Machine God: A Post-Apocalyptic Thriller (Final Draft)

The Fall

Good thing I carried a grapple gun.

Even better—the heavy didn't.

During the fall, I unleashed the cabled dart and hit the ledge on the opposite roof.

The dart pulled me up via the cable. In the corner of my left eye, I saw the heavy Technoid roaring into the ground too many floors below. The forsaken streets welcomed the heavy's fall with space wide open.

Good riddance.

Back on the rooftop, Naif helped me up. He must have defeated the two other Technoids, because I couldn't see them anymore.

Naif said,

"Only you could pull it off. Your actions amaze me with every passing moment. But I guess I shouldn't be surprised at this point."

To be honest, I was done with surprises myself. I looked up and saw Ann-Lyze running at our direction. She had tears in her eyes but looked okay, apart from her torn-apart gear and the dust smearing her sweaty face. I tried to meet her halfway, but the strength rivered out my legs. Every step felt like marching through liquid concrete, every movement hurt. I reached the limits of my body usage, Ann-Lyze and Naif needed to support me. We rested for a moment and viewed the ruinous buildings of the cluster, all connected to the main Bulwark skyscraper via the make-shift steel bridges. Silence flushed the sight, I couldn't hear any more gunfire.

Konforma updated me.

"Looks like the cluster is back in Bulwark control. Hecto and Ceedee performed admirably, but we lost many good people today."

"Orden?"

"Nope, she's alive and well."

You couldn't have it all.

Ann-Lyze hugged me and wiped her tears on my armor.

Maybe you could.

"Thank you for everything. I thought these freaks were going to take me back to their cluster. Irrgs. I don't even want to think about it."

She paused.

"Is there something I can do for you?"

"You actually can. I want you to check the medstations. You're dehydrated and need medical attention ASAP."

She looked at me with her deep brown eyes.

"And you two?"

"We're going to hangout for a few minutes and have a little soldier talk."

"Are you sure?"

"150% certain."

She gave me another hug before she left our rooftop with a bewildered face. I hated to see her leave so soon, but it was for her own security.

Naif stood next to me and watched her go.

"A little talk between soldiers? Now you're making me curious."

I got up and moved around the rooftop, stretched my limbs and inhaled the fresh air. Every part of my body pained, shreds of my back plates crumbled. It was a miracle I was still alive. But this issue mattered.

More than anything.

Naif's face shield pointed toward my direction.

I said,

"I want to personally thank you for covering my back all these times. I know we had a rough start when we blasted through the ground during our digging mission, but ever since we reentered the secret tunnels, you supported me like no one else."

He shrugged.

"Forgive me for my initial hostility, but I had no clue that you were such a remarkable being. My ego blinded me."

"No need to excuse yourself. These are devastating times, and they push us to what is humanly possible."

I looked at the vast sky that contrasted the barren concrete jungles of the Bulwark Cluster. Whenever my breath stalled and frustration misted my mind, I simply had to look up to feel hopeful again. The firmament was my totem of freedom.

"You know, even though I just recently learned about the Technoids, I feel like I know so much about them. I believe I get them better than the Bulwark citizens."

"Interesting," Naif said.

"Despite being technological-advanced and infusing their weaponry into their bodies, they really do believe in their religion."

Pause.

"In the beginning, I thought it was plain madness. The whole talk about the Machine God and so on. I believed the Technoids were simply looters and shooters without a cause. Foolish me."

"And now?"

"Now I believe every action they commit is geared toward their mission, their holy war or whatever they call it. There's a strategy behind it, one I haven't deciphered yet."

"Don't worry, they're all dead now. The Bulwark Cluster is ours again."

"Not quite," I said.

"At least one Technoid's left."

I took out my Dust Viper and pointed it at Naif.

"And he's standing in front of me."