Chapter Thirty-Eight - Fire and Hammer

Chapter Thirty-Eight - Fire and Hammer

Chapter Thirty-Eight - Fire and Hammer

Crowds were the weapon of choice in the early 2020s, and for a while they continued to be so.

Most governments were worried about firing into crowds of protestors. Certainly, it had worked at one time, but usually turned against them. Those that died were martyred and it showed the ruthlessness of the government.

As social media progressed and became an ever-bigger part of humanity, the same governments grew increasingly worried that violent action could be turned against them. After all, politicians sleep in very flammable homes, just like the rest of us.

But then some figured that it really didnt matter as long as you controlled the narrative, and by the end of the 2020s, the average response to a crowd of dissidents was lead and gas and prisons from which theyd never leave.

--A History of Protest, Second Edition, 2036

***

I wasnt going to be stupid about this.

Well, not too stupid. Charging out of some perfectly safe walls to go mess up an antithesis hive basically solo wasnt the epitome of intelligent choices.

Gomorrahs little fire, which was still raging on just outside of the walls, was more or less under control, and had probably worked wonders for stalling the antithesis. They were stupid too, but not so stupid as to just jump into a fire for fun.

So, if I was going to go out there... that would mean that I wasnt in the city if something went... when something went pear-shaped.

Actually, that sounded like a pro, not a con. Myalis, I need to get in touch with a couple of folk. Can you link me up to Intel-chan and Manic?

Certainly. Dialling now.

Intel-chan picked up on the call within a half second, and Manic wasnt too far behind.

What do you want, Stray? Manic asked.

Ohio!

I grinned. Hey, weve got some good news. Reinforcements are coming.

Less points for me, Manic grumbled right away.

In two days, I continued. So between now and then, were all on our own.

Her sound-based gun had a particular impact when it struck, and it was easy to tell where shed passed from all the shattered glass and the particular way the dust covering the roads had moved in great rippling semi-circles.

Hey! Manic called out to me as I came around a corner. She was sitting atop the wreck of an abandoned car, one arm raised in greeting. The area around her was filled with shredded antithesis remains. You showed up.

Yeah, I said. Been getting lots of visitors?

A few. They dont like my taste in noise, she said with a dangerous grin. Bit too metal for their tastes.

I laughed. They dont like my toys either. Strange how picky these aliens are, huh?

Im sure your toys arent to most peoples taste, Manic said.

That... actually hit close to home. Mister Tentacles was a fine gentleman, but I imagined that he was probably a bit much for the average person.

So, whats the plan? Manic asked.

Didnt bother coming up with one, I admitted. I was thinking we ask our AI where the biggest gathering of aliens are, then we blow them up.

Manic jumped off the roof of the car and stood to her full height. Im down for that. Im guessing if we kill them all they wont be a problem anymore.

I doubt well manage to kill that many, I said. But if we kill enough of them, then well be able to hold out. Once the Family sends over someone who can burst the underwater hives, then well just have to mop up the rest and then I can finally get back home.

Manic nodded along. She didnt volunteer to go take a dip in the lake, so I figured she was about as loath to do that as I was.

I noticed that her equipment had changed a little. She was wearing different pants, these with pads on the thighs and over the knees, as well as a new jacket that seemed a little bulkier than her last. More armour? She still wasnt covering all of her head, but I imagined that would come with more points to spend. So, Myalis, wheres the biggest heap of them?

A number of them are on the edge of the fires that Gomorrah started. They arent moving away from the fires, but are congregating on the edges and seem to be looking for a way past them. Fortunately, they havent started looking for a way around the fire yet.

That would stretch the front, which wasnt something we needed or wanted.

Unfortunately, Gomorrahs fires arent great for the delicate electronics in the area, and as it progresses, Im losing access to traffic and security cameras.

Huh... we might be able to play the hammer to the fire's anvil, I said.

I wouldnt think fire would work well as an anvil, but I get what you mean. Manic checked the charge on her sound blaster and then shouldered it. We heading out, or what?

Yeah, lets go make up some of the points Ive been spending, I said.

***