Chapter 68 – Finding the Bomb
Vertigo Town, Arlington County, VA
Tuesday, May 12, 2076
14:05 EST GMT-5
Ace: We didn't think twice, we just headed straight to the construction site, as Javier mentioned. The airlock opened to lead to the passage leading to the construction site. We weren't alone, we brought Gallagher with us, who eventually would be court-martialed. We entered the passage and headed to the other door ahead.
"This is the place, let's go!" I told Ranger.
The automatic doors began to open. We looked forward to seeing what was ahead. I then saw Javier; he ran through the door.
"I'm heading back to the city!" said Javier. "You guys stay clear of that spot."
"Not a chance!" I spoke. "I need to know who or what is behind all this."
I then pressed on through the doors. Then I saw them, the Gunsmith Battalion. But no signs of Jerry. Why did Javier mention Jerry? I then went down to confront the guards. Next thing you knew, he fell from the sky and landed on both legs. Jerry!
"Jerry, what's going on?" I asked in concern.
Jerry then turned around to look at me.
"I'm sure you know, deep down in your darkest nightmares!" said Jerry, as suddenly his teeth became sharp fangs and his eyes began to glow red, then returned to normal. "We met before, remember? Everything is going exactly as planned."
Everyone watched as Jerry walked away from us laughing maniacally. Suddenly, his arms began to mutate, and expand, turning red, and wings began to grow from his back.
"Ace! It's the mutant leader!" said Ranger.
I was also shocked seeing Jerry's transformation.
"Now you see, without the shield walls disrupting my power, I'm at my full potential now! So, for the last time, hand over your city to me!" said the fully transformed Jerry, who until now was the mutant leader.
Suddenly, Gallagher grabbed a gun from one of the guards.
"If the city must die, then we all die!" said Gallagher! "Charge!"
Everyone ran towards the mutant leader, except for me and Ranger. The mutant leader's eyes glowed red. Then he fired a blast from his eyes, knocking out all the guards around him.
"I will burn this city to its ashes if I must take over it the hard way!" said the mutant leader, then took off to fly away.
We then ran to help remove the debris and rubble off Gallagher.
"You are the city's last hope, Ace! And I helped you to fight them." said Gallagher, as he pressed the button. "Still any leader worth their salt, always has their backup plan. The first step to making a bomb, is to always make two."
Then Gallagher stopped breathing, as he expired. We saw it, the dirty bomb. We had to take it with us to the mutant lair, it honestly wasn't too big. We could carry it in one hand. We then grabbed the explosive and left the construction site. Me and Ranger then found a vehicle, to use and get to the transport leading to the mutant's lair.
"I think now is the time to act!" said Ross over the radio. "The mutants are so focused on attacking the city, they may have left their lair vulnerable."
"Ace, get to the mutant's lair out in the wasteland, place the dirty bomb into the turret. That shall breach open the mutant leader's hideout." Wheeler ordered on the radio. "Once inside, take out the mutant leader and his whole army should collapse, it's a long shot but the only chance we got! Get moving!"