TH - Chapter 5 - Best Laid Plans

What I expected to be a short sprint down the street turned into an exercise of frustration as my legs occasionally spasmed, or failed to react the way I expected. Whether through determination and willpower, or sheer luck, I didn’t twitch while engaging any of the models wandering around the street, but I did throw myself head first into a car. Twice.

“How long do I have to put up with this awkwardness?” I growled as I pulled myself upright, ignoring the blaring car alarm going off directly in my ear.

This version of the serum typically takes between twenty-five and forty minutes to fully integrate, but you should find it easier to move as the process progresses.

“Lets hope,” I grumbled. I took off down the street again, this time at a more controlled pace. Even though the convoy’s last known location was only a few blocks away, it was hard to tell if they were anywhere near the vehicles. There was an almost constant sound of gunfire echoing around the steel and concrete towers around me, making it difficult to tell if the PMC was fighting, or I was hearing a skirmish elsewhere in the area. 

When I got about a block away, I got my answer. There was a flipped transport truck in the middle of the intersection, its engine compartment completely caved in, another one of those massive antithesis laying dead a few feet away. Behind it was a second truck, which appeared to have swerved to avoid the first, and smashed into a nearby lamp post. Beyond the wrecks was the sound of gunfire, so I crept up the the nearest truck, and took a peek.

Across the intersection there was an entire mob of antithesis throwing themselves at a pair of armored vehicles, which were parked in front of some sort of jewelry store. The automated turrets on these vehicles constantly oscillated between firing into the crowd of ground units, and firing up into the slowly growing cloud of tiny black bird-like creatures which were circling above.

“First dogs, now birds? Wonderful,” I muttered as I took cover behind the destroyed trucks. 

The ground units are Model Threes, which are the most commonly encountered terrestrial unit during an incursion, and the flying units are Model Ones. Both of which are relatively harmless to experienced samurai.

“Unfortunately I don’t exactly fit into the category of ‘experienced’ samurai yet, do I?” I hissed quietly. “What am I supposed to do about a cloud of flying monsters anyways? Cut them all down with my sword?” 

Possible, once your reflexes are fully upgraded.

“But it would probably take me hours to do,” I grumbled. “Until I get a hold of something that lets me kill the birds efficiently, the front door is out.”

I popped back behind the truck, and glanced around the square. Most buildings were on lockdown, with metal security shutters keeping the antithesis out, except for the jewelry store and the massive shopping center next to it. The mall had a number of plate glass display windows which had been smashed by antithesis either going in, or coming out of the complex.

“Any news on a relief convoy, or backup, arriving anytime soon?” I asked nervously.

You don’t have any augments or devices that allow me to intercept communications, so I cannot answer that. 

The sound of squealing metal and screeching tires broke my train of thought, and I popped my head around the truck again to see what was happening. One of the larger models had joined the mob, and was charging the armored vehicles. Its armor was apparently thick enough to deflect the small arms, allowing it to slowly try and push the vehicles out of the way.

“I’m either going to have to figure something out fast. Those people don’t stand a chance against that monster,” I muttered. “I’m guessing the antithesis won’t forget about their prey if they’re distracted, so I can’t just lead them away,” I whispered as I stood up, and inched my way towards the side of the truck closest to the shopping center.

The early antithesis models have a feral level of intelligence, and will return to the location of kills, or wounded prey, once they deal with easier targets. 

“Since I doubt I have enough points to buy something capable of dealing with that mob, I need to whittle them down until I can get at the big one.”

That ‘big one’ as you put it, is Model Six. It’s a command model. If it knows there's a sufficient source of biomass inside the store, like a crowd of people, it won’t abandon the attack unless it discovers an easier target or it encounters a threat to the swarm which it believes requires its direct intervention to deal with.

“You’re telling me that massive six legged, six eyed tank of a creature is the smart one?” I nearly shouted, before I got myself under control. “You know what, fine. Before I do anything else I need a bottleneck to defend, otherwise this is going to be one of the shortest engagements ever” I said. I took a deep breath, psyched myself up, then began sprinting towards the shopping center. 

Even with the ever present noise of the automated turrets firing, I was sure I could hear the sound of claws scraping across the asphalt, scrambling to chase after me. About half way across the intersection I stupidly risked a glance at the antithesis, catching sight of the dozen or so Model Threes that had broken off to follow me, along with a small cloud of Ones. Of course, the instant I stopped concentrating, my leg didn’t fully cooperate and I was sent tumbling to the ground.

In the few seconds that it took me to recover, the closest Model Three had almost closed the distance, and pounced. I pulled my sword impossibly fast, beheaded the creature mid flight, then took off running before the rest of the creatures could catch up. I had already passed through the nearest window, and into a store, before I processed what happened.

I didn’t actually have time to congratulate myself or anything, because as soon as I stepped into the store I whirled about, ready for my remaining pursuers. The Model Ones didn’t seem to understand how windows worked, so most of them smashed into the glass and bounced off, causing the swarm to scatter. The handful that made it through the opening in the window were little more than pests, that only took a couple swipes to take down. Once they were dealt with, I set up and waited for the first Model Three to show up. The stupid creature slid around the corner, then attempted to lunge forward, an action I found almost laughably easy to avoid. It was like I was fighting something in slow motion. I simply rotated out of its way, then bisected it with a single swipe of my sword. 

The rest of the pack didn’t fare much better. The entire group filed in one at a time, allowing me time to set up on each one, and dispatch them with a single strike. 

After a few seconds, it was already over. I might have been trembling slightly from the exertion of keeping my reflexes under control, but I still found the fight much easier than any of my previous engagements. I was, just now, beginning to realize why samurai were such a force to be reckoned with. 

When I was sure there weren’t any more Model Threes coming in, and the swarm of Ones had dissipated, I stepped back out of the window and looked back at the jewelry store once again. The Model Six was once again shoving the armored vehicles, while its little minions milled about, absorbing gunfire.

I briefly considered whistling to grab some attention, until I remembered how bad I was at it, so I did the next best thing and grabbed a rock and chucked it at the mob. The rock pinged off a random Model three, but instead of attracting a few more to attack me, everything froze.

The Model Six instantly stopped pushing the vehicles, and turned to look in my direction. We stared at each other for a moment, then the Six made a trumpetting motion, which was weird because I didn’t hear anything, but EVERY antithesis in the intersection charged my direction.

As the ground began to shake with the weight of their charge I hopped back into the building and started running towards the back of the store. I quickly sliced at the security gate keeping the store from the rest of the mall, and slipped into the main complex.

I’m guessing that wasn’t part of your plan.

“Fuck no! I expected to attract a couple at a time until I could confront the big one, I didn’t expect it to see me as a threat right away!” I gasped as I sprinted down the concourse, looking for anything that I could use for cover. The sound of shattering glass echoed out from behind me, indicating the horde had reached the window already.

Most humans can’t even kill a Model Three, even with a gun and barricade between them. You killed almost a dozen with nothing more than a sword. Of course it’s going to see you as a threat.

“I didn’t think it would even notice a few missing Threes!” I growled. I looked back, only to see the security gate buckle, and deform. “I need a way to deal with this, fast!”

Then let's go over a couple options, shall we?