Fiction: Afterlife Volume 3 (Chapter 27)

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Afterlife is a sci fi/western action serial published every other week. Join us in a post-apocalyptic journey through a future where life has become little more than a struggle for survival. However, where there’s life, there’s always hope.

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Read the previous chapter here:

Afterlife, Volume 3, Chapter 26

Where:

Shelly fights for her life against Warrick Baines.
The IAO attack Rose City.
General Rodriguez and Foxtrot watch as their army is decimated.

Find the Volume 3 Table of Contents page here.

View the Map here.

Check out Afterlife on Goodreads and don’t forget to rate it.

 

Afterlife, Volume 3, Chapter 27

“It doesn’t make sense,” General Rodriguez said as he looked through his binoculars.  “How were they able to dig tunnels without us detecting anything?”  He let out a deep breath and handed the binoculars to Foxtrot.

“You know how these things go,” Foxtrot said.  “They probably developed advanced cloaking technology that blocked our methods of detection.  We need to catch up now.”  An orderly brought in a tray with rolls and water and placed it in on the table in the middle of the room the resistance military leadership were holed up in.  Foxtrot barely noticed.  Nobody cared about such things, but they kept quiet until the orderly left the room and shut the door behind him.  Their attention was drawn to what was happening outside the large front window of the room.

“But they were moving earth under our noses,” Javy said.  “We should have been able to detect that regardless.”

“There are some extremely sophisticated cloaking technologies being developed,” Colonel Trent said as she looked through her own binoculars.  “This time, they beat us to the punch.”  She frowned.  “Another column’s about to come down.  It may be time to start evacuation procedures.”

“The army’s not evacuating,” General Howell said.  “Let the civilian leaders decide that.  We’ll try to keep the enemy occupied to allow for an evacuation if one happens, but we’re staying right here.”

“More bad news,” Colonel Trent said as she checked her wristwatch computer.  “Word from robotics command.  Apparently several platoons of androids we’d stolen from Rennock and re-programmed have been recaptured by the enemy.”

“How’d we let that happen?” Javy asked.

“The IAO have electromagnetic re-programmers,” Colonel Trent said.  “They’re able to electromagnetically tap into the robots’ memory and wirelessly reprogram them to join and fight alongside the IAO, in the midst of battle.”  She frowned.  “As if we didn’t have enough problems.”

Foxtrot looked through the binoculars at the fighting on the outskirts of the Undertown.  The IAO was obviously getting the upper hand.  Lasers lines filled the streets and alleys between sandstone houses, and resistance fighters in tan uniforms were constantly moving backwards, many of them running through the smoke and rubble.  It felt like all of the air was being sucked out of the room.  They needed to figure something out fast.

“We need to fill in the tunnels,” Javy said.

“Fill in the tunnels?” General Howell asked.

“Make that the goal,” Javy said.  “At least for now.  Stem the bleeding.  Gather our troops in the Undertown, fight past their front lines to the tunnels, and fill them in.  And throw as many explosives in there as possible so we can maybe cause some cave-ins and take out some of their troops.”  He bit his lip.  “Send our soldiers through their lines in concentrated columns.  Attack one point in the line and fight through.  We have to make it to those tunnels, one way or another.”

General Howell nodded.  “And how do you suggest we get past their front lines without leaving the Undertown defenseless?”

“We don’t have to defend the Undertown,” Javy said.  “Send everything we have at their front lines, take out the tunnels, and at least a good portion of the troops in there, and then retreat back and prepare for the next wave.  Their soldiers and levelers attacking the columns here will be cut off from the rest of their forces, so either they’ll fall back a bit or our troops will surround them when they come back take them out.  If the folks upstairs decide to evacuate, that strategy should hopefully give them more time at the very least.”

Colonel Trent looked at General Howell.  “Do you agree with that plan, sir?”

General Howell nodded.  “Sure, Colonel.  I agree.  We have to do something and it’s as good a plan as any.  Start contacting the field commanders so we can put this operation in motion ASAP.  And then we can hope for a miracle.”

<>

Della was starting to tire as he trudged through the sand back to the Undertown.  He could see the columns and the city above them ahead in the distance.  He heard the sounds of approaching soldiers and he aimed his assault laser rifle at the dune above him.  He lowered his weapon when he saw men and women in tan uniforms, though he remained ready in case it was some sort of IAO trick.  The IAO were notorious for fighting dirty.

The man leading the way had wrinkled brown skin.  He appeared to be at least in his seventies, and from New India possibly or South America, maybe New Brazil.  Behind him was one of the most mismatched duos Della had ever seen.  One man was at least seven feet tall and the other was four feet tall at the most, a dwarf.  The tall man had a bushy brown moustache and the dwarf had blonde hair and was fairly handsome.  The woman behind them was a pretty blonde who was wearing far too much makeup.  She seemed to think this was a night out on the town rather than a battle.  Even Della knew better than to get all dolled up in a desert firefight.  The last three were two men helping an injured man.  The injured man appeared to be from the Middle East, a short, stout man with a black beard.  His right leg was bloody and looked to be in pretty bad shape.  One of the men helping him was tall and muscular, with a square jaw and short blonde hair.  Della found himself immediately attracted to him.  The other man helping the injured man was in his sixties probably, with long, gray hair, and a goatee.  He had the golden leaf major insignia of the Southwest Resistance on his shoulders, so he was most likely the leader of this squad.  “Are you alone, soldier?” he asked with a thick southern accent.

“I am,” Della said.  “My squad was killed in the ambush.  I’m all that’s left.”

“Where you headin’?” the leader asked.

“Back to the Undertown.”

“So you didn’t get the new orders?” the leader asked.

“New orders?” Della asked.  He realized he’d been in such a hurry to head back to the Undertown that he hadn’t checked his wristwatch computer in a while.  “I’m not aware of the new orders.  I’ve been cut off from the chain of command.”  He slung his assault rifle over his shoulder.

“Intentionally?” the tall, handsome man with the blonde hair asked.  He also had a thick southern accent.

Della glared at him and put his hands on his hips.  “Look, honey.  Are you questioning my loyalty to the resistance?”

“You shut your trap, Billy,” the leader said to the handsome man.  “He’s your superior officer.  Let me do the talkin’.”  He smiled at Della.  “I’m Major Joe Rodeo, and this is my squad.”

“Joe Rodeo?” Della asked and his eyes lit up.  “The Wild Joe Rodeo?”

“One and the same,” the major said with a bow.

Della smiled.  He’d heard that the legendary showman had come to Rose City and joined the resistance army, but this was their first meeting.  Della hadn’t recognized him in the uniform.  “You’re one of my idols.  I’m a performer myself.  I sing and do some dancing.”

Major Rodeo nodded.  “Is that so?  Well ain’t that somethin’?”  The others introduced themselves, and Della in turn introduced himself.  Della walked up to the top of the dune and joined them.  “We’re headed to coordinates about a quarter mile northwest,” Major Rodeo said, “between here and Rose City.  There’s a tunnel there and our orders are to use the explosives Big Bob and Jimmy are carryin’ to fill in the tunnel and take out as many of their soldiers as we can in the process, then head back to the Undertown.  Once we regroup there, one of our squad has been captured and we mean to get her back.”

Della nodded.  “It seems my part in this battle may not be finished, then.  May I join you?”

“Sure, Major Luscious,” Major Rodeo said.  “From the looks of ya, you’d fit right in with our squad.”

“What about Ayman?” Della asked.  “Shouldn’t you get him back to the Undertown?  Why don’t you let me take over and you and Billy can help him get away.”

“I don’t want to be a burden,” Ayman said, struggling to speak through his pain.

Major Rodeo shook his head.  “We ain’t splittin’ up like that.  We’ve got Ayman’s wound under control for now.  We’ll leave him with Billy and Mary while the rest of us head for the tunnel.  We’ll wait ‘til we’re closer to split up, though, so if there’s any problems we’ll be within earshot if necessary.”  Della nodded.  “One thing,” Major Rodeo said, holding up a finger.  “This is my squad you’re joinin’.  I know we share the same rank, but just so there ain’t no misunderstandins, I’m the one givin’ the orders here.”

“It’s your show,” Della said with a grin.

Major Rodeo led the squad through the dunes until he stopped them in a valley near the tunnel opening.  They left Billy, Mary, and Ayman there to await their return.  Ayman had some bandages around his leg and it seemed to be somewhat stable, but he’d need medical attention after they were done their current operation.  The rest of the squad proceeded to scale the dune and head towards the coordinates on Major Rodeo’s wristwatch computer that corresponded to the location of the closest tunnel.

When they reached the crest of the dune closest to the tunnel, Major Rodeo signaled for the squad to stop.  They got down low and looked down into the valley.  Della knelt next to Major Rodeo as he observed several men in leather and metal armor exiting a huge cavern through the sand.  The walls of the cavern were thick glass and there was a huge metal burrower parked in front of the opening.  The drill-like burrower melted the sand as it moved through it, and the tail of the vehicle had a cooling system which cooled the glass quickly, hardening it into tempered glass so the tunnel would remain and the troops could continue to use it.  “All right,” Major Rodeo said.  “Big Bob and Jimmy will take the explosives down to the tunnel entrance while the rest of us provide cover.”

The giant and the dwarf scrambled down the side of the dune as Della, Major Rodeo, and the Chief held their positions.  Major Rodeo fired at one of the IAO soldiers with his laser rifle, hitting him in the head.  Della and the Chief also opened fire as Big Bob and Jimmy reached the bottom of the dune and rushed to the tunnel entrance.  Della aimed his assault rifle and quickly took out seven IAO soldiers who were near the entrance as Big Bob and Jimmy dropped their bags and started running.  Explosions rang through the nearby dunes as the sand sank into the destroyed tunnel.  Fire shot out of the opening as it quickly disappeared in a pile of sand.  Della continued taking out remaining IAO soldiers as Major Rodeo signaled for them to rush down the side of the dune.  It was easier for them to join Big Bob and Jimmy in the valley, as climbing the side of the dune would have been slow and it would have made Big Bob and Jimmy easier targets.

Della followed Major Rodeo and the others as they snaked between sandy dunes, firing their rifles at IAO soldiers on the tops of dunes as they went.  Lasers were hitting the sand all around them and clouds of sand and smoke were everywhere, obstructing their vision.  Della had no idea how they’d make it out alive, but he continued moving forward through the chaotic mess, and whenever he saw an IAO soldier, he fired his assault laser rifle with deadly speed and accuracy.  “You really know how what to do with a gun,” Major Rodeo said as they tried to make their way back to the valley where Billy, Mary, and Ayman were waiting for them.

Della winked at him as he continued trudging through the sand.  “That’s what all the men tell me.”

Eventually, Major Rodeo stopped the group.  The IAO were nowhere to be found.  Della and the others seemed to have made it out of the chaotic battle safely once again.  “We’re close,” Major Rodeo said.  “It’s time to scale the dune.  The valley’s on the other side.  Keep an eye out, though.  We’ll be sittin’ ducks.”

“Hopefully they’re all right,” the Chief said as the five men scaled the sandy dune.  Della slipped in the sand several times, but was able to stop himself from tumbling too far.  After some time and struggle, he reached the top with the others, and they were confronted with a terrifying site.  The nearby dunes were crawling with IAO soldiers, and several of them were pointing laser rifles at Major Rodeo and his group, including Della.  There were humans and robots, some of which were androids with silver bodies.  There were also interceptors, legless robots that hovered over the ground.  There were RLR’s where the interceptor’s hands would have been and single red lights shined out from their robotic faces.  Della knew that he and Major Rodeo’s squad didn’t stand a chance.  There were hundreds of IAO soldiers and robots within sight, and if Della and the others tried to run, the interceptors would make quick work of them.  Della looked below him into the valley to see Ayman lying in the sand with Mary and Billy kneeling over him.

“Drop your weapons and surrender,” a voice boomed from one of the nearby dunes.  “We have you surrounded.  Your forces don’t stand a chance, anyway.  Rose City belongs to the IAO now.  The Southwest Resistance is no more.”  Della bit his lip and looked at Major Rodeo, who was frowning.  “I said drop your weapons,” the voice repeated.  A laser blasted the sand in front of Della and he stumbled backwards a few steps.  Major Rodeo dropped his laser rifle, as did the others.  Della was the last to let his weapon fall into the sand.  At least they’d taken out the tunnel and dozens of IAO troops before they were captured.

The immediate area was rocked with explosions and Della dropped to the sand.  A dune full of IAO soldiers and robots exploded in a geyser of sand and fire.  Red laser lines shot across the sky and more IAO soldiers on another nearby dune were ripped to bloody shreds.  Della grabbed his assault laser rifle and started firing at interceptors.  He wasn’t sure exactly what was happening, but he’d take advantage of the distraction.  The dune which had been crawling with IAO soldiers was now occupied by several squads of soldiers in black uniforms and shiny black helmets.  Della immediately recognized them as Rennock’s soldiers.  He looked down into the valley to see several of the black-clad soldiers helping Billy, Mary, and Ayman.  One of the black-clad soldiers was on the dune that Della and his companions were perched atop.  He was approaching them with his hands in the air.  “Hold your fire,” he said.  “We’ve come to assist you in your fight against the IAO.  We’re with General Schmidt’s army.  Used to work for Rennock, but now we’re on our own.  We heard you guys could use some help here.”

Major Rodeo stood slowly.  “What’s your rank, soldier?”

“I’m a first lieutenant,” the man said.  He took off his shiny black helmet to reveal his face.  He was a young man with brown hair shaved to a crew cut.  “There aren’t many of us left, so I’m one of the senior officers now.  I was sent as an emissary from General Schmidt himself.  There are others.  Some are headed to the Undertown to meet with your leadership.  In the meantime, on the field, I suggest we work together to find our way back to Rose City.”

Major Rodeo smiled and nodded.  “Sounds good, at least until I get other orders.”

“I’m Lieutenant Dussex,” he said.  “Harry Dussex.”

Major Rodeo nodded.  “Major Rodeo.”  Lieutenant Dussex put his shiny black helmet back on and led the way as the squads of black-clad soldiers, along with Della, Major Rodeo, and the rest of their squad headed in the direction of Rose City.

<>

“Who are they?” Javy asked as he looked through the binoculars.

“We’ve received word back from Major Perry on the front lines,” Colonel Trent said as she also looked through her binoculars.  “It’s what’s left of General Schmidt’s army.  Judging from the look of them, there aren’t enough to overpower and destroy the IAO forces surrounding the city, but there may be at least enough men and robots to help our troops make it back here to the Undertown.”

General Howell nodded.  “And then the IOA forces will retreat back and wait for reinforcements.”  He frowned.  “But at least we can count our losses and see if there’s any way we can counterattack.”  He glanced at Javy.  “What do you think, general?”

Javy put his binoculars down and rolled his eyes.  “Of course I’m happy that our troops are receiving help, but we can’t trust General Schmidt.  If he does help as any longer, it will just be until he can turn on us and try to destroy us.”

General Howell frowned.  “Rennock’s dead.  General Schmidt and his troops are free agents now.  Maybe we can get them to join us permanently.”

“Join us permanently?” Javy asked, glaring at General Howell.  “After the crimes he and his men have committed?  No.  I won’t ally myself with an animal.  Besides, the casualties have been staggering.  I’m sure his army’s suffered some major casualties also.  We still need to figure something out.  We aren’t out of this situation yet.”  He handed his binoculars to Foxtrot.

Foxtrot looked out across the dunes to see soldiers in black uniforms walking towards the Undertown with resistance soldiers wearing tan uniforms.  Mixed in were several Silver Soldier robots manufactured by the Stoneman Corporation and interceptors.  Beyond, on far off dunes, Foxtrot could still see hover tanks, levelers, and IAO forces that looked like tiny ants at a distance, but Foxtrot knew how formidable they truly were.  And there would be more.  IAO reinforcements were coming in daily.  As for the resistance forces, General Schmidt’s army, or what was left of it, would help, but it wouldn’t be often that such a formidable force would be able to break through the IAO lines to reach Rose City.  The IAO forces would continue to grow, and the resistance pretty much had what they had.  Things were still looking bleak.  Foxtrot was confident, however, that given the extra time that General Schmidt’s arrival brought, Javy would eventually be able to figure out a path to victory.

<>

Shelly was on her back in the middle of the main street of Drummond, looking up as Warrick pointed one of his blades at her neck and the other at her belly.  She was barely able to keep her eyes open as the cyborg looked down at her with the red light that acted as his eye.  The sun had risen and the town was aglow with morning sunlight.  “Finish me off,” Shelly said, struggling to speak through her pain and exhaustion as blood continued to drip from her wounds.  “Just know, someone will be there to kill you.  This isn’t the end.”

Warrick drew his blades back a few inches and prepared to stab.  “Warrick!” The shout startled both Baines and Shelly.  “It’s Abigail Song!  If you kill her, there won’t be anything stopping me from destroying you with one of my concussion bombs.”  Warrick turned and Shelly looked past him to see Abby standing about fifteen feet away holding two metal cylinders with glowing blue lights.  The light from the flames of the burning city gave her an almost angelic look.  “You still want me?” she asked.  She smiled a cunning smile.  “Come and get me.”  Warrick stepped towards her, leaving Shelly on the ground behind him.

Shelly noticed one of her swords on the ground a few feet away.  She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.  Summoning as much energy as she could, she rolled to the sword, picked it up, and stumbled to her feet.  With all of her remaining might, she screamed and sliced down at Warrick’s wrists.  The atomically sharpened atlantium sliced through both of Warrick’s wrists and his hands and his blades fell into the sand.  The remaining wrists were nothing but jagged metal and sparking wires.  There was no blood.  Shelly yelled and with all of her might prepared a finishing blow aimed at Warrick’s neck.  Before she could swing her sword, the cyborg took off running after Abby, who in turn, started running through the street.  Warrick was only a few feet away.  If Abby were to drop one of her bombs at that distance, it would likely kill her, too.  Shelly used all of her energy to run after Warrick, but her damaged human body was no match for his cybernetic legs.

Abby used her own cybernetic leg to leap ahead several feet, but Warrick kept up with her.  He no longer had his blades, but a blow from a cybernetic arm would be enough to severely injure or possibly kill Abby.  Shelly tried her best to keep up.  She was Abby’s only defense, even if she was only operating at a quarter of her usual strength and energy.  Warrick pursued Abby down the street and she jumped about twenty feet ahead and continued running.  Warrick kept up with her but Shelly was lagging behind.  She noticed the large stone bank building up ahead and watched as Abby made a sharp left and leapt through the glass door.  That was where Abby had just come from.  Shelly realized that Abby must have had some sort of plan.  Shelly stopped for a second to regain her breath and tried to gather as much strength as she could.

With all of her strength and will, Shelly walked up to the bank and entered through the shattered door.  She lumbered through the empty lobby towards a long metal corridor lined with doors, where she found Warrick walking towards Abby, who was standing at the far end of the corridor.  There was an open vault to Abby’s right, which she entered.  Warrick ran in after her, and Shelly limped down the corridor, trying her best to make it to the end before she passed out.  Abby materialized in the corridor outside of the vault, pushing some buttons on her camouflage projector.  She slammed the heavy vault door shut and locked it.  “Stay there,” she said as she ran to Shelly and pulled her to the ground.  Explosions rocked the end of the corridor and the vault door flew into the opposite wall.

Shelly sat up and Abby slowly stood.  She helped Shelly up and she helped Shelly walk to the end of the corridor, to the vault Abby had locked Warrick in before the explosions.  “Two concussion bombs,” Abby said.  “That probably did the trick.”  They reached the open door and Shelly looked inside as Abby helped her stand.  There was no blood.  Just chunks of metal and sparking wires.  Bits of Warrick’s metal head were scattered at the opposite side of the vault, along with some bone.  The red eye was still intact, but shut off.

“You were right,” Shelly said, “this wasn’t about revenge.”

“Not in the normal sense,” Abby said.  “You can’t get revenge against a machine.”

“So this was the infamous Warrick Baines,” Shelly muttered.  She thought back to some stories Bobby had told her about Baines and Nat Bigum.

“It’s what we were calling Warrick Baines,” Abby said.  “It was never a cyborg.  It was a robot.  An android made from metal with artificial skin stretched over it, and some bone fused into its skull to make it look like a cyborg.  Some sort of artificial blood, too, which was probably just a red lubricant of some kind.  Looks like all that was gone at this point, though.  A combination of biotechnology and robotics.  They use the same techniques with a lot of android models these days.  Only this one was made to look like a cyborg which had once been human.”

Shelly nodded.  “So Warrick Baines died when Nat Bigum threw him off a building a decade ago.  Into a burning city.”

“And I guess Herman Rennock had this android built,” Abby said, “and programmed with Baines’ personality and memories by someone who knew him well.  Rennock used Baines’ reputation to make the android a feared enforcer.  A robotic weapon to do his bidding.  With a legendary reputation.”

“And when Nat said he shot him,” Shelly said, “the bullet must have caused the android to start malfunctioning.  To go insane, at least as far as androids go.  The recent battle damage couldn’t have helped, either.”  She frowned as she looked at the wires and metal.

“Well,” Abby said.  “Whatever it is, it’s gone now.”

“So it wasn’t Warrick Baines who killed Bobby,” Shelly said.  “Or Nat or your family.  It was an android.  A soulless, lifeless machine.”  Shelly was sure that revenge had never felt so hollow.

“Well, let’s go,” Abby said.  “You look pretty bad off.  I need to try to get you to a doctor.  Let’s get back to the sand bike.”

“Did you get the diamonds?” Shelly asked, struggling to speak.

“Yeah,” Abby said.  “They’re back with the sand bike.”  They turned away from the mess of metal and Shelly clung to Abby as the two of them made their way back down the long, metal corridor.

 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Znh0OM9jiA]

 

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Continue on to the next chapter:

Afterlife, Volume 3, Chapter 28
Where:
The resistance leaders try to figure out their next steps.
Ava visits Ayman in the hospital.
Paul Jacobs and Aiyana McGowan go exploring outside of Denver.

Find the Volume 3 Table of Contents page here.

View the Map here.

Check out Afterlife on Goodreads and don’t forget to rate it.

Check out Michael Monroe’s page on Amazon to find other stuff he’s written.
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