Operation M.I.A: Missing in Action (IN NEED OF REVISING)

Chapter XIX

"Whatever. Let's just get out of here before something happens," Mia mumbles, and we begin to walk back outside.

Mia spoke too soon, however, because right before we exit, there's a giant whirring sound.

SEAN

Music: Big Ducker from Gradius Gaiden

The whirring is coming from a compartment door on a wall adjacent to the one we entered through. All ten of us stop and turn slowly to see what we're up against here.

What's revealed to be behind the door is an enormous, orange walker robot. There's a large cannon mounted at the very top of it, and a small, blue orb right below it. The walker takes a few slow steps forward until it's completely in the room, and like usual, we just stand there and gape at it.

"What the hell is that?" Mia asks, either frightened or confused, I can't tell which anymore.

The walker then starts taking larger steps straight forward, moving all the way to the other side of the room. Then it takes the same amount of steps backward, firing small, yellow bullets from the turret on its... head. When it stops at its original position, it starts aiming its turret for us and firing quick, large energy bursts, forcing us to dive out of its line of fire.

Next, the walker starts firing more tiny bullets while aiming its head upward and charging up something. Once its head is all the way up, it fires a huge laser and then sweeps it all across the room, barely missing some of us. Mia, Shanna, and I stay put in a corner of the room.

I'm about to suggest exiting, but that's when the walker spots Avery trying to leave and starts making revving noises. Avery turns around and is barely given enough time to dive out of the way when the walker zooms forward, smashing through several walls until it's outside. It also drops a few fire grenades in the process, which create tall flames upon going off. Through the glass walls, I spot the walker zooming past, and then briefly slowing down to face us and fire a few more small bursts of energy. The walker then flies right back into the room through the compartment door and stops when it's at the other side of the room again. Apparently, it breezing by the fire is enough to put it out somehow. Then it just starts walking backward again.

Heath catches onto it first. "its attacks repeat in a pattern! Remember what they are!" Using that knowledge, he maneuvers his way through the tiny bullets and fires a few good shots at the walker. Two or three of them hit the small blue orb right below its turret, which flashes every single time it's hit.

"That must be its weak point," I mutter to myself. I yell to Heath, "Heath, destroy the core!"

"Gotcha!" Heath yells back. Sam and Luke enter the fray, and Mackenzie does her usual climb up the walker to get on top of it, although hanging on is difficult for her due to the erratic movement of the walker's head. When the walker does its attack of firing short bursts of energy, missiles come out of a back hatch the second time around. As the walker starts to rev up again, Avery stands in front of the door and does a "come here" motion with her fingers. The walker takes the bait and charges forward, and Avery expertly rolls out of the way. She then baits the walker into firing all of its small energy orbs at her as it zooms by the building, and once again dodges all of them.

The third cycle of attacks doesn't last very long. Luke creates his sword arm and starts growing a fireball on it, and Mia pulls a taser off of her weapons belt. Sam and Heath's gunshots aren't having too much of an effect on the core, and they both eventually run out of ammo. But right before the walker blasts its sweeping laser, Luke releases the fireball and it flies right into the core, disintegrating it. Sparks start flying around on the walker as it slowly takes a couple of steps backward. Finally, Mia tases one of its legs, which eventually leads to the top half of the walker detaching itself from its legs and falling to the ground, creating a loud "clang" sound.

MIA

Music: Challenger 1985 from Gradius Arcade

"Y'know, I guess you could say that was a bit of a... shocking finish," I smirk, feeling ever-so triumphant.

"Oh, come on. That wasn't even clever," Sam replies, sighing. I send him a glare and hold it until I hear the sound of a door opening coming from the walker.

There's a small hatch located in the back of the walker, and inside are a man and a girl I do not recognize. The man glances outside and looks between all of us in fear. Then he gets up and starts making a break for it.

"Oh, I don't think so," Luke smirks, pulling out the Rock of Doom and emitting a tractor beam from it. This halts the man, who fights against it for a few seconds before eventually giving in. He then uses the power of the rock to spin the man around a few times. Once he's finished, the man now somehow has ropes around him.

"That oughta hold ya until the authorities show up," Luke says, pleased with himself.

"Speaking of which, it might be a good idea to leave right now," Avery suggests. We simply exit through one of the holes that the walker made in the wall, and locate the hovercraft not too far away.

"Okay, let's get you home," Shanna tells the girl, handing her the teleportation device. Our new companion looks to be a year or two older than the rest of us, and seems more confused by us than traumatized by what she's experienced. She slowly grabs the device from Shanna, then starts typing her address into it.

"Just get a move on. I'm sure this isn't the weirdest thing you've had to do in your life," I mutter quietly enough so only I can hear.

After the girl vanishes from our sight, Sam says to everyone, "Alright, four places down in less than two hours. Not bad."

"Can we just keep going? The sooner we find Brielle, the better," Avery sighs.

Without Avery noticing, I roll my eyes at her as I step onto the hovercraft for yet another flight.

First two POVs are p lit, last one is filler at best lol

Next chapter might be a bit delayed- I have no idea where the characters should go next, and neither does MC. I might have to ask our third companion for this one...