Chapter Seventeen - Growth

Chapter Seventeen - Growth

Chapter Seventeen - Growth

Theres famous samurai, and then theres Famous ones. Im not talking about your average joe with an alien chip in their head and a bit of an attitude problem who likes saving orphans. Im talking about the samurai who leave behind a legacy.

--Three Swipes, Late Night With AI-567 Interview, 2032

***

Now what? Manic asked.

I reached up to rub at the bridge of my nose, then let my hand fall. Well, were kinda fucked, arent we?

Manic shrugged. Honestly, thats nothing new for me.

Yeah, thats fair. Want to go out with a bang? I asked.

She grinned. Always imagined that the best way to go was while blowing something big up. A last, final show, you know?

I nodded along. That was the big dream, wasnt it? Unfortunately, I had responsibilities now, and Lucy would be upset if I died, even if it was in a blaze of glory. So, basically I couldnt strap a nuke to my chest and charge at the aliens.

Besides, I didnt feel like swimming.

Myalis, I need a few more of those cat drones. Can you start mapping out the underground for us? We need to know more or less where theyll be breaking through, I said.

Certainly. Ive already begun, though I dont yet know the extent of the underground hives reach.

That was fine. I let Manic open the boxes that showed up around me. I had to think in the meantime. Downtown was woefully under-defended for the number of aliens we were seeing. Myalis, youre the expert here. When will they attack?

An undisturbed hive will, generally, continue to expand, grow, and harden itself until such a time as it encounters resistance or a threat, at which time it will work to eliminate that threat.

So if I planted bombs down there and set them off, then wed be swarmed within the hour. I started pacing the little room. It seemed as if I had three problems. I opened a text box and typed them up.

1- Fuckloads of aliens were going to mess us up soon

2- Downtown wasnt ready to deal with even a moderate swarm

3- All I had to work with were three noobs and Gomorrah

I hesitated, then added a fourth line.

4- Lucy was going to be annoyed if I wasnt back home for dinner.

Myalis, what could we do to mess the aliens up? I asked. I dont think we can just nuke them to hell.

No, actually, I said. I was pretty proud of myself in the moment. Were going to poison the well, or however that expression goes. Basically, I need you back in Downtown ASAP. We need to up the defences until theyll be able to survive the aliens getting all uppity.

There was a long pause before she replied. I dont think the antithesis get uppity, so much as they get murderously angry.

Potato potato, I said. Well be killing them either way. Do you think youd have time to make a quick run from here to New Montreal and back?

What for?

Weve been making turrets at my place. We must have half a hundred of them by now. Theyre pretty cheap shit, but theyll work well against the weaker models, I said.

Id much rather stay here, but I can ask Franny to take the church van and grab them, she said.

I nodded along. Much better idea. Ill send Lucy a text about it. We really need to get things moving, I think that every hour we waste adds a whole shitload of extra aliens were going to have to kill.

I know. Well go over whatever half-baked plan you came up with... want to meet at the mall again? she asked.

Sounds good. Well have to distribute better weapons and coordinate with the general, whatshisname from the militia. We need everyone on their A-game. Talk to you in person in a bit.

Hanging up the call, I continued walking through the museum, Manic a step behind me. So, where to?

The mall, I said.

Fuck me, she replied.

Dont like the place?

Its fine. Its the people I dont like. Theres only one sort of person that hangs out in a place like that, and theyre the worst sort of human around. Hyper-consumerist fuckwits whod sell their own mothers for the latest micro-version of whatevers the status symbol of choice this week. Cant fucking stand the place. And you know it only exists for people to flash their wealth. Otherwise theyd just buy their shit online like the rest of us.

I like malls, I said. Used to go there with my girlfriend and stare at all the shit we couldnt afford, filch half-eaten meals out of the trash too. Great smoothies.

Manic snorted. I guess we have different memories of that sort of place.

Guess so, I said. Anyway, its where everyone decided to gather in Downtown, so thats where well be heading to.

You can blame that Sprout guy, he chose it. I think he used to work there.

Really? I asked as I stepped out into the sunlight. I got my bearings, then started walking towards the bigger skyscrapers.

Yeah. Worked in this little flower shop.

Huh, I said. Then I put that out of my mind because I had bigger concerns to deal with.

***