The Second Apocalypse {Watty awards 2013}

Chapter 6

"Is that the military?" Ava asked as she looked up into the sky.

"Helicopters that big..." Marcus began to say. "It can only be dropping off one thing."

"Back-up?" Lance asked as he looked over to Marcus.

"Considering that I'm not on a mission," Marcus replied with a dead eye look. "It can't be back-up. They're here for something...looking for something..."

"We should go meet them." Ava suggested. "It could be our only chance to get out of the city."

"What about the other people in the city?" Lance asked softly.

Ava a d Marcus looked at Lance with cold looks in their eyes.

"What...?" the boy replied; confused. "It's only-"

"Look kid." Marcus said as he cut Lance. "It's not about everyone's survival. You either take care of yourself or you get killed. Survival of the fittest..."

These words made Lance look away in shame.

"Pack up whatever you can you two." Marcus said as he got up and walked over to the powered down H.I.S.U. mech. "I think I know how to get my own call sign on this thing."

"Really? How?" Ava asked curiously.

"Well I had to find the main identification systems and sever the wires." Marcus explained as he climbed into the cockpit of the mech. As he did this, he sat back in the metal chair and looked at the computer screen to the left of him. It was a blank blue screen that should've had a call sign on it. But instead all it said was "PLEASE ENTER CALLSIGN PIN". Marcus followed the instructions and he entered a well-known pin onto the keyboard. As he did this, a very familiar call sign appeared on the blue screen; causing Marcus to smile to himself a little.

"It's working!" He announced to Lance and Ava who were on the ground packing their stuff.

"Great!" Lance yelled back. "We're ready to move out! Just give the word!"

Marcus looked over the multiple computer screens before he pulled the cockpit down and sealed himself in. Then he flicked a switch to turn on the speaker system.

"Okay. Get back." Marcus said through the speaker as he placed his hand on the throttle.

Lance wheeled Ava a safe distance from Marcus and the machine. Once he saw that they were far away, Marcus pushed his feet on the pedal and the mech that once sat kneeled down began to rise to its fleet. Marcus pulled up on the joysticks and the mech's torso rose into an upright position; the sunrays bouncing off its white reflective armor plates.

Just being in the presence of the powerful Goliath that stood before him made Lance smile like a five year old in the toy section of a store.

"You sure this is it?" Lance said with a sad look on his face as he realized what Marcus had said earlier.

Even though they couldn't see his face, Marcus looked away with his eyes closed.

"Well?!" Ava yelled up impatiently.

"Okay...fine." Marcus said as he got a hold of himself. "I'll take you to a camp that I know of where you'll be safe. But once you're there, I go my way. Deal?"

Lance and Ava exchanged glances for a few seconds. Afterwards, they replied in unison. "Deal!" with smiles on their faces.

Marcus mentally slapped himself for just realizing what he had just done. He had just made himself responsible for getting these kids across cities to the nearest safe camp. But he promised them and he was bound to keep that promise.