youre in a vehicle, get out. War Hound coming through.
Denzel lowered his Wing so that he was flying just above the crowd and skimmed ahead, peering into each vehicle as he went. James leaped and leaped again. It was disorienting; he intuited that this kind of activity should make him out of breath. He felt the amount of mass being hurled into the air each time, and instinctively expected some kind of resultant exhaustion.
But there was none.
On and on he leaped, booming his warning until Flatbush Ave reached a huge intersection. Eight lanes crossed another eight with a large green park taking up the NW corner. The result was a huge open space, abandoned cars surrounded by an ocean of humanity, with thousands crammed into the park alone.
James paused, parked atop a black sedan, slowly swiveling from one side to the other. There had to be at least twenty-thousand people crammed in here, the crowd filling every avenue, covering the sidewalks, some people having even climbed up the traffic lights, with groups sitting atop the abandoned vans and trucks.
This is a good place to start, said James. Crowd this big, well get a couple of hundred Nem3s.
What a clusterfuck, said Jason. How do you want us to deploy?
Stay tight and inside Olafs circle, said James. Everyone gets Deadeye. Yadriel, dont leave formation unless I give the word. Jason, help Olaf maintain his circle by clearing away demons that get too close. Everyone else just lay down fire until we start drawing fire. Olaf, soon as too many harpoons are coming our way, distribute Shields.
Yes, said Olaf. Very good.
Serenity had mounted her M2 between her handlebars on a swivel. She twisted around to look at the others. Weve a long day ahead of us, yeah? So pick your shots. You lot need to make your ammo last.
Every Wing had saddlebags, James saw, large black duffel-bags on each side that bulged with rectangular objects. Magazines.
Even so, Serenity was right. Given the numbers theyd be facing, even that much ammo would go fast.
Word had spread across the crowd and everyone, even those at the farthest reaches of the avenues, were craning their necks to look his way.
Listen up, everyone. James could pitch his voice even louder. His words crashed across the intersections like a tsunami, causing the closest to flinch and cover their ears. We are Crimson Hydra from Blue Light. Were here to protect you. When the Nem3s appear, the best you can do is crouch down and stay low. Theres no room to run and theres nowhere to go. Do not panic. Do not try to escape. This is it. This is where we stand and fight. We will protect you. We will kill the demons. Just crouch, cover your heads, and let us do what we do best.
The crowd wavered. He saw people glance at each other, their nerves still on edge.
Kimmie pulled out a megaphone. Hello everyone! Im Kimmie. I just want to say a couple of things real quick. You guys inspire me. You came out to stand together when you could have tried to hide alone. Youre here because youre brave. Because you are willing to work together. You care about your neighbor, and thats awesome. If we work together, well get through this. So stay calm, keep it together, and well make it through. Yeah?
People stood taller. Shoulders squared. James saw countless people inhale deeply, and a good number let out ragged yells.
Kimmie raised the megaphone again. I cant hear you! Were the best of humanity, were braver than we knew, were going to face the devil and kick his ass. We can do this. We can do this together. Yeah?
This time the cheer was more of a roar. Some people pumped their fists.
Kimmie stood up on her Wing. You guys can do this! Youre unstoppable! Nothing can defeat humanity! Were going to stand up to these demons and send them back to hell. You are brave, youre beautiful, youre fearless! Together well end this apocalypse and heal the planet!
This time the roar came from twenty-thousand throats. Everybody had stood up, from the folks atop the vans to those crammed into the park. People screamed their agreement, and it sounded like nothing so much as a battle cry.
Hell yeah! Kimmie grinned. Thats the spirit! When the fight starts, stay cool, stay calm, pop a squat and let us waste em. Got it?
Again the cheer came, solid and determined. Kimmie waved, lowered her megaphone and sat back down. There. She exhaled sharply and grinned at her companions. I think theyre ready.
Holy shit girl, said Denzel. What the hell was that? Your yoga classes must have been off the hook.
Look at them, yo, said Yadriel. Theyre like hi-fiving and shit. Youd think they were gonna do the fighting.
Damn, Kimmie. Serenity gave a grudging nod. Im really starting to appreciate what you can do.
Kimmie shrugged happily. Just trying to help, you know?
Outstanding, said James, thinking of Hackworth. Lets hit them with that one more time before the Nems appear.
Yes sir, said Kimmie.
All right. James adjusted his footing on the crumpled sedan. It gave him an excellent vantage point over the intersection. The Manhattan bridge was less than a mile away.
There was no need to breathe, but James wanted to blow out his cheeks, settle his shoulders. Instead he amped up the Empyreal Gun, filling its heart chamber with Aeviternum so that its barrel glowed golden. The Hounds Aeviternum Pool was at 721/729. Just barely tapped.
The Wings arrayed themselves in the optimal position. Olaf and Miriam just above and behind James, the others facing outward, M4s on their laps.
The crowd began to chant We Will Rock You.
Time was ticking down.
Time for the Fourth Wave.