The Second Apocalypse {Watty awards 2013}

Chapter 13

"Pittsburgh. Dead ahead." Bryce said as the once great American city came into view on his Black Wing's HUD.

"Decrease altitude by 3,000 feet guys." Marcus said as he lowered the throttle on his dashboard. Slowly, the machine began to descend into the desolated city.

"Nothing on the long range scanners." William said as the three of the them landed; swirling up a whirlwind of dust below.

"Keep an eye on them." Marcus ordered as the Black Wing's titanium feet crushed the concrete below. "That Cerberus mech could be still be lurking around here somewhere."

"I'll pick it up before it gets anywhere near us."

"Bryce." Marcus began to say. "Do you have a signal on that tracker?"

Marcus looked at the teammate video feed screen to his left that showed Bryce's cockpit. He saw Bryce flip a switch and an audible beep came in over the radio.

"It's feint..." Bryce said. "But there's a signal coming from about forty meters north of here."

"Then we're heading north." Marcus replied. "Do a quick weapons check and prepare to move out."

"Yes sir." William and Bryce replied in unison.

As Marcus, Bryce, and William marched through the empty streets filled with overturned cars and buildings with holes the size of wrecking balls in the side of them, Marcus noticed that the audible ping that was coming from Bryce's dashboard was becoming louder and louder as time passed on.

"Bryce..." Marcus finally said; feeling annoyed.

"Oh right." Bryce replied quickly. "Whatever this anomaly is, it's getting closer and closer."

"Keep your eyes peeled for anything..." Marcus said back.

"Yes sir." Bryce and William replied.

Suddenly, as Marcus looked farther down the road, he noticed several figures in the distance.

"Bryce. William." He began to say. "You seeing this?"

"I see it." William replied.

"Whatever that is," Bryce began. "That's not what I'm picking up on my radar."

"What the hell..." Marcus nurtured as he leaned forward and squinted his eyes.

"That looks like Scott's Black Wing." William said.

As the three man team moved forward, Marcus suddenly realized what he was looking at and stopped his mech. Once he was on the ground, he walked up to the people he saw.

"Marcus..." Kelly said as she approached the older man-who's beard was beginning to look extremely ragged.

"Captain Kelly." Marcus replied spitefully as he peered into the eyes of the younger woman in front of him.

"Guys?" Said Scott as he walked up. "What're you doin' back here?" He asked.

"We were assigned by Miles to hunt that mech we encountered earlier." William answered as he walked up, along with Bryce.

"So, now what?" Lance asked the adults that surrounded him.

"We still need to get these two to safety." Scott said as he nodded toward Lance and Ava.

"We could take them in our mechs and get them to a safe zone." Laura said a she walked up to the small group, along with Nicholas.

"No." Marcus denied. "We-"

Suddenly, a loud crash that sounded like a bomb going off came from behind the group. As Marcus turned his head to she what the source of the explosion was, he saw a red hulk was seen approaching from the rear; thick smoke emitting from its shoulder-mounted gun turrets.

"SHIT!" Kelly yelled as she stumble to run toward her mech. "Move! MOVE!!!"

Marcus followed Kelly's orders he ran toward his own mech; alongside Bryce and William.

"Incoming fire!" William pointed out as they ran to their mechs, also the direction the Cerberus mech was advancing in.

Marcus was the first to reach his mech. As the hand of the Black Wing hoisted him up into the cockpit, he glanced over to Bryce, who made it safely into his on cockpit, then William, who was cut down in a hail of bullets.

"NO!" Marcus heard Bryce's muffled voice from his cockpit.

Marcus quickly started his mech and turned it to face the Cerberus mech; which was still advancing slowly while unleashing a wall of bullets.

"FIRE!" Marcus heard Kelly's voice ring in through his radio. As he turned his head, he saw a volley of missiles fly toward the Cerberus mech, landing a direct hit and causing a massive explosion.

"Nice hit!" Scott's voice complimented as he saw black smoke emit from the impact of the blast.

The victory was short lived, however. As the Cerberus mech still trudged forward.

"Protect the children!" Laura said hastily as she positioned he mech in front of Lance and Ava; how cowered behind the massive leg of her hulk.

"Fuck them!" Kelly yelled. "We need to destroy this thing, NOW!"

"Ideas?!" Nicholas asked.

Marcus pondered for a moment. "Just one." He said. "Cover me."

"I hope you know what you're doin'!" Kelly said. "COVERING FIRE!" She yelled as her mech's machine gun spat out a row of bullets.

Before Marcus began to charge, he caught a glimpse of Lance, who stared at him with sorrowful eyes. Marcus had but one quick thought.

Just one chance...to do something right...

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Lance watched as he saw Marcus' mech run toward the Cerberus mech; the sound of gunfire loud in his ear.

"WHAT THE HELL IS HE DOING?!!!!" He yelled in horror.

"STOP!" Ava yelled as she held the boy back from running after the mech.

Marcus' mech ran on a direct course to the Cerberus mech; taking a noticeable amount of damage along the way. Metal parts and wires were everywhere. But finally, Marcus reached it. His mech grabbed the Cerberus mech with both hands around its torso. Then, the thrusters erupted and the were suddenly high in the sky. Lasty, they were gone in one giant, yellow blast.

The battle was over. Lance watched as the other mech pilots exited their respective hulks and stared hub awe of what they had just seen. Everyone looked happy. All except for Lance, who let out a wailing cry of dispair...