Chapter 25

  The four jets from the Deck Hall started to climb through the air, heading towards the clouds. Rowan was amazed at the similarities between the simulations and how the ship handled. The intense G-Forces on the ascent kept her glued to her seat. She continued to increase the throttle to keep in formation with Paxton and the other two pilots. The engines all screeched in unison, pushing the fighter jets further away from the city.

  “Get ready to level out over the clouds, we’re going to circle around and try to hit the Litvyak in the flank.” Paxton’s voice drawled through her earpiece.

  “Copy that.” Rowan replied.

  The other pilots repeated with her. All four of the ships blasted through the top of the clouds. The setting sun loomed over the horizon, slowly dropping beneath the plumy canvas. Rowan felt something in her chest staring at the images ahead. She was higher up than she had ever been with the controls at her fingertips—silent, in tears.

  It was another piece of the beautiful world outside of Kashmir that was hidden in plain sight. She snapped back to attention and began to level off the ship. The four ships finally got in formation before speeding further ahead. The sounds of the battle below remained inaudible at this height. There was not a single munition at play on the ground below able to reach them.

  “Keep focused now, they got a couple of Interceptors on the way. This ain’t like the regular ships, they ain’t got pilots,” Paxton continued with his address. “They’re inhuman, efficient, and if you slack off for a second, you’re dead.”

  Rowan took a moment to prepare herself. She began to recall the conversation with Paxton and Ginger earlier, remembering the name of an individual.

  As the radio remained silent, she asked, “Sir, what was the Murray Incident?”

  “Well, it’s a hell of a time to ask me.” Paxton replied.

  “I just wanted to know the context,” she calmly responded, causing her eyes to leave the console. “I wanted to know the situation he was in, so I don’t wind up in it.”

  “Was some gung-ho Marine under my rank,” he said hesitantly. “Bullets started to fly, and he curled up into a ball like a little girl. You got a pussy, don’t mean you need to be one.”

  Under any other circumstances, she might have been offended by the quick remark. However, she snickered under her breath, smiling at the image of Paxton giving the delivery with a straight face. You’re quite a character.

  “Prepare to bank left,” one of the pilots said, voice cracking during the transmission. “The Litvyak is twenty clicks out.”

  “Copy that, get ready to bank on three.” The other pilot chimed in.

  Rowan did not get a chance to reply. She reached for the call button before the console in front of her lit up, buzzing within.

  “Rowan, they’ve got a lock on you!” Paxton’s voice blared through.

  There was not a second spared as she ripped the controls and gently began to increase the throttle. The ship took a quick dive, causing her to rise out of her seat momentarily. The days spent in the simulations put her in a similar situation, keeping her steady while she continued to descend into the clouds.

  She could hear Paxton giving the order to scramble but tried to block him out as the G-Forces started to push into her. The radar on the console continued to blare. After a series of erratic turns, she started to feel her vision starting to blur.

  “Keep it together, damn it.” she quavered.

  The ship made a sharp turn to avoid the missile, causing her to lean her head into the turn. The sudden movement was dizzying, but she eventually felt the pressure inside of the cockpit begin to level out. The blaring of the console finally subsided before she heard a loud blast several hundred yards behind her. It provided some momentary relief, but she knew the Interceptor would be following her soon.

  “They’re moving in on us,” Paxton’s voice rang out again, shattering the moment. “I said scramble, goddamn it!”

  She caught a glimpse of a silhouette to her right. The clouds behind her ripped open, revealing the slim and sleek body of one of the Interceptors. Without hesitation, she started to climb once more before trying everything she could remember from the simulations to keep the enemy at bay—barrel rolls, sharp turns, dives—the enemy was always behind.

  The guns from the enemy ship began to unload, sending continuous streams of bullets in her direction. Every single time she turned, the tracers from the attacks followed. Soon, she found herself moving through the dense clouds. The light from the sun barely illuminated the path forward as the two ships began another climb.

  “Get off my ass already!” she fumed.

  The constant barrage of bullets continued to trail her, barely missing the left wing. At last, both ships burst through the top of the clouds. Rowan caught one more glimpse of the Interceptor and quickly let off the throttle. She banked left, causing the enemy ship to follow suit before finally jerking the yoke to the right. The Interceptor tried to track her movement, but instead overshot. It struggled to correct its direction, leaving itself open.

  Rowan tilted the controls once more, lining up the enemy in her sights before unleashing a barrage of counter-fire. The tracers from the guns lit up a small pathway, colliding with the front of the enemy ship. Its hull then ignited into a flurry of sparks, quickly being enveloped by smoke as the ship began to spiral down through the clouds.

  With a triumphant shout, she looked down to see the enemy ship finally hurtle towards the ground, defeated. However, she knew there were still more craft just like it ready to pounce on her and her comrades. She pushed into the throttle once more to try and catch up to Paxton and the others to help even the odds.

  Rei’s chest burnt from the extended usage of her blue form. While she fought off Yuri, the thought of Mizumi potentially walking into one of Vic’s traps lingered. They were far away by now and she was feeling her body already reaching its limit. After minutes of fighting, she managed to shake Yuri long enough to hide. His ability to guide his scythe in through the air made it feel like she was fighting multiple opponents.

  The two eventually found themselves away from the central plaza, near an old office building. It was as decrepit and brittle as the other structures. Every explosion that rocked through left the integrity of the structures in jeopardy. Rei took refuge on the first floor, hiding behind a countertop that was once a reception desk. The energy around her began to dissipate, causing her to revert to usual bright orange.

  She calmly tried to catch her breath, trying to avoid making any more noise that would attract her opponent. There was another explosion just a few blocks away, this one from a dropship. The columns shook while the building let out a loud roar, almost as if it were alive.

  On the outside of the building, Yuri steadily began to circle the premises with his weapon still in his grasp. The massive blade of his scythe let out a whoosh with each turn of his wrist. It spun gracefully in his hand, slicing through the air with ease. He walked into the front lobby of the building, alarming Rei as she heard his footsteps draw closer.

  She felt the robe taking over again, slowly beginning to fade to black while she lifted her sword. After closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she lunged over the countertop, sliding across the faded material before dashing at Yuri. The two exchanged attacks again. Their metal blades rattled, sending loud rings through the building. Rei tapped into the Deep once more, trying to use the natural energy with the onboard AI to follow up with her next attack.

  The robe shimmered once more while her muscles began to tighten. A flash of green consumed her and the robe as she lunged forward. She finally wrenched her arm back and swung her blade into Yuri’s chest. The machine was unable to respond, instead taking the attack head on. The blade made a scratch in his exoskeleton, but instead of going through, the force of the strike launched him back through the exit and into the streets outside.

  Yuri finally slammed into the grass covered pavement, fiving Rei enough time to catch her breath. Fighting Yulia took every ounce of her strength, and she was going to need much more to take down Yuri. Once she exited the building, Yuri’s torso began to lift itself off the ground. Just as he made it to his feet, Shirow and Nomad quickly entered the scene. The duo stood side by side, keeping between Rei and Yuri with their weapons at the ready.

  “We’re going to take over here,” Shirow said aloud before turning his head to the side. “Hurry up and find Vic.”

  “I was wondering when you two would show up.” Rei gasped, still trying to regain her stamina.

  “We had a little detour.” Nomad added.

  She grasped her weapon close, hesitant to leave the two alone. With how fierce Yuri battled her up to this moment, she wrestled with the thought of the two meeting their ends the moment she fled. This battle was different than Nojiri as the opponents were far more powerful than anything she faced before.

  Shirow’s gaze fixed on her again as he repeated, “Hurry up and find Vic.”

  She gave him a nod and began to sprint towards the sound of gunfire. Nomad stood tall with Shirow, bracing for Yuri’s next attack. The machine stared them down, leaving the three in a standoff.

  “How are we going to handle this one?” Nomad asked.

  “I’m going to handle him; you need to go take out the next dropship. They’re going to try and take the Deck Hall.” Shirow declared.

  Nomad felt some confusion with the request and was hesitant to respond. As Yuri started to finally approach them, Shirow began to square up before continuing, “This is it. I can handle him, go now.”

  “Be careful.” Nomad replied.

  He turned towards the city, making a quick exit while Yuri finally closed in. The towering machine continued forward, wrenching his scythe to deliver another swipe to Shirow’s face. Before the impact, Shirow quickly raised his hand to Yuri, bringing the machine to a halt.

  “Wait,” Shirow called out. He reached towards the patch over his eye and peeled it from face his face. Beneath was a mechanical eye, giving an unsettling appearance with a white iris and black sclera that seemed to absorb the light. He then tucked the patch into his trouser pocket, finally squaring up to Yuri and saying, “Let’s go.”

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  Yuri rushed forward without a word, taking aim with his scythe. Shirow responded, easily managing to react to the attack in flight. Each movement was calculated with Shirow’s mechanical eye and quickly processed, allowing him to weave through each attack with ease. He continued to close in on Yuri, slowly gaining ground in his defense.

  Both of the fighters continued backwards into the building, slowly becoming shrouded in darkness. The blade of Yuri’s scythe let out a high-pitched ring while it sliced through the air, eventually sounding a clang as it struck Shirow’s arm. Sparks flew from beneath, illuminating their faces.

  Yuri’s remained twisted in determination, his attacks relentless. Shirow, despite the onslaught, maintained his composure, each movement controlled as he swatted his arms towards the blade. Suddenly, Yuri began to spin his weapon, turning the scythe into a buzzsaw within seconds. The blade began to tear through the concrete paneling below the two, causing the inside of the old building to vibrate.

  Shirow took another moment to calculate his next move. The sheer force and speed behind Yuri’s attack made going head on much more hazardous. He readied himself, calmly raising his fists. Over the sound of the metal buzz ahead, he could take notice of a steady rattling behind him. Beneath his feet, metal debris from within the ruins began to roll across.

  Next, he could see the vision through his mechanical eye starting to flicker. His arms and legs began to pull, slowly dragging him towards the attack.

  After finally putting the pieces together, he looked forward to Yuri and finally asked, “Magnets?”

  The steady drag from the magnetic force inside of Yuri’s weapon became a heavy pull, this time ripping Shirow from ground. He cranked his right arm back for a punch while in flight, taking aim at the weapon. In a blink, the two collided with tremendous force, causing the blade of Yuri’s scythe to shatter on impact.

  The magnetic forces around the two ceased, leaving Yuri’s eyes widened at the sight. Before the machine could even retaliate, Shirow delivered another quick jab, snapping the bow of the weapon in half. At last, he straightened, standing tall with his mechanical eye continuing is ominous glow in the darkness.

  “Are you supposed be my replacement,” Shirow asked. Yuri stared back at him, casually tossing the broken weapon to his feet. “A.S.B.’s like you will never be a replacement for humans.”

  “Human,” Yuri snapped back, lips slowly curling into a disdainful smile, “you’re not even human anymore. You’re a broken man being patched together by technology. I am perfection.”

  “I’ve heard that one.”

  Shirow immediately swung forward, landing a punch directly side of Yuri’s face. The force was able to send the machine flying out of the building, leaving Shirow open for the follow up.

  In contrast to the aerial battle overhead, it seemed as if the fighting on the ground had come to a halt. Every few minutes, another ship would fall from the sky, causing more rubble to fall. The dropships had since landed and been quickly neutralized by the ground forces. While bullets continued to fly, the unmanned drones from the Litvyak were continuing to pass over. The delicate machines were equipped with a small payload ready to attack on Vic’s order.

  Mizumi was still in pursuit, unaware of the looming danger overhead. She had finally drawn her pistols to make repeated attempts at trying to strike her target. Vic’s speed and agility were as sharp as ever in his old age. No matter what the situation, he seemed to be a step ahead of her.

  The many encounters in the decades prior stayed fresh in her mind. She knew that he was a deceptive foe and at any moment he could easily play his hand. Any moment he could get an advantage would be easily seized. The two continued towards an old apartment complex where they continued the exchange. Vic took a sharp turn, entering a small walkway that had been covered with tall grass and vines. He began to slow down to try and track Mizumi’s movements.

  “I wasn’t expecting you to put up this much of a fight,” Vic shouted to her. He turned his head to catch a glimpse of Mizumi’s grey robe moving behind a few pillars across the yard. Before continuing, he tapped the trigger of the pistol, sending a few rounds in her direction. The bullets struck the concrete slabs, obliterating them on impact. “I wish I could have said the same for Hideo.”

  Mizumi kept a low profile as the debris from the pillars sprinkled her hair. She gritted her teeth and took brush the pistols across her orange locks.

  “I’m going to make you regret you ever met me.” She shouted back, causing Vic’s eyes to perk up.

  The mechanical attachments inside of his head started to whir, quickly sending a signal to the drones deployed overhead. The skies above were already filled with smoke as the anti-air guns from the Deck Hall continued to burst. The drones deployed from the Litvyak kept a low approach while they started to move in on their position.

  “I even told the little runt of yours I killed you, I kind of regret it.” He shouted again.

  In his mind, he could see the drones already moving in to drop a quick precision strike on Mizumi’s location.

  “Not as much as you regret failing to kill her, I bet.” Mizumi’s sounded from behind a pillar up ahead, causing Vic to light up.

  “Not quite.”

  Upon locating her position, he ordered the drones to deliver a strike. While he rushed to cover, a whistle began to ring out from above. Its eerie melody grew more intense, causing Mizumi to react. Vic caught a quick flash of blue from behind the pillars before being greeted with another blast.

  The drone overhead was able to deliver a quick blast, easily demolishing the small apartment building with ease. It sent out a quick shockwave, the roar of the vanishing city followed. Vic stepped from out from behind the pillar as it began to crumble before scanning the rubble across from him. He lifted his coat over his mouth as the dust began to coat him.

  Once he started to approach the destroyed apartment, he could sense Mizumi’s presence through the Deep. He quickly raised his pistol ahead, firing another shot into the clouds of smoke. There was a quick gust from within the plume that started to cause the debris to disperse. As it began to clear, Mizumi appeared to his right, this time armed with a black-metal sword just like Rei’s.

  He pointed his pistol towards her, pulling the trigger only to hear a faint click from inside the chamber. The sudden noise threw off his focus for a moment, allowing Mizumi just enough of an opening to swing at him. Her blade swiped through the air, piercing through his pistol and splitting the weapon in two. Vic released the side arm and braced for the next strike. As she came down, he reached out to intercept the attack and managed to stop the weapon’s momentum in flight with his bare hand. The two were locked in a stand-still, facing off as the struggled against each other.

  “You’re not going make it through this.” Mizumi grunted.

  “Is that your powers with the Deep telling you,” He asked. Before she could press the weapon further, he quickly delivered a strike to her chest that caused her legs to buckle. “Did it see that coming?”

  Mizumi dropped to her knees, fighting to gain her breath. Vic grabbed hold of the robe just below her collar, pulling her up to his face.

  “I came here for my daughter, I know she’s with you,” he continued. “Hand her over and surrender your crew, and I might make a deal.”

  She quickly swung her head forward, smashing her forehead into his face as he spoke. The sudden impact sent him stumbling backward as he released Mizumi from his grip.

  “I’m not interested.” she taunted him after getting her breath.

  Vic gently rubbed his mechanical hand across his face, barely stunned from the attack. He smiled, seemingly thrilled by the tactic.

  “Was that your last trick?” he asked.

  “Not quite.”

  Mizumi began to spin her blade through the air, causing the dust on the ground to swirl. She began to channel the Deep once more. The sudden reaction forced Vic to raise his arms in alarm as he detected the power within her beginning to swell. At last, Mizumi’s body slowly began to blur while she dashed forward. After a few steps, she created a perfect copy of herself, one mimicking her every move.

  Together, the two sprung forward with lightning speed, closing the distance between them and Vic in the blink of an eye. Vic’s eyes widened in surprise as he found himself in a battle against two skilled combatants. Mizumi and the new doppelganger both maintained their speed, barely giving him time to react to each attack. The onslaught of the two was relentless, each attack coordinated flawlessly.

  Each strike from the two Mizumi’s were deflected with Vic’s bare hands, causing them to increase the ferocity of their attacks. As Vic moved for a counterattack, he found himself trying to defend himself from another angle. The battle continued to rage on, soon causing Vic to become overwhelmed with the onslaught of the two. Even with the odds, he still pushed to find an opening.

  As the clone went in for another strike, Vic quickly moved past her defenses, delivering a quick strike to the stomach. Mizumi watched as her clone was impaled with his fist, causing the apparition to slowly begin to fade into a cloud of dirt. The body streamed through his fingers, leaving her feeling defeated while he turned to her.

  “That looked impressive,” Vic remarked, gently wiping the dust from his hand. “It seems that you have learned a few tricks since our last encounter.”

  Before her spirits could wane, Rei appeared on the scene, charging into the fray with determination on her face. Without letting up, they tried to attack Vic again, only to have their attacks deflected. He was able to anticipate every move, moving their weapons away and going in for a counterattack of his own. After a short scuffle, the three separated from each other.

  The fog of war began to subside, the jets overhead were faint while they moved away from the city. Vic stood tall, staring down the two battered warriors as he slowly began to remove his coat. The leather uniform hit the ground with a muted thud. Then, in a display of raw power, he tore the black cotton shirt off his torso to reveal a grid-like pattern etched in his skin. The enhancements caused a chill to enter Mizumi and Rei’s spines, realizing the extent of his augmentation.

  Before they could attack, a blast of dust erupted from the ground beneath Vic, enveloping him in a swirling cloud. The two shielded their eyes, momentarily blinded by the sudden burst of debris. As the dust began to settle, Rei looked ahead and felt her heart begin to sink. Vic stood tall and imposing, clad in a battle robe of his own. She looked closer towards it, seeing its sleeves draping over his arms and the faded colors.

  “That’s Jin’s.” Rei said.

  “Was that his name?” Vic asked. He took a moment to clench his fists and adjust. By now, his mind would be linking up with the onboard AI. “I did not think twice to check if that grenade incinerated you. However, when I saw this sitting on his body, I just couldn’t help but take it for myself.”

  Rei and Mizumi silently nodded to each other, raising their weapons to brace themselves for the battle ahead. With the new enhancements, it was possible they would be facing insurmountable odds. They charged towards Vic; their robes began to fade to black while they circled him to attack.

  “Whatever advantage this offers you, I can guarantee you that this battle ends here.” Mizumi called out to him before finally going in for an attack.

  Her and Rei both struck only to have their weapons clash with his bare hands once more. Instead of having their weapons thrown aside, they were quickly blinded with a flash of blue light as Vic’s body began to shimmer. In the blink of an eye, he snaked through their weapons, delivering a quick punch to them both. Rei felt the side of her chest erupt with what felt like a concrete block being shot from a cannon. Her eyes went dim, becoming lifeless as she dropped to the ground.

  Mizumi was blindsided with a strike directly across her face, sending her spiraling towards the ground as her body sailed through the wind. The two tried to regain control while the blue glow from Vic’s robe began to fade black. He held his hands in front of him, staring in awe at the newfound power at his control.

  “Is this what Hideo was going to use to defeat me,” Vic continued before stepping over to Mizumi. “It’s impressive, although I could do without another voice in my head.”

  Before he could lean down to her, Mizumi sprung back to life, tapping into what little energy she could grasp. Her body flashed blue as she swung her fist towards his face. The impact of her knuckles barely managed to faze him and instead brought her fist to a halt. Once again, her spirits sank as her hand remained frozen against his grin.

  Mizumi took another punch to the stomach from Vic, being left open for his next assault. While he began to overpower her, Rei struggled to get to her feet. She knew she was going to have to pull something drastic if she were to take down Vic. The many failures before her were staring her down. Her pain continued to fuel her ever fleeting determination. Seeing Vic using a weapon handed down by her father with the thought of being helpless to stop a loved one continued to push her.

  “I’ve got to stop this.”

  She rose to her feet, clenching the sword in her hands. In her eyes, she could see herself at the Cosmo Cradle staring down Susumu as he challenged her to channel the Rising.

  I’ve got to do this, everything, or nothing.