Chapter Fifty-Two - Down Down Down

Chapter Fifty-Two - Down Down Down

Chapter Fifty-Two - Down Down Down

The Antithesis are, rightly, the stuff of many a nightmare. They are unreasonable, alien, and have an appetite for human flesh.

They are the boogiemen made real, and they could be anywhere. Small hives have been found hundreds of kilometers away from incursion sites, sometimes weeks after the last hive in the region was declared eradicated.

There are Models able to destroy entire city blocks all on their own.

And yet, of all of the Models, there is none more terrifying than the Model Seven.

--Excerpt from a Lecture by Professor Sanderson, 2028

***

Speedy drove us to a stop before a tall, thin high rise three blocks and a bit over from the hospital. The building, like its neighbours, was tall and sleek, covered in bright stainless and mirrored windows.

It wasnt one of the short-stack apartment blocks that fillled half the city, or one of those blocky factories that spat out plumes of smoke from three dozen vents on the roof. This was one of the fancy sorts of buildings where half the floors were corporate offices, and the rest homes for the kind of people that couldnt live without a view.

I stopped craning my neck up and looked around the car as much as I could. No aliens, at least, none that I could see. Right, I said. Back to the grind. Speedy, youre staying here?

Sure thing, boss lady, Speedy said with a two finger salute.

Two per vehicle, Monroe said. The rest of us are with you.

We got out, the soldiers doing the fancy thing where they panned their guns left and right and looked around for anything that wanted to eat them.

I looked up again, to make sure there werent any surprises there, then took in the front of the building.

The first three or so floors were all cement, no glass or windows and no decorations other than huge static ads for energy drinks, radio stations and the more popular porn livestreams.

Maam, door, Monroe said as he removed a hand from the barrel of his gun to point to a door set in the side of the building.

I shook off my lethargy, tried to put my game face on, realized that I didnt have or need one, and moved over to the door.

The soldiers moved around it, two to a side, guns held so that they could spin around and clear the entrance the moment the door was opened. Wait just a sec, I said. They relaxed a bit. Myalis, can you help me with this one?

Certainly.

And Ill need a bit more help besides. Can I buy something to see through doors and such? Maybe a drone? To scout and such.

There are all sorts of drones available. I would advise against going the drone swarm route though. The micromanaging needed to use one well wouldnt suit you, I dont think. Perhaps a larger, more robust stealth drone? Something with a Class I AI that can serve as a partner?

An AI like you? I asked.

No. I am a class XII Personal AI. I am far beyond your purchasing capability. A Class I AI would have the intelligence of a small mammal. A dog, or a cat, perhaps. The model I have in mind can be upgraded and improved over time.

I had over a thousand points to burn. Sure.

New Purchase: Type One GG3R Stealth Drone

It made me feel like an amatuer. I was clunking along behind them, walking bold as day, and yet making less noise than any one of them because of my magic cheat-y boots.

I leaned forwards a bit, my grip on the underside of my new rifles barrel tightening as I imitated the way they stood. Did it serve a purpose?

We reached a stairwell. Unlike those in the last shithole building Id been stuck in, this one climbed up for more than one floor, with landings at every level. Which floor is the shelter on? I asked.

Its in the second basement.

I turned my gaze down to the stairs leading lower. Well okay then, I said. Monroe, do you want to split the party, or do we move as a group?

Id rather we stay together, maam, the soldier said.

I nodded. Then lets go see whats waiting for us down below.

My new drone hopped down the steps one at a time with faint little clicks only to pause as it reached the bottom.

You might want to see this.

Hold, I whispered. The soldiers stopped, guns coming to bear as they looked for a threat. Can I see?

Im linking the drones feed to your eye gear.

The HUD over my left eye filled with a view of a stairwell, the same one we were on. I saw myself from below, looking a bit awkward behind the four soldiers.

The camera panned over to the steps leading down.

There was a body there. A human. He was resting at the bottom of the next flight down, back against the wall next to an open door, a gun on his lap and his brains all over the ceiling. The corridor next to him was pitch black, with a faint red light glowing at the end.

I swallowed some bile. Suicide? I asked.

Perhaps.

I dont suppose that corridor is the one with the vault?

It is.

I sighed. Monroe, you have lights?

The man nodded. We do. He tapped on something on his vest and a panel on its front flared up, then he did something with his rifle and a tiny encased LED popped out from under the barrel and lit the passage before him. His men did the same.

Good, good. Cause Im not the superstitious sort, but I've got a bad feeling about all of this.

I stomped--silently--past the soldiers while working through some menus with my eye gear. Finding the controls for all of my gear was pretty simple. Everything had icons, from my boots to my gun to the Hydra system on my back. I blinked at the one for my coat, then with a flick of my eyes to the side, I turned invisible.

I want a coat like that, I heard one of the boys mutter behind me.

I just snorted and moved on.

***